a downright Pharisee and published that pestilent Prayer call'd the Prayer against Christians which he commanded to be constantly said in their Synagogues wherein they Curse the Gospel and the Professors of it No doubt but the Tutors Prayer prick'd on the Pupils Principles to Persecution Yea and 3 This Pupil became a notable Proficient in this proud Pharisees School as we have an Account both from Gods Mouth and his own 1. From Gods Mouth Act. 8. 3. Saul made Havock of the Church being as some think that Ravening Wolf of the Tribe of Benjamin Prophecyed of by the Patriarch Jacob Gen. 49. 27. never any Benjamite Ravened more in Wolfish Worrying Cruelty than this Saul of the Tribe of Benjamin Phil. 3. 5. did who brake into Christians Houses Dragg'd out Men and Women sparing no Sex to Prison 2. out of his own Mouth Act. 22. 3 4 19 20. I was saith he of himself Metubak or Disciple to Gamaliel and aptly learnt from his form of Prayer Maledic Domine Nazaraeis to Curse Christians Nazarites Hereticks Bastard-Gentiles in my Dayly Devotion and I was Zealous to practice as well as to Pray against them yea my blind Zeal which was no better than Mettal in a Blind Horse than Fire on the Chimney-top than the Devil in the Demoniack that threw him sometimes into the Fire and sometimes into the Water so Transported me into Malice and Madness that I was as Violent against Christians as the worst of you are and Act. 2◠9 11. I being saith he exceedingly mad persecuted them to Death and which was worse I compelled them by Cruelties to Blaspheme Thus Saul was fit enough to be Satans prime and principal Agent in his Persecuting-Work and thus far the Devil had a fair Game before him when the Church the first Gospel-Church was Dispersed by his Devilish Instruments yet behold the Lord looks on and laughs yea laughs all to nothing God overshoots the Devil in his own Bow here also and makes Satan himself break his own Design * God would never suffer Evil to be or the Devil to do evil unless he knew how to extract Good out of that Evil * Mark the marvellous Miracle of Gods mercy to Consound the Devils Device in those particulars 1. Satan with all his Savage Sanhedrims could not yet Scratch Christs Apostles out of their Mansions 't is said expresly the Twelve stayed by it at Jerusalem as in the Furnace to Cherish and Comfort the Church there in so sad a time while Saul was makeing such Havock of it Act. 8. 1 3. Christ had commanded them first to Preach the Gospel at Jerusalem Luk. 24. 47. there the Church must succeed the Synagogue as the Gospel follow'd the Law and there God marvelously maintain'd the Twelve Apostles in Safety even among the midst of their most pestilential Enemies 2. The 120 Ministers mention'd Act. 1. 15. more noble than those 120 Princes set over 120 Provinces Dan. 6. 1. being of a more Noble Extract as Heaven-Born and of a more Noble Employ as all Designed to the Ministry and so became Princes of the Provinces of that Universal Kingdom of the Gospel were indeed all Dispersed saving their Lives which Steven had lost by Flight yet they Preach all along in all places where they were scattered the Dispersed Disperseth the Light of the Gospel every where and whereas before they were like Candles tyed up in a Pound and gave no light now they are scatter'd one from another and one is lighted up in one place and another in another so gave they saving Light to a Dark World in Despight yea and by the Spight of the Prince of Darkness for that Scattering Persecution which the Devil contriv'd on purpose to smother the Gospel God over-rules and makes Use of that very Means to spread it the more 3. Hereby also the partition-Wall was broken down betwixt Jew and Gentile Eph. 2. 14. Christ had forbid them before of going into the way of the Gentiles Matth. 10. 5 6. and he bid them flee to other Cities when Persecuted v. 23. This they do now Act. 8. 4. being driven from Jerusalem they carry the Gospel to the Gentiles which redounded to the Churches great Advantage Ecclesia Augetur quant◠Magis Premitur The Church like Israel in Egypt the more they were Molested the more they Multiplyed Exod. 1. 12. The Church is like the Sea what Ground it loseth in one place it getteth and gaineth in another and thus hath oft God order'd it Vnius Ecclesia Destructio ceu potiùs Dispersio Multarum fuit Aedificatio The Destruction or rather Dispersion of one Church hath been the Aedification of many as this at Jerusalem was 4. Hereby likewise Satan maketh the Jews to convey the Gospel among the Samaritans who of all People under Heaven were most Odious to them Ioh. 4. 9. and 8. 48. The Iews Hated them because Sanballat saith Iosephus had open'd a Sanctuary in Samaria for all Renegado-Jews c. Hence they call'd Christ the worst word in their minds and mouths a Samaritan yet could they not have sent to this People whom they so much Abhorred a better Blessing than the Gospel thither they Drove Phillip the Deacon and one of the 120 who Industriously Preach'd Christ unto them Act. 8. 5. This Corrupt City and long bewitched by the Sorceries of Simon Magus yet having never blown upon the Gospel as the Iews had done Unanimously Attend and readily Receive it And there was great Joy in that City Samaria v. 8. while nothing but Rage against the Gospel was found among the High-Priests and great Councils at Ierusalem Herein the Despised Samaria exceeded and excell'd that once Holy City Ierusalem 5. By this means lastly Satans chief Engineer Simon Magus was quite Cashier'd for though this Conjurer had a long time bewitched the People carrying them out of themselves as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signisies making them Adore him as a God Act. 8. 9 10 11. Yet such was the power of God in Phillips Ministry that it breaks through all those Difficulties and both the Seduced and the Seducer are gained over to it v. 12 14. yea and this Magus or Master of the Magicians Simon so far submitted unto Peters reproof that he begs Peters Prayers for the pardon of his Sin least he should be smitten with Death as Ananias was by him The Devils 5th Assault against the Church was in this Ravening Wolf Saul aforesaid not below his Name-sake King Saul in Rage and Malice though he was in Honour who like a tyred Wolf well-weary'd with Worrying Christs Flock in their Golden-Fleeces lies down panting for Breath Saul yet Breathing Act. 9. 1. but in as much as he Breathed out Threatnings and Slaughter c. it shews the Vehemently Flameing Heat of his Hellishly Enraged Heart who like a Bruitish Blood-Hound being Blooded in the Butcher'd Body of Steven c. he pursueth after others with utmost Out-rage and when he cannot Glut himself with Blood enough at
that is To Corrupt the White Line the Posterity of Seth and to make them as Black as those of the black Line the Cursed brood of Cain That the latter Line was very Obnoxious and Injurious to the former all along may easily be believed though the Scripture doth not express it even until they were all swept away with the Flood Job 22. 16 17. However this is Exprest That the Devils design was now to Debauch those bold Professors who had so openly opposed his Kingdom and this he promotes and pursues by setting the Fair Faces of the Daughters of Men Cain's Brood before the Eyes of the Sons of God the off-spring of Seth Gen. 6. 2. This by the Tempters Instigation drawing out Mans Corruption Corrupted the very Church it self The Sons of God Deut. 14. 1. or Members of the Church looks loves and Lusts after the Daughters of Men that were out of the Church Their Eyes became Burning-Glasses to se◠their Hearts on Fire even Loop-holes of Lust and Windows of all Wickedness the Lust of the Eyes usher'd in the Lust of the Flesh and the Pride of Life 1 Joh. 2. 16. Professors then began to be prosligate with the Prophane and made Prophane Marriages with them as prophane Esau did Gen. 26. 34 35. and 28. 8 9. contrary to God's Law Deut. 7. 3 4. They took them Wives of all which they chose that is Such as their wanton Eyes and Wild Affections liked and loved without either Gods License or their Godly Parents leave Cù◠multùm Caepissent Generare Multùm Caepissen◠Degenerare When the Two Seeds mingled multiply'd and began to Generate much they began to Degenerate much Their Marrying by the Eye more than by the Ear thinking a fair Face enough though covering never so foul a Soul without either Holy Grace or an Honest-Race made them as Carnal as the Off-spring of Cain Hence sprang the Gyants call'd Nephilims that is Faln Ones as the Hebrew Word signifies for they were faln from God as they had faln on Men and made Men by force and fear to fall before them They fall into Lamechs sin of Poligamy and must have more Wives than one Item pollices Quot Quas Volebant and as many Whores as they pleased Hence all the World was overspread with Cruelty and Corruption even a World of ungodly Men 2 Pet. 2. 5. Hereupon God saith Gen. 6. 3. I 'le Consult no more with my Mercy for sparing them I am Resolved with my Justice to Ruine them Satan had Consulted to Destroy and his Consult had an Happy or rather Unhappy Hit here 'T is sad when God will not at such a time Consult to Deliver The World was now become so Fowl with Sin that there was no Remedy but to Wash it clean with a Flood the whole Earth plainly stank before God v. 11 12. and he Sweetens it with a dowsing Deluge This Resolve to Ruine the World to wit both the Seeds of Seth as well as of Cain must needs make the Devil Laugh to see his Design so seemingly successful notwithstanding all this The Lord laughs this Project to nothing God still consults to Save as well as to Destroy Though the World shall be Drown'd yet the Church shall not be so according to the Devils Design for unto Noah God graciously gives a Promise of Preservation and the Platform of an Ark wherein he and his should be Preserved Gen. 6. 8 14. Yea and for the Churches future Sustenance and Accomodation Two of every sort of Creatures shall be preserved also Gen. 6. 20. And ah how Sequacious were they all to God their Centurion they All come at his Call and even Beasts of Prey were so cicurated and Tamed for this Time that they all Liv'd together and Dyeted together the Lyon with the Lamb Isa 11. 6. without any dissention Yea the Antipathy and Enmity 'twixt the Serpent and the Woman was here Restrained By Faith Noah prepares the Ark Heb. 11. 7. and every stroke upon it was a Real Sermon to Fore-warn the Old World that they flee from the Wrath to come And so this Preacher of Righteousness Preached without Preaching In the midst of Wrath resolv'd on God remembred Mercy Habb 3. 2. Those Corrupters of the Earth and of their Ways had 120 Y. given them wherein to be Reclaim'd by this Preacher of Right but they had the Space not the Grace of Repentance and they Jeered where they should have Feared looking upon Noah's Work of Preparing an Ark onely as a Work of Dotage as if he had Dreamed not so much of a Dry Summer as of a Wet Winter This long-Suffering of God is Admir'd and Ador'd 1 Pet. 3. 18 19 20. All the Devils Vassals were Drown'd Yea and Burn'd too So Deep is the Stain of Sin it Requires Fire as well as Water to fetch it out For they are call'd The Spirits once in Pleasure now in Prison and in pain of Everlasting Burnings but Noah Gods Servant was Saved who in the Spirit of Christ strove long with them for their Salvation to whom he was but a little Beholden for his own in this Respect especially The Door into his Ark must be in the side of the lowest Story and so it was under Water a whole Year all the time of the Flood and it must be a prodigiously great Door for so vast and Bulky a Body as an Elephant to enter Noah within cannot shut it 't is too heavy for him This Jeering Generation without would not they ought him no such Service Now rather than the Church should be drown'd either by an Open or a not well-shut Door the most High God stoops to that low Office of Shutting the Door after Noah That which God does is well done therefore it Leaked not for so long a time and he that Vouchsaf'd to be Noah's Turnkey condescends to be his Pilot too for a long and dangerous Voyage whereby the Ship or Church Swam safe to shore the Ark arrives at Arrarat its place of Rest Gen. 7. 16. and 8. 4. The Fourth Plot against the Church in AEGYPT Defeated by GOD. CHAP. IIII. NO sooner was the Church in Noah safely Landed and God had Smelt a sweet Savour instead of the stench of the Old World from Noah's Sacrifice Gen. 8. 11. but Satan hath a 4th Plot to Promote and Pursue God will not War with a Weaponless Devil but out of his Unsearchable Wisdom ever allows him Suitable Instruments to work withal in the World for the Glory of his own Grace The Enmity betwixt the Two Seeds never dyes as before so long as the World Lives and Cain will be Murdering Abel by Propagation to the end of the World Yea and the Older he grows the more Savage and Bloody will he be The last Bite of the Beast will be the most deadly Bite As the Serpent had crept into Paradise to Plot against our first Parents the First Foundation of the Church so Satan creeps into the Ark to Plot
a stronger Hale without breaking to wit 2 Internal Cords or 2 Murmurings within the Camp and 2 External Cords or 2 Assaults and Onsetts upon the Camp by King Arad and by King Sihon yet God broke this 4-fold Cord more easily than Samson did his when Philistims were upon him Judg. 15. 14. and 16.12 As 1st Internally And 1st A Murmuring within the Camp for Water at Meribah Numb 20. 2. They wanted Water the first Year of their comming into the Wilderness and now the like want befalls them in this 40th Year of their Wilderness-Wandring In the 1st Year-want God Tryed the Fathers Exod. 17. 1 2. c. and God gave them Water out of the Rock Horeb v. 6. which followed them all along till they came near Canaan 1 Cor. 10. 4. In this last Year-want God tryed the Children and they Murmur like their Fathers and Patrizando do want Patience as well as Water The former at Rephidim Exod. 17. and this at Kadesh do Harmonize in many Particulars save that Satan was more successful in this Plot than in that for here he Transports meek Moses 1. to an Immoderate Anger to Speak unadvisedly with his Lips Psal 106. 32. 2. To a Speaking passionately to the People when he should have spoken believingly to the Rock v. 8. 3. To his Smiting it and that Twice as in a pang of Passion when he should have onely Spoken to it with the Rod in his Hand stretched towards it v. 10. 'T is true while Moses Spoke to those Rebels he spoke to a Rock even to their rocky hearts Here Moses is at a stand and his Faith staggers as knowing a Flinty rock was more likely to have Fire fetch'd out of it than Water by striking He is not bidden Here to smite the Rock as Elsewhere Exod. 17. 6. And because he did it Unbidden not believing in the Lord nor Sanctifying him before the People v. 12. both he and Aaron his Brother for the same fault were Excluded Canaan but Satan could not get either of them Excluded Heaven However God pardons their Murmurings the Belly hath no Ears and satisfies their Thirst by a Miracle Waters came out abundantly by a Work of Omnipotency v. 11. and so the Church is Preserved 2dly A Murmuring within the Camp at the Tediousness of the way in compassing the Land of Edom when that Unkind Cousin would not suffer Israel to pass thorough his Land Numb 20. 14 17 18. and 21. 4. which had been the far nearest way This turning about Mount-Seir turns them again into their Old Paroxysms or Fits of Murmuring against God that forbad them the way thorough Seir or Edom Deut. 2. 5. and of Loathing Manna as their Fathers had done Numb 11. 5 6. as if it were not so Solid and Substantial as that Food they had in Aegypt Though it maintain'd the Body in an equal Temperature of Strength and Vigorous Health without offending the Organs or oppressing with Fullness for many Years as it did Moses Deut. 34. 7. and Caleb Josh 14. 11. For this Contempt God sent Seraphim Nehashim Fiery Serpents to Sting them that those Ungrateful ones who had causelesly Cryed might now have some Cause to cry 'T is a Wonder that seeing the Wilderness through which they went did Abound with those and other Serpents Deut. 8. 15. That the Old Serpent the Devil had not before this Molested the Church with these Biteing and killing-Serpents but the Great God who was their Conduct and Covering over-rul'd the Devil or Serpent and kept all those Serpents from hurting his People till now by their Sin he gave them a Commission as Amos 9. 3. I will command the Serpent and he shall bite thee 'T is the Church's Mercy that the Serpent cannot Hurt nor Destroy upon Gods Holy Mountain but when God permits Isa 65. 25. And though God here for their Sin doth permit this grievous Malady yet Provides he a most gracious Remedy at the Pray'rs of his people v. 7 8. to wit The Brazen-Serpent upon a Pole a Figure of Christ Joh. 3. 14 15. to which whoever looks tho' with a weak Eye are healed Isa 17. 7. and 45. 23. and Joh. 12. 32. So 2dly Externally 1. Satan stirred up the Canaanites to Oppose this Wilderness-Church in her Passage to Canaan now when they were come so nigh to it even to the South-point of the Land Numb 21. 1. and 33. 40. These under King Arad fought against Israel and took some of them Prisoners Undoubtedly those Canaanites had heard of the over-throw which was given to Israel 38 Y. before this when they presumptiously went up against an Express Prohibition Numb 14.41 44 45. and of the Hand of God against them in Detaining them so long in the Wilderness Hereby the Devil hardned and encouraged them to Encounter Israel comming so neer them again which was done accordingly with some Success yet from differing Thoughts of God and the Devil for 1st the Devil did this to discourage Israel that as their Fathers through Unbelief entred not into the Promised Land but their Carcasses fell in the Wilderness Deut. 1. 27 32 35. Hebr. 3. 11 18. So their Children also might be deprived 2. but God Suffer'd this Success for a Chastizement of their Sins and for a Tryal of their Faith and that his People might know that they should not Conquer the Land by their own Strength or for their own Merit Psal 44. 3. Deut. 9.4 This Success of the Canaanites prevailing and taking some Prisoners gave Satan a fair Prospect of his Plot and Project yet behold how the Lord baffles him and Laughs it to Nothing for it was onely some Prisoners not all the Church as the Old Romans may lose a Battel but never a War This Loss was so Sanctify'd as made them take the right way to prevail with God as Jacob the Father of Vows had found it Gen. 28. 20. Upon this Occasion Israel Jacob's Off-spring Vowed a Vow Numb 21. 2. Invocating Gods Assistance and promising a Devotement of their Conquest to God The Lord accepts of this Religious Vow or Promise performs his Part of Helping them to a Victory v. 3. King Arad Satans Instrument being Drunk with his former Success comes again into the Field like Thunder and Lightning but goes out like Smoak and a Snuff as 't is said of the French Prior Impetus est plus quà m Virorum posterior minùs quám Foeminarum More than a Man at first less than a Woman at last God Delivered him into Israels hands and his Cities they Destroyed which they Devoted to God as the first Fruits of the Land of Promise And that they might keep their Vow the better to the end of their Conquests the place of this first Victory was call'd Hormah to wit Devotement for a Standing Memorial both of Gods Mercy and Israels Duty in after Ages v. 3. And when the Devil saw that he had lost this Game and that Israels Sighing for their first Defeat was Turned into
which sought to make the Church Dye are themselves Dead and all their Diabolical Designs with them The Devil being thus Defeated in the 1st part of his Plot against Christ in the Infancy of his Manhood Christ still Lives grows up in Wisdom and Stature and in Favour with God and Man Luk. 2. 52. and at twelve Y. Old able to Dispute with the Doctors Yea to non-plus them v. 47. The Twenty-Second Plot in the New-Testament against the Church in Christ Defeated by God CHAP. XXII HEreupon he projects a Second Plot against Christ in the Infancy or Minority of his Ministry as the first was Manag'd with an Instrument to wit Herod mediately but this 2d without any immediately by the Devil himself Satan will not trust any Instruments to Tempt Christ as his Imp Herod had trusted his Souldiers to Kill Christ Matth. 2. 16. Now he Assaults Christ by himself Matth. 4. 1. he had Assaulted the 1st Adam in his Proxy the Serpent but he will Venture upon the â—d Adam in his own Person and that Immediately upon his very Entrance into the Ministery Behold here the Dreadfullest Duel the most Memorable Battel betwixt Two the Strongest and Stoutest Champions was sought that ever appear'd upon the Stage of the World that of David and Goliah was of a far Inferiour Alloy though a type of it to this â— Sam. 17. 41 to 51. There was onely Man against Man and that of Michael and the Devil Jude 9. is below this for 1. there it was onely an Arch-Angel against the Arch-Devil 2ly 'T was onely a Dispute about the Body of Moses but here 't is not Man against Man as in the first Instance nor an Angel against a Devil as in the second No 't is the Lord of Angels Hebr. 2. 4. Wrestling a Fall with the Prince of Devils Matth. 12. 24. Oh how do people Run to see some Remarkable Fencers sight their Prizes c. * Behold here a Prize sought betwixt God-Man and Beelzebub 'twixt the Prince of Life and the Prince of Darkness and that not about the Natural Body of Moses as above but about the Spiritual Body of the Messias to wit his Church the Mystical Body of Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. neither is it that Israel may Overcome the Philistims onely for which David fought Goliah but that all Believing Jews and Gentiles that ever have been are now and shall be to the end of the World may Overcome Flesh World and Devil in this Captain of their Salvation Jesus Christ Hebr. 2. 10. Rom. 8. 37. Col. 1. 16. and 2. 15. Oh what will ye go out into the Wilderness to see Matth. 11. 7. turn aside with Moses Exod. 3. 3. and with Me to see this Great Sight The Strong Man and the Stronger Man Entring the Lists together not Two Reeds shaken with the Wind shakeing one another but a mighty Devil a compleat compound of Goliahs Strength of Achitophels Craft and of Doegs Malice Combating and Conflicting with Almighty God and for a fuller and more distinct View of this most Famous Contest behold it in Two Pregnant Particulars 1. A most strange Act. 2. As strange an End 1. The Strange Act like the River of Paradise Gen. 2. 10. Divides it self into Four Streams Branching it self out in Four Circumstances 1. Time 2. Place 3. the Agent 4. the Patient 1st of the Time when then Matth. 4. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Immediately Mark 1. 12. 1. Presently after he was Baptized 3. Presently after he was Proclaimed the Son of God or Presently after he was 30 Y. Old As to the 1st Christ was no sooner out of the Water of Baptism but Immediately he comes into the Fire of Temptation and both not for himself but for us Behold how he loved us Is there any Love like the Love of Christ who passed thorough both Fire and Water to Work our Redemption As to the 2d Immediately after his Highest Communion with Heaven he hath his Deepest Temptations from Hell If Heaven Open its Mouth to Proclaim him the Son of God Matth. 3. 17. then presently Hell opens its mouth Isa 5. 14. to powr out Flouds of Temptation upon him as Revel 12. 15. If God say I am Well-pleased with Christ Matth. 3. 17. The Devil comes presently and saith But I am Highly displeased with Christ And if Heaven send a Dove and the Holy Spirit to Christ Matth. 3. 16. Hell will be sure Immediately to send him a Fiend and an Vnclean Spirit the former Descends from Above the latter Ascends from Below as 1 Sam. 28. 13. As to the 3d. Relating to Christs Age we do not Read what Christ did in his Minority and Nonage how he spent his private Life was Judg'd by the most Wise God fitter for Secrefie than for Knowledge where the Word hath not a Mouth to Speak we should not have a Tongue to Ask However 't is not probable that Christ that Pattern of Holiness the Regula Regulans Rule-Ruleing as well as Regulata the Rule-Ruled should spend his thirty Y. either 1 in Idleness especially considering the Iews generally were Charg'd with their Children after they had Circumcis'd them to train them up in the Knowledge of the Law of God for the good of their Inner Man Exod. 12. 26 27. and in some Honest Calling for the good of their Outward Man and Rab. Judah saith Quicunque non Doceret suum Filium aliquod Opificium est acsi illum Latrocinium Doceret Whoever Taught not his Son some Honest Employ is as if he had taught him to be a Rogue or a Robber Yea and the Heathen Hesiod could Sing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nullum Opificium est probrosum No Handicraft-Trade is Reproachful but of good Report or 2 in dedicating his Youth to the Study 1 of Curious Arts as those had done Act. 19 19. and such a Devilish Black Artist those Black-mouth'd Blasphemers would have made of the Divine Messiah Mat. 12.24 or 2 of those better call'd Liberal Arts whereof he had no need being the Wisdom of God Prov. 8. 30. 1 Cor. 1. 24. and having the Godhead dwelling Bodily in Him Col. 2. 9. a Beam whereof he was pleas'd to put forth in the Temple among the Doctors when he was Twelve Y. Old Luk. 2.42 46 47. until which Y. the Scripture Relates nothing of him after his Deliverance from Herod nor any thing of him after this until he was Thirty Y. Old save onely that when he had drawn in this Beam of his Deity which he had put forth among the Doctors he went Home with his Parents and was subject to them v. 51. where 't is not improbable the Grand Carpenter and great Architect of the World follow'd his Fathers Calling of a Carpenter as the Evangelists Words are Is not this the Carpenter Mark 6. 3. And as Justin Martyr that lived not long after him saith That before his Ministry he made Yokes and Ploughs which some would confirm from Christs own Words My Yoke is
open to Christianity to Canaan and to the Battel at Armageddon Here ☞ Note 1 the Jews are call'd Kings of the East 1. Christ maketh all Christians to be Kings in general Rev. 1.6 but 2. Those Converted Jews in special Isa 24. 21 22 23. Where upon their Conversion they are called Kings 3. Then shall the Kingdom of Christ be most Gloriously Erected among them Zech. 12. 8. and they Reign with Christ Zech. 14.6 7. Isa 60.20 and 62. 1 2 3. of the East because they most live there in Turky Tartary the Ten Tribes especially and China which is call'd the Land of Sinim Isa 49. 12. or Shinar Zech. 5 11. 2 That the Jews shall be Converted in the latter Age both Old and New Testam foretell it this must be under the 6th Vial for under the 7th Vial All is Done Rev 16. 17. both the Mystery of Iniquity is Abolished and the Mystery of Godliness is then Accomplished 2. Their Conversion is Describ'd with the same Phrase of Drying up the River Isa 11. 15 16. 3 The Hebrew Phrases used here and no where else as Armageddon Rev. 16. 16. and Allelujah Rev. 19. 1 3 4 6. where the 6th Vial is reassumed and further explained doth show that the Jews are come in and joyns with the Christian Gentiles in praising God for the Ruine of Rome Christ Commands to praise God for it Ch. 18. 20. the Gentile-Churches do readily Obey and cry with a great Voice Hallelujah Chap. 19. 1. This Awakens the Dull Daughters of Jerusalem especially the Voice of the Lamb ver 5. to seek their Beloved with them Cant. 5. 9. and 6. 1. Then comes the Jewish Church out of her opened Grave Ezek. 37. 12. As the Morning out of the East and after a long Night Cant. 6. 10. out of Her Wilderness She is somewhat Moved and Mollified by the Two first Hallelujahs v. 1. 3. but more by the 3d. wherein the 4 living Wights and the 24 Elders joyntly and publickly sounded their Hallelujah v. 4. yet most of all by the Lambs Voice was she roused and raised from the Dead 't was Christ that did powerfully pull the Vail from off her Heart v. 5. so that now she joyns with the Gentile-Churches in the 4th Hallelujah to Concelebrate that great Mercy of Romes Ruine whose Idolatry had long been her Stumbling-block Now all the Saints Jew and Gentile joyn with one Consent to Praise the Lord v. 6. Hence 't is call'd the Voice of a great Multitude of many Waters and of mighty Thunders Thus the Believing Gentiles do all they are able to bring Christ into their Mothers House the Jewish Church Cant. 3. 4. The Gentile Church was Conceived in the Chambers of the Jewish Joh. 4. 22. And now the Jewish Church after a long Divorce hath the Robes of a Bride bestowed on her Chap. 19.8 that in Conjunction with the Gentile Church both may be Marry'd to the Lamb and because Christ will not Marry this New Bride but as a Conquerour therefore is his Conquest Related after the Conquerour is Described v. 11 20. Christ Drew his Sword when he began his War against the Cursed Canaanites Josh 5. 13 14. and he will never put up his Drawn Sword till he hath made all his Foes his Footstool The Dragon cannot prevail against Michael our Prince Rev. 12. 8. Here the Beast that bears the Whore is Taken notwithstanding all his Fraud and Force and with him the False Prophet and both cast Alive into the Lake of Fire that burneth with Brimstone which is the most exquisite and most unquenchable burning Rev. 19. 19 20. The Beast in respect of his Civil or Temporal power and the False Prophet in respect of his Spiritual or Ecclesiastick power makes up one Antichrist whom Christ as soon as he comes into the Field Conquers Venit Vidit Vicit Catches Casts him away with Indignation yea comes upon him as out of an Engine while he is most Secure and Insulting when he saith I sit as a God and shall see no sorrow Ch. 18. 7. and hurls him Headlong into Hell where he shall have Burning for Burning as he hath burnt Alive many of Gods Martyrs with a Temporal fire so he shall be burnt alive himself with Eternal fire And the Kings that are Antichrist's Auxiliaries with their Armys shall be slain with the Sword v. 21. at Armageddon which signifies a Treacherous Army or an Vnfortunate Troop or rather a Mountain of Men cut in pieces as Sisera's Army was at the Waters of Megiddo Judg. 5.19 Revel 16.16 These are not so Deeply Damned as the Beast c. yet are they made a Prey to the Infernal Vulturs The 7th Memorable Remark is the 7th Vial which is powred out upon the Ayr that is on the Kingdom of Satan that Prince of the Ayr who had hitherto Upheld the Beasts Kingdom Now It is Done Ch. 16 17. to wit the Dragon 's or Devils Deputy Antichrist Chap. 13.2 is Vndone and utterly Destroyed Note 1. the Instruments of this Destruction Heaven and Earth Conspire together for that Work v. 18. 2 The Object of this Destruction is the whole Antichristian Church and State ver 19. the 10th part whereof is said to fall at the Rise of the Witnesses Ch. 11.13 here the Nine parts remaining do fall in a Tripartite Ruine This Earth-quake pulls it all into Three pieces and all Confederate Places and People are either Converted or Confounded whether Continent Countreys or Islands See Ezek. 5. 11 12. Zech. 14.4 5. some may Flee away v. 20. and Chap. 18.4 by true Penitency but such as remain in their Stubborn Impenitency Christ will Brain them with bigger Hailstones than those Josh 10. each of them being an 100 Weight v. 21. or those that knock'd down the Jesuits Church at Blois in France yet marvelously passed over the Protestant Church there without the least Harm as Exod. 9. 25. or bigger than those which fell here this 18th of May which knock'd so many Rooks on the Head c. That the Prophecy of the 7th Vial poured out on the Ayr is Reassumed in Revel 20. as the 5th and 6th Vials are Ch. 17.18 19. hath the common consent of the Learned though many of them do conceive 't is no more than an Historical Repetition of things formerly done yet we may with many others as probably Conclude that it is a Prophetick Relation of things to come Considering 1 the Connexion of this Vision Chap. 20. with the former Ch. 19. 19 20 21. John saith And or Afterwards I saw c. Ch. 20. 1. to wit After I had seen the Beast and the False Prophet cast into the Lake then had I this following Vision 2 'T is rational to expect the Doom of the Dragon or Devil after the Doom of the Beast who was but the Devil's Deputy Rome both Imperial and Papal Acting all by and under the Dragon Revel 13. 3. Christ indeed fought with the Dragon and Foil'd him Ch. 12. whereupon he