these lived in against the expresse doctrine which the committers of them know and professe Now for these sinnes the name of the Lord lyes under much pollution and dishonour Heathers and Turks can pull Christians by the sleeve and accuse them for them and wonder why they doe things so contrary to their profession A man would certainly think that wicked men had a dispensation for these sins or that God himselfe did not much dislike them and would never punish them Well the Lord will not alwayes suffer this reproach though he forbeare a long time no nor never did alwayes in any Nation he will make blasphemers know at length that he will not hold them guiltlesse that take his name in vaine and so for the rest The Land shall mourne for these things at last Hos 4.3 He will have it appeare that he allowes not his to commit such sinnes the Lord will have the scandall of sinne taken away Now the scandall of great sinnes is to be removed one of these two wayes either by the Delinquents penetent confession and reformation or secondly by a speciall vindication 1. Sometimes it is taken away by the offender himselfe when he humbly confesseth his sinne and reformes if he confesse and not forsake he doth not remove but encrease the scandall for then he takes the blame from off the profession and layes it upon himselfe I did indeed so and so transgresse I did blaspheme commit adultery c. but it was my corruption made me to doe it and not my Religion it is utterly contrary to the doctrine I have received and doe professe which utterly forbids such sinnes and threatens eternall damnation to the sinner I am heartily sorry for my sin doe earnestly beg pardon for it of God the Father through Christ and by divine grace in him doe fully purpose and will endeavour a thorough Reformation this now dischargeth the profession of all blame and layes it upon the person But because this is seldome done only by penetents thoroughly therefore there is another way of taking away scandall from Gods Name for the grosse sinnes of professours and that is by visiting or vindicating the sinne upon the sinner Now this vindication is either humane or divine The first is humane For God requires that those that are under him and over others should execute judgement for him upon their Subjects for all open sinfulnesse according to the nature and degrees of it this he expects from the Parent Master Magistrate respectively and they greatly sinne and shall be punished if they doe it not Now because this humane vindication for the most part failes therefore the Lord himselfe doth at length take the matter into his owne hand when he sees judgement is turned backward and justice stands a farre off truth lyes in the street equity cannot enter and he that refraines from evill makes himselfe a prey that it is lawfull to be any thing but good as we have seen in our times when he looks about him and sees that there is no man and wonders that there is no intercessor that is he wonders there is no body will appeare to execute judgement for him then at length himselfe puts on righteousnesse as a brest-plat he puts on the garments of vengeance for cloathing and is clad with zeale as with a cloake according to their deeds accordingly will he repay fury to his adversaries farre and neere even to the Islands he will repay recompence Isa 59.14 15 16 17. and so he will take away the scandall sinne and sinners permitters and committers altogether See an instance The people of Israel had divers times murmured and tempted God they doe it afresh when the spyes came home and brought ill newes of the Land of Canaan the Lord thereupon threatens to destroy them all Moses intercedes for them and prevailes for the present but withall the Lord sayes and binds it with an oath that surely and as truly as He lived He would fill all the earth with his glory and not one of those murmurers should see the promised Land Numb 14.21 22 23. And so it came to passe for they were all rooted out in the Wildernesse they had made all the earth ring of his dishonour in their murmuring and he would make it resound his honour againe in his punishing of them Because Elye's sonnes transcendently sinned and he being their Parent and Judge did not punish them as he ought therefore the Lord threatens to bring such a punishment upon him and his house that whosoever should he are of it both his ears should â—ingle 1 Sam. 3.11 and so he did chap. 4. Both his sonnes were slaine in one day himselfe perished miserably afterwards Saul flew though unjustly 85. of his Posterity at one time and Abiather was afterwards for taking part with Adonijah cast out of the priest-hood by Salomon and so his whole posterity brought to beggery hereby was the word of the Lord fulfilled 1 Kin. 2.27 As deare as David was to God yet when by his murther and adultery he had opened the mouthes of God's enemies to blaspheme his Name though upon his repentance the Lord did pardon him yet he would not remit the temporall punishment but the child borne in adultery should dye the sword should never depart from his house he would raise up evill against him out of his own bowels as he did in the rebellion of Absolom 2 Sam. 12.10 11 14. And this I take to be one speciall reason why the Lord at last hath destroyed all the States and Kingdomes of the world that ever yet have been because that whereas they should have executed judgement for him they have executed judgement against him whereas they should have been a terrour to evill works and for the praise of them that doe well they have generally been a terrour to good works and for the praise of them that doe evill The second impidement of Reformation is great and enormous sinners Imped 2 these the Lord useth to sweep away by the earthquake they are of divers sorts as 1. The scoffers at Religion Sort 1 the bold affronters of Heaven that fit in the chayre of the scorner these feare neither God nor devill they make a tush at the threatnings of God they say the Prophets words shall become wind Jer. 5.13 They threaten the Prophets that threaten them the Prophets tell them they shall dye by sword and famine they say thus shall it be done unto them ibid. We will make them dye by sword and famine our Saviour cals these dogs that bark at bite them that cast pearles to them Such were those Isa 22.12.13 who when the Lord called to weeping mourning behold there was joy and gladnesse with them killing of Oxen and slaying of Sheep let us eat and drinke say they speaking most impiously and securely for to morrow we shall dye The same Prophet tels us of a company that know not how to be sinfull enough denounceth a
Die Mercurij 28. Augusti 1644. ORdered by the Commons Assembled in Parliament that Master Erle doe from this House give thanks to Master Reyner for the great paines he tooke in the Sermon he preached at the entreaty of this House at Saint Margarets Westminster it being the day of publique Humiliation and to desire him to print his Sermon and it is Ordered that none shall presume to print his Sermon without licence under his hand-writing Hen. Elsyng Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint Samuel Enderby to print my Sermon William Reyner BABYLONS Ruining-Earthquake AND THE RESTAVRATION OF ZION Delivered in a SERMON before the honourable house of COMMONS at Margarets Westminster at their publique Fast August 28. 1644. By William Reyner Pastor of the Church of Christ at Egham in Surrey and a Member of the Assembly of Divines Dan. 7.26 27. But the judgement shall fit and they shall take away his Dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the end And the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high whose kingdome is an everlasting kingdome and all dominions shall serve and obey him LONDON Printed by T. B. for Samuel Enderby and are to be sold at the signe of the Starre in Popes-head-Alley 1644. To the Honourable the Knights Citizens and Burgesses Assembled in Parliament and now sitting at Westminster Honourable Senators HAving had for a long time strong apprehensions out of the word of God of an approching storme upon the Nations of Europe for the ruining especially of Antichrst's Kingdome I thought it not unmeet for the times Auditors having your honorable call to the Worke to treat in your presence upon such a subject The Kingdoms states of Europe are grown old a man would think were come even to their years full ripenesse in all kind of sinfulnes prophanenesse but chiefly in idolatry persecution in the Ecclesiastical in tyranny and oppression in the Civill state and that under and against a great deale of light and meanes that either they had or might have had And there is a mervailous concurrence and agreement both in the generall Comminations of the word against sinnes so aggravated besides the examples and in the particular Prophecies and Praedictions of the last times all of them pitching upon this as that period of time wherein the Lord will visit The Lord is certainly driving on a great Worke both of mercy and justice of mercy towards his owne though by a way of severe correction in their Humiliation Purgation Probation Reformation Redemption from bondage and at last in the Restauration and great enlargement of the Church Of justice against his incurable enemies of all sorts and sizes in their perdition We must not be moved that the Worke is so long in finishing among us being haply not much more then begun There is assuredly a great deale for a publique calamity still to doe alas too much in every Country City Towne Parish Family Person many both persons and things are yet as it is to be feared among the Litigants on both sides that are to be removed and subdued Besides the Lord useth to deale with men as men the great power of the wicked cannot by humane meanes which God is pleased to use be suddenly and easily breken Neither can the godly â—â—sa 48.10 whom the Lord will not refine as silver purging out all their drosse at once be suddenly hammered unto a sufficient humiliation reformation c. But this divine agent chooseth to worke upon them according to their receptivity Neither let any be scandalized at some interruptions and rebates as I may say in the Lords proceedings and at some successes now and then granted to his Churches adversaries you shall find the like in all the great acts of God that be of the same nature But all things are carried on by the steady hand of the Almighty though through many oppositions repulses contingencies c. among men to their designed end and appointed period Not to speake of this that had not the enemies some encouragements as the Lords worke would hardly by them be perfected and finished upon his owne people so neither would they be hardned to their owne destruction If Pharaoh had never been released of the first plagues he would scarce have perished in the Sea at last I hope it will neither be unprofitable nor unacceptable as a Watch-man to put your honours and by you others in mind of these things I doe not deny but in the course of humane affaires there will be treaties among men for the composing of those differences that God casts in to be the occasion and meanes of executing his decrees Yea there must and for some reasons peradventure there ought to be such But I know I speake to men too wise to beleeve that God's quarrels can be taken up by humane treaties but they will without faile attaine the issue by God himselfe before prefixed and by his Word threatned and promised Neither doe I doubt but that the Church shall obtaine her desired peace and rest in the end when God's Worke is finished though no such meanes were used at all and give law to all her enemies till which time I looke for no solid and durable quiet to be by the people of God enjoyed yea I am confident upon the faithfull word of God that the Saints shall then enjoy things which would be but by a few even of themselves now desired and by the adverse party never yeelded The Temple of Salomon was built in a peaceable the latter Temple in a troublesome time but now though there be great noyses of Axes Hammers and tooles of Iron partly about the preparation for the new building but chiefely about the pulling downe of the old which is the great worke in hand yet when the appointed time of building is come the Church may promise unto her self from God and undoubtedly expest an absolute cessation from all these disturbances in Church and Common-wealth and a time farre above all that ever were of admirable freedome serenitie and tranquillitie There are some few things concerning the happy estate of the Church in her promised future reformation which time would not then suffer me to bring in I have here made bold briefly to adde them without which the former would have been imperfect I have purposely pretermitted some things subject to doubt and exception I humbly present all to your judicious view whom God hath thought worthy to make his Instruments to begin so great a Reformation in these Nations which will I feare not have a good influence by divine blessing upon others also abroad hoping stedfastly that the same God will through his infinite mercy in Christ by your hands in due time finish the same Which is the daily desire and prayer of him that is Humbly devoted to your service in the Lord WILLIAM
REYNER BABYLONS ruining Earth-quake and the restauration of ZION Haggai 2.6 7. For thus saith the Lord of Hosts yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and the dry Land And I will shake all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come and I will fill this House with glory saith the Lord of Hosts THE Prophet Haggai lived and flourished after the returne from the Captivity of Babylon His prophecy is spent partly in reproving the people of the Jewes for their negligence in not building the Temple of the Lord appointed for his worship partly in declaring Gods hand against them for the same in their Corne Cattell and otherwise because they came to build and even to siele their owne house and let Gods House lye waste partly in exhorting and encouraging them unto the building This last he doth diversly First he tels them the Lord was with them chap. 1. ver 13. chap. 2. ver 4. And that therefore they need not feare the oppositions of their enemies who formerly so often as ever they began to build did by their complaints to the Kings of Persia still stop the worke and that his spirit did remaine among them now this was to be done not by might not by power but by the spirit of the Lord as Zec. his contemporany Prophet tels them Zech. 4.6 even against might and against power and this according to the Covenant he made with them when they came out of Aegypt chap. 2. ver 5. Next he assures them that the disire of all Nations should come to this house and that he would fill it with glory And whereas this house might seem to be a despicable and contemptible thing compared with the sumptuous Temple of Salomon that was before it which made the old men weepe when they saw the foundations of it first laid Ezra 1.12 he comforts them against that and tels them that the silver and gold are his so that if true glory had consisted in them he could have given them in aboundance for the adorning of this second Temple but he had a greater glory to bestow upon it namely Christ and in this place he would give peace viz. by Christ the Prince of peace unto his people The words may be divided into two parts First a Commination against the Nations as an antecedent or a thing that in act and execution should goe before Secondly a consolation unto the Church as a consequent or a thing that in accomplishment should follow after the Commination The Commination is in these words I will shake the Heavens and the Earth c. I will shake all Nations the Consolation in the words following and that consists of a double promise First The desire of all Nations shall come Secondly God will fill this house with glory Both these are set out by two circumstances First of the person that saith these things secondly of the time First the person Who is it that saith this Answ He that is able to make good what he saith thus saith the Lord of Hosts and this to make all more sure is put both before and after the Commination and Consolation Secondly we have the circumstance of time and that is double First Quoties how often shall this be before Christ come Answ Once Secondly Quando or quam diù when or how long is it before it be Answ ere it be long yet a little while The sense of the Words The Prophets living in the Easterne regions did frequently use the phrase and stile of the Easterne Nations they did not alwayes in a plaine down-right manner declare things as they be as we for the most part doe but did use many high phrases tropicall speeches and other figurative exornations many continued metaphors or allegorie's aenigma's and darke riddles hyperbolees and excessive speeches many emblematicall and hieroglificall expressions these puzzle us when we read them but were familiar to the people of those times and places Heavens were used not onely for the coelestiall bodies above but sometimes to set forth a State of dignity and prosperity Earth a state of mediocrity hell of adversity Againe sometimes heavens were used to set forth things appertaining to the Church or ecclesiastick State earth things appertaining to the Common-Weale or civill State as we shall heare afterwards Seas and dry Land making up the whole Orbe of the universe are put comprehensively and extensively to signifie the extent of this shaking so as it should be of all the world round about as it is interpreted even in the next Words I will shake all Nations see further verse 22. By shaking we are to understand the raising of great stirres in those Nations among all estates whereby great alterations should follow and desolations That such a sense is not insolent in the Scriptures we may see in an instance or two Isa 14.12 13 14 15. How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer sonne of the morning c. Thou saidest I will ascend into Heaven I will exalt my throne above the Starres of God c. Yet thou shalt be brought downe to hell c. Who was this Lucifer Answ None other but the King of Assyria as appeares by the context What were the Heavens and Starres he exalted himself above Answ The great estates and Princes of the world compared thereto What Heaven was he fallen from Answ from his high Soveraigne Dignity and Majesty To what hell was he brought downe Answ To utter confusion and ruine for not long after this an hundred eighty five thousand of his Army were slaine by the Angell of God in one night himself shortly after killed by his owne sonnes in his Idols Temple and a little while after this his whole Kingdome brought to destruction and the Soveraignity transferred to another Family viz. that of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon and that Kingdome at length also ruined Look upon another instance Jer. 4.23 24. I beheld the earth and be hold it was without forme and voyd and the Heavens and they had no light I beheld the Mountaines and loe they trembled and all the Hils moved lightly c. Did the Prophet Jeremy indeed see any such thing was the earth like an old confused Chaos without all forme and voyd so as no Grasse nor Tree did grow upon it had the Heavens so lost their light as that neither Sun Moon or Startes did shine Did Jeremy see the Hils to skippe and leap No such matter surely but this was all the meaning that there was a great confusion in the Land among all estates both in Church and Common-weale as appeares in the verses following which tell us that the fruitfull places were even become a Wildernesse the Cities broken downe and the whole Land desolate Let us goe on in the interpretation And the desire of all Nations shall come Some understand this of Beleevers the desirable people of all Nations others of other things but no doubt
when it was in its glory and in the earth-quake not in the fall of the City for the earth-quake is to shake down the whole Kingdome of the Beast throughout the world in the earthquake I say were flaine of men seven thousand that is thousands upon thousands and so the second woe made up of Popiâ—h idolatry and Turkish cruelty passeth away ver 14. Now immediately upon this the seventh Angell sounds a Jubilee and then there be great proclamations and acclamations in Heaven that the Kingdomes of the World indefinitely set downe that is all the Kingdomes are become Christ's Kingdomes And whereas before the Divell Dragon Beast his hornes have reigned now Christ takes to himselfe his great power and reignes for which the whole Church under the type of 24. Elders praise him though the Nations be angry as they ever are when Christ puts forth his just power ver 15 16 17 18. He now gives rewards unto his servants the Prophets c. and destroyes them that destroyed the earth that is he ruines the wicked and idolatrous generations of Antichrist who wasted his Church before ver 18. His Tabernacle is now opened in Heaven and the Arke of his Testament seene ver 19. that is Christ represented by the Arke is clearly manifested before that wicked generation had forbidden men to read the Scriptures had kept them in unknowne tongues had involved the mysteries of Christ in Masses and rude heaps of other superstitions and ceremonies but now he and all his excellencies shall be fully manifested to the Nations The other place is Rev. 16.17 c. where Antichrist having by his emissaries that is the uncleane spirits like Frogs drawne the Kings of the earth into (a) A militiae or confoederation subiect to the divine Anathâ—ma Hormageddon i. e. into a cursed and crafty warre for herein I assent to Graserus sodainly the Angell finding them in that state powrs out the seventh Viall upon them upon which follow thundrings lightnings and an earth-quake such as was not since men were upon earth so mighty an earth-quake and so great it is called the greatest earth-quake that ever was haply in regard of the sodainnesse and violence of it or either else in regard of the extent of it as being to shake all the world 1. The effects are the great City is divided into three parts by which understand probably that the Kingdome of the Beast shall be rent in peeces by fractions and devisions ver 19. 2. The Cities of the Nations or Gentiles fall by which no doubt we are to understand the false Christians that filled the visible Church all Antichrists reigne that is Papists and false professors for it is said that these Gentiles or Nations for the word is the same should tread down the holy City that is the visible Church Rev. 11.2 Peradventer these two effects of the earth-quake are now in fulfilling ver 19. 3. Unto great Babylon the cup of God's wrath is given c. now shee shall be remembred and destroyed 4. Yea all parts of Antichrists monarchy shall fall Object Some Kingdomes are strong and invincible like mighty mountaines they will stand others are remote like the Islands they cannot be come at they will continue No saith the Text every Island fled away and the mountains were not found ver 20. nothing so remote as the Iland nothing so mighty as the mountains could stand And because this ruine of the Beasts Kingdome is one of the greatest things that ever did or ever shall fall out in the world and shall have the strangest consequents therefore the holy-Ghost is pleased after a description of the Beast and the Whore chap. 17. that we may know who they are the Beast to be the Pope and the Whore Rome The holy-Ghost is pleased I say to set downe these things particularly and at large First the destruction of the Whore chap. 18. then the destruction of the Beast himselfe and all the Kings his partakers chap. 19. after which followes the binding up of Sathan with its consequents chap. 20. and then the glorious restauration of the Church both of Jewes and Gentiles under the type of the new Jerusalem in the two last chapters In the next place let us consider such grounds and reasons as the Scriptures lead us unto why the Lord in the course of his administration and providence doth cause such great shakings of Nations before he doth reforme and refine his Church and we shall find these three in speciall First Reason 1 that he may plague and punish the persecutors and oppressors of his Church and so deliver his people from persecution and oppression I joyne these two together and we shall find them to be things the Lord hath alwayes aimed at in his concussions of States and Nations if there were a Church there Why did the Lord so terribly shake Aegypt but that he might plague the oppressing Egyptians and enlarge his persecuted people of Israel And why Babylon but that he might destroy the Babylonian tyrants and deliver captivated Judah These things the Lord Intended when he ruined the Dragons Kingdome the persecrting heathen Empire and which he now intends being about to destroy the Kingdome of Antichrist take one place for all Jer. 50.33 34. The Children of Israel and the Children of Judah were oppressed together and all that tooke them captives held them fast they refused to let them goe their Redeemer is strong the Lord of Hosts is his name He will thoroughly plead their cause that he may give rest to the Land and disquiet the Inhabitants of Babylon Marke here Gods people were oppressed their enemies held them hard as never minding to let them goo and deliver them no more did the enemies of God's Church now well who can help it B. L. in his Epist Ded. before his ans to Fâ—sheâ— they have no such strong assistance to back them for so one hath written Yes saith the Phophet they have a strong Redeemer what may his name be the Lord of Hosts is his name what will he doe for them He will thoroughly plead their cause and give rest unto them how will he doe that by disquieting the Inhabitants of Babylon it is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will disquiet that is he will destroy them Observe it wherefore would the Lord bring such a devastation upon Babylon but that he might redeeme his people by oppressing their oppressors That he may take away the impediments of his Churches restauration and namely these three Reason 2 That he may take away the scandall of great sinnes Imped 1 The visible Church is like a draw-net that takes in Fishes good and bad it so falls out often times that this Church is filled with grosse sins committed and permitted with blasphemy swearing cursing lying stealing Hosea 4.2 3. prophanation of Gods Ordinances and Sabbaths persecutions of the godly and all kinds of licentiousnesse open sins against the very letter of the Law and
wâ—e against them from the Lord Isa 5.18 19. though they be an idle generation yet they will work like Cart-horses to commit sinne they will draw iniquity to them with cords of vanity and sinne as with Cart-ropes How might one know them might some man say why by this they say let him make speed and hasten his worke that we may see it let the councell of the holy one of Israel draw nigh and come that we may know it as much as if they had said we would see what he will doe we would see his threats executed we will beleeve them when we see them I so did the men of the old world just of this temper and sped accordingly The most desperate Gyant of them all when he saw the waters to cover the tops of the highest mountaines no doubt beleeved the floud but then it was too late to beleeve it Blessed are they that beleeve though they never saw If Noah had been of that mind also he had perished with them The like we have in the place cited before Amos 9.10 All the sinners of my people shall dye by the sword note they are called sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in a high degree who Why those that say the evill shall not overtake nor prevent us They scorne the Prophets comminations then ver 11. In that day when they are taken off God will raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen meaning the Church but he will first knock them downe Multitudes of such were removed in the captivity of Babylon before the Lord restored his Church in Judah The second sort are the obstinate resisters of Gods spirit Sort 2 striving with them in the use of his Ordinances and meanes of grace For his spirit shall not alwayes so strive with men in vaine as we see Gen. 6.3 When the Lord is forced to say of a people unto whom he hath afforded all his Ordinances for a long time as he doth of his Vineyard which he had choicely planted and drest c. Isa 5.4 What could I have done more to this people then that I have done meaning in an ordinary way of meanes setled by himselfe and God useth not to save Nations though persons sometimes by a prerogative why then it must be expected he will deale with that people as he did with his fruitlesse Vineyard break downe the hedge about them with his owne hand let the wilde beasts rush and runne in and depopulate all This was one cause of the captivity of Babylon The Lord rose up early and sent his Prophets long before plagues came but they mocked his Messengers despised his words and mis-used his Prophets untill the wrath of God rose against his people untill there was no remedy whilst men are without meanes there is hope they might be reformed if they had meanes but when as they have for a long time prophaned all meanes their case growes hopelesse therefore now the Lord brought upon them the King of the Chaldees who destroyed all 2 Chron. 36.15 16 17. So because our Saviour would have gathered to him the Jewes by his word as the Hen her Chickens under her wings and they would not therefore their habitation should be left unto them desolate Mat. 23.37 38. Sor. 3 A third sort are the cruell persecutors of his people persecution ever goes along with prophanation and contempt of the means of grace spoken of before When the Husband-men reviled beat and stoned the servants whom the Lord had sent to demand rent and fruits of the Vineyard he at last in fury sends out his men of warre and kils those Husband-men and then le ts out his Vineyard to better Husband-men that will yeeld him his fruits in their season Mat. 23 33 34 c. A fourth sort of enormous transgressors Sort 4 whom the Lord takes off in a publike calamity as the great impediments of Reformation are the proud strong and otherwise invincible supporters of false worship errors haeresie Idolatry prophanenesse as the Popish Hierarchicall generation both of the ecclesiasticall and civill estate Thus the Lord destroyed the High-priests and other supporters of Idolatry in the captivity of Babylon 2 Kin. 25.19 20 21. 2 Chron. 36. And so the Scribes and Pharisees and the whole Jewish state in the last destruction of Jerusalem and this is to be one maine effect of the earth-quake before the Churches future reformation in a word the Lord will take away whatsoever in Church or Common-weale is unreconcilable unto his Sonnes Scepter even Kingdomes and all see Dan. 2.34.35.44.45 In the dayes of these Kings speaking of the last times and of the Kingdomes that issue out of the feet of the Image or the iron Empire of the Romans viz. the Kingdomes of Europe shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdome that shall never be destroyed and the Kingdome shall not be left to other people but it shall breake in peeces all these Kingdomes and it shall stand for ever ver 44. this interpretation is sure ver 45. see for this also Rev. 19.17 18 c. Quest Shall all of all these sorts be taken off in a publique calamity Answ As many as necessity enforceth for freeing Gods way in the worke of Reformation God usually takes off the tops principals and ring-leaders of all these kinds he fels the great Cedars for clearing the ground where the City is to be built and stand whose name is the Lord is there Quest Why are these kinds removed Answ 1 First because they have highly and in so extraordinary a manner provoked God that we parallelling them with such in other Scriptures may justy suspect God hath sworne against them in his wrath and then he will never reverse his threats then their sinne cannot he purged away with sacrifice and offering for ever as it said of Ely's house 1 Sam. 3.14 Then though Noah Daniel and Job should pray for them they should not prevaile for a man may sinne himselfe past and beyond mercy so that though he should repent yet the externall plague should not be removed Secondly because they are not counted worthy to see the good that God will doe for his people as the Text speaâ—eth of the false Prophet Shemajah the Nehelamite Jer. 29.32 that made the Lord take off the old generation in the Wildernesse Thirdly they are unframable for God's building they would never lye even nor keepe a due proportion with the foundation and the rest of the building God hath tryed them sufficiently before Fourthly they would spoyle all Gods work If all the six hundred thousand murmurers had come into the Land of Promise how would they have hindred the advancement of Gods Kingdome and worship they being so inured to Idolatry murmuring c. and so hardned therin such would be like the enemies of the Jewes Ezra 4.2 they would needs assist the Jewes in building the Temple but they would have marr'd all the worke they would have made a wise
26. Hate the evill love the good and execute â—udgement in the gaâ—e it may be the Lord will be good to the remnant of Joseph Amâ—s 5.15 This doth as it were make the gap up against Gods wrath Let judgement therefore run downe as waters and righteousnesse as a mighty streame Amos 5.24 If you wovld not have God execute judgement upon us all for when men faile to doe it God at last will doe it then doe you execute judgement for the Lord. There be other Uses to be made of this doctrine that concerne nor selves that we may be fitted and prepared for such a storme and earth quake and find mercy in it as God having revealed and threatned it we trust beleeve it 〈…〉 I say beleeve it I say againe cordially beleeve it This I count a point of highest importance the true and diligent use of all other meanes depending thereupon This faith will breed feare for as faith in a promise will breed confidence so faith in a threatning will breed feare and feare will put a man upon the strong use of all meanes of prevention of a plague or of provision against it The true reason why wicked men doe not feare divine comminations and so why they forsake not sinne embrace not Christ nor use other meanes of escaping is because they beleeve them not For were they cordially perswaded of the certainty of the threats of the Word they durst not continue in sinne and affront Heaven as they doe And the reason why they beleeve not the threats of the Word is the Atheisme of their hearts making them deny Gods holinesse justice c. to make a slight matter of sinne and of the Word forbidding and threatning sinne they will beleeve its threatnings when they see them Isa 5.19 as we heard before I had once thought to have passed by this point because that whereas the Prudent man hath long agoe foreseene the plague in sinne deâ—erving in the Word denouncing it and otherwise the Toole now begins to see it But I revoked my selfe and now put it in the â—â—ont of these duties considering that the fools faith comming by sight and sense if there be no more added to it neâ—er doth any good Nâ—ab beleeved upon hearing and feared things of which there was â—o sight to be had as yet and so using meâ—ns eâ—capâ—d Heb. 11.7 whereas the unbeleeving world perished Gen. â— tâ—e like we may see in Lot his sonnes in law and the Sodomites Gen. 19. â—eâ—shazzer was so farre from beleeving the threats of the God of Israel against Babylon and his promises for delivering his people by Cyrus our of the Babylomans hands which promisâ—s he knew had encouraged Cyrus as that he did of purpose make an impâ—oâ—s feast when his City was besieged in contempt of God profaned the Vessels brought from Jerusalem praised the Gods of silver and gold wood and stone above the true God of Israel as Daniel accuseth him as one who could not save his owne Temple and Vessels out of his Grand-father Nebuchadnezzar's hands but whilst he was in the middest of his prophane jollity suddenly appeares the hand-writing upon the wall against him that put him into a desperate feare that night was he slaine his City taken his Empire destroyed and ended Behold here the terrible effects of this Atheisticall unbeliefe and contempt of the denunciations of the Word Beleeve we therefore the threats of the Word To speake the truth this act of faith in beleeving threats goes before and that not onely in nature but in time also the act of beleeving promises Hee that slights sinne will slight Christ he that apprehends not the severity of God against sinne set downe in the prohibitions and commnations of the law will hardly ever or not at all heartily embrace Christ set forth in the promises of the Gospell Be upright in thy generation and walke with God thus did Noah and so escaped the floud Gen. 6.9 7.1 Thou shalt enter into the Arke saith God for thee have I seene righteous before me in this generation When great stormes were comming upon the world and all the foure winds were ready to breake out for the ruine of all the Lord gives speciall charge to the Angels that had the command of the winds that they doe not let one puffe or breath goe out to doe the least hurt till the servants of God were sealed in their fore-heads Rev. 7.1 2 3. c. God remembers them when he makes up his Jewels and will spare them as a man spareth his sonne that serveth him Mal 3.16 17. Though the tribulation be never so great yet thy people shall be delivered saith the Lord to Daniel even every one that is found written in the Booke Dan. 12.1 for God will ever preserve a holy Seede of Saints unto himselfe Isa 6.13 A man must be a mourner in Ston one that laments first his owne sinnes and truly endeavours to forsake them hen the sinnes of others the horrible prophanenesse licenciousnesse blasphemies idolatries heresies of the the times Such an one was Lot who vexed his righteous soule in seeing and hearing of the sinnes of the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.8 and when they perished he was delivered Thus the Lord causeth one with a vvriters Inkehorne by his side to set a marke upon the fore-heads of the men that sigh and cry for all the abominations that are done in the middest of Jerusalem when he was about to destroy it Ezek 9.4 Because Josiahs heart melted when he heard of the severe denunciatâ—ons of God's anger against the Land for the sinnes thereof therefore had he a speciall promise made him of being gaâ—hered to his fathers in peace before those judgements should be executed 2 Chron. 34.27 28. Contest and contend for God for his pure Word doctrine of Faith pure worship and wayes against the world He that is for God in a time of publique defection God will be for him in a time of publique destruction Caleb fâ—llowed the Lord fully as it was in his heart and stood against the ten false Spyes that brought up an ill report upon the land â—f promise and against all the people that tooke part with them and therefore when six hundred thousand of these Murmurers fell in the wildernesse he onely with Joshuah escaped that storme and entered into the Lords inheritance Numb 14.24 Josh 14.6 7 8 c. Memorable examples hereof we have in Eliah and Ieremy In Eliahs dayes the people of Israel forsooke Gods Covenant threw downe his Alâ—ars stoned his Proâ—hâ—s by heapes and hundreds now did this make him comply with them and fall into the streame No he was therefore the more zealous for God all full or futy and zeale for God 1 King 19.10 Well what became oâ— this Eliah if we doe but read 2 Kâ—n. 2. we shall finde that when Ahab was slaine and his Army destroyed he was sent for up by a fiery hartot into heaven Ieremy was a man that
enjoyment of certaine priviledges Answ such as the Church hath not at other times at least not in the like degree The Priviledges are of two sorts Privative and Positive The Church shall be freed from the inundation of prophanenesse with which it hath beene miserably annoyed leavened and infected before Such shall be the piety and strictnesse of the government Ecclesiasticall and Civill that there shall not enter into the Church in any wise any thing that defileth Rev. 21.27 She shall be purged from errors superstition idolatry false and formall worship It is sufficient to prove it that we finde no such thing mentioned in the Scriptures that speake of the state of the Church in the last times besides what hath beene said already and shall be by and by During Antichrists reigne men have beene and still are so zealous and tenacious of their old mumpsimuses they can in no wise indure to heare of parting with them like Micah of mount Ephraim Judg. 18.23.24 that followed after the Danites crying and complaining they turned about and asked him what he ayled Ye have taken away my gods saith he which I made and my priest which he himselfe had consecrated for a priest who should have blessed me and doe you aske me what I ayle What have I more I protest I had as live you had taken away all that I have So it is with the men of our generation from these things shall the Church then be freed She shall have exemption from oppression and persecution both Civill and Ecclesiasticall God shall wâ—pe away all teares from the Saints eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying c. Rev. 21.4 That must needs be ment of the Church in this world as appeares by the cortext Then shall the Lyon and the Lambe lye downe and feed together and the Tygar become tame the Childe shall play with the Aspe and Cockatrice Isa 11.6.7 65.25 Rev. 7.16 There be two reasons of these privative priviledges The earth-quake going before shall shake downe these evils and all their supporters as we have heard the Beast his Hierarchy his hornes the Kings of the earth that shall defend him to the last And as the Lord did destroy not onely the heathen Empire guilty of so much blood cruelty and idolatry but would not let so much as that very forme of government to stand so it is probable if not more that all theâ—e dignities that have so desperately opposed the Scepter of Christ shall be taken away Dan. 2.34 5.44 Rev. 19. from ver 17. to the end God will purge out rebels Ezek. 20.38 that at last none shall dare so much as to speake for false worship formall worship c. Then and I doubt not till then will all these Sects and Divisions have an end Sathan shall then be bound and chained up that he shall not seduce the Nations to idolatry and persecution as he hath alwayes before done Rev. 20.2 He hath beene cast downe before as Rev. 12.9 but never bound nor shall be till Antichrist's fall And so this prevents that which might be objected though the wicked be taken away with the Earth-quake yet sinne will revive againe Answ No Sathan shall be tyed up from seducing that he cannot play such reakes in the world as before mans corruption wanting those bellowes to blow it up which did formeâ—y inflame it The positive priviledges of that reformed State are divers The first consists in the purity and plenty of the Ordinances of God and meanes of grace which that Church shall enjoy Thus Râ—â— 11.19 After the 〈…〉 the Beasts Kingdome the Taberraâ—â— or Temple of 〈…〉 in Heaven in the Church and the Arke of his 〈…〉 Chrâ—â—â— represented by the Arke was before kept hid and the Temple shut true preaching forbidden men were not acquainted with the natures and effects of Christ set forth by the Arke as now they shall be the wood of the Arke a â—â—pe of Christs humane nature the gold â—verlaying it wholly a type of the divine to which the humane was hypostatically united the Tables of the law in the Arke setting forth the fulfilling of the law in Christ and in the Saints by union with him and power from him the Mercy-seat or cover of the Arke representing Christs righteousnesse covering the sinne of man and the Tables of testimony wherein the curse was contained so as no curse could be seene This purity of the meanes is intended in those expressions Rev. 21. that Gods Tabernacle is with men ver 3. new Jerusalem hath the glory of God ver 10 11. no Temple therein ver 22. There is no need of any such fixed place as the old Temple was but every where his people should have communion with him in his Ordinances Joh. 4.21.23 they shall have no need of the Sunne nor Moone c. ver 23. meaning the spirituall light and glory shall farre exceed all externall and chap. 22.1 2. they shall enjoy a pure River of water of life cleare as chrystall proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb the tree of life also with his twelve manner of â—â—â—its c. The second priviledge consists in the multitudes of converts in Antichrists time but a few Witnesses two but an hundred fourty foure thousand sealed ones a man should not need any great art of Arithmeticke to count them but now a great multitude that no man could number Rev. 7.9 then shall those promises in their height be fulfilled the Church shall wonder at her owne fruitfulnesse and aske who begat her those Children seeing she had lost so many being life alone that is a Widow without any earthly protector Isa 49.18 19 20 21 c. Yea her children shall aske her more roome to dwell in ibid. Shee is bidden to lengthen and enlarge the place of her tent c. and promised that shee though a Widow shall breake out on the right hand and on the left and abound in Children for her maker is her husband c. Isa 54.1 2 3 4 5. The Children proceeding from the wombe of the Church shall be like the dew of the morning lying thick upon the ground Psal 110.3 Christ's flock shall not then be a little flock compared with the times which were before the Devill was bound In the excellency of the converts Where the Sunne shines most clearly it heats most fervently The City of the new Jerusalem hath a light like unto a stone most precious even like a Jasper-stone cleare as Chrystall it is of pure gold Rev. 21.18 God is in it dwels with his people he and the Lamb are the light of is Rev. 21.3.22 in this and other respects it is named the Lord is there Ezâ—k 48.35 the people of it shall be all righteous Isa 60.21 What an admirable Reformation was that which followed the storme in the Wildernesse when all Israel both the ten Tribes and the two of Gad and Ruben and the halfe Tribe of Manasseh abhorred
the thoughts of idolatry Iosh 22. the Lord God of Gods the Lord God of Gods he knowes and Israel he shall know say the two Tribes and an halfe to the ten being accused of an intention to revolt from God if it be in rebellion or if in transgression against the Lord save us not this day that we have built us an Altar to turne from following the Lord c. let the Lord himselfe require it Iosh 22.22 23. Much more shall the Reformation be excellent in the last ages wherein it is promised that there shall be new heavens and new earth new Church and new Common-wealth wherein righteousnesse shall dwell 2 Pet. 3.13 In the amplitude and extent of the Church before it was sometimes contained within the narrow bounds of Jury afterwards the Nations of the Gentiles had it successively first the easterne Nations then the westerne c. But now the Church shall be generally if not universally spread over all the world The Kingdomes of the world that is all the Kingdomes of the world shall become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ Revel 11.15 And so when the judgement hath sate and the Beasts Kingdome is consumed to the end then and not before then the Kingdome Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole heaven it seemes to be spoken without all hyperbole shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high Dan. 7.26.27 When the stone that is the Kingdome of Christ hath smitten the Image upon the feet and broken them to pieces it selfe shall become a great Mountaine and fill the whole earth Dan. 2.35 Then shall all Nations rejoyce in Christ Psal 67.2 3 4. then a great multitude not of a few but of all Nations and Kindreds and Peoples and Tongues shall stand before the Throne and before the Lambe praising God Rav. 7.9 Nations shall be borne in a day Isa 66.8 All Nations shall serve him Dan. 7. ult In the excellency of the government Christ shall then take to himselfe his great power and reigne Rev. 11.17 and the Saints under him The Saints of the most high shall take the Kingdome and possesse it for ever even for ever and ever age after age for many ages Dan. 7.18.27 they shall reigne on the earth Rev. 5. to 20.4.6 a thousand yeares They shall then indeed be the head and the wicked the taile Many tough and tedious disputes about government which exercise the Church now may haply be of small use in that Reformation It is to consist in the affluence and confluence both of spirituall and externall prosperity for the Lord having humbled and broken his by the earthquake may now trust them The Church hath been before like an homely huswife or like a poore woman living in a cave having scarce a rag to cover her nakednesse and bringing up her Children very hardly whereas Antichrists Strumpet in the meane while hath beene gorgeously attired in Purple with gold and precious-stones and pearles but now the Church shall be like a bride adorned for her husband Rev. 21.2 Now her peace shall be as the Rivers the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour to her Rev. 21.24.26 Wait for it and hasten it by faith and prayer Use unbeliefe doth a world of mischiefe Our Saviour could not doe many mighty workes in his owne Country because of their unbeliefe Mat. 13.58 see also chap. 17.16 17 20. How it hindred the healing of the Lunatick the old Israelites for unbeleefe were debarred from entering into the Land of Promise Heb. 3.19 It hindered the building of the second Temple for it is remarkable that whilest the Jewes gave over the worke upon the complaints of their adversaries and the inhibitions of the Persian Kings unto whom they were then subject it never prospered but when they hearkned to the Prophets Haggai and Zechary and beleeved the promises which they brought from God they went on thoroughly and perfected the worke the Persian King Darius Nothus though the adversaries afresh complained consenting who also forbad their adversaries to hinder them upon their greatest poenalties yea commanded them with all possible diligence to further the Jewes in the worke God who hath the hearts of Kings in his hand so framing that Kings heart that he entreated the Iewes to pray for his life and the life of his Sonnes He had lost one or two before and now feared he should lose the rest Ezra 6. and this was almost six score yeares after they had laid the first foundation for in divers Kings reignes they were absolutely hindred Ezra 4. and were at times six and fourty yeares as it seemes in building it Iohn 2.20 I shall never see this Reformation Quest Thou canst not certainly tell Answ 1 the eye sees the Sunne I doubt not that shall see the beginning thereof Seeing thou wilt buy houses and lands yea reversions which thou never lookest to enjoy thy selfe for thine heires forward this for their sakes to come that the little ones may goe in and see that good land c. Faith is the substance of things hoped for it breeds such an apprehension of things promised and to come as gives comfort and confidence concerning them as we may behold in Abraham who rejoyced to see the day of Christ so many hundred yeares before it came Iohn 8.56 and in the old Saints Hebr. 11.13.40 who beleeving in him to come were saved Thou maist by the tastes of these clusters of Grapes set before thee in the former Priviledges discerne what a good Land it is Thou mayest by them as from off the top of Mount Pisgah behold it with thine eyes and view the Land round about The beleeving praeapprehension of these things will give a sweet fruition of them in measure before hand unto the godly Lastly beleeve and wait and though thou misse thy part in the new Ierusalem here on earth yet shalt thou certainly be a Sharer in that Ierusalem which is eternall in the Heavens FINIS A passage or two pretermitted 1 The westerne Roman Empire was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or that which did let the appearing of Antichrist which when it was taken away then was the man of sinne revealed 2 Thes 2.6 7 8. This belongs to the first Indice spoken of in the fourth Signe 2. The two Witnesses include all those that did sustaine the Cause of Christ against Antichrist and his Gentiles for the Text divides all within the visible Church during Antichrist's reigne into two ranks and no more viz. two Witnesses or Prophets the same are called worshippers and Gentiles Rev. 11.1 2 3. 3. The 1260. dayes of the Witnesses and the 42. months of the Beast begin and end together For else Christ should have none to be for him during some part of Antichrist's reigne For none are for him but the Witnesses Besides the Church was to be all that time in the Wildernesse for which provision is made Rev. 12.6.14 Errata Page 1. line 9. read ranne l. 10. r. houses p. 2. l. 12. r. Ezra 3. p. 3. l. 7. r. hieroglyphicall p. 6. l. 9. r. Tabernacle p. 13. l. 9. r. penitent p. 36. l. 19. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 41. l. 6. r. learned Curteous Reader if there be any more verball or literall mistakes as I doubt there are many pardon the Printers over-sight and correct them with thy Pen.