The PROPHETS Malachy and Isaiah PROPHECYING TO The Saints and Professors of this Generation Of The Great Things the Lord will doe in this their Day and Time Shewing amongst other things The Nature and Quality of the Apostacy The Judgement of the Lord upon the Leaders of the Apostacy How the Lord will deale with and carry himself towards others guilty of the Apostacy The certainty of deliverance at hand for the true Seed By a wel-wisher to the Kingdome of our Lord Jesus To which is prefixed two very useful Epistles by Christopher Feak and John Pendarves Ministers of the Gospel Thus saith the Lord God Howle yee woe worth the day for the day is neer even the day of the Lord is neer a cloudy day Ezek. 30.2 3. The day of the Lord is darknesse and not light as if a man did flee from a Lyon and a Bear met him or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a Serpent bit him even very darke and no brightnesse in it Amos 5.18 19 20. I have yet many things to say unto you but you cannot bear them now John 16.12 LONDON Printed for Livewell Chapman at the Crown in Popes-head Alley 1656. TO THE READERS Whether Such as follow the Lamb or such as wonder after the Beast Love and Pity for the Lords sake OUR dear Lord in the dayes of his flesh spake many words privately among his Disciples to this effect viz. that they should be hated of the world that they should be hated of all men for his Names sake yea and in that last solemn Addresse to his father related John the seventeenth wherein he hath left upon record a pattern of his intercession on the Behalfe of his Disciples who did then or should afterward beleeve on him through their word he doth expresly mention this matter surely his heart was full of it and much affected with it I have given them thy word sayeth hee there to his father and THE WORLD HATH HATED THEM because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world And againe in a certaine place hee testifieth saying If the WORLD HATETH YOV yee know that IT HATED ME before it HATED YOV If yee were of the world the world would love its owne but because yee are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore THE WORLD HATETH YOU Now to beare up their hearts under this Burthen of the Hatred of the world he puts them in mind of that lesson which hee had formerly taught them Mat. 10.24 John 13.16 saying Remember the word that I sayed to you the servant is not greater then the Lord c. If they have persecuted mee they will presecute you also if they have kept my saying they will keepe yours also The spirit and life of the incouragement lyeth in this that the Son of God was their Brother and companion in Tribulation and in suffering the hatred of the world they should drinke out of the same cup with him in all the afflictions which they were to indure from the world Now if any Man that observes the considerablenesse of these and many other passages of this Nature should desire to know the particular reason why the Lord Jesus with his Disciples was allwayes thus hated persecuted and Abased by the world Did Hee and they give any just Cause of hatred and ill-will against them I answere no surely there were never a more innocent and harmelesse sort of people in the world then they But the true reason of this inveterate hatred is expressed by himselfe John the 7 and 7. in a Conference betwixt himselfe and his Bretheren which did not beleeve in him The world sayeth Hee cannot hate you but me it hateth because I testifie of it or concerning it that the workes thereof are evil Observe the matter seriously and you will well perceive that the world hath workes of its own the world is full of its owne proper workes doings and bufinesse which it is alltogether conversant about Things which it must mind and manage with all care and Industry then secondly consider these workes are such as are exceedingly beloved and delighted in by the world and the world cannot indure with any patience that any sort of men should account them evill workes but then thirdly if any should presume not only to Account but also to Call them evill workes and so testifie against them as evill workes and odious in the sight of God for such a Testimony though given by the Son of God himselfe who for this purpose came into the world that hee might beare witnes to the truth would the world hate him and persecute him even unto death if not hindred by the overruling power of God himselfe And therefore if the true Disciples of Christ himselfe who having his Spirit his Truth his Cause his Glory and all his precious Concernments dwelling and working in them mightily are constrained by the power of his love to second and confirme This his great Testimony against the world and the wicked workes thereof should incurr the same hatred indignation and wrath from the world which was measured out unto him they must by no meanes think it a strange thing but rather rejoyce exceedingly in their being thus made conformable to the fathers first borne among many Brethren And blessed be the Name of the Lord that there are any among us who are counted worthy to suffer shame and violent Dealing for his Name and for their Testimony concerning the world that the workes or Deeds thereof are evill But will it not bee well worthy your time and leisure to inquire into these two or three particulars first what doth the Lord Jesus understand in the Scriptures before mentioned by the word world Secondly what are those evill workes which our Lord testified against in the dayes of his flesh and Thirdly what is the nature of the Testimony of Christ and his Disciples that the world should be so much incensed with hatred and indignation against them for it Hearken oh yee Children of men and consider with all your might and with all speed for the time of Consideration is allmost spent and passed away To the First I shall return this Account undoubtedly by the word world in the Scripture mentioned a Certaine part of mankinde namely the degenerate part the worst part contra-distinguished from the Best namely the Church is here to be understood for the Church and the world are Contrary one unto the other evermore This degenerate part of the world or of mankind I distinguish thus some of them are such as having departed from the light and Law of Nature did afterward by degrees degenerate into Brutishnes and profannes as namely the nations of the earth which neither worship God nor love their Neighbour according to the written rule but live and walke after their own and their Rulers lusts and inventions in all things being full as of all ungodlinesse so
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
is written in their foreheads they are redeemed from the earths and from among men from all of this old world nothing is of any value or esteem with them hath their hearts but the new Heavens and new earth which they look for according to the promise of God they are without guile and fault before the Throne of God their Offerings are Offerings in righteousness pleasant unto the Lord they are a holy Generation by the mighty and wonder-working hand of the Holy Spirit wrought into an exact conformity to Jesus Christ in all things these are the Lords Jewels upon whom his heart is so fixed that he wil defend them against the whole world of men and devils he vvil creat such a defence upon these that neither heat nor storme nor raine all the rage malice and power of their enemies either by day or by night shal be able to harm them We are now come to the second sort of promises the Lord makes to this people of his delight and that is such as contains not only reward for work done but also qualification and fitness for a future glorious work immediatly to succeed Then shal ye return and diseern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not In the words we have 1 The Persons to vvhom this Promise is made 2 The Promise it self And 3 The Time of performance 1 The Persons to vvhom the Promise is made Then shal yee returne c. that by this YEE cannot be meant the wicked leaders of the Apostacy against whom the Prophet had been speaking throughout his Prophecie seems clear to me upon these grounds 1 Because here is a promise made to them and the promises of God belong not to the wicked they are a Eph 2.12 strangers from the Conants of promise the Lord makes not promises to his enemies but to his Children and Friends To Abraham and his seed were the promises made b Gal 3.16 c 2 Cor. 1 20 all the promises of God in him are yea and in him amen and it s by the d Eph 2.13 BLOOD OF CHRIST that any are made nigh to the promise 2 Because it is a promise of a great gift of the Spirit a peice of that great New-Testament promise of the Spirit and what colour or shaddow of reason can be given that this should be spoken to wicked men the subject of the Lords wrath and displeasure 3 Because it is a promise of a spirit of descerning to qualifie and fit them with a sufficient ability to perform the work of the Lord in the to tal destruction of the wicked Now it is not the wicked that shal destroy the wicked at this day but it is the feet of them that fear the Lord that shal tread them down like ashes they burn them up leaving them neither root nor branch So that 2 By this YEE we are to understand the Jewels of the Lord they shal return out of the fiery furnace of the refiner and from under the scourings of the Fullers sope and have a spirit of discerning given to them that they may be enabled to perform that great work the Lord hath cut out for them to do upon and in the world But 3 In a more special and peculiar manner we are to understand by this YE those that feared the Lord spake often one to another those that the Lord wil so own as to spare them in that day of the Lord of hosts they shal return out of those places of consultation where they have been thinking of and consulting about the concernments of the great name of God at this day and shal discern what their work is in the doing whereof they may gain honour and glory to the suffering name of their Lord one reason why I apply it in such special manner to these is because I find them particularly pointed out by the same expression in the next Chapter and YEE shal go forth and grow up as Calves of the stall and YEE shal tread down the wicked YEE who why you that fear my name 2 The Promise it self we have in these words discern between the righteous the wicked between him that serveth God him that serveth him not it is a spirit of discerning the Lord promises here to qualifie and fit them to enable them to perform the glorious work of the following day spoken of in the 1 v of the next Chter for the Prophet there renders a reason why the Lord would then give them this spirit of discerning For behold saith he the day cometh that shal burn as an Oven implying as that that was the time and season for the pouring down of the spirit upon them so that there is a necessity it should be given to them otherwise they would not be able to perform the work of that burning day treading down the vvicked as ashes under their feet as the Children of old must be directed what to destroy and what to save alive so must these too have a spirit of discerning given them To discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not otherwise they wil not know which to burn up and which to pluck as brands out of the fire which to lead by the hand out of the miseries and sorrows of that day and which to tread down like ashes under their feet 3 The Time of performance THEN shal ye return c THEN when 1 THEN When I have gotten to my self honour and glory by my swift witnessing against the heads and leaders of this loathsome apostacy 2 THEN When I have made up my Jewels when my Refiners fire and Fullers sope that searching and trying dispensation of mine hath had its ful course amongst my professing people that pretend to so great a delight in me and my day 3 THEN When I have put forth such Majesty and glory in executing my vengeance on these mine enemies and purifying my Zion that forceth you because of that unlikeness and non-conformity that is in you to it to fly to the horns of the Altar to the freeness and riches of my eternal love my sparing love for shelter when the considering how far short you come of that glory I am about to reveal makes you to run into your rock the Rock of Ages to shelter your selves under his healing wings 4 THEN when I have manifested such glory of love in such a peculiar way as neither you nor your Fathers were ever acquainted with before taking such an unwonted unparalleld care of you sparing you in such a day as this the glory whereof shal have drawn you vvholly to my self that indeed I am as really become yours as you are mine and that I am fixed upon your hearts as you are upon mine that indeed you can unfeignedly say My beloved is mine and I am his THEN shal ye return and discern c. 5 THEN
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
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
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
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