First, It is the disposition of the Saints to seeke the good of them that persecute them, of those that are their enemies.

The Reason is, first, because it is their duty in the fift Chapter, Mat. Rea∣son. 1 5. 44. verse, saith Jesus Christ, Doe good to them that hate you, pray for them that persecute you, and despitefully use you, This is Gods com­mand, [Page 5] and it is the Saints duty, and duty breeds disposition; The com­mands of God to his people, are not onely binding, but quickning al­so; his Word giveth life; it worketh disposition in his people.

Secondly, the Saints seeke the good of their enemies; because that 2 in their good, the Saints themselves shall and doe possesse good, and therefore are they disposed to doe it: and this reason God moveth his people withall, even while they are in Babylon, as we read in the 29. Chap. Jerem. the 7.

Thirdly, that they might be truely a blessing to their generation, 3 therefore they are disposed to doe what they can, although it be a per­secuting Antichristian generation, what good they can doe they will doe, that truely they might be a blessing in their generation.

First, it teacheth us thus much, that we have not done amisse, in that Ʋse. 1 we have in our day striven to cure the Church-state of England, nor no more hath the Parliament done, though she be not cured.

Secondly, it may stirre us up this day in our humiliations & prayers 2 for England: 'tis the disposition of the Saints, and so the Prophet also, bring balme for her cure, if she may be healed; therefore be exhorted to it: for consider,

First, that though it be the place, the Church-state be the place of our Motives. 1 souls captivity, and of our brethren also: yet England it is the countrey of our Nativity; here are according to the flesh, our fathers, our bre­thren and sisters, people of the same language, of the same speech, Oh bring balme for her cure, if she may be healed. 2

Secondly, when we have done thus, we have done our duty, & this sure will move a Saint: let duty move you, for duty is better then life. 3

Thirdly, and lastly, so doing we shall have witnessed to the truth in our desires in the presence of God, and have shewen our selves upright men in our generation. Doctr. 2

The second thing is, the state of Babylon, and that is, she is not, though the Saints would have cured her, yet she is not, or could not be cured: From whence observe this: That Babylon is uncurable.

The first reason why Babylon is uncurable, is, her wound is ulcerous: Reason. 1 Ulcerous wounds are hard to cure: you say of them, they will hardly be cured: Now 'tis so with Babylon, her wound is marched over this thousands of times together, therefore 'tis uncurable. It is said of Israel, in the last Chapter of the second booke of Chronicles, that they had sin­ned so against God, till there was no remedy: and it is said of those [Page 6] that harden against reproofe, in the 29. of Proverbs, the 1 verse, they shall be destroyed without remedy; there is no remedy for such sin­ners, such hardned marched sinners after many reproofes; now such is Babylons wound, 'tis an old sore; therefore there is no remedy.

Secondly, meanes hath been used for Babylons cure, and good means Reas. 2 also, the Saints, the Prophet saith, here we would, we, the Prophet was one of them, and yet she is not cured, she is uncurable; Abrahams pray­er had like to healed Sodome: and Moses prayer did heale Israel; if any cure may be wrought, the Saints have done it, they have healed despe­rate wounds; I, but they have not healed Babylon; therefore sure she is uncurable.

Thirdly, when the constitution of a thing is its disease, and the be­ing Reas. 3 of a thing is its wound, it cannot be healed, it cannot be cured; but so it is with Babylon, spirituall Babylon, and therefore in all reason can­not be cured, sinners may be saved, but sin cannot; if sinners are saved, it is from sinne, and therefore Jesus Christ came to save from fume, and cleanse us from sin: indeed Jesus Christ may and doth justifie the ungodly, and the sinners, but he will not justifie sinne; so the Na­tions that are defiled may be cured, they may be healed, but Babylon that doth defile cannot be cured.

Is Babylons wound uncurable: then no wonder that for all means Ʋse. 1 she is not cured; Indeed to consider what meanes hath been used for her cure, and yet she is not cured, it would cause us to wonder, to con­sider what preaching meanes hath been used in Babylon for her cure, the Saints have preached, the two witnesses have prophesied in sackcloth, 1260. dayes of his 42. months, and yet she is not cured; and how much suffering meanes hath been used, 'tis strange that that hath not melted her, and cured her, when bleeding Saints, and burning Saints, and frying rosting Saints, all the Nations over, have witnessed the faith of Jesus, and in the fire unto death have held forth a healing-cleansing-Gospell-rule to Babylon, and yet she is not cured; and to consider what Parliament means hath been used in many Nations, it is strange they have not cured her, especially when they have been Re­forming Parliaments, such as we have had in England, (for this meanes hath been especially used in England) and yet she is not cured; it is strange indeed, but no wonder, for she is uncurable; if ever Parliaments could have cured her in reason, Queen Eliz. Parliaments might have cured her, but for all those Parliament plaisters, yet she is her self, and her [Page 7] beeing is her wound, therefore wonder no longer, for she is uncurable.

Secondly, Is she uncurable? It may teach us how this day to plead Ʋse. 2 with God for our Parliament, she cannot be cured; if they would cure Bishops, and Prelaticall government, if they clip their wings (as they say) never so much, they cannot cure the way of government, for though the wings are cut, the bird is the same, and her, for her beeing is her wound, she cannot be cured; if they would cure our way of wor­ship in our Service-booke, and purge it (as they say) never so much, yet they cannot cure it: No, Idols were wont to be burnt; and if they strive with it, and purge it never so much, yet if they let it be, its beeing is its wound, and it cannot be cured, and so for all the rest of her abo­minations; and therefore it may instruct us this day in our prayers for the Parliament, and it may also iustifie the Parliament in their former proceedings; Alas, they could never have cured the High Commissi­on, and therefore in that which they have done to that, they are to bee justified: and so against whatsoever cursed thing they have thus pro­ceeded, they are to be justified in it.

Is Babylon uncurable? It may lead us to the consideration of her end, of her downfall: God will cure all the Nations; I, but Babylon is Ʋse. 3 uncurable, what thinke you shall her end be?

Is Babylon uncurable? Then let us forsake her, be out of love with Ʋse. 4 her, and forsake her; what man will stay in his house when it is afire, and there is no help for it? nay (in the neerest relation under the Sun) what soule will stay in the body, when there is no cure? and therefore, why should uncurable Babylon be so deare to you?

The next Observation is this: That it is the duty of the Saints (of Doctr. 3 the Lords people) to forsake Babylon.

First, that they might not be partakers with Babylon in her sinnes, Reas. 1 therefore the people of the Lord must not abide in Babylon.

Secondly, the people of God must come forth from Babylon, be­cause 2 of Babylons punishment, that they might not partake of that nei­ther; both these reasons we shall finde urged by the Lord upon his people in the 18. Chap. of the Rev. ver. 4. Come out of her my people, that ye partake not of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

Thirdly, that they might answer the love of God to them, in decla­ring 3 unto them the sin of Babylon, and her punishment, therefore they ought to depart from her; for shall God finde out you, and me, of so many millions of men, to impart his secrets unto us, and tell us how [Page 8] contrary she is to him, and his Gospell, and the freedome of the Saints, and declare unto us what hee will doe with her, and bid us take heede, sinne not with her, take heede, come forth, that yee be not punished with her; and shall we yet lie still in Babylon? how doe we answer Gods love to us poore wretched creatures? love requires love, and friendship requires friendship: now therefore the Saints ought to forsake Babylon in regard of Gods free love to them, and friendly admonition.

First, must the Saints forsake Babylon, and is it their duty? then Ʋse. 1 why doe we stand still? why doe we not forsake her? The Exhortation is, that we would know our duty and obey, that wee would forsake her.

Would you be moved to it? What, to goe out of Captivity? would you be moved to come out of a Prison? to have your soules delivered? doe you lacke motives for this? The Lord move you to forsake Ba­bylon: but would you yet be moved? take onely this one motive; if so be you can but consider the misery of this your captivity under her; and consider the misery in two or three things, wherein it is worse then the Captivity of the people of God in naturall Babylon.

1. First, they indeede were carried captive bodily, their bodies were 1 captivated, and this was a terrible thing; and therefore they cry under it; I, but ours is worse than this, for, for all this, they had their soules at liberty, they could use their apprehensions, and their judgement was good; they knew Babylon was worse than Zion; In the first verse of the 137 Psalme, They wept when they thought on Zion: but alas, our judge­ments are captivated, and we see nothing, but it's good enough to be here, you know not, you prise not the Land of Promise.

Secondly, though they were in Captivity, yet when a deliverance was 2 laid before them, and offered to them, they could reason thus, Delive­rance is better than Captivity; their reason was not captivated, but now 'tis worse, for mens reasons are captivated under this spirituall Babylon; Alas Christians, men would be very unwilling to be counted so unreasonable, as their Reason sheweth them to be; in Church matters, Reason is captivated, that word is made good, men are given over to strange delusions, to beleeve lies.

Thirdly, though they were in Babylon, yet they loved Zion; and 3 therefore in the 137. Psalme, and the 3. verse, If I forget thee, O Jerusa­lem, let my right hand forget her cunning; oh, they loved Zion: but now tis worse, our affections are captivated also: Christians, tis strange to [Page 9] see how that when judgement is inlightned, and men are able to reason in themselves for liberties, and to others for Jesus Christ, and yet they cannot get their affections off from Babylon: To instance in this one thing, If a private man (as they call them) with as excellent gifts as a publique (as they will distinguish) and they are convinced of it; yet men will not admit the private man to Exercise without many Queries (though unreasonable ones) (for it is supposed he should have as excel­lent gifts) and then there is nothing but this, the other is a publike per­son, & so far as he is a publike Officer in the Church of England made by the Bishops, or the Popes Factors, so farre well, considered it is not their beauty, and yet men cannot come off, it is not so well, unlesse they be Ministers, as they call them,: why now, are not your affections captivated? my Instance is not betweene private men, and such as are publike after the order of the Gospell; but such publike persons as they call Pastors in England made after the Jesuiticall Order, the Order of Rome: and now are not your affections captivated?

Lastly, they were onely captivated with their carnall Ordinances, 4 but now they have captivated our Graces, our Gifts, and our Gospell Ordinances: now in as much as we are made partakers of better Ordi­nances, and are captivated with them, our captivity is worse then theirs.

But in what manner, how should we forsake? Answer, if the Question Quest. be, how for meanes, what meanes shall we use?

I Answer, consider the Motives, and consider God hath bidden you Answ. come forth, and the Lord make his voyce a living voyce to you: Jesus Christs voyce to dead Lazarus, was, Lazarus come forth; and though he was dead in the grave, he did not dispute, and say, I am dead, how shall I arise? No, but Christ gave the word, and Lazarus came forth; Now the Lord make his commanding Word to be a living working Word to us all.

But if you aske the manner, how? Quest.

I answer in these foure or five particulars following. Answ.

First, Come forth, 1 speedily, swiftly; for the manner, be of the first ranke, as in Jer. 50. 8. Come forth out of the midst of Babylon, out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as he Goates before the flockes.

Secondly, Come forth with your garments undefiled: Those that 2 follow the Lambe follow him with undefiled Garments, and so if you will come out of Babylon, and forsake her, doe not defile your gar­ments, touch no uncleane thing: Oh how many are there that will say [Page 10] they are come forth of Babylon, they have obeyed the voyce of the Lord in this; when as they have but spread the Babylonish garments farther? The Church of England will protest against Babylon, but oh, their defiled garments! the truth is, shee doth defile better Gifts, and better parts with her Protestant Religion (as they call it) then ever she did before: and therefore those that will indeede come forth of Babylon, must not defile themselves with any of her accursed things.

Thirdly, come forth like men, and not like children, that is to say, 3 upon your owne legges, upon your owne principles: if you are like children, carried forth by men upon others principles, you may be fetched in by men againe: If I should perswade any of you this day, and you should resolve upon that which I speak, to goe out of Babylon, you might by another the next day be carried backe againe: but if you doe, through the perswasion of God, goe forth in confidence in his Truth, and in conscience unto his Command, then it is God that carri­eth you out, and man cannot bring you backe againe.

Fourthly, Come forth of Babylon in the love of your comming forth, 4 you must receive the truth in the love of the truth, and men must out of Babylon in the love of deliverance: many there are that are in their judgements come forth, and their reasons are set free, and yet they go not far from Babylon, the reason is, they are not come forth in the love of deliverance.

Fifthly, Come forth of Babylon, reioycing in, and praising for the 5 truth; so the Saints, in Rev. 18. 19, 20. when the men of the world shall weepe and cry, alas for Babylon! then the Church and servants of God shall rejoyce that God hath taken vengeance upon her; and the day of Gods vengeance upon Babylon, is the day of the declaration of the truth, as in the next verse after the Text: Now then go forth reioycing in, and praising for the truth that is revealed to you.

And the rather because (And this is the fourth Observation) Baby­lon Doctr. 4 is not your Country, Babylon is not the Country of the Saints.

First Reas. why Babylon is not our Country, is, because it is the Land Reas. 1 of our Captivity, and while we are there, we are a captivated people: but the Saints are a free people, therefore it is not their Countrey, for in it they cannot be free, but in bondage, in soule bondage: but indeede the Saints are free, for if Christ, if the Son hath made you free, then are you free indeede.

Secondly, That we say is our Country where we were bred and 2 [Page 11] born, where the Sepulchres of our fathers, and the dwellings of our bre­thren are, where we were borne and bred, that we say is our Countrey, but Zion was neither borne nor bred in Babylon, no, Babylon is destru­ctive to all of our Family, certainely Babylon is not our Country.

Thirdly, that wee see is mans Countrey where his Inheritance lieth, but the Inheritance of the Saints is not in Babylon, therefore Babylon 3 is not their Country.

Lastly, commonly Countries breed constitutions sutable to it selfe, 4 and we say he is such a Country man, because his constitution sutes the Countrey; but the constitution of the Saints doth not agree with Baby­lon, they can hardly live in Babylons aire, therefore it is not their Countrey.

First, Is it so, is it not your Country? Why then, why not forsake her? Oh that this day the Lord would bring one soule out of Babylon, and Ʋse. 1 that every one were that one, that we might all go out of Babylon: What? should you take up your dwelling in Captivitie, when you are bought to freedome? your freedome it is the prize of blood: what should you take up your dwellings where you have none inheritance? and what? in such a place, at such a distance from your brethren? as farre as Babylon from Zion? and what? in such an unhealthy place, as you can hardly live? and where you were never borne nor bred?

I, but some may say, I was borne and am bred in that which you con­demne Ob. for Babylon, to wit, the Church of England.

Friend, the Church of England? perhaps the Gospell hath laid hold on thee; (for that may be preached in a false Church) and the Gospell Answ. hath come to thee, by this or that man, by whom God was pleased to send it, as a Message to thy soule: let the message be received as from God, and let the feet of him that bringeth the glad tydings of salvation be pleasant to thee; but if thou saist the Church of England, I thinke thou doest not know what thou saist, for pray observe who did the Church of England bring forth? and now who doth it maintaine, but such as will give up their consciences, and give up their spirits, and give up the Spirit, and give up the Saints, and all, to a deformed conformity, where good and bad, Christ and Beliall, light and darknesse must dwell together? sure thou art not such a sonne? if thou art, thou art unlike those that thou callest thy Brethren, the Saints of the living God; and further, if thou art a beleever, and one that maketh conscience of thy wayes, if they had met thee in thy liberties and priviledges, like unnatu­rall mothers, they would have killed thee in thy liberties and privi­ledges; [Page 12] sure thou wast not borne nor bred here, and why shouldest thou not forsake her?

I, but we shall forsake many good Ministers. Object.

Answ. I say not unto you, forsake such, but forsake Babylon, and carry such with you, if you can; and if they will not then go with you, you have not done evill in leaving them, you have done but your duty, and they doe evill that they do not go with you.

And further let me tell you thus much; there are among those lo­custs which are come out of the bottomelesse pit, in the ninth Chapter of the Revelation, and the 7. verse, that Saint John hath a strange vision of them, or concerning them; they had things like Crownes upon their heads, and faces like men, and haire like women, but teeth like Lions; they may be toothed like Lions, though they looke so smoothly about the face.

And if thou wilt yet dwell in Babylon, consider one thing more, the charges you must live at here, the taxes of this countrey: a wise man will doe so for outwards, before he will settle in a place, he will consider whe­ther he is able to live there or no: now it may be thou hast not, if thou art a stranger, considered the taxes of this countrey: how they will sometimes call for gifts, and consciences, and Gospell-priviledges, and thou must resigne them, if a Prelate cals for them, or if a Presbytery cals for them, and such things are usefull for thy selfe, they are thy best goods.

Secondly, is not Babylon your Countrey? thinke it not strange to be Ʋse. 2 wondred at in Babylon, for you are a stranger; children and fools will wonder at strangers, and not consider they are strangers; it may be they will wonder at you, and cry out concerning you, a Brownist, a Brow­nist, when they know not what a Brownist is: some body you be, but they know not who, for you are strangers.

Thirdly, are you strangers in Babylon? you must looke for hard usage 3 there: if you are in a Countrey, and a stranger in it, you shall not have that respect nor kindnesse as a Countrey-man, if any is turned out of doores, it is the stranger; so have the Saints been served in England, and looke for no better usage in Babylon.

Lastly, if it be your owne Countrey, then seeke out after your owne 4 Countrey.

For the fift Observation is, that as it is a duty to forsake Babylon, Doctr. 5 so equally it is the duty of the Saints to returne to their owne Countrey.

For my proceeding in this fift Observation, consider with me these three things.

First, what Countrey is our owne Countrey.

Secondly, what is it for the Saints to returne into their owne Coun­trey.

Thirdly, why ought the Saints to returne into their owne Countrey. The gene­rall Answ. to the first Quest.

For answer to the first Question: it may be demanded whether the people of God are bound to find out the Land of Canaan, and to return thither, as to their owne particular possession by promise? whether they are to returne to that as to their countrey, yea, or no? To this I answer, that the Land of Canaan is no more the countrey of the people of God now then any other place or countrey is through Jesus Christ, 4. of John the 23. but though that be not our countrey, though that be not our rest, yet there doth remaine a rest for the people of God, Hebrewes the 4. and the 9. and this rest is our countrey; as we are not to come forth of temporall Babylon, but from that estate which is spiritually cal­led Babylon: so are we not to looke after any temporall Canaan to re­turne to that, but we are to looke for a countrey which is spiritually cal­led Canaan, and such a countrey we have yet remaining to us, we have a rest, and our rest is our countrey. Consider, for the proofe of this, the latter end of the third Chapter to the Hebrewes, with the beginning of the fourth, and it will appeare that this rest is our country, typified out by the Land of Canaan: it doth appeare there to be so by these two things: first, the Holy Ghost calleth them both but one rest, as may be seene by comparing the 11. verse of the 3. Chapter, with the 1. verse of the 4. The Spirit of God saith not, Gods rests, or his first or his se­cond rest; but Gods rest, making them both one rest. And secondly, the Holy Ghost maketh the way of entring into these rests to be the very same, not two wayes of entring in, but one way of entring in, and that is by faith, as may appeare by comparing of the 3. Chapter with the first verse of the 4. in the one he saith, They could not enter in because of unbeliefe: in the other hee saith, Take heed you are not shut out through unbeleefe: so we see here is the substance of Canaan in this rest, here is our countrey. But for more particular answer unto this question, The par­ticular Answ. consider with me these three things:

• First, what this rest is.
• Secondly, why it is called a countrey.
• Thirdly, and why our countrey.

For answer to the first of these, this rest is the free grace of God, The An­swer to the first of these. the free love of God, it may be you may thinke this is a strange inter­pretation of this rest, but if you consider the Scripture in that 3. Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes, and it will appeare to be free grace, a free love; for to take this rest to be Heaven (that is our state of happinesse hereafter) that cannot be, for in the third verse of the 4. Chapter it is said they that beleeved were entered into it already. Againe it cannot be conceived that this rest is the Covenant of grace, the new Covenant, for I doe not conceive that the promise made with Abraham and the land of Canaan was the same that the promise and the thing promised are the same; though I confesse it, that the promise as it ends in the free grace of God so it beginneth in it also, as God is the end of the promise, so he is the begining: yet I conceive that the Covenant of grace and the grace of the Covenant are in our understanding to be distin­guished, though it be true that in God there is no Obligation but him­selfe, and so the Covenant of Grace on Gods part is his grace, yet un­to us the love of God, and the covenant of that love, or promise of it to our understandings are two things: And now as Canaan was the end of the Covenant to Abraham and to his seed, so this free grace of God the end of the Covenant is our rest, this is our Canaan. Againe, I cannot conceive Jesus Christ to be understood here by this rest, any other waies considered but as God, for as he is man he is as capable of entering in­to this rest himselfe as we are through him, nay we are to possesse it to­gether by right of inheritance, Rom. 8. ver. 17. Consider Jesus Christ as Mediator, and so he is capable of this rest also, as he is in our per­sons: as he is a Mediator he is in our persons as well as in Gods, for God is but one, as the Scripture speaketh; so that any otherwayes considered then as God, and he cannot be this rest, but as he is God, so is he love, as in the first Epistle of John, Chap. 4. ver. 16. And thus as he is God, so is he our rest: And therefore in Heb. 3. ver. 12. (which I pray you well mind) the exhortation drawn from the rebellion of the Jews, for which God sware that they should not enter into his rest; the exhortation is, that they would take heed, lest through the same un­beliefe they should depart from the living God: Observe, here he doth not say, living Christ, though whatsoever the son of God is annointed to be, he liveth and continueth so to be, yet when he speaketh of this rest, he saith, living God: so that this is the answer unto this Question, This rest is God, as God is love: this rest is free grace.

The 2. Question, But why is this called a Country? The answer to The An­swer to the 2. Quest. this is, Because this is the substance of the Land of Canaan, Israels Country: And therefore the Fathers, while in Canaan, did seek after a better Country, as in Heb. 11. ver. 16. This is the best Country, be­cause a spirituall one: and though it be a spirituall one, yet behold here is Mount Zion, here is Jerusalem, here is that pleasant river running from out of Mount Zion, whose streames make glad the City of God, as it is Psal. 4. ver. 4. What will you call this, will you not call it a Country? the Hebrews were come into this Country, as you may see in the 12. Chap. of their Epistle, beginning at ver. 22.

The 3. Question, But why our Country? Because we are born unto The An­swer to the 3. Quest. this Country, as in the first Epistle of Peter, Chap. 1. ver. 4. That Coun­try we say is ours, the which we are born heires of; you see we are born unto this, as unto our inheritance.

Again, As we are born unto free grace, so are we born by free grace, that Country in which we are born, we say is our Country, this is more our Country: We are not only born in free grace, but we are born of free grace, and therefore they that are born again, are said to be born of God: And this birth, as it is called a birth, otherwhere, in the 2. Chap. to the Ephesians, is called a quickning, and that is by grace, as in the fifth Verse.

Againe, we say, that is our Countrey in which our dwellings are, this is our Country therefore, for as we are borne unto an Inheritance in free grace, nay, to the Inheritance of free grace; and as we are begot­ten of, and brought forth by free grace, so is our dwellings in free grace also; our dwellings are in God, and he that dwelleth in God dwelleth in love, 1 Joh 4. 16. so this free love, this free grace of God is our Coun­trey. The next Question is, But what is it for the Saints to returne into their owne Countrey?

The answer to this Question I make to those who are in their travail The An­swer to the 2. generall Quest. from Babylon unto their owne Country, You are come out of Babylon that Church-state which is spiritually called so: Well, for such a one to returne unto his owne country is for him to travail untill he is in a visi­ble state of free grace, which you are not in untill visibly thou art in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship. Object. But some may say, why? if the free grace of God be this our country, then whether a man be in such fellowship or no, if he be a beleever he is in his owne Coun­try, for as he is a beleever he is in the state of grace. For answer, we are [Page 16] a speaking concerning the visible state of a beleever, whether in Babylon or in the visible state of free grace. Again for a man to say he is in God or walketh in God, and yet walketh in darkness, he lieth and hath no truth in him, as in the first Epist. of John Chap. 1. v. 6. Now what it is to walk in light, which is contrary unto darkenes, is shewed in the 7. ver. to have fellowship one with another; whatsoever the Children of Israell had by promise and were possessed of by beleeving, they were not seene to be in Canaan while they were in Babylon, nor untill they were visibly returned into their owne Country: so whatsoever through faith the Saints do inherite, they are not visibly in God untill they are visibly in the fellowship of love; he that dwelleth in God dwelleth in love: thus for us to returne into our owne Country, is for us to returne unto the visible fellowship of free grace; God is love, love is our Countrey, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, 1 Joh. 1. 16. And God is light, and if we walke in light wee have fellowship one with another, 1 Joh. 1. 7.

Question. But why are the Saints equally bound to returne to their owne Country as they are to come out of Babylon? Because that which is a ground of the one duty, is a ground of the other.

As they who come not out of Babylon when God calleth them, they Reason. 1 sin; so they that returne not into their Country when God command­eth them, sin also: come out of Babylon, you sinne else, return to your owne Countrey, you sinne else.

As they who come not out of Babylon are liable to Babylons punish­ment; Reas. 2 so they that returne not to their Countrey are liable to Babylons punishment also. In Jer. 50. 37. Babylons sword shall be upon the min­gled people; come out of Babylon, you will be punished else: return to your own Countrey, you will be punished else.

As they who come not out of Babylon, when God calleth, can no Reas. 3 way answer Gods love in calling of them forth, so no more can they who returne not into their owne Countrey when God calleth: as you will answer the unspeakeable love of God to you more then to thou­sands, in shewing to you the mystery of Babylons iniquity, and calling you forth of it, Come out of Babylon; so likewise as you will answer the unspeakable love of God to you more then to thousands in discovering to you your owne Countrey and in calling you thither, returne unto your owne Country.

I will only make a double Use of this truth; the 1. Use shall be of La­mentation, Ʋse. 1 [Page 17] that all the people of God would seriously consider this and lament their condition in that our God shall speake so lowd, and yet that we should not heare him: Oh how few their be that knew what I would in all that I have said, or know what I meane when I say, that as it is the duty of the Saints to come out of Babylon, so equally it is their duty to returne into their owne Country: Is it not therefore to be lamented? But the Se­cond Ʋse. 2 use shall be of Exhortation unto all those that understand what I say, that they would not put this Journy off by no meanes, but travaile with this word of God from Babylon, to their owne Country. But some man may say, Alas, the way is long, and in the consideration of the distance of place between Babylon and their owne Country, may even resolve to sit down where they are rather then to take such a worke in hand. I, but to this I answer, that though the way belong, yet the end is hap­pie. Again consider, though between literall Babylon & Canaan was such a distance, yet between spirituall Babylon, and our rest the distance is but a difference, I confesse the difference is as great as the distance; but let it be as I said before, the end is happy, the change is glorious: there is a difference between bon­dage and freedome, but to be free is to be happy, 'tis to be very beautifull, & so here is a difference: but your change is a happi­nesse, 'tis a glory. But some man may say, the way is very full of turnings, 'tis hard to find and therefore they will rather rest where they are then venture upon this travaill, lest they should lose themselves. I answer, for a slave, to argue thus, I will yet be a slave lest I should be lost. Poore man, is he not lost? he is a slave, yet such is the reasonings of many in this false Church, they will not forsake it? for those that do runne they know not whither. Alas these men may be deceived, these strag­ling creatures may be in the way to their own Country: but put the case with them some doe run as they suppose, yet to speak in their language, as good doe so, as rest in slavery in Babylon, not losse of a mans selfe like this to be lost here. But to this ob­jection I have this answer; though the way be crooked & there are many turnings, you must turne often if you will undertake this travaile, yet taking the word of God for your guide, for [Page 18] your rule that will make crooked things streight, and rough things smooth and plaine before you, as you shall find it pro­mised in the 42. Chap. of Esay the 16. verse.

But some man may say, but it is a very uncouth way, there is no passengers almost in it, if I should goe, I should get few or none to goe with me, I must goe alone, this is my discouragement; There are too many with this Objection in their mouthes: but is it not a weake one? men in attaining a­ny thing which is in their eye, care not how singular they are, and yet this is (now when your happinesse and glory is in the end) the obiection, in your singularity, your way. Againe, Jesus Christ would make nothing of this obiection, while hee had his Father with him: nay, he laieth it down thus, That he was not alone while his Father was with him, Joh. 16. 23. And now shall we say we are alone while God is with us? But yet some men say further, Alas, but the dirtinesse of the way, 'tis full of mire­pits, some men are lost in them. This poore soule I would speake something unto of all the other, because I have seene so many mired creatures, even at the very first, when they have entred upon this travell: some in the mire of their owne cor­ruptions have beene lost: others, their friends have beene as a snare unto: others the world: now to this Obiection, I have reserved the best meanes, and that is faith, this will doe it wheresoever you are mired, yet faith exercised in the Com­mand, God hath commanded you to goe on, what will hin­der now an obedient soule? but then faith exercised in the promise of Gods presence unto you: now, what can mire a beleeving, a loving soule? So you see, for the worst you can say, here is yet the best meanes: but there is one more, and that is, it is a very darke way, and how shall we finde it? For this I finde a rule and a promise in Jer. 6. 16. there you shall finde them both, Thus saith the Lord, stand yee in the wayes, and see, and aske for the old pathes, where is the good way, and walke therein: and the promise is, you shall finde rest unto your soules. And this is quite contrary unto Babylons condition: For the next thing that is here in our Consideration, is her Judge­ment: Last Do­ctrine. and the Observation is, That Babylons judgement is a [Page 19] great judgement, her judgement reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies: And I conceive that these words doe not onely hold it out unto us, That Babylons iudgement is a great iudgement, but they hold out unto us that Babylons judgement is the greatest or highest, for it reacheth unto hea­ven, and is lifted up unto the skies: the wicked man his por­tion, in Psal. 11. 6. is stormes and tempest, this shall be their portion to drinke: but there is no wrath hath a fall like Baby­lons wrath, no storme, no tempest can be higher then this Ba­bylons iudgement, for that reacheth up to heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies; so that I observe this, from this Meta­phoricall declaration of Babylons judgement; That Babylons judgement is the greatest iudgement.

Now as Ancient Babylon did discover and typifie out my­stery Babylon, so the Judgment which come upon ancient Babylon doth also hold out unto us the Judgment which shall come upon that State which is spiritually called Babylon; and this Judgment is the greatest judgment that is, this wrath is the greatest declaration of temporall wrath upon the Sons of men. Babylons Judgment is the greatest. Judgment: for the proofe of this by Scripture I confirme it, by that one place, 16. Chap. of the Revelations of John and the 19. verse, there you shall find that the Cup of Babylons wrath is filled out of the 7. Viall of Gods wrath; Gods last manifestations are alwayes his greatest, even of his wrath also, and of this is Babylons cup filled withall. It will further appeare that Babylons judge­ment is the greatest Judgement, if you consider with me these particulars.

First, that judgement which is from the fiercenesse of Gods wrath, must needs be the greatest judgement; but so was Baby­lons 1 judgement of old, Jer. 51. ver. 45. and so shall the judge­ment of mystery Babylon be, Rev. 16. ver. 19.

That Judgment which seiseth upon a people, and upon their 2 Idols also; oh what a judgement that is! but such a iudge­ment was Babylons of old, Jer. 50. ver. 2. such also shall the Judgement of mystery Babylon be, Rev. 18. ver. 14.

Judgements which come with particular guilt along with 3 them, they are sore Judgements: by how much guilt there [Page 20] commeth along with a Judgement, by so much is the Judge­ment the sorer: but Babylon of old, her Judgement came with particular guilt, Ier. 51. ver. 24. so shall the Judgement of my­stery Babylon be, Rev. 18. ver. 6, 7.

That Judgement which shal come upon the people of God 4 and all, if they be found among such a people against which Gods wrath is, this judgement must needs be very great: we reade in Ezek. 14. at the latter end, of sore Judgements which should seise generally upon the Land that sinneth: yet if Noah, Daniel, and Iob be there, they shall be delivered: but if the people of God doe not come out of Babylon, but remain there, the Judgement that shall seise upon Babylon, shall be upon them also: therefore Babylons judgement is very great: Thus it was with Babylon of old, Jer. 50. ver. 37. and so God hath warned us, lest it fall out so with us through his punish­ment upon mystery Babylon, Rev. 18. ver. 4.

That iudgement which ceaseth not but in the utter extirpa­tion, 5 the utter desolation of a people, that iudgement is a sore iudgement, but this did not, concerning Babylon of old, Jer. 51. 63, 64. nor shall not concerning mystery Babylon, the 18. Chapter of the Revelations, from the 21. verse to the end of the Chapter.

That judgement or wrath under which the earth shall 6 smart and vanish away, that must needes be great: but such shall this wrath be, Rev. 16. 20. Put all these Greates together, and consider, Is not Babylons iudgement the greatest iudge­ment, wheresoever any iudgement doth exceede, one branch of this wrath held out under one particular Metaphor is ex­ceeding, Revel. 16. ult. But what is the ground of this? why is Babylons iudgement the greatest iudgement?

The onely ground is, because Babylon is guilty of the grea­test Rea∣son. 1 sinnes, therefore she lyeth open to the greatest wrath: Con­sider her guilt in these three things, besides that guiltinesse which you may otherway have occasion to take notice of; first, consider her blood-guiltinesse, which God witnesseth to be very great against Babylon of old, the 51. of Jeremiah, the 35. verse, and now under our present distractions in blood, if [Page 21] it be demaunded, Where will the guilt of this blood lye: let the word of God speak, and the guiltinesse, the blood-guiltinesse of mystery Babylon shall be declared to comprehend it all; Rev. 18. verse the last, in her was found the blood of Prophets, and of Saints, and of all them that was slaine upon the earth: Her blood-guiltinesse, why? she is drunke with blood, the 17. Chapter of the Revelations, the 6. verse; God chargeth his own people with much blood-guiltinesse, he telleth them their hands are full of blood, in the first of Esay, and the 15. because they were full of the blood of their sacrifices; but Babylon is full of the blood of Saints: nay, let me hint it unto you, that she is full of the blood of Jesus, in counting the blood of the Co­venant unholy, when they reckon the price and holinesse of it, with themselves and services: now whatsoever punishment are these men worthy of, see it in the 10. to the Hebrewes, the 29. and the 30. here is the ground why Babylons judgement is the greatest judgement: but Babylons guilt is; she hath not onely made her selfe drunke with blood, but she hath sinned against the word of him who hath spoken from heaven; And therefore in the first Epist. of John, the 4. chapter, and the 2. verse, this same spirit of Antichrist, which is in Babylon, hath denyed that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. And this guilt is the ground of this the greatest punishment, for in the 12. to the Hebrews, the 25. verse, If they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turne away from him which speaketh from heaven.

Ob. But these doe not deny, but professe Jesus Christ.

Answ. I confesse they doe professe Jesus Christ, but that they doe not deny him, that I deny, for here is the third branch of their sin-guiltinesse, that they deny him in his owne name, in the name of Jesus Christ, they deny that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. There is one divell that Jesus Christ ca­steth out in the Gospell, that doth adjure Christ in his owne name not to cast him out; so these Babylonians doe in the name of Christ set up such Kings and Priests and Prophets, which doe testifie that spirit to all the world, that they deny [...] [Page 20] [...] [Page 21] [Page 22] that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh; and in all their carnall ordinances wherein in the name of Christ they doe professe him in all this they doe, but in the name of Christ, deny that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh: Oh what a sinne is this? this is the height of their sinnes, and this is the ground of the greatnesse of their punishment.

One ground more of the greatnesse of Babylons judgement, Reas. 2 this is the ground of it: God will deale with Babylon as with sinne, not as with sinners, or with a sinning people, but as with sinne: for Babylons constitution is a transgression, God will deale with this State, as with his Idoll shepheard, and as with Idols, and Idols were wont to be burnt: Oh what a judge­ment will this be!

I will make a double use of this consideration, that Baby­lons judgement is the greatest judgement: the first is of infor­mation, the second of exhortation.

For information, to informe us of the present distractions of our times, Babylons judgement is the greatest: Be infor­med from hence, that the nearer these present judgments come unto Babylons wrath, to a Church wrath, the greater must wee expect them to be: the reason why the first of this present judgement by the sword in Scotland, and in Holland, and in King Henry the 8. dayes in England, and in Queene Eliza­beths dayes was a great deale easier then this last in Germany, Ireland, and then it is like to be now in England, is this, the lat­ter end of this present administration commeth nearer the wrath that is to be powred out under the 7. viall: and it is therefore the nearer and the more like the seventh wrath, the greatest judgement: the more of this ingredient (a Church war) is in the difference in hand betweene the Kings of the earth and free people, the harder will it be decided in the great day of God Almighty in Armageddon: to bring spiri­tuall ordinances in their adminstration into a civill state to be administred unto all people, this produceth those Antichri­christian sinnes: to bring the civill ordinance of the sword in its administration into a Church-state: And hence followeth [Page 23] this Antichristian punishment: Get something from hence for your information in the present distractions.

The last use is unto all the people of God which are yet in Babylon (for when I present these my considerations to the Saints, they are presented to such, as well as to others of Gods people) now to such my exhortation is nothing but that which is the naturall Exhortation in the words from this ground, that they would come out of Babylon, and returne to their owne Countrey, for her judgement reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even unto the skies.