BABELS FALL In the Foolish Virgins Sleep Among which Presbytery lyeth with Predictions of the great disputes to be at the raising of the true Ministry Written by a Witnesse of the Truth John Brayne Ely to Samuel 1 Sam. 3.17 What is the thing the Lord hath said unto thee I pray thee hide it not from me God doe so and more alâ—o to thee if thou hide any thing from me of all the things God hath said unto thee Samuel to Ely 1 Sam. 3.18 14. Samuel told him the in quity of Elies house shall not be purged by Sacrifice nor offering for ever The man of God said to Eli 1 Sam. 2.35 God hath said I will raise me up a faithfull Priest which shall doe according to that which is in my heart and in my minde and I will build him a sure house and he shall walke before mine anointed c. Ely said to Samuel It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good LONDON Printed for T. B. in Kings-street at Westminster MDCXLIX To the Honourable John Lisle one of the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal Honourable AS David and the Apostles before me said We believe and therefore speak so I believing the truth of the Scriptures did presume to write you of many things strange before but now evident since accomplished I am once more bold to write you from the Gospel of things shortly to be fulfilled which will seem strange but will prove most true in its time however mine enemies are stirred up to hate and oppresse me for it the day will come they will be ashamed at it Sir I hope I have deserved no other but your love wherewith you have loved me and the love of those love God in the Country and those hate me doe it without a cause even for my standing for and witnessing to the truth of the Gospel with which I am intrusted which should occasion their love were they of God and not hate to the defence whereof you are called and blessed shall you be if you contend for it and consent not to the detaining of the discovery thereof which the Lord preserve you from and keepe you to immortality and life and set you with Christ in his sight to the full enjoyment of himselfe for ever Is the hearty desire of your Servant in the Gospell John Brayne Aprill 1 1649. TO THE READER THe predictions following are drawn from Propheticall Scriptures and are no Inthusiasticall Dreams they seem strange indeed at first but strong is the Lord that doth them for hath he said and shall he not performe it God hath foretold us when hâ— shall build up Sion he will appear in his glory which sets us now upon the expectation of glorious things these are therefore written that God may be glorified Magistrates may be directed Ministers instructed and the Truth revealâ—d Concerning all which in much confidence I affirm if the Lord give me leave to live but a little while I shall not be ashamed of what is herein written Thus leaving thee and them to the Lord to declare himself herein as he please to the glorifying of himselfe for ever And this I dare affirm so far off as thou seest we are from seeing these things so far off are we from seeing peace and deliverance and as men act against this they act against their own deliverance from which the Lord prevent us graciously I rest thine in the Lord John Brayne BABELS FALL In the foolish VIRGINS Sleep The Kingdom of Heaven that is the state of the Church under the Gospel Administrations are usually set out by the Lord significantly in Parables some whereof have thâ—ir allusions drawn from Marriage and Marriage-Feasts corresponding with the predictions of the Prophets foregoing and in especiall that of MAT. 25. from Vers 1. to Vers 11. IN which ye have the estate of the Church Ministry and Government thereof unto the end of the world according to the wisdom of the infinitely wise God held out and commended unto us under the notion of a Marriage in which Christ is the Bridegroom the Church is the Bride and the Ministery the Virgins I know the Expositions extant of these are quite contraryâ— Aug. lib. 83. Q. 59. Inter parabolos à Domino dictus solet quarentes multum exercere ista quae de decem virginibus posita est 〈◊〉 quidem hinc multa senserunt quae non sunt praeter fidem sed quoâ—â—dò partibus omnibus ejus conveniat expositio id elaborandum est He that hath a minde to see the diversity of constructions given by the Ancients of this parable let him read Salmeron in parabolas who hath taken the paines to collect them together Those that have written lately understand by the wise and foolish Virgins the severall Members of the Church In which are wise and foolish from whence some would confirme mixt societies But that this cannot be meant is plainly evinced in this that the Church-Members are to be understood in the Bride which is the Church that is the Lambes wife and therefore the Virgines are such who are ministerially imployed about the Marriage of the Church to Christ 1 And that which helps most clearely to open the Parable is this That the Lord mainly aimeth at the discovery of the state of the Church under Antichrist in taking the parable from a Night-Marriage 2 And the restoring of the Church to its quendam primitive estate after his tyranny 3 And briefly sheweth what things were to happen concerning the Ministery both true and false as the one related to Christ and the other to Antichrist untill the second taking of the Gentiles to himself againe Object Parables serve onely to illustrate and prove nothing Reply I know it is so generally conceived but let me tell you that the Church practise and many precious prophesies of the Church are so laid up in them and to be proved from them and so from them as from no Scripture like them the Lord sets not out the state of the Kingdome but by parables 2 The Kingdomes Government is never to be clearly knowne but by them and to be proved thence 3 The Lord declared the Government in parables as being most fit to conduce to the maine end of Gods hiding the Church from the world And this is plainly seen in the answer of Christ to his Disciples Mat. 13.10 to the end of ver 15. who demand of Christ why he taught in parables who answers To you it is given to them it is not given to know the mysteries of the Kingdome but to the parables it selfe 1 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then is a note of time and relates to the predictions of the former Chapter ver 15. the abomination of desolation or time of the tyranny of Antichrist ver 29. the darkning of the Sunne of earthly glory the Moone shall not give her light the sad estate of the Common-people and the Starres shall fall from Heaven the fall
say you of the Patriarchs Reply They opposed the Pope most of them or rather his predecessors and after the fall of the true Church they fained four extraordinary Evangelists Matthew Marke Luke and John Now that the hiding of the Church may be accelerated hereby they set up four patriarchs in the World at the first the patriarchs of Rome Antioch Alexandria Hierusalem sayth one of the patriarchs Hi quatuor principio fuere Romanus Antiochenus Alexandrinus Hierosolimitanus postea translata Bizantium Imperii sede additus est Constantinopolitanus These indeed made way to set him up but when once up Antichrist took care to take them down they being impediments to him as it were eclipsing the Papal glory The generall Note of this second verse is that the wise are here set before the foolish not for that they are preferred before them only but prophetically shewing that the wise and part of that is said concerning them were in time before the foolish and that the Antichristian ministry did succeed them and most of the things in o der set down of them Ver. 3. The foolish tâ—ok their Lamps and took no oyle with them 1 Here is the â—â—lly of the foolish Virgâ—ns notified that they took their Lamps their call to the ministry without spirituall knowledg or wisdom to exercise their ministry by unto the world as appears in some Cardinals that have been Princes others children so some Arch-bishops as Aâ—bert Arch-bishop of Mentz who being at the Dyet at Ausbourge An. 1530. who finding a Bible on the table and reading some leavs thereof where by chance he opened it said truly I know not what Book this is but this I see it makes all against us Luther in Erphord Abbey happening on the history of Hanna in the first Book of Samuel not knowing what Book it was wished that he were owner of such a Book as that this appears in the Letter of the Pope for Frederick of Lovania a châ—ld to be Canon in the Church of Lincoln which occasionâ—d that excâ—llent Return of Grosted to Pope Innocent the fourth cited by Fox by which as by a Thunder-bolt the Pope and his Cardinals were smitten who say after all the Bedlam fury of the Pope uttered against him for it It is but very truth that he affirmeth nor can we condemne him therefore he is a holy man more holy and religious then we our sâ—lves of excellent wit and excellent life so as it is thought among all the Prelates he hath not his better nor yet his like and thus having spake wounderfully in commendations of him advise him with this Councell a way not out of use in these times that he should dissemble and wink at these things as one not seeing or regarding them least otherwise perhaps some tumult may arise and spring thereof especially seeing this is known and manifest to all that once must needs come a disertion and parting from the Church of Rome Fox Acts Mon. in the life of Henry the third 2 It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Lamps to shew the call of ministers in the false Church was differing from that in the true the Lamps the foolish Virgins had were properly theirs they had not the Lamps of the wise nor had the wise the Lamps of the foolish 1 It implyeth their care was to have the ministry for the means sake not the service of the Gospell nor the glory of God this was not the least part of their folly 2 They took their Lamps never regarding whether the call they had were Christian or Antichristian they took it without any more adoe and glad they had it I do not write these things without self-conviction Vers 4. But the wise took oile in their vessels with their lamps Here the particle â— differenceth the estate of the wise from the foolish and the lamps or call to ministry from the others 1 Signifying they were wise and belonged to the true Church estate 2 The call they had was Evangelicall 3 They in their vessels had oile being gifted with understanding in the minde with spirituall life in the soule with experience and knowledge of God and his way being taught of God in the heart 3 They had these and then took their lamps shewing these were not to be divided and that none were to be made Ministers but such as were thus qualified 4 In that they took their lamps shews they did not Minister in in the Church without a call 5 They took it being given them of the Church of Christ as the lamps were given the foolish in the Church I cannot say of the Churches of Antichrist 6 The wise Virgins are here put last shewing that the true Ministry shall come again into the Church after the foolish as they were before vers 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Bridegroom tarying they all slumbred and slâ—pt These words clearly hold out that the Lord had respect to the Churches restauration after the fall of Antichrist and the Estate of the Church before also and that in the time of Antichrists Reign Christ absented himselfe from the Church as it were 1 The slumber of the wise was first as they are mentioned first vers 2. In which Prophetically was signified by Christ that the time would come in which the true Ministers and Ministry would be remisse in the Government of their Church and carelesse of their duties 2 That this their spiritual slumber would proceed or rather indeed make way for their sleep or extirpation by Antichrist 3 Most sweetly intimating Prophetically in their sleep that for a time 1260. yeares neer their would be an utter cessation of the true Gospel ministry in the World 4 In that they are said to sleep onley it is also intimated that God would againe awaken them restore them and have their ministry againe exercised in the Church 5 This we see verified in that the true Church ministry slumbred all before and slept since Antichrist as in my book of the Churches Resurrection is set forth how by degrees this was accomplished Now as the wise slumbred and slept the foolish they also before Christ marriage shall and must also have their slumber all of them and their sleep for the text saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all and every one of them wise in their time and the foolish in their appointed time likewise slumbred and slept It is true indeed it would cost not a little panis to a man to finde how when and in whom the wise Virgins slept because it is long since done monuments of Antiquity are lost especially the chief those are left are little worth I cannot pass by that of Augustine de moribus Ecclesiae cap. 30. Tu puerilliter pueros fortiter juvenesque senes prout cujusque non corporis tantum sed animi aetas est exerces doces this was but too little purpose pressed in the time of the administration of a single Ministry and the Churches almost
all these are implyed by the Apostle Revel 20. ver 4 5. in which are two dead 1 Those that were beheaded aâ—luding to John the Baptist by which means their Ministry ceased who had not worshipped the Beast nor his Image nor had received his mark in their foreheads or hands they lived againe that is came againe to exercise their Ministry in the Church by their Successors 2 They had not worshipped the Beast but were before him and extinguished by him nor shall those that are to be be of him at all 3 It s preciously alluded to John the Baptist that Eliah which was said to come in Christ's time and now againe in some other to come as in Malachy the 3d. Turning the hearts of the fathers to the children and children to their fathers 4 There are others dead which received the Marks and they lived nor again untill the 1000 years were finished which are the other minâ—stry opposed to that lived are the foolish wise Virgins Ver. 8. The foolish said to the wise give us of your oyle for our Lamps go out Before this great time of Judgement or tryall of Ministry the Ministry of Bishops Arch-bishops and Presbyters may be said to be blown out that is by violence be made to cease they indeed being by no means at the time of putting out otherwise to be put out and shall we think Presbytery will not be put out as the rest and not go out untill the time the rest do go out with her 2 At this time of tryall they all will go out of their own accord so that there remains another way of causing the cessation of the past Ministry in the Church then any yet hath been seen which will be by the power of the Word proving the unsoundnesse of it and so kindly and quietly cause it to cease 3 The whole ministry goeth out in this grand commotion and none untill now now men will acknowledge that their standing by Bishops or by Presbyters is not Evangelical they go out There is much difference between blowing out a Lamp and the letting of it burn so long untill it can burn no longer for want of oyle when it goeth out of it selfe and there is no lighting of it again there being then left them no plea to minister by 4 They say to the wise signifying an acknowledgment or ingenious conviction of them of the unsoundnesse of their ministry even to the wise Virgins from their own mouthes 5 Give us of your oyle which implyeth a great desire in men to have renewed their Ministry and signifieth an honourable esteem the faithfull Ministry of the Gospell should have of others in that day 6 An acknowledgment of the lawfulnesse of the Gospell Ministers Ordination however it shall be restored which is to be thought to be as before by the Magistrates approbation and thence desires to be ordained by them 7 It may be by Give us your oyle may be meant a desire of the foolish that the wise would acknowledge them for true Ministers of the Gospell and give them the right hand of fellowship to minister in the Church with them And this seems fitly to suite with the words of the Text following Ver. 9. But the wise answered not so lest there be not enough for us and you 1 Signifying that whether it be Ordination or associtation or acknowledgment of their Ministry or what ever else they are denyed it of the Gospell ministry 2 The Reason is satisfactory viz. least there be not enough for us and you signifying this they could not acknowledg their Ministry to be true and their own not be false or if their own were true then were the others false Again the truth had acknowledged one true in calling them wise and the other false in calling them foolish 3 Hence it seems to me that presbytery that so highly declared against Episcopacy for Antichristian hath it's day now approching to be declared against in like manner and I hope no man will be so vainly minded as to say this Construction was taken of Master Lillies Astrology for the future as some maliciously have objected Object A man may see by the coarse of things 1 It is near two years since I first affirmed this since which there is more likelyhood then before but is there any likelyhood it falls in Scotland are not all for it there is not a Schismatick allowed it is long since I was perswaded of its fall there there are many in this Kingdom that have to shew it under my hand as those letters may shortly in part shew that I wrot to several of the presbytery who have spared no pains to plague me in name or goods for it as I intend to shew at large hereafter when I have done my intended Exposition on the Revelations if God permit they provoking Authority therunto like another whore riding the Beast The Lord knoweth I write not this to offend any man nor hath any man cause to be offended if it be truth as the Apostle Gal. 4. ver 16. Am I therefore your enemy because I tell you the truth Ver. 9. But go rather to them that sell and buy for your selves 1 If the words were spoken sarcastically then it is as if they should bid them go to the Pope who sold the ministeriall calling 2 Or rather they containe an advice to them to adjoyn themselves to a true Church rightly constituted and from them to take a call thereunto it being delegated of God to them to give 3 It is intimated that in these times there will be much care had of keeping the Gospel Government entire in the Church and that nothing in her Government shall be done irregularly as in the times past they have been Ver. 10. While they went to buy 1 They take the advice given so that it should seem it was not spoken sarcastically if it had they would have discerned it I think they would not have gon to Rome for it 2 Christ is sayd to come when there will again be a visible and sensible difference of Christs presence in the Ministry and means of what there was formerly he was then absent as if not at all in prayer preaching c. 3 This coming or manifestation of God in the means provokes the Ministry the more to desire to be admitted to the exercise thereof Ver. 11. Those that were ready entred with him to the Marriage 1 At the Coming of Christ it is implyed some shall be ready that is shall be indowed with gifts calling and ministry according to the Gospell who shall be made use of to celebrate the Nuptials of the Lambe 1 Before it is said while they went to buy the Bridegroome came 2 See what hinders the Lord wil not come until their lamps be cut and they gon to buy 3 This is the destroying Antichrist by the brightnes of his coming he consuming her by pieces and parts now a little and then a little The doore was
took away the Keys of the Church doore and the Surplice And then raze his Crown and put a Cap of a Lay person on his head and deliver him to the Secular power and say pray be favourable to him who after burns him being called on by the Bishops in the City of London Now you are to observe if a Cardinall Archbishop or Bishop had proved thus Heretical other things had been done to him in his Pale Crosier Mitre and other fooleries as in part was done on those Bishops suffered in Queen Maryes dayes O! Friends see is not the Surplise taken away the Legend the Booke of Conjurations the Candlesticks the Taper the Alb the Maniple the New Testament and stole from the Deacon I mean to exercise it ministerially the Paten and Chalice the Casul the Masse the Mitre Crosier and Cardinals Cap are not all in a little while with many more gone out of the Kingdome and swept clean away as with the beesome of God 4 Things are here done more to be observed 1 Depriving of Priestly honour 2 Razing the Crown 3 Puting on a Laymans Cap which we should be loath to have done on us 4 The saying to the Temporall power we beseech you to receive William Sawtrey favourably into your power if ever God should doe this the Civil power need to be favourable to us for never men needed more favour of them then we shall the Lord grant some way may be found out to supply our families which are not the least in the Kingdom and let not us Ministers if these things are to be not occasion the Magistrate to be straightned to us Lord what a day is coming on us Ministers sure another day of judgment which we cannot flye from That Parable of the unjust Steward Luke 16.1 to the end of vers 11. will be after more cleerly understood then yet it is But this is for comfort certainly that after the true Church is constituted the abundance of blessings will be such I think no man will lack I shall end this part with certain Predictions agreeable hereunto Walter Brute about 1393. but if in time to come after this those that be Temporall Lords shall take from Ecclesiastical persons their Temporalties let him that desireth to understand this read Ezek. chap. of the Sheepherds of Israel and read the Apocalyps of the fall of Babel let him read the Popes Decretals against Heretiks in these he shall find the Temporalties shal be taken from the Clergy for the multitudes of their sins Acts and Mon. A Prediction of Merlinus Calcedenius a Scot. After a long tribulation of Christians and effusion of innocent bloud the prosperity and peace of God shall come to a desolate Nation I mean the Christians for an excellent Pastor shall come and rectifie all things and all things shall be according to the form of the Primitive Church Joannes Wolfius cites a Prediction Europae genitus terra vir justus aequus Pastor erit coeli claves non regna gubernans Pax erit toto surget concordia mundo Una fides unus regnabit in omnia princeps Saint Bridget saith of the Pope that a sword of God should pierce his body and run him throrough from head to heart never to be pulled out and after his armes his Vicars and Ministers their souls should be debarred the glory of God and their dignity and goods should be devolved unto others Joachim an Italian Abbot in his Concord of the two Testaments hath written many predictions which accord with these Joannes de rupe Scissa once Bishop of Paris hath foretold that the Popeâ— Archbishops Bishops and the whole Clergy of Rome shaâ—l be brought back again to the Primitive form of Christ and his Apostles with most sharp scourges and that all temporall principalities shall be taken from the Clergy Savanorala that the Apostolicall See should be removed from Rome to Jerusalem if hereby be understood the New Jerusalem it is true And its possible these Predictions were for the most part taken from Scripture as Expositions only as in the predicted place of Walter Brute according to which I have done mine which none can quarrell at unlesse he quarrell against the Word if it agree with the mind of the holy Spirit if not reprove it print against it After part of the wrath of God contained under the sixth Seal in which is a fall of the ministry Revel 6.13 and demolishing of Church Government in rolling away of the Heavens vers 14. chap. 7.1 there is an endevour by 4 Angels that is ministers to stop the Winâ—s or Gospel through discontent that their ministry and government was abolished it being given to them by the Magistrate It is liked not of God because they are by the other Angel that differed from them forbade to do it it is like they will endevour to peace if their call to the ministry be false there is none true and so ought to be no teaching at all but the other Angel that ascends from the Sun rising that is he that was of those Christ the Son of righteousnesse at first sent forth with the Gospel hee opposeth them who hath the Seal that is the authority of the living God to constitute Churches and gather members into Gospel fellowship with Jesus Christ by the word setting men apart to God thereby from the World Reader one word of this Scripture is not fulfilled but follows the things in hand time will shortly manifest them in another way then yet they are In the Ministry of Edmundsbury in the Celleners great Chamber window in one half of the glasse was pictured the Apostle Paul having in one hand a sword and with the other points to a picture and the other side of the window with a triple Crown in a glorious Seat holding the Globe of the World in his hand environed with Priests Monks Preachers and Fryers and having out of his mouth an unclean spirit flying or fluttering about the same his Crown was compassed is it were with Sun-beams and in three severall places written about it in short Antichristus and about the Apostles head was written Veniet discessio primum And underneath the Apostle Paul is pictured Malachy the Prophet and written above his head Ecce ego mittam vobis Eliam Prophetam Behold I will send you Eliah the Prophet and he shall turne the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers least I smite the earth with a Curse and with the finger pointed at Eliah pictured on the other hand over against him underneath the picture of Antichrist as if hee were preaching to the Prelates Priests Monks and Friers amongst whom some are represented as stopping their cares and nose thereat Some as if they seemed sleeping otâ—er some at listning and assenting to that Elias saith Vide Maxwels History of admirable prophecies I do not cite these as if the Scripture were not sufficient to admonish us or that I use them as of any authority in a manner but thus that when all knowledge was taken away from the people God stirred up the dumbe to speak and made the blinde see the destruction of Antichrist to wonder and admiration so that Popes Cardinals c. cannot say but they have been admonished of God from Heaven as it were of that destruction most certainly followeth Now if these how much more should we from the word warn men and be warned in which they may see truth themselves spoken of God that cannot lie and blessed is that soule is not offended at it but made wise and in it happy for ever which is it I only seek God is witness and not of my self the wrong or fall of any enviously but the admonition of all that are concern'd here in love and in peace in God and in Christ our Lord according to the everlasting Gospel of our blessed God and Saviour and who is he that came or shal be offended at it and not offend God yea try if it be the truth if so if thou believe not yea if thou submit not to it the enmity of this heart appears against which pray the Lord earnestly to give thee grace and mercy that thou be not left thereto for ever whereto the Lord help all his daily evermore FINIS Errata Page 1. r. parabolas p. 4. l. 34. r. are in p. 5. l. 2. r. Presbyter p. 5. l. 17. r. false prophet p. 5. l. 23. r. alterius orbis p. 5. 28 29. r. for the Evangelists p. 10 l. 16. dele that l. 35. r. who are p. 13. l. ult r. association p. 19. at end of 20 l. 1 Cor. 3.15 p. 19. l. 4. r. as at