their two and forty mansions Num. 33 answering to two and forty mouths here I say the two Wings of the Eagle carrying the Woman into the wildernesse The Dragon or Serpent cast out of his mouth water as a floud to carry her away vers 14 15. that is wicked opinions and blasphemies as Arianisme which had almost drowned the Christian Church For this Exposition of water out of the mouth see Prov. 18.4 Psal 78.2 Matth. 13.35 Prov. 15.28 And the Eccles Hâ—st of the time here meant Med. Alii The truth is that we are distinctly brought downe by the synopsis and survey of things in this 12. Chap. of Revelat. to the speciall time of Satans coming downe of his great Wrath and of the Woe thereby The Woman vers 1. is mystically the Christian Church The Sonne or Man-childe vers 5. is Mysticall Christ formed in the succession of his particular members meet to rule in his stead or as his Deputies the earth with a rod of iron being caught up to God and to his Throne that is as Magistraticall Gods into the Throne of Gods power deputed unto Magistrates instead of Heathen and Antichristian Emperours Kings and Princes The Womans Travell for this with great paine to be delivered for that end vers 2. was in the times of the ten persecutions at which time the great red Dragon Pharaoh the second as the Prophet calls the first Pharach for his persecuting the children of Israel I say Pharach the second the bloody persecuting Empire of Rome sought to devoure that birth of that Woman for the space of the ten Persecutions which continued for above three hundred yeares after Christ Her flying into the wildernesse vers 6. after that she had brought forth her said Sonne and nursed him up and educated him to the time of ripe age that he was catcht up into that Throne of God signifies a middle state of the Church viz. that as the Church was not yet settled in the Canon of the Great restauration yet to come so neither was it in an Egypt of Heathen Romish savage persecution for the space of one thousand two hundred and sixty yeares These one thousand two hundred and sixty yeares may bee computed severall wayes according to severall rises yet still perioding with some notable event preparing for the great revolution as instances have beene given in other Treatises and more might be laid to the heape since the subduing of Scotland and Ireland and the Atchievements in France An. Dom. 1651. which differs but a day as Chronologers speake from 1650 but the Grant Account here must be * Anno post Christum 410. Roma vietrix Domina orbis ab Alarico Gothorum rege capta direpta Socrat. l. 7. c. 10. A quo tempore authoritate ejus plurimum imminutâ ipsa exposita est pari deinceps praedae atque direptioni Vandalis Herulis Longobardis aliisque Germaniae Gentibus quae in Italia Gallia Hispania Britannia excitarunt diversa regna Ab hac imperii Romani inclinatione sublaio jam e medio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paulus Apostolus 2 Thess 2. oidiendum esse innuit tempas filii perditionis Recte ergo hÃc initium figitur 42. Mensium Angelicorum regnì Bestiae Septicipitis Apocal. 13. decemcornis porestatem maguam a Draco ne mutuantis horribiles contra Deum blasphemias eructantis hoc est papatus Romani c. Eli Reus Leorin Isagog Histo de Insant Autich Ad An. 410. as some great learned men compute from the time that the seven-headed ten-horned Beast Rev. 13.1 2.3 4 5. insinuated himselfe into that Throne of God afore mentioned sitting there as God 2 Thess 2.4 shewing himselfe that he is God There sitting in that aforesaid Throne as pretendedly assuming to himselfe that Sonship above named but indeed an Hermaphroditian Bastard I meane a Mungrill compound of Imperial and Papal power basely begotten by Arrogancy and Hypocrisie upon the superstitious slavish multitude when the true father was bed-ridden I meane the Roman Emperialty was exceeding low which was about an hundred yeares after that True-borne Man-childe spoken of afore was first caught up into the said Throne of God For about three hundred and twelve Constantine the Great sate on one part of that Throne after that on the whole and after him his successors professing Christianity in great splendor till about foure hundred and ten At which time the Roman Emperialty being first brought very low by the Alaricus King of the Gothes and by and by lower by the Vandals c. the Papal power began to endeavour to sit in that Throne for t is expresse Rev. 13.5 that to the Seven-headed Ten-horned Beast was given power to continue or doe two and forty months which two and forty months solarie are all one with one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes which is the time of the Womans being in the wildernesse Now after the Woman was in the wildernesse the Dragons wrath extended thitherto and when hee could not prevaile by Warre verf. 6 and 7. He cast out of his mouth water as a floud after her that he might cause her to be carried away of the floud verf. 14. and 15. That is the waters of corrupt words opinions and blasphemies as formerly in Arianisme c. most filthily corrupting mens manners and pudling their conversation so now in Socinianisme c. Which state of things in the wildernesse two and forty months or one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes i.e. yeares period at the beginning of the Great restauration Then is Satans time cut short off Then he is bound Revel 20.2 3. Then he is restrained from DECEIVING the Nations in the same vers 3. By all which it appeares that towards the latter end of those one thousand two hundred and sixty yeares a little before Satans binding even when he himselfe knew his time was short was it that he had such great wrath and that because he knew his time was short even as Peter tels 2 Pet. 3.3 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the last of dayes he saith not as other Apostles of things farther off the end in the last dayes but in the LAST OF DAYES shall men rise to that height of wicked walking after their owne lusts as to scoffe at God and the Scriptures saying Where is the promise of his coming c. So that now at this present time and downward till the restauration radiate a dawning is this Woe this coming downe of the Devill with his great wrath as these unparallelled impious times doe too much give testimony Even as Jude vers 14. to 20. applies it out of Enochs and the Apostles Prophesies that when the Lord is about to come with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement the sonnes of men shall bee murmurers complainers walking after their owne lusts speaking great swellings mockers walking after their owne ungodly lusts pretending to bee severed from other men as under some notion
easily deceived hypocrites And why NOW hath the Devill GREAT WRATH seeing he was never lesse angry then as a Devil nor mildlier wroth then with the sinning against the Holy Ghost which is the proper sinne of the Devil but to signifie that now having more liberty to worke he would more wreake his wrath and effect his fury to cause evill doubly in this short time remaining ere he be cut short Which with a smooth current carries us into a second search viz. when this NOW is to what time after Johns time for this is a branch of future things Rev. 4.1 it doth relate The Devill was alwayes since he was first outed out of Heaven a Devill and alwayes angry and wroth since he was a Devill and since both alwayes abroad in the world more or lesse to vent his wrath as we have heard But now he is come downe and he hath great wrath because he hath but a short time His time was not alwayes short In Christs time and after that when there should precede as Prognosticks of his next coming That many should come in his name saying they are Christ deceiving many That there should be Warres and rumors of Warres yet though all those things come to passe the END IS NOT YET Matth. 24.3 4 5 6. And the rising of Nation against Nation and Kingdome against Kingdome together with famines pestilences and earth-quakes in divers places all those things are but the BEGINNING of sorrow vers 7 8. And in Pauls time it is averred by him that the day of Christ was not then at hand though some would shake them in their mindes so to thinke partly by a pretended Spirit of Prophesie partly by a Traditional Word and partly by fictitious Epistles under the name of some Apostle 2 Thess 2.2 3. The Church universally and separately considered as an Idea is a Mother but considered in relation to the severall persons begotten in her she hath an Off-spring with which she is said to travell and bring forth to God Ezek 16. to v. 21. and Chap. 23. v. 4. Esa 54. Hos 2. v. 4 5. The Allegory therefore in this part is not to be wrested to separate the mother from her off-spring which yet otherwise may grow together into one and the same Church Kimchi on Hos 2. v. 2 3. These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pangs of Travell are sore persecution Esa 66.7 Chald on the place Jer. 30 6 7. Matth 24.8 9. Mar. 13.8 The seven headed ten horned Dragon is the Roman heathen Empire buâ—â—d on seven hils ruled by seven sorts of Governments over ten Kingdomes which should arise in the time of the last head to which they grew as the Angel interprets it Rev. 17. The Man-childe is Mysticall Christ that is Christ formed in his Members the Sonne not of Mary but of the Church Gal. 9.19 So that this is not Christ verily but as suitable to typicall expressions Christ Analogically who was to rule the Nations with an iron Scepter That is authority being obtained by the sword of war over them that are not Citizens but enemies Psal 2.9 out of which that in Rev. 19. v. 15. compare carefully Rev. 2.16 The catching up the childe unto God and to his Throne by the figure Ev 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intend That the childe was catched up into the Throne of God that is up to the Roman Empire where he should rule the Nations with Authority This interpretation is plaine by Rom. 13.1 Psal 82. v. 1. and v. 6. even as they are said to sit in Moses chaire who teach the Doctrine of Moses so are they said to be in the Throne of God who are his Vicegerents in Rule upon earth So that when it is said the childe of the Apostolicke Church was caught up to God or received up into the Throne of God it is all one as to be lifted up to that Excellency as HE may sit as it were with God which I say is meant of Regall advancement And this was then fulfilled when as Christians bare the sway under Constantine the Great and his successors the Dragon of Roman Heathenish Emperialty being throwne downe That the Womna in travell with her childe were safe and escaped the Dragons lying in wait it was by the helpe and succour of Michael who sought conquered and cast downe the Dragon from Heaven into the earth whereby the Womans Son was not onely safe but was lifted up to that Throne and she her selfe departed into the wildernesse This Michael was not I suppose Christ himselfe but as in Dan. Chap. 10. v. 13. the chiefest of the chiefe Princes or seven Angels who is said Dan 12.1 to stand for the children of God according to the office of Angels Heb. 1.14 But Michael fought not alone but tooke with him partly the Martyrs overcoming Heathenisme and advancing Christianity above it by couragious suffering as is plaine in v. 11. partly the Professors and Confessors of Christianity either convincing their persecutors or adhering to Christian Constantius the Emperor father of Constantine the great in whose Court they were cherished and animated in their Profession and thereby prepared in their spirits to joyne with Constantine the Great his sonne anon succeding Constantius deceasing and to fight down the wicked Colleague-Emperors though the Devils stood with those Tyrants as much as they could For the Dragon and his Angels were the Devill and the Roman Tyrants and their Ministers which worshipped them who were cast out when they were throwne downe from the top of their Divinity the Romans admiring their Diabolical worship adoring and worshipping the Devill instead of worshipping of God and prostrate to the very bottome of execration and contempt Paralell to Exod 12.12 Num. 33.4 where God executed judgement upon the gods of the Egyptians So here the Devill the Dragon and his Angels that deceived the whole world that is perswaded them to Idolatty and hitherto possessed the Roman Empire were cast out into the earth For which a song of praise vers 10 11. But woe to the earth and the sea for now in speciall the Devill is resident with the inhabitants thereof and with great wrath vers 12.13 For the Roman Eagle being the Ensigne of that Empire with his two great Wings his two Cealars of that Empire parted into the East and West carrying the Woman into her eremitical middle condition in the wildernesse like that of the Israelites wandring in the wildernesse from their departure out of Egypt into Canean safe indeed from the fury of that red Dragon as of Pharaoh but not yet come to that glory as it were the possession of Canaan and so in a better state then the servitude of that Ethnicke Roman Tyranny like that of Egypt having now by the leave of Christian Princes liberty to worship Christ freely as the Israelites had in the wildernesse but no lesse unhappy by manifold Apostasies then Israel in the wildernesse by the Calfe Baal-peor Korah Balaam in
that have come neare thee because the print of their feet make met afraid for all their footsteps are towards thee I see no signe of any returning An apt Simile to the thing in hand Of many closing with Satan few returne Therefore if Satan be now greatly wroth oblerve what it workes If a present Woe among the inhabitants of continent and ISLANDS the Sea cannot guard from Devill and sinne discerne how it seizeth on the unsound See all these as they come to passe on others before ye feele them fall upon your selves Happy saith the Proverb are they whom other mens harmes make to beware Paries cum proximus ardet Tunc tua res agitur When thy neighbours house is on fire it is time for thee to looke to thine Satans coming downe in wrath is the cause of Temptations but our yeelding is the cause of Transgressing and transgression unrepented of the cause of destruction viz. in the crowd of the conquered we are confounded to give the Saints the victory and vicissitude in our places at the great and glorious RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS as it is called Act. 3.21 making our condition like the man at the siege of Samaria who for his unbeleefe and blaspheming against Gods deliverance was trampled under foot to death and lived not to injoy the mercy Or like the rebellious Israelites that lived to come neare Caenaan but entred not in Foreseeing is fore-warning forewarning fore-arming Christ by his Angel unto John gave us this prediction not to prejudice our diligence but to put us upon prevention of these evils as to our selves as wee shall heare more after And therefore our duty is with both eyes widely opened to see this coming downe this Woe this great wrath of the Devil in the Efficacies thereof of which in the next Chapter CHAP. V. The EFFICACIES as they are called in the Greek 2 Thess 2. of Satans COMING DOWNE 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thess 2. v. 11. WOE and WRATH gathered from the System of the Chapter viz. Rev. 12. V. 12. To down with Christian MAGISTRACY and to dim Gospel MINISTRY THe Efficacies of Satans Coming Woe and Wrath in this age may be found out Partly By the System of that Chapter Partly By the Synchronisme of things in times The System or method of this 12. Chap. of the Revelation holds forth two dangerous evils with which our present age is much infected and likely unlesse prevented to be much infested viz. a designe To lay low Christian Magistracy and Gospel Ministry The endeavouring of which two are the Mystery For all Antichristianisme is a mystery 2 Thes 2. Of Church and State levelling I meane the levelling of Church and State And indeed as these two goe hand in hand in doing whiles they stand and stand in stead that Ministry laying the foundation of Magistracy in the consciences of men Rom. 13.1 c. And this Magistracy being as wals about the Ministry as their duty is hinted 1 Tim. 2.2 So also in suffering These joynt-doers shall bee sure to be Co-sufferers as the Woe of the two GENTIL WITNESSES Rev. 11. These two being impediments to the Devils Kingdome and the pleasing lusts of his vassals the Magistrate in the conversation of men the Minister in the consciences of men they fall under the extream hate of that King of the bottomlesse pit and his Vassals walking in his depths And therefore it is in their hearts no matter what their words are to bring into contempt all religious Regiment lest it cast downe their licentious liberty cryed up by them as a God but is indeed a kind of Devil These two Sinne-leading evils are more then hinted in this 12. of Revel The first touching pulling downe Christian Magistracy in Vers 5. When the woman had brought forth a man-childe to rule the Nations with a ROD of IRON who for that end was accordingly taken up into the THRONE of GOD. The Woman thereupon v. 6. flyes into the wilderness and the Dragon verse 7. with his Angels war against Michael and his Angels as was before expounded This same thing in v. 13. is repeated and inlarged viz. When the Dragon saw that he was cast out to the earth the man-childe being in the Throne he persecuted the Woman THAT meaning FOR THAT she brought forth that Man-childe to that effect and issue as is above expressed and explained 2 Touching dimming and darkning Gospel Ministry it is sufficiently plaine verse 15. viz. That after the Dragon was cast out and that the Woman had wings given her to flye away and a place provided for her to rest in then the Serpent cast out WATERS out of his mouth as a flood after the Woman to cause her to be carried away of the flood Which Waters and Flood was above demonstrated to signifie the wicked opinions blasphemies and reproachfull speeches that are vomited out against the Truth and the Propagators thereof Which at first began anon after Constantinus M. his death and ever since succeeded and flowed along the earth ascending to a great deep not without some torrent of persecution more or lesse all along 1 In Arianisme denying the Diety of Christ 2 Pelagianisme and Semipelagianisme denying the freenesse and power of Christs grace 3 Papisme against the Headship and Kingly office of Christ as well as against his Prophetical and Priestly advancing Humane Traditions Legends c. and justification by works Lastly in these dayes Socinianisme worse then Arianisme Familisme denying the Humanity of Christ Arianisme affirms Christ to be created in the beginning Socinianisme That Christ in no respect is ancienter then from his birth by the Virgin Mary and his reall Passion and Resurrection Atheisme against the Being of God Turkish and Jewish Antichristianisme against the whole notion of Christ as a Saviour Antiscripturianisme against all the Divine word of God And Levellisme if I may so speak opposing the Functions and Offices of Ministers as Pastors Teachers c. and their peculiar right to administer seales laying all levell and common that every gifted brother may administer them And consequently these kinde of men fill their eyes with envy and their mouthes with obloquies and reproaches against the learned pious orthodox able Ministers of the Gospel calling them in scorn Priests Parsons Black-coats or any thing that may render them odious in the opinions of men He that doth not acknowledge these things to be fulfilled in these dayes hath no acquaintance with bookes or men and to be as without eyes ears and common reason Ob. But say some of these under-ground Pioneers and open Engineers that are not yet past all shame they levell not against the things but against the Ceremonialities of them as against the Pompe Dignity and Majesty of Magistracy and the Formality Solemnity and Superiority of the Ministry above the people Sol. 1. To this cunning Objection three Answers will bee little enough 1 If these forenamed Objects of their confest opposition were
dealings though a kinde of Professours especially of them that are the fishers in the late turnes of times more mineing and undermining more cutting and cousening more reaching and over-reaching and going beyond their brother or circumventing as the Apostle speakes then hath beene knowne in many yeares by-past And truly I feare that many so deale by wicked principles as if it were no sinne to lurch any man that is not just of their stamp For if there be a wicked principle received of men as not wicked that Adultery Fornication c. is no sin I should mightily suspect that such kind of men should take up this wicked principle also that cousenage to them is no sinne There hath beene we know a principle and pretended too as a Religious one neare of kin to this Fides non est servanda cum Haereticis faith or promise is not to be kept with Hereticks And truly now it is common for many men to account all others as Hereticks that do not ascend or descend Arithmetically to a grain unto their opinions 5. The Crowd of Complementers are a meer Complemental Lie a Constant Lie They greet you at every turne and turning with Your servant Sir Sir your humble servant But if you put them to the test in matters not great to act for you they prove a very vanity a nothing or worse then nothing you shall finde them neither your servant nor humble but farre prouder of their complement then conscionable of their ingagement Yea though in converse with you they abound with civilities and speak as if they would be to you Petty-gods or Tutelar angels yet if ye stand in their way or of their allies they no sooner turne their backs but with an old Court-trick as formerly with the name Puritan they blast you with one bold Calumniation or traditional lie or other that you shall never hardly rise more Likely when time was they made you their stirrup or footstool for them to get up but now they are mounted never so much as lend you a finger to pull you up from the dirt where you kneeled for their sakes 6 The former Complainers of want of reformation are multitudes of them become a very Lie 1 They would not long since declaime against Non-residencies by reason of Pluralities and mens serving their places by Deputies and underling hirelings They would with a seeming zeal sigh forth complaints as if these were great grievances and scandals and therefore did put on to have a Law against them But now it is no griefe to them themselves nor scandall to others they hope to have each of them three or foure or five great places whiles other faithfull friends of the State want sufficiencie 2 These men likewise thought it exceeding incongruous that Ministers should meddle with worldly affaires and thereby be hindred from their studies and were glad to see it put into a Law to take them off from wordly cumbrances But since I have read mens practices I suspect that Ministers were then to be taken off of the world onely so farre as they did intermeddle with some Diana and to be given to the world againe to serve a designe or permitted to worke for their livings for want of a Gospel maintenance and to admit every Boy and Artificer of a voluble tongue unapproved into the Pulpit which hath made me to wonder at the Geometrie and Divinitie of these times who should seem do count that the stride from the world to the Pulpit is not so wide as from the Pulpit to the world Learned men said they must wholly give themselves to study to preach and good reason say I for Paul exhorts Timothy in divers expressions to study and cryes out Who is sufficient for these things but illiterate men may follow a Trade all the week and yet be sufficiently able to preach upon the Lords day But to help this they cry up these worldly labouring mens preaching to be the preaching by the Spirit As if the Spirit did helpe Bezaleel and Aholiab in their Trades but doth not helpe godly learned Ministers in their Divine studies or that the Spirit assists in extemporaries but not in meditationall preparations 3. And lastly if there be any lastly to be put to these things the Complainers were wont to tell you terrible stories of Court-pride covetousness self-interest projects designs and indeed this complaint was just But now me thinkes it is but mutato nomine and As you were Only there is this difference then those things were but in Retaile now in whole-sale Then were they in one corner now over-spread the Land I pray God England proves not like Jehu that zealously as he thought destroyed the house of Ahab and his Priests of Baal and false Prophets but departed not from the sins of Jeroboam that made Israel to sin It is suitable to Satan to make us change the names and forms of things but not reforme the matter and so transforme us into a LIE CHAP. VII Men truly godly are not to be dismayed at these times They must sigh to God in prayer but not sinke in their faith and hope THe second Corollary upon the Position is that notwithstanding all these things the Elect of God true beleevers holy-hearted soules be not dismayed Let them sigh and groan to God in prayer for these abominations of the times and to prevent them in themselves but not to sinke in their faith and hope Let them as the WOMAN take their wings their wings of prayer and flye out of the Egypt of the abominations into the Wildernesse of retired holy life as far as they may not neglect their publike duty but not to feare the floods of the ungodly for they have a sweet and sure Promise Psal 32.5 6. I prayed saith David and the Lord heard For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found Surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him The Woman the Church is still in a sense in Travel till the Man-childe be yet more totally and higher in the Throne at the appearance of the Head as well as of the body which will be shortly as you may perceive by the preceding computations And therefore yee Saints of his walking in purity be not dismayed Say not how shall we choose but be dismayed at all these dreadfull things But consider 1 That our God that best knowes the intent and event of things saith in the same Verse as it were with the same breath Rejoyce O Heavens and you that dwell in them And mark it he first sayes so to his people to comfort them afore he comes with his WOE as in Matth. 25. Christ first saith to the sheep Come yee blessed and sets them on his right hand that they may be out of doubt what should become of them before he saith to the Goats Go yee cursed So here he first secures the comfort of his own people Rejoyce
possessed 2 Device is Obsession when the Devil by permission hath power over a mans body onely clasping and grasping him in the armes of his power carrying him from place to place at his pleasure as for a while he had power over our Saviours body Matth. 4. and bowing a mans limbs together in a miserable manner as that womans Luke 13. assisting men sometimes Luke 13.11.16 And behold there was a woman which had a SPIRIT of infirmity eighteen years and was bowed together and could in no wise lift up her selfe And Jesus said unto her Woman thou art loosed from thine infirmity and he laid his hands on her and immediately shee was made streight and the Ruler of the Synagogue said with indignation Are there not six dayes in which men ought to work in them therefore come and bee healed and nor on the Sabbath The Lord then answered Thou hypocrite doth not each of you on the Sabbath lose his Oxe c and ought not this woman being a daughter of Abraham whom Satan hath bound lo these eighteen years be loosed when the temptation prevailes on them in a wonderfull manner to make away themselves The Advantage men yeeld to Satan to prevaile thus upon them is when men though they have not departed from divine principles yet do act all manner of wickednesse in their bodies with which they ought to have honoured God as well as with their soules Some instances also of this are in these dayes 3 Device is Suggestion or Temptation whereby he doth trouble the senses and puzle the phantasie and conveyes to the minde his sinfull phantasmes representations and species or spirital Images of evill things The Advantage he hath from men to do this is when they make not conscience of their evill thoughts as to repent of and pray against them when they are secure keeping no watch over their owne hearts to examine what thoughts come in before the justice of the Word Or are swollen with pride in opinion that they have more goodnesse then they have As that they have the spirit in an extraordinary manner and measure above others CHAP. IX The Art of shunning Temptations THis last of Suggestion or as you call it Temptation though Temptation is of a larger signification for man also may tempt man and a man may tempt himselfe is the commoner course of Satan and that in these dayes of his speciall emission and therefore I shall speake most to this Our worke divides it selfe into two Generals 1 Not to assist Satan in tempting one another 2 Not to accept of his temptations assaulting us 1 Not to assist Satan in tempting one another Touching Power Opinion Practise 1 Touching Power Beware that one ranke of men doe not indeavour the devesting of another ranke of that just power relation and honour that God hath given them as most needfull for the common good For if one sort will unjustly pull downe or diminish another Another will indeavour to doe as much for them as we have seen in many instances in History Scripture and Experience I speake not of a Tyrannicall or Superstitious power or of a noxious use of any other power In particular let not the Magistracy tempt the Ministry or the Ministry the Magistracy whiles there is such mighty levelling and designing against both In the reigne of Antichristian Papacy proud Episcopacy and Scottish Presbytery the Ministry incroached on the Magistracy Since the Erastians sprang up the Magistracy is cryed up as all in all The mean while the Levellers finde a faire opportunity to pull downe both But the common welfare cannot be without both And they themselves must like Hippocrate's twinnes live or dye together When there was onely the Priests to rule in Israel whether in the time of the Macabees or at other times the publike safety is but in ill case On the other side they that altogether cry up Magistracy and downe the Ministry let them not forget that the state of the Church under the great Restauration Rev. 21. shall be in forme of a Church with the Angels viz. the Ministers to keepe out all uncleane Kings bringing their glory and honour into it Therefore let not meane while the Magistrate neglect the Minister to give him his double honour of countenance and maintenance 1 Tim. 5.17 Nor the Minister neglect the Magistrate to charge the consciences of men to bee subject to their power 2 Not to assist Satan in tempting one another touching Opinions Beware how we communicate Errors Heresies Blasphemies impious principles so much as Historically or Narratively Hof 2.16 17. At that day saith the Lord thou shalt call me ISHI and thou shalt call mee no more BAALI though both signifie the same thing viz. my Husband or my Lord onely because as Hierom notes Baali was the Idolaters style c. For I will take away the NAMES of Baalim out of her mouth and they shall be no more REMEMBRED by their NAME Ephes 5.3 But fornication and all uncleannesse or covetousnesse let it not be once NAMED amongst you For saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.33 Evill communications 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or conferences corrupt good manners The reason is strong The very having of evils in our eares by reason of a party they have within us by originall sinne the seed of all sinnes doth more or lesse pollute or prejudice the soule The discourses of evill is as common liquors poured upon light colours they leave a staine though they alter not the Dye Alas for us our imperfect graces have yet but lightly dyed our natures with holinesse We had need to take heed of every drop and dust of sinne 3 Not to assist Satan in tempting one another in matters of practise To beware that neither our words nor carriage nor examples infect others in these contagious and spiritual-disease catching times If we doe but any how intimate to others in expressions or gestures or conversation that we are loosened in the socket of our pious principles wee presently more or lesse in these apostatising times weaken if not overturne the stedfastnesse of others 2 Not to accept or receive the motions of temptations from Satan or else-whence whatsoever 1 The grand generall rule is this That whereas at this day many pretend a speciall dictating and direction of the Spirit Note that that motion alone is a word from the Spirit that is according to the word of the Spirit that is according to the Scriptures spoken and penned by the inspiration of the holy Spirit in an extraordinary way 2 Pet. 1. last Therefore though the Prophets of the Old Testament had the Spirit in an extraordinary manner and measure yet their rule is in opposition to false pretended spirits that if any spake not according to the Word of the Law and Testimony they had no LIGHT in them Esa 8.20 So likewise the Apostles were extraordinarily indued with the Spirit both for Doctrine and Miracles Paul the Apostle had it and a