Father and the Son concerning the great interest of his Son the sum of which is this second Psalme wherein the father expresses so great love and manifests such strong resolutions to exercise his wisedome and power in doing that for his Son which his love tells him becomes the love of such a father to performe and his deare Son doth deserve The Son seeing his Father so full of wrath and jealousie for his sake going about to make bare the arme of all his wonderfull Attributes and set them all on work to bring to passe his Decree concerning his beloved he steps in declares the Decree to the Sons of men and he doth it with such tendernesse of heart such loving exhortations and invitations that if possible he might perswade them to submit to his Scepter come under his healing wings and be blessed for ever In this Psalme we have First A TIME pointed at Secondly WORKE to be done in that time which is double The worke of God and the Worke of Christ the Son Thirdly The MANNER of Christs doing his work We have Two times pointed at by the holy Ghost in this Scripture 1 All that space of time between Christs first coming in the dayes of his humiliation and his second coming in the day of his power and glory to take the Kingdome to himselfe For the clearing up of this consider 1 That the holy Ghost devides the enemies which Christ shall have in this large Tract of time into three ranks 1 Heathens and People 2 Kings of the Earth And 3 Rulers Heathens and People that is Jewes against Christ for that space of time wherein Heathenish Rome bare rule Kings of the earth while Antichrist Lords it over the Heritage of God And lastly Apostate Rulers men of more refined Principles and professions as will be proved in its place that yet shall prove Apostates such pernicious implacable enemies to Christ in the last dayes such as God shall be no longer able to bear with but shall come forth against them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure 2 And surely The holy Ghost's distinct manner of Characterising them signifies not a little to us concerning this matter What more fit and true Character can be given of Heathenish Rome that great red Dragon than rage What rage did that Beast exercise against the poore flock of Christ How did he rend and teare it to pieces The ten first Persecutions witnesse to it And what vaine things did the people of the Jewes imagine when they thought to extinguish the light of the Gospel that shone in their Horison and to extirpate the profession of Christ out of their Coasts And secondly How directly and particularly doth the holy Ghost point out unto us the ten Hornes that gave their power to the Beast under the notion of the Kings of the earth setting themselves against the Lord and his anointed How openly and stoutly the Kings of the earth have set themselves against the Lord and his anointed in giving their power to maintaine the dominion lusts and blasphemies of the man of sin is evident by the havock they have made in the Church of Christ these many hundred yeares And lastly How exact and precise is the holy Ghost in describing unto us by many notable Characters the constitution of a third sort of Rulers that should come upon the stage of the world in the latter end of those dayes to finish the Tragedy of the old Serpent yet before the Kings of the earth should be totally extinct or put by from prosecuting their work for while the remaining Kings of the earth set themselves these take counsell together against the Lord and his anointed 3 The Apostles and Brethren in the fourth of the Acts are of our mind they begin the fulfilling of this Prophesie with the first coming of Christ when Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel were gathered together against Christ in the twenty-seventh Verse 4 As to the finishing-time of this Prophesie we have good and sure ground to receive it for a truth that this Prophesie runs downe to the day of Christs power when all the Kingdomes of this world shall become the Kingdomes of the Lords Christ For 1 Here 's the forbearance and long-sufferance of God at an end He speaks to the world in wrath and vexeth them in his sore displeasure A course God takes not till he hath tryed all other wayes and means and that indeed the world hath fill'd the cup of her iniquity almost full and the mystery of iniquity is almost finish't then God resolves to make a full end of her as he did of the old world when the appointed time came But 2 Christ steps in and by vertue of that authority he hath with his Father he saith he will declare the Decree He procures a little suspension of the devouring wrath of God and undertakes to declare the Decree in the midst of this wrathfull dispensation now the Decree being onely concerning the matter of his Kingdome in the world it 's worthy our serious consideration whether it point at a time past or the time present or to come PAST I conceive it cannot be for we doe not find that this Decree hath been declared in former times accompanied with the weighty and materiall circumstances in the Text viz. Declared as his right and Title to the Kingdomes and possessions of the Kings and Rulers of the earth in opposition to the present Governours of the world though the best and most Saint-like of them who Take COVNSELL against the Lord and his anointed that is act against him hiddenly that it appears not to the vulgar eye and particularly addrest to the Kings and Rulers of the world as matter for their consideration denouncing no lesse than perishing death to those that yeeld not to him pronouncing them blessed who forsaking their former Lords and Rulers put their trust in him Now no time past being able to shew this Decree thus declared therefore it cannot point out to us that part of time 3 Here is but a little time given men to repent in which argues the day is far spent and the night is at hand the glasse is almost run out there 's but a few sands behind to run the voyce was all the day long beseeching and woeing to repentance by loving and patheticall perswasions We beseech you saith the Apostle in Christs stead setting before men the tendernesse of the heart of Christ to sinners and that matchlesse love of his that mov'd him to shed his blood for them pourtraying before them in a lively manner a crucified Christ with his Crowne of Thornes on his head his wounds in his hands and sides blood and water gushing out and all this with the merits of his death and sufferings to perswade men to believe the willingnesse of the heart of Christ to save sinners and that they would come and take him upon his owne tearmes that they
not be numbred among the Kings of the earth but present your selves to the world as Rulers your Authority and Government to be of my fathers appointment and according to his will yet be instructed in this know this that you and your inventions are of the earth earthy though you will not be Kings of the earth yet you are Judges of the earth though the most refined yet still but earth you your wayes and inventions are not of nor from heaven but of and from the earth Be instructed ye Judges of the earth in the wisedome of God in the service worship and out-goings of God in this your day you have been cunning and wise Counsellors for your selves and in your own wayes and concernments be ye now instructed become as wise and knowing in the ways and concernments of God and his Son in this your day Be wise ye Kings and be instructed ye Judges of the earth hearken unto me or you perish from the way of life and blessednesse and goe into eternall death and misery 2. To worship the true God and him onely Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Here 's both service done to God and rejoycing in God and they are exhorted to mix the one with fear and to mingle trembling with the other and then they will be in the way of the Promise Isa 66.2 To this man will I looke even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word And Psal 112.1 145.191 Mal. 4.2 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandements He will full fill the desire of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and will save them But unto you that fear my name shall the Son of righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings and ye shall goe forth and grow up as the Calves of the stall 3 To a hearty submission to the Son in this way the father hath set him giving him that honour and those dues the father hath decreed he shall have KISSE THE SON this kisse gives us to understand the most absolute subjection that is possible not that which is onely of the outward man through fear and inability to resist but that which is from the heart and the fruit of the strongest love grounded upon the best and surest Basis of the highest reason 2 The Lord gives the world severall Motives to provoke them to hearken to his advice and Counsell And they are 1 The Consideration of the Sons anger Kisse the Son least he be angry All the day long hitherto we were exhorted to repentance and submission to the Son from the consideration of his love and tender-heartednesse to sinners but now we are call'd upon with a Least he be angry The day of Gods judging this Generation and putting the Decree in execution the time for the full performance of his Promises to his chosen ones is come and now Christs heart is so full of love to his suffering ones that have been so long trampled upon by the world that he is so intense upon giving out the gifts of his father their Crowne to them that he will not tarry nor waite long but his anger will be kindled and then there followes nothing but woe perishing death And least he be angry it strongly implies that he will be angry and angry to the purpose with all those that will not readily and quickly hearken to him inflicting no lesse punishment upon them than perishing eternall death 2 The Consideration of the sad condition we shall be in if his wrath be kindled but a little and ye perish from the way When his wrath is kindled but a little Here 's a perishing woe now his wrath is kindled and kindled but a little there 's no way but death how dangerous is it to provoke the Son in this day when a little kindling of his wrath will perish our soules How strongly ought this to work upon us to move us to make hast and meet him in the way least his wrath be kindled but a little and he accuse us to the Judge not owning us before his father and our portion be to perish with the hypocrite and unbeliever And perish from the way another piece of the Motive and an aggravation of our sin if we hearken not to it While this Exhortation sounds in our eares we are in the way to happinesse the day of Salvation is not quite spent and gone the night hath not yet totally ceazed upon us but if our dull and stubborne hearts by not closing with his gratious motions kindle his wrath but a little we perish the day of salvation is cut off from us the night of judgement and wrath ceazes upon us and we are undone for eternity 3 A Promise of Blessednesse Blessed are all they that put their trust in him Here 's love indeed Come submit to me put your trust in me and I will blesse you if the consideration of my aptnesse to be angry in this day and how dangerous it is to have my wrath kindled but a little if this will not move you but you rather though unworthily and irrationally count me a hard Master yet let this prevaile with you that you shall get no lesse than blessednesse by trusting in me yea none shall goe without it but all they that trust in me shall be blessed yea and be blessed with the highest blessings with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places yea with blessednesse in the abstract BLESSED are all they that put their trust in me blessednesse it selfe the Fountaine of blessednesse shall be their Portion And now come come and be blessed made really happy if you will not hearken to this I have nothing more to say Blessed are all they that put their trust in him With these words the blessed Lamb of God closes up his mouth and goeth about his fathers work From hence we may Observe 1 That although this Decree be concerning the total Amotion of all the Kingdomes of this world and their being given to the Lord Christ yet it must be declared with abundance of love to the soules of men exhorting all to repentance and submission to the Son that they may be blessed 2 That None are exempted no not the greatest of sinners from the benefit of this Exhortation For our Lord directs his speech chiefly and in the first place to his greatest enemies the Kings and Judges of the earth that set themselves and take counsell together against him and his Be wise O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the earth What encouragement is here to all and the greatest of sinners to hearken unto this voyce and come under his healings and they shall be blessed 3 We may here behold The abundant riches of free grace and the immense greatnesse of the love of Christ to sinners That notwithstanding the great and unheard of aggravations of the sins of the Rulers of the world at this
hath been already proved God will not permit them to act their Counsells but while they are in Counsell he will speak to them in his wrath Now Counsell being a close-cabinet act though day may be discerned through a little cranny yet it 's a hard work at present to prove it clearly to the understandings of others but when they come to this height have brought their Counsells as they think ready to put in execution crying out for action LET VS c. then this will appear to be a truth to those that will not believe it now and those who now are counted the fooles uncharitable rash spirits of the Times will be found guided by a spirit of wisedome and truth 2 That these Rulers not being tyed up by Satan or their owne consciences and principles to any Rules of practice all is left to their wisedome and counsell they will act suitable to the present interest of their state and condition Their bounds in that respect are larger to range in then ever any of the worlds Rulers had given them before they will turne themselves into any shape or form to please men to keep them within the bounds of their Rule and Dominion all this and much more is couched under that significant COVNSELL in the first Verse of the Psalme they are well skill'd in the turnings and windings of the wylie Serpent which practice of theirs makes things so dubious and hardly discernable by the understandings of men 3 The present actings of these Rulers against some of the most endeared servants of our Lord Jesus signifies not a little to us concerning this matter Consider seriously for it concernes us not a little â—o to doe the true ground and reason of their so unworthy dealings with and rough sinfull handling of them It weighs nothing that these Rulers put an ugly Vizzard on their face representing them to the world as cloven-footed Devils evill doers for this hath been the course of Sarans instruments ever since the world began thereby to deprâ—sse the truth that their falshood and error might take place Herein these Rulers resemble their predecessors the Heathens and Kings of the earth for which they shall together with them and their Companions be called to account ere long when things will appear as indeed and in truth they are not as these Rulers would now have them I say let our hearts ponder the true reason of present actings and we shall be sensible of the truth of the Assertion 4 Let us consider daily and make a narrow and thorow search into the actions of these Rulers with the naturall tendency of them and get a Serpents wisedome with the innoceny of the Dove and we shall not need that any man should teach us in this matter I shall close up this discourse with one word to the Saints the followers of the Lamb in these evill dayes To you the followers of your dear Lord Jesus in this evill day of Apostacy You have here something set before you of your work God the father hath commanded you to doe and your Lord the Son expects should be done by you for him in this your day also the Qualifications hinted at that will enable you to performe this work according to the will and mind of your God and father Further you have it also hinted to you that you are already entred into the confines of the work of this day the Lord hath drawne over you to the view of the world if they shut their eyes and will not see the greater will their condemnation be an Emblem of that strange and glorious work he is now about to performe and bring to passe in the world The waters of this Sanctuary are risen almost to your ankles Now give me leave to exhort you the bosome friends of our Lord Jesus Follow your Leader the spirit of your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ passe through and through the waters of the Sanctuary that they may not onely wash you to your ankles and knees but to your loynes all over stay not your course till you come to the unpassable overflowings of the spirit that you cannot passe till you are taught to swim in that River of God or after the example of your Lord to walk upon those holy waters doing the will of your God and father and keep in the way of the promise and these things also shall be given you Consider your worke and get an exact and distinct knowledge of that work your Lord and Master hath cut out for you to doe in this day of his Controversie with the world and its professing Rulers and mind the Qualifications ordained to be bestowed upon you to enable you to performe that great work to the praise and glory of grace Let me who am lesse then the least of all Saints yet let me beg of you these few things 1 Flee all flashinesse and flagings of spirit let not the predominancy of such infirmities over you give the world occasion to conceit the sword of the Lord in your mouths and hands signifies but a vaine flourish is grounded on nothing but the airey fancies of men but by a holy and steady perseverance in taking up your Crosse dayly and following your Lord give the world good ground to fear that it 's the sword of the great God wherewith he will plead with all flesh and the rod of his mouth wherewith he will smite the earth and the breath of his lips wherewith he will slay the wicked Isa 11.4 Having put your hand to the Plow look not back having entred into the work make not the least retreat now you are running out of her over whom the Lords judgements and wrath are impending which he will put in execution ere long let not your hearts backslide Remember Lots wife least you also be turned into pillars of salt made a savoury example of the judgement and wrath of the great and jealous God to work in those that shall come after you a savoury spirit fit for the work you perish from 2 Get clear of this world make a seasonable and timely retreat into your Chambers Gods hiding place into the clefts of the Rock that you may be hid from the wrath of God which is coming upon the world Behold the spirit of God himselfe makes this Exhortation to you Isa 26.20 21. Come my people enter thou into thy Chambers and shut thy doores about thee hide thy selfe as it were for a little moment untill the indignation be overpast For behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity the earth also shall disclose her blood and shall no more cover her slaine The Lord having told us what great changes and destructions he will bring upon the earth gives us in these two verses a loving invitation with prevalent Motives to hide our selves while that his great wrath be over-past I say Get clear of this world our Lord tells us It 's
impossible for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of heaven for one whose heart is touched with and cleaves to the present evill world to be an inheriter of the world to come which God hath promised as a reward to the faithfull followers of the Lamb True in this day you must ask a world Heathens for an inheritance and utmost parts of the earth for a possession but not this present world for your selves but another for the Son your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ yet for your comfort know you are not under an exclusion for you must ask a world for Christ as he is your head your King that from him you may receive according to the Decree of God what your portion is Of his fullnesse you may and shall receive grace for grace He that hath in this old world been faithfull over a few things which the Lord hath given him in charge shall in the new world to come be made Ruler over many things and enter into the joy of his Lord Mat. 25.21 And every one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my names sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life Mat. 19.29 But he that doth not by the exercise of a faithfull spirit make such a retreat out of the world shall perish in the ruines of this world If our spirits be right the counterpaine of the spirit of our Lord in this day our prayer to our God and father will be for the utter dissolution of this old world and the bringing forth the new Heavens and new Earth promised for the performance of those glorious and admirable Promises which the God and father of our Lord Jesus hath made concerning this matter Now if our hearts be not wholly taken off this present evill world that voyce Come out of her my people will seem to us as the speech of righteous Lot to his Sons in Law as the speech of one that mocketh and not hearkening to it we shall perish with the world at best if any such temper'd soule be saved it will be as by fire he will suffer great losse What advantage then can the enjoyment of this present evill world be unto us 3 Take not up your rest in any attainment though you may have taken many a step in following your Lord and gotten on high above the world and it may be the rest of your brethren yet take not up your rest there but keep on your pace endeavouring daily to mend it in following the Lamb be not contented nor satisfied with any thing below the sitting downe together with your Lord and Saviour at the right hand of glory in those Mansions of the fathers house which your Lord is gone before to prepare for you and hath promised to come againe to receive you that where he is you may be also Rest not untill you see your Lord the Son of man sit in the Throne of his glory and then shall you sit upon Thrones also Mat. 19.28 I say take not up your rest in any attainment otherwise you will be of the number of those first which shall be last in vers 30. Those that are lag now will get before you to your great regret of spirit and as in the next Chapter a part of those many which be called but not chosen to the work of the day and so you will run a great hazard of missing that glorious reward the gift of your Lord To raigne together with him 4 Remember this That in this day in the carrying on the work your Lord hath put into your hands there must be no guile found in your mouth you must be without fault before the Throne of God Your Lord expects you should exercise such sincerity of spirit in your following him in this work as that you be not defiled with any of that guile that hypocrifie and doublenesse of heart and tongue the worlds mouth hath alwayes been filled with In the matters of the Kingdome of your Lord and his out-goings against the world in this day you must be without guile and without fault so clear as that God sitting on his Judgement Throne may see no fault in you without fault before the Throne of God Let it be so and when your Lord comes you will hear his blessed voyce calling unto you Well done good and faithfull servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. 5 Would you be such as God will teach knowledge and make knowne his mind to in such a day of wrath as this is Then it 's not my counsell but the Lords be weaned from the milke and drawne from the breasts Isa 28.9 Whom shall be teach knowledge and whom shall be make to understand doctrine or the stammeringe of lips as the margent hath it at this day them that are weaned from the milke and drawne from the breasts Be yee weaned from the milk of the worldly carnall professing Church be drawn from the breasts of her consolation and the Lord will teach you knowledge and make you to understand doctrine there shall not be a stammering of the lip in the things of God in this your day but the Lord will make you acquainted with it to the understanding of it Instead of her milk and her adulterous breasts he will give you the teachings of his good spirit making you intimately acquainted with his blessed everlasting Gospel Though he withdraw from the worldly professing Church that his word is but here a little and there a little among them as he formerly dealt with the carnall yet professing Church of Ephraim though his word hath been among them precept upon precept precept upon precept and line upon line line upon line but now it 's but here a little and there a little the Lord is gotten to the threshold off their house and is departing quite away from them I say notwithstanding this he will manifest himselfe to you if you be weaned from their milk and drawne from their breasts separate your selves from have nothing to doe with the worldly though professing Church he that hath made this Promise will performe it for he is faithfull let who can charge him in the least with the breach of any tittle of his word and promise 6 Be upon your watch that you let not slip the nick of time God gives you to and he expects you should doe your worke in The time when God expects you should receive his Son and exalt him among you as your King is then when he is rejected by the worlds refined Rulers and they enter into Associations Combinations against him to break his bands asunder and cast away his cords this is the time for you to stand up and declare for the Decree of God the father on the behalfe of your Lord and Saviour and the very nick of time which you are not upon your perill to let slip as you will answer before his father and your father is then when these wicked yet professing Rulers are going about to execute their abominable Counsells crying LET VS let us doe it break his bands and cast away his cords then it 's your work and duty to stand up and cleave to your King follow him whithersoever he will lead you I say slip not your time for it concernes you if you will not owne him now before the world you will run a desperate hazzard that he will not owne you before his father and then what misery and unhappinesse will betide you Let your owne enlightned consciences judge Lastly Beware of unbelief the mother of all evill and misery though you should get to the very borders of the land of Promise and the providence the voyce of God call you to encounter with your enemies to remove every let and obstruction in the way to your full possession yet unbelief is able to drive you back into the wildernesse againe if you take not great heed would you not returne to your wildernesse Companions the Bryars and the Brambles would you not have that mournfull ditty heard in your mouths againe Woe is me that I sojourne in Mesech that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar then flee all unbelief that mortall enemy of your happinesse unbelief of the truths and mysteries of the Sons Kingdome is the Characteristicall sin of the times immediately before the coming of Christ When he comes shall he find faith on earth This interrogation is a strong affirmation of the truth of the negative He shall not find faith on earth The Son had in the preceding words asserted the faithfullnesse of God in the certainty of his avenging his Elect which cry day and night unto him yet saith he Neverthelesse when the Son of man cometh shall be find faith ou earth In that time when God is about to spread abroad his faithfullnesse in making bare his arme to answer all the cryes and prayers of his people to avenge them of their enemies yea even when the Son of man is a coming to make good the word of his blessed father Shall be find faith on earth That is He shall not find faith on earth Men will not believe that it 's the time of Gods performing his Promises the face of things appear so through the counter-working of the evill one the man of sin and his instruments to the meerly rationall eye that in this very time when the Son of man is coming to avenge the Elect of God which cry day and night unto him the men of the world become mockers saying Where is the Promise of his coming all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation And others that would be esteemed the better sort they cry out The time is not come The time is not come They believe not the word of the Kingdome Beware of this unbelief least you loose the comfort of this coming of the Son when other faces shine with the joyes of the Spirit yours be bedew'd with teares the sad fruit of this defiling unbeliefe THE END
A BRIEF EXPOSITION VPON THE SECOND PSALME Wherein wee have That Time Modestly pointed at by the favourable direction of that significant THEN in the 5th v. in which the Father will in Wrath to the professing refined RULERS of the World Set His SONNE on SION AND A Description of the work the Son then performeth both by his Spirit and his Mysticall Body With usefull Observations thereupon Tending to clear up the scope of the whole Psalme With Application to our Times By WILLAM LLANVAEDONON of P. H. C. Repent yee for the Kingdome of Henven is at hand Mat. 3.2 But the Saints of the most High shall TAKE the Kingdome and POSESSE the Kingdome for ever even for ever and ever Dan. 7.18 LONDON Printed for Livewell Chapman at the Crowne in Popes-head-Alley 1655. THE AUTHOR TO THE READER THERE is a Time wherein God will speak to the Rulers of the World the professing Rulers the Rulers in Jerusalem by a vers 11. A STAMMERING LIPP a stuttering tongue in the 28th of Esay in such a manner as though this stammering lipp tell them b vers 12. This is the Rest wherewith yee may cause the weary to rest and this is the refreshing though it shew them the way to attaine a sure and certaine Rest to settle themselves upon an everlasting foundation yet c vers 12. They will not heare God withdrawes from them that notwithstanding his word hath been d vers 13. Precept upon precept and line upon line it 's now but here a little and there a little among them But although the word of God come forth into the world at this time in such a stammering weak posture that it 's despised and set at nought by the Rulers of the world those e vers 14. Scornfull men yet it 's the Power of God the breath of this STAMMERING LIPP smites these Scorners to the earth Behold what a Sermon of Terrors this stuttering tongue preacheth to these Rulers in Jerusalem from the 14 to the 23 Verse These Rulers are pleasing and hugging themselves in their owne wayes with their Covenants and Agreements Associations of Peace as the most safe and unerring way to their settlement Say they f vers 15. We have made a Covenant with death our strongest enemies and with hell the torment of a conquered condition are we at agreement that shall never befall us When the overflowing scourge shall passe through it shall not come unto us for we have made lyes high pretences for God and his glory for the welfare and peace of Jerusalem our refuge and under falshood have we hid our selves As confident as these Rulers seem to be yet this weak stammering lipp overcomes them conquers them g vers 18 19 20. Your Covenant with death shall be disanull'd and your agreement with hell shall not stand the overflowing scourge shall overftow and tread you downe it shall be a vexation to you to understand the report the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himselfe in it and the covering narrower than he can rap himselfe in it And the Lord shall doe this by laying in h vers 16. Sion for a foundation a stone a tryed stone a pretious corner stone a sure foundation Laying i vers 17. Judgement to the line and righteousnesse to the plumet Sending a showre of haile to sweep away the refuge of lyes and causing the waters to overflow the hiding place All your fine pretences and curious slights of wisedome those garnisht coverings under which you hide your evill intentions from the eyes of men are now too narrow to hide you you are discovered thus your bed is become too short for you those faire and spetious designs of yours which you thought would prove as a bed of Downe whereon you might rest your weary bones are become too short that it 's a become a sufficient vexation to you to understand the report the wisedome of God in this STAMMERING LIPP is got beyond you to your great regret and misery and least these men should in their hearts make it an impossibility these things should be brought to passe saith the same stammering lipp k vers 21 22. The Lord stall rise up as in Mount Perazim he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon that he may doe his work his strange worke and bring to passe his act his strange act And now therefore be ye not Mockers lest your bands be made strong for I have heard from the Lord of Hosts a consumption even determined upon the whole earth This Message God sends to these Rulers by a stammering lipp here a little and there a little l vers 13. that they may goe and fall backward and be broken and snared and taken There 's no way to avoyd this judgement of the wrath of God but by listening to these stammerings of the lipp spelling the mind of God out of them bending our hearts to a conformity to it And now Courteous Reader all my ambition is that these few Meditations I here present thee with may prove a piece of that stammering lipp by which God speaks to the world Surely I can promse thee no more than a company of stammerings O that our Lord Jesus would cause something of his fathers mind to be spell'd out of them that some glory may redound to his holy name then shall I have my aime and I shall possesse a dram of that joy which none can be able to deprive me of Neither despise nor reject them because they are but stammerings for you see by the fore-mentioned Scripture the Lord in wrath to the worlds pretending Rulers chooseth a stammering lipp to speak forth his mind to the world so that if we would in such a day as the Prophet makes mention of be acquainted with the will of our God we must sit downe under the Oratory of that stuttering tongue therefore how greatly doth it concern us to search and try every thing and hold fast that which is good I might have enlarged abundantly throughout the whole of this work but upon severall considerations I have chosen rather to hint and point at things as well as I could than to dilate upon them The good Lord water what hath been done with his rich blessing and then a fruitfull crop of honour to our dear Lord King Jesus will spring forth The God and Father of our Lord grant it Farewell MEDITATIONS On the SECOND PSALME THE Psalmist David that sweet Singer of Israel was a man after Gods owne heart as is elswhere testified of him and God knowing that he would make such an improvement of the discoveries of what he would doe in the world as would be very suitable to the heart of God according as he dealt with his Father Abraham of old and to his Promise he keeps not his secrets from him but reveales to him things to come what he would doe in the last dayes a Conference between the
and his anointed shall have their due and their right And to CAST AWAY THEIR CORDS what though these cords be the most righteous holy and wholesome Lawes of the great Jehovah that will blesse those with the greatest happinesse that live in unfeigned obedience to them that the Lord and his anointed would impose on them for their owne good and salvation they will none of them but take counsell to cast them away scorning and deriding them as a burden too heavy for man to bear a yoke not fit for the neck of such a free Creature as man is Breake their bands and cast away their cords that they may have no power over them that they may be their subjects and not their Lords that they may not intrench upon their Dominion nor deprive them of their worldly enjoyments 6 THEN when they TAKE COVNCELL Before they proceed to act when upon consultation they are ready to goe forth in all their might crying LET VS breake their bands c. Then God will arise and shew himselfe he will not suffer them to act their counsels least they prevaile but while they are in counsell he will take them to task and let them find he can in wrath tumble them into those pits and snares they have digged for others 7 THEN when the Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsell together against the Lord and his anointed The order of the words in that the Holy Ghost brings in the Kings setting themselves and the Rulers taking counsell together before he tells us against whom seems to me to be of sufficient force to perswade us that here is a hint given us by the Holy Ghost of another confederacy that there shall be some agreement between the remaining Kings of the earth or at least some of them and these Rulers against the Lord and his anointed and then will God arise bear with them no longer but speak to them in his wrath Lastly THEN when their Counsells shall be guilty of such a degree of Apostacy as moves God to laugh at them when they set at naught the counsell and reproof of God which surely is contain'd in those bands and cords they reject then will God deale with them in that dreadfull manner mentioned Prov. 1.24 ult Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regardded But ye have set at nought all my counsell and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your feare cometh When your feare cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlewind when distresse and anguish cometh upon you Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seeke me early but they shall not find me For that they hated knowledge and did not chuse the feare of the Lord they would none of my counsell they despised all my reproofe Therefore shall they eate of the fruit of their owne way and be filled with their owne devises for the turning away of the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of fooles shall destroy them And when the abomination of their counsells come to that height that God shall have them in derision which is somewhat more then to laugh It may possibly be that a man may laugh at one and that in anger too whom he yet loves but to laugh with derision argues perfect hatred When their counsells and doings against the Lord thus provoke the eyes of his glory THEN shall be speake to them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure And if we would know when God will thus laugh at them and have them in derision The answer is plaine in the Text he will doe it upon their taking counsel to break their bands asunder and to cast away their cords from them when the cry is Let us breake their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh the Lord shall have them in derision Thus we see what a multitude of plaine Characters the Holy Ghost hath given of that time wherein God will come upon the world and doe such great things for his Son who he hath made Lord and set at his right hand and his anointed ones When we see these Characters written on the foreheads of the high ones of the earth then we may safely say without haesitation That God will suddenly come in wrath and fury take their Dominion away and give it to that rejected corner stone whose right it is to raigne Let us now make a stand and by a serious review see what may be observed as a beneficiall Lesson for us to learne 1 That in these latter dispensations men may fill up the measure of their iniquity and bring judgement upon their Generation by a bare taking counsell against the Lord and his anointed When the Rulers take counsell together then God will speake unto them in wrath 2 How Great matter of Comfort is it to the people of God the followers of the Lamb that their father is so far from suffering their enemies to prevaile against them in these last dayes that All that ever they can doe cannot prevaile to breake one band asunder that is so as to free themselves from it to settle themselves upon another foundation but while they are taking counsell together God comes and gives them the rout let 's them heare his mighty voyce in wrath that they run to the holes of the rock and cry to the mountaines and to the hills to hide them from the tempest of his fury He will take the crafty in their owne snares though they take counsell to draw the Lords people into their snares and to throw them into the pits they have digged yet shall they not be able to bring it to passe but they themselves shall be taken with and fall into them then the scourge shall teach them Nebuchadnezzar's lesson That the most high rules in the Kingdomes of men In former times his long-sufferance was much he lets them goe on to rage and madnesse to open and bold yea and prevalent acting setting themselves against them but now his patience will waite no longer he will deale with them before they are well warme in their counsells He will cut the worke short in righteousnesse because a short worke will the Lord make upon the earth those dayes shall be shortned for the Elect's sake 3 What a darke and distracting day is this day When such men as these Rulers have appear'd to be having followed the Lamb so far to the cutting off some of the Kings of the earth and proclaiming the Lord to be King made his cords his Lawes to become their bands binding themselves with them as hath been open'd at large when such men shall now turne head and deale subtilly with the Lord and his anointed taking counsell against them What a darke day of Apostacy is this day The Dragon is able to
cast downe a third part of the Stars to the earth and when the Stars fall from heaven what bitternesse will betide the Children of men Without question these Rulers by their malevolent influence will throw downe many who have been as shining lights to the losse of their glorious profession How great will be the distracting darknesse of this day When the cunning of these Counsellors working underboard not shewing openly their intentions shall amuse men that the most sharp-sighted observer can scarcely discerne the temper of the times so as to demonstrate the truth of his observation to the understanding of others for we must remember that Satan now is at his last game though men refuse to worship the Beast and to receive his mark yet if they keep but within the number of his name he will esteem them as his good subjects and be therewith content Here are Devils in the shape of Saints carrying things in such a posture as that almost all men are in a maze not knowing what to dream the issue of things will be surely this day may truly be called neither day nor night neither Satans night of darknesse nor Gods day of light in which men not having light enough to see clearly nor wisedome enough to light up their Candles goe poreing in the dark ready to stumble at every straw of infirmity they meet with in the sincere hearts of the times in the mean while hazard a choaking swallowing downe the Camels of State abominations yet notwithstanding all this God hath promised that at evening time it shall be light What a distracting day of division is this among Gods own people When some good soules exercising their charity shall consider the Rulers former good actions and plead them with their apprehensions of their present good intentions in what they doe to those who being of a quicker insight into the state of businesses shall discover and assert their Apostacies to perswade them into a favourable construction of their proceedings and when on the other side those who retaining their sincerity in the life of it being enlightened by the spirit of God in the worke of the day both as to the work God would have done and the counter-workings of the evill one shall cry out amaine against those abominations that God may not be without witnesse to the vindication of his honour which men would lay in the dust what inward fends and heart-burnings What breach of all Gospel rules will be the sad fruit of this dismall day Let none say these things are far fetcht and have no connexion with the Text if men will seriously with unbiassed judgements weight the ground-work I conceive they cannot but see these things a necessary deduction from the premises 4 The great faithfullnesse and love of God to his Son Jesus Christ his anointed one that although out of his long-suffering he bore long with men in their actings against his Son in the contest concerning his Priestly and Propheticall Office though then at his appointed time he met with them to their confusion yet when it comes to the matter of his Kingdome which the father is so strongly engaged to give him and wherein his honour and glory is so abundantly concerned THEN will he waite no longer but even while they are taking counsell while they are but thinking of it while they are consulting the wisest and most feasible way to bring to passe their purposes it so enrages the eyes of his glory to behold it that he will not suffer them to break so much as a piece of a band but he will make bare his arme and speak to them in wrath by the mighty working of his power The Lord will breake the staffe of the wicked and the Scepter of the Rulers 5 It 's worthy our observation That those who bring up the reare of the enemies of the Lord and his anointed are Counsellors Or if you will thus That the last and so the most subtill refined designe of Satan against the Lord and his anointed is managed by A COVNCILL They take counsell together such as having the example of all the feates of policy former times have brought forth and the advantage of that patterne of prudence and wisedome the old subtill Serpent hath been drawing from the beginning of the world to this day shall be so crafty and wylie as that God by that shall be engaged to rouse up himselfe in his might least they prevaile The Rulers of the world taking counsell become wise against the Lord and his anointed Their excesse in humane wisedome and policy engages God to shew forth the super-excellency of his Divine wisedome being above them in that wherein they deale proudly 6 Although the fins of these Rulers be not so grosly prophane as their predecessors but their thred is of a finer spin yet they are guilty of such aggravations as the Lord Jesus cannot brooke They provoke him him who is the onely Mediator for sinners that he will not speak one word to his father on their behalfe Though God come with fury in his face asking the reason of their doings why is it so and his wrath wax hot against them we see our Lord Jesus appears not pleads not a sillable for them we read not a word of his intercession in this place Formerly notwithstanding their sins were more grosse and far greater in themselves to the slaying the Lord of glory he prayes Father forgive them for they know not what they doe and the Martyrs as Stephen did could beg on behalfe of their murderers Lord lay not this sin to their charge But now men are become wise knowing sinners against his glory Hypocrites be hath not a word to speak for them all that he will doe is to declare the Decree I will declare the Decree to the world and them if they will hear well but if not they shall feele his wrath and perish from the way 7 That when the world and its Rulers come to this manner and measure of sin they are excluded the intercession of Christ he prayes not for them neither is it the fathers mind he should when God puts him upon asking it 's not any thing for them but their possessions and usurpations for himselfe and a rod of iron to punish and destroy them and so the prayers of the Saints We ought not to pray for them and for that for whom and for which Christ prayed not his intercession ought to be the patterne of our prayers otherwise our petitions are not acceptable for in his beloved he accepts us It hath been severall times at this passe with the world Pray not thou for this people neither lift up cry nor prayer for them neither make intercession to me for I will not hear thee God loves not to hear his people make such requests he hath no mind to grant Though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my mind could not be towards this people cast them out of my sight and
against him and shall you prosper in your Apostacies and rebellions against him I would not bear with their superstition and shall I now connive at your hypocrisies Shall I suffer and permit you to keep the Kingdome from him and to interrupt the performance of my Promises No know I speak it to you in my wrath Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion 3 Because it will destroy all their Idols deprive them of all their dear enjoyments their powers with their pomp and glory to which their heart cleaves so close this sword of Christs mouth will smite them all their Idols of gold and their Idols of silver and their Idols of honour c. all these will it consume And their Kingdomes must become the Kg domes of the Lords Christ and all their Dominion and the greatnesse the glory of it shall be given to the Saints of the most high those whom they have trampled upon and to whom they have been so barbarously ungratefull These things trouble and vex these Rulers that they gnaw their tongues for anguish and paine And surely this is a day of great wrath indeed as when two Kings and both strong are striving for a Crowne it 's likely to be a day of great wrath a bloody day So this day for behold what a feast will God make on this day For the Fowles that flye in the midst of heaven the flesh of Kings the flesh of Captaines and mighty men the flesh of Horses and of them that sit on them the flesh of all men both free and bond both small and great We may conclude from these things 1 It 's not unsuitable to a Gospel spirit to denounce the wrath of God against Rulers for their Apostacies and abhominable hypocrisies yea and to deale particularly with them laying the finger on the sore pointing out the Abominations by name denouncing the vengeance of God upon them For we see here how particularly God characteriseth these Rulers laying open all their abominations speaking to them in wrath And surely this also as the rest of the Scripture is written for our instruction 2 It 's no wonder that the Rulers of the world are troubled at and moved against the Gospel of the Kingdome for here God saith He will speak it to them in wrath and vex them with it in his sore displeasure 3 It 's not so much the infirmities of the Saints accompanying the delivery of their message to the world or any other circumstance about it that troubles and vexes the Rulers let them pretend what they will as the doctrine it selfe when it 's rightly asserted and thorowly opened as that which is at hand and ought to be submitted to without delay O! how doth it trouble and vex them to heare of the coming of King Jesus to depose them of their usurpations and take the Kingdome to himselfe If it troubled Herod and all Jerusalem with him when they heard of this Kings first coming meek and lowly how then think we will it not much more trouble the Kings and Rulers of the earth to hear of his second coming in power and the glory of his Sion It cannot be otherwise for God saith he will trouble and vex them with an I have set my King upon my holy hill of Sion 4 When the Rulers come to this height of ungratefull wickednesse to take counsell against the Lord and his anointed to break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from them THEN is the time of Gdos wrath come to that Generation he will speake to them in wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure 5 That before such time as God enters into judgement with the rest of the Kings of the earth and that Whore mystery Babylon the great whom they uphold God Judges these Rulers he speaks to them in wrath to them in particular to them that Take counsell against the Lord and his anointed For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim he shall be wroth as in the Valley of Gibeon that he may doe his worke his strange worke and bring to passe his act his strange act Awake awake put on strength O arme of the Lord awake as in the ancient dayes in the Generations of old 2 Here 's the work of Gods love and faithfulnesse to his Son in these words Yet have I set my King upon Sion the hill of my holinesse as it is in the margent of the Bible YET have I c. As if God had said Notwithstanding your taking counsell against him and his anointed and that you have so far proceeded managing your businesse so wisely to the very heighth and depth of wisedome as to make your selves formidable in your owne eyes thinking you have gotten strength and power sufficient to put your counsels in practice crying Let us breake their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us yet have I set my King upon Sion the hill of my holinesse Though you take counsell against him to make the way to his Kingdome as thorny difficult and perillous as you can though you be so ungratefull and unfaithfull to forsake and take counsell against him and his yet will not I be so to my beloved Son YET have I set my King upon Sion the hill of my holinesse Yet have I set MY KING Though these Rulers will not make him a King yet God will My King though they reject him would breake his bands and cast away his cords that he might not raigne over them yet God hath made him a King and given him a Kingdome He it is who must goe forth conquering and to conquer destroying all his enemies breaking them to pieces like a Potters vessel plucking up every plant that his father hath not planted throwing downe all those superstructures that are not of his owne building creating new Heavens and a new Earth A New Creation making it a suitable purchase to the unvaluable price of his blood clothing it with his glory that it may be a fit present for his father at the appointed time Yet have I set my King upon SION That is the Church of Christ by Sion is meant the Church throughout the whole Scripture that I suppose is granted by all therefore I need not enlarge upon it Yet have I set my King upon Sion the HILL of my holinesse Why a hill A hill is a place of great advantage on which if an Army be encamped it may be an impossible thing for the enemy to dislodge them So God here sets his King upon his Hill his Church a place of such advantage that God doth if I may so expresse it even vaunt it over these Rulers that he hath notwithstanding their oppositions policies stratagems and wisedome set his King upon his hill where he is a naile fastened in a sure place on which all the vessels may hang secure and safe such a place as his being fixt there frustrates all their designes undoes all their contrivements and
this Decree concerning the Kingdome of the Son fully according to the due import of A Declaration in the eares of the whole world yea that the Kings and Judges of the earth may heare and feare and tremble If men or Devils in men besmear them with the spurious conceptions of their owne filthy hearts what matters it They have the pure water of the word at hand to wash off all that dirt It 's the work of Christ in this day of his fathers love I will declare the Decree that which he will doe by his body his Mysticall Members and men cannot duely nor rightly charge his holy ones with sin or folly in this their obedience to their Lord It 's the work of Christ to declare it in Sion by his spirit and it 's the work of Sion as the Instrument in his hand to declare it againe to the world in opposition to the Kings and Rulers thereof in their usurpations upon the Royall interest and Prerogative of Jesus King of Sion 3 That this Declaration is published in the time of the fathers wrath neither is this expression of the Sons love without some tokens of displeasure The world and the powers thereof have so slighted trampled upon and provoked the Son as he will not speak one word for them to plead their cause with his father but by his silence suffers his fathers wrath to break forth speaking to them in wrath and vexing them in his sore displeasure The father having by his Almighty power set his King on Sion and he being ready to over-run the world with the execution of his fathers just displeasure his heart being tender his bowels rowle within him towards poore sinners he must declare the Decree with an Exhortation if now at last they will come in submit to him and he will blesse them yet it 's very hasty and ends with the harsh sound of a threating in case of a non-sudden-acceptance there 's a tang of the fathers wrath and the Sons provoked displeasure goes along with it the clearest sun-shine of this day is clouded with symptomes and tokens of wrath and displeasure then it 's no wonder if God judicially throw stumbling-blocks in the way of this Generation in this day that they may not hearken to the voyce of his Son but stumble and fall and perish 4 The father having decreed to give the whole world to his Son Heathens for an inheritance and utmost parts of the earth for a possession it must of necessity be that all the GREAT possessors of this earthen world will prove his enemies and the declaration of this Decree will set the world on fire fill it with a fiery fury The heavens shall passe away with a great noyse and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up 5 That this is no rebellious nor strange word but a doctrine becoming the Gospel and Gospel times to proclaime the War of the Lord against all the enemies of Christ it 's the mind of the father for this is part of the Decree which the Son hath engaged to declare Thou shalt breake them with a rod of iron and dash them to pieces like a potters vessell 6 That this day is a day of great supplication and prayer ASKE of me saith God the father commands to aske upon such an encouraging account as that it provokes Christ and his followers to lye hard at the Throne of grace for the performance of the fathers Promises saith God ASKE and I will give ASKE or you cannot receive but ASKE and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession If God command to aske upon such an account how can it be but his people will obey with rejoycing filling the Heavens with their cryes And can we think Christ will not fill the Censor with these odours and offer them up upon the Altar as a sweet perfume to God his father and then what voyces what thunderings lightnings and Earth-quakes will this fire from the Altar fill the earth with These will fill the Vials of Gods wrath and send the Angels out of the Temple to poure them out upon the world 7 Here 's a direction for prayer in this day It 's the will of the father the prayers of the Saints should be chiefly and in the first place for the glory of Christ that he may have Heathens for an Inheritance and utmost parts of the earth for a possession And for vengeance and ability to execute the wrath of God upon the world secondarily meerly as a means to accomplish the former by removing lets and hindrances out of the way Their heart in prayer to their father ought to run out chiefly for the glory of Christ and surely if the world would be converted and turne to God it would redound much to the honour of our Lord Jesus therefore Christ undertakes to declare the Decree tells them the whole sum of the matter with Exhortation to come in to him that they may be blessed with everlasting happinesse but if they will not hearken to this voyce of love then ASKE and thou shalt breake them with a rod of iron and dash them to pieces like a potters vessell 8 In this day the Intercession of Christ and so the prayers of the Saints will be of very high concernment of dangerous consequence to the world and worldly powers They reach at no lesse then the Crowns and Scepters of the world that the whole world may become the Lord Christs Heathens for an Inheritance and utmost parts of the earth for a possession As the Saints formerly prayed against the Heathens rage and the Kings open profanenesse in setting themselves against their Lord so they now pray as zealously against the Clandestine cunning Counsells of hypocriticall Apostate Rulers what though the men of the world and some deluded sincere hearts call it sin and grosse infirmity at the best leading to rebellion unwarrantable talking tending to nought but ruine it matters not they have the command of the great Jehovah for it ASKE of me saith he and I will give thee the Heathens ASKE of me and I will give thee the utmost parts of the earth ASKE of me and thou shalt breake them with a rod of iron and dash them to pieces like a potters vessell ASKE these things of me pray for them and I will give them 9 That in this day the perverse opposition of the worlds Saint-like Rulers to the Lord and his anointed will prove such as will compell them to ask of their father AN IRON ROD such an iron rod wherewith they may breake their enemies and dash them to pieces like a potters vessell And if they ask it he hath promised he will give it and that in their hand it shall doe his appointed work and then woe to the world for how great will the Vintage of Gods wrath upon the world be in
day yet he will have them exhorted and woed to come in unto him that they may be blessed by him yea further notwithstanding this day is a day of great wrath and the world have so provokt him as he cannot find in his heart to intercede for them although his father in wrath enquire into their actions yet with what love and grace and strong perswasions doth he exhort men to come and submit to him that he may blesse them He cannot be contented to see the worlds ruines and the destruction of soules before he hath made one Essay more pleading with the world to consider their present and future condition and accept of him upon his owne Tearmes that he may give Blessednesse to them yea though the wickednesse of this world in this day be such that it's flint hard and made so by love and mercy that our Lord is forc't to make a change alter his voyce from expressions and considerations of love to a threatning of and pointing to his direfull anger to try how that may work yet knowing it 's not the naturall tendency of such a voyce to work thorowly upon the hearts of men his love closes with a blessed Promise of blessednesse as he began his work here on earth in the dayes of his flesh with wonderfull unparallel'd expressions of love so will he finish his work here with the same glory he concludes with a large Promise of rich blessednesse How tender is the heart of Christ He speaks but two or three words that have symptomes of wrath and displeasure in them he hides his gracious and loving countenance but a moment and he can containe no longer but he must unvaile himselfe and appear in the glory of his Mediatorship It is as if he had said I have exhorted you to come and kisse me to submit to me least I be angry and you perish from the way but that hath but little operation upon you therefore now I display my glory before you doe but come to me believe on me trust in me depend and relye upon me onely and alone for happinesse forsake all your Idolls and every thing that is grievous and contrary to me and I will blesse you doe but trust me and I will doe it the father hath given me power to doe it and by that power I am able to doe it and my blood shall speake the willingnesse of my heart to doe it Who ever shed his blood for his enemies such enemies but I and if I had not lov'd them with such a love as would give them the greatest blessings I would never have done it And not one that doth thus trust and believe in me shall goe without the blessing all they that trust in me shall be blessed 4 That though these Kings and Rulers be guilty of most abominable wickednesse beyond all that ever were before them such as moves God to speak in wrath to them yet There 's hope of life and salvation for them if they will hearken to the Gospel of the Kingdome while it 's Preached to them in this Exhortation and kisse the Son before his wrath be kindled but a little 5 That in this day of the fathers wrath Nothing lesse than a hearty and thorow submission to the Son will please him and prevent his wrath breaking forth to our destruction KISSE the Son least he be angry 6 It 's No Treason against the Royall Law of King Jesus whatever it may be against the Lawes of men to seeke to draw men from their obedience to these wicked Kings and perverse Rulers to kisse the Son that they may be blessed with his everlasting blessings 7 That Men must be instructed in the wisedome of God and be filled with the graces and strength of the spirit before they can be inabled to come under the happy influence of this blessed Promise for we see that in order to this submission to the Son men are exhorted to be filled with wisedome and instruction to serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling and then Kisse the Son put your trust in him and you shall be blessed 8 That in this day notwithstanding the cunning deceits and curious coverings of the Rulers yet the Kings and Rulers of the earth and King Jesus are so diametrically contrary to each other in all their wayes and stations as that it is impossible for a man to serve them and be a friend to Christ The Exhortation is Kisse the Son that is kisse none but him give no obedience but to him yield subjection to none but to him alone Come out of her my people come from under obedience to the worlds and Antichrists Kings Rulers and Lawes and become the subjects of Christ submit to the Scepter of the Son Kisse the Son and then you shall be blessed 9 That this Exhortation with the Decree is indeed and in truth no other but the Gospel of the Kingdome the fore-runner of it which is Preached to the world immediately before it 's brought into the world to move them to submit to it when it comes and to call the chosen of God out of the world to prepare themselves to meet their Bridegroome 10 That this Gospel of the Kingdome must chiefly and in the first place be Preached to the Kings Rulers and Magistrates of the world Our Lord directs his speech first to them Be wise yee Kings be instructed yee Judges of the earth It must be preached to them in particular it 's Preached to the rest of the world as it were by the by they are put into the little word all at the very close of the Exhortation therefore how little cause will the Kings and Rulers of the world have to be wroth and angry with the Saints and people of God for preaching this doctrine to them although it sound so dreadfully in their eares You see their Authority they doe but their duty in it to follow their Lord and the dictates of his spirit who hath undertaken this work and they should perish together with you if they should hold their peace and break the Command of their Lord And their end is onely that you may be blessed if you hearken to it what a mighty aggravation of your sin will this be if you persecute oppose and take counsell against this doctrine and the publishers of it The wrath of the Son will be kindled against you and when it 's kindled but a little you perish from the way presently and that inevitably without remedy 11 The time of the Preaching this Gospel Is the evening of the Gospels repenting day The Son of righteousnesse is now setting apace as to sinners and he will arise againe with healings in his wings onely to those that put their trust in him If this voyce be not hearkened to his wrath will be kindled and all his enemies shall perish from the way of Blessednesse there 's no longer day for repentance they have lost the blessing and though with Esau they
should seek it with teares they shall find no place for it they shall hear this voyce no more but another Depart from me yee workers of iniquity I know you not after this voyce ceases there remaines nothing but a fearfull looking for of Judgement Therefore it highly concernes the whole world with their Kings and Rulers to be cautious how they stop their eares against this wise Charmers charming surely if they doe what horrors what terrors what a massie weight of wrath of the Almighty God! what unexpressible misery will be our portion for ever How unconceivably unsufferably tormenting all our long day of eternity will the recounting over all those opportunities and especially this we have had to make our peace with the jealous God and to get Christ to be our friend by an easie submision to him upon his owne tearms be This will be no small Worme gnawing our consciences to all eternity 12 It 's worthy our Observation That notwithstanding those symptomes of wrath and displeasure that appear here and there throughout the Exhortation Yet our Lord will have it end full of grace and love with a Promise full of blessednesse Though this Exhortation be made in a day of wrath and accompanied with wrath yet at evening time it shall be light the close of this day shall be with a very clear Gospel demonstration of the good will of God unto the soules of men so that if they hearken not unto him now they shall for ever after hold their peace be left without the least excuse not have a piece of a word to say for themselves although the wrath of God break forth upon them perishing and destroying their soules with eternall death The great Correspondency this Interpretation holds with other Scriptures that have relation to our times Now it remaines that I should doe these two things 1 Shew that great correspondency this Scripture with the Interpretation given of it holdeth with other Propheticall Scriptures that have speciall relation to these last dayes 2 Give my opinion and judgement according to the light the father of lights hath given to me where abouts we in this our day are that we may consider and know our work God expects at our hands For the first This Psalme according to the following comparison is contemporary with the 14th of the Revelation Psalme 2. From Vers 6. to the end Revelation 14. From Vers 1. to Vers 8. YEt have I set mine anointed upon Sion the hill of my holinesse as the Margent hath it I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Aske of me and I shall give thee the Heathen for thy inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potters vessell ANd I looked and loe a Lamb stood on the Mount Sion and with an hundred forty-foure thousand having his fathers name written in their foreheads And I heard a voyce from heaven as the voyce of many waters and as the voyce of a great thunder And I heard the voyce of Harpers harping with their Harps And they sung as it were a new song before the Throne and before the foure Beasts and the Elders and no man could learne that song but the one hundred forty-foure thousand which were redeemed from the earth these are they which were not defiled with women for they are Virgins These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth These were redeemed from among men being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb and in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the Throne of God Be wise now therefore O yee Kings be instructed yee Judges of the earth serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce with trembling Kisse the Son least he be angry and yee perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him And I saw another Angel fly in the midst of heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every Nation and Kindred and Tongue and People Saying with a loud voyce Feare God and give glory to him for the houre of his judgement is come and worship him that made heaven and earth and the Sea and the fountaines of waters In the Psalme the Holy Ghost shewes us the spetiall and peculiar posture the Son of God shall stand in at that Time upon Sion the hill of Gods Holinesse with the work he will then doe in his Sion Declare the Decree to them In the Revelation the same Spirit tells us the particular qualifications of this hill of Holinesse on which the father hath set his Son with the work the one hundred forty-foure thousand being so qualified fall to among themselves after the example of their Lord they sing a new song Againe In the Psalme the spirit of God describes the Preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdome in a speciall and peculiar manner to the Kings and Rulers of the earth In the Revelation the Holy Ghost deciphers to us the Preaching of the same Gospel in relation to the whole world in generall The Exhortation to the Kings and Rulers and the Gospel Preached to them that dwell on the earth is one and the same These two Scriptures thus compared together are an exact Comment upon each other The Psalme closes with an Exhortation the preaching this Everlasting Gospel This 14th of the Revelation goes on she wes us the work the Son doth being seated on Syon having his 144000 about him after he hath declared his fathers Decree after the everlasting Gospel is preached he destroyes Babilon layes that proud and lofty one in the dust pronounces them cursed and subjects of his fathers eternall wrath that worship the Beast and his Image and receive his Mark in their forehead and hand blesses them according to the last clause in the Psalme that dye in the Lord Yea proceeds to shew us his compleating Acts his Reaping the harvest and Treading the Wine-presse of his fathers wrath Now if any should be desirous to know further of the Time when God will set his King upon Sion the hill of his holinesse and when the Lamb will stand on Mount Sion with his 144000 about him I judge the father will doe that for his Son in that space of Time between the powring out of the third and fourth Vialls and the declaration of the Decree with the Exhortation annexed and the preaching the Everlasting Gospel will end if not before yet with the finishing Time of the fourth Viall My Reason is Because The declaration of the Decree with the Exhortation to the Kings and Judges of the earth is the product of the Sons being set on Sion as King and the preaching the Everlasting Gospel is the fruit of the Lambs standing on Mount Sion with his
144000 singing their new song now the end of all being to bring men to repentance exhorting them to turne to the true God worship him onely and submit to the Son that they may be blessed by him and this being a reall act in God intending the salvation of men it cannot be but all this must be done before the day of repentance and salvation is finishâ— and gone when the night cometh no man can worke and if so then it must of necessity be granted also that these things must be done before the fourth Viall is powered out for after that Viall is once gone forth there remaines no place for repentance the day of repentance and salvation is spent and gone for the Text expresly saith that men blasphemed the name of God and repented not to give him glory When the two Witnesses rise which we have good ground to believe will be at or before the powring out of the fourth Viall and execute some part of the wrath and judgements of God the day of repentance and salvation being not yet past over and gone it 's recorded Rev. 11.13 that the remnant of men left gave glory to the God of heaven a true and excellent fruit of true repentance but here the day of repentance and salvation being finisht and mens hearts hardened that is recorded also that men blasphemed and repented not to give him glory And in this 14th of the Revelation immediately upon the preaching of this Gospel Babilon Rome falls and suddenly upon the neck of that God by the mouth of an Angel pronounces them cursed without remedy that then worship the Beast and his Image and receive his marke and the Son of man followes with his sharp sickle reaps his harvest and gathers the Vine of the earth treads the wine-presse of the wrath of God What God may doe in a more than ordinary way with any particular soule I leave it but there 's no generall Time of repentance and salvation interveening these executions of the wrath of God when once the fourth Viall is powred out Not being able to answer these Reasons I am fully perswaded to believe the truth of this Assertion And whether Daniels little stone's smiting and the rise of the two Witnesses be not contemporary with Davids hill of Sion and John's Mount Sion Christ being seated on it whether all these Prophecies will not be fulfilled at one the same time yea whether they signifie not to us one and the same thing onely one one part of the work of God at that day another another part of it I leave to the serious consideration and narrow scrutiny of the godly wise at this day And let none be discouraged from believing these things because of the unlikelinesse of them to come to passe in our dayes for the flood of Gods wrath upon the old world was as unlikely to that worlds understanding to overflow when it did as these things can be to this and the Scripture saith the coming of the Son of man shall be like unto those dayes Againe the Scripture saith He shall come at midnight a time when men asleep least expect him And againe When they that dwell upon the earth shall be in the height of their mirth and jollity FVLL OF PEACE rejoycing and sending gifts one to another then the spirit of life from God enters into the two Witnesses and fills those rejoycing earthen soules with great feare brings an Earth-quake slayes a part of the world and affrights the remnant that are left extorting from them glory to the God of heaven Yet againe though the whorish woman Babylon may come to such prosperity as to say in her heart I sit a Queen and am no Widdow and shall see no sorrow her plagues shall come in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord who judgeth her Let our hearts ponder these things and we shall tremble as the word of God for judgement is at the doore In the second place I am to give my judgement how far we are come at this day or rather how neare the great God in his providence is come to us at what part of this Psalme thus expounded we may lay our finger and say this is our state and condition this is the work God would have us to doe in this our day To doe this is a great work but to doe it with demonstration to convince the understandings of men and stop the mouth of the gain-sayer is a far greater work which I despaire to performe yet according to the measure of light the Lord hath given me I shall make an Essay towards a clear evidencing of the Truth I conceive We are come to the dawning of that day wherein God will in wrath to the worlds Rulers set his King upon Sion the hill of his holinesse and the Lamb will stand on Mount Sion with his 144000 his chosen ones about him wherein the Son will declare the Decree and the 144000 will be singing their new song before the Throne of God according to the import of that Command of the father to his Son in this second Psalme ASKE OF ME And that the present Kings and Rulers of the world but especially the Rulers who are the head of this gathering together against the Lord and his anointed are those against whom the father will engage in this day of his wrath and jealousie for his Son speaking to them in wrath and vexing them in his sore displeasure even with this his setting his King upon Sion the hill of his holinesse The Reasons for this my Assertion are 1 Because we are already gotten under if not towards the latter end of the third Viall to prove this that it may be as valid a reason to you as it is to me I intreat thee Courteous Reader let thine eyes accompanied with thy mind take a journey through Mr. Tillinghast's Treatise upon the Vialls where you will finde so much Reason and such strong Arguments for this assertion as I presume will be so satisfactory as it will not be expected I should say any thing more to the point And if so then upon my former proofe it appears the dawning of this day of blessednesse to the Saints and of wrath to the world with its Rulers hath ceazed upon us But 2 The first fruits of the qualifications of Gods hill of holinesse Christs 144000 the sprinklings of the spirit of that day the beginnings of Christs being received as King in Sion are to be found in the midst of a despised people among us in this our day Let us view over the Qualifications of Christs 144000 consider them and put on a paire of those excellent spectacles made of pure love and our dim eyes will not behold men like Trees but like the purchased inheritance of the Son qualified according to the Decree to such and such a work at such a time I say the first fruits the
beginnings of these though yet imperfect will appeare plainly to our view And let us with simplicity and singlenesse of heart look out at the Casements of our soules and we shall behold the sprinklings of the spirit of that glorious day The work of the day shewes us the spirit of the day The Saints in that day sing a new song before the Throne of God c. which is such a song as is so uncouth so strange to so contrary and above the nature Principles and reason of the world as they cannot learne it no man without this hill of holinesse none but the 144000 can learne to sing this song What is this strange song that is so hard to be learnt Why consider it and you will find it to be the Decree the Son in the second Psalme undertakes to declare If we consider this particular also we shall find plainly to appeare in this our day some sprinklings the beginnings of the mighty workings of this spirit Let us yet make a stand and consider the temper and spirit of the Lords people in this our day and we shall find Christ to have a little footing on Sion already his 144000 begin to look upon him to consider him as their King and their hearts are cleaving to him apace If we consider these things we shall behold an Emblem of a glorious fabrick to be erected in its due season which cannot be far off for when the singing of Birds is heard they fly chirping from bough to bough it 's a signe the winter is past and the spring is come Now is the Time in which Christ will or doth call to his beloved Rise up my love my faire one and come away Follow me O my Dove that art in the clefts of the rock in the secret place of the staires Gods hiding-place for his people in a day of wrath Let me see thy countenance let me heare thy voyce For sweet is thy voyce and thy countenance is comely Take us the Foxes the little Foxes those that are lesse discernable and least mistrusted to doe mischief that spoyle the Vines for our Vines have tender Grapes Cant. 2.10 11 12. What though this Kingdome of Heaven be now but as a graine of Mustard-seed the smallest of graines yet it 's water'd with the dewes of the spirit and it will it shall grow up to a Tree able to give shelter to the Fowles of Heaven Elijah's Cloud of blessings although at first it appeare but as the little hand of a man yet in a short time it spreads over the whole Heavens When we fee the day begin to break can we be so stupid as not to believe the Sun makes hast in his course to arise upon our Horizon When these things appeare such signes of the Times are given to us what willfull sins of ignorance shall we be guilty of if we not minding them believe not what is a coming We can tell by the signes thereof whether it will be faire weather or soule to day And why are we ignorant of the signes of the Times Surely it 's a token of a hypocriticall spirit whose damnation will be very great Let none say that which I seem to plead for is encompassed about with such infirmities so much of the spirit of man such contrarieties to some Gospel rules as we cannot believe it to be of God For this plea will be found no good plea at the Sons Tribunall it 's but a fond excuse at best lay what stresse you will upon it it will not hold This day is a day of wrath and the word spoken is spoken in wrath and except we dive into its glory through the vailes of wrath upon it and hearken to it and embrace it giving obedience to it we shall perish from the way of blessednesse Againe let us consider the signes of this day of Christs coming to his Sion that other Scriptures afford and we shall find them to be such as will signifie no such thing to any but to those who have the most precious faith of this Gospel waiting for the consolation of Israel the Holy Ghost will be upon them and let them see the blessed fruit of their expectation There shall come in the last dayes scoffers walking after their owne lusts and saying where is the Promise of his coming For since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation 2 Pet. 3.3 In heart saying our Lord delayes his coming smiting fellow servants eating and drinking with the drunken Mat. 24.48 49. And though the Son of God hath told us that his father will avenge his owne Elect speedily which cry day and night unto him neverthelesse When he comes shall he find faith on earth Luke 18.7 8. yet The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise 2 Pet. 3.9 But is it not to this end That the Tryall of your faith the faith of Gods chosen being much more precious then of gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.7 If these things be so how ought we with all diligence to walk with feare and trembling least we stumble and fall upon those stumbling-blocks of wrath God throwes in the worlds way and perish upon them together with the world And my Reasons why I conceive the present Rulers of this world are those enemies of Christ God will speake to in wrath and vex in his sore displeasure are 1 Because I find the Scripture expresly saith That those who shall be the Rulers of the world at this day of Gods setting his Son upon Sion will oppose and take counsell together against the Lord and his anointed Therefore hath he said He will speak to them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure with setting his King upon Sion the hill of his holinesse And seeing it 's a truth that we are come to the dawning of the day wherein the father will set his Son on his Sion it must follow that these are the Rulers that will be the subjects of the direfull displeasure and wrath of the Great GOD. 2 Because I perceive the Rulers are already taking Counsell together to make their hands strong against the Lord and his anointed and to break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from them And the faithfull Almighty God hath said He will then speak to them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure and if they hearken not to the Gospel of the Kingdome preached to them they shall without remedy perish from the way of blessednesse speedy and swife destruction will be their portion To prove this to the vulgar understanding is very hard yet if we will but consider these few things we may learne somewhat of the businesse 1 That the Characteristicall worke of these Rulers is not their acting but TAKING COVNCELL against the Lord and his anointed for as it