all his good Subjects in whom is the least sence and fear of the Judgments of God for the Sins aforesaid or any other ready to come on this Nation that they would be pleased to remember that Word the Lord sent to Judah * Jer. 18. 7 8 9 10. At what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it If that Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their Evil I will repent of the Evil that I thought to do unto them And at what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to build and to plant it if it do evil in my sight that it obey not my Voice then I will repent of the Good wherewith I said I would benefit them Therefore if all Degrees both noble and ignoble do believe that it is not only for the Sins of some few in the Nation as Christ told the Jews of the Galileans whose Blood Pilate had mingled with their Sacrifices Luke 13. 1 2 3. Suppose ye saith Christ that these Galileans were Sinners above all the Galileans because they suffered these things I tell you nay but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish but for the general Sins of all some in one thing and some in another as afore noted So that according to the Evil will the Punishment be as is shewed by the Prophet Amos in the first and second Chapters The Irreligious are punished for their Cruelty to the Lord's People and the Religious People both Judah and Israel were punished because they had despised the Law of the Lord and kept not his Commandments which they * Exod. 19 8. Jer. 7. 23 24. promised to obey Seeing then the Sin of Leprosy is spread over all Degrees either in Corruption in Faith and Disorder in Worship or Oppression among Men that almost all are shut up as in a †2 Kin. 15. 5. severed House as unclean because by their Sins the Lord's Camp or Dwelling is ‖ Numb 5. 2 3. defiled Therefore dear Protestants under what other Title soever by Men called Christ Jesus the great High-Priest is * Levit 13. Heb. 4. 13. looking on you Therefore I shall close up all to you with the Observation of that worthy Servant of the Lord Henry Ainsworth on Levit. 13. 15. who hath noted there That it is one of the remarkable things in the Law That quick or sound Flesh in the Sore should be judged Leprosy and the Man pronounced unclean whereas if the Leprosy cover all his Flâ—sh he was pronounced clean And hereby the Holy Ghost seems to teach that if we would * 1 Cor. 11. 31. 1 Joh. 1. 7. judg our selves we should not be judged of the Lord 1 Joh. 1. 9. If we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all Vnrighteousness But if any quick or sound Flesh that is any Gal. 2. 16. Eph. 2. 5. Rom. 11 6. Gal. 5. 4. part of Health or Life be pretended in our sinful Nature or any whit of Righteousness by Works of the Law by which no Flesh can be justified then God pronounceth us unclean for we cannot be justified but by the Faith of Jesus Therefore with David that we may find Mercy with the Lord we must acknowledg there is no soundness in our Flesh Psal 38. 4 8. Until this be done God will leave us as unclean 2 Kin. 15. 5. Numb 12. 14. shut up from Deliverance from our Enemies and Communion with himself until we be humbled for our Sins Lam. 1. 8. 3. 1 28. As it is written Your Iniquities have separated between you and your God and your Sins have hid his Face from you that he will not hear Isa 59. 2. And lastly If in this Warning-piece I have unadvisedly in zeal to God's Glory and good Will and true Affections I bear to my Prince and Countrymen let fall any words that do not become a Christian that is not warranted by God's Word let the Righteous †Psal 146. 5. smite me and it shall be taken as a kindness And let not any Protestant despise this plain way of discovering the Iniquities of these Times because it is not garnished with Eloquent Language nor yet think with themselves the Medicine is too sharp to work a Cure at this time but let all such before they judg or rashly censure it examine the Ingredients by that most Heavenly Herbal God's written Word and they shall find the whole Composition is gathered together by directions of God's Spirit in his Servants the Prophets and Apostles all written for our Learning gathered from the Tree of Life whose Fruit is for Souls food and the Leaves thereof for Healing of the Nations Now if the Lord prosper it is the thing desired herein and I have obtained my end who am one of the Lord 's unprofitable Servants to bring any Glory to his Name or Comfort to his People ERRATA Pag. 9. lin 2. Marg. for Mark read Mat. Pag. 19. lin 15. for 113 115. read 313 315. P. 28. l. last r. Also see Junius
all degrees saw how they had been deceived but also Kings by the Light of the Gospel saw how their Senses were stupified and made Drunk with the Wine of the Whores Fornication so that not only in other Nations but in this Nation also the Kings who had long given their Power to the Beast until the Words of God should be fulfilled Rev. 18. 17. began to hate the Romish Whore and the Beast that carried her so that a part of the Beast's power out of this Land was destroyed when the Cardinals Jesuits and others aforenamed were Abolished By which means the power of the Beast was abated and more of the Lord's Servants came boldly forth * Rev. 7. 14. out of great Tribulations all signified by an Angel flying through the midst of Heaven to Preach the Everlasting †Rev. 14. 6. Gospel unto them that dwell on the Earth So that by this time the Temple of God was opened in Heaven ‖ Rev. 11. 19. and the Ark of the Testament meaning God's Law clearly seen in the truth thereof as was signified by the Lightnings and Voices and Thunderings which wrought such an Earthquake among the Antichristian Professors that the tenth * Rev. 11. 13. part of the City fell meaning the great City the Romish Church that Reigned over the Kings of the Earth to the number of God's Elect in Israel 7000 of which number of Faithful Elect Precious Living Stones were many famous Churches established in England Scotland France Germany Holland and other parts to the great joy of Christendom And thus according to the Mystery signified to Zechariah by a Man with a †Zach. 2. 1 2. Ezek. 40. 2 3 5. Measuring-Line in his Hand signifying that Jerusalem should be built the second Temple in it and God's true Worship restored as was done in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah Even so according to the Figure was it shewed to * Rev. 11. 1. John by a Reed given him to measure the Temple of God the Altar and Worshippers that God's Temple of living Stones and holy Truth and Order of Worship should be restored by a Call of the Lord's People out of the Spiritual Babylon in these latter Days as aforesaid So that as Judah their Figure must separate themselves from all the †Ezra 6. 21. filthiness of the old Babylonians in Worship in so much that they admitted no Man to the work of the Priesthood but such as could prove their * Neh. 7. 64. Chronology according to God's Law neither suffer any Priest that had fallen down before an Idol never †Ezek. 44. 12 13. more to Administer in the Priests Office because they were Figures of Christ our High Priest in his Office Even so the forenamed Christian Protestants by the number 7000 would not take a Stone of Babylon for a Corner * Jer. 5. 26. or for a Foundation that is any one to be their Minister by virtue of Romes Ordination because the Ministers under the Gospel that enter not into their Ministry by the Door of Christ's Ordination as afore shewed are accounted by Christ but Thieves and Robbers So that as Virgins not defiled with Women or the devices of false Churches Rev. 14. 1 4. Heb 12. 22 ought all those to be that follow the Lamb Christ Jesus on Mount Sion no more bearing the Beast's * Rev. 13. mark in serving God by Mens devices but the †Isa 42. 4. Mat. 12. 21. Name or Law of Christ in their Fore-heads serving the Lord in Worship by the Appointment of the Lord Jesus only As it is written This is my beloved Son hear him Luke 9. 35. Moreover dear Protestants note that in the Earthquake aforesaid there were besides the 7000 aforesaid a Remnant * Rev. 11. 13. who seeing and hearing the powerful Doctrine of true Faith in Christ Temperance and Judgment to come like Felix ‖ Act. 24 25 trembled or as the Scripture saith were affrighted to see the great Power of God in the work of Conversion Of 7000 with Caleb and †Num. 14. Joshuah following the Lord fully gave Glory to the God of Heaven as some in Acts 5. 13. but durst not joyn themselves with them yet by the small glimps of the Light they saw they began to take their Journey towards Sion after the fore-named Christians But in the Wilderness †Rev. 12. 14. Ezek. 20. 35. Gal. 1. 16. of this World meeting with some Crosses and Troubles in the Flesh for Christ's sake began to reason with Flesh and Blood like some Israelites whether God were able to furnish a Table in the ‖ Numb 11. 4. Wilderness So these having received the Seed of God's Word on a Rock had no root * Luke 8. 13. that is having no more Love to Christ than to any Worldly Joy or Pleasure in time of Temptation fell away So that they would go no farther than the King and the most went in that Day not willing to suffer any more for Christ's sake were content to go so far as to have the Pope's Supremacy Lord Abbots Cardinals Jesuits Monks and Friars expelled the Land but staid there and sat down in the mid-way between Sion and †Rev. 18. 4 Babylon or * Rev. 11. 8 Egypt under a part of the Romish Ministry and Service-Book some of the grossest things being wiped out And this was the state of many Protestant Congregations as may be seen at this day as is also confirmed by Mr. Fox in the Acts and Monuments of those Times some of which Report is as followeth Acts and Monuments Edit 5. pag. 1180 1181 1184. The Priests and Clergy that yielded to the King's Laws were suffered to keep their Places and Livings After this the King appointed the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury with other Bishops to make one convenient and meek Order Rite and fashion of Common-Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments who did so Then in the next Parliament following it was agreed that all Ministers in the Realm should be bound to say and use the Mattines Even-Song Celebration of the Lord's Supper in such Order and Form as was contained in the said Book and not otherwise Now because some small Alteration was made Complaint was made how * Ibid. 1186. by the cloaked Contempt and wilful Winking and stubborn disobedience of the Bishops and old Popish Curates the Book of Common-Prayer was long after the publishing of the same either not known at all or else very irreverently used through many places of the Realm Yet was there no great cause why the People should so despise it for as the King answered the Rebels in Devonsh †Ibid. 1189. If the Service was good in Latin it remained good in English for nothing was altered but to speak with Knowledg that which was spoken in Ignorance And thus we see that these Protestants did not separate themselves fully in coming out of Babylon so as
First In the Wilderness figuring our Spiritual Warfare over Sin the World and the Devil and then by Joshua as they were led into Canaan the figure of * Heb. 11. 13 14 15. Heaven So the Saints in the Wilderness †Rev. 12. 6. Exod. 13. 14. chap. Ezek. 20. 35. of this World through many Tribulations ‖ Acts 14. 22. under the conduct of the true Joshua Christ Jesus enter into the glorious Rest even the Haven of Eternal Happiness And hereupon it is written in praise of Christ's Called Chosen and Faithful * Rev. 17. 14. That all the thousand Years Reign of the Beast aforesaid they lived and reigned †Rev. 20. with Christ and they overcame him by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their Testimony and that in the Wilderness and this World and the same is still the Saints ‖ 1 John 5. 4. Victory even our Faith by which we overcome the World Now as touching Election that most Heavenly Doctrine of Comfort to God's Children for the help of them deceived about it note That Election is a Work of God the * Eph. 1. 4. Father Redemption †Rev. 5. 9. a Work of God the Son and Sanctification ‖ 1 Cor. 6. 11. the Work of the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son So that the very nature of the word Election meaneth not all Men but God foreseeing before all Time in respect of Creation whatsoever would come to pass in time did make choice of a Remnant * Rom. 11. 5. out of the Lump of Mankind to be Heirs of Glory through Christ and left the rest in their fallen Estate And who shall call God to account †Rom 9. in these his Matters So that whomsoever the Father Elected he gave ‖ John 17. 12. unto his Son to Redeem And hereupon it is written in praise of God in Christ Thou hast Redeemed us * Rev. 5. 9. out of all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People So not all Nations because he was given a Ransom for many So that these ‖ Mat. 26. 28. as many as were †Acts 13. 48. ordained to life believed For * Jo. 6 44. no Man can come to Christ but those the Father draweth Now if all had been Redeemed the Altar under the Law and Priests that served at the same all Figures of Christ in the Work of Mans Redemption would have signified so much in Christ the true Altar and High Priest and Sacrifices offered thereon So that if he had Redeemed all would he not at the Golden Altar have offered up his Prayer for all But as Christ redeemed only the Elect or whole †Rom. 4. 1 Joh. 2. 2. World Abraham was Heir of so he appeared at the Golden Altar to offer Prayers for no other but ‖ Rev. 8. 3 4. Saints as it is written I pray not for the World * John 17. 9 20. but those the Father had given him in the †Ezek. 16. 8. Cant. 2 16 Covenant of Grace out of the World And thus all all that is Truth will agree to the Law to wit of Figures and Testimony of the Gospel of Salvation And that those Elected ones by God the Father and Redeemed by Christ cannot totally fall away because none can pluck them out of his Father's Hands ‖ John 10. 29. who has put his fear into their Hearts that they shall not depart * Jer. 32. 40. Prov. 14. 26 27. from him So are they kept by the Power †1 Pet. 1 5. John 17. 12. of God through Faith unto Salvation that they cannot possibly saith Christ be totally deceived Mat. 24. 24. Now some will object If the Elect cannot fall away how came so many as Demas and the like to fall from the Faith they professed Answer The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a ‖ Mat. 13. 47 48. Draw-Net which gathereth into it both good and bad as in the Figurative Building among the Materials came * 1 Kings 10. 22. Apes and Peacocks So among the Elect Living Stones the Materials of the Spiritual Building came Hypocrites who like Apes imitate for a time what the Saints do These are at the Feast but want the Wedding * Mat. 22. 11. Garment of Christ's Righteousness put on by Faith having only Lamps of External †Mat. 25. 3. profession or form of Godliness and not the ‖ 2 Tim. 3. 5. Power or Life thereof the Oyl of God's Grace so having received the Seed of God's Word on a Rock wanting Root * Luke 8. 13. Faith that worketh by Love so were in the Church saith the †1 John 2. 19. Scripture but not of it for had they been of it no doubt they would have continued in it Therefore like Peacocks through Pride fell away not from Grace but from that Grace they seemed ‖ Luke 8. 18. to have their * 2 Pet. 2. 22. Swinish nature being never changed turn again to wallow in the mire of open Filthiness as a Dog to their Vomit As touching Free-will in Man in his fallen Estate to repent and turn from Sin to God is a gross mistake First Because if Adam the Root had not this Power how came his Children to have it For cover †Job 31. 33. his Sin he did but repent he could not because it is not a virtue in Nature As it is written If God perad venture will give them Repentance ‖ 2 Tim. 2. 25. to the acknowledgment of the Truth who only works in his Elect both to will * Phil. 2. 13. and to do of his good Pleasure Therefore when Esau sought Repentance with Tears he found it not because true Repentance is a change †Heb. 12. 17. of the Mind which only belongeth to God to do As by the gift of Faith he opened the * Acts 16. 14. Heart of Lydia to believe and obey the Truth as it is in Jesus Ephes 4. 21. Some will object If all Men have not power to believe and obey why is it required of all Men Answ As Belief is a point of Obedience to God our Creator upon the Covenanted Estate Angels and Men made with God before the Fall it is still applied unto all as the word of their Condemnation And hereupon Noah by his Preaching condemneth †Heb. 11. 7. the old World as it is still the savour of Death unto Death in them that perish * 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. Else Christ would not have said to the fallen Angel It is written Thou shalt worship †Mat. 4. 10. the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve So that as this was spoken to Satan being what the Law required of him yet it doth not therefore follow that he had power to repent and believe so can no Man Though the same * Deut. 6. 13. Law requireth Obedience