26. Hate the evill love the good and execute â—udgement in the gaâ—e it may be the Lord will be good to the remnant of Joseph Amâ—s 5.15 This doth as it were make the gap up against Gods wrath Let judgement therefore run downe as waters and righteousnesse as a mighty streame Amos 5.24 If you wovld not have God execute judgement upon us all for when men faile to doe it God at last will doe it then doe you execute judgement for the Lord. There be other Uses to be made of this doctrine that concerne nor selves that we may be fitted and prepared for such a storme and earth quake and find mercy in it as God having revealed and threatned it we trust beleeve it 〈…〉 I say beleeve it I say againe cordially beleeve it This I count a point of highest importance the true and diligent use of all other meanes depending thereupon This faith will breed feare for as faith in a promise will breed confidence so faith in a threatning will breed feare and feare will put a man upon the strong use of all meanes of prevention of a plague or of provision against it The true reason why wicked men doe not feare divine comminations and so why they forsake not sinne embrace not Christ nor use other meanes of escaping is because they beleeve them not For were they cordially perswaded of the certainty of the threats of the Word they durst not continue in sinne and affront Heaven as they doe And the reason why they beleeve not the threats of the Word is the Atheisme of their hearts making them deny Gods holinesse justice c. to make a slight matter of sinne and of the Word forbidding and threatning sinne they will beleeve its threatnings when they see them Isa 5.19 as we heard before I had once thought to have passed by this point because that whereas the Prudent man hath long agoe foreseene the plague in sinne deâ—erving in the Word denouncing it and otherwise the Toole now begins to see it But I revoked my selfe and now put it in the â—â—ont of these duties considering that the fools faith comming by sight and sense if there be no more added to it neâ—er doth any good Nâ—ab beleeved upon hearing and feared things of which there was â—o sight to be had as yet and so using meâ—ns eâ—capâ—d Heb. 11.7 whereas the unbeleeving world perished Gen. â— tâ—e like we may see in Lot his sonnes in law and the Sodomites Gen. 19. â—eâ—shazzer was so farre from beleeving the threats of the God of Israel against Babylon and his promises for delivering his people by Cyrus our of the Babylomans hands which promisâ—s he knew had encouraged Cyrus as that he did of purpose make an impâ—oâ—s feast when his City was besieged in contempt of God profaned the Vessels brought from Jerusalem praised the Gods of silver and gold wood and stone above the true God of Israel as Daniel accuseth him as one who could not save his owne Temple and Vessels out of his Grand-father Nebuchadnezzar's hands but whilst he was in the middest of his prophane jollity suddenly appeares the hand-writing upon the wall against him that put him into a desperate feare that night was he slaine his City taken his Empire destroyed and ended Behold here the terrible effects of this Atheisticall unbeliefe and contempt of the denunciations of the Word Beleeve we therefore the threats of the Word To speake the truth this act of faith in beleeving threats goes before and that not onely in nature but in time also the act of beleeving promises Hee that slights sinne will slight Christ he that apprehends not the severity of God against sinne set downe in the prohibitions and commnations of the law will hardly ever or not at all heartily embrace Christ set forth in the promises of the Gospell Be upright in thy generation and walke with God thus did Noah and so escaped the floud Gen. 6.9 7.1 Thou shalt enter into the Arke saith God for thee have I seene righteous before me in this generation When great stormes were comming upon the world and all the foure winds were ready to breake out for the ruine of all the Lord gives speciall charge to the Angels that had the command of the winds that they doe not let one puffe or breath goe out to doe the least hurt till the servants of God were sealed in their fore-heads Rev. 7.1 2 3. c. God remembers them when he makes up his Jewels and will spare them as a man spareth his sonne that serveth him Mal 3.16 17. Though the tribulation be never so great yet thy people shall be delivered saith the Lord to Daniel even every one that is found written in the Booke Dan. 12.1 for God will ever preserve a holy Seede of Saints unto himselfe Isa 6.13 A man must be a mourner in Ston one that laments first his owne sinnes and truly endeavours to forsake them hen the sinnes of others the horrible prophanenesse licenciousnesse blasphemies idolatries heresies of the the times Such an one was Lot who vexed his righteous soule in seeing and hearing of the sinnes of the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.8 and when they perished he was delivered Thus the Lord causeth one with a vvriters Inkehorne by his side to set a marke upon the fore-heads of the men that sigh and cry for all the abominations that are done in the middest of Jerusalem when he was about to destroy it Ezek 9.4 Because Josiahs heart melted when he heard of the severe denunciatâ—ons of God's anger against the Land for the sinnes thereof therefore had he a speciall promise made him of being gaâ—hered to his fathers in peace before those judgements should be executed 2 Chron. 34.27 28. Contest and contend for God for his pure Word doctrine of Faith pure worship and wayes against the world He that is for God in a time of publique defection God will be for him in a time of publique destruction Caleb fâ—llowed the Lord fully as it was in his heart and stood against the ten false Spyes that brought up an ill report upon the land â—f promise and against all the people that tooke part with them and therefore when six hundred thousand of these Murmurers fell in the wildernesse he onely with Joshuah escaped that storme and entered into the Lords inheritance Numb 14.24 Josh 14.6 7 8 c. Memorable examples hereof we have in Eliah and Ieremy In Eliahs dayes the people of Israel forsooke Gods Covenant threw downe his Alâ—ars stoned his Proâ—hâ—s by heapes and hundreds now did this make him comply with them and fall into the streame No he was therefore the more zealous for God all full or futy and zeale for God 1 King 19.10 Well what became oâ— this Eliah if we doe but read 2 Kâ—n. 2. we shall finde that when Ahab was slaine and his Army destroyed he was sent for up by a fiery hartot into heaven Ieremy was a man that
Angels c. Pharisees Essenes what they were may be doubted They had put many false glosses upon the law morall as we may see Mat. 5.21 c. They stood stiffely for the ceremoniall law as a thing that was to be perpetuall as appeares by our Saviours telling them that He came not to destroy it but to fulfill it Mat. 5.17 by their stoning of Stephen upon that false accusation Act. 6.13 14 15. Yea the converted Jewes were very tenacious of it Act. 21.20 The false Apostles urged some part of it as circumcision c. upon the Churches of the Gentiles Act. 15.1 Insomuch as the Lord at length shakes downe Temple Priests service ceremoniall government and all and almost the whole Nation and then was Christ made the desire of the Nations c. unto this shaking of the Church and the antiquating the old administration and forme of worship doth the Apostle apply this Text of Haggai in part Heb. 12.26 27. He hath promised saying yet once more I shake not the earth onely but also heaven And this word yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that is of the ceremaniall Ordinances and Law that those things that cannot be shaken may remaine that is the Ordinances of Christ as the Word and seales of the Word under the Gospell A second instance we have in the planting the people of Israel in the land of Canaan In Aegypt they were under great oppression and it seems had no publique service of God for when they desire leave of Pharaoh to goe out of the land they told him they must serve the Lord as he should command them Ex. 8.27 and they knew not how that must be till they came thither where he appointed them Exod. 10.26 The Lord therefore would have them out of Aegypt into Canaan but before that he was forced first to shake Aegypt terribly with many sore plagues and at last when it would not otherwise be he tumbled Pharaoh and all his Army into the midst of the Sea he destroyed six hundred thousand Israelites in fourty years space in the Wildernesse and after that twenty or thirty Kingdomes of the Canaanites and then plants in his people and sets up his Tabernacle and Glory in the middest of them A third instance we have in the people of the Jewes after the captivity of Babylon before Religion was come to a low ebbe the land was full of prophanenesse idolatry and contempt of God and his Word 2 Chron. 36.14 15 16. Ezek. 22. Jer. 6.10 The Lord therefore doth as a man useth to doe with an old house that is too bad to patch and repaire he puls it downe that he may build it fairer from the ground Thus did the Lord he puls downe all the Ecclesiastik civill State too destroyes the Temple Priests Sacrifices the Princes and Nobles of the Land carries the Kings one after another into Babylon suffers Nebuchadnezzar to put out the eyes of Zedekiah having first slaine his Children before his sace that that might be the last sight that ever he might see 2 Kin. 24. 25. 2 Chron. 36. Jer. 39. captivates the people also and beslaves them to the Chaldeans for the space of seventy years when those were over wholy overthrowes the Babylonian Kingdome and then brings back their captivity settles them againe in the land of Judah restores his glory to them makes them take rooting downward and bring forth fruit upward Let us looke into the Christian Church under the new Testament and there we shall find predictions of such earth-quakes one is already past another is to come The Church you know was after our Saviours time almost 300. yeares continually molested with dreadfull persecutions under the heathen Empire at length the Lord upon the humble supplications of his people and the cryes of their blood Rev. 6.10 was pleased to grant peace and liberty to his servants but before this could be done there must be a great earth-quake which makes a mighty confusion in all estates as if heaven and earth were mingled together the Sunne is darkned the Moon is turned into blood the Starres fall c. which is interpreted afterwards the Kings of the Earth the chiefe Captaines the great men c. doe call to rocks and mountaines to fall upon them and hide them from the face of the Lamb who now is like a Lion Rev. 6.12 13. c. the meaning is the heathen Emperours when God stirred up Constantine the great who was the Churches first masculine child to undertake the quarrell of Christ and of his Church against them and being overcome in many dismall battels were so amazed and confounded together with their great Captains and Commanders as that divers of them confessed Christ had overcome them as Galerius Maximinus Licinius happy was he that could first make an end of himselfe Maxentius a cruell enemy of Christ after he had bin overcome in fight was drowned or did drown himself in Tyber Dioclesian is said to have poysoned himselfe Maximinianus to have hanged himselfe or to have been strangled by Constantine's command as was afterward Licinius Maximinus having in a rage slain many of his Idol-priests that stirred him up to warre against the Christians and revoked his decrees being sodainly stricken with Gods hand was eaten away peece-meale and so his eyes leaping out of his head he breathed out his cruell Ghost Galerius was eaten up with vermine and rotted above ground All of them extreamly frighted with Christs victories over them in feare and tormert together with multitudes of their Souldiers ended their dayes What was this but rocks and mountaines fall upon us and hide us from the presence of the Lamb After followed peace and liberty to the people of God These and many more are already past and gone there is one earth-quake to come that is the greatest that ever was in the world and shall be followed with the most notable Reformation of the Church that ever was I call it the greatest that ever was because the Text cals it so Rev. 16.18 and it is very probable Daniel meanes the same Dan. 12.1 where he speaks of a time of trouble that should be such as never was since there was a Nation even to that same time We read of it first Rev. 11.13 the Beast hath long persecuted the Prophets at last besides many former he got an unexpected victory over them triumphed over them for three dayes and an halfe but now in the middest of his jollity and his whores also spoken of Rev. 18.7 8. an earthquake comes upon them both Rev. 11.13 and utterly ruines them for this fals out at the end of the Prophets prophecying in sack cloath ver 7. and consequently 〈◊〉 Mead at the end of the Bâ—asts reigne and the tenth part of the City fals by which we may understand the City of Rome that now is being but the tenth part of that which it was
wâ—e against them from the Lord Isa 5.18 19. though they be an idle generation yet they will work like Cart-horses to commit sinne they will draw iniquity to them with cords of vanity and sinne as with Cart-ropes How might one know them might some man say why by this they say let him make speed and hasten his worke that we may see it let the councell of the holy one of Israel draw nigh and come that we may know it as much as if they had said we would see what he will doe we would see his threats executed we will beleeve them when we see them I so did the men of the old world just of this temper and sped accordingly The most desperate Gyant of them all when he saw the waters to cover the tops of the highest mountaines no doubt beleeved the floud but then it was too late to beleeve it Blessed are they that beleeve though they never saw If Noah had been of that mind also he had perished with them The like we have in the place cited before Amos 9.10 All the sinners of my people shall dye by the sword note they are called sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in a high degree who Why those that say the evill shall not overtake nor prevent us They scorne the Prophets comminations then ver 11. In that day when they are taken off God will raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen meaning the Church but he will first knock them downe Multitudes of such were removed in the captivity of Babylon before the Lord restored his Church in Judah The second sort are the obstinate resisters of Gods spirit Sort 2 striving with them in the use of his Ordinances and meanes of grace For his spirit shall not alwayes so strive with men in vaine as we see Gen. 6.3 When the Lord is forced to say of a people unto whom he hath afforded all his Ordinances for a long time as he doth of his Vineyard which he had choicely planted and drest c. Isa 5.4 What could I have done more to this people then that I have done meaning in an ordinary way of meanes setled by himselfe and God useth not to save Nations though persons sometimes by a prerogative why then it must be expected he will deale with that people as he did with his fruitlesse Vineyard break downe the hedge about them with his owne hand let the wilde beasts rush and runne in and depopulate all This was one cause of the captivity of Babylon The Lord rose up early and sent his Prophets long before plagues came but they mocked his Messengers despised his words and mis-used his Prophets untill the wrath of God rose against his people untill there was no remedy whilst men are without meanes there is hope they might be reformed if they had meanes but when as they have for a long time prophaned all meanes their case growes hopelesse therefore now the Lord brought upon them the King of the Chaldees who destroyed all 2 Chron. 36.15 16 17. So because our Saviour would have gathered to him the Jewes by his word as the Hen her Chickens under her wings and they would not therefore their habitation should be left unto them desolate Mat. 23.37 38. Sor. 3 A third sort are the cruell persecutors of his people persecution ever goes along with prophanation and contempt of the means of grace spoken of before When the Husband-men reviled beat and stoned the servants whom the Lord had sent to demand rent and fruits of the Vineyard he at last in fury sends out his men of warre and kils those Husband-men and then le ts out his Vineyard to better Husband-men that will yeeld him his fruits in their season Mat. 23 33 34 c. A fourth sort of enormous transgressors Sort 4 whom the Lord takes off in a publike calamity as the great impediments of Reformation are the proud strong and otherwise invincible supporters of false worship errors haeresie Idolatry prophanenesse as the Popish Hierarchicall generation both of the ecclesiasticall and civill estate Thus the Lord destroyed the High-priests and other supporters of Idolatry in the captivity of Babylon 2 Kin. 25.19 20 21. 2 Chron. 36. And so the Scribes and Pharisees and the whole Jewish state in the last destruction of Jerusalem and this is to be one maine effect of the earth-quake before the Churches future reformation in a word the Lord will take away whatsoever in Church or Common-weale is unreconcilable unto his Sonnes Scepter even Kingdomes and all see Dan. 2.34.35.44.45 In the dayes of these Kings speaking of the last times and of the Kingdomes that issue out of the feet of the Image or the iron Empire of the Romans viz. the Kingdomes of Europe shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdome that shall never be destroyed and the Kingdome shall not be left to other people but it shall breake in peeces all these Kingdomes and it shall stand for ever ver 44. this interpretation is sure ver 45. see for this also Rev. 19.17 18 c. Quest Shall all of all these sorts be taken off in a publique calamity Answ As many as necessity enforceth for freeing Gods way in the worke of Reformation God usually takes off the tops principals and ring-leaders of all these kinds he fels the great Cedars for clearing the ground where the City is to be built and stand whose name is the Lord is there Quest Why are these kinds removed Answ 1 First because they have highly and in so extraordinary a manner provoked God that we parallelling them with such in other Scriptures may justy suspect God hath sworne against them in his wrath and then he will never reverse his threats then their sinne cannot he purged away with sacrifice and offering for ever as it said of Ely's house 1 Sam. 3.14 Then though Noah Daniel and Job should pray for them they should not prevaile for a man may sinne himselfe past and beyond mercy so that though he should repent yet the externall plague should not be removed Secondly because they are not counted worthy to see the good that God will doe for his people as the Text speaâ—eth of the false Prophet Shemajah the Nehelamite Jer. 29.32 that made the Lord take off the old generation in the Wildernesse Thirdly they are unframable for God's building they would never lye even nor keepe a due proportion with the foundation and the rest of the building God hath tryed them sufficiently before Fourthly they would spoyle all Gods work If all the six hundred thousand murmurers had come into the Land of Promise how would they have hindred the advancement of Gods Kingdome and worship they being so inured to Idolatry murmuring c. and so hardned therin such would be like the enemies of the Jewes Ezra 4.2 they would needs assist the Jewes in building the Temple but they would have marr'd all the worke they would have made a wise
Die Mercurij 28. Augusti 1644. ORdered by the Commons Assembled in Parliament that Master Erle doe from this House give thanks to Master Reyner for the great paines he tooke in the Sermon he preached at the entreaty of this House at Saint Margarets Westminster it being the day of publique Humiliation and to desire him to print his Sermon and it is Ordered that none shall presume to print his Sermon without licence under his hand-writing Hen. Elsyng Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint Samuel Enderby to print my Sermon William Reyner BABYLONS Ruining-Earthquake AND THE RESTAVRATION OF ZION Delivered in a SERMON before the honourable house of COMMONS at Margarets Westminster at their publique Fast August 28. 1644. By William Reyner Pastor of the Church of Christ at Egham in Surrey and a Member of the Assembly of Divines Dan. 7.26 27. But the judgement shall fit and they shall take away his Dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the end And the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high whose kingdome is an everlasting kingdome and all dominions shall serve and obey him LONDON Printed by T. B. for Samuel Enderby and are to be sold at the signe of the Starre in Popes-head-Alley 1644. To the Honourable the Knights Citizens and Burgesses Assembled in Parliament and now sitting at Westminster Honourable Senators HAving had for a long time strong apprehensions out of the word of God of an approching storme upon the Nations of Europe for the ruining especially of Antichrst's Kingdome I thought it not unmeet for the times Auditors having your honorable call to the Worke to treat in your presence upon such a subject The Kingdoms states of Europe are grown old a man would think were come even to their years full ripenesse in all kind of sinfulnes prophanenesse but chiefly in idolatry persecution in the Ecclesiastical in tyranny and oppression in the Civill state and that under and against a great deale of light and meanes that either they had or might have had And there is a mervailous concurrence and agreement both in the generall Comminations of the word against sinnes so aggravated besides the examples and in the particular Prophecies and Praedictions of the last times all of them pitching upon this as that period of time wherein the Lord will visit The Lord is certainly driving on a great Worke both of mercy and justice of mercy towards his owne though by a way of severe correction in their Humiliation Purgation Probation Reformation Redemption from bondage and at last in the Restauration and great enlargement of the Church Of justice against his incurable enemies of all sorts and sizes in their perdition We must not be moved that the Worke is so long in finishing among us being haply not much more then begun There is assuredly a great deale for a publique calamity still to doe alas too much in every Country City Towne Parish Family Person many both persons and things are yet as it is to be feared among the Litigants on both sides that are to be removed and subdued Besides the Lord useth to deale with men as men the great power of the wicked cannot by humane meanes which God is pleased to use be suddenly and easily breken Neither can the godly â—â—sa 48.10 whom the Lord will not refine as silver purging out all their drosse at once be suddenly hammered unto a sufficient humiliation reformation c. But this divine agent chooseth to worke upon them according to their receptivity Neither let any be scandalized at some interruptions and rebates as I may say in the Lords proceedings and at some successes now and then granted to his Churches adversaries you shall find the like in all the great acts of God that be of the same nature But all things are carried on by the steady hand of the Almighty though through many oppositions repulses contingencies c. among men to their designed end and appointed period Not to speake of this that had not the enemies some encouragements as the Lords worke would hardly by them be perfected and finished upon his owne people so neither would they be hardned to their owne destruction If Pharaoh had never been released of the first plagues he would scarce have perished in the Sea at last I hope it will neither be unprofitable nor unacceptable as a Watch-man to put your honours and by you others in mind of these things I doe not deny but in the course of humane affaires there will be treaties among men for the composing of those differences that God casts in to be the occasion and meanes of executing his decrees Yea there must and for some reasons peradventure there ought to be such But I know I speake to men too wise to beleeve that God's quarrels can be taken up by humane treaties but they will without faile attaine the issue by God himselfe before prefixed and by his Word threatned and promised Neither doe I doubt but that the Church shall obtaine her desired peace and rest in the end when God's Worke is finished though no such meanes were used at all and give law to all her enemies till which time I looke for no solid and durable quiet to be by the people of God enjoyed yea I am confident upon the faithfull word of God that the Saints shall then enjoy things which would be but by a few even of themselves now desired and by the adverse party never yeelded The Temple of Salomon was built in a peaceable the latter Temple in a troublesome time but now though there be great noyses of Axes Hammers and tooles of Iron partly about the preparation for the new building but chiefely about the pulling downe of the old which is the great worke in hand yet when the appointed time of building is come the Church may promise unto her self from God and undoubtedly expest an absolute cessation from all these disturbances in Church and Common-wealth and a time farre above all that ever were of admirable freedome serenitie and tranquillitie There are some few things concerning the happy estate of the Church in her promised future reformation which time would not then suffer me to bring in I have here made bold briefly to adde them without which the former would have been imperfect I have purposely pretermitted some things subject to doubt and exception I humbly present all to your judicious view whom God hath thought worthy to make his Instruments to begin so great a Reformation in these Nations which will I feare not have a good influence by divine blessing upon others also abroad hoping stedfastly that the same God will through his infinite mercy in Christ by your hands in due time finish the same Which is the daily desire and prayer of him that is Humbly devoted to your service in the Lord WILLIAM
REYNER BABYLONS ruining Earth-quake and the restauration of ZION Haggai 2.6 7. For thus saith the Lord of Hosts yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and the dry Land And I will shake all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come and I will fill this House with glory saith the Lord of Hosts THE Prophet Haggai lived and flourished after the returne from the Captivity of Babylon His prophecy is spent partly in reproving the people of the Jewes for their negligence in not building the Temple of the Lord appointed for his worship partly in declaring Gods hand against them for the same in their Corne Cattell and otherwise because they came to build and even to siele their owne house and let Gods House lye waste partly in exhorting and encouraging them unto the building This last he doth diversly First he tels them the Lord was with them chap. 1. ver 13. chap. 2. ver 4. And that therefore they need not feare the oppositions of their enemies who formerly so often as ever they began to build did by their complaints to the Kings of Persia still stop the worke and that his spirit did remaine among them now this was to be done not by might not by power but by the spirit of the Lord as Zec. his contemporany Prophet tels them Zech. 4.6 even against might and against power and this according to the Covenant he made with them when they came out of Aegypt chap. 2. ver 5. Next he assures them that the disire of all Nations should come to this house and that he would fill it with glory And whereas this house might seem to be a despicable and contemptible thing compared with the sumptuous Temple of Salomon that was before it which made the old men weepe when they saw the foundations of it first laid Ezra 1.12 he comforts them against that and tels them that the silver and gold are his so that if true glory had consisted in them he could have given them in aboundance for the adorning of this second Temple but he had a greater glory to bestow upon it namely Christ and in this place he would give peace viz. by Christ the Prince of peace unto his people The words may be divided into two parts First a Commination against the Nations as an antecedent or a thing that in act and execution should goe before Secondly a consolation unto the Church as a consequent or a thing that in accomplishment should follow after the Commination The Commination is in these words I will shake the Heavens and the Earth c. I will shake all Nations the Consolation in the words following and that consists of a double promise First The desire of all Nations shall come Secondly God will fill this house with glory Both these are set out by two circumstances First of the person that saith these things secondly of the time First the person Who is it that saith this Answ He that is able to make good what he saith thus saith the Lord of Hosts and this to make all more sure is put both before and after the Commination and Consolation Secondly we have the circumstance of time and that is double First Quoties how often shall this be before Christ come Answ Once Secondly Quando or quam diù when or how long is it before it be Answ ere it be long yet a little while The sense of the Words The Prophets living in the Easterne regions did frequently use the phrase and stile of the Easterne Nations they did not alwayes in a plaine down-right manner declare things as they be as we for the most part doe but did use many high phrases tropicall speeches and other figurative exornations many continued metaphors or allegorie's aenigma's and darke riddles hyperbolees and excessive speeches many emblematicall and hieroglificall expressions these puzzle us when we read them but were familiar to the people of those times and places Heavens were used not onely for the coelestiall bodies above but sometimes to set forth a State of dignity and prosperity Earth a state of mediocrity hell of adversity Againe sometimes heavens were used to set forth things appertaining to the Church or ecclesiastick State earth things appertaining to the Common-Weale or civill State as we shall heare afterwards Seas and dry Land making up the whole Orbe of the universe are put comprehensively and extensively to signifie the extent of this shaking so as it should be of all the world round about as it is interpreted even in the next Words I will shake all Nations see further verse 22. By shaking we are to understand the raising of great stirres in those Nations among all estates whereby great alterations should follow and desolations That such a sense is not insolent in the Scriptures we may see in an instance or two Isa 14.12 13 14 15. How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer sonne of the morning c. Thou saidest I will ascend into Heaven I will exalt my throne above the Starres of God c. Yet thou shalt be brought downe to hell c. Who was this Lucifer Answ None other but the King of Assyria as appeares by the context What were the Heavens and Starres he exalted himself above Answ The great estates and Princes of the world compared thereto What Heaven was he fallen from Answ from his high Soveraigne Dignity and Majesty To what hell was he brought downe Answ To utter confusion and ruine for not long after this an hundred eighty five thousand of his Army were slaine by the Angell of God in one night himself shortly after killed by his owne sonnes in his Idols Temple and a little while after this his whole Kingdome brought to destruction and the Soveraignity transferred to another Family viz. that of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon and that Kingdome at length also ruined Look upon another instance Jer. 4.23 24. I beheld the earth and be hold it was without forme and voyd and the Heavens and they had no light I beheld the Mountaines and loe they trembled and all the Hils moved lightly c. Did the Prophet Jeremy indeed see any such thing was the earth like an old confused Chaos without all forme and voyd so as no Grasse nor Tree did grow upon it had the Heavens so lost their light as that neither Sun Moon or Startes did shine Did Jeremy see the Hils to skippe and leap No such matter surely but this was all the meaning that there was a great confusion in the Land among all estates both in Church and Common-weale as appeares in the verses following which tell us that the fruitfull places were even become a Wildernesse the Cities broken downe and the whole Land desolate Let us goe on in the interpretation And the desire of all Nations shall come Some understand this of Beleevers the desirable people of all Nations others of other things but no doubt
these lived in against the expresse doctrine which the committers of them know and professe Now for these sinnes the name of the Lord lyes under much pollution and dishonour Heathers and Turks can pull Christians by the sleeve and accuse them for them and wonder why they doe things so contrary to their profession A man would certainly think that wicked men had a dispensation for these sins or that God himselfe did not much dislike them and would never punish them Well the Lord will not alwayes suffer this reproach though he forbeare a long time no nor never did alwayes in any Nation he will make blasphemers know at length that he will not hold them guiltlesse that take his name in vaine and so for the rest The Land shall mourne for these things at last Hos 4.3 He will have it appeare that he allowes not his to commit such sinnes the Lord will have the scandall of sinne taken away Now the scandall of great sinnes is to be removed one of these two wayes either by the Delinquents penetent confession and reformation or secondly by a speciall vindication 1. Sometimes it is taken away by the offender himselfe when he humbly confesseth his sinne and reformes if he confesse and not forsake he doth not remove but encrease the scandall for then he takes the blame from off the profession and layes it upon himselfe I did indeed so and so transgresse I did blaspheme commit adultery c. but it was my corruption made me to doe it and not my Religion it is utterly contrary to the doctrine I have received and doe professe which utterly forbids such sinnes and threatens eternall damnation to the sinner I am heartily sorry for my sin doe earnestly beg pardon for it of God the Father through Christ and by divine grace in him doe fully purpose and will endeavour a thorough Reformation this now dischargeth the profession of all blame and layes it upon the person But because this is seldome done only by penetents thoroughly therefore there is another way of taking away scandall from Gods Name for the grosse sinnes of professours and that is by visiting or vindicating the sinne upon the sinner Now this vindication is either humane or divine The first is humane For God requires that those that are under him and over others should execute judgement for him upon their Subjects for all open sinfulnesse according to the nature and degrees of it this he expects from the Parent Master Magistrate respectively and they greatly sinne and shall be punished if they doe it not Now because this humane vindication for the most part failes therefore the Lord himselfe doth at length take the matter into his owne hand when he sees judgement is turned backward and justice stands a farre off truth lyes in the street equity cannot enter and he that refraines from evill makes himselfe a prey that it is lawfull to be any thing but good as we have seen in our times when he looks about him and sees that there is no man and wonders that there is no intercessor that is he wonders there is no body will appeare to execute judgement for him then at length himselfe puts on righteousnesse as a brest-plat he puts on the garments of vengeance for cloathing and is clad with zeale as with a cloake according to their deeds accordingly will he repay fury to his adversaries farre and neere even to the Islands he will repay recompence Isa 59.14 15 16 17. and so he will take away the scandall sinne and sinners permitters and committers altogether See an instance The people of Israel had divers times murmured and tempted God they doe it afresh when the spyes came home and brought ill newes of the Land of Canaan the Lord thereupon threatens to destroy them all Moses intercedes for them and prevailes for the present but withall the Lord sayes and binds it with an oath that surely and as truly as He lived He would fill all the earth with his glory and not one of those murmurers should see the promised Land Numb 14.21 22 23. And so it came to passe for they were all rooted out in the Wildernesse they had made all the earth ring of his dishonour in their murmuring and he would make it resound his honour againe in his punishing of them Because Elye's sonnes transcendently sinned and he being their Parent and Judge did not punish them as he ought therefore the Lord threatens to bring such a punishment upon him and his house that whosoever should he are of it both his ears should â—ingle 1 Sam. 3.11 and so he did chap. 4. Both his sonnes were slaine in one day himselfe perished miserably afterwards Saul flew though unjustly 85. of his Posterity at one time and Abiather was afterwards for taking part with Adonijah cast out of the priest-hood by Salomon and so his whole posterity brought to beggery hereby was the word of the Lord fulfilled 1 Kin. 2.27 As deare as David was to God yet when by his murther and adultery he had opened the mouthes of God's enemies to blaspheme his Name though upon his repentance the Lord did pardon him yet he would not remit the temporall punishment but the child borne in adultery should dye the sword should never depart from his house he would raise up evill against him out of his own bowels as he did in the rebellion of Absolom 2 Sam. 12.10 11 14. And this I take to be one speciall reason why the Lord at last hath destroyed all the States and Kingdomes of the world that ever yet have been because that whereas they should have executed judgement for him they have executed judgement against him whereas they should have been a terrour to evill works and for the praise of them that doe well they have generally been a terrour to good works and for the praise of them that doe evill The second impidement of Reformation is great and enormous sinners Imped 2 these the Lord useth to sweep away by the earthquake they are of divers sorts as 1. The scoffers at Religion Sort 1 the bold affronters of Heaven that fit in the chayre of the scorner these feare neither God nor devill they make a tush at the threatnings of God they say the Prophets words shall become wind Jer. 5.13 They threaten the Prophets that threaten them the Prophets tell them they shall dye by sword and famine they say thus shall it be done unto them ibid. We will make them dye by sword and famine our Saviour cals these dogs that bark at bite them that cast pearles to them Such were those Isa 22.12.13 who when the Lord called to weeping mourning behold there was joy and gladnesse with them killing of Oxen and slaying of Sheep let us eat and drinke say they speaking most impiously and securely for to morrow we shall dye The same Prophet tels us of a company that know not how to be sinfull enough denounceth a
building and as strange a worship would they have set up Quest Whom doth God use to preserve in these great calamities Answ Some of divers sorts as First a convenient number of Saints already called not all but a sufficient number There is I take it such a distinction intimated Dan. 12.1 At that time thy people shall be delivered not all in general but every one that shall be found written in the book implying that some of Daniels people the Saints are written in the booke of life that is of naturall life for escape but not all see also Isa 4.3 God must have a number of these called ones first to be the constant objects of his love and grace secondly to praise and serve him and thirdly to be the pillar and ground of truth to support it before the world and then fourthly if I may use so loe a comparison as those that write of Bees report the Bees still send out some of their old ones with the new swarmes to manage their work so God will have a competent number of called ones preserved to carry on his worke of Reformation Secondly all the Elect that are not yet called at lest till they be effectually converted else their election would be frustrated which is impossible Thus 2 Pet. 3.9 The Lord is long-suffering towards the world so that he destroyes it not because he is not willing that any should perish i. e. not any of his own chosen should perish but that all meaning all they should come to repentance Thirdly the progenitors of the Elect to come for otherwise the Elect that are to come of them would be prevented And this I take to be our Saviours meaning Mat. 24 2â— where speaking of the destruction of Jerusalem he saith that except those dayes should be shortned no flesh should be saved but all the Jewes should have been destroyed Why were they not might some man say they that escaped were as bad as those that perished why saith our Saviour for the Elects sake those dayes shall be shortned i. e. for the Elects sake that are to come of them it may be seventeene hundred or two thousand yeeres after And to the same sense are those words Isa 65.8 As the new wine is found in the cluster and one saith destroy it not for a blessing is in at that is let it grow till the vintage and there will be a blessing viz. good wine in it so will I doe for my servants sake that I may not destroy them all that is I would destroy all this sinfull generation were there not a blessing in them namely were it not for mine elect servants sakes that are to proceed from them Fourthly haply some may be saved out of a generall deluge in some relation or respect to others of Gods people to whom they belong as bad children for the godly Parents sakes And backe againe wicked Parents that they may nurse up children that are elect these deliverances are blessings not so much to the wicked themselves as to the godly to whom they relate They in the ship were saved for Pauls sake Acts 27.24.44 that they might be of some use to his person and their deliverance some honour to his office Reprobates thus saved shall be as the Gibeonites hewers of wood and drawers of water to the people of God they shall doe some baser drudgeries for them study Arts and Sciences for them as the heathen Philosophers did God taking from him that hath not giving unto him that hath bestowing the use benefit of wicked mens gifts not upon themselus but upon the godly The third Impediment of the Churches restauration taken away by these great earth-quakes Imped is errour haeresie false worship idolatry c. You cannot preach nor pray them downe directly and immediately though all other meanes depend upon these and the Saints must own the thing God is terrible out of his holy places Psa 68.35 Well that which the Word cannot do the sword shall that which the water cannot wash out the fire will burn out Unto this particular the Apostle applies this very text in part namely concerning the shaking of the Heavens Heb 12.26 27. Yet once more I shake not earth onely but also heaven c. An earth-quake as we have heard was appointed to shake downe the ceremoniall Ordinances now if this were necessary for the abolition of that divine worship which had sometimes been by Gods owne holy institution how much more shall that which hath been of humane invention yea the very fumes and fogs of the bottomlesse pit to Gods infinite displeasure and dishonour be tumbled downe with violence and vengeance to hell from whence it came And therefore as the heathenish idolatry fel with such a terrible earthquake as shook down both it and all its supporters both Emperors and Empire even so shall antichristian idolatry and haeresie with Babylon their Mother the Beast their Father and all their intoxicated and dementated defenders be throwne like a Mil-stone into the bottome of the sea Rev. 18.21 The third generall Reason of these great Earth-quakes before the Churches restauration is that the Saints may be prepared and qualified for the right use of such a state and condition of happinesse and prosperity and so made capable thereof Reas 3 The qualifications required and whereof the earth-quake is a meanes by the operation of Gods Spirit in the Saints are these First they are thereby made humble for so the Lord humbles his c. that he may do them good in the latter end Deut. 8.16 The people of the Jew 's before the captivity were exceeding proud despised Gods Word spoken by his Prophets c. 2 Chron. 26 16. yea in the time of the captivity when all was broken in peeces Yet so proud and stubborne were they that they would not beare the yoake of the King of Babylon though the Lord would have had them promising them in so doing safety and blessing many of them would needs into Egypt and when they came there would worship the Queene of heaven the Sunne Moone and Starres though the Lord by Jeremiâ—h under great penalties expresly forbad both the one and the other Ier. 42 43. 44. But after the Lord â—ad hammer'd them thoroughly by 70. yeers captivity and hard bondage how humble were they and tame as Lambs now you may doe any thing with them now they come weeping to seeke the Lord and exhorting one another to enter into a covenant with their God never to be forgotten Ier. 50.4.5 and so they did as we may see at large Nehem. 9 10. where they undertake some things that it is probable they never did before as to live in Boothes in the feast of Tabernacles and though they were very poore yet they charged themselves deeply for the maintainance of the publique worship of God Secondly they are thereby made hungry after Christ Isa 4.1.2 when the Lord hath wasted them in the publique
c. They have beene slaine all over the greatest Answ 1 largest and most famous Churches as hath beene declared It is unknowne to me how the Prophets have beene used in those Churches at least in a great part though I know they have beene used badly enough But it will not follow we know it not therefore it hath not beene To which answer I will sticke the Beast was to kill the Witnesses indefinitely set downe Rom. 11.7 that is generally but not universally It is no where said he shall kill all and singular that beare witnesse to the truth the text tels us Exod. 9.6 that all the cattell of Aegypt dyed of the Murraine but yet if we read on to the 20. verse when the plague of the Haile was threatned we shall finde the Aegyptians that feared the word of the Lord driving their cattell into their houses by which it appeares that all and singular of the cattell dâ—ed not of the Murraine but the cattell generally or the cattell of all kindes The Pharisees said the world was gone after our Saviour Ioh. 12.19 when as yet the hundred thousand part of the world did not beleeve on him then but the meaning is the people of the Countries round about flocked after him so here the Prophets were slaine generally on for the most part not universally The Prophets doe yet Prophesie in sackcloath ergo Object this slaughter and triumph is not past Whether this slaughter be past or to come Answ certaine it is by the Text that the Prophets shall prophecy in sack-cloath after it be both come and gone even untill the Beasts dying day for he and they are contemporanyes as hath been mentioned before their prophecying in sack-cloath and his reigne as they began together so they must end together So long as he lives he will push with the horne and spurne with the heele and woe to them that stand neare him By the mercy of God and the means of this Parliament the Prophets here are a little stagger'd up upon their feet but one of the Beasts fillips would throw them downe again Could but he reach them either with one of his armed hornes or hierarchicall heeles which he mainly endeavours they were gone A mistake concerning the two Witnesses may peradventure make us looke for the earth-quake that shall ruine the Beast's Kingdome as a thing a farre off when yet our selves may be in the middest of it The fifth Viall is not powred Object for that is to be upon the seat of the Beast that is Rome whereby his Kingdome becomes full of darkenesse that is Rome is destroyed Rev. 16.10 therefore it is in vaine to think upon the earth-quake that is to ruine the Beast's Kingdome which comes not till the seventh Viall be powred out For answer Answ 1 I acknowledge Rome to be the seat of the Beast and that darknesse is often put for affliction and misery but I deny the darkning of the Beasts Kingdome there spoken of to be the destruction of Rome there be degrees of darknesse and misery inferiour to destruction Is not Rome darkned in her reputation and so the Beasts Kingdome How many thousands yea millions be there that deny her to be the mistresse of the Faith and the mother of all Churches that account her the mother of harlots that contemne her decrees c Is not shee darkned in her revennues when as so many Nations have withdrawne their supplies from her which were formerly swallowed up in her as in a deep gulfe If Rome be destroyed under the fifth Viall this difficulty or absurdity will follow then have ye Babylon the great to destroy under the seventh Viall Rev. 16.19 whereas Babylon the great in all other places of the booke of the Revelations is constantly put for Rome The fixt Viall is not poured upon the river Euphrates Object which must be before the earth-quake come under the seventh Kev 16.12 c. Answ 1 I must here deprecate the offence of many worthy earned men if lassent not to their expositions of that Viall It shall suffice in a few words to give that which is to me more then probable the sense therof The river Euphrates running through the middest of the world between the farthest west and uttermost east hath bâ—en for many ages a kinde of Land-marke to separate the western Nations from the eastern so that they have had little communion one with another Now this impedimentall River hath been dried up ever since these Navigations Voyages have been found out into the Indies and other orientall parts Whereupon the Beast finding himselfe mortally wounded here in the west hath as it followes in the text by the unclean spirits his emissaries by which I understand not onely Jesuits and others that are Papists by profession but all Antichrists Agents though cloaked under the name of Protestants with infinite strange and uncouth wiles and wonders laboured to involve not onely the Kings and Kingdomes of these parts of the world but even of the east also into Hormageddon that is a cursed warre as hath been said before This feat the Frogges have most efficaciously wrought for him in these parts of the world as every observing eye may abundantly see and although the Papists doe frequently lye in their reports of the east yet certaine it is that they have made many Countries and States there one way or other more or lesse obnoxious to the Pope as either to submit and acknowledge him as those of Japan c. are said to doe or to oppugne his enemies as the Persian to assaile the Turke whilst they are accomplishing their designes here in the west or at least by way of Merchandize and traffique to be subservient to their supply so that notwithstanding any thing in these two Vials the earth-quake may be at hand And let us beware that mistakes about them doe not make us put the earth-quake further off then indeed it is to our owne detriment and prejudice The Uses are of two sorts some directing us what to doe in respect of the publique others concerne our owne particulars For the publique every one should assist the Lord in his place in shaking downe the Kingdome of Antichrist and all his supporters Object The Church will be shaken too True Answ but it will not be shaken downe by the earth-quake but better rooted and setled Now that we may assist the Lord in this worke three things are to be done We must shake the Kingdome of the Beast by the Word Vse 2 this is to be done by all the Saints especially by the Ministers of the Churches and by them authoritatively Every true Christian hath the Word of truth dwelling in his heart as for instance the doctrine of Gods free grace in Christ for a mans justification and salvation the foundation upon which the Church is built that God is to be purely worshipped in spirit and truth according to his owne prescriptions and such like by these truths he
can detect and discover many blasphemies of the Beast and foedities of the Whore as justification by workes the propitiatory sacrifice of the Masse c. Yea not onely discover them but in an holy zeale denoâ—unce grievous judgements against the authors and fomenter of them according to the Word These doctrines and denunciations thus breathed out will prove even a sword of the Spirit for so they are being put into mans spirit by the Holy-Ghost to cut and kill slash and slay the Antichristian generation see Revel 2.16 19.21 Yea not onely a sword to kill the enemy that stands neere but an arrow also to kill the enemy that stands a farre off Psal 149.6 7 8 9. an axe to hew downe Hosea 6.5 Mat. 3.10 a wine cup of fury which they shall be forced to drinke and then grow mad spue and fall and rise no more Jer. 25.15 16.27 28. Lastly this Word shall be a fire to burne them up and they shall be as wood to it and it shall devoure them Jer. 5.14 For God will execute upon them the judgements threatned It shall be an hot even to the wicked and proud and they shall be as stubble easily and utterly burnt so it shall leave them neither root nor branch Mal. 4.1 This fiery weapon of the Word is one of those wherewith the poore sackcloath-Prophets have defended themselves against Antichrist and his gentiles all his long reigne and wherewith they have offended them Rev. 11.5 and therefore still proper to be used against him the great wild Beast for fire they say is the best weapon and of most excellent use against wilde Beasts Breathe out therefore this fire of the Word into their faces run with these flaming torches and thrust them into the dry thatch of Antichrists house that will set all on a light fire it hath done it in a great measure already the enemies feele the heat thereof to their great paine Rev. 16.2.9 10 11. They cast on all the cold water that hell can afford them to quench it as cruelties treacheries but every thing proves oyle to encrease the flame this Word at last will prove unto them unquenchable fire utterly to consume them Shake the Beasts Kingdome by prayer Vse 2 David shook Saul and all his enemies downe by this meanes see Psal 18.6.7 8. compared with the title of the Psalme which David composed when the Lord had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul In my distresse saith he I called upon the Lord and cryed unto my God he heard my voyce out of his holy temple and my cry came before him even into his eares Then the earth shooke and trembled the foundations also of the hils moved and were shaken because he was wroth God upon Davids cry laid about him and overthrew all his adversaries for the more the Saints pray the more they accelerate plagues upon their wicked enemies which is often the meanes of the Saints deliverance By this the two Witnesses did shut the heavens against the Antichristian brood Rev. 11.6 And therfore our fight being with their armie 's we are to be instant in prayer against them that is a weapon they have no skill at they can blaspheme and curse c. but not pray Moses and Eliah to whom that text alludes by this weopon and the Word overcame whole Nations alone Moses did but speake to God spreading out his hands and then as a God could tell Pharaoh that a plague would come to morrow shall be such a plague or to morrow shall such a plague be removed Eliah could but pray to the Lord that it might not raine and then confidently tell Ahab that there should be no raine but according to his word 1 King 17.1 Open therefore O you servants of the Lord the heavens by this Key open Gods Armory and get from thence the best dayes for the Church the helpe of God the Father the Mediation of the Sonne the Spirit of strength the assistance of Angels Seas rivers windes c. get from thence wisdome courage stratagems successe shut the heavens against the enemies that they may not get one good looke from thence not so much as one arrow but if they have any plot in hand get the heavens open for wisedome to discover it if any enterprize get from thence power to defeat it make it appeare to the enemies that Gods people have power with God Execute judgement for God Vse 3 every one as farre as his power will stretch First doe judgement upon thine owne selfe for thy sinnes in all wayes of godly revenge as by Fasting c. Sing mercy and judgement to thy Family as David Psa 101. Doe thy best that judgement that hath beene turned into Wormewood and Hemlocke may run downe like a mighty streame in publique and where thy hand cannot reach a blow or cast a stone at an idolater blasphemer persecutor c. let thy heart at least doe it For if a mans consenting to or approving of an act of injustice may inguilt hâ—m as I may say in it as it was with the Jewes whose state was ruined for killing Christ and the Prophets though most part of them had never seene any of them Mat. 23.37 why may not a mans executing judgement with his heart when he can proceed no further be accepted in respect of him for an act of justice by him that is pleased both in good and evill actions to accept the will for the deed This duty is principally incumbent upon the Magistrate who is to execute the judgement of the Lord not arbitrarily as himselfe pleaseth but according to the rule of the Word both for matter and manner For the Matter man hath no warrant either to leave grosse and horrid sinnes unpunished in the committers of them such as are the ring-leaders in idolatry and persecution nor yet to commute or change the nature of the punishment As by the way I question whether a pecuniary mulct especially if it be alone be a proper punishment for a sweater or blasphemer but it rather ought to be personall And here I cannot choose but with griefe take notice of a miserable failing in our first Reformation that the Maise priests were suffered still to continue in their places for he that had said or sung Masse the last Lords day and if he were a Preacher had Preached for Popery if he would but take the new Oath of Supremacy and read the Service-Booke this Lords-day was accounted a sufficieâ—t reformist aâ—d admitted to the Ministry So that of twenty thousand Prelates and Pâ—iests at least in England and Ireland very few were cast out of their places and searce any of them unlesse it were Boner for any thing they had done Oh wofull I confesse I thinke the State did then want due information in that point But this hath been one thing that hath undone the Church viz. those that have all along and do still infest the Church