God that they stumble into heathenisme and prophanes then are they that fear the Lord to take to heart the great dishonour the name of God suffers by this abomination and speak a gainst it also 4 Do they see inhabitants of professing Syon that seem to be great worshippers of God and zealous for the service of the Lord and the good of his people n Mal. 1.13 snuffing at that part of the worship of God at doing that peice of the will of God that suits not with their worldly interest of gaining this evil world with the Goods thereof crying out what a weariness is it something we would do for God but that the Lord now cals for is a wearisome burden to us it wil quite undoe us oh what a weariness is it this is an hard saying who can hear it then ought they that fear the Lord to think upon the dishonoured and despised name of God and speak against this abomination also 5 Do they behold men in professing Syon o Verse 14 Vowing a vow unto the Lord and in a capacity to perform that Vow having that Male in his flock and yet sacrifice unto the Lord a corrupt thing blinde and lame performances then also are they that fear the Lord to think on the name of God how greatly it is dishonoured and bear a ful testimony against that loathsom hypocrisie of him letting him know he is cursed who dareth so to trample under foot the name of the great King whose name is dreadful among the Heathen 6 Matters of a civil nature and as if the Prophet intended to stop the mouth of the objection of these dayes he brings in the evils of this nature in the last place that his THEN might clearly appeare to have special and direct relation to those things 1 When the proud professors in Syon that behave themselves proudly and contemptuously towards their God and their Brethren are accounted p Mal. 3.15 the happy men as those that would make the Nation happy by the wayes of their devising called happy congratulated and applauded as the men whom the Lord hath owned and made happy by his providence and blessing then are they that fear the Lord to think how the name of God is dishonoured by this evil and bear their testimony against it 2 When the wicked workers in professing Zion q Verse 15 the workers of wickedness are set up Children of strangers of a strange spirit and principle r Isai 3.6 contrary to the Spirit of our Lord the holy and righteous Spirit of true Syon and the work of God those whose delight is not in the law of the Lord but in wayes of their own inventions suitable to their degenerated and base interest who break the law continually working wickedness indeed although they cal it and would have what they do accounted righteousness and to defend these men in their wickednes s Verse 9 Horses and Chariots a powerful Militia is fixed as a wal about them when such men are set up over the people and such things done oppressing vilifying and persecuting the people of the Lord and the true interest of the Son of God our Lord Jesus among his people and in the world then are they that fear the Lord to be sensible of the dishonour and reproach is cast upon the name of God by this evil and bear their testimony against this wickedness also 3 When they see this evil in professing Syon t Mal. 3 15 they that tempt God are even delivered while the Altar of the Lord is covered with the tears weeping and crying out of the oppressed those who by their provoking hypocritical loathsome wickedness tempt the Lord to put an end to his long-sufferance and execute his vengeance before the appointed time are even delivered their heads are lifted up and their faces made to shine through the benigne aspect of those who should and ought to be a terror to them they are even delivered from their fears of receiving the desert of their wayes and actions by a stream of Justice and righteousness and are set up to work wickedness against God in oppressions and cruelty covering the Altar of the Lord with the tears sighs and groans of his people then are they that fear the Lord to think upon the great name of their God how unworthily it is dishonoured and trampled under foot and bear their testimony against this wickednesse also 4 When the Rulers of professing Syon beâ—â—â— and act like the Rulers of Sodom rebel against the Lord go away backward apostatise from God oppress the people of the land yet cover all with a cloak of religious performances and outward holines good aims and ends for the work of the Lord and the good of the Church of Christ with these coverings hiding their evils and wickednesses from the vulgar sight then are they that fear the Lord not to hold their peace but to cry aloud and bear their testimony for God against this abomination also and of of the fruit of this their doing shal they eat and it shal be wel with them in that day wherein he wil judge those men Qu Possibly it may be askt why wil the Lord have those that fear him thus industriously engaged against the evils and wickedness of Rulers and people at this day Answ The Answer is because his great name that was so glorious and dreadful among the Heathen is so exceedingly dishonoured therefore are they that fear the Lord to think upon the name of God and speak in its vindication this is an apostacy in Syon delivered out of Babilon though many of Babilons evils cleave yet close to them for whom the Lord hath done great and wonderful things freed them from the slavery and bondage of a sore captivity under the Babilonish power blessed them with prosperous success in building their City that in spite of the Tobiahs and Sanballats of all their enemies that had maintenance from the Kings Palace were maintained by a wretched Kingly Interest they became a Common-wealth a free people by which they had opportunity and liberty to serve the Lord in doing his whole Wil and pleasure in doing these great things far beyond the thoughts and expectations of the greatest worldly wise men for this people the Lord had gotten himself a great name dreadful among the Heathen how did the wicked world tremble at the thoughts of it and now for this people to draw back even to Babilon to apostatise from the Lord in matter and manner hath been treated of is none other but a wicked ravishing and deflouring the honour of the Virgin name of God he had so lately gotten to himself by doing such wonders for this unworthy people As our Lord said of his day in the flesh that if those Disciples that spake for him and blest him should hold their peace the stones would immediatly cry out so may it truly be said of this time also if they that fear
sits as a Refiner in and through those discoveries of soule-searehing truths Jer. 23.29 which he brings to light daily His word that goeth forth out of the mouth of his witnesses is like fire refining the precious Sons of Sion Rev. 11.5 who are compared to Gold but consuming Lam. 4.2 or threatning to consume the wicked who are like stubble The Sword that proceedeth out of the mouth of Christ Rev. 2.12 is sharp and two-edged if it doe not convert from sin it will condemne for continuing in sin Such as are disobedient to his word are inexcusable fitted for ruine as stubble fully dry And have not some cause to fear that if after many reproofs Exod. 23.28 they goe on hardning their necks their fall will be sudden 1 Pet. 2.7 8. and their sad condition remedilesse Prov. 29. 1. Isa 30.10 11 12 13. Yea and then shall the Lords people who have testified against them rebuking in the Gate Jer. 7.16 and exhorting to repentance keep silence in that day Jer. 11.14 ceasing to plead with them or with God for them Amos 5.13 thereby justifying the hand of God in bringing his judgements on them And whoso is wise let him observe That when those backsliders spoken of Isa 29.20 21. proceeded to that degree of imimpiety to watch for iniquity to make a man an offendor for a word and lay a snare for him that reproved in the Gate by such acts as these they perfected their iniquity and filled up the measure thereof The following Discourse sets forth in a Type by comparing together many remarkable words in the Prophecy of Malachy and Isaiah A most refined Apostacy of a professing people after a Reformation begun Their words though first spoken to others are declared to light on us the Saints and Professors in this Generation who having greatly sinned num 32.23 may justly say Our sins have found us out Now as relating to this Apostacy or Backsliding with the cause and cure thereof I shall offer these things to be considered As this backsliding is either totall and finall in those who perish or partiall in the Saints so also is the cause thereof two-fold First Hypocrites who fall away in time of temptation have no root in themselves Luke 8.13 They are not partakers of the Divine nature neither are they regenerate wherefore such Professors notwithstanding for a time they may appear with clean outsides are fitly compared by the Spirit of the Lord to the Sow which being washed turns again to her wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2.22 Secondly That Backsliding which is not totall ordinarily springs from Saints forgetfullnesse of Gods great love in Christ revealed to them and his wonderful works done in them and for them as also the love of their espousalls their first love to God their relations vowes and engagements to him Of this Backsliding both of sinners and Saints and the judgements thereunto belonging doe these Prophets treat The Saints themselves Gods Children and his Jewells shall not escape a trying refining day which will be terrible to them yea and as they are or may be found in unbelieving earthly sensuall forms of Spirit consulting with flesh and blood unsufferable Who shall stand when he appeareth Mal. 3.2 3. His presence to the carrying on of this work of reforning will be to some who may be judged good men no lesse grievous but rather more then fire is the flesh of a man As for Hypocrites and Sinners in Syon their dreadfull doom and just sentence that goeth forth out of the mouth of those two Witnesses is that they shall be consumed Isa 1.28 Mal. 4.1 The fiery day shall burn them up that it shall leave them neither root nor branch According to that word of God to Jer. 15.19 If thou take forth the precious from the vile thou shalt be as my mouth This Prophet Malachi speaking as the mouth of God puts a difference as also doth the Prophets and Apostles generally between the two Seeds The Seed of the Woman and of the Serpent between whom God did by his own mouth first put the difference Gen. 3.15 To all which agrees that clear distinction between the Son of the bond woman and of the free Gal. 4.22 23 which things saith the Apostle v. 24. are an Allegory for these are the two Covenants viz. The one of Works the other of Grace The two grand Characters whereby the two Seeds are here distinguished are 1 A true filiall fear of God 2 A sincere love and respect unto the name of God above all things These two choyce effects of a lively faith are such things as Hypocrites are strangers to such singular things as doe infallibly accompany salvation In these things the carnal seed under the Law and the formall Professor under the Gospel come short of the Israelite in deed and being weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary are found wanting And although such may be in a Pallace with King Belshazzar if they look narrowly into this Prophecy of Malachy as here explained and presented to their view it may be with them if they be not miserably hardned no better than with him when beholding the writing on the wall his countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his loines were loosed and his knees smote one against another Dan. 5.6 As for the former of these viz. A filiall fear of God upon the account of their lack of this one thing the Prophet Malachy reproves the people saying Chap. 1.6 If I be a Father where is mine honour And if I be a Master where is my fear saith the Lord of Hoste whereas on the contrary he commends his beloved Remnant for their fear of him Chap. 3.16 and of his Name Chap. 4.2 Yea Christ himself the everlasting father of that chosen Generation is extoll'd and found worthy to be entrusted with the greatest of Gods work on the account of this blessed qualification viz. the fear of God Chap. 2.5 My Covenant was with him of life and peace and I gave them to him saith God for the fear wherewith he feared me and was afraid before my Name These things well weighed may through the blessing of the Lord give some check to that unseemly lightness which often appears in the shamelesse foreheads of many noted Professors Oh! where will such appear if they repent not seeing God hath not entred them on his Book of Remembrance which is written for those only who fear the Lord Chap. 3.16 and tremble at his word How shall they escape that dreadfull day mentioned Chap. 4.1 Seeing then our God is a consuming fire let us then take hold of his grace in Christ Jesus whereby to serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear He who is risen up to shake hereby the Earth and also the Heavens will certainly ere long shake off and cast out as it were out of his lap a Generation of light and
the Lord troubles them with no more of his Messengers only there is a company of honest hearts that fear the Lord speaking often one to another about these things but their language is such as is neither understood nor hearkned to by that Generation indeed it 's said the Lord hearkned and heard but not a man minds it as we read of in this particular also is this one Tribe a Tipe and it s of no smal concernment to us at this day In this time of apostacy it was that our Prophet Malachy delivered his heavenly Message before I can enter into the mistery of those words the opening of which is my chief designe there lies a necessity upon me somewhat to minde the Prophecy in general In this Prophecie there are three special remarkable times to be minded 1 A day or time of Apostacy wherein the Lord spake these words by the mouth of his servant Malachy 2 A day or time of purging and purifying Syon in the 3 Chap. 3 A day or time of judging desiroying the wicked in the 4 Chap That this day of Judgement that shal burn like an Oven is one and the same with the time of Dauiels stones smiting the great Image is clear to me upon this double ground 1. Because I find the same work done in this day the stone doth in that Dan 2.35 and 44. Then was the iron the clay the brass the Silver and the gold broken to peices together and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors and the winde carried them away that no place was found for them it shal break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms Mal 41.3 For behold the day cometh that shal burn as an Oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shal be stubble and the day that cometh shal burn them up saith the Lord of hosts that it shall leave them neither root nor branch and yee shall tread down the wicked for they shall be ashes under the soles os your feet 2 Because I find the same growth and prosperity the same blessing following the performance of the work in both places Dan 2.25 And the stone that smote the Image became a great Mountain and filled the whole earth Mal 4.2 The Son of Righteousness shal arise with healing in his wings and ye shall go forth and grow up as Calves of the stall There is only this difference Daniel speaks of the Powers Authorities and great ones of this wicked world and Malachy speak of the wicked in general both smal and great root and branch Daniel speaks of the stones executing the wrath and vengeance of God upon his enemies and Malachy speaks not only of that but also of that subjection the wicked shal then be in to every individual Saint of that number they shal be ashes under the soles of your feet Daniel speaks of the prosperity of the stone as a body compact together the stone became a great mountain and Malachy speaks of the prosperity and advantage of particular Saints ye shal grow up as Calves of the stall yet both have reference to the same work and time That the Lord might prepare and fit his people for the great work of this terrible day he wil purge and purifie them which is the work of the 2d day or time mentioned in the Third Ch. of this Prophecie To prevent some objections which perhaps might be thrown in the way of that further use I must make of this Prophecie in its due place I desire you to take notice of two things 1. That this Prophecie hath special relation to the Gentiles in this Gospel-day which is apparent by that partial fulfilling of this Prophecy our Lord himself attributes to the beginning of the Gospel-day even his dayes in the flesh as wil be evident it you compare with this Prophecie Math. 11.10 Mark 1.2 3. Luke 7.27 and Mat 3.11 12. 2 That it hath not yet been fulfilled either to Jew or Gentile this purifying here treated of is a Reformation wrought after an Apostacy for in the day of the most wicked and loathed apostacy ever Israel was guilty of the Prophet speaks of it as that which is to come and sueh a reformation it is as is a reducing the people to their first and pristine glory and beauty they had in the day of their Espousals as the 4th verse intimates to us Then shall the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord as in the dayes of old as in antient years as the margent of some Bibles hath it the excellent glory and Heavenliness of this beauty was such as the Lord seems to glory in it Jer 2. 2 3 I remember thee the kindness of thy youth the love of thine espousals Israel was holiness unto the Lord it 's deseribed at large Ezek 16. from the 8th to the 15th verse and our Lord himself seems to hint at such a Reformation in that speech of his Mat. 19.8 But from the beginning it was not so intimating to us that things ought to be reduced to their first inslitâ—tion their beginning state it is that which the Church of Ephesus must return to otherwise she must bear her punishment Rev 2.4 5. This hath not yet been fulfilled to the Jews for at our Lord first coming they were so far from being reduced by him to their former love reformed to their first glory as that they were cast away Rom 11.15 and the day of the espousals of the G miles came and since that dismal time to them have they not been as a people driven out from the presence of the Lord Neither have the Gentiles possest the fulness thereof for can any man shew us any time or season wherein any part of the professing Gospel-Church hath after any of her backslidings and apostacies been adorned with the glory of her marriage-day the excellency of her first love in the dayes of her youth that the Lord could say unto her Thy offerings are pleasant unto me as in the dayes of old as in antient years but so much it is the Lord hath said in this Prophecy he wil do for his chosen and this glory it is the Lord wil clothe his Zion with in due time We are now returned to the first day or time mentioned which is a day of great Apostacy and by this time I hope I have gained some ground to make good with demonstration to the understandings of men the truth and certainty of the following discourse This day of Apostacy after the building of the second Temple that time of Reformation being the lâ—st state and condition of that one Tribe as a Nation and that wherein our Lord Jesus came and found them to their cost and sorrow It was a Tipe of the state and condition of some part of the professing Gospel-Church at that time wherein our Lord shal visit it with c Isai 4.4 the spirit os Judgement and the spirit of burning That we
them shal stand and wil not this be a terrible day indeed vvhen such glorious professors as delight themselves in the thoughts and expectations of the coming of Christ shal be found too light and thrown into the fiery furnace to purhe their dross and tinn and come under the Fullers sope to cleanse their garments from their unclean and filthy spots But would you see more of the terrors of this dreadful day then consider the four first Chapters of the Prophet Isaiah in the first Chapter he speaks of the same time Malachy doth in general termes in his second Chapter after an enumeration of some of the evils of the Times as the reason why the Lord hath forsaken his people he tels the particular work the Lord wil do in Zion at this day from the 10th verse to the end in the seven first verses of the 3d. Chapter the Prophet tels us what course the Lord wil take to bring those great things to pass he had spoken of before from the 16 Verse to the second Verse of the 4th Chapter he sets down the punishment and sad condition of the Capital and Head City of the land and in the remainder of the 4th Chapter we have a description of the glory and happy state of the Lords Jewels those that are purged and puryfied by this Refiners fire and Fullers sope by his spirit of Judgement and his spirit of burning That Isaiahs Prophecie in these Chapters hath relation to the same time Malachy treats of is clear to me upon these grounds 1 Because I find that Isaiah as wel as Malachy hath relation to three times 1 To a time of Apostacy z Isa 1.2 4 21 22 23. I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me A sinful Nation a people laden with iniquity they are gone away backward how is the faithful City become an harlot it was ful of judgement righteousness lodged in it but now Murderers thy silver is become dross thy wine mixt with water thy Princes are rebellious and companions of theeves c yea and this apostacy is guilty of the same quality Malachy's is a refined hypocritical apostacy though they be rebelious children corrupters and are so far gone backward that the Lord dispairs of doing them any good by correcting them at a former rate but saith a Verse 5 They wil then revolt more and more though they be altogether unsound from the sole of the foot unto the head b Verse 6. though they be as the c Verse 10 Rulers of Sodom and their d Verse 15 hands are ful of blood yet they cover all with a e Verse 11 multitude of sacrifices they fil the Lord with them that they trouble him and he is a f Verse 14 weary to bear them all their performances are guilty of such hypocritical vanity that they are an g Verse 13 14. abomination to the Lord and his soul hates them 2 To a time of purifying and restoring Zion to its former glory from whence they are fallen h Verse 25 26. And I wil turn my hand upon thee and purely purge away thy dross and take away all thy tin and I wil restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Counsellors as at the beginning afterward thou shalt be called the City of righteousness the faithful City i Ch 4.3 And it shal come to pass that he that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shal be called holy 3 To a time of destroying the wicked k Ch 1.28.3 The destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shal be together And they that forsake the Lord shal be consumed and the strong shal be as tow and the maker of it as a spark and they shal both burn together and none shall quench them Read also the second and third Chapters There is only this difference Isaiah hath spetial relation to the civil state of his people as a Common-wealth and Malachy hath spetial relation to the Worship and religious state of this people as a Church Ob If any should object that it is not probable that Isaiah should point at the same time with Malachy for he Prophecied a long time before speaks in the present tence as if he spake these things of his own time Answ I Answer 1. That this Prophecie was made known to I. saiah in King Vzzia's time l 2 King 15.3 who did that which was right in th sight of the Lord he was no ruler of Sodom therefore this Prophecy refers to another time not the present that it was revealed in Vzzia's time appears to me because the Vision seen by the Prophet sometime after in the 6th Chapter is said to be seen in the year that King Vzziah dyed verse 1. 2 This is a Vision the vision of Isaiah the son of Amos which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem c. now visions being concerning things to come this must of necessity have relation to a time yet to come 2 Because I find the Prophet Isaiah as wel as Malachy directs his speech to three sorts of people First To those Apostates the Lord wil in his judgements be avenged of m Ch. 2.24 and 3.11 Ah I wil ease me of mine adversaries and avenge me of mine enemies Wo unto the wicked it shal be ill with him for the reward of his hands shall be given him Secondly To those whom the Lord wil purge and purifie n Ch 1.25 I wil turn my hand upon thee and purely purge away thy dross and take away all thy tin who when the Lord shal have thus purged away their filth by a spirit of judgement and a spirit of burning shal be the holy Jewels of the Lord. Thirdly To a company of righteous souls whom the Lord wil spare in that day to whom the Prophet is commanded to say o Ch. 3.10 it shal be wel with them for they shal eat the fruit of their doings though it go ful ill with the rest of their Brethren yet it shal be wel with them the Lord wil spare them he hath his chambers to hide them in in this day of his wrath wherein he will punish the Inhabitants of the earth for their iniquities 3 Because I find the Prophet hath wholly relation to the last dayes Chap 2. verse 2. and it shal come to pass in the last dayes the Prophet brings in the kingdom of the mountain the kingdom of Christ in its ful glory as the product and effect of that which before in the latter part of the first Chap. he had said the Lord would do for he brings it in with an AND and it shal come to pass in the last daies it runs current thus when Syon for the faith faithful City in the 21 verse and Zion in the 27 verse I take to be all one hath so far apostatised as that she is become an Harlot in Gods account her silver become
one that b Rev. 17.1 2 sits upon many water who hath the Kings of the earth for her servants to commit fornication with her as Babilon of old was the great and lofty City exalting it self above c Dan 4.1 all people Nations and languages that dwelt in all the earth so hath our Babilon exalted her selt above the christian world as they cal in So that 3 The Prophet here sets forth the joyful praising state of the true Church and people of God immediatly upon the destruction of Babilon then shal they be able to sing the songs of Syon again praising the Lord after this manner 3 Because in this state there is night as wel as day therefore there is the shining of a flaming fire prepared for the nights defence but the glory of the mountain state is such as There shall be d Rev 21.25 no night there Because in this state there is a Tabernacle appointed for its defence which is moveable and not fixed therefore not the mountain state for that is a fixed unmoveable state They that trust in the Lord shal be as e Psal 125.1 MOUNT ZION which cannot be removed but abideth for ever And seeing for these reasons it cannot be interpretred of the glory of the mountain state of Zion I shall lay it down as the And last ground why I apprehend Isaiah and Malachy to treat both of one and the same time That this glory here spoken of in this 4th Chapter is the glory of that state of Zion wherein it becomes Daniels stone smiting the great Image the Lords battel-ax and weapon of war breaking in pieces the Nations and destroying Kingdoms the Lords threshing instrument to thresh the mountains smal and to make the hils like chaff upon the glory of this state there shal be such a defence that neither the heat nor the storm nor the raine of their enemies shal hurt or touch it the reasons that move me to adhere to this interpretation are 1 This glory is no other but the fruit of Zions purging and purifying which in this Chapt is called HOLINESSE Every one that it left in Zion and that remaineth in Jerusalem shal be called holy it is upon this glory the defence is created now this purifying of Zion and cloathing it with this glory is performed before though but immediatly before the day comes wherein the transgressors and sinners shal burn together and none shall quench them that day that shal burn as an Oven burning up the wicked both smal and great leaving them neithergoot nor branch when Zion shal be redeemed and restored to this glory then shall the destruction of the wicked come 2 The defence that is created upon this glory carries a great similitude to the Isratites wilderness state a cloud and smoakby day and a shining of a flaming fire by night and a Tabernacle now it signifies thus much to me that as the children of Israel had these things for their defence and direction when they were travelling through the Wilderness to the Promised land so under these figures the Holy Ghost holds forth to us that defence the Lord wil create by a wonder working power upon this glory all the while his chosen are journying over the worlds hils and mountains towards that State which was tiped out by the Promised Land of Canaan so that in deed and in truth the glory of this State mentioned in this 4th chapter which shal have such a defence is no other but that qualification and sitness the Lord wil indue his Zion withall to enable her to carry on his great design and work in the world to bring all the Kingdoms of this world into subjection to his Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Supposing I have sufficiently proved the truth of the assertion That Isaiah in these Chapters treateth of the same time Malachy doth in his Prophecy I shal proceed to consider the Terrors of this dreadful day as the Prophet holds them sorth which wil plainly appear to us if we confider 1 The dreadful work the Lord wil make in professing Zion at this day f Isai 2. he wil humble the lofty looks and bring down the haughtiness of man there is not a man that is proud and lofty and lifted up but shal be brought down in that day and the day of the Lord shal be upon all the Cedars of Lebanon that Timber of which once the Lord was pleased to make beams and rafters for his house becomes now the subject of the anger and displeasure of God by reason of its being high and listed up upon its own bottom and upon all the Oaks of Bashan those trees of strength that are so useful in the Common wealth and upon all the high mountains and hils that are lifted up those prodigious lumps of earth whose aspiring brows injuriously overtop their neighbouring levels and upon every high Tower and fenced wal those strengths and fortresses the works of mens hands in which they put their trust as in a sure place and upon all the Ships of Tarshish those waies and means by which these men gain their Idols of gold and their Idols of silver which they make each one for himself to Worship and upon all pleasant pictures those rare painted inventions the wits of the Times find out to please the childish world with now in its doting old age and these with all other Idols wil he utterly abolish they shal utterly pass away and which is worthy our serious noting and is very significant he doth all this as he is Lord of hosts for behold the Lord the Lord of hosts doth so and so it s the day of the Lord of hosts that fals upon the particulars fore-mentioned What a dreadful day of Terrors must this of necessity prove when the Lord of hosts ariseth out of his place to de I with such sturdy and potent enemies as these are shaking terribly the earth the dread of this glorious Majesty is such as puts all the Inhabitants of this professing world to the run they run into the holes of the rock and into the caves of the earth they then throw away their Idols of gold and their Idols of silver to the moles and to the batt's though their Whorish and adulterous hearts run out so strongly to them before yet then let who vvil take them that they may run the lighter into the clefts of the Rock and to the tops of the ragged rocks and poor Jacob he is put to the run too he enter into his rock the rock of Ages into those secret Chambers the Lord hath provided for him to lye hid in and all for dread and fear of the glorious Majesty of the Lord of hosts at this day and such glory wil be manifested at this day that those that are left to praise the Lord shal wholly cease from man all men all of man the best of men the holiest of men even the holy Inhabitant of Syon
upon whose heavenly glory the Lord wil create so sure a defence even from this man with whose beauty the Lord is so in love as that he will in no wise suffer it to be defaced from all men whose breath is in their nostrils shal the remnant then cease and they wil be able to render a good reason for their practise from dear bought experience for wherein is he to be accounted of nothing nor none wil then be of any account but the Lord himself the Lord alone shal be exalted in that day this is the end of all that we may cease from man and the Lord alone may be exalied but before this can be accomplished what dreadfulwork doth the stubborn Rebellions and Wickednesses of men force the Lord to make in the world what dissolvtions what ruining of mountains and Hils of Towers and Fenced wals of Ships and of men appearing in so dreadful a posture that all men good and bad run to hide themselves from his wrath and fury may we not apply that Scripture to this day g Luke 21.23 Woe unto them that are with Child and to them that give suck in those daies for there shall be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people 2 Consider somewhat of the way and means by which the Lord wil bring to pass these wonders to accomplish this great work of exalting himself in Syon at this day h Isai 3 For behold the Lord the Lord of hosts doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff the whole stay of bread the whole stay of water the stay and the staff whatsoever it is they lean and rest upon for help and safety the Lord of hosts wil take that away from them the whole stay of bread and the whole stay of water those wayes and means whether traffick or otherwise to which they trust to maintain plenty and prosperity this stay wil the Lord of hosts take away do they trust to their power and warlike strength the mighty man and the man of War and the Captain of fifty I wil take away that staffe saith the Lord of hosts do they rely upon their alliances and confederacies with the most interested men in the Nation the Judge and the antient and the honourable man I will take away that staffe saith the Lord of hosts do they lean upon their affinity and good correspondency with the holy and good men of the Times that by the prevalent influences of their good words for them they may appease and quiet a murmuring and discontented people to gain time to take deep root in the earth the Prophet and the eloquent Orator I wil take away that staffe to saith the Lord of hosts do they rest upon their cousel and policy the Counsellor and the cunning Artificer I wil take away that staff also saith the Lord of hosts yea Children shal be their Princes and Babes shal rule over them I wil so enfatuate their Princes and Rulers that they shal act like Babes and Children as far below the commendable actions of good and wise Rulers that act in the fear of the Lord as the actions of Babes and Children are beneath the actions of a wise and prudent man and what follows oppression after oppression intolerable oppression and it is no wonder seeing children and babes yea Women men effeminated of most pusillanimous fearful and cruel spirits i Isai 33 14. â— the sinners in Zion are afraid fearfulness bath surprized the Hypocrites rule over the people Oppression in the highest degree all ranks and degrees of men broken The Child behaveth himself proudly against the antient and the base against the honourable through the unworthiness of him that sitteth in the seat of the Antient and the degenerated actions of him that occupies the room of the honourable those whose stations are as far inferior to theirs as the child is to a man ful of dayes and the base beggar to the truly honourable they behave themselves proudly against them looking upon them as the subject of their scorn and disdain rather than the object of their fear and honour The people are oppressed every one by another every one by his Neighbour yea the imperious oppressions of these wicked Rulers are so intolerable and the disgusts and rage of the people so great and high that as they are at a loss whom to chuse to rule and govern them so every man wil be so fearful and shie of becoming a healer of these breaches that when they come to pitch upon any he wil refuse the honour and dignity swearing to them that he hath not those qualifications in him as they expect should be in a Ruler this I conceive is the natural import of the 6 and 7th Verses When a man shal take hold of his Brother of the house of his Father saying thou hast clothing be thou our Ruler and let this ruine be under thine hand In that day shal he swear saying I will not be a healer for in my house is neither bread nor clothing make me not a Ruler of the people these calamities end in naught else but ruine For Jerusalem is ruine and Judah is fallen Thus dreadful and terrible wil the day of the Lord be to the house of Jacob professing Zion and who is he that trembleth not at this word of the Lord is there any so curious to enquire into the reason why the Lords wrath waxes so hot against his people those that by a profession gave themselves up to him as his people they may by a narrow search find the Lord proceeds upon good and just grounds and reasons from amongst divers others take these 1 More generally relating to the people in the lump 1 Because k Ch. 3.8 their tongue and their doings are against the Lord to provoke the eyes of his glory their speeches and actions are such so exceeding provoking as the holy and pure eyes of God cannot endure they are so dishonourable to his great name and derogating from his glory that being a jealous God that wil not give his glory to another he wil not forgive them but wil satiate his justice in their fal and ruine 2 Because l Ch 2.8 their land is ful of Idols they worship the work of their own hands that which their own fingers have made the meane man boweth down and the great man humbleth himself they are guilty of idolatry their own works are their Idols which I cannot conceive is the gross idolatry of former Ages but these Idols are of another nature suitable to the refined wickedness of this day what they are I shal not stand to search into it suffiseth that they are in the Lords account Idolaters notwithstanding all their curious coverings they cannot hide their idolatry from the eyes of the Lord. 2 More particular relating in special to the chief Rulers 1 Because m Verse 6. they be replenished from the east and are
Southsayers like the Philistines notwithstanding all their glorious hypocritical professions and outside worship that men cannot discern what they are without digging very deep yet they are guilty of some of the wicked and provoking abominations of their predecessors whom the Lord drave out before them 2 Because n Verse 7. their Land is ful of silver and gold neither is there any end of their treasure their time is spent in getting and their hearts run a whoring after the riches of this world as it was in the dayes of Noah so it is now they are wallowing in the delights and pleasures of this world they are so swallowed up in the love of the fading glory of this miserable world that they cannot find their rest but there is no end of their treasures they wil never with the rich man say it is enough soul take thy rest so insatiable are they that the treasures of the world are not able to satiate their boundless lusts there is no end of their desires the more they get the more they would have there is no end of their treasure their Coffers wil never be filled so long as any thing is behind that may be gotten by any way or means 3 Their o Verse 7. land is ful of Horses neither is there any end of their Chariots and they please themselves in the children of strangers to secure themselves in the enjoyment of their carnal and unworthy pleasures they erect a Mercenary and powerful Militia a thing of such a wicked and destructive tendency to the good and wel fare of the people that the Lord doth expresly command that man whom he shal chuse to be Ruler over his people that p Deut. 17.16 he shal not multiply horses to himself and the wickedness of its tendency is exprest in this that it causeth the people to return to Egypt into an Egyptian bondage and slavery when the Lord hath said Ye shall henceforth return no more that way the Lord knew ful wel that man though a holy man of the Lords own chusing qualified according to the mind and wil of God so as that he wil chuse him before all others yet man so qualified man in the highest state of grace while this old World standeth would not be able to bear up against the temptations of the evil one and his own heart vvhen once he hath gotten a multitude of Horses and chariots a powerful mercenary Militia at his ownvvil and devotion David that upright heart after he vvas grown great by many Conquests could not withstand a Temptation of this nature numbring the people and such a power vvil necessarily cause the people to return to Egypt that is into bondage and slavery for it is the high way to oppression and injustice To make this Militia wholly his own to serve his interest to be for him him against all his enemies he must be bountiful and liberal to them bestow great gifts upon them and having not of his own so to do he must rob and oppress the pople this course Saul took 1 Sam 8.14 15 and 17 verses And he wil take your fields and your Vineyards and your Olive-yards even the best of them and give them to his servants and he wil take the tenth of your seed and of your Vineyards and give to his Officers and to his servants he wil take the tenth of your sheep and ye shal be his servants And least any should have better thoughts of Saul and think this might be meant of some other read what himself saith Chap 22.7 Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him hear now yee Benjamites will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and Vineyards and make you all Captains of thousands and Captains of hundreds implying as strongly that he had done so as that David could not nor would not do so O the deep gulf of wickedness and misery the horrid Temptations that mans heart vvil hurry him into who fals down to commit adultery vvith this filthy Idol But these men wil multiply horses and Chariots to themselves that they may be a sure defence to them in their ways of vvickedness yea they so dote upon this Idol that they never think they have enough of her there is no end of their Chariots horse upon horse Chariot upon chariot force upon force there is no end of them they never think themselves strong enough and great enough and this brings a necessity for Oppression upon oppression without end for these must have their feilds and their Vineyards and their Olive-yards and their tenth part of the seed great possessions and riches otherwise there is no life in this defence without this Oyl the chariot-wheels vvil not run and they please themselves in the Children of strangers men of a strange degenerated spirit that chuse to serve the Wil and lust of the Prince before the true interest of their countries good the vvelfare of the people men of so strange a spirit and principle that they truly deserve the name of strangers and not Natives of the good Land of such a degenerared unworthy principle that teaches them obedience to the Imperious wil and unlawful commands of their Prince although with Doeg the Edomite they fal foul on the servants of the Lord in such Children of strangers do these men take pleasure and with them is their delight and therefore wil the Lord arise to shake terribly the earth and bringing down the lofty looks of these proudmen save his righteous remnant and get himself a name excellent in all the earth These wickednesses are guilty of such aggravations that they so provoke the eyes of Gods glory as he wil not forgive them by no means wil he pass them by but wil deal with them in that dreadful manner spoken of But this is not all the Prophet in the 16 verse of this 3d. Chapter comes with a MOREOVER Moreover the Lord saith because the daughters of Syon are haughty and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes walking and mincing as shey go and making a tinckling with their feet therefore the Lord wil smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Syon and the Lord wil discover their secret parts in that day wil the Lord take away the bravery of their tinkling Ornaments about their feet and their Cauls and their round tires like the Moon the chains and the bracelets and the muflers the honnets and the ornaments tf the leggs and the headbands and the tablets and the ear-rings the Rings and the Nose jewels and the changeable suits of apparel and the mantles and the wimples and the crisping pins the glasses and the fine linnen and the hoods and the vails and it shal come to pass that in stead of sweet smel there shall be stink and instead of a girdle a rent and instead of wel-set hair baldness and in stead of a stomacher a girding with sackcloth and burning
When I have brought you to cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils by letting you see through the glass of experience that he is not at all to be accounted of when you can cease vvholly from man that you care for and look at no man any otherwise than in me and trust to and rely upon me alone 6 and lastly THEN when you know the way to exalt me alone to give all the honour and the glory of the vvonders I bring to pass in the world to me vvithout any competitor though of the best of men for I wil be exalted alone in that day THEN shal ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not and the day shal come wherein you shall be delivered out of the hands of your enemies and you shal tread them as ashes under your feet and burn them up leaving them neither root nor branch and in your going forth in the performance of this vvork ye shal grow up as Calves of the stall be ful fed with the love and fulness of your Lord and Saviour HAving opened the words and supposing it in sufficiently evident that the interpretation given is according to truth let us with a truly religious sericusness observe the lessons the Holy Ghost would teach us from them 1 That the time of the Lords arising to work DELIVERANCE for his people is a dark day yea a black midnight of apostacy then wil the Lord come to his Zion as a Refiner to purifie it vvhen the professing vvorld are running back again even to Babilon then and there shal deliverance be vvrought for the true seed Mic 4.10 Thou shalt go even to Babilon there shalt thou be delivered there the Lord shal redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies this is the state and condition of Sion immediatly before the time vvhen the Lord wil make her horns iron and her hoofes brass wherein she shal thresh and beat in peices many people consecrating their gain unto the Lord. In the e Mat. 29 midnight of the Virgins sleep shal the cry be heard the Bridegroom the King the Lord of hosts is coming when professing Zion comes into a Laodicean Church-state Rev. 3.20 then the coming of our Lord is at hand he is f at the door The apostacy here is so universal and so gross notwithstanding all their curious coverings to hide it from the eyes of men yet the Lord sees it that the Magistracy the Rulers are Rulers of g Isaiah 1.10 Sodom h Mal. 3.15 proud workers of Wickedness the Princes are i Isaiah 1.23 rebellious and companions of Theeves every one loveth gifts and followeth after reward they judge not the Fatherless neither doth the cause of the Widdow come unto them the Ministry the Priests k Mark 2.8 depart out of the way of the Lord corrupt the Covevenant of Levi to the causing many to stumble at the law the Worship and commands of God become l Verse 9 contemptible and base before all the people because of their straying from the wayes of God by an irreligious partiality in the law or accepting of Faces as the margent of some Bibles hath it making the Law by their uncouth forced and private interpretations to seem to countenance the designe of those whose designs are not suitable to the design of God but are against the Lord and guilty of so much hypocritical unrighteousness to the provoking the eyes of his glory that he wil not forgive them seeking their own interest not the interest and honour of him whom they profess to be their Lord and master Jesus Christ and the multitude of this professing people grow up prophanely wicked snuffing m Mal. 1 13 at the Ordinances of the Lord as at a wearisom burden behold what a weariness is it the true Worship of God true Religion becomes a weariuess to these outside professors who n Isai 1.11 13 14. fil the Lord with the multitude of their sacrifices and weary him with their new Moons and their appointed Feasts their Sabboths and calling of Assemblies with their Fasts they o Mal. 1.14 polute the Altar of the Lord the Worship of God with their blinde and sick and torn and lame and corrupt performances their cursed deceit yea they are Idolaters in the sight of God p Isai 2.9 the mean man boweth down and the great man humbleth himself to their Idols that they are become to God as q Mal. 3.5 Sorcerers an adulterous Generation in this sad day of apostacy wil the Lord come to his Sion as a refiner and purifier of silver and as Fullers sope now wil the day of the Lord of hosts come upon professing Zion and lay all low before him teaching them by a smart and dreadful dispensation the way to exalt the Lord alone in this day wil the Lord come as a swift Witness against and avenge himself on his adversaries in Zion those vvho are profest friends members of professing Zion but in deed and in truth are his real enemies enemies to the righteous and holy designs of God and deliver his remnant and pick out his Jewels from amongst the professing rubbish of defiled Zton 2 That notwithstanding the gross wickedness of this day yet Sathan transforms himself into an Angel of light clothing his Children and followers in his best livery they have notable coverings to hide it whereby they deceive the multitude of the professing world and themselves to boot so that they dare not only assert their innocency in putting the Prophet to prove his charge against them but when the Prophet preaches to them the long-sufferance and tenderness of the heart of God towards them the grace and love of God in that promise r Mal. 3.7 Return unto me and I wil return unto you saith the Lord of hosts they scorning to acknowledge their guilt throw it back in his face with a wherein shal we return impudently asserting their righteousness to be such as they know not nor none can tel them wherein they should return and do better 3 That the leaders of this apostacy that cause the people to err notwithstanding their curious outside coverings of religious performances and good aims and ends for the good of the Church people and glory of God wil be the subject of the sore displeasure and wrath of the Lord of hosts the Lord wil be a s Verse 5. swift Witness against them and come neer to them to Judgement t Heb. 6.4 5 6 If those who were once inlightned and have tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come fall away it is impossible to renew them again to repentance at the hand of this hypocritical oppressing and persecuting Generation wil God require the blood of his Prophets and Witnesses that hath been shed u Isai 1 24. Ah saith the Lord I will ease me of
not merit or desert but pure love vvil teach them another and a better lesson Cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrils the Lord alone shal be exalted in that day a thing which never yet was done in any of the dayes this old World ever saw 12 Behold somewhat of the way and course the Lord wil take to do this great and marvellous work he wil cause the fire to break out from among themselves that shal consume them this Earthquake arises from the rending vvind pent up vvithin the concavities of its own earth as the scope and tendency of the Third Chap intimates and herein consists somewhat of the Wonder that a State defended vvith such a Force Cedars and Oaks Mountains and Hils Towers and fenced wals Ships and pleasant things even the mighty man and the man of War the Judge and the Prophet the Prudent and the Antient the Honourable man and the Counsellor the cunning Artificer and the Eloquent Oratour should be brought down and laid in the dust the Lord so impoverishes those of the excellent gifts and qualities they once had that being enfatuated they become as Children Babes and Women this alteration in the superior orbs begets another as dangerous in the lower regions the Lord stops the fountains of this professing earth and for want of those cooling waters that had vvont to keep things in some tolerable poise the fiery element prevails and breaking out of the earth begets its own likeness a fiery blaze in the fountains also as of old fire came out from Abimelech and devoured the men of Shechem fire came out from Shechem devoured Abimelech so here is fire against fire which continues burning til c Isai 3. â— Jerusalem be ruined and Judah be fallen in this fire wil the Lord avenge himself on his friend-like enemies those to whom the professing world give the right hand of fellowship as true Cittizens of Zion free denizens of the holy City in the management of this fiery work causing one fire to overcome the other consuming its own nature and over-ruling it to the carrying on his own design and work wil the Lord manifest such an exceeding glory above all former manifestations that the best of men shal enter into the rock and hide themselves in the dust for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty and he alone shal be exalted in that day 13 That the Prophets Isaiah and Malachy do not give us any ground as I can perceive to think the Lord wil make use of that beloved remnant of his that fear his name and speak often one to another about his name and honour at this day in this great work of his judging professing Zion in the manner treated of Malachy tels us The Lord wil spare them in that day and Isai saith it shal be well with them in that day but not a word do we read of any active condition they are in any otherwise than by the word of their testimony at that day I rather conceive that the state and condition of the remnant mentioned Isaiah 26.20 21. Come my people enter thou into thy Chambers and and shut thy doors about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the indignation be over past for behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the Inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity the earth also shal disclose her blood and shal no more cover her slain 14 That none are under the saving influences of those rich promises made to the blessed remnant at this day but those who not only speak often one to another against the apostacies and evils of the times but think on the name of God have this as the moving cause in all their motions a holy carefulness for the interest and name of God for them and for them only is there a Book of remembrance written and they and they only shal be mine saith the Lord in that day and they and they only wil the Lord spare in that day when he makes up his Jewels and then shal they return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not 15 Here is a holy directory to guide and an unerring touchstone to try all our waies and actions by at this day that in all our motions against the apostacies and evils of the times the honour and interest of the great name of God move us if that be not our frame and temper of Spirit we are none of the number in whom the Lord so much delights and our work of counsel is not that which the Lord so earnestly lissens and hearkens after til he hears all noting it down in his book of remembrance and we have nothing to do with those high expressions of the Lords matchless love in his promises no if the name of God be not solely in our eye and the exalting the Lord alone be not all our aime and end in what we do in stead of Gods peculiars in that day of the Lord it wil be unto us d Amos 5.18 19. darkness and not light as if a man fled from a Lyon and a Bear met him or went into a house and leaned his hand on the wal and a Serpent bit him 16 That he high attainments the graces and excellencies the remnant have attained to at this day is far short of the glory of the Lord is about to reveal when it comes forth they wil be glad to run to their shelter the sparing love of their Father they themselves shal then be laid in the dust before the Lord and the glorious Lord alone shal be exalted and magnified 17 That the great designe of God upon professing Zion at this day is to purge and purifie wash and cleanse it from all its filth dross and tin that they may become a holy Generation a peculiar people formed for himself to shew forth his praise able to offer up an Offering in righteousness pleasant unto the Lord. 18 Behold the way and course the Lord wil take to purge and purifie his Zion at this day he wil do it by the spirit of Judgement and the spirit of burning by such a trying dispensation of fiery judgement as shal not only burn up their dross but their tin also that which now looks so like and goes for good silver for that which is acceptable in the sight of God 19 Syon thus purged and purified shal have the creating power of God to assist her as her defence upon all this glory the Lord hath now cloathed her with shal be a desence it is not poluted and impure Zion the Lord wil thus defend but it is that glory of holiness the counterpaine or image of Gods own holiness vvhich wil be upon Zion when the Lord shal have washed away the filth from the daughter of Zion and shal have purged away the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof then
shal she be clothed with all the the defence promised and not til then the promise is to a washed and purified State not to a State defiled with filth tho of Zion not poluted with blood though of Jerusalem that which is most like true holiness and purity and is not that vvhich the Lord wil defend is nothing but glory the Image and impress of himself upon all the glory shal be a defence nothing beneath the glory of Zion thus vvashed and purified by a spirit of Judgment and a spirit of burning wil the Lord defend at this rate and after this manner but Syon clothed upon with the glory of her Bridegroom and Lord e Cant. 9 5 Who is this that cometh up from the Wilderness leaning upon her beloved shal be defended by a continual assistance of the creating power of God so that they shal not be tempted by any necessities whatsoever to make use of the same unrighteous politick wayes and courses the Rulers of the world have hitherto made use of to defend themselves they shal not make use of the worlds unrighteousnes to fence and guard their righteousness from the rape and spoils of their enemies but there shal a creating power such an extraordinary providence at tend them bringing down their enemiesunder their feet upon all occasions at all times that the Lord shal be so eminently seen in those wonderful occurrences of his providence and power that he shal have the praise and the glory of all Glory to God in the highest wil then be the burden of the song at that day 20 Vntil the Lord hath purged and purified Zion he wil not defend it against the rage and injuries of her enemies when the Lord shal have washed away the filth of the daughter of Zion and purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof then and not before wil he create upon all its glory such a defence as shal be a shadow from the heat a refuge from the storm and a covert from the rain such as shal be sufficient for all times and seasons night and day 21 When Syon is thus purged and purified become Gods holy hil of Zion a holy generation such a stamp of holiness set upon them that they shal be CALLED HOLY then will the Lord make use of her in his glorious work in the way of his Judgements upon the prophane antichristian and hypocritical world then wil they know how and be fit to burn up the wicked treading them as ashes under their feet But 22 Before that day comes that shal burn as an Oven wherein the stone shal smite the great Image and break it in peices the Lord will bring his remnant and his Jewels into one entire body and poure down his Spirit upon them a spirit of discerning such a degree of the Spirit as shal sufficiently qualifie and fit them for his work and service saith the Lord when I have made up my Jewels then shal ye all return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not for the day then cometh that shal burn as an Oven and all the proud and all that do wickedly shal be stubble and the day that cometh shal burn them up saith the Lord of hosts that it shal leave them neither root nor branch 23 Observe the work of the remnant at this day of apostacy and falling away it consists of two parts 1 Bearing their testimony against the apostacies and evils of the times they spake often one to another if Jerusalem loose the kindness of her youth and the love of her Espousals Jeremy must be f Jer. 1.18 a defenced City and an iron pillar and brasen walls against the whole Land against the Kings of Judah and the Princes thereof against the Priests thereof and against the people of the Land If the house of Israel turn aside from God grow impudent and hard hearted stopping their ears against the word of the Lord Ezekiel must have g Ezek. 3.8 9 a strong face against their faces and a strong forehead harder than an adamant against their foreheads if the house of Jacob get into an hypocritical strain of outward holiness would make the world believe they keep a fast a day unto the Lord when they indeed fast to smite with the fist of wickednes and would cover their fulfilling the wil of their lusts under a cloak of doing God service Isaiah must h Isai 58.1 cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a Trumpet and shew my people their transsions and the house of Jacob their sins in the performance of which service i Jer. 1.17 they must not be afraid lest they be confounded Qu If any should ask what those evils are that they that fear the Lord should bear their testimony against Ans The Prophet makes answer to this question by his significant THEN in the 16 Verse of his Third Chapter THEN they that feared the Lord spake often one to another then when they heard and saw things at that pass the Prophet had spoken of before they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and it doth not only point out the time when they spake but I conceive it also signifies to us the things against which they spake for the Prophets then hath relation and alludes to all the enormities and evils of the Times enumerated before and they are of a double nature matters of Religion and matters of a civil concernment 1 Of Religious matters And 1 If they behold men in professing Syon denying God k Mal. 1.6 that honour and that fear due unto him despising his great name robbing the Lord of those dues they ought to render to him then are they that fear the Lord to be sensible of the dishonour that comes to the name of God thereby and speak against that evil 2 If they behold Inhabitants of professing Syon a people that are l Isai 1. from the 2. verse to the 14 rebebellious children a sinful Nation laden with iniquity a seed of evil doers corrupters that have forsaken the Lord and gone away backward having their hands ful of blood mens hands may be filled with blood divers wayes that they are become to the Lord as Rulers of Sodom and people of Gomorrah provoking the holy one of Israel unto anger when they see this people in hypocrisie filling the Lord with a multitude of sacrifices and Offerings Oblations New Moons and oppointed feasts cloaking over their apostatising wickednesses with many religious performances to cozen their consciences and the professing world then ought they that fear the Lord to be sensible of the great dishonour the name of God suffers by this abomination and speak against that evil also 3 When they see men in professing Syon m Mal. 2.8 depart out of the way of the Lord apostatise causing many to stumble fal taking such offence at the Law the wayes of
silver purifying and purging the true seed from all their drosse and tin that they may be able to offer up an Offering to the Lord in righteousnesse sit to serve him in that great and glorious worke he hath to do in the world 2. Because the worke of our Lord at this time the Prophet speaks of is to bring his people into to cloath them with that glory they have lost the glory of the day of their espousal that they may be as in the dayes of old as in antient yeares but when our Lord shall come in person he will bring a greater glory then that with him even r Mat. 16.27 Luke 9.26 his own glory and his Fathers glory and the glory of his holy Angells 3. Because I finde the Prophet Isaiah who as hath been sufficiently proved speaks of the same time and worke calling this a coming in spirit the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning By which the Lord will wash and purge Syon 4. Because the great designe of our Lord at this his coming as hath been already proved is to sitt and prepare his Syon for the doing that great worke of his in and upon the world he hath decreed she shall carry on before he comes himselfe in person even the breaking Dan. great Image to pieces and powering out Vials of his wrath upon the rebellious world by giving his Spirit to them and causing it to rest upon them Read what the Prophet Isaiah saith in his 28. chapter the 5. and 6. verses In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a Crowne of glory and for a Diadem of beauty unto the residue of his people And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate In that day wherein the Lord will in judgment tread under foot the Crowne of Pride the Drunkards of Ephraim and all their glorious beauty shall be as a fading flower wherein God will judge the apostatising wickednesse wherewith the people are become drunken with the promoters of it in the midest of a professing people In that day will the Lord of hoasts be for a Crowne of glory and for a Diadem of beauty unto the residue of his people those that keep their garment pure and clean from this apostacie in this their day But the sword of the Lord of hosts is not to abide upon the back of his people but now judgment beginning at the house of God hath run its course there and the Lord of hosts hath magnified himselfe gotten glory and honor exalted himselfe alone there by the righteousnesse of his Judgments He will be for a spirit of judgement to him that sitteth in judgment and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate The sword of the Lord of hosts must be removed and the battel must be turned to the gate to what gate s Gen. 22.17 the gate of his enemies which the father hath promised that blessed seed of Abraham our Lord Jesus shall possesse And my thinks the reason is strong for this interpretation for after the Lord hath judged this wicked though professing generation bringing a destroying woe upon the Crowne of Pride the Drunkards among them and made himselfe a Crowne of glory and a Diadem of beauty to the residue of his people whether those that kept themselves clean from the pollutions of the day or those that he had left as his Jewells a people to shew forth his praise he will then be for a spirit of Judgement to them that sit in Judgment and for strength to them that turn the battel to the gate The battle of the Lord must now be turned hence to another place to the gate which cannot be the gate of this professing people for it hath been there already the mighty and strong one of the Lord hath already been as t verse 2. a tempest of haile and a destroying storme as a stood of mighty waters in their gate before the residue of his people set themselves to this worke And the persons to whom these promises are made are those that the battle of the Lord in the gate of this wicked-professing-people hath left the residue of the people so that it cannot be meant of their gate And what gate can this then be But that gate of his enemies which the Father hath promised shall be the possession of his Sonne the seed of Abraham Judgment begins at the house of God and ends in that gate and all this must be done by the Spirit of the Lord he will be for a spirit of Judgment and the same spirit shall be strength to them that turn the battle to the gate The Prophet speaks not a word of any other coming of the Lord than in spirit so that all the worke there spoken of must be done by the spirit of the Lord in and by his people before the coming of the Son of God in Person the second time And the same Prophet Isaiah in his fifty nineth Chapter the nineteenth verse speaks further of this truth When the enemy shall come in like a stood the spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him clearly holding forth thus much to us that the worke of God in the last day's to repay fury to his adversaries and recompence to his enemies that combine together against him shall be carried on by the spirit of the Lord as the great agent in and amongst his people he speaks of his personal comming in the next verse as succeeding this And the Holy ghost in the fourteenth of the Revelation further confirms us in this truth there we finde the Lord bringing his purged and refined number upon Mount Zion martialling them for his work But how comes he As a Lamb A Lamb stood on Mount Zion with one hundred forty foure thousand The Lord comes to avenge the blood of his own person and all the blood of his u Luke 18.7 Mistical body that hath been shed upon the world as a Lamb But when he comes in person he appears after another manner as a King x Mat. 24.30 in power and great glory 5. When the Lord comes himself in person he will do his work himselfe alone by his great power and glory he brings with him he will stain all his Rayment with the blood of his enemies y Isa 63.3 treading the winepress alone and of the people there will be none with him But at this comming of the Lord he makes use of Syon as his battle-ax and instrument of warre of their feet to tread down his enemies as ashes under foot 2. This Tipe cannot represent THE WHOLE OF THE PROFESSING GOSPELL-CHURCH I conceive because the whole house of Israel the twelve Tribes being the tipe of that this one Tribe MALLACHY prophesied to was but a tipe of some small part of the professing-gospel-church which runnes parrallel to it For the illustrating of
set before them his excellency and glory let them know who your beloved and who your friend is this practice wil prove exceeding serviceable to your Lord do you but give the daughters of Jerusalem to understand the glory of the object of your souls love which drew you to those harsh incounters with the Watchmen and the keepers of the wals and they wil presently become followers of you as you are followers of your beloved Whither is thy beloved gone O thou fairest among Women whither is thy beloved turned aside that we may seek him with thee 4 Labour with all your might after union seek out uniting principles upon which an honourable union upon the right foundation may be wrought Union union union before the Syon of God can become a fit instrument to carry on that work of the Lord in and upon the rebellious World your hearts are so much fixed upon this glorious work of union must be perfected in her when Syon is become a holy hill a body united and compact together then is she a fit seat for her Lord to sit upon as King yet have I set my King upon my HOLY HILL of Syon before Syon wil be enabled by a sufficiency of light and power to tread down the wicked as ashes under her feet and burn them up both root and branch there must be a union as hath been already hinted between the Jewels of the Lord and that remnant of his that fearing his name keep their garments clean from the defilements of the day to provoke you unto this blessed union let me perswade you seriously to consider these few motives thereunto 1 This union is that which our Lord Jesus prayeth so earnestly for the accomplishment of Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word that they all may be one John 17.20 21. as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they all may be one c. surely it is of no smal concernment to Jesus Christ but of absolute necessity his chosen should be thus united his heart is so entirely fixed upon it he intercedes so particularly to his Father for it 2 This union is that the accomplishment of which is the end wherefore Jesus Christ bestows the same glory his Father gave him upon his people And the glory which thou gavest me Vers 22. I have given them that they may be one even as we are one it seems our Lord values this union at a very high rate he gives so great a price as his glory to purchase it 3 This union is exceeding excellent and glorious and therefore deserves seeking after with the greatest earnestness and diligence therefore must it needs be glorious because it is the fruit of glory And the glory which thou gavest me Verse 23. I have given them that they may be one even as we are one the giving of glory to them brings forth this union among them as it 's natural fruit 4 This union is the way to perfection that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one c. Would you become perfect with the perfection of your Heavenly Father endeavour then after this union 5 By this union you wil convince the world that Jesus Christ your Lord is the Messiah of the Father Verse 2â— That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that the world may believe that thou hast sent me the exceeding glory of this union wil convince both Jew and Gentile in a day wherein there are false Christs and false Prophets shewing great signs and wonders if it were possible to deceive the very Elect that you Lord you make profession of is the true Messiah the true Christ sent from the Father 6 By this union you wil not only convince the world that your Lord is he that was sent from the Father and so consequently that the truth you plead for is the truth the promise of the Father to your Lord but that you are the beloved of the Father loved w th the same love he loves your Lord with Verse 23. That they may be one even as we are one that they may be made perfect in one that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast l ved them as thou hast loved me the perfection of this union wil put such an excellent glory upon you above all other glories as that the World shal be convinced in their consciences that if the Lord hath fixed his love upon any company of men in the World you are the people and be forced to report that God is in you of a truth 7 This union wil make you 1 Exceeding glorious in the eyes of your Beloved and of all that look upon you Cant. 6 9 My Dove my undefiled is but one saith the Lord Jesus here is the union pleaded for behold how he commends it how amiable it is in his eye She is the onlie one of her Mother she is the choice one of her that bare her of all the children she hath brought sorth this is the ONLY ONE the best beloved of all the states and conditions the Spouse hath been brought into this is the most excellent the most glorious the choice one yea you wil be the subject of the praises of all that shal behold you The daughters saw her and blessed her the Queens and the Concubines and they praised her behold how glorious you wil appear in their eye Verse 10 Who is she that looketh forth as the morning fair as the Moon clear as the Sun and terrible as an Army with banners and who is she think you why our Lord tels you it is my Dove my undefiled who is but one and this union wil make you 2 In the second place fitly qualified for the work of your Lord like to the Armies of the Lord indeed who is she that looks terrible as an Army with banners the answer is the undefiled Spouse of Christ who is but one and when the fruits of this glorious union shal ere you are aware make your souls like to the Chariots of Aminadab carry you on exceeding swiftly and strongly in the work of your Lord if any shal then cry Return return O Shulamite return return that we may look upon thee the answer wil be Verse 13 What wil ye see in the Shulamite as it were the company of two Armies if any would have you stay a while that they may behold more of the glory of your united stil state the answer wil then be you are become terrible as an Army with banners yea terrible as the company of two Armies O the terrors and dread that the glory of this union wil strike into the hearts of your Lords enemies 8 By this union you wil become as an innocent Dove undefiled my Dove my undefiled is but
of all unrighteousnesse likewise as may be observed once for all in Rom. 1. from the 18 verse to the end of the Chapter These Gentiles in the poynt of Government and worship have not Jehovah for their Judge or their Law-giver or their King but have in a constant succession submitted to the foure Beasts which rose out of the great Sea as is described by Daniel the Prophet as to their Soveraigne Lords in all things Others of the degenerate part of Mankind are such as having been taken into Covenant with God from among the Idolatrous Nations to be his Church and people did for a time observe and doe his Commandements but afterward forsaking the Lord their God have joyned themselves to Idols after the manner of the Nations of the world and so have gradually degenerated into the very Image and similitude of the Gentiles which know not God and so are of the world as the Aegyptians were of the world and as the Canaanites were of the world This was the state of the Ten Tribes and this state is notably described in Jeremy the 2 from the 9 to the 21 verse Such also were the degenerate Members of the Jewish Church in the first day of the Son of man they were of the world as the Romans and the Grecians were of the world and therefore without controversie our Lord in the forementioned passages doth include within the compasse of the word WORLD the Order of the Priests from the Highest to the Lowest the whole state of the Elders the whole Hypocriticall Generation of the Scribes and Pharisees and the Generality of the people who being corrupted from the simplicity and purity of the Divine Institutions did not long after the Testimony aforesaid Joyne in the Murthering of the Lord of glory This is the world which hated Jesus Christ even with a more perfect hatred then Herod or Pontius Pilate or the Centurions or the Souldiers of the Romans These Things are plain and clear to almost every understanding and therefore I for bear further explication Only let me add this As it was then even so it is now in these our dayes as by many Instances it might appeare That the Turks are of the world that the Jews are of the world and not of the Church that the Persians the Indians the Moores are of the world as the nations before the day of Christ were of the world is Confessed by us all But is it not as true that the Idolatrous the prophane the Brutish the Barbarous Papists are of the world as the Mahumetans c. are of the world though they pretend to be the only true Church of God upon earth this also will be assented to as the Truth among the protestants they may beleeve upon Scripture ground that the Romish Church as now degenerated must needes be very neere of Kin to the Heathenish world because the spirit of the world and the Characters of the world workes effectually in them and is plainly discerned upon them as in and upon others of the children of Disobedience But now what shall wee say of the Protestant Churches of the Reformed Churches which have a name to live to bee the Spouse of Christ c. wee cannot indure to heare them evill spoken of wee cannot beare it that they should be looked upon as the world or the worldly Church or the Carnal Church these are odious expressions they and their state are not to bee compared with the state of the Jewish Church as our Lord found it when he testified that they were the world and that their workes were evill To this with an holy Boldnes as in the sight of Christ I dare to say that in their present Constitution and Condition they may without doing them any wrong be compared to the Jewish Church and state in the Dayes of Christ and his Apostles in respect of their superstitions and persecutions of their hatred and enmity to the pure wayes of Christ as the popish Church may be justly compared to the Apostate Ten tribes in respect of their Idolatryes and persecutions for this is a most certain truth full of evidence in it selfe where you find the spirit of Idolatry Superstition Tradition Ceremony and formality in worship prevailing and overpowring the true Gospel spirit there will you find the spirit of the world Moreover where the Lord Jesus and his Members feele the power of the spirit of injustice and opression of hatred and persecution overcoming the spirit of truth and equity of righteousnes and innocency there they may safely say these Men are the men of the world and so no other no better then the world Now then forbearing to inquire into the state of the reformed Churches abroad let us take a short survay of the nationall Churches of England of Scotland and Ireland which are accounted in the Number of the Reformed Churches and their Daughters the Parish Churches as they were formerly or are now Constituted and Governed by the Lords Spirituall the Lord Byshops the Lord Presbiters and the Lord Triers under Charles R. and Oliver P. those two protestant Princes those two Defenders of the faith those two supream Heades successively of the Church in these parts of the Earth with all their Ecclesiasticall furniture of Church officers patrons Parsons Vicars Curates Church Wardens Clearks Sextons c. not to omit all their Parish and Collegiate-Church members Did they formerly or doe they now looke like the Churches of Christ or like the Churches of Antichrist were they not are they not of the world did they not doe they not speake of the world as sayeth the Apostle Iohn yea all of them from the Head to the tayle as sayeth the Prophet Isayah Were they not are they not now againe under the shadow of their Lord protectors wings Constituted Countenanced maintained and Governed after the Inventions of men after the traditions of Antichrist after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ doe not these Churches and their officers worship the Lord in vaine teaching for Doctrines the commandements of Men nay more then this did they not in the Prelates dayes doe they not in the dayes of the present Tryers appeare full of the spirit of enmity against the wayes of Christ against the Kingdom of Christ against the Government of Christ and his Legislative power is there not now as formerly a great and a generall hatred among the Scribes and the Pharisees and the Corrupt Lawyers against the new non-conformists nonsubscribers and against all those who in the spirit of Christ shall boldly beare witnes that they are the world and not the Church and that their workes are evill Let those who are spirituall consider the matter and speake their mind Let those whose senses are exercised by reason of use to discerne betwixt Christ and Beliall betwixt the Inventions of men and the Injunctions of God well weigh the premises in the balance of the Sanctuary and give judgement according to God
But to hasten to the second Question What were those EVILL WORKS which our Lord did testifie against or for which he did bear witness against the world and for doing whereof he was hated of the world I answer Without Controversie THOSE EVILL WORKS may be reduced to two or three generall Heads Either such as were wrought by them in the way of an ECCLESIASTICALL BODY or such as were brought forth in the Manner and Method of a CIVILL STATE or else such as were done by the confusion and mixture of ALL together as the Holy Spirit in that notable Prayer of Peter intimates where all sorts of Interests Civill Ecclesiasticall Military are declared to Combine together against our Lord. Acts 4.27 Of a truth against thy holy Servant Jesus whom thou hast anointed both HEROD and PONTIVS PILATE with the GENTILES and the PEOPLE of Israel were gathered together Here is a Combination in the Church in the Court in the CAMP against the Saviour of the world And upon examination of the works and workings of all these parties we shall find cause to say they were to be testified against as Evill But more particularly to reckon up some of them as we find them occasionally recorded by the foure Evangelists and as we goe along to compare them with those evill works which are now carried on in these parts of the earth as done by the High Priest by Herod by Pontius Pilate by the Gentlemen of the long Robe of both professions c. First let us begin with their Counsells against Christ those works of darknesse they are evill works within doores Mat. 12.14 The Pharisees went out and held a Counsel privately how they might destroy him Here were consultations held against the life of Christ So Mat. 27.1 All the chief Priests and Elders of the people tooke counsel against Jesus to put him to death We shall have an exact account of all their wicked murtherous Consultations against the Person the Doctrine the Honour of the Lord Jesus in that day when he shall Judge the secrets of all men according to his Gospel But in the mean time we know that these Deeds of Darknesse were some of those evill workes which our Lord did testifie against And in like manner at this day we know in that light of truth which will not faile us that there are many close cunning consultations to destroy that Cause of Christ which not long since was in shew highly honoured and contended for by him who is known by the name of his Highness the Lord Protector c. but who gave him that Name I leave to him to Answer when he shall be called to a strict account for all the evil counsel given against the Lord and his followers because of their righteous reproofs of the Army and their Generall for the Hypocrisie Apostacy Oppression and Persecutions whereof they are guilty in the sight of the Sun Another kind of evill works was their watching of the Lord Jesus and sending forth Spies which should feign themselves just men that they might take hold of his words that so they might deliver him to the power and Authority of the Governour Luke 20.20 And the Scribes and Pharisees Luke 11.53 urged him vehemently and provoked him to speak of many Things laying wait for him and seeking to catch something out of his mouth that they might accuse him Certainly every man who loves the Lord Jesus will easily grant these were very wicked workes But are not such practises frequently used by the Spies which are Imployed from the Court and Council at White Hall I am sure before our Imprisonment Many who came to catch our words feigned themselves to be Just men to be good men whereby they were capeable to intangle us in our talke The same Spirit which wrought effectually in those children of disobedience doth work in these as effectually and we doubt not but we shall prove these Spies to be guilty of the same evill workes with those Spies which watched Christ and their Masters to be of the same conspiracy with the Pharisees and Herodians namely at that Day when his Highnesse shall stand before the Judgement seat of Jesus Christ without either his Clergy or his Lawyers to plead his Cause We shall then understand what Instructions they were which he or his Secretaries gave his Catch poles when he imployed them and what conference he had with them when they read our Sermon Notes in his hearing and all those works of darknesse and secrecy shall be brought to light and Our Lord Himselfe shall second our Testimony That their Deeds were evill Again Other evill workes of the world and the men of the world which the Lord Jesus did testifie against was Their devouring widdowes houses while for a pretence they made long prayers Mat. 23.14 Surely this was a double evill worke and therefore He tells them they shall receive greater Damnation Not only widdowes Houses have been devoured by the new Rulers but whole Families in pressing and forcing or else inticing men to the ends of the earth for Gold and Silver thousands having perished in the Enterprize but while these Families were devoured by Sea and Land what frequent fastings and long prayers were made at White-Hall The Lord beholds this Hypocrisie and it will one day appear how abominable this project was in the sight of God as it doth in part already not withstanding all their long prayers to colour it over as a Designe against Antichrist and his Kingdome Besides these evill works before Mentioned the Lord declares against them because of their extortion and excesse as it is in Matthew because of their ravening and wickednesse as it is in Luke yea he speaks of their Binding of heavy Burthens and grievous to be borne and laying them on mens shoulders but they will not move them with one of their fingers For my part I am verily perswaded that the same evill workes are Done to the Innocent people by this present Sword power and their cryes enter into the ears of the Lord of Hoasts though they pity them not who Doe thus oppresse them Many more might be added which in the Judgement of all the true Disciples of Christ will be accounted evill workes but I must not inlarge a Preface beyond its proportion this therefore shall sufface for the second Point what kind of evill workes they were which Christ testified against and how like unto them the evill workes of this present Generation of Rulers will be found to be when they are examined by the Righteous Judge of all the world Now as for the Nature of the Testimony given by Christ concerning the evill works of that world or worldly Church which hated both him his doctrine and his followers which is the third generall Head to be spoken to it 's plain that it is no lesse then a Divine Testimony As saith the Apostle If we receive the WITNES of men THE WITNES OF GOD is greater Now
This Witnesse or Testimony whereof we are speaking from John 7.7 is not the witnesse of a man a mortall man but the witnesse of God the witnesse of one who is God and man and so it is most Authentick And how often Doth our Lord in his Ministry and Testimony inculcate this upon his hearers That he spake nothing of himself but as the Father gave him Commandement John 12.49 50. And again John 8.38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father So that when the Lord Jesus testified it was the highest Testimony which could have been given to the truth His Testimony was an unquestionable Testimony a righteous Testimony a witnesse which will carry the cause against the whole world for Let God be true but every man a lyar as it is written that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings The sayings of Christ from the father concerning this present evill world and the wicked works thereof will be made good at the last day Let no powers on earth think or hope to enervate his Testimony in the least by any pretences excuses or distinctions whatsoever Now as Christ Himselfe was in the world so ought those who are Christs Ministers and Witnesses to be in the world likewise Those whom he sendeth were born and anointed to this end viz. to bear witnesse to the truth in his sted and on his behalf and let the Princes of the world and the people of the world assure themselves The Lord never did nor ever will leave himselfe without witnesse Some of his Servants shall be stirred up by his Spirit to plead the Cause of their Lord against his adversaries altho they know before hand that through the hatred of the world they shall be exposed to a thousand dangers distresses deaths for the truths sake The Dragon the beast the scarlet Whore the false Prophet the Kings of the earth although by a complication of interests they are desperately ingaged and inraged against the Lamb and his followers against the Lord and his witnesses neverthelesse the wrath of God hath been and now is revealed from heaven to their very faces against all their ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse by those witnesses which he hath raised up and furnished with Heroick spirits to contend with the whole earth and that wrath so revealed by his Servants the Prophets shall be executed likewise for The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy which the true Church is never destitute of altogether So that I am perswaded and I believe many others that Matters are carried at this day betwixt the Servants and Spirit of Christ and the Servants and Spirit of Antichrist as they were carried in those dayes betwixt the Spirit person of Christ and the Spirit and persons of the Priests and powers of the earth It is not to be expected that his Highnesses Court Chaplaines who are fed at his Table should lift up their heel against their Good Lord and Master in testifying openly that his Counsells are evill that his Instrument is an ugly Idol and an Image of Jealousie that his Government is evill that his workes in imprisoning the Servants of Christ without Just Cause are evil that his Extortion and Rapine in Imposing and gathering in all his Taxes by an Arbitrary power contrary to the Law of God and the Land is evill that his devouring whole families in sending thousands to the ends of the earth and multitudes against their wills upon a base and beggerly Designe that stinkes in the nostrills of God and good men is evill and abominable And which of his City and Country Clergymen fed and Cloathed by his Tyrannicall execution of the Popes Cannon Law will declare against him for maintaining the Relicts and Remainders of Popery and for his setting up New-Carnall spirituall Courts of Prelaticall Tryers or Comissioners to reigne over the Parish Ministers in the Byshops stead Which of those Inslaved Preachers Lecturers and Augmentation-Men who come cap in hand to their Inferiors or equalls for their Approbation and a box full of Orthodox Orders to preach in such or such a steeple House and to receive the ancient profits and perquisites of the parish for their paines dare to turn head upon their Ecclesiasticall Lords and joyn with Christ and his spirit to testify against these New invented Babylonish Abominations Alas poor wretches they have no heart no spirit for the Interest of Christ they are ashamed of the testimony of our Lord and of us his prisoners who by the most powerfull Illapses and influences of his spirit are inabled and Constrayned to bid Defyance to the scarlet coloured Beast and to all his 7 heads of Blasphemy and to all his ten homs of persecution to all the Kings of the earth which commit fornication with the mother of Harlots and with all her danghters But because these Men thus lamentably yoaked by their new Lords Spirituall and Temporall dare not particularly and couragiously in the power of the Spirit bear their Testimony for Christ against the world or world like Church that their deeds are evill therefore the Lord will raise up others to supply this defect And be it known to all the Kings and Princes which oppresse and persecute the Children of the free woman that the Lord will furnish himself with a sufficient Number of faithfull Servants who shall in his strength maintain that Conflict and Combate which is needful till the great of the Battel of the Almighty God As Christ told the Chief Priests and Scribes who were displeased that the Children cryed Hosanna to the Son of David If these should hold their peace the stones would immediately cry out so I say in words of truth and sobernesse seeing the Chief Preachers Pastors and Teachers are dumb and connive at the present Apostacy Hypocrisie Oppression Tyrannicall Government and going back to AEgypt the Lord is as it were compelled to furnish himself from among the private Christians and the weakest and meanest of the Brethren to bear a Testimony against this wicked Generation of Backsliders and if they likewise should hold their peace altogether the stones of the streetes and the very bruite Creatures would immediatly cry out for the Lord will not altogether and utterly leave himselfe without witnes This Insuing Treatise was not Composed by any of the University-scarlet Doctors nor by any Batchelour of Divinity or Master of Arts and sciences I am perswaded their Acadenicall Vnction will teach them to practice complyance and to sing Placebo But surely this is some Honest Sool who observing the Common Clergy to be as mute as Fishes when they should have cryed aloud and have lifted up their voyces as a Trumpet to shew the Apostatized Christians their transgressions and the Hypocrites their sins hath so far layed their Abominations to heart that he cannot for bear to speak a word for God against such an adulterous Generation and to encourage that little Remnant which speak often one to another and think upon Jehovah's
Name Wherefore let all Men who shall read search the Scriptures whether those things which he hath written and brought together from the holy Oracles be so yea or no and accordingly embrace what they find of the Spirit and truth of God and what they meet with that savours of humane frailty and mistake for which of the Learned Orthodox Doctors of the Church as they are called are not full of them let them reflecting upon their own insufficiency and imperfections passe by in brotherly love or rectifie according to the measure of their attainments in Christ For undoubtedly the Aime of the Author and the scope of his discourse is no way unworthy the Name and profession of a Disciple of Christ A plentifull portion of the Spirit of Wisedome and Revelation in the knowledge of Christ be given to every such Disciple in this day for the Lords sake Amen So prayeth One of the Servants of Christ and your Servant for Jesus sake CHR. FEAKE From mine own Hired House where a Souldier is appointed to keep me this 14 day of the 5 Month 1656. TO THE READER GOD who in times past left not himself without Witnesse Acts 14.16 17. hath in the dayes of the Gospel compassed us about with a aloud of Witnesses Heb. 12.1 A Remnant of whom notwithstanding that great Apostacy spoken of 2 Thess 2. hath the Lord reserved and by wonderfull providence hath preserved during all the bloody rage and reigne of the man of sin to bear a Testimony for Jesus with the hazard of their lives Rev. 17.6 And in this our Generation O how eminently hath God appeared witnessing to the truth Rev. 12.11 17. against all the unrighteousnesse of men as by many signal paovidences and dreadsull judgements Chap. 6.9 so also by raising up diverse Witnesses in his behalfe The number of those hath he augmented of late and prospered their Testimony to a great encrease of light and still the Lord holds them in his right hand and makes them like the Pen of a ready Writer bearing a swift Testimony against the most refined abominations of Professors declaring the mind of the Lord in divers dark sayings of Scripture bringing that light out of obscurity that many ages past have never seen 1 Pet. 1.12 showing plainly how the Prophets of old did Minister to the Saints and Professors in the last dayes Behold how these at this day are revived as from the dead to witnesse for God and Christ against a sinfull and adulterous Generation It rejoyceth me to behold how the Lord doth spirit instruments and instruct them to promote their Testimony by expounding and sitly applying their words for Reproof and instruction in Righteousnesse as once he did Ezra and others with him to hold forth the Law of Moses when that work which typed forth much of this now in doing was upon the wheele But as the Lords Witnesses of old were the main object of the hatred of those whom they witnessed against as Amos Jeremy and others who were threatned imprisoned and reproached even so are the Children of the Prophets those who through their word are brought forth to witnesse against evill doers now hated and misused by the men of this Generation I know men are ready to say with the Pharisees Mat. 23.30 31 32. If we had lived in the dayes of our fathers we would not have persecuted the Prophets whilest in the mean time they seek to suppresse those who in the same Spirit of faith doe with their words explained bear witness against such yea the self same evills by other persons committed now Obj. But some may Object saying This is the duty and work of extraordinary Prophets only to bear a Testimony against the evills of the Times ordinary Ministers have little to doe ordinary Saints much lesse with such matters Ans The Prophecies of old and the Testimonies of the Prophets are gathered up into the Prophesie and Testimony of Christ the Great Prophet of the New Testament the faithfull witnesse and by him having received of the Father The Promise of the Spirit in the fullnesse of it committed to his Seed even the faithfull believers as believers being made to partake abundantly of the same Spirit which was not given at least so generally and ordinarily untill Jesus was exalted John 7. 38 39. by them to be declared and held forth from Generation to Generation each word in its season according to their measure of Grace and of the gift of Christ as these Scriptures here inserted with many more doe sufficiently prove Rev. 1.4 5 11. Rev. 12.10 11 17. Isa 59.21 Psa 145.4 Isa 43.3 5 8. Isa 8.16 2 Tim. 2.2 And as it is the concernment of Saints in generall qualified for the worke to witnesse for Christ against Antichrist so is it in a speciall manner the worke of Gospel Ministers orderly called to that Office to bear their Testimony against all Antichristian Abominations And if these things be so may we not conclude that men ought to take heed that they be not found despisers when God comes forth by the words of his Servants though Babes and Sucklings with stammering tongues and pens Psal 8.2 to witnesse against the evills of the times O Yee that are called by the name of Saints Is it a time for you to dwell at ease in your cieled houses Is it not high time to awake and to consider your wayes to enquire into to lay to heart to sigh and cry for all the abominations of such as professe to be the Lords people whereby the grace and praise-worthy name of God is reproached at home and abroad Oh how gloriously is this duty rewarded and how severely are professors even the ancient of them punished for the neglect hereof Ezek. 9.4 5 6 7. If love to God and Christ doth not constrain yet let the just judgements of God breaking forth upon a professing yet sinfull secure people provoke you hereunto In this weighty work the ensuing Treatise will afford thee no small help for by it if the presence of the Lord accompany the reading thou mayest dig through a wall as Ezekiel was bid to doe Ezek. 8.7 8 12. and mayest behold with him an open door whereat entring in thou mayest see greater abominations then probably thou hast hitherto observed vayled over with spetious pretences and a large profession Herein is the wisedome of God to be seen and justified in bringing his truths to light in their proper time whilest men are working in the darke Isa 29.15 saying Who seeth us How hath the Lord lighted Candles wherewith to search Jerusalem visiting the men that are setling Zeph. 1.12 or willing to setle on their Lees. Reader This worke serves not only to present unto thee as it were in a Glasse the face of the Times but thine own face use it as a Touchstone to try thy heart whether it be right for the Lord and for his work Behold how the Lord comes and
loose Professors against whom those who are of a low and legal spirit and Principle falling short by many degrees of their professed light in the Gospel are risen up and shall rise in Judgement to condemne them for their intollerable pride and sensuallity Qu. If any shall now enquire what is this fear of the Lord here spoken of I Answer It is a precious effect of the Spirit of Christ Isa 11.23 in the heart of a believer Jer. 32.40 whereby through the discovery of the glory of God in his word Psal 86.11 and works by Christ Rom. 3.18 and in consideration of the vast disproportion that is between God and the Creature he is made to think highly of God in all his Attributes Exod. 33.18 34.4 5 6 7. and to have respect unto all his Commandements Hosea 3.5 Thus referring the Reader to the search of Scriptures Psa 8.3 4. whether the thing be so Psa 111.7 8 9 10. and to the examination of his own heart Jer. 10.6 7 10 12. whether this good thing be found in him Isa 40.15 16 17. I shall hasten to the second qualification before mentioned Secondly Eccl. 12.13 The second Character whereby the faithfull people of God are distinguished from those Formalists is Their true and tender respect unto the name and glory of God preferring it above all their private concernments Of this blessed frame that people fell short who are upon this account reproved by the Prophet Herein is their Hypocrisie discovered that notwithstanding all their profession and performance of duties in assembling and bringing Offerings yet the Lord declares against them because they were men of mercenary self-seeking spirits Which of you saith he would kindle a fire on might Altar for nought Ch. 1.10 These were more like the Off spring of Hagar than Sarah unfit for Gods worke which was to exalt his name among the Heathen wherefore he layes them by saying I have no pleasure in you neither would he accept an Offering at their hands as you may see in the same Verse and in Chap. 2.3 of this sin who are so deeply guilty as the Priests whom the Prophet chargeth with despising Gods great Name Chap. 1.16 yet are they farthest off from conviction They put the Prophet or rather the Lord to it to prove the charge with A WHEREIN Wherein say they have we despised thy Name And thus they dispute with God and his Messenger but we find little or no confession or conviction of any evill charged on them but rather a charging God with injustice or unrighteousnesse in not rewarding their services Chap. 3.14 speaking stout words against him saying It is vain to serve the Lord. Could not these boast of a large and long profession as doe many now of their keeping Gods Ordinances walking mournfully before the Lord c. These observing solemne dayes of Fasting and Prayer as those whom the Prophet layes open and reproves Isa 1. 58.2 3. But in all these things mark what they had in their eye their own profit What profit is it say they As for the right Seed their care is exercised about their fathers name regarding it so much the more by how much others slighed it and as being provoked by the backsliding of many to an holy jealousie for God whilest others are looking after their Olive yards and Vineyards their purchases and large pay at best their present sensible enjoyments These are content to serve God though as to an eye of sense for nought and without profit if God hide his face they will give him glory by looking to him and waiting for him They meet together in a dark day and speak often one to another of the things that concern their fathers Name that being with most weight on their hearts We read of nothing save that nothing like to that upon their hearts they minded it more then their Trades Farms Wife and Children Lands and Lives these are the right seed whom God owns for his in trying dayes Mal. 3.16 17. and whom he delights to use having bent their hearts for him and for his design to make his name great in all the earth to these he promiseth the shinings of the Son of Righteousnesse with healing in his wings Mal. 4.2 3. and that they shall goe forth and grow up as Calves of the stall and tread down the wicked who shall be as ashes under the soales of their feet The words and actions of that chosen Remnant thus qualified howsoever slighted by the proud are noted in Gods BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE where their words who in a light self-seeking spirit made use of his great name have no place How apparent is the difference in this respect betwixt many Professors and Church-members some chiefly minding that work and those duties wherein they apprehend their present comfort and eternall salvation most neerly concerned little regarding those Ordinances which more especially respect the honour of God as to reprove sin and to reject or excommunicate offendors as just occasion is offered an Ordinance by the due practice whereof the name of God his truth and people are cleared and preserved from the blame of the miscarriages of scandalous offendors how heartlesse are Professors and Ministers at least so accounted to this work Did God lay them by of old who despised his name and will not God lay these by as Vessels wherein he takes no pleasure if they repent not and that speedily in as much as he is making hast to his great work viz. To exalt his great name not in one corner of the earth but in all the corners thereof Amen Hallowed be thy Name and Hallelujah Qu. But who shall follow the Lord in this great work Ans They only who are called chosen and faithfull whom he hath formed for his praise having redeemed them from the earth These follow him whithersoever he goeth not looking and tarrying for man till such and such a man goe before them It is enough to them to see clearly that the Lamb goes before them for they are his followers and will follow no other but in the way of following him Qu. But whence is it or how comes it to passe that so many professed followers of the Lamb doe turn back yea and turn against him at this time Ans Surely with many if not with all such Apostates the cause is their not being established with the grace of God because they were not stedfast in believing Gods free Promises in Christ for the Kingdome and all things else to be added to them in seeking that first Their hearts being not right in the matter of Regeneration therefore have they failed in the work of their Generation and being found Enemies to a thorow work within are found such to a thorow work of righteousnesse without and abroad in the Nation But did such at first run well Oh then seeing so many have begun to build and have not been able
to finish let those who would follow Christ in the Regeneration or their Generation work sit down first and with serious spirits count the cost Take that word of Christ for your help Luke 14.26 If any man come to me and hate not father and mother and wife and children brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple The Law and Testimony of the Lord is bound up and sealed with such Disciples-indeed who chuse rather to loose their ALL in this world than to doe any thing contrary to the mind of God contained therein As for others the Lord counts them unworthy and if they be enlightned they cannot but judge themselves unworthy of so great a trust But why doe I detain the Reader thus long from that discourse which may afford more profit and delight The work is before thee goe on to it in the fear of the Lord onely this I shall say further viz. That I doubt not but men who will reject a good work as the manner of some is for some small and it may be meerly supposed Errour may find whereat to be stumbled in reading this Book and so this as many other worthy works be rendred uselesse and an offence to them whilest honest hearts who having the love of truth cannot easily be prejudic'd against it Psal 119.165 are like to reap precious benefit hereby And here let it be noted also That God is not a little jealous for the glory of his great Name in the work he hath begun Though he will use man in his work yet so as that his Imperfection shall appear that we may cease from man and from glorying in men our selves or others and that we may give all the glory to him whose due it is Amen Blessing and glory and wisedome and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be given unto our God for ever Having thus far enlarged as being engaged to bear my Testimony in love to those truths contained in the ensuing worke I commend it to the Lord for his blessing adding this onely that I am Thine if thou rejoycest not in Iniquity but in the Truth JOHN PENDARVES The 10 day of the 6 Month. 1656. Errata PAge 2. line 14. for vissitudes read vicissitudes p. 9. l. 3. r. are not l. 36. r. heart-feuds p. 11. l. 8. r. they give him the honor p. 13. l. 40. r. as at p. 15. l. 36. r. is in Zion p. 16. l. 31. dele abide the day p. 17. l. 4. r. he tells us p. 64. l. 12. r. secondly p. 65. l. 8. dele of p. 77. l. 34. r. swiftnes Many other literall Mistakes have escaped the Press but these above written are some of the chief of which the Reader is desired to take notice The Prophets MALACHY and ISAIAH PROPHECYING to the Saints and Professors of this GENERATION Of the great things the Lord will do and bring to pass in this their day and time MAL. 3.16 17 18. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkned and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his Name And they shall be mine saith the Lord of hosts in that day when I make up my jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not THE State of the Nation and Common-wealth of Israel their Worship and the dispensation of their God towards them were Tipes of the better condition he would bring his Children into of those clearer discoveries the Lord would make of himself and his Glory and after what manner he would carry himself towards his Chosen in the Gospel-day And it 's as true that the backslidings and apostacies of that Tipical Common-wealth and people with their corrections bondages and captivities were Tipes also of the state and condition of the Church of God under that Gospel-administration yea their very Enemies were no less than Tippical pointing out to us those adversaries the Serpent would raise up against the seed of the Woman the true Church and people of God in that divident of time called the last dayes Their servitude and sore bondage in Egypt was a general Tipe of the malitious practises of the seed of the Serpent against the Womans seed all the Serpents day long til the appointed time comes wherein the Lord wil judge them and deliver his people with a mighty hand with signes and with wonders after the manner of Egypt But in a more particular way After many vissitudes and changes fals and risings backslidings and reformations wrought in this Common-wealth which also are not without their Tipical significancies when those two admirable excellent Tipes David and Solomon had run their race this people of one Nation became two which tipically is very significant to us For as those 10 Tribes who made the fraction presently turned aside from their God and through their backslidings and apostacies after many warnings from Heaven brought a destroying enemy upon them that their place and name was taken quite away they were a Tipe of those ten parts if I may so express it of the professing Gospel-Church who through their backslidings and apostacies a 2 Thes 2.3 falling away made way for the man of Sin the Babylonish power to exalt it self over them to their ruine And as the Lord for his servant Davids sake and for Jerusalems sake promised to preserve one Tribe that David might have b 1 King 11.36 a light before the Lord in Jerusalem notwithstanding their backslidings and apostacies yet upon the pure account of his Covenant with David the Lord preserves this one Tribe according to his promise til Shiloh came this Tribe was a Tipe of that smal part of the professing Gospel-Church which the Lord will preserve for David his Sons sake and for Jerusalem his true Churches sake that the seed of the Woman may not be quite extinct nor our Lord Jesus the Son of God left without his Remnant in the world notwithstanding all the deviations backslidings and apostacies of Kings Rulers and people yet there is a cluster in the midst of it that hath such a blessing in it that it shal be preserved and continue til he comes the second time whose right it is to Reign But for the iniquities backslidings and Apostacies of this one Tribe the Lord delivers them for a season into the hand of the King of Babilon and after a certain term of time by a Cyrus he opens away for their coming out of Babilon and return to their own Land to Worship the Lord God of their Fathers at Jerusalem in the true Church now they apostatising after this super-abundant grace and favour stopping their ears against the Lords Messengers he withdraws God leaves them to themselves their Prophets cease
may be able by scripture light to know to whom this Prophecy relates in a more special manner than to others and that the door of our hearts might be opened if possible to receive the following truth let us consider 1. The Time of this apostacy 2. The Quality of this apostacy 3. The People thus apostatising For the Time it self we have three Characters of it 1. It is after their coming out of Babilon as is acknowledged on all hands that Malachy was the last of the Prophets and Prophecied after Haggai and Zachary's time who Prophecied at the time of their return from Babilon after the Lord had delivered them out of the hands of the Babilonians their enemies and put them into a capacity to serve him in his own appointments according to his wil they turn their backs upon their God and apostatise from the Truth 2 It s that time of Apostacy in Zyon which the Lord will take to visit his people in with a spirt of Judgement and a spirit of burning by a fiery refining dispensation making up his Jewels after the manner of purifying gold and silver the Lord doth not suffer their enemies to carry them back into Babilon he takes not that former course with them but he takes them into his own hand to make them a fit and a suitable instrument to do that great wonderful and strange work he hath to do in and upon the world that this is such a time my thinks there needs no other proof then what the Prophet saith in the 5th verse of this 3d Chapter And I will come near to you to Judgement and I will be a swift witness against you that fear not me saith the Lord of hosts you Who why those to whom the Prophet had spoken before it signifies thus much in that day wherein I shal thus purge and purifie the sons of Levi my chosen that they become beautiful and glorious pleasant unto me I wil be a swift witness against you and judge you that have thus without any fear of me played the Apostates turned aside and gone backward the day of Sions purifying is the day of the Lords judging these leaders of apostacy therefore these Times are contemporary so joyned together as none can put them asunder 3. It s that time of apostacy immediatly preceding the stones smiting the great Image that day wherein the Lord wil burn up the wicked leaving them neither root nor branch when the Lord by turning his hand upon his people at the concluding time of this apostacy hath refining them made up his Jewels fitted and qualified them they fall to the work of the burning hot day mentioned in the 4th Chapt. which hath been proved to be all one with that day of breaking Daniels great Image there is no interval of Time between these two dispensation 2. For the Quality of this Apostacy it s a refined hypocritical apostacy These men wil seem religious although indeed their hearts are most irreligious d Mal 1.13 snuffing at the Ordinances and true worship of the Lord an offering they wil bring though it be but the blind and the torn and the lame and the sick though it be a wearisom burden to them yet worship they wil though they be under a e Verse 14. curse for their blinde and torn and lame and sick and corrupt performances yet they wil seem outwardly to the world to be the worshippers of God the blessed people of the Lord crying the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord yea they have such cloaks and coverings for their actions that their backsliding and apostacy is not observable for a while by the vulgar eye none are sensible of it but a company of dispicable souls that fear the Lord they indeed see this apostacy and speak often one to another about it but the rest are blinde yea so hypocritically cunning are these men that let the Prophet charge them with what he wil they answer him with a wherein have we done it doth he charge them with robbing God of his honour and of his f Ch 1.6.12 sear due unto him and with dispising and prophaning the great name of the Lord of hosts their answer is Wherein have we despised thy name and wherein have we robbed thee doth he charge them with poluting the g Verse 7. Altar of God saying the Table of the Lord is contemptible despising and contemning the true Worship of God that those that fear the Lord exercise themselves in at this time they reply Wherein have we done it doth he charge them with h Ch 2.13 Covering the Altar of the Lord with tears with weeping and with crying out through their oppressions and violence that his people cannot serve the Lord with a cheerful and free spirit they answer him with a wherefore doth the Prophet charge them with speaking stout words against the Lord saving its vain to serve God and i Ch 3.13 14 what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts their answer stil is What have we spoken so much against thee yea though they call the k Verse 15. proud happy and set up workers of wickedness and deliver them that tempt God yet they dare put the Prophet upon the proof of all that he saith knowing their coverings are able to stave off a present clear proof in this dark day so that the Prophet himself is forced to fly to the Lord of hosts to witness to the truth of his words to prove the charge l Verse 5. the Lord of hosts wil be a swift witness against you and lastly doth the Prophet to manifest the infinite riches of the love and mercy of God to backsliders exhort them to return to the Lord holding forth his gratious promise that then he wil return to them m Verse 7. Return unto me and I will return unto you saith the Lord of Hosts their answer is wherein shal we return they are so confident in the neatness and largeness of their coverings that they dare tauntingly put the Prophet to shew if he can wherein they should return implying that they would have him and all those that found fault with them to know that they are in the way of the Lord as near to him as they can be and that they have not backsliden nor retreated from the Lord in any thing by which any such distance should be made between them and the Lord that they need to be exhorted to return to him it signifies thus much further to me that their pride and hypocrisie is grown to such height that they think it an eclipse to their vain glory a disparagement to them to have the free and rich grace of God tendred to them their answer is a kind of profession that they need it not upon these termes for say they Wherein should we return they have nothing to return from nor nothing to
return to for they are not gone from God but are as neer to him as ever they were although it be the most wicked apostacy that ever this Common-wealth was guilty of yet the most refined of any insomuch as a great part of those guilty of this Apostacy are such as are great pretenders to the love of and delight in the day of the Lords appearance hence it is that the Prophet tels them The Messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in behold he shall come saith the Lord of hosts O the curious wrought net-works of this apostatising day howneatly are the wicked actions of this day clothed with glorious pretences for the Temple people of the Lord their outside seems so clean and clear in this twy-light day that they will dare any to prove them in an error that they are out of the way of the Lord or to shew them a better way 3. For the Persons apostatising they are of two sorts 1. The leaders and causers of the apostacy those leaders that not content to depart out of the way themselves but cause the people to err that n Ch. 2.8 corrupt the Covenant of Levi and cause many to stumble at the law of God laying stumbling-blocks of hypocrisie before the people to ensnare them even to the causing the worship and service of the Lord to be an abhorring a loathsome contemptible thing upon the head of these men with their proud and stubborn abettors will the Lord the jealous God send down his cursing Judgements he wil be a swift witness against them wounding their hairy scalp saith the Lord of hosts concerning these o Isai 1.24 Ah I will ease me of mine adversaries and avenge me of mine enemier p Amos â— 10 all the sinners of my people shall dye by the sword which say the evil shal not overtake nor prevent us 2. There are another sort of persons that keep not their garments clean from the polutions of this Apostacy though they are not so far engaged as the other they are those that please and delight themselves in the thoughts of the coming of the Lord the Messenger of that Covenant by which the Father hath engaged himself to do great and glorious things for his people these being pur-blind through the glory of their Ceiled houses the convenient accomodations of this life are not able to see the plain characters of a loathsome apostacy written in the forehead of the Times and so run along in that dirty channel with the rest they hear the Prophet cry out amain An Apostacy an Apostacy an Apostacy and ye are cursed undone forever the Lord will raise up another people q Mal. 1.11 My name shal be great among the Heathen and cast you off if ye repent not and they hear those that fear the Lord speaking often one to another of the evil of the Times and the sufferings of the name of God at this day yet through dimness of sight and dulness of heart they know not what to think of these things they are not able to adjust the controversie and pass a right sentence upon the case only they please themselves in the thoughts of the coming of the Lord and that then he wil put an end to these dubious controversies and hearts-feuds between Brethren and right the wronged punishing the oppressor when he comes with the breath of his lips he wil destroy the wicked and wipe away all tears from the face of his people when the Sun of Righteousness arises his bright bcams wil disperse all these clouds and mists of darkness that we shal see the way of the Lord clearly therefore it is good for us to keep our station and abide in the condition we are in til our Lord himself comes and O that he would come how would it joy our hearts to behold him but ah saith the Prophet r Ch. 3. â— Who may abide the day of his coming and who shal stand when he appeareth notwithstanding this curious profession of theirs he gives them to understand they would neither stand in that day nor abide it These have so far bespotted their garments with the apostatising defilements of the Times that they need the Refiners fire and Fullers sope to parge and purifie them the Lord of hosts wil turn his hand upon these after the manner of purifying gold and silver to purge away their dross and take away all their Tin Yet in the midst of this dismal Age there is a handful that fear the Lord they keep their garments clean and pure from the polutions of this their day speaking often one to another about these things Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkned and heard it c. In the words we have 1 A description of some persons that exercise themselves in a work wel-pleasing to the Lord in this provoking day of apostacy they that feared the Lord. 2 The work it self set down in two expressions they spake often one to another and they thought upon his name 3 The Lords acceptation of this work which is held forth 1 By a double Act of the Lord he hearkned and heard it and a Book of remembrance was written before him 2 By several rich and glorious promises made to these sincere hearts and they are of two sorts 1 Such as concern reward for work done which are two 1 They shall be mine saith the Lord of hosts 2 And I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him The excellency and worth of which promises are heightned by the aggravation of the time when in that day when I make up my Jewels 2 A promise that is not only a bare reward for work done but contains qualification and fitness for the performance of a succeeding glorious work immediatly to come forth then shal ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Would you know the persons that are thus valued and prized by the Lord of Heaven and earth in such a day as this we have three characters of them in the Text. 1 They fear the Lord they worship him and give glory to him and none other they give honor of a Father and the fear of a Master they sanctifie his name giving him those dues which these despisers of his great Name wil not they fear the Lord not man not those great masters of apostacy that dare to speak proud and stout words against the Lord and prophane the name of God nor those workers of wickedness that are set up on high above their fellows who by their Oppressions make their Brethren to howl covering the Altar of the Lord with tears and with weeping and with crying out they fear not nor care not for those that can only kil the body but they fear the Lord who can slay both body and soul the Lord alone is their fear 2
They are so heartily and throughly sensible of the sufferings of the name and honour of their God that their care for that swalloweth up all other cares they minde not so much their own sufferings under the oppressions of these workers of wickedness as the sufferings of the name and interest of their dear Lord under that dishonour and shame these wicked tho refined hypocrites throw upon it their careful thoughts are solely taken up about the concernments of the name of their God They thought upon his name yet notwithstanding these excellencies they are not per-sect But 3 They are subject to many insirmities for they stand in need of the sparing mercy of their God and Father and I wil spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him 2 The work it self which these sincere hearts exercise themselves in as the great duty incumbent upon them in this their day is Consultation about the concernments of the great name and cause of the Lord at this time They think and they speak both parts of counsel they thought upon his name they consult in their own own hearts and thoughts about the name and interest of God and they speak often one to another about it they are often enquiring of and communicating their light to each other that if possible by such communications they may be able to find out something of the mind of their God and Father they could not by their more private consultations in their hearts and thoughts the subject of these their so serious consultations is the name of their God they thought upon his name their care is not how shal we get from under the unsupportable oppressions of these workers of wickedness that are set up nor how shall we free our selves and our Posterity from the bondage and slavery of these sons of violence nor so much how shal we bring down these proud and lofty men that speak such proud and stout words against the Lord his name and honour though possibly that may be more remotely in their thoughts too but all their cares are dissolved into a godly and holy carefulness for the name and honour of their dear Lord they thought upon his name how that was dishonoured the Lord had gotten himself a great name by delivering his people out of Babilon rearing up the glorious structure of his Temple and building up the ruined wals of Jerusalem setting up his true Worship again there in despight of all those great oppositions of his enemies round about and these backsliders dispise and dishonour this great name of the Lord of hosts doing what in them lies to bury it in Oblivion now these lovers of the Name of God think on this are very solicitous what they should do at this juncture of time to wipe off that dishonour is cast upon this great and glorious name in the view of the whole world O say they what shall we do for the name of our God wherewith shall we honour it what course shal we take to exalt and magnifie it in the eyes of the world before whom it hath been thus dishinored here 's the Center of all their thoughts and consultations They thought upon his Name 3 Let us see how exceeding kindly the Lord takes this at their hands 1 The Lord by two eminent acts manifests his great acceptance of them how is the heart of God taken with this blessed work The Lord hearkned and heard it as it implie the lowness weakness of the voice of these holy consultations that the Lord must hearken and listen to speak after the manner of men before he can hear it so it also implies great intensness of spirit with delight he hearkned the Lord is so wel-pleased with these blessed consultations that rather than miss hearing their voice he will hearken and listen with the greatest intenseness of minde the Lord hearkned as if the Lord had said stand aside Sathan cease thy accusing clamours in mine ears silence you exalters of wicked workers You are of your Father the devil and the lusts of your Father ye w ll do he was a lyar from the beginning and so are ye wrongfully charging the innocent with things they know nor peace ye waiward froward children through the noise and din of your peevish wranglings nothing can be heard be stil all I wil hear what these my Beloved ones say that stand up for my name and honour in such a day as this what though they discover much weakness and infirmity in the management of their work yet I delight in them and love to hear their voice The Lord hearkned and heard it he hearkens til he hears all and he takes special notice of what he hears let 's nothing slip and so delightful and pleasing to him is that he hears that as if he were distrustful of his memory A book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name here is the Lambs book wherein he sets down all the service his servants do for him that he may give them a suitable and ful reward when he comes into his Kingdom that possession his Father hath decreed to give him the Lord is so taken with what he hears that he wil book it all down set it all upon Record not a thought nor an expression not a word nor a sillable wil he loose the heart of God is so taken with these breathings that he writes a Book of Remembrance that when those Heavenly Records are read he may remember to do them honour then who thus honour him now by their loyalty and faithfulness cloathing them with his own Robes his own glory Thus shal it be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour 2 The Lords acceptation of the work of these blessed souls appears by those rich promises he makes to them which are 1 Such as concern reward for work done As 1 They shal be mine saith the Lord of hosts this is a note of special peculiarity for as it hath relation to other persons it s put in opposition unto my Jewels in the next words saith the Lord of hosts there is a day a coming wherein I wil make up my jewels gather up my treasure and in that day they shal be mine mine in a more special and peculiar way and manner than my Jewels shal be as at the first when the children of Israel were in Egypt there were two Mines my people and my first born as as the first-born in whose stead the Tribe of Levi was chosen were Gods in a more special and peculiar manner then the rest of Gods people of Israel they were those whom he chose to be alwaies in his presence to serve before him continually his favorites to whom he manifested his glory and by whom he revealed his mind and Wil to the rest of their Brethren so here are TWO MINES too mine and my Jewels and this mine being put in opposition to my Jewels
dross and her wine mixt with water altogether defiled then wil God avenge himself of his adversaries the leaders of this loathsom apostacy and turn his hand upon professing Zion bringing her back again to himself restore her to her former glory that She shal again be called the City of Righteousness the faithful City and the wicked the transgressors and sinners together shal be burned with such a burning as none shal be able to quench then in these last dayes shal the mountain of the Lords house be established in the top of the mountains and shal be exalted above the hils and all Nations shal flow unto it and to confirm our faith and to keep out unbelief that we might not stagger at the promise in the remainder of this 2d Chapter with the 3d. and 4th Chap. the Prophet treats more largely and particularly of some of the same thing he had spoken of before in the general telling us the meanes by which the Lord would bring those things to pass doing such wonders in Zion mentioned in the latter part of the 2d Chapter and that by such a way and course as he sets down in the 3d. Chapter bringing forth such blessed effects as are held forth in the 4th Chap. that indeed the inhabitants of Zion shal be enabled to burn up the wicked both root and branch and then the mountain of the Lords house shal come to be exalted above the hils and established in the top of the Mountains so that all Nations shal flow unto it 4 Because I find that the glory of the 4th Chap. which is brought in as the proper effect and product of what was done in the 2d and 3d Chapt cannot in any wise be meant of the glory of the mountain of the Lords house but of some state of the house of God before it attains to its mountain-glory and my reasons for this apprehension are 1 Because the Prophet speaks of such a state of Zion as the glory whereof stands in need of a DEFENCE p Ch. 4 5. upon all the glory shall be a defence now when Syon the Lords house comes to be a mountain established above in the top of all other mountains it wil be so far above the reach of all its enemies that it wil not stand in need of a defencé from their rage and violence but this is such a state as must have a defence upon its glory least it should be ruined and spoiled by its enemies 2. Because this state stands in need of q Verse 6 a shadow from the heat and a place of refuge and a covert from the storm and from the rain by which metaphors of heat storme and raine I understand the violent rage of the enemies thereof and that stout powerful op position they wil make against it I am confirmed in the truth of this interpretation by Isaiahs 25 chap where is recorded a song that shal be the Churches tune after the Lord hath wrought some of his wonders by Zion thus refined and defended by an al nighty creating power then wil she sing forth praises to her Lord after the tenour of that heavenly excelling song wherein he expresses first her thankfulness for wonderful things already done acknowledging and admiring the truth and faithfulness of God vowing and engaging to exalt the Lord and praise his name in the 4 first Verses Secondly her sted ast faith believing without hefitation those great and glorious things the Lord hath said he wil yet do for and by his Syon in the rest of the Chap and amongst the wonderful things the Lord doth to cause his Syon thus to break forth into praises there is r Ch. 25.2 The making a City a hoap and a defenced City a ruine annihilating the Palace of strangers so as it shal never be builte again managing this great work in so glorious a way that it causes thes City of the terrible ones to fear Verse 3. now if we observe the meanes by which the Lord work these wonders we shal find it to be the same defence mentioned in the 4th Chapter t Verse 4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor a strength to the needy in his disiress a refuge from the storm a shaddow from the heat when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall the Prophet clearly makes good the interpretion given bringing in the storm and the heat as the effects of the blast of the terrible ones all which are gain managing this great work in so glorious a way that it in consistant with the glory of the mountain state Ob. If any should object That the Prophet seems to have reference to the mountain state for he cals it a mountain several times in this 25 Chapter Ans To that I answer first that it cannot be supposed by anything in this Chapeer that the Prophet points at the glory of the mountain of the Lords house when it shal be established in the top of the mountains that state I alwaies mean by the mountain state for that is a peaceful state of glory wherein u Chap. 2.4 Micha 4.3 Swords shal be beaten into Plowshares and spears into pruning hooks but throughout the Chapter the Prophet hath relation to that state of Syon wherein x Joel 3.10 Plowshares shall be be aten into swords and pruning books into spears wherein Zion is the Lords y Jer. 51.20 Battel-ax and weapon of was to break in pieces many Nations his threshing-instrument z Isai 41.5 Threshing the mountains and bring down the mise of the strangers bringing low the branch of the terrible ones and treading down a Ch. 25.10 12 Moab the enemies of the Lord as straw sor the dunghil laying low bringing down to the ground even to the dust the fortress of the high forts of the wals 2 To me the Prophet by his calling Syon a mountain signifies thus much That after the Lord hath by this purged refined defended Zion brought down that great and notable City then shal Zion begin to be a mountain begin to grow up into a mountain having by this time smitten the great Image so notably as to bring down the defenced City the Palace of strangers then shal her glory be such as shal strike fear into and she shal be able to cope with the City of the terrible ones and this mountain shal in due time be established in the top of the mountains Would any know who this defenced City this Palace of strangers is I conceive it to be the same with that lofty City mentioned in the 5th Verse of the next Chapter which shal be brought down and laid low by the foot even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy which city I conceive to be Babilon that lofty City that fits as Queen and Emperess of the world for to whom can this character be more properly applyed than to that great and lofty
instead of beauty thy men shal fal by the sword and thy mighty in the war and her gates shal lament and mourn and she being desolate shal sit upon the ground and in that day shal seven Women lay hold of one man saying we wil eat our own bread and wear our own apparel only let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach The Prophet had been hitherto speaking of the calamities and sorrows should befal the whole land under the name of the house of Jacob but now he comes to tel us what should befal the Capital and head City of the Land which Zion the City of David was which great destruction and woful state their notable wantons and naughty pride over and above their cleaving to their other evils brought upon their heads and let not her antitipe say she is not guilty of these things and so shal not find this portion for she hath no tinckling Ornaments about her feet nor round tires like the Moon nor Nose jewels but I pray consider she hath other needless fashions of the Times as needlesly superfluous and as ful of pride and vanity as the others were and she is proud and haughty and hath a stretched forth neck and wanton eyes and can go mincing as notably as her Tipe and predecessor could do and surely wil be found to have exceeded in all things therefore behold thy portion and thy Judgement the reward of thy folly there is no preventing it there is no redemption for thee q Ezek 14.20 Though Noab Daniel and Job be found in thee they shal deliver neither son nor daughter they shal deliver but their own souls by their righteeusness saith the Lord God And is this refining day of the Lord such a day of Terrors to flesh and blood O how contrary wil it then be to the expectations and hope of the greatest part of those that profess a delight in the thoughts of and a longing for its coming Who may abide this day of his coming and who may stand when he appeareth In this terrible day wherein he wil make up his Jewels wil the Lord perform his promises to his beloved Remnant that stand up for the honour of his name They shal be mine in that day saith the Lord of hosts and I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him so that the bitterness and sharpness of these calamities and anxious troubles shal not be their lot but they shall be mine though I deal with their Brethren in a way of anger displeasure yet I wil deal with them in a way of grace love and spetial favour in that day as when the wicked were upmost and thought to have ravished my name of all its honour and glory they thought upon my name and interest so now I am bringing down these wicked workers of wickedness and scourging their foolish Brethren that have committed adultery with these mens apostacies purging them and washing their poluted garments clean I wil think upon them for their good safety and happiness in that day when I make up my Jewels Qu Who and what are these Jewels the Lord takes so much pains and doth such wouders in making them up Ans I Answer 1. Who they are They are the Lambs chosen number mentioned in the 14 of the Revelation his 144000 that stand with him upon the Mount Zion the Reasons that move me to judge thus are 1 Because of that likeness there is between those followers of the Lamb and these Jewels of the Lord they are not only redeemed from the earth but from among men and these Jewels are pickt from among men too from among the Inhabitants of professing Zion these are the Lords Jewels and they are the first fruits very pretious unto God and unto the Lamb they are without guile and without fault before the throne of God and these Jewels are holy ones every one that is left in Zion shal be called holy they are so gloriously beautiful so suitable to the minde of God that he wil create a defence upon their glory that it may not be lost 2 Because they are contemporaries they both belong to one and the same time these Jewele are made up immediatly before the burning hot day that shal burn up all the wicked leaving them neither root nor branch the Lambs number they are upon Mount Zion singing their new song in that part of time immediatly preceding the downfal of Babilon there is no interval of time between only an Angel preaches the everlasting Gospel to them that dwel on the earth which is but as the herald to the other telling the Inhabitants of the earth the hour of the Lords judgement is come and nothing but repentance and turning to the Lord of Heaven and Earth wil save them from the destroying Angel that follows and is hard at hand leaving them vvithout excuse fit for destruction if they hearken not Malachies burning day hath two parts the former part makes the wicked as stubble fit fuel for the fire the latter part burns them quite up and I yet see no reason why vve may not say that these two Angels answer to the two parts of Malachies burning day the Angel that preaches the everlasting Gospel makes the wicked as stubble ready for the fire by this r Isai 11.4 rod of his mouth he smites the earth and at the s Ch 17.13 rebuke of God the Nations are made as the chaff of the mountain and as a rolling thing stubble before the whirlwind yea by this breath of his lips he t Ch 11 4 slaies the wicked he doth as really slay themsas the following Angel doth with his iron rod with this rod of his month this breath of his lips he smites and slayes their hearts understandings takes avvay their courage strength their consciences flying in their faces their hearts sink and their spirits fail At the v Psal 76.6 rebuke of God both the Chariot and horse are cast into a deep sleep x ver 5 the stout he arted that are far from righteousness are spoiled they sleep their sleep and none of the men of might find their hands he shal y Ver. 12. cut off the spirit of Princes and when the Lord hath thus slain them by the sword of his mouth the breath of his lips z Psalm 2. speaking to them in his wrath then wil he break them with his rod of Iron and dash them to peices like a Potters vessel when they are thus made stubble by the rebuke of the Lord then shal they be burnt up root branch these things seriously considered I suppose wil be sufficient to prove the assertion 2 What are they All their dross and all their tin is purely purged and taken away and they are become holiness to the Lord they are holy ones he that is left in Zion and that remaineth in Jerusalem shal be called holy the Fathers name
these mine adversaries and avenge me of these mine enemies 4 That the Church-state of professing Sion their outward holiness with all their Sacrifices and performances the Temple of the Lord shal not nor cannot save them from the smart and burden of the heavy hand of an angry God the day of the Lord of hosts wil come upon them he wil be as a refiners fine and as Fullers sope to them he wil fan them til he hath throughly purged his floore x Isaiah 27.9 by this therefore by the smitings of God as the former Verse hath it shal the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin 5 That notwithstanding this universal backsliding and apostacy in professing Zion yet the Lord hath a remnant left that fear him that stand up for his name and honour bearing their testimony against the provoking evils and wickednesses of the Times Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and thought upon his name 6 That this provoking professing world are beholden to this dispised remnant for the long sufferance of God towards them and the mercies they receive at the hand of the Lord y Isai 1.9 Except the Lord of hosts had left us a very smal remnant we should have been as Sodom and we should have been like unto Gomorrah they are the salt that season this earth and keep it from a total purifying annihilation into its first nothing it is they and they only that lengthen out the patience of God towards the backsliding professing world and keep it from being made an example of the severity of God to future Ages and as a necessary and natural consequent of this 7 We may observe The excessive giddines and folly of the great and wise men of this sick dying world who will not endure the application of the soveraign Remedies these wholsome though tormenting Physitians present unto them but look upon them deal with them as enemies endeavouring their destruction what though they handle roughly and feel hard that they prove a real torment to you that man that wil not indure his wounds searching wil never attain the cure it is not their want of care and tenderness but your corruption and rottenness that causes the paine the sound limb or joynt shrinks not at the searching hand but the rotten that is ful of corrupt putrifaction that cannot abide nor indure the willing hand of the skilful Chirurgeon to dive to the bottom of the distemper in order to a safe and speedy cure notwithstanding all the disguising Vizards you represent them their waies and ends to the world in it wil be found at last in the Lords own time which is best of all that the interest of your safety and happiness is wrapt up in hearkning and attending to the Voice of God in their mouth but if you wil not hear but set your selves against them know there is no middle way that z Psalm 8.2 out of the mouths of Babes and sucklings the Lord hath ordained strength to stil the enemy and the avenger 8 That before the Lord wil execute his Judgements in wrath upon the prophane antichristian world he enters into Judgement with professing Zion a 1 Pet. 4.17 for the time is come that Judgement must begin at the house of God the Lord wil purge and purifie Zion make up his Jewels from amidst all the dross and tin and then wil he make Zion a fit instrument to perform his great works in and upon the world in that day of his wrath that shal burn as an Oven if it first begin at us what shal the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God and if the righteous scarce be saved where shal the ungodly and the sinner appear in that day they shal burn up the wicked leaving them neither root for brach treading them down as ashes under their feet 9 That this professing Zion thus defiled by her backslidings and Apostacies and being lifted up upon its own bottom exalting themselves when they should exalt the Lord alone is become the subject of the anger and displeasure of God the scene on which the Lord will act the sad Tragedy of his Jealousie when once the Inhabitants of Zion become Mountains and hils and tall Cedars listed up and Oaks of Bashan high Towers and fenced wals c. come into a strain of self-exaltation self-confidence and self-interest then do they so provoke the eyes of Gods glory that he wil bear no longer but enter into Judgement with them The Lord is a jealous God and b Isai 41.8 he wil not give his glory to another he wil not suffer any to go away with his honour and glory he is so jealous of his honour least it should suffer detraction by the lofty assumptions of this foolish professing Zion that he fals foul with all her high mountains and hils tal Cedars and Oaks of Bashan high Towers and fenced wals and vvith all her ships and pleasant pictures he looks upon them all as Idols which he wil utterly abolish that the Lord alone may be exalted in that day 10 That this coming of Christ the Messenger of the Covenant to his Syon I do conceive is not in person but in Spirit though that personal appearance wil take place in due time also washing and purging his Zion by the spirit of Judgment and the spirit of burning he shal sit upon Zion as a Refiner and purifier of silver by a notable trying refining dispensation purely purge away their dross and take away all their tin purifying them as gold and silver that they may offer up to the Lord an Offering in righteousness 11 That the Lord wil manage his great work of Judgement in Zion avenge himself on his enemies there and search try cleanse purifie and throughly cure those that halt in Zion in such a way and manner as he himself wil have the sole honour and glory of that action be alone exalted in that day he wil manifest such exceeding Majesty and glory in the vvay of his Judgements at this day that wil staine and put out all other glories professing Zion vaunts it self of so that she shal hide her self in shame for fear of the glory of the Majesty of the Lord vvhen he ariseth to shake terribly the earth yea the very remnant of God to vvhom his heart is so entirely engaged shal taste a little of this cup of shame too sheltering themselves under the freeness and riches of the promise the sparing love of their tender Father though now happily some Children may be in love vvith themselves their light and parts gifts and graces being too too apt to think themselves something yet then God knows the roaring vvind among the Cedar boughs the bloody Furrows the rod makes upon the backs of their Brethren with its shaking over their own heads letting them know upon vvhat account or score it is they scape
the Lord should hold their peace and not speak and plead for the name of their God the stones the dumb Creation would bear a Testimony for God against mans wickedness if none else wil the stone shal cry out of the wall and the beam out of the timber shal answer it The name of God which had been clouded for a long time began now to be glorious and excellent in all the earth upon which the heart of God is fixed and their going about to ravish this honor provokes the eyes of Gods glory stirs up his Jealousie least it should be given to others what overturning work doth the Lord of hosts say he wil make in professing Syon and doth this move the Lord himself and wil he not think we have those that fear him moved also wil he act thus like a man of War and blood to vindicate his honour and wil he not have them to speak for it surely yea so that we see there is great reason why they that fear the Lord should be of this temper of spirit at this day 2 A second part of the work of the Remnant at this day is a sincere and hearty solicitousness after what other duty may be encumbent upon them the performance whereof may in any measure vinvindicate the honor and glorifie the name of their God who is so much dishonored and whose name is so vilely trampled under foot by the hypocriticall wickednesses of this day they thought upon his name What shall we do for thy great name 24. Behold the blessednesse of those who sincerely exercise themselves in the work of the Lord at this day They shall be mine saith the Lord of hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him such blessednesse will they possesse as their portion from their God and Father as none but themselves shall be made happy with in that day Many other usefull lessons might be observed to be taught us from these scriptures but I shall satisfie my self with what is already written And to conclude this discourse give me leave to addresse my self in a few words to those three sorts of men concerned in it 1. To the Leaders of this apostacy Yee a Isa 1.10 Mal. 2.19 Rulers of Sodome and ye base and contemptible Priests of the land the Lord hath made you contemptible and base before all the people because of your corruptions Hear how Isaiah complaineth of you calling the heavens and the earth to witnesse against you and see Malachy turning aside the skirts of your coverings discovering all your hypocritical rottennesse to the view of those who are not quite blinded by Satans wiles and your disguises behold how your wickednesses have provoked the eyes of Gods glory Wo wo wo be unto you if ye repent not it s a certain truth the Lord will visite his Syon be a swift witness against you and come neer to you to judgment his purging and purifying Sion wil be your destruction the Lord of hosts who cannot lye who is faithfull and hath power to bring it to passe hath said it O therefore if possible turn away the anger and wrath of the Lord of hosts by a timely repentance ch 3.7 Return unto me and I will return unto you saith the Lord of hosts O that this Pharisaical Answer might not be yours Wherein shall wee return But Isa 1.16 17 18.19 20. Wash yee make you clean put away the evill of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evill learn to do well seek judgment relieve the oppressed judge the fatherlesse pleade for the Widdow if yee be willing and obedient yee shall eate of the good of the land but if yee refuse and rebell yee shall be devoured with the sword for the month of the Lord hath spoken it Imbrace the invitation hearken to the Counsell of these Prophets for why will yee dy O yee sons of men There 's no way of salvation from that Pit of destruction your own wayes and doings have digged for you but that the Prophets have chalked out before you misse that and you are irrecoverably lost without remedy you complain of the harsh words and rough speeches of a company of men that tell you of your evils and would have the world to look upon them as the onely pest of the land the desturbers of the Publike weale the onely hinderers of good dayes thus you cloath them in the Bear-skin that the Dogs may tear them But do you not know That Isai 1.9 Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant we should have been ere now as Sodome and we should have been like Gomorrah Know that notwithstanding their fretting vexing and tormenting you so much they are your best friends for it 's they that stand in the gap and were it not for them an inundation of wrath and vengeance would quickly over-run you when the Lord draws them into their hyding Chambers those mansions of his peculiar sparing love then will your e Pro. 1.27 destruction come upon you as a whirle-wind and then at that time when your fear commeth as desolation f v. 28. though you call upon the Lord he will not answer and though you seek him early you shall not finde him Why what 's the reason saith the Lord it is because verse 25. ye have set at naught all my counsell and would none of my reproof Even the counsell and reproof of God wisdomes words in the mouth of these his servants that fear his name v. 20.21 who utter their voice in the streets and in the chief place of concourse 2. I have somewhat to say to those Members of professing Syon who though they are not ring-leaders in this wickednesse yet defile their garments with the pollutions of the Apostacy Behold in what a dreadfull manner the Lord will deal with you he will make up his Jewels from among you and consume the rest as drosse and tin Cast your eyes back upon the refiners fire and fullers Soape and that day of the Lord which will come upon you and reflect upon your selves and consider whether you are prepared to meet the Lord of hosts in such a day as that is surely if your examination be taken by a right rule and you passe a righteous sentence upon your selves you will see you are not you are not able to abide and sland in that day when the Lords jealousie will burn like fire wherein he will giue to apostatizing professing Sion blood in fury and jealousie being clad with zeale as with a cloak What anxious troubles and pangs will be your portion in that day I intreat you to take notice of these things 1. That the defilements of this Apostacy that cleaveth to you makes you so much unlike to your father that no lesse than a Refiners fire and fullers sope must passe over you to bring you into your old glory
again though you may be saved because of the grace and love of your father which is unchangeable yet it will be as by fire and the dreadfulnesse of that dispensation is such as deliverance from it is worth a world of Gems Look back upon the dread and terrour of the day of the Lord of hosts and if you believe the word of the Lord you will be of my opinion in this matter 2. That all that pelf drosse and dung this worlds good which now blindes your eyes and stops your mouths that you cannot stand up for the dishonoured name and interest of your Lord and Saviour at this day will stand you in no stead in the day of the Lord that will come upon Syon you will then be forced to throw away all those foolish Idols of gold and silver with which you now commit folly 3. That your sacrifices and offerings your worship and religious performances at this day are hatefull to the Lord as very dung unto him i Mal. 2.3 The dung of your solemne feasts they are a trouble to him and he is weary to bare them because of that hypocritical Apostatising guilt that cleaves to them Think on that word of the Lord k Is 66.3 He that killeth an Oxe is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a Lambe as if he cut of a Dogs neck he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines blood he that burneth incense as if he blessed an Idoll Here are glorious outward performances but behold how abominable and loathsome your offerings are to the great Jehovah What 's the matter Why it s the offering of an hypocriticall spirit * The sense of the Prophet in this 5. verse prove this That oppresse and persecute those that tremble at the word of the Lord yet can tell how to cloak their doings over with aims at the glory of God crying out Let the Lord be glorified but the Lord shall appear to their joy and you shall be ashamed Again * Amos 5.22 23 I hate I dispise your feast dayes and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies though yee offer me burnt-offerings and your meat-offering I will not accept them neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs for I will not hear the melody of thy Viols Who are these whose worship and service is thus rejected by the Lord verse 18. they are such as in a high profession desire the day of the Lord Why what 's the matter the guilt of an hypocriticall Apostacy cleaves to them notwithstanding all their glorious outward performances and their large professions yet they want those more weighty things as is implyed in the 24 v. Judgment and righteousnesse chap 4.1 they oppresse the poore and crush the needy Your silent by standing makes you abettors and guilty Heare what our Lord himself saith p Mat. 12 30. He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me seattereth abroad your Lord admits of no moderate indifferent medium of spirit in this matter your sacrifices are not offered up in righteousnesse therefore are they not pleasant unto the Lord And because of this he will cast you into a Furnace that you may learn to offer up an offering in righteousnesse that your offerings may be pleasant unto him as in the daies of old as in aneient years So that 4. The best and purest standing any of you can brag of under this Apostacy will not abide the trial but the day that cometh will throw you off your ground the Earth quake shall rend it up that it shall not be found Who shall be able to stand in that day None no not one and if it be so what will become of those oppressing stations many who I hope have grate in their hearts run their feet into out of too much love to gold and silver the Idols of the age 5. As a natural consequent of the rest behold your exceeding folly that for love of your ceiled houses the convenient accommodations of this life you forsake the interest of the name and honour of your Lord and connive at and cleave to the evils and apostacies of this your day and time Have you not left and forsaken your discipleship Our Lord saith that except a man take up his crosse and follow him he cannot be his disciple every disciple of Christ carries his crosse at his back now where is your crosse have you not lost it in your too eagen pursuit after the profits and pleasures of this present evil world and what will this unchilde-like carriage of yours cost you the refiners fire and fullers sope will be your portion God will call thy terrors about thee as in a solemne day that in the day of the Lords angen none may escape terrors by reason the sword shall come upon thee Lam. 2.22 compared with Ezek. 21.12 Quest If it should be askt wherein our times are thus guilty of back-sliding and Apostacy as in charged upon them Answ Look upon our dayes through the glasse of these Prophecies of Malachy and Isaiah with the interpretation given which I am perswaded will be found according to truth and you will behold them of the same countenance and colour those times were of Isaiah pointed at and in which the Prophet Malachy gave forth his Prophecy differing in nothing but in many aggravating circumstances Obj. But perhaps some may object you hint to us that the state of the Jewish Church was a type and representation of professing Zion in England and truly you seem to me to put a restriction upon the text which it will not boor For put the case the paralel be true that that time of Apostacy in the Jewish Church Malachy Prophecied in was a type and representation of the state of this Professing Gospel-Church imediately before our Lords coming why may it not as well have relation to any other part or to the whole professing-Gospel-Church as to that part of the professing Gospel-Church in England and as that was the state of the Jewish Church imediately before our Lords first coming in the flesh so may it not rather be a tipe of the state of the Professing-Gospell-Church imediately before our Lords coming again in person Answ I conceive a due weighing what hath been already said would sufficiently answer all objections but for their sakes who have not the patience to take that paines I shall offer some further satisfaction This Objection consists of several parts and requires a distinct Answer to each 1. I conceive that this cannot have relation to the time imediately before our Lords coming againe but must relate to the time wherein it hath been already fixed 1. Because I finde the Prophet speaks not of the personal comming of Christ the second time but of a dispensation of the Lord wherein he will be as Fullers sope and as a refiner and purifier of
this particular think upon what hath been already said in the beginning of this discourse 3. THAT IT HATH SPECIAL AND PECULIAR RELATION TO THE PROFESSING-GOSPEL-CHURCH IN ENGLAND WITH ITS TERRITORIES AND DOMINIONS will plainly appear if we consider First That the Lord hath done these things for ENGLAND and for none other that answer and are equivolent to what he did for that one Tribe of old He hath delivered them from under the Antichristian tyranical power of Babilon given them Liberty Power Authority and Opportunity to BUILD THE TEMPLE to returne to their first Love to their God and Father and their Brethren to the purity and glory of the day of their espousals as it was IN THE DAYES OF OLD AS IN ANTIENT YEARES in their Offerings to the Lord in the Worship and Ordinances of the Lord Jesus And the CITTY JERUSALEM to do and carry on the Lords worke to the praise and glory of his holy name in this their day and time And Secondly ENGLAND hath followed her Tipe step by step in all her Deviations and Apostacies Building CEILED HOUSES getting large Possessions the curious Mansions and Honours of this world for themselves and letting the HOUSE OF GODLY WAST neglecting the present worke of God Apostatising from that blessed worke of his they once engaged in and falling to work of their own insuring to themselves CEILED HOUSES their large and honorable acquisitions of the Mammon of this world Instead of exalting the Lord alone rendering him those honours due unto him for so many matchlesse expressions of an infinite love they exalt themselves and seek their own honour to get a great name of renowne in the world Yea she is gone back even to Babilon again to this the new inventions of the times bear witnesse and were it not that the faithful God hath engaged his Word his Promise him self all his glorious Attributes z Mich. 4 10. that at this time Syon being in this condition he will now deliver his true seed from the hand of their enemies they would be surrounded again and brought under the Iron yoke by a Babilonish power And Thirdly she comes not behinde her Tipe neither in devout and religious hypocrisies All her doings though never so unworthy must be cloaked over with the service of God carrying on the worke of the Lord and the glory of God and the honour of God and the good of the Lords people and a multitude of Sacrifices must be offered and somtimes they will walke mournfully before the Lord But because they smite with the fist of wickednesse hidden under these coverings these their Sacrifices are iniquity in the sight of the Lord he cannot away with them his soule hateth them they are a trouble to him he is really a weary to bear them and he will be a swift witnesse against them These things are all written in very faire characters in ENGLANDS forehead at this day and look round the world and see if you can read them in any other forehead I cannot think they will be found any where but here And if so and at such a time of the day as this about the ending time of Babilons forty two monthes which here I shall take for granted and refer you for the proof of it to those elaborate discourses already extant upon that subject it is to me an infallible argument that these prophesies with the interpretation given of them fall directly upon these miserable Islands And to shut up this part of the Answer that VERY MUCH the Lord speaks in his Word concerning THE ISLANDS as an introduction to the comming forth of his great worke in the world is no small confirmation of the truth of the assertion Obj It may be further Objected that it doth not appear that England is delivered from under Babilons power as you affirm for is not England at present in a far worse state and condition as is the censure of the most prudent wise considerate Judgements than it was in at least under three or four of the last of her antichristian Kings whether we look upon her in her civil or Religious state Ans I Answer It is true that the course of England at present steers wil undoubtedly lead her into the midst of Babilon both Civil and Religious it wil hurry her into a civil bondage and Religious slavery irrecoverable this wil be the inevitable effect of her wayes if an Almighty providence prevent not but yet this makes nothing against the position that once she had Babilons yoke broken from off her neck and was delivered from under the Tyrannical power thereof did enjoy that never to be too much valued liberty those blessed opporrunities to become everlastingly happy by following her Lord whithersoever he would lead her that she wil never enjoy again until the Lord hath made bare the arm of a creating power to redeem her from the hand of her enemies even those her unnatural Children who have suckt the milk of her breasts whom she hath tenderly nourisht and brought up that now inhumanly would pul her very Vitals out of the midst of her body and leave her dead carkase a continual Feast for the Birds of Prey to feed upon And although our condition be thus sad and calamitous at present we are running a pace back again into Egypt and Babilon yet I conceive we are not yet entred the Lists of Babilons borders though we are gone back even to Babilon become very Babilonish yet into Babilon I trust the Lord wil not suffer us to enter but according to his promise wil visit and deliver his people for his own names sake Qu But if any honest heart should ask how may I get clear of the danger I am in of possessing the sorrows of this day of the Lord Ans I Answer Learn that great and good lesson of self denial taking up your Cross and following your Lord get to be of the number of those that fear the Lord that speak often one to another bearing their testimony for the name of God and the inter st of their Lord against the evils and wickednesses of the Times then shal you possess the gratious promises they are under of the sparing love of your Father which belongs to none of those though never so good and righteous in the esteem of the professing world who are guilty of and defiled with the evils of the Times saith the Lord to Isaiah Say unto the righteous that it shal be wel with him for they shal eat the fruit of their doings But woe unto the wicked it shal be ill with him for the reward of his hands shal be given him and the Lord wil spare those that think upon his name and speak often one to another about the concernments of his glory and interest as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him vvhile their brethren are burning in the Refiners fire and smarting under the Fullers sope In the last place somewhat I would
say to those that fear the Lord those blessed servants of the Lord who are exercising themselves in that Work so welpleasing to God about the concernments of the name and interest of the Lord at this day and I would reduce that I have to say into Instruction Exhortation First for Instruction And 1 Be instructed in the certainty of deliverance at hand that day of the Lords judging your enemies and bringing forth your deliverance is at hand even at the door Although the Wheel seems to run so fast back again and men are unraveling that bottom the Lord hath been winding up for some years last past and the powers of Heaven be shaken and mens hearts fail them for fear looking after those things that are coming on the earth though the face of things at present be thus sad and calamitous yet lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh know that the inexpressible wickedness and sadness of the times at this season is an unerring sign token of the certainty neerness of deliverance my thinks vvhat hath been already said in the preceding interpretation of the Scriptures handled proves this sufficiently but to strengthen your faith and increase your joy if the Lord please I wil offer some further proof That an hypocritical Apostacy after reformation is an unquestionable evidence that the Lord is at hand and wil delay no longer but suddenly deliver the true Seed to the glory and praise of his holy name wil be out of doubt if we consider That this vvas the state and condition of the old World vvhen Judgement took hold of it and the condition of the Jews our Lord found them in vvhen he first came in the flesh also that it is the state and condition of the present professing Gospel-Church when the day of the Lord of hosts shal come upon her wherein he wil be to her as a Refiners fire and as Fullers sope That it was the state and condition of the old world is clear for after that great defection and fal of man from his first purity had proceeded to blood manifested it self in that evil effect the slaughter of righteous Abel by his wicked Brother Cain and Seth the succeeder of Abel had preacht many years to the fallen world by that time Enoch was born a Gen 4â—â—â— Men began to call upon the name of the Lord or as it it in the Margent of some Bibles to cal themselves by the name of the L. here was a reformation wrought by the preaching of the righteous the breach that Cain the seed of the Serpent had made was now made up again men would be no longer murderers as the children of the Serpent but they would be the Lords people called by the name of the Lord here is a notable reformation indeed one would have thought that there had now been a sure reconciliation made between God and man that there was an inseperable union of friendship entred into but behold the inconstancy of the nature of man afterward b Ch 6.1 2. it came to pass when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them that the Sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair and they took them Wives of all which they chose they degenerated from their former reformation they kept not themselves the seperated people of the Lord but mingled themselves with the seed of men the Serpents brood and through this defection the wickedness of man was great in the earth and now every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually c V 5 this moved the Lord greatly d V. 6 7. and it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him at his heart and the Lord said I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth The nature and quality of this Apostacy the Evangelists Matthew e Mat. 24 38.3â— and Luke tel us They did eat they drank they married Wives they were given in marriage until the day that Noah entred into the Ark and the flood came and destroyed them all it was not a defection to Caines gross prophaneness Luke 17.26 27. but their hearts ran loose from God to the good things of this world they went backward and apostatised from God to the world made Idols to themselves of the lawful things of this World no doubt they solved their consciences with the lawfulness of the things in themselves their hearts ran out so unworthily after and could find much to say for their practice against any that should charge them with evil The curious refinedness of the apostacy appears by this that but eight persons could attain to escape the temptation the hypocrisie of it was such that it swept away all that called themselves by the name of the Lord except upright Noah and his Family that by close walking with God obtained deliverance And which is very observable in the reformation these men exalted the name of the Lord called themselves by the name of the Lord they buried their own name and would become as nothing that the Lord might have all the honour they would have no name but the name of the Lord serve him and none other owned none to be their Lord but him exalted the Lord alone they called themselves by the name of the Lord but in the apostacy they forget that name of the Lord they forsake the interest of the honour and name of God and set up their own name and their own honor f Gen 6â— 4â— became mighty men men of renown exalted their own name their own renown and honour to the dishonour of God and that glorious name of his they formerly called themselves by give me leave to repeat a little observe the two grand remarkables in this notorious apostacy They assotiate and mingle themselves with that sort of men the seed of the Serpent with that interest they formerly seperated from out of a profession of love to God and his name their calling themselves by the name of the Lord import so much And secondly they set up their own name renown and honour in the place and room of Gods whereas before they would call themselves by no name but by Gods name novv they come under the mighty and renowned names of men how neer these last dayes of this evil world come to these men in manners lest those who have a seeing eye judge This grieves the Lord at his heart and heresolves to exalt that blessed name of his they formerly exalted and now dispise and trample underfoot to serve their lusts in their destruction none shal escape but Noah and his Family that Just and upright man who vvalked vvith God kept close to the good old principle the Sons of God walked in exalting the name of God When the old World came into this frame and temper the Lord would bear no longer but
comes to vindicate his name and honour in jealousie and wrath Judging of her And that it was the state of the Jewish Church in which our Lord found them at his first coming in the flesh hath been cleared up already and therein she was a Type and representation of the professing Gospel-Church in the last dayes Lastly That it is the state and condition of the professing Gospel Church when Judgement shall begin at the house of God he will visit her with a SPIRIT of Judgement and a spirit of burning be as a Refiners fire and as Fullers sope to her Matthew and Luke tel us plainly As it was in the dayes of Noah so shal it be also in the dayes of the Son of man and Luke illustrates it by the condition of Sodom g Luke 17.26 28 30. They did eat they drank they bought they sold they planted they builded even thus shal it be in the dayes when the Son of man is revealed so that upon the credit of the word of two Evangelists we may believe it for a truth that the professing worlds being in this state and condition is a clear sign of the Lords being at hand to deliver his remnant and destroy his enemies But wil you have the testimony of a third Apostle John the Spirit of the Lord by him in his Epistle to the seven Churches in Asia bears witness to this truth that when the professing Gospel-Church fals into a refined hypocritical apostacy after reformation then the Lord stands at the door and knocks he stayes no longer but comes to Judgement for the proof of this let us a little consider these seven Churches of Asia They were Tipes and representations of the various state and condition of the Church of Christ from the falling away the Apostle writes of in his second Epistle to the Thessalonians by which the man of sin got up to his seat and power until the coming of the Lord to his Syon for some things written especially to the Churches in Philadelphia and Laodicea cannot be restrained to literal Philadelphia and literal Laodicea but must of necessity be granted to refer to some other time and persons tiped out by them further behold the order the Holy Ghost observes in his writing be begins with an apostacy with Ephesus who had fallen from her first works and closes with an apostacy with Laodicea that had fallen into a notable hypocritical strain boasting of her own gifts and excellencies saying I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing If we observe the Church of Sardis we shall there see what a low ebb the Church of Christ was once brought unto Thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to dye there were but a few names which had not defiled their garments but at the next remove the Spirit of the Lord works such a glorious reformation in the Church that she seems as if she were perfect before the Lord he finds no fault at all with her but commends her after a high rate this is represented to us by Philadelphia now the coming of our Lord draws neer it is not far off Behold I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast after this Satan that cunning and implacable enemy to the Saints happiness brings his Laodicean temper upon the stage the professing Gospel-Church fals from so glorious a reformation wrought by the Philadelphians into a luke warm hypocritical apostacy by this time our Lord is at the door and ready to enter in and behold the hypocrisie of this apostacy although she be fallen from the glory of noble Philadelphia into the loathsome condition of luke warm Laodicea wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked yet she saith I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing now our Lord stands at the door and knocks gives notice that he is coming and wil not tarry Thus my Brethren you have a manifold testimony to the truth of the assertion that an hypocritical apostacy after reformation in the professing Gospel-Church is an unquestionable evidence That deliverance to the true seed and destruction to the enemy is at hand the Lord wil stay no longer but wil come and wil not tarry for his own Names sake if God would not spare the old world nor his chosen people Israel To whom pertaineth the Adoption and the glory and the promises when they came into this temper and frame what ground hath any man to think that this present evil world being come into the same State shal find more favour at the hand of the jealous God than those of old did The blood of all the Prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world Luke 11.50 shal be required of this Generation saith our Lord what Generation is that an hypocritical Pharisaical Generation So that it remains for a certain truth that judgement is at the door of this Generation and deliverance is coming from Heaven to the faithful that keep their garments pure and they shal walk with their Lord in white for they are worthy 2 Be instructed in the design of the Lord at this day upon you and the rest of your Brethren with whom you are contending for the name and honour of your Lord it is to bring you into cloth you with the glory of the day of your Espousals that it may be with you as it was in antient years in the beginning what glory is that the glory of the Apostles and Saints when they received the promise of the Father when the Spirit of the Lord came with power upon them working in them according to the might of his power the glory of this day is inexpressible neither is it my work at this time to dilate upon it but I chuse rather to leave it to your own meditations to represent it to your view by chewing the cudd in the consideration of it as it is set forth in the holy Writings of the Apostles when you have attained to this glory then wil you be defended by the creating power of God and power from on high wil be given you to tarry on that great work of God in the world to the glory and praise of your Lord your hearts are now so much fixed upon in which you so earnestly desire to be labouring Other very useful instructions might be added but I conceive it wil be more acceptable and vvork more kindly if your selves press that wholsom liquor out of this cluster therefore I forbear 2 In the second place give me leave to Exhort you to these things 1 Be not weary of nor undervalue your present work behold how acceptable how delightful it is to your Lord the Lord is alwaies among you hearing all your discourses with greatest delight the glory of it so ravishes his hear k Cant. 4 8 9 11. Thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast
one it imports thus much that it is the oneness of the Spouse that makes her so Dove-like and undefiled unless you endeavour after this union which the Apostle cals The unitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace you wil not walk worthy of your vocation wherewith ye are called Ephes 4.3 compared with the iv while Ephraim envies Judah and Judah vexes Ephraim defiling dirt and dust wil be thrown about and stick to your garments when the Lord hath by his Refining dispensation united his Jewels and his Remnant into one upon his own foundation then wil they be pleasantness to the Lord his Dove undefiled then wil such a glory rest upon them as the Lord wil create a defence upon it as hath been already suggested in this discourse my Dove my undefiled is but one 9 This union is the very Image of that glorious union between the Father and the Son our Lord makes the union between him and his Father the pattern of that union he intercedes for that they may all be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee again that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they be made perfect in one this union is a lively representation of the glorious union between the Father and the Son and what an exceeding glory must that needs be my thinks the glory of it should even ravish your hearts and make your souls like to the Chariots of Aminadab in an eager pursuit of it til you have attained So that by this time I hope you may be in love with union who can but be in love with it the glory of it is so exceeding like the glory of your Lord who is the chiefest of ten thousand but I would not be mistaken by any It was in the heart of that blessed servant of the Lord dear Tillinghast had he had alonger day to have wrought in to have presented you with some principses of this glorious union O that the Lord would anoint some other with the same Spirit that some healing balsom might be poured into the bleeding wounds of distressed Syon this union I so earnestly press after is not dissonant to but may wel stand with that holy separation from the unclean thing the Saints are exhorted and it is their duty to seperate from but again a truly Christian pursuit after this union wil glorifie a right and a holy separation pursue this holy principle of Union and I perswade my self you wil leave very few or none that have but a grain of sincerity cleaving to the uncleanthing if the glory of this Union be so powerful as to convince the wicked World how much more than think you wil it draw that heart that hath but the least grace in it O the inexpressible advantage this union of parts brings to the whole body one part possesseth wisdom and counsel another spirit and life another part agility and swiftess in motion now while they are not in conjunction tho the one may have wisdom and counsel yet it may want the spirit and life of the other and though that other may have excellent spirit and life yet it may want wisdom to direct and guide the agile faculty in a regular motion but when there is a union of parts the whole body partakes off whatsoever wisdom of whatsoever excellency of Spirit and Life and of whatsoever other noble gift is in any part thereof which must needs be exceeding glorious to behold of much advantage to the cause and work of your Lord. O my Brethren If there be therefore any consolation in Christ Phil. 2.1 2 3.4 5. if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels of mercies fulfil ye my joy that ye be like-minded having the same love being of one accord of one minde let nothing be done through strife or vain glorie but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus 5 Take heed and beware of a selfish spirit a self-exalting spirit dread and shun this monster as the greatest precipice of danger your Souls can possibly fall into at such a time as this This frame and temper of spirit the Lord wil contend against and bow down in that dreadful day of his which is hastning upon us For the day of the Lord of hosts shal be upon every one that is proud and loftie and upon every one that is lifted up and he shal be brought low yea the Lord wil not endure the least degree of it not so much as a losty look Isai 2.11 12 The loftie looks of man shal be humbled and the haughtiness of men shal be bowed down it is necessary it should be so and the reason why the Lord wil have it so is that the Lord alone may be exalted in that day it is the great design of the Lord in this notable day of his that he is bringing upon Syon to exalt himself alone and til this selfish frame of spirit be bowed down and brought low the Lord cannot accomplish his design he cannot be alone exalted this is the reason why the dreadful day of the Lord wil come upon the Cedars the materials of his Temple because they are high and lifted up but one fragment of this temper of spirit is one of the 7 things that are hateful an abomination unto the Lord a proud look or haughtie eyes Prov 6.17 as the margent of some Bibles hath it O therefore my brethren if we would be partakers of the rich Promises of the sparing love of our Father and not fal under the scourging hand of an angry God in this day of the Lord that is coming upon us let us dread and flee a self-exalting spirit Lastly Seeing it is the designe of the Lord at this day to bring his Syon into her first state into the purity of the day of her Espousals let us in the name of the Lord with heart and hand joyn with one accord to further this glorious design of God O that we would n deavour every one to mend one and in love help to mend each other would you be serviceable in the work of the Lord I know you would why this is the ready way the high way to carry on the great and glorious design of God upon the world when Syon is so reformed by the power of God as that she can offer up Offerings in righteousness that are peasant unto the Lord as in the daies of old as in antient Years THEN shal she tread down the Wicked as ashes under her feet THEN will the Lord raise up thy Sons O Syon Zack 9.13.14 15. against thy Sons O Greece and make thee as the sword of a Mighty man and the Lord shal be seen over them and his arrow shall go forth as the lightening and the Lord God shal blow the Trumpet and shal go with whirlwinds of the South the Lord of hosts shall defend them and they shal devour and subdue with sling stones and they shal drink and make a noise as through Wine and they shall be filled like bowls and as the corners of the Altar THE END