all sculking away Their Plot being laid open and timely prevented laid them open to the scorn of the people and to the anguish and horrour of their own guilty Consciences Thus doth the most wise and righteous God befool insolent men in their never so secretly projected and promoted Plots wherein they do hope to supplant the Son of David our Lord Jesus that Prince of Peace as those did Solomon here and the Church in him But what became of the Plotters Adonijah himself flies to the Horns of the Altar which probably so prophane a Prince had hitherto despised and was pardon'd by this peaceable Prince but upon his good behaviour v. 52. which when he broke in seeking the Kingdome with Abishai Ch. 2. 22. being no small Petition as Bathsheba call'd it v. 20. for Solomons sagacity saw the depths of the Devil in it which his Mother could not dive into for this he lost his life v. 24. as Joab did after him v. 30. where the very Altar could not secure him from Just Vengeance and as for Abiathar he was thrust out from the High-Priesthood v. 37. his Linnen Ephod or sacred Function did not exempt him from Civil Censures as the Romanists plead and so was fulfill'd the Word of the Lord upon Ely's House 1 Sam. 2. 31 35 and had he not been afflicted in all wherein David had been afflicted which was for above forty year he had been also a dead man with Adonijah and Joab for this Conspiracy David dies full of days riches and honour 1 Chron. 29. 28. and leaves the state of the Church honourable Solomon succeeds and brings the Churches State to its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or highest pitch of Glory while Militant which is a Figure of the Kingdome of Christ one greater than Solomon here on Earth David had advanced the splendour of the Church in his Religious provision for the portable Temple to wit the Tabernacle erected in the City of David and also in his Religious preparations for the Fix'd Temple 1. Knowing the place where it should stand to wit on Mount Moriah where Abraham offer'd Isaac Gen. 22. 2 9. and 2 Chro. 3. 1. 2. Receiving the pattern of it by Divine Inspiration 1 Chron. 28. 19. he gave it to Solomon Ch. 29. 11. who by the help of Davids prepar'd materials to wit 1. Spoils of Enemies Ch. 18. 11. 2. An hundred thousand Talents of Gold 3. A thousand thousand Talents of Silver 4. Hewn stone and Timber 5. Iron and Brass without measure Ch. 22.14 6. Precious Stones Ch. 29. 2. 7. His own offerings and those of the Princes and people Ch. 29.4 c. though Solomon added much more of his own store built the most stately and costly Structure the most sumptuous and glorious Edifice that ever was in the World therefore justly called the Worlds Wonder the House of the most High God 2 Chron. 2. 5. and a Type of the Church Triumphant in Heaven as the Tabernacle had been of the Church Militant upon Earth This Temple was twice so long and large every way as was the Tabernacle Exod. 26. as the Temple in Ezek. Ch. 40. 41 42 c. setting forth Gospel-times is described as much bigger than all the old Jerusalem and a new Jerusalem bigger than all the Land of Canaan Solomon finish'd his Temple in the year of the World 3000. Hence some gather that the Spiritual Temple shall be compleated in 3000 more and then the Sabbatical year shall take place as the Sabbath succeeds the six days of the Week In the building of this Magnifical House of the Lord all the materials were made ready before they were brought thither so that there was neither Hammer nor Axe nor any Tool of Iron heard in the House while it was in building 1 King 6. 7. to teach us three things 1. That all true Members of Churches must be sanctified and called to be Saints 1 Cor. 1. 1 2. hewn by the Word and Spirit and made living Stones before Admission 2. That in the Church Militant upon Earth all noise of jars and contentions which are as the knocking of Iron Instruments must be declined 3. That in the Church Triumphant in Heaven there shall be no sorrows nor sufferings all noise of fears and tears shall be done away the State then shall be peaceable and joyful for which the Saints are fitted by the Hammer of Gods Word and the Hand of his Spirit upon the Mountains of this lower World there to enjoy rest and glory The Sanctum Sanctorum of the Temple or Oracle so called because there God used to deliver Divine Answers or Oracles Exod. 30. 5. and Levit. 16. 2. was the place prepared for the Ark of the Covenant to rest in after its many removes and wandrings 1. From the Desart to Gilgal 2. From Gilgal to Shilo 3. From Shilo to the Philistims 4. From thence to Bethshemesh 5. From thence to Kiriath Jearim 6. From thence to the House of Obed-Edom And 7. From thence to Sion the City of David Now Solomon provides a resting place to wit the best part of the Temple the Holy of Holies for this best and most precious piece which had the Law within it and the Mercy-Seat upon it far more precious than the Palladium at Troy the Pessinuntium at Rome or the Image at Athens made by Canetias the Artificer yet said by the covetous Priests to be dropt down from Jupiter Act. 19. 35. as it was the principal Evidence of Gods gracious presence and the lively Type of Christ in whom are hid as in an Ark or Coffer all the Treasures of Gods goodness Col. 2. 3. So that when Solomon dedicates his glorious Fabrick which as Josephus saith dazled the eyes of all its beholders by Sacrifice and Supplication he concludes his Prayer saying Arise now therefore O Lord God into thy resting place thou and the Ark of thy strength 2 Chron. 6. 41. whereby he invites the Lord to take possession of his Temple where his Ark should be no more transportative but setled for a long season Psal 1 â—2 8 9 10. And the Lord testifies his acceptation of all both by Fire from Heaven which was kept alive till the Captivity of Babylon and by filling the House with his Glory 2 Chro. 7. 1. Now was the Church of God by his good hand upon her brought up to such a beauty of Holiness and to such a perfection of dazling splendour like that of the Temple that Religion was had in great Veneration both by Domesticks and Forreigners 1. His own Israel went home so refreshed with the Prayer and the Blessing that they adored the Lord for his goodness to them 1 Kin. 8. 66. and both Hiram King of Yyre praised God for the Blessing that the Church had in Solomon 1 Kin. 5. 7. saying Because the Lord hath loved his people he hath set a Solomon over them 2 Chro. 2. 11. Hence some verily think this Hiram was a Proselited Prince and 2.
Christopher Nesse Minnister of the Gospel in fleet street London atutis suoe 56 1678 A Compleat and Compendious Church-History SHEWING HOW it hath been from the Beginning of the World to this present Day Being an Historical-Narrative How the Power and Providence of GOD According to His Promise Hath hitherto Confounded all the Damnable PLOTS of the DEVIL To which is ANNEXED A Scripture-Prophecy FORE-SHEWING HOW it shall be Hence to the End of the WORLD The Whole Containing the Quintessence of Sacred Civil and Ecclesiastick-Writers And serving as a short Comment upon all the Books in the BIBLE both Historical and Prophetical Published for Publick Good By Christopher Ness Minister of the Gospel in Fleet-Street LONDON Printed by T. H. and are to be Sold by Jacob Sampson next Door to the Wonder in Ludgate-Street And by Jonathan Wilkins at the Star next Mercers-Chappel in Cheap-side 1680. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE Sir Robert Clayton Lord Mayor of London My LORD I Beseech You Pardon my Boldness that Poor I do take upon me to Interrupt your Lordship in your so Great Affairs and so Emergent Occasions as the Saving of a Sinking City and Nation most justly Challengeth Were I as Worthy as Jonathan 't is no less a Law writ in my Heart to do for your Lordship what he did for David In going to him into the Wood to Strengthen His Hands in God I do here Present to your Noble Hands as Noble and Necessary a Prospect as this lower World can Afford to wit GOD wageing War against the DEVIL from the Beginning of the World to the End thereof and God all along as is most meet Obtaining the VICTORY 'T is a pleasant Spectacle to behold Christ and Antichrist contending for Mastery To be an Universal HISTORIAN as I presume your Lordship to be is the most Effectual Means to make Wise for both Worlds Hence Plato Derives Historia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Stopping the Flux of Humane Extravagancy History being the Witness of Time the Light of Truth the Life of Memory and the Doctress of the Life of Man As it is a continued Kalendar of most Remarkable Actions in former Ages so it holds forth Caution Counsel and Comfort to following Generations Quid Divinius Nôsse omnia To be a good Historian is a good way to be both Wise and Good as Contracting a Blest Composition of all those Perfections perused in every Age and leaving a Transforming Influence behind them History makes Wise 1 to Secular Affairs as it is a Knowledge of Things past whereby we may Judge of Things present and make Probable Conjectures at Things to come seeing there is no New thing under the Sun The self-same Scenes are Acted over and over again upon the Stage of the World 'T is onely the Persons that Act them which are changed therefore the Representing in an Historical-Glass what hath been before is a plain Praemonition of what shall be Hereafter 2. Wise to Salvation The Great God hath been making a Large Comment even in Capital Characters upon his own Text Gen. 4. 7. If thou dost Well shalt thou not be Accepted and If Ill Sin lies at thy Door and upon that Text Isa 3.10 11. Say to the Righteous It is well c. and Woe to the wicked and tell them so from me saith the Lord. As the most Wise God made Two Great Luminaries the Sun and Moon to give Light to the World so hath he Ordained Two Great Lights the Word of His Promise and the Work of his Providence to Enlighten his Church as the Moon borrows Light from the Sun wherewith she looks upon the World with greater Splendour so the Work of Providence as to us Receives Light from the Word of Promise whereby the Church is more Illuminated What is the Work of Providence upon all Ages Places Families Persons c. but the Accomplishment of the Words of Prophecy and Promise All the Actings and Emanations of Providence are a standing Comment and a clear Interpretation of Abstruse Prophecies and of Vnfulfill'd Promises All Occurrences whether Great or Small in the World are but the Accomplishment of what God hath Prophecy'd and Promis'd in His Word Solomon Saith The thing that hath been it is that which shall be Eccles 1. 9 10 'T is True there hath been some Extraordinary Actings of God in the World such as Noah's Deluge the promulgation of the Law the Suns standing still and going back a Virgin bearing a Son c. shall never be again Yet all Ordinary Occurencies are alike in all Ages from a Two-fold Ground 1. All Natural Causes and Effects continue as they were at the Beginning Natura nihil Molitur Novi Nature Produces no New Species of Creatures though there may be some Accidental Defect or Superfluity in the Matter 2. All Humane and Voluntary Actions Counsels and Contrivances having the same Principles to Produce them and the same Objects to Draw them forth are the same in Substance as Heretofore and therefore must have the same Tendency As Face Answers to Face in a Glass so doth the Heart of Man to Man Prov. 27. 19. that is The Counsels of the Hearts and Courses of the Lives of Men in one Age do exactly Answer unto those of another As it was in the Days of Noah even so shall it be c. Matth. 24. 31 39. A Man may as in a Mirror take a Shrewd Prospect of Future Events by former Instances It must therefore be acknowledg'd a mighty Loss to Mankind to Bury the Knowledge of former things in the Grave of Unmindful Heads or Unthankful Hearts My Lord You are WISE I would say as an Angel of God to Discern Dexterously and Improve Practically what is here Quale quale est Presented to your Lord-ship 't is a CHURCH-HISTORY being an Orderly Commemoration of Things past with the Circumstances of Time and Place in Distinct Descents and Distances for the better Help of Remembrance Affection and Application wherein your HONOUR may turn aside with Moses to Behold the Bush ever Burning in the Flames of Her Adversaries Fury yet never Consumed Exod. 3. 3. because the Good will of him that dwelt in the Bush did preserve it Deut. 33. 16. That Excellent Emblem of the Church had a Complication of Wonders as 1. There was a Flame of Fire else how could the Bush be Burning 2. There was Light else how could Moses behold it 3. Yet no Heat else the Bush had been Consumed It was the Angel of the Covenant that either Qualify'd the Fire to have Light without Heat or Consolidated the Bush so as not to become Combustible 'T was the presence of Christ that made the Fiery Furnace a Gallery of Pleasure to the Three Nobles of Babylon The Church is the onely Salamander that can Live in the Fire by Vertue of that Promise Isa 43. 2. No Flame can Consume her And to Behold a Lilly in the midst of Thorns Cant. 2. 3. Though one Churlish Thorn can Scratch in
pieces 10000 Tender Lillys yet is so Marvelously Preserv'd in the midst of many and mighty Enemies It could never be Cut up by the Sword of Persecution or Burnt down by the Fire of Martyrdom And to Behold all along a most Harmonious Consort and a most Con onant Coincident Correspondency betwixt the Words of Gods Mouth and the Works of Gods Hand Lastly Your Honour may behold how the Church hath been and will be Secured by a Divine Power Promise Prophecy and Providence against the Fraud and Force Craft and Cruelty Power and Policy of all her Foes that notwithstanding all their Stratagems and Strength the Issue hath ever been the Destruction of All the Designers leaving a Fatal Monument of themselves to Posterity behind them yet the Church is still preserved That your Lordship may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do Worthily in Ephratah and be Famous in Bethlehem as you Hitherto have been and that you may have Safety in this World and Salvation in the World to come is the Hearty Prayer of Your Humble Orator CHRISTOPHER NESS ERRATA PAg. 11. l. 15. r. own Bow l. 29. r. 1 Rage p. 26. l. 4. for savely r. save p. 45. for Protestator r. Protector p. 50. l. 16. for Ezek. r. Exod. p. 74. l. 8. for Moses r. Moab p. 87. l. 1. for Parlus r. Pareus p. 143. l. 20. for place r. peace p. 224. l. 4. r. Evilmerodach p. 256. l. 1. for 3. r. 20. p. 157 for 257. p. 290. l. 27. for day r. days p. 312. l. last r. 3 presently p. 321. l. 27. for 1 r. 8. p. 415. l. 4. for Southwind r. Southward l. 5. for Northward r. Northwind p. 451. l. 16. for 22. r. 23. The Table of the Devils Plots against the Church Defeated by God Chap. 1. THe First against Adam in his State of Innocency pag. 2 to 11. Ch. 2. The Second against Abel after the Fall by Cain pag. 12 to 26. Ch. 3. The Third against Seth and his Posterity at the Deluge pag. 27 to 31. Ch. 4. The Fourth against Israel by the Bondage in Aegypt pag. 32 to 41. Ch. 5. The Fifth against the Church in the Wilderness By Amalek pag. 41 to 46. Ch. 6. The Sixth against the Church in the Wilderness by the Golden Calf pag. 46 to 52. Ch. 7. The Seventh against the Church in the Wilderness by Korah's Conspiracy pag. 53 to 62. Ch. 8. The Eighth against the Church in the Wilderness by Inward Murmurings and Outward Assaults pag. 64 to 70. Ch. 9. The Ninth against the Church in the Wilderness by Balak and Balaam a Type of Rome pag. 71 to 86. Ch. 10. The Tenth against the Church in the Wilderness by Moses Death and Burial pag. 86 to 90. Ch. 11. The Eleventh against the Church in Canaan by Achan and by the Altar Ed. pag. 91 to 98. Ch. 12. The Twelfth against the Church in Canaan by Idolatry and Debauchery pag. 99 to 111. Ch. 13. The Thirteenth against the Church in Canaan by the loss of the Ark. pag. 112 to 126. Ch. 14. The Fourteenth against the Church in Canaan by Saul Absolom and Adonijah pag. 127 to 152. Ch. 15. The Fifteenth against the Church in Canaan by Solomons Apostacy pag. 153 to 164. Ch. 16. The Sixteenth against the Church in Canaan by Jeroboam's Idolatry to the Captivity of the Ten Tribes pag. 165 to 188. Ch. 17. The Seventeenth against the Church in Judah by Apostacy to the Captivity of the Two Tribes pag. 189 to 222. Ch. 18. The Eighteenth against the Church in Babylon by 70 Y. Captivity pag. 223 to 238. Ch. 19. The Nineteenth against the Church after their Return by Samaritans Sanballat c. p. 239 to 255. Ch. 20. The Twentieth against the Church in Persia by Haman c. pag. 256 to 294. Ch. 21. The 21st against the Church betwixt the Old and New Test and in Christ's Minority pag. 295 to 310. Ch. 22. The 22d against the Church in Christ after his Minority at his Baptiâ—m pag. 310 to 328. Ch. 23. The 23d against the Church in Christ fulfilling his Ministry pag. 329 to 360. Ch. 24. The 24th against the Church in Christ by Crucifying him at last pag. 361 to 372. Ch. 25. The 25th against the Church in the Apostles by Persecution pag. 373 to 400. Ch. 26. The 26th against the Church in the Seven Golden Candlesticks of Asia pag. 401 to 407. Ch. 27. The 27th against the Primitive-Church by the Ten first Persecutions pag. 407 to 413. Ch. 28. The 28th against the Church after the 3d. Century by Arrianism pag. 413 to 435. Ch. 29. The 29th against the Eastern-Church after the 6th Century by Mahometanism pag. 421 to 435. Ch. 30. The 30th against the Western-Church by Popery from the 6th Century pag. 436. Ch. 31. The Popish-Plot against the Waldenses in the 11th and 12th Century Ch. 32. The Popish-Plot against the Lollards in the 13th and 14th Century Ch. 33. The Popish-Plot against the Protestants in the 15th and 16th Century Ch. 34. A Scripture-Prophecy opening the Revelation and Evidencing how the Church shall overcome all her Enemies to the End of the World and shall at last have a Glorious State c. THE PREFACE T IS a most Sacred and undenyable Truth that The Wicked Plotteth against the Righteous Zomem Rashang letsadik The Mouth of the Lord the God of Truth hath Spoken it Psal 37. 12. This is the Churches Malady in all the Ages of the World it hath been so in times past both before the Flood and after it under the Law and under the Gospel It is so in time present and it will be so for time to come until time shall be no more And 't is as Sacred and certain a Truth That the Lord laughs all those Plots to nothing ver 13. This is the Churches Remedy Deus Videt Ridet God looks and laughs he laughs them to scorn when he looks that their Day is comming even their dismal Day wherein they shall be Slain with their own Sword v. 14 15 17. and Fall by their own Counsel though no Hand be upon them Psal 5. 9 10. Now while God laughs at the Plots of the Wicked both to disgrace the Plotters and to degrade their Plots God's People have little cause to cry especially considering that their God is loath to laugh alone and therefore he tells them of a time wherein they shall laugh with him at their over-witted and over-power'd Adversaries Psal 52. 6. The Cause of the Wickeds Plotting against the Righteous in all Ages is Twofold The 1st is Causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or The Inward Cause to wit The Old Enmity which the Fall of Man brought Judicially betwixt the Two Seeds Gen. 3. 15. Ever since there hath been a boisterous and bloody Disposition running all along in the Black Line of a carnal Generation in all the Seed of the Serpent against the Seed of the Woman This Enmity had there its beginning but it shall
never have an ending until the World endeth Yea it may be call'd an Eternal Enmity a parte post though not a parte ante for as the Angels and the Souls of Men had a beginning but shall never have an end So this Cursed Enmity which had its beginning at the Fall will continue beyond this World even in the World to come As long as evil Angels and damned Souls continue in Hell which shall be for ever so long will this Enmity continue in them against the Glorious Angels and Glorify'd Saints Thus 't is a Bottomless boundless and endless Enmity The 2d Cause is Causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or The Outward Cause why the Wicked Plot c. is the Malignant Adversary of Mankind the Devil so called Quasi Do Evil. 1st He is their Father and they are his Children and the Lusts of their Father they will and must do Joh. 8. 44. 2dly He is their Lord and they are his Vassals and they will and must run his Errands Yea 3dly He is their God 2 Cor. 4. 4. and they are his Creatures And as God at the Creation of the World did but Speak the Word and it was done So if the Devil in the Conversation of the wicked do but speak the word hold up his singer his will is done He leads them Captive at his will 2 Tim. 2. 26. He leads them like a Dog in a string whether he pleases yet hangs them up at last like Dogs upon everlasting Gibbits in Hell where they hang and howl as Dogs yet never dye to which if Tertullian's Character Sessorem habent Diabolum be added Then 4ly He is the Rider and they are his Asses which he Rides upon whipping and spurring them as Balaam did his Ass as if Riding Post to meet their own Destruction And as saith the Proverb They must needs go yea gallop whom the Devil drives especially such as with the Man in the Gospel have a whole legion of Devils in them such wicked ones with the Gadaren's Hoggs do Run Violently down most steep places and most desperate praecipices until at last They be choaked in the deep Pit of Hell Matth. 8. 32. Now as long as there be the same Original Corruption in wicked Men while this present evil World lasts to be drawn forth and the same Devil who whosoever become Converts can never become one to draw forth that depraved Disposition so long there will be a wicked Plotting and practising against the Church of God in the World Solomon saith There is no new thing under the Sun the thing that hath been it is that which shall be Eccles 1. 9 10. And the Apostle telleth us As it was then he that was Born after the Flesh persecuted him that was Born after the Spirit as Ishmael did Isaac even so it is now Gal. 4. 29. Paul saith It is so now in my days And we may say It is even so now in our days It was so then it is so now and it will be so for ever so long as there be any wicked in the World and the old Man-slayer to set them on who is that Evil Spirit which worketh as the Artificer doth in his Shop in the Children of Disobedience Ephe. 2. 3. We Read of the Dragons War but as a sad Cordolium with the Woman the Church and her Seed Rev. 12. And if this War were in Heaven v. 7. how much more on Earth v. 17. This War is manag'd and maintain'd with great Wrath v. 12. having the Assistance of an Inveterate Implacable and Everlasting Enmity in all incarnate Devils his Auxiliaries all acted and agitated by the Devil who lends them his Seven Heads to Plot with and his Ten Horns to push with against the Church And we Read of the Lambs War with this Dragon as a sweet and Soveraign Cordial even our Blessed Michael and his Angels in the behalf of the Woman and her Seed Rev. 12. 7 8. And though the Beast to whom the Dragon gave his power Rev. 13. 2. make War with the Saints and overcome them during his Lease of 1260 y. allotted him Rev. 13. 7. yet the Lamb shall overcome the Dragon and all his Auxiliaries Rev. 17. 14. and 19. 19 20. and 20. 10. And in the mean time though the Beast seem to overcome the Saints so it seemed but so it was not Rev. 13. 7. For the Saints overcome the Beast by the Blood of the Lamb when they seem to be most overcome by him to the shedding of their own Blood Rev. 12. 11. This Lamb Laughs all the Plots of the Beast to nothing and all as Vain Things whereof no good Reason can be given nor any good Issue can be expected Christ sits in Heaven seeth and Smileth is no more concern'd save only to ask the Many and the Mighty that Club their Craft and Cruelty against Christ if they be all Mad to Attempt that which shall assuredly come to nothing Psal 2. 1 2 3 4. The little Stone dashes all in pieces Dan. 2. 34. So that it may be said of the Church as it was said of the old Romans She hath lost now and then a Battel but never a War And as 't is said of Gad A Troop may overcome Gad but Gad overcomes at last Gen. 49. 19. So the Church Concutitur non Excutitur may sometimes be Shaken but never Shiver'd into Nothing She always gets and gains by her Losses and though she may be trampled under Foot all the Night of her Asfliction yet is she sure to have Dominion in the Morning Psal 49. 14. And that Morning ushers in the Dismal Dooms-Day of all her Enemies Niteris Incassum Christi Submergere Navem Fluctuat at nunquam Mergitur illa Ratis Dipt may the Churches Ship be but not Drown'd Christ will not fail her Enemies to Confound No Weapon that is formed against her shall prosper Isa 54. 17. Nor ever did prosper That Precious Promise hath blunted the Point and turned the Edge of many Thousand Weapons that have been formed against her The Gates of Hell though in a Combination of all its power and pollicy shall not prevail against it Matth. 16. 18. All the Plots both of the Wicked One and of all Wicked Men from Adam to our Day have been Velut Unda Supervenit Undae as the waves of the Sea succeeding one another yet all have dashed themselves to pieces upon this Rock of Ages whereon the Lord hath founded Sion Isai 14. 32. and 26. 1 4. and 54. 10. The Church is Invincible and can never be Demolished either by Angry Men or Enraged Devils Magna est Veritas Valebit Truth is great and will prevail AN Historical Narrative OF THE Devils Plotts AGAINST THE CHURCH All Defeated by GOD. The First Plot against the Church c. CHAP. I. THis I shall Demonstrate by an Induction of Particular Instances as the Lord shall help me both out of Sacred and Civil History to make manifest the marvellous Conduct which
the Pillar of Providence hath secured the Church withal in all her passages through the World as the Pillar of Glory did the Church in the Wilderness The 1st Instance of the wicked Plotting against the Church and the Lords laughing it to Nothing is that first Plot of the Grand Plotter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wicked One 1 Joh. 5. 18. the Devil against our first Parents As of Jacob's Ladder which consisted of so many rounds or steps as would reach from Earth to Heaven 't is said The Lord was upon the top of it Gen. 28. 12 13. So of this Scale of Conspiracies against the Church which contains so many Distinct Designs as do Reach from Adam to our present time it may as truly be affirmed That the Devil must be at the top of it We Read of a Book of the Wars of the Lord a Book not extant but if not lost latent Numb 21. 14. However this is extant in the Book of God that here began the War of the Devil or Dragon against the Church No sooner was Lucifer faln from Heaven Isa 14. 12. and of a Glorious Angel was become a damned Devil Jude v. 6. 2 Pet. 2. 4. partly for his pride against God in aspiring to be like the most High and partly for his Envy at Man when he first beheld the Honour and Happiness wherein Man was Created and first heard the charge which God gave the Angels to keep Man in all his ways Psal 91. 11. This Command proud Lucifer disdaining that a superior should wait like a servant upon an inferior Creature Psal 8. 5. He kept not his first Estate but left his first Habitation Jude v. 6. Thus he sinned from the beginning 1 Joh. 3. 8. and abode not in the Truth Joh. 8. 44. And now being come down by his Sin or rather cast down for his sin from Heaven and having great Wrath Rev. 12. 12. for being hurl'd out of Heaven into Hell he had no comfort left him save onely this miserable and mischievous one to make Man as miserable as himself and to bring him into the same Condemnation 1 Tim. 3. 6. For this purpose he lays a dangerous and Diabolical Plot consisting of many parts As 1st He assumes a fit Engine that Creature which was more subtile than all the Beasts of the Field Gen. 3. 1. The sharper a Weapon is it makes a deeper wound and gives a more deadly blow the sharpest and subtilest Wits are of all others the most mischievous Instruments in the Devils hands against Gods truth This grand evil Angel made use of this Serpent which as some say was very specious and delightful to the Eye by his comely mixture of lovely Colours to deceive the first Woman as the good Angel made use of the Ass to rebuke the mad Prophet 2 Pet. 2. 16. Numb 22. 28. 2dly The 2d part of his proposed and pursued Plot is in Assaulting not the Man but the Woman the weaker Vessel which is soonest and easiest overcome where the Hedg is lowest there the Beast leaps over with the least difficulty A besieging Enemy raises his Batteries against the weakest part of a besieged City the weaker Sex is most likely to truckle to his temptations hence he Essays to break the Mans head with his own Rib and to make use of this Rib as of the Round of a Ladder whereon to climb up so high as to Reach a blow to her Head and Husband 3dly He sets upon the Woman when alone 'T is supposed As Adam and Eve walk'd together in Paradise Eve stood still gazing with her fancy upon some Delectable Object which Adam passed by with less looking on he got so far before her as to leave her behind whereby she was overtaken by the Tempter the absence of her Head with its counsel and comfort gives Satan a fair opportunity which he improves to the utmost Solomon saith Where Two are there is Help Eccle. 4. 10. 4thly While Eve is alone the Tempter falls a disputing with her in asking her a Concise and an Abrupt Question Yea hath God said c. That he might Enervate the Authority of the Divine Menace or Commination Hereupon the weaker Vessel Eve gives but a weak Answer for she might in her state of Innocency have that Ignorance which the Schools call a pure Negation not a depraved Disposition which is found in Children c. She might not know whether Serpents could naturally speak or whether there was now any Devil existing not hearing of the fall of Angels she did know her protection of Angels as before so might mistake the Devil in the Serpent for a good Angel and therefore disputes with him and was deceived by him as she confesses Gen. 3. 13. So dangerous it is to dispute with the Devil who is better believ'd away than argu'd away They do but shoot with Satan in his own Bow that think by parlying with this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or subtile Sophister to put him off by this means he draws Eve out of her Trenches of the Divine Praecept and wrings the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God out of her hand then doth he what he will with her yea wins the Day when he had disarm'd her 5thly No sooner had the Woman put in her weak Answer in this Disputation to the Devils Question mincing the matter of the Divine Menace in her Least ye Dye instead of Gods Word Ye shall surely Dye Whereby she made that Danger doubtful only which God had made Certain peremptory and without a peradventure Hereupon this subtile Serpent watching for her halting and when to have her upon the hip doth as confidently deny that sentence of Death v. 4. as God had seriously and severely Threatned it before Gen. 2. 7. Hereby her belief of Gods Word is batter'd down and not opposing the certainty of Gods Threatning which she but seem'd to doubt of in the Disputation against Satans Insinuation in his plain and positive Denyal of it she yieldeth If the Word of God had abode in her she had overcome the Devil 1 Joh. 2. 14. 6thly The Tempter tempts her with an Apple from the Forbidden-Fruit-Tree telling her as some say that there was no death in the Apple according to the Divine Threatning from a proof of his own Experience For saith the subtile Serpent I do climb the Tree and eat of the Fruit thereof and yet am not Dead for so doing This was probably done while Eve looked on and therefore she said at least in her mind That she saw it was good for Food v. 6. Hereupon she concluded that Death was not in the Fruit of the forbidden-Tree and hereupon inclines to take and Eat 7thly The Devil to promote his Plot the more accuses God of Envy to Eve which is truly call'd Morbus Satanicus the Devils own Disease as if God had forbid them the Fruit of this Tree of Knowledge onely out of Envy least their Eating thereof should make them Equal
the same means an Expiation of Sin was made where as it was first committed Thus God overshoots Satan in his own 〈◊〉 and the Devil goes off from his first Plot with a broken-Head by the Womans Seed which makes him weaker in his Projects ever after The Second Plot against the Church in ABEL Defeated by GOD. CHAP. II. WHen Satan saw his first Plot Defeated in as much as Man did not dye immediately nor was made as miserable as himself and that in despight of the Devil God would have his Church in the World to make up that Breach withal in the City of God which Lucifer and his Apostate Angels had made therein he takes other Measures and projects a New Plot by his Serpentine subtilty to wit seeing he could not Hinder the Being of the Church he next Endeavours to Divide it into a True and False Church that at least he might thereby hinder the Well-being of it if he could not make the False Church Destroy the True One. This is held forth in Cain and Abel both whom our first Parents had Religiously Trained up in the Worship of God by Sacrifice they were both Worshippers of the True God Cain as well as Abel Cain did not offer his Oblation to an Idol but it was Mincha la Jehovah an Offering to the Lord Gen. 4. 3. and we do not find that God blamed Cain either for the Matter Time or Place of his Worship Cain Rectè obtulit non Rectè Divisit offered right but did not Divide aright betwixt God and himself he should have given God first Se and then de Suis first Personam and then opus Personae Himself and then of his Substance as Abel did according to Gods Demand My Son give me thy Heart Prov. 23. 26. he dealt Fraudulently therefore with God and so became the Head of the False Church as Abel was of the True or as August de Civit. Dei lib. 15. cap. 1. expresseth it Cain was the Author of the City of the World both as he was Born first of faln Man and was called Cain which signifies Possession so he made the World his Possession and that first City which he Built therein yea and as he Plots against his Brother Abel who was chosen out of the World Born second and call'd Abel i. e. Vanity because he look'd upon the World in all its Pomps and Possessions as Vanity and he is called the Author of the City of God and therefore is he driven out of the World by an Untimely Death so early came Martyrdom into the World upon the True Church which Abel represented by the False One Cain As the first Beast that Dyed in the World Dyed for a Sacrifice Figuring Christ the True Sacrifice for Sin ut Suprà so the first Man that dyed in the World dyed for Religion 1 Joh. 3. 12. The first Righteous Man that went to Heaven must swim thither in a River of his own Blood Matth. 23. 35. The City of the World which at the best onely professes Religion will persecute the City of God which both professes and possesses the power and purity of Godliness Or as the Holy Scripture better then Augustin expresseth it Cain was the Head or top of the Seed of the Serpent who was the first begotten of Adam in his faln Estate And as Rab. Menachem saith was conceived of the Filth and Seed that the Serpent had conveyed into Eve However Gods Word speaks Infallibly That Eve was much mistaken at Cain's Birth saying She had got a Man from the Lord Gen. 4. 7. or that Famous Man The Lord as if she had brought forth that promised Seed of the Woman Gen. 3. 15. the Holy Child Jesus These were Verba Spei non Rei her Hoping was better than her Having for Cain was a Wicked One and of the Wikced One 1 Joh. 3. 10 12. Joh. 8. 44. so was the Root of all the Reprobates in the World but Abel was the Root of the Righteous as Christ himself reckons him Matth. 23. 35. And therefore the Devil Cain's Father Joh. 8. 44. complotts with Cain to Root out Abel by Killing him and in him all future Hope of the True Church That Tree cannot grow whose Root is Destroyed This Head of the Black-Line Cain Clubbing wits with the Head of the Serpent Satan whose Head was already Broken or Bruised by the Promise of Christ Essays the 2d Plot against Abel the Head of the White-Line to break his Head with his Club and to Brain him therewith yet even this Plot that came from the Devils Broken Head prov'd in the Issue but a Broken Plot God over-shooting him in his Bow The preparation to this 2d Plot was This Lucifer that was come down from Heaven in great Rage Rev. 12. 12. enrages Cain touching him with a live Coal from Hell as the Angel did the Prophets with one from Heaven Isai 6. 5. and sets his Heart on Fire of Hell Jam. 3. 6. This made him Hot and Burn in Indignation as the Word Charah Gen. 4. 5. signifies for of all the Eight Hebrew Words which signifies Anger This Word Charah is the most Vehement Cain's hot Displeasure was first Inflamed against God as being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Respecter of Persons in sending Fire from Heaven in Token of Accepting Abels Bloody Sacrifice and yet rejecting his un-bloody Meat-Offering Thus Cain's Eye was Evil because God's was Good Matth. 20. 15. Yea and such was his Rage against God that when he not only told him If thou dost well shall thou not be accepted v. 7. but also asks him Where is Abel thy Brother v. 9. Cain Angerly Answers and bids God Go look as if God had ask'd him an Impertinent Question and as if he had put an Office upon him which belong'd not to him yet he that disdain'd to be his Brothers Keeper disdain'd not to be his Brothers Executioner and the Wrath of Man that never speaks the Righteousness of God much less works it Jam. 1. 20. transported Cain so far as to tell the God of Truth a loud Lye in his saying I know not where he is Thinking by this frivolous Evasion to blind the Eyes of the All-knowing God as the God of this World had blinded his Eyes and hardned his Heart too and hereby he declared himself to be immediately descended from the Devil who was both a Lyar and a Murderer from the beginning Joh. 8. 44. 2dly His Rage against Abel for though his Rage was great against God insomuch that he could have found in his heart to have pull'd God out of Heaven Omne peccatum est Deicidium all sin is a kind of God-Murther for his partiality but God was out of his Reach yea and of the Devil 's too that set him on work The Borrowing power can never match the Lending power The Creature can never be too strong for the Creator Howbeit Abel was within his Reach and he will Wound the Master in his Servant The
an honorable Interrment and now opens its Mouth again in not yielding him its strength in a clamorous petition for Vengeance against him As the cursed Fig-Tree lost its Vigour and Withered Mark 11. 21. So a Fruitful Land is made barren for the Wickedness of its owners and Occupiers Psal 107. 34. The 3d. Means God uses to Defeat the Devils Design is He Excommunicates Cain Satans prime Patriark out of the Church who would have Excommunicated the Church out of the World in God's proto Martyr Abel and that with the greater Excommunication v. 12. A Vagrant and a Vagabond shalt thou be Thus his Doom Rises higher and falls heavier upon him Psa 59. 12. and 109. 10. Cain the first Apostate went out from the Presence of the Lord and dwelt in the Land of Nod which signifies Wandring v. 14. 16. So that he was a Vagrant from the Church from his Fathers Family and Fellowship as well as a Vagabond upon Earth God would come and Talk with him no more nor Vouchsafe one Gracious Glance towards him nor Accept any one Oblation from him at any time 4thly God sets a Brand upon him v. 15. and thereby as it were Burns him in the Hand and Stigmatizes him for a Rogue This mark was not an Horn in his Forehead as the Jews feign but 't was an Hornet in his Conscience as Exod. 23. 28. stinging him with horrible Conviction and Compunction for his Murder The words of the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Sighing and Trembling as if God's Mark upon him had been probably a Trembling not onely of his Hands and Head but also of his Heart and whole Body which made all People pitty him Some Rabbins say Cain was continually Dogged with Abel's Dog but Assuredly he was Haunted with his own Evil Ghost which made him look with a most ghastly Countenance having Horror in his Heart and a very Hell in his Conscience This might make him Tremble every where and fear every Bush he saw was a Bayliff to Arrest him and every Man he met a Devil to Torment him So that a longer Lease of his Life was no better than a lingring Death nay such a Life under the Guilt of such a sin and under the sense of such a Curse was far worse then a Temporal Death Therefore God Dooms him to Live and not immediately to Dye that he might be a Land-Mark of Shame and a Living-Monument against Murder and Murderers 5thly His Death after a Woful Life was Woful also as humane Testimony Reports for though he us'd some Carnal Anodynes to Allay the unbearable pangs of his wounded Spirit and to drown the horrible noise of his self-condemning Conscience he falls upon Building a City and call'd it Enoch that his Son might be call'd Lord Enoch of Enoch v. 17. Yet Vengeance would not suffer him to live Act. 28. 4. Nor to Live out half his Days Psal 55. 23. Nor to go down to the Grave in peace 2 Kin. 2. 5. That he Dyed an Untimely death all Historians concurr about the Year 131. the manner how is Variously Reported some say It was by the Fall of an House which he was Building in his New City Others say He was slain by his Grand-child Lamech who being a Blind Archer was led to shoot him by a wicked Boy Take it either way and his Sin is Writ upon his Punishment for either as he that Designed to pull down Gods House the Church so his own House which he was rearing up falls down upon him and knocks him down dead on the place as he had done his Brother Abel or As he Disdain'd to be his Brothers Keeper but not to be his Executioner Lives to beget a Son whose Son became his Grand-Fathers Executioner Thus when God makes Inquisition for Blood Psal 9. 12. shall not he Search it out Psal 44. 21. Yea he will and wound the Hairy Scalp of such as go on in their Iniquity Psal 68. 21. 6thly Neither doth Divine Vengeance upon him End here in his Untimely and Violent Death but his last Doom is the most Woful of all Dooms Cain must not onely be doom'd out of the Church and out of the World but also he must be Doom'd to Hell whither all wicked Men are turned and all the People though there be whole Nations of them that forget God as Cain did Psa 9. 17. Especially Murderers who are abhorred of the Lord Psal 5. 6. He that sat upon the Throne hath himself said it Rev. 21. 8. Murderers shall have their Lot in the Lake that Burneth with Fire and Brimstone more especially such as Murder Gods Image in his Servants who have his Image upon them in a double manner both by Generation Gen. 9. 6. And also by Regeneration Eph. 4. 24. God will of all others avenge their Blood Rev 6. 10. and that speedily Luk 18. 7. Thus Cain was a wicked One was of the wicked One and went to the wicked One in Hell at last But the last Means whereby God Defeated the Devil's 2d Plot was In raising up a Seth to Stand up in Abel's Stead according to the Signification of his Name Seth Hebr. Posuit placed in his Brothers place for Upholding the Church Sic Vno avulso non Deficit Alter Aureus Though one Branch Abel was lop'd off from the Tree of Mankind Adam yet another Springs up and that a Golden One in his Stead And out of the Ashes of the Dying Phoenix another Phoenix Ariseth to Continue its Kind in the World Thus Seth or Sheth signifies not onely Posuit but Reposuit layd up as his Godly Mother believingly Acknowledged That the Church was layd up in him and that he was the Foundation of it a Type of Christ Isa 28. 16. 1 Cor. 3. 11. out of whom Christ Sprung Luk. 3. last Gen. 4. 25. and though Adam had many other Sons Gen. 5. 4. yet none are Named savely onely Seth as being the only Professor of the True Religion and Foundation of the Church Now when the Devil and his Agents had got Abel out of the Way and World and saw Adam for an 130 Y. without an other in his stead Gen. 5. 3. Oh what Rejoycing was there and sending of Gifts amongst them as Rev. 11. 10. But God Cut their Coxcombs and Confuted their Confidences in Raising up Seth by whose Means with God's Blessing the Devil lost and the Church won Ground for then 't is said Men began to call upon the Name of the Lord Gen. 4. 26. That is Publickly and in Solemn Assemblies making an Open Profession which hitherto had been but Privately done The Third Plot against the Church in SETH Defeated by GOD. CHAP. III. WHen Satan saw his 2d Plot Defeated and Laugh'd to Nothing by the Lord that Seth must Live and have many Children though Abel was Dead and that Childless Gen. 5. 7. Numb 24. 17. And the Church not onely Maintained but Advanced by them This Restless Adversary Projects a 3d. Plot
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
against the Superstructure thereof He wants not his Cham even in the Ark a Type of the Church a fit Instrument for him to Work with 'T is thought this Cham had concealed his wickedness from Men which he could not from God and soon after Degenerated However this bad Son had a Temporal Favour for the sake of his good Father which he badly Requited afterwards This Cursed Cham or Ham the Devil makes Use of 1st In his Person 2dly In his Posterity against the Church of God 1st In his Person The Occasion was this As Satan had made Adam Transgress in Eating so he made Noah to Transgress in Drinking Gen. 9. 21. He that had Escaped the Drowning of the World by Water because Just and Vpright was now perhaps not knowing the strength of the Grape himself Drown'd in Wine and was Shamefully Vncovered Though this Act was but once he was Ebrius not Ebriosus Drunk not a Drunkard Denominatio non sit a particulari yet this wicked Cham saw it both with Delight to himself and with Derision to his Father and therefore Noah for whose sake he had been Saved in the Ark did Doom him accursed and his other Two Sons he Blessed 2dly In his Posterity The Aegyptians from whom the Church suffered hard things in their House of Bondage are frequently call'd the Children of Ham and Aegypt the Land of Ham Psal 78. 51. and 105. 23 27. and 106. 22. 'T is True there be some Hundreds of Years betwixt those Two Actions of Hams Person and of his Posterity against the Church which some may judge over-large a Leap as if the Devil had been Idle all that Interspace of Time No doubt but it may be safely said There is some time wherein God Chains up the Devil as Rev. 20. 2. And wherein the Church hath her lucid Intervals as Act. 9. 31. Yea and this may be said also That all those Games the Devil play'd and all the Plots he Plotted betwixt these Two were the lower Games the lesser Plots of a Daring Devil compared with this of the Church and of Israels being in Aegypts Bondage No doubt but the Devil was gratifi'd in the Building of the Tower of Babel whereby the Holy Tongue was lost to all the World save to One Family and so the Doctrine of Salvation which was Preached in that Tongue onely This began Satans Kingdom in Heathenism through the Confusion of Tongues at Babel which was Blessedly Recover'd by the Gift of Tongues at Sion Act. 2. 4. 13. The Devil was also well-pleased to have Lots Righteous Soul vexed with the Wicked Sodomites To have Isaac that Heir of the Promise Scoffed at by Ishmael Yea Persecuted also by him Gal. 4. 29. To have likewise Prophane Esau so Bloodily bent against plain Jacob To have Godly Joseph Abused both by his own Brethren and by his Wanton Mistris Psal 105. 18. Oh how would Satan have Rejoyced to see Lot and his Family Burn'd in Sodom Isaac Sacrific'd by his own Father Abraham Jacob Murdered by his own Brother Esau as Abel had been by Cain at his Instigation Yea and Joseph Perished in the Pit his Brethren cast him into or in the Prison where his wicked Mistris Lodged him Yet God baffled the Devil who will Play at small Games rather than sit Idle in all these Plots But now when the 70 Souls that went down into Aegypt that Land of Ham were Increased to a great People so as to fill the Countrey of Goshen Exod. 1. 7. this Enraged him so that he puts out his utmost Power and Policy to Suppress them In the first Age before the Flood the Church of God was Shut up some time in One Person as in Adam Abel Seth Enoch c. And though Adam Falls Abel is Slain Seth Dyes and Enoch is Translated c. Yea and the Devil doth his worst to Extirpate it out of the World as above yet the Great God hath so Secur'd his Church both by Promise and Providence that his Mount Sion can never be Removed Insomuch that in the 2d Age after the Flood the Devil Loses and the Church Wins Ground and Spreads her self from the Narrow Compass of Persons to Families as in Noahs Abrahams Lots and the Patriarchs Families and yet more when the Time of the Promise drew nigh Act. 7. 17. Through the Special Blessing of God the Church Spreads forth her Tents as she is bidden Isa 54. 2 3. from the Narrow Compass of Families and became a Nation Great Mighty and Populous Deut. 26. 5. and all this out of One as Good as Dead Hebr. 11. 12. Satan meddles not with his Match when he Meddles with God who of very Stones can Raise up Children unto Abraham Matth. 3. 9. To behold the Church Increase as Stars in the Heaven and as Sands on the Sea-shore This makes the Devil more mad then ever So he falls upon his 4th grand Plot to Cutt her short by the Children of Ham the Father of Mitzraim which is the Hebrew Word for Aegypt Gen. 10. 6. The 1st part of his Plot was to make God their Enemy by their Sinning fowly against him In Order hereunto he Tempts them to Commit Idolatry a God-provoking Sin Josh 24. 14. Ezek. 20. 8. and 23. 3 8. 2. To forego Circumcision the Covenant of their God which was the Reproach of Aegypt Josh 5. 9. 3. To joyn in Marriage with the Egyptians Levit. 24. 20. and Exod. 12. 38. Hereby the Sun of Religion goes down upon them as God told Abraham Gen. 15. 12. Then God was Angry and he Turn'd the Hearts of the Children of Ham to hate his own God-provoking People Psal 105. 25. as after the Death of Methusalem which in Hebrew signifies He Dyeth and the Dart commeth The Deluge came so after the death of the Godly Patriarks their Bondage began They were cast into a Furnace of Iron Deut. 4. 20. to see them there must needs be the Devils Delight whose Design Undoubtedly was to Burn up the Church as Dross therein but Gods Design which is always to countermine his Mines and to counterplot his Plots was when he had Tryed them to bring them out as Gold Job 23. 10. as he did his Servant Job from Satans Furnace of Affliction The 2d part of his Plot was To stir up a new King that knew not Joseph Exod. 1. 8. Well knowing that such Kings as know not Joseph or Jesus our Brother are his sittest Tools for Oppressing the Church This King the 8th from Ham and Supposed to be Busiris a Savage Tyrant in Heathen History was the first that Oppressed Israel whom his Predecessors had Entertained as Guests and Enjoyed as Friends and Benefactors He I say deals both Craftily and Cruelly with them and both to Prevent their further Increase which he saw v. 7. Exod. 1. 10 11. Ach. 7. 19. Psa 105. 25. and all this was to prove God a Lyar in his Promise to Jacob Gen. 46. 3. 4. Yet his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept.
Prospect of his 5th Plot as to its success but still the mischief of it was he Reckon'd without his Host even the Lord of Hosts that Man of War Exod. 15. 3. who giveth Victory not as the Devil but as himself pleaseth For though the Lord permitteth Amalek to oppose Israel for the Chastizement of their Murmurings yet had he other Designs then onely to Chastize his Church whom he had allur'd into the Wilderness He must also Speak Comfortably to her Heart Hos 2. 14. Amalek must Fall and therein the Devils Project before the People of his Promise and they must not onely be Encouraged by their Victory over the Amalekites as they had been with that over the Aegyptians but also Enriched with their Spoils and Furnished with their Arms and Ammunition God hath in his Design not onely the want of Innocency in his People to Chastize with Rods but also the Guilt of Insolency in his Enemies to Scourge with Scorpions Amalek indeed comes forth to meet Israel but it was to meet his own ruine and to fetch in his own destruction which Moses Precando by Praying and Joshua Praeliando by Fighting brought upon him Moses in the Mount lifts up the Rod to God as a Standard against Amalek and Joshua in the Valley Engages them and Moses Prayers gave most-effectual Pushes as well as Joshua's Pikes against the Enemy Moses Orat Vincit Cessat Vincitur v. 12. While Moses Devotion goes down Amaleks Courage gets up and prevaileth but when it goes up and keeps up being sustained upon Christ the Stone of Israel then Amalek is discomfitted v. 13. And being the first Nation that Warr'd against the Church after her deliverance from Aegypt Gods Hand is upon his Throne Swearing That he will have a perpetual War with Amalek and wipe out the Remembrance of them from under Heaven v. 14 16. Amaleks Hand had been lifted up against Gods Throne his Church so call'd Jerem. 14. 21. Now Gods Hand is lifted up upon his own Throne in taking this Solemn Oath That he would wage War against Amalek for ever This present Discomsiture was but a praelibamen or Pledge of this perpetual War As a lasting Monument of Gods great Mercy to Israel in this first Victory Moses Builds an Altar and calls it Jehovah Nissi that is The Lord is my Banner under whose Standard he had got the Victory And as a lasting Memorial of Gods great Wrath against Amalek in this first Opposition Moses must Record this of them either in the Book of the Wars of the Lord Numb 21. 14. which is latent or in the Pentatuch which he was then Writing and now Extant That they should utterly be destroyed This Saul should have done 1 Sam. 15.7 c. destroying onely some David destroyed more 2 Sam. 8. 12. Such as escaped those Destructions were destroyed by the Simeonites in Hezekiah's time 1 Chron. 4. 41 42 43. Lastly Haman and his Ten Sons were slips of this cursed Stock and Hanging was their end and the end of that Race of Rebels being the last that we read of to be Rooted out Oh how dangerous it is to Anger the Antient of Days his Forbearance for many Hundred Years is no Forgiveness 'T was 400 Y. after when God gave Command to destroy them utterly 1 Sam. 15. 2. and long after that God made a War against them and at last did Root them out Root and Branch thus Amalek Hebrew signifying Populus Lingâ—us a Licking People that had licked up the Hindmost of Israel the Wrath of God licked them all up as Fire doth Stubble who can stand before Everlasting burnings Isa 33. 14. The Church's Protestaâ—â—â— is Consuming fire to them Hebr. 12. last who not onely Laughs but Burns not onely their Plots but their Persons to nothing A Man had better Anger all the Witches in the World Yea all the Devils in Hell as Anger this One Jealous God the Heat of whose Wrath lasts longer and Burns deeper than the Coals of Juniper Psal 120. 4. His Judgements are severe and durable never Rots in the Sky 'T was this Divine Wrath that waged War against Amalek from one Generation to another until it came at last to an utter Extirpation Haman the Agagite of the Blood-Royal of Amalek descending from Agag their King whom Saul spared is Hanged no more of that Rebellious Race that Warr'd against Israel without Cause or Provocation do we Read of the Wicked are forgotten Eccles 8. 10. Yea the Devil that set them on work is Chain'd and Defeated The Church by her Champions help abides for ever The Sixth Plot against the Church in the Wilderness Defeated by GOD. CHAP. VI. 'T Is said Luk. 4. 13. That Satan Departed from Christ onely for a Season no more doth he depart from his Church he will have his Returns to do her all the ill turns he can Thus doth he here to the Church in the Wilderness that almost as close did he Dogg her behind as the Pillar of Glory did Conduct her before and though Christ whom she Tempted there 1 Cor. 10. 9. suffered her thus to be Proved and Tryed yet it was always to do her Good at the latter end Deut. 8. 16. The 6th Plot against the Church which was the 2d in her Wilderness-State was the Tempter tempting Israel to Set up the Golden-Calf Exod. 32. 1. which the Devil knew well would make God disown Discard and Discovenant his People This is one of Satans Grand Wiles that when he cannot play his Game upon the open Stage of the World by an Extrinsick Adversary as by Amalek then he trys his Skill by an Imrinsick-Engine Screwing himself into the Minds of Israel this piece of Ingenuity he taught the Jesuits and being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lover of Idol-Worship as being Devil-Worship 1 Cor. 10. 20 21. he puts them upon making an Idol to make God cast them off and destroy them for such a God-provoking Sin v. 22. as provoked God to Jealousie The Advantage Satan took for promoting this his Project was Moses Absence Non-Residents do little consider this though Moses had Warrant for his Absence both from God and his People for 1st God call'd him up into the Mount Exod. 24. 12. and 2d The People consented that he should be as an Ambassadour and Mediator 'twixt them and God Exod. 20. 19. Moses the 40 Days faster staid longer with God in the Mount than the People expected though all the while he was Negotiating their Weal in bringing the Two Tables of the Decalogue both of Gods Writing and Workman-ship Exod. 31. 18. and 32. 16. The Heavenly Pattern of the Tabernacle with all the Ordinances concerning Legal Worship to them They grew Impatient of Moses delay The Devil no doubt did suggest to the Worser sort That he was torn of Wild Beasts and to the Better sort That as Enoch was he was Translated into Heaven as Josephus saith Or That he had deserted his Charge and mocked them as some
Ingeniose Nequam Wittily Wicked he calls for Balaam the Devils Spelman to Curse Israel This Balaam his Instrument is call'd a Prophet 2 Pet. 2. 16. there is frequent mention of his Receiving Messages and Answers from the Lord Numb 22. 8 13 18. and 24. 17. 't is said God put a Word into Balaam's Mouth Numb 23. 5. a Phrase never used concerning the Inspiring of any of the Holy Prophets which Word did but pass through him as a Trunk through which a Man speaks his Heart was not Holily Affected with what his Tongue uttered He did not Eat his Words as Jeremy did Jer. 15. 16. Nor did he Believe what he had spoken as David did Psal 106. 10. And after him Paul 2 Cor. 4. 13. And as he was call'd Prophet so a Sooth-sayer Josh 13. 22. As all his Altars Sacrifices and Consultations with the Lord were by the Wicked Art of Enchantments or Observing of Fortunes such as the Diviners and Prophets of the Heathen used Deut. 18. 10 14. Numb 24. 1. He went not as at other times to seek for Enchantments as being Resolved to curse Israel however and without Gods leave he was fully bent to do it and nothing shall Hinder him Thus Satan makes Use of the meetest Means to Accomplish his own Develish Ends and makes Balaam to do more Mischief to the Church by his Counsel than Balak could do by his Courage He lay'd a Stumbling-Block before Israel Rev. 2. 14. No doubt but this Wicked Person had excellent Gifts yet as he was Famous for Prophesie so he was Infamous for Prophaness And oh what pernicious Counsel was this of Balak's Consulting with Balaam to have Israel Cursed and that from Heaven too to wit by the Mouth of a Prophet this was more Dangerous than to Fight against them with all his Forces And Balaam was as willing to Curse them as Balak would have had him for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jude 11. Imports it He powr'd out his Malice like Water in a Spout after an Impetuous and Violent manner he Ran greedily from Altar to Altar gaping after the Gain Promised If but his Cursing-Cursed-Work were persorm'd he was like a swift swelling Torrent that breaks down all its Banks and Bounds which are made to keep it in Thus Balaam's March to Marr the Church was as furious as Jehu's so that neither Gods Prohibition before his Journey nor the crushing of his Foot the Speaking of his Ass the drawn Sword of the Angel in his Journey nor the Disappointment of all his Endeavours by his Enchantments afterwards could Hinder him from pursuing his Cursed-Cursing Project yet God made all Fruitless and frustrate neither had Balak his Will nor Balaam his Wages God over-rules the Devil and his Spelman Turns the Desired Curse into a Devout Blessing gladly would Balaam have Cursed Israel but he cannot wagg his wicked Tongue without Gods leave nor Balak with his Men of might could find their Hands without Divine Permission Psal 76. 5. Yea Balaams Heart Curses against his Tongue and his Tongue Blesses against his Heart Let us turn Aside a little here with Moses Exod. 3. 2. and Wonder a while that this Bush should be ever Burning yet never Consum'd Oh let us Admire the Power Wisdom and Goodness of God towards his Church both in that Antient and in this present Wilderness-State as to those Pregnant Parallels following The 1st Parallel is As the Church then had a Balaam to Curse her and a Balak to hire him thereunto Even so it is now Gal. 4. 29. There is no new thing under the Sun c. Eccl. 1. 9. The present Church of the Reformed Religion hath the Great Balaam of Rome to Curse her with Bel Book and Candle as the Phrase is he is The Devils Spellman Primo genitus Diaboli The Gull and Cheat of the World to whom the Balaks or Kings that have given their Power to that Beast Revel 17. 13. says Whom thou blesseth shall be blessed and whom thou curseth shall be cursed Num. 22. 6. Whereas the Power given to Man for Blessing or Cursing others is not Despotical or Magisterial but onely Ministerial The 2d Paralel As Balaam is call'd a Prophet 2 Pet. 2. 16. yet a Mad One yea a Sooth-sayer Josh 13. 22. So the Great Man of Rome is said to sit in the Temple of God as a Prophet 2 Thess 2. 4. Yet a Sooth-sayer a Sorcerer a Necromancer a Conjurer See my Discovery of Antichrist Pag. 48. and 59. So he is the Devils Prophet and 't is very remarkable the Devil hath done more Mischief to the Church of God in his Transforming himself into an Angel of Light than ever he could do while he appeared in his own proper Colours as the Prince of Darkness Gog Tectus or the Secret Adversary is a greater Plague to the Church than Magog Detectus or the open Enemy The Pope that False Prophet and Christs pretended Vice-Gerent hath given more bloody blows to the Reform'd Religion in its Power and Purity than ever the Turk hath done The 3d Parallel As Gain is the great Wheel or at least the Yellow Vnction that made Balaam run so greedily after his Design of Cursing Israel Jude v. 11. So the Balaam of Rome Hews out the Principal Pillars of his Romish-Religion out of the Quarry of filthy lucre Gain is not onely got from the Living in his Pardons Indulgences Dispensations Oblations Pilgrimages c. He making a Money-matter of the most Execrable Abominations as Witchcraft Parricide King-Killing Incest Sodomy Beastiality c. but also from the Dead in his Masses Diriges c. who leave large Legacies to be Pray'd out of Purgatory a Toy which he crys not up so much for Truth as for Traffick as Mr. Jenkins Excellently shows upon Jude last part p. 212. saying Silver is in the Sacks Mouth of every Popish-Errour 'T is a Religion wholly Compacted and Compounded for Gain 'T is altogether a Contrivance to make the Pope 's Kitchin Smoak and their Thirst after Gain makes them Thirst after Blood The 4th Parallel As Balaam Broke through all Difficulties to break Gods Design of Blessing Israel whom he was Brib'd to Curse though 1 a good Angel stood in his way to stop him who was Acted and Agitated by the Devil that wicked Angel 2 though his own Ass that had been long his faithful Servant did reproove his Madness 2 Pet. 2. 16. 3 Though he saw a Sword drawn before his Eyes and that in the Hands of an Angel who was able to Kill 185000 Souldiers notwithstanding their Armour of Defence in one Night Isa 37. 36 and therefore able to Kill him a Naked Man at one blow Yea and 4 though God stood over him with a Cudgel as the Angel had done with a Sword or Whip all the time he ran from Altar to Altar with his Enchantments and Diabolical Arts and would as gladly have Cursed Israel as ever the Dogg would be at his Carrion which
Mackeda Queen of Sheba coming from a far Country Mat. 12. 42. falls into an Extasie of admiration 1 Kin. 10. 5. and coming to her self she blesses the Lord God that had loved Israel so as to set Solomon on the Throne saying the reality of Israels glory in him far exceeded all the Reports she had received v. 7. 9. yea and not only those two Forreigners but even all the Earth sought to Solomon c. v. 24. both Princes and People Ch. 4. 31. 34. The Devil put Israel upon casting off God and desiring a King 1 Sam. 8. 7. Now God uses a King to raise his Church to her highest glory Thus God over-shoots Satan in his own Bow The Fifteenth Plot against the CHURCH in Canaan Defeated by GOD. CHAP. XV. HAving shown how the Pillar of Providence hath usher'd and over-shadow'd the Church of this lower World from Adam to Solomon in whose Reign she arrived at her greatest Splendour and Beauty notwithstanding all the Devils Fore-games he plaid to prevent it Now come we to speak of his After-games whereby he brought an abatement of her glory and a declension of her lustre in this her Militant state upon Earth As it is the course of Nature in Coelestial and Terrestrial things there is a time of their rising and growth to their perfection gradually carried on for Nature makes no leaps and there is a time of setting and gradual declining also Thus 't is in Coelestial Bodies the Sun riseth and runs its course till it come to its Zenith at High-noon or Mid-Summer and then it descends and goes lower to the Earth observing its Apogaeum and Perigaeum The Moon hath not only her Ortum occasum Rising and Setting but also her Plenilunium Novi lunium Increase and Decrease and therefore is the Embleme of the Church in sacred Writ as having her filling and weaning times and Terrestrial things both Animate and Inanimate have their seasons of attaining their perfection both of parts and degrees and then follows their declining time yea the Kingdoms of the World have their times and their turns their points and their periods beyond which they cannot pass Even so it is with the Kingdom of Christ his Church there is nothing here below that can always say I am but the unchangeable God Go tell Pharaoh that I am hath sent me unto thee Exod. 3. 14. The Creator only can say I am that I am but the Creature is to day and is not to morrow being a changeable thing and so the Church here upon Earth is changeable as the Moon which hath her Eclipses her Obumbrations under a black Cloud and when silled round with light borrowed from the Sun hath her time of a gradual losing that lustre again Thus the Old Testament Church came to her Full-Moon of light and glory borrowed from the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 Vxor fulget Radiis Mariti the Spouse shines with the Beams and Bracelets such as Isaac sent Rebekah Gen. 24. of her Bridegroom Ezek. 16. 14. in the days of Solomon for about thirty years together In his last ten years the Devil begins his first after-game to bring a decrease of her glory upon her It is observable that Gods promise of establishing the Throne of Israel for ever 2 Sam. 7. 13 16. as it was Typical and so temporary relating to Christ the Son of David who should build a Mystical Temple the Church called the House of God 1 Tim. 3. 15. whose essential and natural Kingdom shall never have an end though his Mediatory hath 1 Cor. 15. 24. yet not till he hath put down all contrary Powers and made all his Foes his footstool so it was 2. Conditional relating to Solomon who built the Material Temple which should flourish for ever upon condition of his perseverance in Piety If he commit iniquity v. 14. which Solomon did but Christ could not in the latter end of his Reign by falling into Idolatry 1 Kin. 11. 9 14 23 26. therefore the Lord corrected him with the Rod of men by stirring up Adversaries against him which would not have been had he been constant as at that day when another promise was propounded upon that condition in the good ways of God 1 Chron. 28. 7. Solomon had been well educated both by his Father Prov. 4. 4. and by his Mother Prov. 31. 1. and at that day while young kept the Commandments of the Lord and brought both Church and State to the highest point of sublunary happiness So that as Davids Reign represented the Church Militant upon Earth so Solomons Reign resembled the Church Triumphant in Heaven yet as man that is in honour abideth not Psal 49. 12. so Solomon according to the manner of all temporal things and by the means of mans corruption abode not in this Honourable and happy estate but when he was old 1 Kin. 11. 4. and then should he have been best Job 32. 7. Having had so long Communion with God and so much experience of his goodness in his appearing to him twice after an extraordinary manner which was a great Evidence of Divine favour and laid a great ingagement upon him to cleave close to God who twice appeared 1 Kin. 3. 5. and 9. 2. and 11. 9. Some make Solomon's old age the extenuation of his sin inasmuch as it brings along with it many weaknesses which exposed him to be over-witted by Outlandish Women upon which he so fondly doted But surely his Age was an aggravation of his sin his last days should have been his best days and his Graces like good liquor should have run fresh to the bottom Some do give the Flower of their Youth to the Devil and reserve the Dregs of their Old Age for God This is bad enough but Solomon did far worse in doing quite contrary as if he expected to find the Devil a better Master to serve in his old age than he had sound God to be in his youth ☞ Oh what need we have to stand upon our watch little do we know what the Devil may tempt us to before we die if God leave us Satan may sift us worse in his Sieve of Temptation when we are old than ever he could do while we were young The Innocentest man Adam the Strongest man Sampson and the Wisest man Solomon were all undone by Satan and all by Women especially Solomon who had hitherto the character of a None-such from 1 Kin. 3. 1. to the end of Ch. 10. then Ch. 11. begins with a But like that of Naaman 2 Kin. 5. 1. he was Captain of the Syrian Host a great man with his Master and Honourable he was also a mighty man of Valour But he was a Leper So here after all Solomons glory is graphically described in the foregoing Chapters it follows Ch. 11. 1. But King Solomon loved many strange Women hereby he who should have been the man for establishing the Church in its perfection of beauty and for perpetuating the power and
all 1 Kin. 11. 11 12 13. 1. For Davids sake which is five times repeated there for his honour and 2. For Jerusalems sake both which had peculiar promises as 1. David 2 Sam. 7. 9 10 11 12 16. all performed by the promiser either in the Types ' or Antitypes 2. Jerusalem that holy City Neh. 11. 1. 18. Isa 52. 1. wherein Zion and the Temple stood and was the special Type of the Church Psal 51. 18. Isa 62. 1 7. and 66. 20. Revel 21. 2. and therein God promis'd to David his servant that he should have a light or Lamp always 1 Kin. 11. v. 36. to wit a Royal Successor that should shine before his people which was most properly accomplish'd in Christ Luke 2. 32. The Scepter could not be taken either by men or Devils from Judah until Shilo came Gen. 49. 10. and then was he a light to the Gentiles as he had been and still was a glory to Israel Now though the Devil that Grand Make-bate of the World had a great hand in this Rent or Division together with his Impious Instrument Jeroboam yet the Lord had a greater hand in it to ordain order and over-rule all For thus saith the Lord This thing is from me and the cause was from the Lord as well as from the Devil 1 Kin. 12. 15.24 As it was a sin call'd Rebellion Ch. 12. 19. so it was from the Devil but as it was a punishment of sin both of Solomons Idolatry Ch. 11. v. 11. and of Rehoboams insolency so it was from God as an Act of Justice from the Supreme Judge Am. 3. 6. God here withdraws the Spirit of Wisdom from Rehoboam and leaves him to his own egregious folly as Chap. 22. 23. 2 Chron. 25. 20. and 32. 31. God knows how to order the disorders of the World to his own glory as having an over-ruling Providence beyond mans purpose and an over-pouring power still to preserve his poor Church though Solomon had been sharing himself betwixt God and Idols and therefore his servant Jeroboam shall share the Kingdome with his Son Rehoboam yea and bear away the better half from him yet Judah still rules with God and God with them and is faithful with the Saints When Ephraim the ten Tribes compassed God about with lyes Hos 11. v. 12. that is while back-sliding Israel went after their Leaden Priests made by Jeroboam of the basest of the people and their Golden Calves Judah kept tite to the Temple-worship and firm in the true Religion Thus the most gracious God even in the midst of wrath remembers mercy and leaves this blessing soon repenting of the evil behind him that a Lamp should be lighted in Jerusalem which the most boistrous blasts of the Devil and his Instruments should not blow out The Sixteenth Plot against the CHURCH in Canaan Defeated by GOD. CHAP. XVI NOw when the Devil had divided so great a share of Davids Kingdome to himself by Divine Permission the Lord of the Soyl Hos 9. 3. Isa 8. 8. giving way for his own glory to such sad Incroachments he falls upon sowing the cursed seed of his Tares upon the Lords Land among those Tribes who disdain'd to live any longer by the Lords Law Oh wonderful there was no visible Church upon Earth at this time but in the Land of Promise and yet the only wise God gives up to Satan when all the World lay in wickedness 1 Joh. 5. 19. and so in the possession of that wicked one even the largest share of his own Land also though it was but a little spot of Land no bigger than our Wales in all Thus the Lords Land Levit. 25. 23. became the Devils Land too in the greatest part with all the rest of the Habitable World Oh how unsearchable are the ways of the Lord and his works past find-out Rom. 11. 33 34 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh the bottomless depth of Divine Wisdome the Devil having got this leave against Israel as once against Job when Gods Hedge was gone begins to lay waste Gods Vineyard Isa 5. 5 6. He now falls to work for debauching Israel he first makes them cast off their true Soveraign and chuse a false one Jeroboam the Son of Nebat must be the man one that wanted neither Craft nor Courage to back this Horse which had cast his Rider Next to Achitophel the Devil had not a craftier Head to plot against the Church than this Leader of the Faction and Fraction As the subtil Serpent infused into him his subtilty for stealing a Scepter so for securing it to him when he had stoln it His Plotting Head had this considering Cap upon it 't was but a pang of discontent that made me King violent things are not permanent sudden Paroxysmes or Fits of passion have as sudden Relaxations and recoveries the Revolters cannot return thrice a year to the Temple in Jerusalem as God commands them Exod. 34. 23. but 't will make them revolt from me and return to Rehoboam I must either keep them off from God or I shall never keep them off from Loyalty and Piety Therefore to give them a pleasant Diversion when he durst not offer a direct Restraint and Prohibition he changes and adulterates that Religion which he dare neither inhibit nor abolish Hereupon this new King plots to make Israel a new God and for their ease nearer home too that they might not be toiled with going so far as the Temple pretending to be more merciful to the people than the most merciful God yea and more prudent than he in his more compendious and plausible way of worship altogether accommodated to the ease and humour of the people Aaron had humour'd Israel with one Golden Calf such as they had seen long in Egypt Exod. 32. 4. Now Jeroboam who had lately lived there 1 Kin. 11. 40. judges it proper after Aarons example to humour them with two which he sets up at Dan and Bethel at both the ends of the Land North and South 1 Kin. 12. 27 28 29. Thus took he crafty counsel of his cursed Courtiers and so he might secure his Realm and Region he matter'd not though Religion were run down to ruine And this thing became a sin to Israel v. 30. a most heinous sin though it was but a base thing this Image was one of the basest Psal 106. 20. The Image of a Calf eating Hay Oh what Brutish Creatures were Israel made by an Intoxicating Devil Psal 115. 8. so as to fall down and worship such a Brutish Creature as a Calf as soon as it was set up yea that service which was only due to God was performed to Devils in this base thing 2 Chron. 11. 15. all Idolatry is Devil-worship all Devotion that is not done to God nor by a Divine Warrant is done to the Devil there is no Medium or Mean betwixt them 1 Cor. 10. 20 21. Revel 9. 20. Now the Devil that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Idol-lover had
Calves but also Judah Built them high places and Images and Groves on every High Hill and under every Green-Tree 1 Kin. 14. 22 23. Yea and Tolerated Sodomy in the Land v. 24. This sad Face of the Church and that continuing two Kings Reigns must needs sadden the Hearts of those Faithful Ones who among the 12 Tribes were Gods Remnant and Instantly served him Day and Night Act. 26. 7. There was no Visible Church in the whole World but in this little part of it And how was the Church here most Deplorably Depraved God sometimes suffers his Church as he doth the Moon to Wane out of sight and to be Ecclipsed yet such Gloomy times shall not last always God causeth Light to Spring up by Asa the 3d. King after the Revolt who Revives the Church and Refreshes the Children of God by a Right Reformation of Religion 1 Kin. 15. 11. both in the Privative and in the Positive part 1. The Privative He finding Sodom in Jerusalem Roots out the Sodomites v. 12. Demolishes the Idols those Dirty Dung-hill Deities call'd Deos stercoreos because of the Stench wherewith they offend Almighty God yea removes Maachah from being Queen-Regent for setting up a most filthy Idol in honour of Venus supposed the Picture of Pan or Priapus v. 13. 2ly The Positive part He doth not onely put down Idolatry c. but he sets up and Restores the Splendour of Temple-Worship 'T was his Grand-Father Rehoboam that turn'd Solomons Gold into Brass now Asa turns Rehoboams Brass into Gold 1 Kin. 15. 15. 'T is said of Augustus Coesar Romam Invenit lateritiam Reliquit Marmoream He sound Rome all of Brick he left it all of Marble So it may be said as Rehoboam had turn'd Jerusalems Marble into Brick so Asa turns it back from Brick to Marble as Solomon had left it 'T is a Wonder that both Sodomy and the Worst sort of Idolatry to wit Priapism should be found amongst Mankind being so contrary to the Light of Nature Rom. 1. 19 to 28. but much more amongst the onely professors of Religion that were then upon Earth Here the Devils Design had notable Success yet behold as great a Wonder in the Churches Remedy as was in her Malady the Lord raises up a good Son Asa from the Seed of an evil Father Abijam and from the Soil of an Idolatrous Mother Maachah and makes him to be such an Impartial Reformer as he would not grant a Dispensation to his own Mother or Grand-Mother 1 Kin. 15. 13. and 2 Chron. 15. 16. He finds her Unreclaimable from her Idols in her self and very Influential upon the People Hereupon the Law of God in Command 1. 2. Preponderates the Law of Nature Command 5th Down goes her Idols from their Station and her self from her Regency because his Heart was perfect with the Lord 1 Kin. 15. 14. And as a Reward of his Covenant-Reformation God gave him a glorious Victory over the greatest Army that ever we read of in any History to wit a Thousand Thousand Aethiopians who likely were call'd in by the Ten Tribes at the Devils Instigation in Revenge of their Five Hundred Thousand which Abijam had overthrown 2 Chron. 14. 9 to 12. God at good Asa's Prayer Smote his Enemies and as the Word signifies Tumbl'd them down Headlong Asa Reign'd long to do great and good things for the Church Therefore the Devil who did owe him an ill turn and had been hitherto under a Divine Restriction which to him is a grievous Vexation at last gets leave to Touch him with his Churlish Touches as Job 1. 11 12. to wit in causing him 1 to Connive at the Will-Worship in the High-places mis-devoted for the Worship of God who had Confined it to the Temple though he Demolished those set up in honour of Idols 1 Kin. 15. 13 14. this God graciously overlooks beholding Truth in his Heart God tenderly covers Asa's Frailty with the Mantle of Sincerity which he would not do for Unfound Jehu though Excellent things were done by him 2 Kin. 10.31 and inasmuch as the Indulgency of Asa's God did draw a Cross-line over all Asa's Weaknesses Satan lost his Design in Tempting him to this Sin and to the following also 2 To a Relyance on the King of Syria more than upon the Lord 2 Chron. 16. 7 8 9. Considence on Man an Arm of Flesh draws off his Confidence on God who gave him Victory over the Million of Aethiopians Isa 31. 1 2. He trusteth not God at all who trusteth not God above and over all Asa Hires Benhadad with Sacrilegious Treasure unfaithfully to break his League with Baasha and brings a Wicked Enemy into Gods Inheritance 3 To that which was worse even to the Imprisoning of Hanani the Prophet for reprooving him for his sin v. 10. Asa instead of comming to Repentance and calling for Mercy in a great rage against his Faithful reproover commands Revenge 4 To be as Harsh to the People as he was to the Prophet Tyrannically trampling upon those that protested against his Tyranny to the Lords Prophet for this God did not onely send upon his Kingdom continual War v. 11. but upon himself the sharp Dolorous Gout v. 12. whereby God clapp'd him up a closer Prisoner by the Heels in his Bed and with more Torturing Fetters than he had done Gods Prophet in Prison Then 5 to seek to the Physitians for Cure of his Gout and not to God v. 12. Thus falls he into his former sin of Creature-Confidence He that in his outward straits sought to Benhadad and not to God now in his Inward Sore seeks not to God but to Physitians not depending upon the Lord for his Blessing upon Men and Means No Wonder therefore that his Disease struck upward to his Head and Heart and that his Hot Feet carried him to his Cold Grave v. 13. Notwithstanding all those Failings the Devil lost his Design for 't is more than probable that Asa repented before he Dyed Seeing 1 God gave him this commendable Character That his Heart was Perfect with the Lord all his Days 1 Kin. 15. 14. 2 Chron. 15. 17. and 20. 32. and 2 his People gave him a most Honourable Funeral 2 Chron. 16. 14. which was Denyed to Wicked Jehoram Ch. 21. 19. and which they would not have done in that costly Solemnity for Asa had he not Repented and Reformed to be thus Honoured at his Burial Yea and God blest him with a long Reign of 41 Y. v. 13. wherein he saw many Successions and Changes upon the Throne of the Ten Tribes who were all speedily rooted out by their Idolatry whereas good Asa was long Establish'd upon his Throne by his True Piety in Despight of the Devil leaving his godly Son Jehosophat the 4th King to succeed him who prooved one of the best of the Princes of Judah whom God Stirred up for a Farther Reformation of Religion and for a fuller Preservation of his Church c. 2 Chro. 17 c.
The Father was good but the Son was better inasmuch as he Repented when he was Reprooved which his Father did not but Raged Ch. 19. 2 4. where the Son Jehu succeeded better than his Father Hanani Ch. 16. 7. Now for this his great Goodness the Devil envyed him sinding him more forward and forth-putting in religion and reformation than his Father Hereupon Satan sets upon his over good Nature and over-facile Disposition seduces him into an Assinity with Wicked Ahah 1 Kin. 22. 44. to a Match 'twixt Jehoram his Son and Athaliah Ahab's wicked Daughter 2 Kin. 8. 18. and to a Courtly Complyance in Ahabs Warring against Syria which had like to have cost him his life 1 Kin. 22. 2 4 31. Here the Devil had Entangled good Jehosaphat into most desperate Danger but God Disappoints the Devils Design Jehosaphat Cryed out that is to the Lord 1 Kin. 22. 32. and the Lord Helped him 2 Chron. 18. 31. So he returned to his House in Peace Ch. 19. 1. which his Ally Ahab did not as Micaiah fore-told him 1 Kin. 22. 28. finding it True but too late that a whole Council of false Prophets especially may Err in telling him the contrary Jehosaphat now is a Brand pluck'd out of the Fire so dare not do as he had done 2 Chron. 19. 4. and 1 Kin. 22. 49. he now stays at Jerusalem making no more any courtly goings on Progress to Samaria 2 Chron. 19. 4. This good Man made Peace with bad Ahab the Father 2 Chron. 19. 3. and with bad Ahaziah the Son Ch. 20. 35. but better he had not done so for God was deeply Displeased with it therefore was Wrath upon him 2 Chron. 10. 2. A Man had better be at Variance with all the World than with God and his own Conscience He that parts with his inward peace to purchase the outward pays too dear a rate for it one may buy Gold too dear as Jehosaphat did for his Desired and Designed Gold While his Conversation was Godly God blest him with a most Signal Victory over Moah Ammon and Mount-Seir 2 Chro. 19. 20. then God was highly pleased with him but when his Confederacy was once wicked then God was highly Displeased with him and broke his Ships even in the very Harbour before setting out with a Tempest 2 Chron. 20. 36. as the Lords Prophet foretold him v. 37. and upon this fore-warning though Ahaziah did sollicit him to a 2d Attempt as looking upon the miscarriage of the 1st to be onely a Casualty not Eying the Hand of God against it yet Jehosaphat would not for upon the Prophets Reproof he Repented and Refused 1 Kin. 22. 49. he dare not Venture upon a 2d Expedition when God had Blasted the first and though Wicked Ahaziah would not behold the Hand of God in his Judgements yet good Jehosophat heard the Voice of the Rod Mic. 6. 9. and knew that this Breaking Blast came from God who holdeth the Winds in his Fists Prov. 30. 4. and that it came from Gods Faithfulness Psal 119.75 who will not prosper the evil Enterprizes of his own Children Thus the Devil lost his Design against Jehosaphat as Jehosaphat lost his about Gold and though he Contrived New Plots against the Church by the following Kings of Judah finding them fitter Instruments for him than their fore-Fathers yet did the Lord Laugh them to Nothing in those better Kings whom God Rais'd up to destroy the Devils Designs 'T is true Jehoram the 5th King of a pious Father was an impious Son than whom a worse could hardly be found who being an Idolater like all such laid the Foundation of his Kingdom in the Blood of his Brethren because as Rabbins say they Walked in the good ways of Jehosaphat and would not yield to his Idolatries Athaliah his Wife who was now the Jezabel of Jerusalem stirred him up to all Villany 2 Chron. 21. 4 5 6 13. yet all this moved not God to gratifie the Devil in casting off his people Oh the yerning of Divine Bowels in that Howbeit the Lord would not do it but preserv'd a Lamp or Light for the Church v. 7. out of which there came at length that Sun of Righteousness the Lord Jesus that light of the World and the Devil in Jehoram shall not carry it without a Controul from Heaven both 1 by that Letter brought to him from one that was then in Heaven v. 12. to Convince him of and to Confound him for his Abominable Impiety which Writing some say an Angel handed to him out of Paradise to his greater Confusion not unlike the hand-writing upon the Wall in Belshazzar's Palace Dan. 5. and 2 by the stroke wherewith the Lord from Heaven smote him in his Bowels v. 18. which incurable Disease and torturing Malady lasted Two full Years v. 19. a long time to lye under intollerable Torment and yet all this was but a typical Hell and a fore-tast of Eternal Misery prepared for him who was all that while an incorrigible Wretch he lived wickedly and dyed wishedly There was no Healing for his Body and as little for his Soul he dyed under the Displeasure both of God and Men for he Departed without being Desired v. 20. his Subjects had no Bowels for him who had no Bowels for them much less for his own Brethren whom he flew and who dyed loath somely of a Disease in his Bowels therefore they afford him neither Subjects Tears nor a Royal Tomb Be Wise now therefore Oh ye Kings c. Psal 2. 11 12. Fugite ergò Reges ejusmodi exitum fugienâ—o hujusmodi flagitium saith Ambrose Overthrow not your selves and your Houses by lifting up your Horns on high against God Neither did Ahaziah Azariah Jehoahaz that Man of Three names the 6th King of Judah fare better because he prooved so bad though by a marvellous Providence he was preserved as a Lamp promised to David from the Rigid Murders of the Ragged Arabians 2 Chron. 21. 17. with Ch. 22. 1 6. he was made King by the chief City of the Kingdom the Inhabitants of Jerusalem while Jehoram lay miserably under the Gripes and not minding the matters of Succession Notwithstanding the Kindness both of God in his Preservation and of Men in his Preferment he also walked in Wicked ways wicked Athaliah his Mother and other wicked ones being his Counsellers to do wickedly to his own Destruction 2 Chron. 22. 3 4 5. He confederates with his wicked Cozen Jehoram of Israel in the War against the Syrians wherein his Cozen being wounded went to be Cured of his wounds This cursed Sprig of Athaliah goes to Complement him and to Condole with him which cost him his life by the hands of furious Jehu whom God raised up to Ruine and Root out Ahabs cursed Family 2 Kin. 9. 14 15 16 27. and 2 Chron. 22. 7 8 9. Thus as he had joyn'd with Jehoram in Sin he was joyned with him in Slaughter and that by the Appointment of God even at
and quickly made mad Work turning all upside down he Deformed all his good Father had Reformed yet as Romanists do under the notion of the Old Religion and therefore by all means must be done Notwithstanding Affliction tamed this Wild Ass this Monster of Men stop'd him in his Career yea brought him Home to God v. 11 12. c. and he that had out-faced Heaven in his Sin comes to hide himself among the Thorns as 1 Sam. 13. 6. in this lurking Hole his Sin finds him out and God for his Sin Numb 32. 23. because he would not find his own sin out there he was taken and put into Fetters and brought to Babylon now beholding his Golden Chain of a King Changed into an Iron-Chain of a Captive he bethinks himself and besought the Lord v. 12. those Sanctify'd Fetters broke the Devils sinful Fetters when the Rod spake he heard it Mic. 6. 9. who would not hear the Word v. 10. though powerfully Preach'd to him by Isaiah Micah Joel Habbakuk c. the Darkness of his Dungeon helps him to the Light of Gods Love though he had cast off his God yet his God had not cast him off Satan would have Coached him to Hell in Prosperity but his God Lashes him to Heaven by Adversity As he had sinned greatly so he Humbled greatly that there might be a proportion 'twixt his Sinning and his Sorrowing as he is Humbled for Sin so is he Quicken'd to Pray'r wherein he comes with Fetters on his Feet to his God as distressed Benhadad did with a Rope about his Neck to the merciful King of Israel 1 Kin. 20. 31 32. no sooner did he find through Grace a Praying Heart but his God finds also a Pittying Heart v. 13. his God heard both his Pray'r for himself and Solomons Pray'r for him 1 Kin. 8.46 to 51. Now is this Design of the Devil Disappointed Manasseh is Returned and Restored to his Realm and his Reformation the Blessed Evidence of his True Repentance was as large as his Deformation had been and he most Remarkably Reduced his Subjects whom he had formally Seduced out of the Right Religion into it again v. 15 16. as Luk. 22. 32. When he had Reform'd effectually he dyes Religiously and leaves Amon an Irreligious Son to succeed him the 15th King of Judah at 22 Y. of Age he was old enough to take warning by his Fathers Example yet would not be Warned but was rather Hardened in his Wickedness thereby as thinking to take a long swing in sin as Mannasseh had done and to Repent afterward as his Father did but Gods Thoughts were otherwise who neither gave him the space nor the Grace of Repentance This Man that Trespassed more and more after such loud Praemonitions 2 Chro. 33. 23. was a sit Engine for the Devil to restore the Worship of those Images his Father had onely laid aside and not Burned as he should have done Deut. 7. 5. Instead of which the Rabbins say this Amon Burned the Law of God adding Rebellion to his Sin He Imitates his Father in his Race and Rage of Sin but not in his Repentance for Sin God therefore soon cut him off as judging it high time after a Year or Two Tryal by the hands of his own Servants 2 Kin. 21. 19 23. which was a wicked Act in them yet a just Judgement from God as he had Conspir'd with Satan to Destroy the Church so God suffers his Servants to Conspire his Destruction This Spoil'd the Devils Plot and yet it was worse spoil'd by Josiah his Son whom God Rais'd up the 16th King to be his Salvation as his Name which was given him about 340 Y. before he was Born 1 Kin. 13. 2. doth signifie and to be as a fresh Spring after a sharp Winter as Hezekiah after Ahaz to the Distressed Church God had much Work for him to do in a little time therefore God soon removes his Wicked Father out of the way and sets this godly Son upon the Throne betime at Eight Y. old God Advances him thither and there shows him as on a Stage to the World as the Wonder of the World Josiah zealously lays out his Life until he was 39 Y. old in Reforming Religion removing all he knew to be Evil and restoring all he understood to be good even all he could possibly do to Divert the Desolation of the Kingdom foretold by the Prophets but then the Decree was even ready to bring forth Zeph. 2. 2. God turned not away from his Wrath 2 Kin. 23. 26 27. he is Unchangeably resolv'd on their Utter Ruine because the Peoples Reformation was but seigned Jer. 3. 10. and 4. 3. God is Absolute in Threatning because Resolute in Punishing Now the Devil being notoriously Enraged at Josiahs Glorious reformation Tempts him to a Fool-Hardy Rashness in Affronting Pharaoh-Necho without any provocation and without Consulting the Lord by Jeremiah Zephaniah c. So he rushes upon his own ruine v. 29. and 2 Chron. 35. 20 22 23. No doubt but the Devil had an Hand in the Death of this peerless Prince wherein Dyed also the Felicity of that Kingdom for whom all Judah and Jerusalem as they had good cause made great lamentation v. 24 25. yea and 't is no less to be doubted that God had an Holy Hand as the Devil had a wicked in Josiah's Death for now he who stood in the way of Gods Judgements was removed and now the way lay open for the Divine Decree to bring forth and all Gods Direful Threatnings to rush in upon that sinful Nation Yea and God made good Josiah to Dye in Peace according to his Word 2 Kin. 2â— 20. though through the Devils Temptation he Dyed in War for 1. he Dyed before that General Deluge of Desolation came on the Land as the next Word explains it 2. He Dyed in Gods favour though by the Hand of an Enemy 3. The Tenderness of his Soul had made War to become Peace to him his Humiliation had Altered the very Nature of Trouble 4. He went then to Everlasting peace The Four last Kings were all Wicked as Jehoahaz the 17th King Josiahs younger Son and best beloved of his Subjects who therefore settl'd him on the Throne 2 Kin. 23. 30. but for his ill-Reigning at Eight Months end Pharaoh-Necho Deposes him and Disposes of his Crown to his Elder Brother Eliakim whom he named Jehoiakim v. 34. who was a great Exacter and got from his Subjects a greater summ of Curses than of Coin v. 35. he was the 18 King a Degenerate Plant from Josiah who Trembled at the Reading of the Law Ch. 19. 34. but this Son cut it in pieces Jer. 36. 23. and Burnt it he flew Vrijah the Prophet Jer. 26. 23. and would have slain Jeremy and Barach but that the Lord hid them Jer. 36. 26. For his Wickedness he was taken Captive by Nebuchadnezzar against whom he had rebelled and was slain in the way where he had the Burial of an Ass
Mouth but it was presently in Gods Ear and no sooner was it there but Immediately Gabriel comes posting upon the Wing with an Answer That the 70 Y. being Expired the Decree for their Liberty was now Signed but also 2. Exactly at the End of the 70 Y. Captivity neither more nor less God will come according to his Promise Jer. 25. 12. and 29. 10. but Daniels Prayers must lead him thus he will have it to be and God will be Punctual in keeping his Word a Day with Men breaks no squares it doth with God Hence those Two great Deliverances out of Aegypt and Babylon and this latter more Marvellous than the former Jer. 16. 14 15. hath Two special Remarques upon them in their Accomplishment at a Punctual and Precise point of Time promised as 1. That very Night wherein the First-born of Aegypt were slain was the Ending of the foretold Four Hundred Y. Exod. 12. 40 41. And 2. That very Night wherein Belshazzar was Slain by Cyrus and Darius was exactly the Expiration of the foretold 70 Y. Dan. 5. 30. ☞ This is the Churches Cordial and Comfort though God sometimes fails to come at her time yet he never fails to come at his own time The Nineteenth Plot against the CHURCH in Judea Defeated by GOD. CHAP. XIX THe Church of God through his Over-ruling Hand having got this Royal Wind under her Wings flyes Swiftly out of Babylon to Canaan there to re-Build the House of the Lord one of the Seven Wonders of the World and to Repair the City of Jerusalem that Holy City Ezra 1. 5. then Rose up Zerubabel the Chief Prince and Joshuah the Chief Priest with all the Heads of the Families the Priests and Levites with all their Children Men and Maid-Servants in all 7337 Ezra 2. 65. whose Spirits God had raised up leading them into the Land of Uprightness Psal 143. 10. 1 Chro. 9. 3. Ezek. 37. 16 17 21 22. many Israelites joyned with the Jews Those by the good Hand of God upon them 1. setts up the Altar Ezra 3. 3. in the place where the Temple stood for as yet they had none v. 6. that by their Prayers and Offerings thereon they might get God on their side and run to him Reconciled what ever evil should befall them from their Evil and Malignant Neighbours Then those Godly and Active Souls not being content with the Altar of God onely but Desirous as we should all be of all Gods Ordinances lay the Foundation of the Temple v. 10. Then did the Devil Rage projects his 19th a new Plot against the Church which indeed is a Complication of Plots as the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah doth Demonstrate The 1st part of the Devils 19th Plot was to stirr up 1 the Samaritans to obstruct the Superstructure of the Temple upon the Now and New-laid Foundation 2 the Governors of the Land to wit Tatnai and Shether-Boznai when they began to Build again after the first Obstruction 1. The Samaritans Satan Awaken'd and Rouzed up at the loud Acclamations and Out-cries Partim Jubilando partim Ejulando some shouting aloud for Joy and others howling aloud for Sorrow Ezra 3. 9 12 13. Those Adversaries of Judah Devises Two Designs against the Children of the Captivity to wit the Church Their 1. Plot or Design was most Craftily to offer their own cost and pains to promote the Building of the Temple Ezra 4. 1 8. Here the Devil pretends Devotion to promote his Divelish Design Those Mongrels in Religion who put it on and off at pleasure would have mingled with the Church and would Compound with them here when they saw they could not Conquer them that would break through all Difficulties and Discouragements and do their Duty Ezra 3. 3. and this Accomodation they set on with a loud lye saying We seek your God as ye do which they did not 2 Kin. 17. 28 29 32 34. for they feared the Lord not Filially but for his Lyons Thus they Pretend Amity but indeed Intend Enmity and breeding of New Broils by their Intermixed Influence so as to Hinder the Building This is the very practice of the Jesuits at this Day who pretend Conversion and comming over to the Protestants yet those Cassandrian Reconcilers intend Subversion by the bitter Contentions they keep alive in the Church to hinder Reformation but the Lord will Detect and Defeat them as he did those Samaritans whom his Servants repuls'd telling them Ye have nothing to do with us but we our selves together or alone will Build the Temple for which Doing they had Royal Authority v. 3. So it was a Godly Combination no Wicked Conspiracy or Faction In a Word They stand off from them 1 Tim. 6. 5. not accepting of their false Service for the Jews have no Dealing with the Samaritans Joh. 4. 9. When this 1st Design of the Devil in those Samaritans was Disappointed then the 2d was their Hiring of Counsellours that others might Hinder the Work which they themselves could not v. 4 5. Such Counsellours as can Condescend to Bribing for bolstering up a bad Cause or for Brow-beating a good one Justifying the Wicked for a Reward and condemning the Righteous are the most probable Promoters of the Devils Hellish Plots and Projects Those Sordid Silver-Lovers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being Courtiers had a fair opportunity to frustrate the Purpose of the Church Inasmuch as Cyrus Warring abroad against the Scythians c. made Cambyses his Son the Vice-Roy and he being a light loose and lewd lossel was easily prevail'd with to obstruct the Building If Cyrus did connive at the Crossing of his own Decree by his Son all his Days then his Fatal Fall by Tomyris Queen of Scythia who Conquer'd him cut off his Head casts it into a Vessel full of Blood saying Satia te Sanguine quem Sitisti Cujusque Insatiabilis semper fuisti Glut thy self now with Blood whereof thou could never get enough was a Just Reward from the God of Justice This Cambyses who is call'd Artaxerexes in the Persian and Ahasuerus in the Chaldee-Tongue Names given in common to Kings of Persia as Pharaoh to the Kings of Aegypt c. signifying Great Warriour or Great-Head those Courtifi'd Counsellors Writes to and turning Informers Wrote a Divelish Accusation Hebr. Satana a Satanical Suggestion Hatcht in Hell and Dictated by the Devil the Contents of it being False and Scandalous for then they had not begun either with Building the City or the Walls of it v. 6 12 14. Those Mercenary Pick-Thanks obtains hereby a Commission to cause the Work of the House of God to cease v. 24. The Hindring of the Temple-Building was the Principal thing Intended though the Building of the City and of its Walls was falsly Pretended This Plot proves so powerful that though the Propher Daniel and Gabriel Dan. 10. 13. Remain'd there with Cambyses and his Counsellors to repress their Rage and to Blast their Projects against the Church and though he was a
1 Shemaiah the Prophet Neh. 6. 10 12 13. and 2ly Noadiah the Prophetess c. v. 14. All these had Linguam Venalem were meerly Mercenary ☞ Thus the Churches Adversaries can be at Cost and Charge to Corrupt Gods People and such Hypocritical persons may easily by Hire be Corrupted the Suffrages of a great many Bribed Prophets are not so much to be Numbred as Ponder'd their concurring Consent in an evil Matter was not so much Vnity as Conspiracy neither did the Devil Rest here in giving Disturbance from Without but 2ly the Church must have Disturbance from within also by their own People and Brethren and that 1. by Mutiny Neh. 5. 1. and there was a great Cry of the People as if it had been the outragious Uproar of a Seditious Faction which is as Dangerous and as Threatning a Deluge as the Head-strong Water when once it is out of its Banks 2. by Treachery some of the Nobles Maintain a private Correspondency with their Enemies just as it is at this Day Neh. 6. 17. Tobiah that Cursed Adversary of the Church had his Pensioners among the Jews and such as were his Sworn-Servants to be true to him and to promote his Designs because he was Son-in-Law to Shecaniah Ezra 2. 5. whose Son had Marryed the Daughter of Meshullam a Zealous Builder Neh. 3.4 This Mischief mix'd Marriages brought upon them Neh. 6. 18. and 3. 5. The Sooty Souls of those Nobles or Hebr. White Ones under their White Garments were too Stiff to Stoop to Gods Service but not to the Devils Notwithstanding all this The Lord Laughs all the Devils Design to nothing Nehemiah under all his Difficulties directs his Prayer to God Neh. 4. 4 5. This was his Sanctuary he slyes to Easing his own Grieved Heart by Breathing Heaven-ward and turning over all the Churches Adversaries into the Hands of the Captain of his Salvation he looking upon himself but as a private Souldier under him to take them all to Task ☞ Woe to those Enemies against whom Saints do Pray as he did Turn their Reproach upon their own Heads Give them for a Prey and Cover not their Iniquity If they onely be Blessed whose Sin is covered Psal 32. 1. Oh what a Curse do they lie under whose Condition is contrary Nehemiah makes Prayr all along his City of Refuge His Anchor in all Storms His Salve for all Sores Neh. 4. 9. and this brought all the Counsel of the Devil and his Imps to nought v. 15. Psal 33. 10 11. God Strengthned his Hands in his Work as he Weakened the Hands of their Enemies Neh. 6. 9. So that he Finished the Wall of Jerusalem maugre their Malice v. 15. The Feasts of Tabernacles was kept Ch. 8. and a Solemn Fast Ch. 8. and 9. a Solemn Covenant is Entred into Ch. 10. Offices are Ordered Ch. 12. The Temple Purged and Religion Reformed Ch. 13 c. See more of this further on Nehemiah in the 20th Plot next Following The Twentieth Plot against the CHURCH in Persia Defeated by GOD. CHAP. XX. THe 3d. and last Plot of the Devils in the Old Testament was against the Church that Return'd not with their Brethren out of Captivity but continued 1 in Babylon and 2 in Shushan where they had Built Houses and Planted Gardens c Jer. 29. 6. and so were unwilling to leave them and their Estates they had gathered with Gods Blessing upon their Obedience to Gods Prophet in them There were indeed a Sordid sort to wit the Posterity of Selab who preferr'd the Service of the King of Babylon above the Freedom of the Land of Promise 1 Chron. 4. 23. They could be content to drudge in making Pots in Babylon as their fore-Fathers had made Brick in Aegypt both those Works were but Mortar-Works Exod. 1. 11. There they stay'd with the King of Babylon for his Work 1 Chron 4. 23. which Scripture shows ☞ that Ezra Wrote those Two Books of the Chronicles after the Jews Return from their Captivity but there were others that might stay there upon more Noble Accounts as 1 Daniel did and his Three Noble Companions whose continuance there conduced more 1. for Gods Glory for though those Four eminent Servants of God were not Delivered from their Captivity yet God got greater Glory to himself in Delivering Daniel from the Den of Lyons and the Three Nobles from the Fiery Furnace 2. 'T was also more for the Churches Comfort to have Four such Friends and Favourites in the Court of Babylon where her Adversaries were Unweariedly Circumventing her than any Service they could do her in their own Land 3. And 't was likewise more for the Worlds Advantage seeing by this very means those same Heathenish and Idolatrous Kings and their People came to some Knowledge of the True God as appears by Nebuchadnezzar's Cyrus's and Darius's Proclamations 2ly Ezra himself and his Company came not all of them out of Babylon at the first Return upon Cyrus Proclamation Ezra 1. 3. and 2. 2 to 60. and 7. 1. and 8. 35. with Zerubabel nor 3ly did Nehemiah come up with Ezra it being 13 Y. after his Return Ezra 7. 1. and Neh. 2. 1. and 't is much he should Return at all being the Kings Cup-Bearer a place of great Trust and Credit yet a Man of Religion is marvellously trusted with it even by an Heathen King 't was a strange Work of God that Artaxerxes should shew Favour to a stranger a Prisoner and one of a strange Religion which he himself knew not and which his Subjects Hated And 't is as strange a Work of God that Nehemiah a Courtier should leave his Wealth Ease Honour and Authority that he was in and go so far from Court as many Hundred Miles to Dwell in a Tatter'd and Decay'd City among a poor People there to Drudge like a Day-Labourer and that in dayly danger of his Life Therefore is he most deservedly called and counted the 3d. Founder of that Church and Common-Wealth after Joshua and David though Zerubabel began the Temple and Ezra Restor'd the Law yet Nehemiah comes after and Compleats All so became The Comfort of the Lord to his Church according to the signication of his Name 4ly God had his Mordecai which signifies Pure Myrrhe or Bitter Contrition 1st in Babylon and then 2 in Shushan he was carried Captive to Babylon about Ten Y. Old in Jeconiahs Captivity 2 Chron. 36. 10. Jer. 24. 1. Ezra 22. 2. Esth 2. 6. according to Junius Dr. Willet and Dr. Lightfoot's Opinion living about 110 Y. This Mordecai Returns to Jerusalem when the Captivity was sent back again to their own Countrey by Cyrus Ezra 2. 2. and there had Helped forward their Settlement so long as the Temple-Work was allow'd to go forward but when that was Hindred by Cambyses all his Life time He with many others Return back again to their Old Residence into Babylonia or Persia As soon as Darius had Conquer'd Babylon Dan. 5. 34. he Models his
had been some Months shut up by Haman in the Dark Dungeon of Deep perplexity Esth 3. 15. from that time walking in the very Vale of the shaddow the Darkest side of Death Psal 23. 4. yet there God takes his Church by the Hand and leads her through that Dark Entry into Light and Gladness The Churches Light had been Sown for her upon a safe Soil Psal 97. 11. All the time of Haman's Heart-grieving Grandeur it lay under the Clods as Seed under-ground for a while Unseen but now 't is Risen up for the Righteous and their Seed-time brought in a Blessed Harvest Psal 126. 2 5 6. when Haman was faln from the Pallace to the Gallows and from the highest Stage of Honour to the lowest Stair and Step of Ignominy thus Sings the Poet Ludit in Humanis Divina potentia Rebus Gods Providence often tosseth Great Favourites like a Tennis-Ball now up and now down from the highest Honour to extream Infamy when Hamans Greatness was Hang'd up and himself wrap'd up in a Sheet of perpetual Shame then Shushan the Lilly Hebr. and the Church the Lilly Cant. 2. 3. now look'd most Lightsome and Lovely and that Lucky Day as Haman had Deem'd it but was Deluded by the Devil had Deceived the Hamanists and by a swâ—â—â— and Gracious Providence was turn'd to 〈◊〉 contrary to wit an unlucky and Bloody Day to themselves who had design'd it a Destructive-Day to the Church Esth 9. 1 4 6 10 16. Now the jollity of the Iews began being deliver'd from their perplexity by Standing for their Lives upon the Thirteenth day Hamans Lucky Unluckyday on the very next the 14th day they made a Day of Feasting and Gladness v. 17. not deferring one day longer while the mercy was fresh and yet of Recent Remembrance they Proclaim the Praises of their Delivering-God and speak good of his Name covering Gods Altar with the Calves of their Lips and paying their Vows to the Lord Yea and on the 15th too they do the same as if one day the 14th had been too little wherein to Magnifie Gods Mercy in Psalms and Sacrifices of Praise and to Testifie their own Thankfulness to him for their Lives Liberties and Estates so lately and so Liberally Restored to them v. 18. and the Observation of those Three Days the former as a Fasting the latter as Feasting Days as say some became a Standing Law for both City and Countrey v. 20 21. not as any Addition to the Word of God but onely as a Sacred Memorial of this so Remarkable and Memorable Mercy in turning them from Mourning to Mirth c. v. 22. from the Jaws of most dreadful Death into the Joys of a most Glorious Deliverance Thus God can turn and hath often turned the Churches Sadness into Gladness her Sighing into Singing and her Tears into Triumph all Hamans and Hamanists notwithstanding all their Fraud and Force Craft and Cruelty shall find to their Cost that there is no Inchantment against Jacob nor any Divination against Israel Yea it shall be said of the Church Oh what hath God wrought Numb 23. 23. Such Savoury Discourse the Godly Iews were Appointed to have upon those Days of Purim so called for a Brand on Hamans casting Pur or Lots for a Lucky Day as we should have for our Deliverance from the Devils Water-Works in Eighty-Eight and from his Fire-Works on that famous Fifth of November This Annual Festivity Esth 9. 23 26 28. was so Solemnly enjoyned that Yearly the Jews kept it until the Comming of Christ and do indeed though Abusively Keep it to this Day counting and calling all that Cross them so many Humans and Fondly please themselves with Hopes of being Revenged of them as their Fathers were of this Haman The Memorial of the Matter of their Fasting v. 31. most probably on the 13th Day and of their Feasting on the Two following Days was not to Perish from their Seed but to be perpetuated from one Generation to another and therefore was Registred for Posterity that the People which should be Created might Praise the Lord Psal 102. 18. Popish Persons keep not the 14th of February so well in their Vain Valentines and least they should sleight and slack this Sacred Service Queen Esther and Prince Mordecai did Confirm the Letter Writ in the Y. foregoing in the Y. following v. 20 29. And Mordecai all his Life kept his Dignity Seeking the Weal of his People and Speaking Peace to all His Seed v. 30 31. and Ch. 10. 3. God Rais'd him up for the Comfort of his Church not onely in Speaking Good of and for His Countrey-Men then Living in the 127 Provinces to the King Promoting their Prosperity to the Utmost all his Days but also in Speaking Prosperity to all their Posterity providing for Future that after his Death the Weal of the Church might be Continued How long this lasted the Scripture-History which extendeth no further doth not Express To know therefore how it Fared with the Church after we must have Recourse to Scripture-Prophesie for Scripture-History gives onely some short Intimations thereof as Gen. 49. 10. tells us How the Scepter should not Depart from Judah until Shiloh or Christ come and Luk. 3. in the Genealogy of Christ Sheweth how Gods Providence made Good that Precious Promise in giving David a Lamp or Light in Jerusalem until Christ the Son of David was Born into the World Even all the Prophets the Greater and the Lesser do Prophecy of the future Estate of the Church from their own present Time and of the Comming of Christ which should make the Glory of the latter House to Exceed the Glory of the former But more especially the Prophet Daniel Writes a Prophetical History of the Church during that Interspace of Time in Chap. the 7th he Declareth his Vision of the Four Monarchies which troubled the World especially the Church from the First Rising of Nebuchadnezzar till the Comming of the Everlasting Kingdome of Christ in the Gospel In Chap. 8 9 10 11 and 12. Christ Himself comes to him and gives him a Revelation as he did to John in Patmos how it should Fare with the Jewish-Church under their Powerful Enemies until the Fury of Antiochus Epiphanes Polybius calls him Epimanes the Mad-Man their worst Adversary was over Daniel Declares How this Mad Antiochus would Violate the Sanctuary and Cast down Religion into the Dirt for Three Y. and an Half or 1290 Days yet Comforteth the Church with this Cordial That He who Waiteth and Liveth Forty Five Days more should see an End of Antiochus and of all his Crafty and Cruel Plots against the Church and that in Fullness of Time the Messiah would come to Finish Transgression and to bring in Everlasting Righteousness c. Dan. 9. 24. and Change the National Church of the Jews therefore much Wasted then because Shortly to be Changed into Congregational-Churches by the Gospel Gal. 1. 22. 1 Thess 2. 14. To know more particularly how God
dealt with the Jewish-Church in all that Interspace of Time betwixt the History of the Old and New-Testament Consult the Following Chapter where that State of Defection wherein Christ found them at His Comming is largely Related The Twenty-First Plot in the New-Testament against the Church in Christ Defeated by God CHAP. XXI VVHEN the Blessed Messiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-Man was Born into the World he found his Brethren the Church as Joseph did his Gen. 37. 17. Indeed in Dothan Hebr. in Defection as the Word Signifies The Devil had Debauched the Jews most Desperately so that scarce were there Four or fewer that Waited for the Consolation of Israel to wit the Birth of Christ which was ever the best Cordial that the Lords Prophets propos'd to the Church in her most Disconsolate Condition in foregoing Ages as Isa 9. 6. and Zech. 9. 9. and Mal. 4. 2. c. That Christ is given to the World is the Summ of all the good News in the World and affordeth such Joy as surpasseth the Three Grand Worldly Joys the Joy of Marriage the joy of Harvest and the Joy of Victory Isa 9 3 5 6. yet the Jewish-Church was at that time in such a State of Defection that they Generally minded it not though then a very plentiful Harvest a great Number of Elect among the poor Gentiles were Ready Ripe Matth. 9. 37. Luk. 10. 2. Joh. 4. 35. This Defection of the Jews was foretold by Daniel that Ish-Chamudoth or greatly Beloved Prophet Speaking of most Sad Calamities that should befall them both before and after the comming of Christ for the over-spreading of Abomination Chap. 9. 24 27. with Ch. 8. 23. When the Transgressions are come to the full that is when the Iews were notoriously Degenerated then did God sett that Breathing-Devil Antiochus over them as a punishment of their publique Impiety and prophane Apostacy This was that which procured a Commission to this Fierce-Countenanc'd or Hebr. Brazen-Fac'd King for Destroying Wonderfully the Holy and the Mighty People who while they were Holy were so Mighty as to be Inconquerable but now being Revolted from God as Weak as Water both by Power and Policy Chap. 8. 24 25. Then was the Glorious Land Judea as Daniel calls it Ch. 11. 16. for its having the Service of God sett up in it above all Lands crushed asunder as Corn lying betwixt Two heavy Milstones that is betwixt the King of the South Ptolomy and this King of the North Antiochus called a vile Person v. 21. though he affected the Name of Epiphanes or Famous yet this was his true Title with God Psal 15. 4. and though he be an Abominable vile Person when Gods Justice Required such a Scourage to his People His Heart must be sett against the Holy Covenant v. 28. to wit against the Jews Gods Covenanters and against the True Religion which made that Land more Beautiful and Glorious than all other Lands Ezek. 20. 6. He shall enter into the Glorious Land Dan. 11. 41. and shall make Havock of Gods people Revelling in their Ruines and shall set up the Abomination of Desolation to wit the Abominable Idol of Jupiter Olympius in the Holy Temple Yea and the Renegado Jews which first forsake the Covenant then do Wickedly against it Comply privily with him in all this Wickedness v. 30 32. 2 Macca 4. He by their Assistance practices and prospers till the Indignation be Accomplished v. 36. in Gods revengeing the Quarrel of his Covenant notwithstanding this vile Villain this Turbulent and Truculent Tyger God had turn'd loose upon his People to punish their sins and though he practic'd and prosper'd so far in his prodigious Prophanity as to cast the Truth down to the Ground both the Profession of Truth and its professours Dan. 8. 12. yet the Devil loses this Game also with all the other his Games aforesaid in the Old Test History For the most great and gracious God comes in with most Comfortable Allays so Spoils the Devils Design The 1st Allay is the Palmoni Hamadabbar Hebr. or most Excellent Speaker or Numberer Christ Numbers the Time how long this Scourge should continue upon Gods People concerning their loss of the dayly Sacrifice c. to wit onely Five or Six Years or thereabout Dan. 8. 13 14. this was a sweet Cordial to them that it should be for no longer time much less not for Ever * Now if the proper and genuine Sense of that Text and Type be Applyed to Antichrist typified by Antiochus as most Learned Men Concurr then it may be as comfortable for us to consider how Christ the Messias moderates the Matters of the Romish-Antichrist though his Wicked practises do prosper for a time as Act. 12. 1 2 3. yet due Bounds He sets to his proud Waves Job 38. 10 11. as to the Sea or Ocean so to the See of Rome as he did in the Marian Days of Abhorred memory which lasted no longer than those of Antiochus to wit about Five or Six Y. and as he promised to do Revel 2. 10. The 2d Allay was Christ comforts the Church with telling her not onely that her Trouble under Antiochus should not last Seven Y. much less Seventy Y. as it lasted in Babylonish Bondage but also that from the end of those Seventy Y. they should have Seven Seventies of Years in the enjoyment of their own Country out of which they had been carry'd Captive Dan. 9. 24. maugre the malice of Men and Devils wherein behold how most marvellously the Mercy of God doth bear the same proportion to his Punishments which Seven a compleat Number carries to an Unit or One Thus his Mercy to his Church Triumphs over his Justice Jam. 2. 13. and over all his Works are his Tender Mercies Psal 145. 9. The 3d. Allay of this troublesome Interspace of 490 Y. was Christs casting in that Signal Cordial in the Days of Jaddus or Jadduah whom Neh. 12. 10 11. mentions the High-Priest Descended from Jehoshuab who met Daniels Capering Goat Alexander the Great in all his Pontificalibus or High-Priests Formalities which struck such a Veneration upon him that he whom all the World adored falls down to Adore Jaddus or rather as he told Parmenio Jaddus's God who in such a like Apparition had encourag'd him to Undertake his Wars against Asia Hereupon he was easily prevailed with the People of the Jews praying all the while for their High-Priests good Success to spare Jerusalem which he came to Plunder especially when Walking in Jaddus's Hand to the Temple and seeing what Daniel had foretold of him Writing rather an History than a Prophecy even an Abridgement of all his Victories hereby he was not onely pacified but also offer'd Sacrifices to the True God according to the High-Priests Direction and bestowing upon the Iews many Favours and Freedoms he went away much encourag'd in his Enterprize not doubting but according to Dan. 8. 3 to 8. the Graecian Goat would overcome the Persian Ram
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
Fumigabunt Touch the Mountains and they will smoak Psal 104. 32. Touch a great Man upon the Sore as the Baptist here did Herod and he fumes casts the Toucher into Prison without Bail or Mainprize and there he lies for half a Year without ever coming to a fair Tryal or Hearing John Baptist knew well Gods Truth must be told however it be taken and not to be Betrayed as too oft it is by a Cowardly and Sinful Silence Here John lies in Fetters while the Fear of Man more than of God Restraineth Herod from Murdering him Mark 6. 17 20. Matth. 14. 4 5. he feared Johns Innocency which shone in his Face and he feared the People who Hated him already for his many Crimes and Cruelty least they should move a Mutiny at the Death of so Innocent and so much Honoured a Person Hereupon the Plot was layd 'twixt Herod and his Harlot Herodias to cut him off when their convenient Day Herods Birth-day did come Mark 6. 21. that day had been appointed long before for craftily Acting this cruel Tragedy a great Feast must then be made the Nobles Invited the Damosel-Daughter must Dance the King must Swear and must gratifie the Queen with the Baptists Head All this was done as if God had not been concern'd at all but God did so far concern himself that Herod was struck with Horror upon it with Terrour and Torment Luk. 9. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he stuck fast in the Mud and could find no way out yet God made him find a way out of his Kingdom the half whereof he had promis'd to the Damosel for Tripping Wantonly upon the Toe as Josephus Relateth and probably out of Gods Kingdom too So Father and Son be both alike in their Sin and Punishment The 2d By-Blow the Devil gave Christ was to cut off his Followers the Disciples as he had done his Forerunner John Baptist And this he endeavoured to effect when he had got the Disciples to Sea apart from Christ Matth. 14. 23 c. Mark 6. 45 c. Joh. 6. 16. Very loth were the Disciples to Lanch out to Sea alone and to leave his Sweet and Safe Company but Christ constrains them to do so 1 that he might the sooner dismiss the Multitude 2 he dismisseth his Disciples to Sea least they also should strike in with that Rash-many-Headed Multitude who would have made him King 3 Though they were loth to leave their best Friend behind them so neer Night in a Desart and all alone too yet this was Christs Choice that He might have an Opportunity of Solitary Prayer for their Safety and of his Miraculous Walking upon the waves to their Relief by the Want of Christ for a few Hours of Danger onely they learnt the Worth of Christ no sooner had the Devil caught the Disciples at Distance from Christ but to Work he falls then down comes the Storm and up goes the Sea another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or mighty Storm which is a Wind saith Aristotle that Rouls in a Circle with such Violence insomuch as it swallows up whole Towns in Italy c. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great Tempest a very Sea-Quake of the same Nature with an Earth-Quake which hath the Formidable force of removing Mountains and of casting down Strong Castles that stand upon them Descends from the Stinking Breath of the Prince of the Ayr the Devil upon now the poor and Christless Apostles with a malicious Intention to Drown them all that they might never trouble his Kingdom any more as with an Horrible Wind Satan had Brain'd all Jobs Children so by the like means he would have Drown'd all Christs Disciples Christ being absent in this latter as Job himself was in the former Instance Behold with me a little 1. The Churches Calamity 2. Her Comfort in the 1st See the sad Circumstances of this History of the Church * as 1 in this little Ship was embarqued all the Hopes of a Church that now God had in the whole World as in Noahs Ark couped up in a little compass 2 The Winds were contrary Matth. 14. 24. as Act. 27. 4. So 't is mostly with the Church that is so often blown back from the Cape of Good Hope and from the Haven of Heaven in her Militant-State she is ever and anon as in the Straits of Magellan wherein which way soever a Man Bends his Course he is sure to have the Wind sit cross to him 3 Those Contrary Winds were not so much Ordinary as Extraordinary so that those Apostles who were Fishermen and thereby experienced in ordinary Sea-Storms cryed out We Perish for 4 they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 6. 48 49. which signifies not onely that they were Tossed with the Tempest but also Tormented with it so the Word is used Luk. 16. 23. The Rich Glutton was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Torments Thus the Afflicted Church was here not onely tossed with Tempests and not Comforted as Isa 54. 11. but also Tormented as those miserable Men are by the Tormentors in the Spanish Inquisition tossing them too and fro up and down till they be Ready to loose one Limb from another So this Wind was far unlike the sweet Gales of the Spirit of God which always blows Good to the Church out of every Quarter North and South Cant. 4. 16. but more like that Ruach Gedolah strong and mighty Wind 1 Kin. 19. 11. which had not the Lord in it for his Voice is a Voice of Mercy and Clemency and Natural to him Micah 7. 18. and his Voice of Justice against Jezebel which was not to be yet is called his strange Act Isai 28. 21. yea more then so for this Tempestuous Wind had the Devil in it and therefore it tossed the Church up and down hither and thither so it Toiled and Tormented them as if it had been Extorting as upon a Rack a Denyal of Christ and of all Christianity from them 5 They were in the Deep the Ship was now in the midst of the Sea Matth. 14.24 Mark 6.47 the Syriack Adds They were many Furlongs from each Shore agreeable to Joh. 6. 19. where 't is said they Rowed about Thirty Furlongs so deep was the Sea here that they could not Fathom or Feel the Bottom and here the Devil Hoped to carry it by carrying them down into this Deep and not onely so but to carry them also down still lower into his own Deep even to the Deep and Bottomless Pit of Hell 6 It was very Dark as well as very Deep Joh. 6. 17. which is a time very Terrible to Marriners to whom the Water affords them mostly a little Light now Darkness of it self was their Danger not knowing how to Steer their Course safely from Rocks and Quick-Sands Sailing was then Dangerous as Act. 27.9 when no Stars appeared v. 20. but this was more Dangerous in it self it being a Darkness from the Prince of Darkness the Devil who Hoped to Drown them
common Notice Luk. 17. 23. 6 Those praeposterous Persons as they were thus soon so Hot so they were as soon Cold when they cry'd Crucifie him in their Affections to him 2ly As the Devil had notably Manag'd this Design so Christ as notably broke the Neck of it both by breaking the Confederacy and by Avoiding the Occasion and Opportunity 1st Christ broke the Confederacy 1. by packing away his Disciples who probably might Abett this Tickling Motion of the Rude Multitude for they were oft Harping upon an Earthly Kingdom in their Day Luk. 24. 21. Act. 1. 6 7. wherein the two Aspiring Sons of Zebedee desired to sit the one on King Christ's Right Hand and the other on his Left They dream'd of a Distribution of Honours and Offices as in David and Solomons Days but Christ calls them Fools for it Luk. 24. 25. 2ly Christ pack'd away this over-zealous Multitude Matth. 14. 26. that he might shun all Suspition of any Treasonable Sedition Christ avoids all Appearance of Evil 1 Thess 5. 22. he commanded them to be gone by his Almighty Power which they though a Multitude could not Resist and he tells them at their next Meeting they must expect no other Food to be provided for them by him then his own Flesh and Blood Joh 6. 53 54 57. This was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an hard Saying it sounded so harsh in their Ears that they fall quite off from their former project of makeing him King and would not so much as follow him any more v. 66. but suppose this many-Headed Multitude would not Disperse themselves yet 't is said 9ly Christ withdrew himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Privily into a Mountain Joh. 6. 15. to avoid the very occasion of being Impos'd upon by the People as to a Kingship for those following Reasons 1 Christ came not into the world to be Ministred unto but to Minister Matth. 20. 28. 2 He was not to Receive a Kingdom from Men but to give a Kingdom to Men Luk. 12. 32. 3 He was the Noble-Man that was to Travel into the far Countrey of Heaven while all his Servants even the Elect in all Ages did Trade with their Talents upon Earth there he was to Receive a Kingdom from God Luk. 19 12 and then the Lord Returns and His Servants Reckons Matth. 24. 15 19. 4 Christ withdrew to Teach us that his Kingdom is not carnal consisting of Pleasures Treasures and Honours of Meat and Drink c. but 't is a Kingdom of Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy-Ghost Rom. 14. 17. 5 to shew that the Kingdom of God was within us Luk. 17. 21. which teacheth to contemn the Vanities of a Kingdom without and meerly External 6 He withdrew to disappoint the Devil of all just occasions of Offence against him for if the Devil in his Instruments did so prosecute Christ for a Mover of Sedition though he rejected this Royal proffer from the People how much more would he have done had he Accepted of it how would this Act have been an Article of High Treason and with much seeming Justice Improov'd against Christ Thus the Devil call'd Diabolus from Calumniating was confounded in this Design of procuring a just cause of Calumniating against Christ This Assault is fruitless and frustrate also as all his former Assaults had been before After this the Devil made many other petty-Assaults against the Church in Christ Her Redeemer well knowing could he but Cut off the Head Christ his Body the Church would soon Dye before his great and Grand Assault when Christs Hour was come and that fatal Hour and Power of darkness Luk. 22. 53. for extinguishing the Lamp of David and the Light of the World When the Devil saw how Christ carry'd on the Kingdom of the Gospel not onely by the Preaching of the Twelve but also of the Seventy sent out to confirm their Doctrine by Miracles Matth. 10. and Luk. 10. Insomuch as Satan was seen to fall like Lightning from Heaven v. 18. to wit Viewably Violently and Velociously or Swiftly as Lucifer did Isa 14. 12. from Mens Hearts which the Devil accounts his Heaven but is cast out by the mighty Gospel 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. This Enrages Satan Hereupon he sets the Iewish Sanhedrim on Work they seek to Kill Christ Joh. 7. 1 11 19 25 30. but no Man had power to lay hold on him at that Feast of Tabernacles not onely because his Hour was not yet come as is there Expressed v. 30 44. but also because he was so Marvelously Matchless in His Preaching v. 46. and so uncontroulably Innocent and Inoffensive in His Practice v. 21 31. Act. 10. 38. This Convincing Life which Christ led paying all his Church-Duties Matth. 17. 27. the half Sheckel that went to the Repair of the Temple and likewise his Tribute to Coesar Matth. 22. 21. did so confound the Devil and his Tools that they went away as it were with a Flea in their Ear an Unseen Coercive Hand of Divine Power and Providence binding their Hands at this time The Counsel being confused consisting of Sadducees which Approved Nicodemus's Seasonable saying as well as Pharisees was also Confounded and Dismissed Re Infectâ Every Man went Home disappointed ver 2 3. laying aside not leaving or losing their Mischievous Malice onely till the next Opportunity which was Joh. 8. 59. where they took up Stones to Stone Christ The pretended Provocation whereunto this was 1. Christ had Avoided their Entangling Question they ask'd him about the Adulteress v. 6. the Snare lay here on both Hands if he Condemn'd her he then would seem to Assume Judicial Power if he Condemned her not he would then seem a Contemner of Moses Law Levit. 20. 10. so could not be the True Messias Christ in His Divine Wisdom Uses such Means as neither Reflected upon the Authority of Moses Law nor Retracted His own Doctrine so oft Sounding in their Ears concerning the Remission of Sin and Sinners He who had stooped down from Heaven to Earth stoops down Here to Write as some suppose this Penitent Womans Sin in the Dust which he Wiped out again according to the Promise I even I am He that Blotteth out Transgressions c. Isai 43. 25. He did not Write her Sin with a Pen of Iron upon the Pavement of Stone as he did the Law and as he doth the Sins of the Impenitent for Duration and for their Obduration but upon the Ground whither his Adversaries Verily Thought they had Knock'd Him down to Hereupon they more Insolently Urge him for an Answer At this Christ Lifts up himself Woe to them against whom he doth so Psal 68. 1. and 44. 23. Deut. 32. 40. Saying ver 7. He that is without Sin let them cast the first Stone with this Word as with a Stone he knockt those Stoners for such they would have been to the Woman on the Head for Christ Stooping down again to give them Opportunity of Consulting with their own Convicted
and by an Honest shift Disappointed it Act. 9. 23 24 and 2 Cor. 11. 32. 2 God delivers him his Danger from the Graecians or Helenists Stephens great Adversaries Act. 6. 1 9. with whom then Saul was a Collegiate and Companion who now looking upon Paul as an Apostate by turning Christian sought his Death as he with them had sought Stevens and the more Zealous he was now against them the more Enraged they are against him more than against Peter James c. in Jerusalem and is forced by them to flye to Tarsus for his Life Act. 9. 29 30. 3 From those of Iconium where the Malignant Jews Incensed the Ignorant Gentiles to Stone him for cutting the City into Contrary Factions Act. 14. 1 6. 4 From those at Lystra whether he sled and where he Heal'd the born Cripple for which they first Deifi'd him a wile of the Devil tempting him to accept of Divine Honour which Device being disowned then Satan stirrs them up to Stone him so that he was Stoned unto Death as to appearance yet by a Divine Miracle he Revived for further Work Act. 14. 8 10 12 14 20. 5 God Delivers him also from the Danger he was in by those at Philippi for casting out a Divining Spirit out of a Gainful Damosel for which he was both Whipp'd and Imprison'd both by an Earthquake and by the Conversion of his Goaler Act. 16. 12 18 20 23 26 30. 34. 6 So likewise he was saved from the Uproar at Thessalonica Act. 17. 1 5. made by the Rascality of the City which pursued him to Berea where he found Nobler Auditors v. 11. and Drove him thence 7 He was also Deliver'd from Demetrius and his Silver-Smiths that made Shrines for Diana at Ephesus by the Wisdom of the Town-Clark Act. 19. 23 28 35 39. 8 From those Beasts he found and Fought with as at Ephesus 1 Cor. 15. 32. so at Jerusalem where Beastly Men laid hold of him and would have Kill'd him but the Chief Captain Rescued him from them Act. 21 27 31. Those Asian-Jews were Satans Blood-Hounds Chasing Paul from Asia Hither 9 From those Forty Bloody Butchers that would have pull'd Paul in pieces binding themselves under a Curse that they would neither Eat nor Drink till they had Kill'd him God Defeats the Plot 1. by casting a Bone of Dissention 'twixt the Pharisees and Sadducees Act. 23. 7 8. 2. by the Captains Rescuing him again v. 9 10. 3. by sending a Guard with him to Cesarea as the first was a Godly Policy in Paul to Divide his Enemies so the Two last were Effects of Gods great Power and Providence in making Heathen-Captains to become Pauls Patrons v. 13 15 23 33. 10 God saves him 1 from their Wiles Act. 25. 3 4. 2 from Shipwrack Act. 27. 44. 3 from the Viper Act. 28. 5. 4 from Nero the Lyon 2 Tim. 4. 17. at Rome he Preached Two Y. and Converted some of Nero's House and from thence Wrote Epistles to Confirm the Churches to the End of the World Satans 7th Assault was against Peter the first of the Apostles against one of the Prime Pillars of the Church which the Devil had oft been shaking to throw it down seeing the Gospel of the Circumcision was committed to him as that of the Uncircumcision was to Paul Gal. 2. 7 9. both being Equal in Office and Dignity God giving them alike Success both to Jews and Gentiles v. 8. 1 Cor. 9. 1 23. and 2 Cor. 13. 4 5. This the Romanists do Deny though more Failings be Recorded in Scripture of Peter than of any other Apostle whatsoever Matth. 16. 23. Gal. 2. 14. Matth. 26. 70 72 74. and Joh. 21. 17 c. Yet this Peter or Cephas was a great Eye-sore to Satan being always a stout Stickler and a Couragious Champion for Christ therefore doth he Desire leave to put Peter into his Sieve of Temptation and therein by tossing him too and fro to make Chaffe of him Luk. 22. 31. but the Devil was Deceived and Disappointed in all his Tossings and Temptings of Peter by the Prayer of Christ v. 32 and by the Power of God as 1 no sooner had Christ given Peter the Keys of the Church as he did also to all the other Apostles Matth. 10. 2. and 20. 24. and 18. 18. and Joh. 20. 23. making them All the Stewards of His House 1 Cor. 4. 1. Isa 22. 22. Matth. 16. 19. but immediately Satan tempts Peter to become as Satan himself to wit an Hinderer of Redemption-Work v. 22 23. no doubt but Peter had a good meaning in his taking Christ by the Hand and leading him aside as we do an Intimate Friend for imparting some Secret to him and in his saying to him Master spare thy self c. Rebuking him for his carelesness of himself being still strongly prepossessed with a fond Conceit of an Earthly Kingdom yet to Humble him under that Honour put upon Peter v. 17 18 19. he is call'd a Devil for his Rash Incogitancy and Arrogancy as well as Judas is for his Malicious Obstinacy Joh. 6. 70. He was the Devils Instrument in Diswading Christ from Dying for his Church and so became an Offence to him Notwithstanding all this Christ graciously brings Peter off out of Satans Sieve Teaching him his proper place of following his Lord as a Disciple and not to Run before him as a Teacher all along v. 23 to 26. and also taking him to his Transfiguration Mat. 17. 1. as one of his best Beloved and 26. 37. 2 When this brave Champion who out of a preposterous Zeal could cut off Malchus's Ear with his Sword that he might stand to his Master according to his Word and stout Stickler stood at the Door and by the Fire yet was Daunted by a silly Damosel Joh. 18. 16 18 25. Matth. 26. 69 70. to Deny his Lord Three times and that with Swearing and Cursing himself v. 72. 74. notwithstanding all Christ had a Look of Love to melt Peters Hardened-Heart Luk. 22. 61. he had a Plaister Prepared before the Wound was Received v. 32. and he had an Hand to save sinking Peter Mat. 14. 30. Now when he was like to Shipwrack Faith and a good Conscience and when Satan had like to have made Chaffe of him indeed in his Sieve of Temptation through Gods Helping-Hand he comes out good Corn and when Converted he Strengthens his Brethren by his Two notable Epistles 3. When Satan sought to Kill him after he had been a Marvelous Instrument in long promoting the Gospel by his Vassal Herod as Bloody as the 1st Herod that would have been a Christ-Killer and as the 2d that was John Baptists-Killer this Herod-Agrippa was a James-Killer Act. 12. 2. and according to the Old Trick of all Tyrants willing to Curry Favour with the Wicked by Shedding the Blood of the Godly he Attempts to be a Peter-Killer also v. 3. but Deferrs his Execution God over-ruling his Bloody Intention by his own fond Superstition out
lastly Christ was not gone from them much less had deliver'd them up unto Satan but still Walked in the midst of His Golden Candlesticks Revel 1. 13. and standing at the Door Knocking both by Outward Means and Inward Motions by the Hammer of his Word and by the Hand of his Spirit Revel 3. 20. with those Seven Epistles together with His own Return and Personal Preaching to them after the Death of Domition he marvelously Repaired Refreshed and Established those Seven Churches well-nigh laid waste by the Cruelty and Tyranny of that Persecuting Emperour In that Isle also whither he was Banish'd from all Humane Society Christ came to him and gave him to Write not onely that Excellent Gospel so useful for Defence of Christs Divinity against the Blasphemies of Cerinthus c. And those Blessed Epistles of His the 1st 2d and 3d. but also the Revelation of things to come Rev. 1. 19. and 4. 1. Even all the Wretched Maladies that should befall the Church and all the Blessed Remedies for Her Deliverance to the End of the World Thus in all this also God over-Shoots Satan in his own Bow and left not himself without Witness Act. 14. 17. This Bloody Wretch Domitian was Murder'd by his own Men and the stiff-necked Jews which had all along oppos'd Christ and his Gospel with the utmost Outrage were pay'd Home at last with Matchless Miseries as before both under Vespasian the Father and Titus his Son that were Predecessors to Domitian and this John onely of all the Apostles lived to see in Despight of the Devil and all his Cruel Cut-Throats the Wrath of God come down upon those Christ-Killers to the utmost as Christ had foretold The Twenty-Seventh Plot against the Church-Primitive by the Ten first Persecutions Defeated by God CHAP. XXVII SAtans 27th Plot against the primitive-Primitive-Church was manag'd by Rome-Heathen when now Grown Great under her Coesars and became the Lady of Kingdoms and the Imperious Domineering Mistris of the World The Provocation was this 1. The Churches of Asia were Recover'd from their aforesaid Apostacy which it seems began in Pauls time 2 Tim. 1. 15 16. All they which are in Asia are turned from me c. being ashamed of his Bonds by Johns Ministry 2. The Gospel was spread all the World over by the scatter'd Apostles at the Destruction of Ierusalem until which at least some of them had their Residence there as by Andrew into Scythia Phillip into Pâ—rygia by Bartholomew into Judea by Thomas into Parthia and Persia by Matthew into Aethiopia by Simon Zelotes into Mauritania and Affrica by Judas Brother of James into Edessa by Matthias into Macedonia c. but that which provok'd the Devil and his Imps most of all was 3. that the Gospel should so Prevail and Prosper even in Rome it self where Satans Principal Throne was and that by Paul who was there a Prisoner at large for Two Years Act. 28. 16. Preaching the Kingdom of God v. 23 24 30 31. whereby the Roman-Gentiles were brought into the Obedience of Faith and a Famous Church was Constituted there of those called to be Saints whose Fame was spread for its Faith all the World over by that Resort which was to Rome the Queen of Cities now from all parts of the Earth Rom. 1. 5 to 8. and 16. 19. And still that which was of Greatest Provocation is that not onely the Beloved of God therefore Hated of the Devil were found in Rome it self Rom. 1. 7. but even in Nero's very Family Phil. 4. 22. This Cursed Leaven of Christianity as they call'd it had not onely Leavened Rome the best and chiefest City in the world but also Caesars own Royal Pallace which was the best and chiefest Building in that best and chiefest City All Nero's Court Rang of Paul the Prisoner and the Preacher Hereby the Lord ordered the Futherance of the Gospel Phil. 1. 12. 13. even where Satans Seat or Throne was what could the Court of such a Cursed Caitiff and Cast-away as Nero was be but a Barathrum and Brothel-House abounding with all Abominations quite contrary to the Prince of Anhalts which was call'd Academia Ecclesia Curia a Court a Church and an University And what was this but to Depose the Devil from his Dignity and Dominion and to set up Christ in his Throne No Wonder if this provok'd him to do as John had foretold in his Seal-Prophecy that after the White Horse with Christ upon him to wit the Gospel had spread it self like a Sun-beam Conquering every where and also Crowned for its Conquests by those Primitive Preachers Hâc non Successit aliâ Aggrediendum est Viâ The Devil would then come forth Riding upon his Red Horse together with his Black and with his Pale Horse to bring War Famine of the Word especially yea Death and Hell too in those 1st Ten Bloody Persecutions Revel 6. 2 3 5 7. This is the 1st Branch of the 2d part of that Book which Iohn divides into Two parts 1st an History of things then present 2d a Prophecy of things to come Ch. 1. 19. Now this Rage of this Mad Rider was the first of those things that should be hereafter the whole of the Prophecy being as a Comedy Represented on a Theatre in a Dramatick Dress as in Three Acts the 1. is the Tragical Misery of the Church 2. Her Deliverance 3. Her Doxology or Magnifying her Deliverer So that though the Beginning be the Devils yet always the End is the Lords Jam. 5. 11. and that a Good End for his own Glory and the Churches Comfort As Daniel Assured the Church how it should be preserved to Christs first Comming so John assures no less Preservation to Her from his time to Christs 2d Comming Indeed all the Ten Primitive Persecutors were as Red Horses whom the Devil Rode upon so Bloody that for every Day in the Y. excepting one 5000 were Murder'd as Jerom Writes and the 1. was Bloody Nero that Monster of Mankind notwithstanding his Vtinam Nescirem literas I wish I could not Write my Name to the Execution of any during his Plausible Quinquennium or Five Y. Reign whom the Devil spurr'd up to burn Rome his own Imperial City Singing upon his Harp all the Nine Days it was Burning the Song of Homer about the Burning of Troy and then charg'd it upon the Christians to avoid the Odium of it from himself who had Hired several Villains to Fire it in several places openly casting Fire-Brands if not Fire-Balls amongst the Oyl-Shops and Drugsters yea some of his own Bed-Chamber were seen to carry Flax Toe Torches c. to promote it and his Pretorian Souldiers or Life-Guard Men did not onely further it but even Threaten'd those that Attempted to Quench it crying They knew what they did they had one to bear them out * Now the Christians many of which Paul Salutes in Rom. 16. goes to the Pot Yea Paul himself as he had foretold 2 Tim. 4. 6. to
into the Sea to wit his Heresie who being in the Gall of Bitterness himself did not onely Embitter the Doctrine of the Church but turn'd it into blood making it plainly Mortal to Drink of and Destructive to the Soul by his Denying the Deity of Christ in his turning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Possessed into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Created Prov. 8. 22. as if Christ were only a meer Creature and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-Man as if Jacobs Ladder Christ had not Two Sides and a top and a bottom to wit his Divine and Humane Nature as if he were onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like-God and not also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Co-Equal Co-Essential with God Ioh. 10.30 the Express Image of his person Hebr. 1.3 in whom the God-Head dwell'd bodily Col. 2. 9. this his making Christ onely a Diminutive-God was a Soul-Damning Doctrine for this is the Rock and Foundation of our Faith that Christ is God-Man Matth. 16. 16. Ioh. 1. 1. Phil. 2. 6. If we believe it not there is no Heaven to be had for us 1 Joh. 5. 20. ☞ Therefore this Truth Men must hold as their Lives that Christ 1 hath the Incomunicable Attributes of God Joh. 8. 58. and 20. 28. as Eternity Joh. 1. 1 3 9 11 14. and 17. 5. Infiniteness Joh. 3. 13. Omniscience Joh. 2. 24. and 2â— 17. 2 that He is one with the Father in Essence and Power â—oh 10. 30 â—8 and 14. 23. 3 Doing the Works of God as Creation Ioh. 1. 3. Conservation Ioh. 5. 17. Matchless Miracles Ioh. 7. 31. and 8. 32. 4 and taking to himself Divine Honour Ioh. 9. 38. and 14. 1. and 20. 28 c. Now Arrius in Denying the Deity of Christ Deny'd the Redemption of the Church for 't is not the Work of a meer Mortal but of a Divine Power to take away the sins of the World and to satisfie the Curse of the Law and the Wrath of God for them The Express Image of God must restore that Lost Image in Man The Son of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Substance must Recover Adam the Son of God Luk. 3. last and all Believers to be the Sons of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of Priviledge onely Ioh. 1. 12. No Wonder then that this Doctrine of Devils did Darken as 't is said Rev. 8. 12. the 3d. part of the Sun the Prelates of the Moon their Curats and of the Stars the Common-Professors Under the 4th Trumpet accordingly it may be said That this Arrian-Heresie was that Flood which the Dragon when Dethroned by Constantine the Churches chief Champion cast out of his Mouth to Drown her for bringing forth such a Man-Child Rev. 12. 9 15. which Flood was so Impetuous and Universal an Innundation ut totus Mundus Ingemuit se Arrianum Miratus est The whole World Groaned under the Pressure of it saith Jerom the Devil did more Mischief to the Church by the Arrian-Hercticks than ever he had done by Pagan-Persecutors Still the Devil or Dragon cannot carry His Game and 't is a Wonder he did not considering How the Roman-Emperours who had so lately given their Names to Christ might have cast of all Profession of Christianity when they saw such Desperate Digladiations and Bloody Contentions among Christians so called about so abstruse yet fundamental a point yet God over-rul'd this enough probable occasion of Offence he fixed Constantine Martianus Theodosius Sen. and Jun. Arcadius Justinian c. to Suppress it though Constantine himself Declined in his latter Day through his Sister Constantia's Influence upon him and by Arrius's Cheat in Subscribing and Swearing to the Nicen Creed when he meant both to another under his Arm a right Jesuits Trick whereby he was owned by the Emperour yet could not this Wretch so cheat the Great God who set this Black Brand upon him that when he was going in great pomp to be Reinvested into his Church at Constantinople by the Command of his Cheated Constantine and stepping aside to Ease himself his Excrements Guts and Soul went all out together this was ut Precationis opus non Morbi the effect of faithful Prayers calling for full and final Vengeance rather than of any former Distemper for Alexander the good Bishop of that place and fearing his Return earnestly Pray'd the Night before that God would prevent it and this was Gods Answer He who had made so Dreadful a Rupture in the Church Christs Body Dyes himself of a Dismal Rupture by his Bowels and Life breaking all out together Thus the Lord Branded this Wretch as he had done Judas Act. 1. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All his Bowels gushed out because he had no Bowels for his Master in Betraying him and worse for that Rupture Cum quodam Singulari Crepitus fragore comming off with a great Crack as the Word signifies befalls Judas when he had gone sneaking to confess his Sin to the Priests Matth. 27. 3 4. which yet were but Miserable Comforters but this be fell Arrius as he was going in his Pontisicalibus and proudly strutting to reassume his Dignity out of which he had been Ejected even then did he send out his Soul wrap'd up as it were in his Excrements to be his Harbinger unto Hell to provide Room for his Body * By this 1 Divine Testimony against Arrius many were Admonish'd and Renounc'd their Arrianism 2 The like Testimony God gave against that Grand Arrian Emperour Valens who Consulted with the Devil about his Successour and the Older the fiercer against the Church when about Subscribing an Edict to Banish Basil his Hand was smitten with such a Trembling that he was forced to desist and when both Beaten and Wounded by the Goths and flying into an obscure Cottage to dress his Wounds these Barbarians the Goths pursued him thither and there Burnt him Alive with the Cottage to leave his Name a Curse to all Ages Besides 3 the Church had and Heard the Voice of her beloved Knocking even while she was Sleeping under Arrianisme Cant. 5.2 that her Heart might be kept Waking by all Her Woundings from the Heritical Watch-men v. 7. Christ put in his Hand by the Hole of the Door v. 4. in stirring up so many Orthodox Emperors who all were Nursing Fathers to the Church Isa 49. 23. calling Synods 1. against Arrius Denying the Deity of Christ 2. against Nestorius Dividing the Persons in Christ 3. against Eutiches Confounding their Natures 4 against Macedonius Denying the Deity and Person of the Holy-Ghost And for this very Cause of Comforting the Church that She might not Sink under her many and sad Sufferings the 7th Chap. of the Revelation seems to be Interlac'd in the whole of it betwixt the 6th and 7th Seal wherein is expressed 1 Gods great care in preserving a competent Company even 144000 Sealed Servants v. 4. a great Multitude v. 9. and more than most thought they had been in Despight of the Devil 2 Gods great kindness
of whose bitter Potions the Church hath been long Drinking-still is so and not yet come to the Dregs thereof Here began the Devils general Game after the Declining Age wherein the Thirty-Three Bishops of Rome Sylvesters Successors can scarce pass for Tolerable much less Laudable When the Star which was Wormwood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of Eminency did fall to the Earth and set up the Earthly Kingdom of the Apocalyptick Beast When the first of the Usurping Nimrods to wit Boniface the 3d. began with his Volumus Jubemus We Will and Command instead of the Holy Apostles Stile We Beseech you Brethren ☞ 1 Mark all along 1. the Churches Malady by Satan 2. the Churches Remedy by Christ and 2 Mark also How the Prophecy in the Revelation shows the Progress of the Church all along to the 2d Comming of Christ 3 Mark likewise how the Pillar of Divine Providence hath both Secured and safely Conducted the Sealed Ones his Church to this present Day and will do so to the end of the World and all this sweetly and exactly Concurring all along with the Revelation-Prophecy As this Book will shew at the End in Chapter the last The 1st Malady of the Church at that time Y. 606. presaged by a prodigious Comet as well as by Mahomets then publishing his Alcharon was when the Key of the Bottomless-Pit was given to this faln Star usher'd in by that Blazing-Star aforesaid to wit Boniface and his Successors who pretend to a power of Damning or Delivering whom they will Here the Pope is made the Angel of the Bottomless-pit Revel 9. 1 11 or the Devils Lieutenant-General call'd Abaddon or Abadone as the Devil his Lord-General is a bad Angel Hereupon the Pope casts away the Key that Christ gave to his Holy Predecessors of binding and looseing according to the Word and takes up the Devils Vsurped Key with his Tripple Crown and therewith opens Hell which the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles had hitherto shut then Arose the Smoak of those Doctrines of Devils and of that Black and Diabolical Divinity Preach'd and Practic'd in the Church of Rome ever since which so Darkened the Sun and the Ayr the Doctrine of Christ of the Church and of the Scriptures and then came out of that Smoak those Devouring Locusts the Monks and Fryars the Priests and Jesuits c. call'd so both for their Numerosity the last of which alone hath sometimes maintained Two Hundred Thousand Schollars Oh what Swarms of those Locusts are there then in all and for their Votacity those Popish Flesh-Flyes do so pester many Princes Houses which do receive them that not onely the Duke of Bavaria's Court notwithstanding his Vast Revenue but many other Princes and places are kept poor by them that lye Lurking as Scorpions in their Cells and Obscure Residencies Revel 9. 2 3. and which is worst of all Stinging Incureably the Souls of Men c. Yet 2ly Christ hath his Antidote and Remedy against this Divelish Malady for though God permitted this bad Angel or Apollyon to punish those that Obey'd not the Truth Rom. 1. 24 26. 2 Thess 2. 10 11. Insomuch that this Key of the Bottomless-pit was so notably Improved by all the Vsurping Nimrods Luxurious Sodomites and Aegyptian Magicians unto Hildrebrand or Brand of Hell in the 10th Century as that in his Popedome Letters were set forth as sent from Hell wherein the Devil and his Angels gave the Popish Clergy many Thanks for sending them so many Souls as they never had sent them in any Age before Though the Devil and his Locusts play'd Flush in this general Game yet the Lord limits them both in their Task and in their Time and in their Torments 1 In their Task Those Locusts or Scorpions must not Sting whom they will but whom Christ will none of his Sealed ones must be Stung by them 't was Commanded them not to hurt the Grass of the Earth nor any Green thing Ch. 9. 4. Whatever charge Satan gave those Locusts Sure I am this was Christs Charge in the behalf of His Redeemed not unlike unto Davids Charge to his Captains Deal kindly with the Young-man Absolom So and much more than so Sollicitous is Christ the Son of David for the Safety of all his Sons and Servants none of those whose Names were Written in the Lambs Book of Life were stung no not those young Christians who were as Tender as Grass nor any Green Plant though never so weak Christ Secured his Church and the Kernel of Christianity maugre the Malice of that Man of Sin 2. In their Time Those Locusts must not last so long as they list but as the Lord listeth who hath limited them to Five Months v. 5. which is justly the Life time of the Natural Locusts that are Bred in April and Dye in September and though those be Craftier in having a King over them ver 11. than they Prov. 30. 27. so might better secure themselves over Winter yet Five Months must be their Term which they cannot exceed The Question is How long is that 1. Answ Suppose a Definit and Certain time be set down for an Indefinite and Uncertain Here however it holds out this Comfort 1. that it shall not be for Ever 2. it shall be onely for a short Time as this phrase Five Months plainly Imports 2. Answ 'T is True Antichrists Lease is much longer than Five Months even Forty-Two Months Rev. 13. 5. and his beastly biting hath lasted much longer yet this term may hold out the five Ages of the Beasts biting Life 1. Infancy 2. Childhood 3. Youth 4. Middle-Age 5. Old Decrepit or Dote-age and so his last Bite is not yet over 3d Answ by the five Months may be Understood the five Hundred Y. wherein the Pope stood in his prime pride and plenary power that is from the 6th Century to the 11th when God stirr'd up the Waldenses c. to call the Pope Antichrist which is exactly 500 Y. and Bellarmin himself confesseth that ever since the Pope was so called Non Modò non Crevit ejus Imperium sed Magis ac Magis Decrevit He hath lost a great part both of his Command and of his Commodity more and more Dayly De pap Rom. lib. 3. cap. 1. So long was he Trump and Triumphant in the World and why his Term is Reckon'd by Months See my Discovery of Antichrist p. 200. 4th Answ Those five Months hold an Exact Correspondency with the time of Noah's Deluge prevailing over the Earth which was 150 Days which make up five Months Compleat Gen. 7. 24. Now Noah's Deluge and this which the Dragon powr'd out of his mouth to Drown the Church Revel 12. 15 do Symbolize together after a most singular manner in sundry particulars 1. as that was a General Flood over all the Habitable World so is this over all the Christian World 2. As that began in April and lasted to September in the prevalency of it Gen.
longer bear his Burdens One would think England e're this should be so Awakened and made Wiser than ever to become the Popes Asse any more A 2d Remark is Those Princes who have Trusted God with their Lives and Lands and kept Rome c. at Distance and Defiance hath Speeded the Best and Flourish'd the most and the longest in their large Dominions Q. Elizabeth is a pregnant Instance hereof who could never be perswaded to Favour the Papists though she was to Disfavour the Puritans but she ever kept a Vigilant Eye over the former as being rightly Informed that they and not the latter were the worst Enemies to Royal Power and God Wonderfully Preserv'd this Heroick Lady from all the Romish Bulls Interdicts Poysonings Assassinations c. as before A 3d. Remark is Such Princes as Relyed upon their own politick Projects in Conniving at if not Complying with the Romish Interest for their personal preservation have ever fared the Worst to omit K. James who though not blown up yet was so Shaken as some say How True I know not with the Powder-Plot that his naturally Timerous Spirit was drawn into some Connivences c. point-Blank against Arch-Bp Abbot's Advice and not long after he was taken out of the way by whose Hands God onely knows But Henry the 4th of France is a clear Instance who being bred up a Protestant Turn'd Papist upon politick Grounds and being Disuaded by a great Duke from re-Admitting the Jesuits which justly had been Banish'd the Realm he Angrily Answered Give me then Security for my Life Hereupon he not onely Restoreth them but Demolisheth the Pillar Erected in Paris as a Standing Monument of their Treasons against their Soveraigns yea received them into his Bosome giving them his Pallace for their Colledge and in a publick Speech saying That they were Timothys in the House Chrysostoms in the Chair and Augustins in the Schools c. But what was the Issue Those Timothys proved Judas's those Chrysostoms Cataline's and those Augustins Assassins one of those Slaughter-Slaves Stabb'd him in the Mouth another in the Heart Thus things Men Fear come upon them by trusting their own Politicks more than Gods Providence Lastly Other Nations that have seen so little of their Wiles and Wickedness have seen enough as not to trust them as China it self God forbid that We who have Felt so much should See so little as now to be Cheated with them especially after such a Chain of Providence link'd together on which we may Hang our Hope for prevention thereof In a Word Gods Word is his Will and his Will is his Work and neither Man nor Devil can Disappoint it The good Lord give still more Evinceing Proofs of his Providence The Scripture-Prophecy Shewing how the Church shall be Preserved to the End of the World CHAP. XXXIV HAving shown How it hath been with the Church from the Beginning of the World to this present time let me now make a short-Inspection How it shall be with Her Until Time shall be no more but turned into Eternity A Narrative hereof cannot be Deduced out of any Chronicle or History either Civil or Sacred but out of the Apocalypse or Revelation which Book is a Manifestation of many Mysteries by the Mediatour to John who had the Mind of Christ shew'd to him that he might shew it to the Church what things should shortly come to pass Revel 1. 1 19 20. and 4. 1. and 1 Cor. 2. 16. The Divine Project of John therein is a Contiguous and Continued Prophecy of the Churches Progress through all Times after Christ to his 2d Comming as that of Daniel was before Christ to his 1st Comming both of them Divinely Declaring how God would preserve his Church in the Worst Times of Apostacy both under Antiochus before Christ and under Antichrist after Him as is aforesaid and that in no Age shall ever the Gates of Hell prevail against the Church Matth. 16. 18. on which both their Books be a Conspicuous Comment I have already shewn how John's Seal-Prophecy and his Trumpet-Prophecy hath had their Exact Accomplishment in our fore-going Ages and how Time the best Expounder of Dark Prophecies hath turned those abstruse Misteries into plain and legible Histories Now I come unto the Book-Prophecy that Ushers in the 7th Trumpet Revel 10. 2 7. and 11. 15. and the Seven Vials having the Seven last Plagues which are the several parts of that 7th Trumpet Chap. 15. 1 7. Here for brevity's sake take those following Famous Remarks The 1st is The Church of God is always under some special Prophecy Promise and Providence and therefore is her State so stedfast and Unmoveable as the Mountains of Brass Zech. 6.1 neither Men nor Devils can remove her Psal 125. 1 2. The 2d Remark is The Book which made John Weep is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Book of some Bulk and bigness while it had all the Seven Seals upon it and the great Concerns of the Six Trumpets within it Rev. 5. 2. But now when the Seal-Prophecy was Accomplish'd in its Events as likewise Six parts of the Trumpet-Prophecy 't is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word is a double Diminutive signifying a little little Book or a very little Book containing onely the Seven last Plagues whereby Gods last Wrath should be filled up on the Antichristian-State and Time should be no longer for him Rev. 10. 2 6 7. and 11. 15. and 15. 1. The 3d. Famous Remark is such is Christs Compassion to his Church and Chosen that in the worst of times he leaves her not comfortless Joh. 14. 18. but Secures her from Swounding with Soveraign Cordials as 1st He gave the Comforts of the Fifth Seal and the Intercession of Christ giving Acceptance to that Prayer Rev. 6. 10. Ch. 8. 3. under the Evils of the former and following Seals 2ly While the Church lay under the Wo-Trumpets Christ gave the comforting Vision of Revel the 10th where the Churches Redeemer is Represented as supream Lord of Sea and Land and that he sets his Feet as a Conquerour upon the Neck of that Double-Beast the Political Rising out of the Earth and the Ecclesiastical Rising out of the Sea Limiting the Time and Finishing the Lease of that Mystery of Iniquity and in the mean time Christ keeps his Right foot upon Antichrists Clergy and his Left foot upon his Layity so that all their Exploits are what Christ not what Antichrist Willeth 3ly Under the 3d. Wo-Trumpet where there is a Recounting of the Churches Evils both by the Beast and by the Dragon Chap. 11. and 12. and 13. yet some Allays of Comfort are Annexed Chap. 11. 14. c and Ch. 14 2 3 12 13. and Ch. 15. 3. The 4th Remark is The little little Book in the Hand of Christ sheweth tkat he hath but a little more Work to do in the World after the Seal and Trumpet-Prophecies be fulfilled Christ hath then but a few Things more to Accomplish to
Resigns his Throne and Power to the Beast which did his Masters work throughly Ch. 13. till the Lamb conquer'd and cast him into the Lake Chap. 19. Till then the Dragon was not onely a Spectator but also an Instigator Hissing on the Beast to his Beastly Work till he got his Beastly Wages Slaughter at last Now after the Judgement of the Beast comes that of the Dragon the Master of his Misrule 3 As the 5th Vial is Reassumed to declare the Ruine of Rome more fully after Ch. 17. 18. and the 6th Vial that of the Beast after that Ch. 19. So this 7th that of the Dragon who set them on work Ch. 20. for it would be Improper to relate so largely the Ruine of the Instruments and to say nothing of the Principal Agent Our Michael hath something to say to and do with the Devil as well as to and with Antichrist to wit 1 Something before the 1000 Y. when a gradual Doom is Executed upon him as 1st Christ in fury Arrests the same Dragon whom he had cast into the Earth before Rev. 12. 9. 2ly He Chains him up as Men do mad Mastives for a long time 3ly He claps him close Prisoner in the Abyss which before he feared Luk. 8. 31. and 4ly He set a Seal upon him as Dan. 6. 17. and Matth. 27. last that his Range abroad might not Molest Christs Reign for a 1000 Y. Rev. 20. 1 2 3. ☞ Where the Church hath as good Security for a long-lasting Tranquillity as Christ who keeps the Ensureing Office can possibly give her 2 Something after the 1000 Y. when he was loosed for a little season v. 3.7 to Engage Gog and Magog or all covert and overt Enemies in a War against the Church v. 8 9. then Fire from Heaven falls upon the Devils Army and consumes them in the very Attempt and the Devil himself is Arrested the 2d time and then cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone whither the Beast and False Prophet were cast before there to be Tormented for ever whence he shall never any more be loosed to Torment the Church after this Thus as the Plots against the Church did begin in the Devil Ch. the 1st of this Church-History so they all End in and with the Devil in this The Gates of Hell cannot prevail against Her When Pope Turk and Devil are all gone and in Torments The Church that New Jerusalem consisting of the Converted Jews and Fullness of the Gentiles remains after All in a Flourishing State and is Marry'd as a Bride to the Lamb Rev. 21.7 22. where the Triumphant Estate of the Church after her Militant Estate at the Destruction of all her Enemies is ended is most Graphically Described 1st Generally 1. by things seen as a New 1 Heaven 2 New Earth Ch. 21. 1. 3 New Jerusalem Descending from Heaven v. 2. and 10. 2. By things Heard as 1 of Gods Presence with Men v. 3. 2d of removing all fears and tears v. 4. 3d. of making all things new v. 5. 2ly More particularly the Transcendent Glory of the Church hath a most Exact and Special Delineation as 1st her Advancement above all Hills ver 9. 10 11. Isa 2. 2 2ly her Dimensions of Longitude and Latitude c. v. 12 to 17. 3ly her rich Materials of Gold and Jewels v. 9 to 22. 4ly The Confluence of the Gentiles to this New Jerusalem v. 24 26. Isa 60. 3 c. 5ly The Affluence and plenty of all things that may make the Church-State Happy Typify'd 1 by the River of living Water Ch. 22. 1. 2 by the Tree of Life a Type of Christ that beareth Fruit every Month v. 2. 6ly The Perpetuity of this Happy Estate which is Illustrated 1st by a freedom from all Evil not only from Sorrow Death c. Ch. 21.4 but also 1. from Danger v. 25. 2. from Sin v. 27. and 3. from the Curse Ch. 22. 3. and 2ly by a Fruition of all Good as 1. an Immediate Communion with God and Christ who will be 1. a Temple 2. a Light Ch. 21.22 23. 3. A Throne Ch. 22. 1 3. to this Holy City 2. A Beatifical Vision of both They shall see the face c. v. 4. As the former Evils had disturb'd so those Good Priviledges will Preserve the Churches peace to perpetuity 3. yea Reign for Ever ver 5. Finally Those few Remarks shall shut up the Whole ☞ The 1st is The marvelous Manifestation of Christs love to his Church in Revealing to her the Fata Ecelesiae all that should befall her in all Ages to the end of the World this he doth as her Prophet and Mediator Ch. 22. 16. 2ly That what Christ Revealed herein should be Written Litera Scripta Manet for the Churches Comfort at Christs command Chap. 21. 5. and 14. 13. and 19.9 The Spouse hath the Heart-love of Christ with her better then Dalilah had Samsons Judg. 16. 15. and therefore she shall know even out of his Fathers Bosom Joh. 1. 18. all that is in his Heart and have it also Under his Hand upon Record as Her Cordial alway 3ly That this Writing must not be Shut up or Sealed as Daniels was Dan. 8. 26. and 12. 4 9. till 300 Y. after for Sealing is concealing but here John is bid Not to Seal this Prophecy as he had the Seven Thunders Revel 10. 4. Chap 22. 10. because the Time was at Hand and All this he must not Monopolize to himself but Shew them to Christ's Servants Rev. 1. 1. 4ly This Prophecy is Faithful and True in all its parts Ch. 22. 6. as much as the History from Genesis to this Revelation is and as sure as the former part of this Prophecy in the Seals and Trumpets is performed already so sure shall the latter part of the Vials and of the Brides Marriage be Accomplish'd also The Scripture-Testimony of it self is true 5ly This Prophecy Symbolizeth with that of Ezekiel who in his latter End hath a Resurrection Ezek. 37. a Gog and Magog Chap. 38 and 39. and a New Jerusalem Ch. 40 and forward So in the latter end of the Revelation There is a Resurrection Ch. 20. 5. a Gog and Magog v. 8. and a New Ierusalem Ch. 21 and 22. And as sure as that was fulfill'd in part by Ezra c. so shall this be 6ly This Book as it was last Writ so it contains a Revelation of the whole will of God concerning the Riches of the Church as well as the Ruine of all her Enemies as 't is said of the latter It is Done Rev. 16.17 All the Churches Foes are Vndone by the 7th Vial So of the former It is Done Ch. 21.6 As to the Riches and Reward of the Righteous Christ Swore that Time should be no longer Ch. 10.6 7. to wit of Delaying beyond the 7th Trumpet the Execution of those Divine Mysteries 1 the Call of the Iews Rom. 11.25 2 the Fullness of the Gentiles Eph. 3.3 4 6. 3 the Kingdom of the Saints Dan. 7.18 Rev. 20.4 22.5 4 All Kingdoms of the World become Christs Ch. 11.15 7ly As we are not to expect any New Revelation no more than any New Gospel so we ought onely to believe and pray for the Accomplishment of all that is revealed being assured from Truth it self Rev. 1.5 that 1 â—he who was the Alpha to confound the 1st Plot Gen. 3. will be the Omega to conquer the last Rev. 22.13 2 the Kings of the Earth that gave their power to the Beast shall bring their Glory to the Church Rev. 17.13 and 21.24 3 The Brides Feast and Felicity shall be either in Heaven as Piscator or on Earth as Alsted or in both as Perkins say 't is good in either place Refer that to God making a Common and Constant Cry Come Lord Jesus come quickly to Accomplish all that is Vnaccomplished 1 Thes 1.10 Rev. 22.20 21. FINIS BOOKS Published BY THE AVTHOR 1. THe Crown and Glory of a Christian 2. A Christian's Walk and Work on Earth till he come to Heaven 3. A Protestant-Antidote against the Poyson of Popery 4. A Chrystal Mirrour or Christian-Looking-Glass discovering the Treason and Treachery of the Heart 5. A Distinct Discourse and Discovery of the Person and Period of Antichrist 6. This Compleat and Compendious Church-History