that day 10 Such prayers are no way contrary to the will and mind of God nor unsuitable to a Gospel spirit in Gospel times for we see at this day wherein Christ is taking his Kingdome to set forth the Gospel in all its glory the Command is ASKE of me God will be askt for such things the giving of which ruines this old world and makes way for the new Heavens and new Earth ASKE of me the Heathens for an inheritance the Powers Crownes Scepters of the great men of the world and I will give them to thee ASKE of me the utmost parts of the earth for a possession the whole habitable earth for a place to display thy glory in and I will give it Pray unto me against the Rulers their Apostacy and wickednesses taking secret wylie Counsell combining in leagues and agreements together asosiating themselves with the Kings of the earth against the Lord and his anointed and that to break their bands and cast away their cords Cry aloud unto me against them and these their abominable practices and I will put the iron sword of my wrath and vengeance into thy hand and thou shalt break them with it and my spirit shall so assist thee by an Almighty operation as that there shall be as great ease and facillity without let or hinderance in doing this work of my just wrath and vengeance as there is in dashing a potters vessel against the ground 11 Here is great encouragement to the Saints and people of God to persist and grow valiant in the way of the truth of this truth Lift up your hearts cryes and groanes higher and higher to your God and father against the enemies of your Lord and for the glory and Kingdome of Christ for while you are so doing you are in your fathers way doing his Command ASKE of me saith he Againe you are in the way of the Promise if you aske God hath Promised he will give ASKE of me and I will give thee yea God stands here in a giving posture he waites but for a Petition and when it comes he answers it gratiously he bids you aske that he may give there 's a necessity you must aske saith God I have a gift in my hand worthy a God to bestow but you must aske it ere I can give it that is the order I have set downe to my selfe to walk by and I cannot it becomes not my wisedome to recede from it therefore ASKE of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thy Inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession 12 That there will be in this day a reluctancy and backwardnesse in the people of God to the performance of this great duty this dispensation of the father layes upon them which may come to passe partly through the darknesse of this day the uncertainty and unclearnesse of things that they know not what to judge of them as hath been opened already and partly through that little betternesse in their condition now to what it was under the Government of the Kings through carnality of spirit being ready to sit downe there and partly through unbelief of heart every little hardship and difficulty they phansie to be in the way they look upon as impossibilities and the multiplying-glasse of unbeliefe makes them to seem such tall and mighty Sons of Anake as God cannot pull downe and overcome so that they are ready to cry out Let us make us a Captaine and returne to our Onyons and Garlicke and flesh-pots in Aegypt for it was better then with us than it is now If this were not so this Command ASKE of me were needlesse for otherwise they would be willing enough and forward enough of themselves their owne eternall happinesse and glory is so much concerned in it that it would be a motive strong enough and sufficient to draw them but here God is faine to call upon and command his people ASKE of me 13 The time of Gods giving an answer and returne to all the prayers of the Saints is now come God having filled his hand full of blessings he stands ready to open it and scatter them downe upon his people therefore saith he ASKE and I will give ASKE of me that I may give fill up the measure of your prayers that I may fill up the measure of my gifts I have seene saith God the hard measure you have met with from the world for my Sons sake how ungratefully and unworthily they have dealt with you trampling upon you as dung deriding you as the off-scouring and drosse of mankind but now come ASKE of me and I will give you the reward of all your labour of love a Crowne of glory for your Crowne of Thornes a Royall Exchange indeed O! how tender hath Christ by presenting to his open view the wounds he received the blood he shed and the sufferings he underwent made the heart of his father He can bear no longer he cannot stay till his people come and aske but calls upon them Come my Lambs ASKE of me and I will give ASKE that I may give you the Heathen for an inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for a possession He that commands to aske promises to give this is the time of giving here 's the time of receiving 14 The necessity and mighty force and power of the spirit of prayer saith God ASKE of me that I may give you must aske before I give and ASKE of me and I cannot deny you but I must give you Heathens for an inheritance and utmost parts of the earth for a possession ASKE of me and I must help you and you hall breake your enemies with a rod of iron and dash them to pieces like a potters vessell 15 What a usefull instrument hath God made Syon to be to his Son as Sion must become the hill of Gods holinesse before she can be a fit seat for Christ so before Christ can be exalted and honoured as King he must be seated on Sion he must be seated as a King there before he is in a fit posture to declare the Decree of his father his right and title to the world and as soone as he is settled there he is accomplisht at all points to encounter with the enemies of his Kingdome sends them a defiance a declaration of his right and title to their usurped possessions Sion is his Magazine out of which he fetches all his instruments of war and which he hath made of sufficient force to blow up and bring to ruine all the foundations of rebellion and opposition his enemies have laid against him 16 It 's worthy our taking notice of and of confiderable consequence for us to observe The way of our Lords proceedings in this day wherein he is harnessing himselfe for the battel it 's not the way and course of the politick inventions Machiavillian stratagems under-hand-workings and by the Maximes of State of this world but in a noble plaine heroick way
like a piece of the truest valour that ever drew sword like himselfe sends forth his Heralds commands voluntary submission or else gives the challenge le ts them know there 's no way but death perishing from the way of blessednesse 17 That it's the greatest folly and madnesse for the Rulers and Judges of the world to oppose and fight against this praying people for they are not onely against them but the Father the Son and the spirit and all the Host of Heaven are against them As Elisha said They that be with us are more then they that be against us there 's a greater and a stronger power with them than the worldly Rulers can raise against them although they could bring up Hell it selfe from the deep to serve them 18 What a sad account will those be able to give who joyne and strike hands with these perverse Rulers in this day also those who have not heart nor courage to stand up for the Son against these Rulers and their wickednesses For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his owne glory and in his fathers and of the holy Angels What shame and confusion of face will cease upon them in that day If ever there was a time wherein Christ expects his friends should stand by him and plead for him it 's now in this day spoken of in the Text wherein the Rulers take such pernicious counsell against him and those that forsake him now he will not owne before his father for we see at the latter end of the Psalme those that kisse not the Son submit not to him and come under his yoke perish from the way of blessednesse they shall receive their portion with those that shall come at the last day crying Lord Lord open unto us and Christ shall professe he knoweth them not The third and last part of our work is To consider the manner how Christ manageth his work in this day and that is with much love and pitty to the soules of men exhorting them to a timely repentance promising blessednesse to all that hearken to him Although he hath separated his Sion from the world and made it the Hill of Gods Holinesse a fit seat for himselfe yet he cannot be contented to goe with a sword in one hand to execute his fathers Decree but he must have a Pardon in the other to bestow upon all those that will submit and come in unto him Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the earth Serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce with trembling Kisse the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little Blessed are all they that put their trust in him In these words we have 1 An Exhortation 2 Motives to provoke men to hearken to it In the Exhortation we have 1 The Persons exhorted and they are chiefly the Kings and Judges of the earth those very Kings that set themselves and those very Judges or Rulers that take counsell together against the Lord and his anointed But though the Exhortation be chiefly to the Kings and Judges yet not exclusive to others for we find in the last clause of the Psalme Blessednesse promised to all them that put their trust in the Son which ALL takes in more then the Kings and Rulers yea ALL men of what rank and condition soever that put their trust in him shall be blessed and it must of necessity follow the Exhortation is of as large an extent as that ALL for the Promise is brought in as a Motive to provoke to a hearty embracing of and hearkening to it 2 Here 's the matter of the Exhortation which is 1 To get a true and an exact knowledge of God and his wayes in this their day Which is held out unto us in two expressions WISEDOME and INSTRVCTION Be WISE now therefore O ye Kings O you prophane Kings that having a whores forehead and a face of brasse without shame and remorse have stood up and set your selves publickly wilfully with all your might against-me-without a cause to keep me from my rightfull inheritance and to prevent my entring my possessions the Copy-hold my father hath given me Be wise now THEREFORE wherefore why you have heard the Decree of my father the Justice and Equity of my right and Title to my Kingdome I have askt it and he hath given it me who hath right and power to give it he that made it hath given it to me And my father having set me on Sion the Hill of his Holinesse I am prepared to encounter you I will waite your leasure no longer therefore now be wise know consider what you have to doe if you resist and stand it out there 's no way but perishing and death but if you submit your selves unto and put your trust in me I will blesse you make you really happy here 's life and death set before you be wise now in your choyce that you may live and not dye Be wise with the wisedome of God wherein is life for why will ye dye You are Kings and it 's a hard lesson for you to be willing to part with your great possessions and become Beggars but learne it and you shall find wisedome it selfe in such seeming folly Whatsoever any man forsakes for my sake I will give it him againe in my Kingdome with great advantage saith Christ Be wise know and consider the great Jehovah my father and what he hath already done for me know and consider me also what I am to doe to and in the world as the will of my father in this day of his great wrath and fury Be INSTRVCTED ye Judges of the earth Ye Judges you that have set your selves above the rank and your feet on the neck of Kings that would be accounted repairers of the breaches and restorers of the paths to dwell in and yet take counsell against the Lord and his anointed to break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from you you Judges that carry it so underhand and secretly against me and mine while you seem to be for me pretending a kisse when you intend a blow under the fifth rib that you need not strike a second time Come you Judges be INSTRVCTED know the wickednesse and folly of your malicious wayes they will yield you nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit the best fruit they can present you with is torment for this Proverb shall be taken up against you The Lord hath broken the staffe of the wicked and the Scepter of the Rulers yea Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared he hath made it deepe and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the wrath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it ye Judges of the EARTH though you have set your selves in the highest forme and will
Saintlike Rulers as to a sure refuge his Counsellors and they take counsell a secret clandestin way as expert Warriours when great shot will not doe against the wall of a City or Fort then they secretly undermine it supposing to prevaile that way a secret way They will not scruple to transgresse the regular punctillio's of the Law in any case but from counsell to action presently before their counsells may be knowne These take counsell which way is best to be taken what the most wise and prudent course may be to accomplish their designe by if by any way by any means or course whatsoever they can have their will and stablish themselves though it be never so wicked and unworthy If no other way will serve they will become Saints of the highest form in shew Pauls brethren become all things to all men that they may gaine some for they take counsell and if need be keeping a suitable decorum speak and act against all those though never so excellent in their Generation that stand in the way of their designments To find out some new and neat way the steps of their Predecessors they will not exactly follow no they have seen the folly and weaknes of those But they seek after a curious piece of Art whereby they may be able to doe that which all the world before them their great grand-fathers the Heathen and their fore-fathers the prophane Kings of the earth could not doe against the Lord and his anointed They take counsell they have wisedome though from below with them for the Scripture saith Where there 's counsell there 's wisedome They are the wisest and most subtill instruments ever Satan made use of they are Counsellors such as God who is wisedome it selfe thinks it high time for him to arise and disappoint them least they prevaile against his beloved 3 THEN when the Rulers take Counsell TOGETHER when there is a Combination and Confederacy in Counsells between these refined Rulers against the Lord and his anointed when they shall combine together to make their hands strong that they may keep their Dominion maugre all the opposition the Lord and his holy ones make 4 THEN when the Rulers take counsell together AGAINST THE LORD AND HIS ANOINTED that is Christ and his followers his anointed ones with the unction of the spirit that follow him in all his out-goings against the backslidings and Apostacies of these Rulers True the Apostles and Brethren in the fourth of the Acts expound this of the father and Christ the Son that the father was this Lord and Christ the anointed of his father this they spake of the gathering together of the Heathen and Jewes against Christ when they put him to death but the father having given all power into his Sons hands hath made him both Lord and Christ as the same Apostle speaks in Acts 2.36 The father in recompence for his finishing that which he gave him to doe hath made him Lord and anointed him above his fellowes and he ascending up on high gave his gifts unto the Sons of men anointing them according to his promise with the unction of the spirit and let the Prophet David expound his owne meaning saith he in another place The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand which Christ applies to himselfe so that David understood Christ to be Lord. Againe Touch not mine anointed and doe my Prophets no harme the anointed are his Prophets and his Prophets are his anointed and who these Prophets are we may see in the Epistle to the Corinthians they are the Members of the Church of Christ so that David Expounds his owne meaning and clearly expresses himselfe to point out Christ and his anointed in these words Now the reason why I terme them the followers of Christ in some speciall designe is because if all the Lords Prophets be anointed then much more those they have a greater measure of the anointing who follow the Lamb in his sometimes rough uncouth wayes of his providences who keep close to him when he is doing his strange work and bringing to passe his strange act in the world when he comes to take the Kingdomes of this world unto himselfe whose right it is to raigne And they are with him against these Rulers is strongly imply'd in that these Rulers are so close in consultation and so fully bent against them for we cannot conceive that these wise men would irritate any against them without a cause but on the other hand they wil foster all that will come under their wing and take protection from them and truly it 's not a small portion of this anointing will deliver them from the intanglements of these Rulers for they are Saints as to us or at least to those who have not a very narrow and quick inspection into the state of the times the fairest outside ever Satan had And without doubt many of the people of the Lord may be taken and deceived with them Some good thing they will doe or they 'le prove but foolish Counsellors they will goe as far to meet a dissenting Brother as it 's possible for them and not endanger their Dominion If Satan cannot uphold his Dragon he will be content with his Beast but if he cannot keep up his Beast in any place he will be satisfied with his Image yea rather than give out the bare number of his name shall please him So that many precious soules may be deluded for a time if they take not great heed otherwise that voyce would be needlesse Come out of her my people least ye be partakers of her sins and so of her plagues 5 THEN when they Take counsell together to BREAK THEIR BANDS ASVNDER AND TO CAST AWAY THEIR CORDS FROM THEM The contest goes high by this time it 's come to particulars Before it was but in generalls and it 's about no small or triviall businesse but who shall have the Authority and power The dispute is about the Kingdome that is clear from the whole Psalme saith God Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion And the Decree is wholly concerning Christs Kingdome over the world about the Authority and Legislative power Christ and his anointed say the father hath given them authority to bind Kings with chaines and Nobles with fetters of iron to bind the Rulers with his Lawes as with a cord and these Rulers take counsell together to break their bands asunder and cast their cords from them We have already given our sence what these bands are These Rulers take counsell to BREAK THEM ASVNDER surely they had need of a greater than Sampsons strength that would break the bands of God asunder but these think to doe it by slights and wiles they take counsell They would breake their bands although they be bound by the strongest Oathes and Obligations the largest Vowes and Declarations the greatest protestations and professions yet they must be broken rather than the Lord
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
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
snatch up the Crowne and set it on their head God overturnes some of them and these Apostate Rulers fasten the Crowne to their Temples but their comes a third overturning which is a thorough one indeed for saith God Remove the Diadem take off the Crowne this shall not be the same exalt him that is low and abase him that is high I will overturne overturne overturne it and it shall be no more untill he come whose right it is and I will give it him Where are these Rulers now there 's no hope for them for his Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome 2 That while these Apostate Rulers are taking counsell together against the Lord and his anointed the designe of God is then at that time to set his King upon Sion the hill of his holinesse And he doth it in opposition to them though they contradict it YET I have done it saith God 3 That the first thing God doth for his Son after he hath made bare his arme and entred into judgement with the Antichristian world for surely he began that work when these Rulers cut downe some of the Kings of the earth and in opposition to these Rulers is to make him King in Sion in his Church Yet have I set my King VPON SION the hill of my holinesse He is set there in a posture fit for the carrying on the designe which he and his father are now managing in the world there is his Throne and his holy ones about him and there he will sit and together with them judge the world and poure downe his fathers wrath upon it 4 That Sion may be a fit seat for the Son to settle himselfe upon in opposition to all his enemies God makes Sion the hill of his holinesse The HILL of my holinesse a hill for strength and stability it 's unmoveable a hill for union all its parts are so united and compact together as none can divide it a hill for height The mountaine of the height of Israel it 's above the world reaches up to the Heavens And a hill of holinesse the King being seated upon this hill this metaphoricall hill becomes his Court and those in it his Courtiers they are clothed with the same clothing his Majesty is hâ—linâ—sse they are all like their Lord each one of them resembling the Children of a King holinesse to the Lord is written upon them And a hill of holines for they are consecrated separated and set apart for the work of Christ at this day sanctified for this service enabled to overcome all the assaults of the evill one and having done all to stand to keep their place and station a seat and Throne for Christ to be such Carpenters as shall fray away all the Hornes the spirit of the Hornes shall not enter into these Carpenters for God saith Sion is the hill of his holinesse 5 Although at this day many may fall away and loose their first love many prove foolish Virgins yet God hath his true Church his hill of true holinesse a fit seat for his Son his chosen number which he unites together and by the mighty working of his spirit they become the hill of his holinesse He sets his Son upon this hill and thence he issues forth the Decrees of his father about the concernments of his Kingdome notwithstanding the power and forces of his enemies against him 6 That under the Government of these Rulers the people of God have not liberty to come up to the height of Gods holinesse for when they come to be a hill of holinesse the world stands in opposition to them and they unto the world Christ is set upon the hill of Gods holinesse in opposition to the Rulers of the world If any then blame the followers of the Lamb as busie-bodies and rash spirits saying it 's otherwise with them now then it was under the Kings they may be as holy as they will and live in their fellowship with God and Christ in his owne Ordinances to the highest it 's a falsity for if they seek after the height of Gods holinesse to get to the top of this hill to enjoy the fullnesse of the Promises in Christ by following him fully according to the voyce of his spirit in his word in this day they are opposed by the Rulers and taken counsell against 7 We may here see what God expects from his Sion his Church that in this day when the Rulers and great men of the world reject Christ and take counsell against him and his that this his hill of holinesse should receive his Son and cleave so close to him espouse his righteous interest so unfeignedly and so zealously as that it may be a hill of advantage whereon Christ may sit as King in opposition to the Kings of the earth and in despite of these Rulers although the Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsell together against the Lord and his anointed when the Kings and the Rulers combine together to doe their utmost the one by an open perverse setting themselves the other by taking counsell pernicious secret counsell against him and his and at last shall conjoyne Forces openly setting themselves to act their counsells things at this passe God brings his Son to Sion his Church the hill of his holinesse he is totally excluded the world by the men of the world from having any share in their Royalties in these Rulers the father hath tryed the finest and purest piece of earth the world can shew and finding it false he brings his Son to Sion sets him there as in a safe place expecting they will submit their necks to his yoke and their shoulders to his burden and follow him in his goings forth against his enemies after what manner soever they be whithersoever he will lead them This indeed is the ready way to find out an everlasting rest to get a full possession of the promised Land to be blessed in heavenly places with him Lastly Behold the Lamb with his 144000 his chosen number standing upon Mount Sion having their fathers name written in their foreheads Sion is the hill of my holinesse saith God Here are the Armies of Heaven with the great Captaine of Salvation in the head of them in a posture fit ready prepared to execute the Decree Thou shalt breake them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them to pieces like a potters vessell But before they enter upon this strange and wonderfull work being the will of their deare Captaine and leader they sing as it were a new song of praise unto God before the Throne and though it be a hard song that the world cannot learn and it sounds harshly in their eares seeming to them such a thing as never was before a new invention of the spirit of delusion yet these chosen holy ones they are acquainted with and expert in singing this song before the Throne of God Christ their Captaine begins and they follow on declaring the
Decree So that now we are come to the work of Christ in this day to consider what that is that the Son goeth about as his work in this day of his Fathers wrath It is declaring the Decree of his father as he tells us in these words I will declare the Decree He being thus seated on Sion the hill of Gods holinesse he presently without delay sends abroad his Heralds layes his claime and shewes his right and title to the world the Decree of his Father We may here consider 1 The Person declaring 2 The Declaration it selfe 3 The Matter of the Declaration 4 The Persons to whom this Declaration is made 1 The Persons declaring I will declare the Decree This is 1 Christ Personall the Mediator â—hrist Jesus That Son of God whom the father hath set upon Sion the hill of his holinesse he declares the Decree by his spirit in Sion among his chosen ones 2 Christ Mysticall This cannot reasonably be denyed saith Christ A body hast thou prepared me then said I loe I come to doe thy will O God Intimating that it was of necessity Christ should have a body before he could come to doe the will of his father It 's by this body of his as the instrument in his hand that he fullfills the will of God so it 's by his mysticall body his Church that he declares the Decree doth this his work in this day of his Regement in Sion Further it 's said The Law shall goe forth out of Sion And againe Mat. 10.27 What I tell you in darknesse that speake ye in the light and what ye hear in the eare that Preach ye upon the house top Here 's the man Christ Jesus teaching his Sion and a command to them to declare it publickly to the world This is that sharp sword going out of his mouth wherewith he smites the Nations 2 The declaration it selfe I will DECLARE the Decree Declare it how why as a Herald declares the Decree of a Prince or State with sound of Trumpet and a loud voyce in places of greatest note and resort in the most open and publick manner that can be that all may hear that the Decree may come the eare of every man So here I will declare the Decree so publickly upon the house top on the Mount the Trumpet shall sound so shrill and loud that it shall pierce the eares of all yea of the Kings and Judges of the earth for the exhortation to repentance is grounded upon this Declaration Be wise now therefore c. which could not be a motive to them to repent except they heard it And I will declare the Decree lay it all open make it fully knowne spread it before the understandings of men that none may through ignorance perish from the way and loose that blessednesse I have in my hand to give unto all them that put their trust in me 3 The matter of the Decree in which we have these six particulars 1 The party decreeing 2 The Decree it selfe 3 The means by which the performance is obtained 4 The account or score upon which the father doth all this for his Son 5 The person to whom this gift is given 6 The time when God will bestow this gift 1 It 's the Lord Jehovah that makes this Decree who then can alter or disanull it Shall the Lawes of the Medes and Persians be unalterable and shall not the Decrees of the great God of Heaven and earth What folly is it for the world to oppose it What fools-hardinesse is it for men to fight against the Almighty God 2 Here 's the Decree it selfe And therein First A Donation or Gift I will GIVE thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession It 's a Royall gift indeed fit for a King to receive and for the glorious God and father of our Lord to bestow no lesse then a whole world Heathens for an Inheritance and utmost parts of the earth for a possession O matchlesse love of a father to a beloved Son The Heathens that knew him not shall become his Inheritance he will call upon the Nation that hath not been called by his name to behold him he will be sought of them that asked not for him and be found of them that sought him not and the utmost parts of the earth shall be a habitation for him to have and to hold as the good pleasure of his father all things shall be put under his feet There shall be given him Dominion and glory and a Kingdome that all people Nations and languages shall serve him And that this gift might be certaine and sure that nothing may be able to interrupt his possessing it we have in the Second place The means decreed and appointed whereby he shall take this inheritance and possession to himselfe Thou shalt break them with A ROD OF IRON and dash them to pieces like a potters vessell Breake them take their power rule and Dominion away breake their Scepters and throw downe their Corwnes Breake THEM who why all that in enmity oppose him the raging Heathen the profane Kings of the earth and all the Hypocriticall Saint-like Rulers that would not have him to raigne over them them shall he break THOV shalt breake them Christ the Lamb on Mount Sion he shall doe it with his followers that follow him whithersoever he goeth But with what With A ROD of iron Here is the materiall sword the instrument with which Christ shall break all his enemies He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword they have shed the blood of the Saints and Prophets and he will give them blood to drinke for they are worthy Behold I will make thee a new threshing Instrument having Teeth Thou shalt thresh the mountaines and beate them small and shalt make the hills as chaffe And dash them to pieces like a potters vessell He shall break them all to shivers grind them to powder and make them become as the mire in the streets and the chaffe of the summers threshing-floore that the wind shall carry them away and no place shall be found for them any more And he shall doe this with as great facillity and ease as a man dasheth a Potters vessell to pieces he shall have no more trouble in it then a man hath in dashing a brittle earthen pot to pieces against the ground 3 The means by which the Son obtaines the performance of this Decree his intercession ASKE of me It 's but ask and have if the Lord ask his father any thing he will give it him if he ask a world his enemies for an Inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for a possession his request is granted The father heareth him alwayes he neither will nor can deny him what he desires Aske of me the Heathen for thine inheritance and thou shalt have them saith God either thy slaves or thy free-men which thou wilt they shall
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
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
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