The Contents of the Morall Law.

The Morall Law prescribeth a perfect Rule of righteousnesse, discerning things that are Right and Just, from the contrary, both towards God and man, both in reference to externall and internall duties, requiring obedience under pain of everlasting death.

The Contents of the Judiciall Law.

The Judiciall Law belonged to the Civil State, and were such Or­dinances, The Judici­all consists of Rules of Equity and Justice. as contained rules of equity for the judging and deciding of civil controversies, and questions, decreeing punishments for the transgressions of the Morall and Ceremonial Lawes, and con­sequently the very Bond of them Laws, keeping the people in order and Obedience.

The Contents of the Ceremoniall Law.

The Ceremoniall Law concerned such Rites and sacrifices, as be­longed to the externall worship of God, prescribed to the people of the [...]ews, in reference to the promised seed of the woman, which was to bruise the Serpents head, Gen. 3. 14, 15. and to typifie his coming to this end, as also to distinguish them from other Nations in the world, and to be signes and Symbols unto them of the Spiri [...]uall graces of the New Testament, to be fulfilled by the Messiah.

The Ceremoniall Law utterly abolished.

As touching the Ceremoniall Law, it is utterly abolished, so that there is no place for them under the Gospel. Neither can they be revived without derogation to the Gospel of Christ, as the Apo­stle saith, if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing, Gal. 5. 2. for when the body is come the shadow must be done away, but the Cremonies were shadows, the body is Christ, Col. 2. 17.

1. Their Temple signified the body of Christ, in his Church their Holy place HEAVEN, or the bodies of the Saints, 1 Cor. 6. 19. Know ye not that your bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, &c. their sacrifices the passion of Christ. Heb. 9. 26. 28. their expiation the Remission of sinnes, Heb. 22. &c. these things then being fully verified and fulfilled in Christ, have no more place in the Church.

2. These Ceremonies served onely for that carnall people, which were as children kept in Bondage under the Elements and Rudi­ments of the world, Gal. 4. 3. But now we are no longer under Tutours and Governours, the time appointed of the father being expired, but are set free and redeemed by Christ.

3. A third Reason for the abolishing of them, is in respect of that people to whom they were prescribed as a mark and Cognizance to di­scern them from all other nations. But now this distinction also being taken away, and the wall of partition being broken down, Jew and Gentile, being now made all one in Christ by faith, that also is abo­lished, which discerned them from other people.

Reason 4 For the Causes being changed, for the which the Law was made, there must needs be also an Alteration of the Law it self.

The Moral Law remaineth in full force, in point of obedience.

The Moral Law remaineth yet in full force, and is not abrogated in respect of obedience, which thereunto is still required under the Gospel. But in respect of the Curse Christ hath onely taken away the Curse and malediction of the Mo­rall Law. and malediction, which Christ hath taken away (so that it is most true which our blessed Savi­our Saith, He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it, Mat. 5. 17, 18 19.) he hath fulfilled it; first, in his own person, in keeping it; 2. in paying the punishment for us, which was due by the Law to the transgressors thereof; 3. inabling us by his grace, to walke in obedience to his Law.

Why it pleased God, to give his written Law into the World.

1. God did not give the moral law in writing, in that he was ei­ther mutable in changing his first determination, or that in processe of time, he had found out a more profitable way then he knew before, as some have wickedly objected of old; and now revived by the The Ranters and Qua­kers Tenent. Ranters and Quakers of this Apostate Generation, saying, that by the light of Nature before the Flood, Men discerned good from evill, just from unjust, so that the old world sinning against the law of Na­ture was justly punished, it being imprinted in their hearts, they shew­ing the effects of that Law written in their hearts, their con­sciences also bearing them witnesse?

Answer. 1. But because the law of Nature was now much obscured, and almost quite obliterated by reason of the Idolatry and Tyranny that was then spread over the earth, which flowed from the cor­ruption of nature. Therefore the Lord thought it needfull to give it forth by a Visible writing thereof in two Tables of Stone: To his then onely peculiar people, who from that very cause, was selected out of the world, Gen. 17. 1, 2, 4. Exod. 15. 26. and 20. 2, 3. Deut. 5. 1, 2, 3. and 6. 12, &c.

2. Least men should complain, that somewhat was wanting in the heart; therefore to take away all pretext of ignorance, the Lord gave his written Law; so that all men in generall are left without excuse.

3. Because it was to prepare and make way for the Gospel, to shew that we have not strength in our selves to fulfill the law, in re­ference to the spirituall part thereof: and so it was our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, Gal. 3. 24.

4. It was given as a supply of the weakness and ignorance of man, that whereas there was no certain rule before to know what was good and what was evill; but men according to their blinde phan­tasie and carnal imagination, placed happinesse some in one thing, [Page 8] and some in another, the written law was to correct their erronious opinions, & to teach one constant & certain rule of truth and virtue.

Reason For although in Civill and Politick matters, the esteemed wise a­mong the Heathen, by their depraved light of nature and experience had attained to some degree of knowledge therein; yet they were utterly ignorant of the true knowledge thereof, and worship which God required therein: all which is explained in the law, with the statutes and judgments annexed thereunto.

So that in doing of this, the Lord is said to commit the greatest treasure in the world to mankinde, as Moses affirmeth, Deut. 4. 8. What Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and judgments so righteous as all the Law that I set before you this day.

The fourfold use of the moral law in the fourfold State of man.

First, As man was in his creation and state of Innocency, he recei­ved two benefits by the knowledge of the law, which was grafted in him by creation. For 1. thereby he was made conformable to the image of God. And so directed, as that he should not have swerved from the will of his creator: 2. He had assurance so long as he wal­ked in obedience thereunto of certain eternity, never to have tasted of Death, Corruption, or Mutability.

For he that keepeth the Law shall live thereby.

Secondly, in Mans corrupt and decayed estate, the law served to re­strain the evill, (i. e. the written Law) and therefore the Apostle saith, that the Law is not given to a righteous man, but to a lawless and disobedient, 1 Tim. 1. 9. as also to discover unto them their sins; and hence the same Apostle saith, without the law sin is dead, Rom. 7. 8. i. e. sin was not known to be sin, for saith he, I had not known Lust, except the Law (i. e. the written Law) had said, Thou shalt not commit, vers. 7.

Here then that Soul-destroying notion of Quakisme is confuted, The Qua­kers opinion confuted. which alloreth men that are in this corrupt and decayed condition of nature (viz. evill and unregenerate men, to look to the light of nature within them, for their guidance and direction, and not to the revealed will of God, in his word, or at least rather; notwithstan­ding the Apostle doth positively declare all such light to be absolute darknesse, even darkness in the Abstract: As in Eph. 5. 8. where he telleth the Church at Ephesus, that they had been sometimes dark­nesse, and that at such time they walked according as other Gen­tiles walked, in the vanity of their minds, according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the Aire, the [Page 9] Spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience, &c. as also that they were by Nature, i. e. since the fall; for it cannot be meant of Nature in Adam before his fall, for it was then good, and so good, as that it is termed the image of God, (as afore mentioned) the children of wrath, even as others. Now I would gladly know, what light of Nature these Ephesians had, when they were even Darknesse it self, &c. and when they were without Christ, and ‘strangers from the Covenant of promise without hope, and without God in the world.’

If the Quakers reply that Christ is that Light, which lighteneth every man that cometh into the world.

I answer and demand of them, how he had inlightened these Gen­tiles, which the Apostle compared the Ephesians unto (as afore­said) Again, if Christ hath inlightned every man that cometh in­to the world, in their sense, then the Apostle Paul was a vain-glo­rious person, who termeth himself a spirituall father to the Corin­thians, 1 Cor. 4. 15. and that he had begotten them through the Go­spel; for if the Light of the Gospel had been naturally in them, how could Paul be said to be Gods instrument of conveying that Gospel-Light unto them. Again, if so, wherefore do these persons make use of Prayer and preaching, if it be not advantageous to illuminate their Auditors, and if they be illuminated thereby, then those so illuminated, cannot attribute the Light, they so receive from o­thers, to themselves; and say that they had not received the same instrumentally from their brother Quakers: It will therefore una­voidably follow, that the Quakers practice doth destroy and confound their accursed Principle, of holding forth that dark Lanthorn of the depraved light of Nature to light men that are meerly Naturall in­to the wayes of truth and righteousnesse.

When one came to enquire of our blessed Saviour what he Jesus Christ was no Quaker. should do to obtain eternall life, he did not (as these Quakers) send him to the Light within him, but asketh him saying, what is written in the Law, how readest thou? Luke, 10. 26, &c.

Again, speaking to the Sadduces, who say there is no Resurre­ction (and so full Cousin germans to these Quakers) saith, that they erred in not knowing the Scriptures, Mat. 2. 29. Mark 12. 24. clearly implying that the Contempt of the Sacred Scriptures is the Originall of Error, as hath been too evidently made manifest by the Ranters, who since they have despised the Scriptures, have run themselves into the very height of wickednesse. The Apo­stle [Page 10] Paul in such cases doth therefore exhort Timothy to beware of evil men and Seducers, and to continue in the things that he had read, and had been assured of; knowing of whom he had learned them, The Scrip­ture more holy in Pauls esteem. commanding him in that of a Child, he had known the Holy Scripture, which was able to make him wise unto salvation, through the faith which is in Christ Jesus, affirming that all Scripture is given by Inspiration of God The excel­lent use of holy Scrip­ture. , and is profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for Instruction in Righteousnesse, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works, 2 Tim. 3. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.

Thirdly, in mans regenerate condition, the Law or Scrip­ture, (the gospel being onely the Spirit of the Law) is a perfect Rule of righteousnesse, witnesse the Prophet David, who speaking of the Law of God, saith it was A Lanthorn to his feet, and a light unto his paths, Psal. 119. 105. and Psal. 19. 7. he saith, ‘the Law of God is perfect, converting the soul, the testimony of the Lord is pure, and enlightneth the eyes, &c. more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey, or the honey comb [...]; moreover saith he, 'by them is thy ser­vant taught, and in keeping of them there is great reward.'’ Again, Psal. 119. 24. Thy Testimonies also are my delight and my Counsellours, by all which it is clear that godly David did not run to a Notion within him to be his counsellour, but to the Law and to the Testimony, knowing that whoso walketh not according to that Rule, it is because they have no light in them. Isa. 8. 20.

Again, how it is the Lord threatneth his people, for that they A lesson for the Ranters and Qua­kers. had forsaken his Law, which he had set before them, and did not obey this voice, neither walked therein, but walked after the imagination of their own hearts Jer. 9. 13, 14, 15.

Our blessed Saviour also telleth his Apostles, saying, By this ye shall know ye are my Disciples, if ye observe whatsoever I Command you: he doth not send them to the Dictates of their own phan­tasies, but what he had commanded them.

The Apostle Paul also affirmeth, that whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our Instruction, that we through pa­tience and comfort of the Scripture might have Hope, Rom. 15. 4.

The Apostle Peter also exhorteth the people of God ‘to be These Com­mandments were not Notions. mindfull of the words which were spoken before, by the Ho­ly Prophets, and of the Commandements of them the Apostles of the Lord Jesus, 2 Pet. 3. 2.’ as also that no ‘ Prophesie of Scripture is [Page 11] of any private interpretation, and that Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man, but that Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2 Pet. 1. 20, 21.’ We are not then to imitate these Quakers, to leave a certainty for an incertainty, the written word for a whimsie in the brain, making their phansies their Scripture and rule to walk by, no saith the Apostle speaking of the Holy Scripture, ‘as many as walk by this rule, peace shall be upon them, &c. what will befall such then as walk not accor­ding to this Rule, but tribulation and wrath, &c’

Secondly, in mans regenerate condition, the written Law teacheth the true knowledge of God, and how it was that the Apostle Paul commanded the Bereans, because they tryed his Do­by the Touchstone of the Scriptures, Acts 17. 11. Those of Berea were more noble than those of Thessalonica, &c.

Thirdly, it assureth a man that walketh therein of his Election, and how our blessed Saviour saith, If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them, John 13. 17. as also the Apostle Peter, ‘If ye do these things, ye shall never fall, 2 Pet. 1. 10.’

Fourthly, it sheweth what benefit we have received by Christ, i. e. the renewing of that image wherein man was first created, (the Scriptures being a Lanthorn and a Light to that purpose, as David h [...]th acknowledged) Col. 3. 10. ‘Having put on the new man which is created in knowledge, after the image of him that created h [...]m.’

In the state of Reformation of all things, the Law shall have that use which it had before mans fall, to shew the conformity of mankind in their holy obedience, with the blessed will of their Glorious Creatour, Lord and Master Jesus Christ, blessed for ever, Amen.

Of the Judiciall Law.

The Judicialll Law floweth from the Morall Law, which is the Fountain and Foundation thereof; and as the Morall Law is fixed in the Heart and Conscience of every man by nature, Rom. 2. 14, 15. so the Judicialls appertaining thereunto, flow from the same Foun­tain, and therefore seeing no Common-wealth can stand without a Civil and Judiciall Constitution; the Lord therefore having provi­ded the Law that binds in Conscience, so here he sets forth the pe­na [...]ll lawes, whereby the obstinacy of men may be restrained; for if men were left to themselves, there would be few that would not rather live as they list, as the Ranters, &c.

1. Therefore because it might so fall out, that all would not be Why the Judicial Law was given. obedient to the Moral Precept, it was necessary that the alone Law-giver, (Rom. 4. 12.) ‘who is onely able to save and to de­stroy, to prescribe what Punishment every transgressour of the Law should be liable unto.’

Of the word Judgement.

As touching the word Judgement in the Singular, it doth not signifie as Judgements in the Plurall; for Judgement in the Singu­lar doth for the most part signifie condemnation, but in the plu­rall it signifies as well the revenge and punishment of the guilty, as the defence of the innocent.

2. The word Judgement is taken three wayes, as first it signi­fi [...]s the Act of Judgement and understanding, which determineth what is meet and convenient to be done, and so it is the fountain and beginning, whence good Lawes do proceed.

Reason For the Law is made good out of Judgement.

So that the Judiciall Law is in effect as if the Lord had said un­to Moses, whereas I have already given the people Generall Rules of serving me, as also how to dem [...]an themselves one towards a­nother, now upon a full and deliberate consultation and Iudgement given I shall deliver their particular demeanour touching the same; as also the punishment that shall be inflicted upon the violatours thereof, whether towards me, or towards one another.

2. The word Judg [...]ment is taken for the Administration of Iu­stice, which is the executive part of the Law.

3. It is taken for the Law it self, according to which Iudgement i [...] given.

The Iudiciall Law of three sorts.

1. They either were such as were annexed to the Moral Law, as the statutes and Judgements touching the Contemners of the Mo­ral Law in Generall or in particular, as in Blasphemy, Idolatry, Mur­ther, Adultery, &c.

2. Or such as were appendent to the Ceremoniall Law, as the Statutes and Iudgements touching any dead thing, or that were pro­hibited and the like.

3. Or such as appertained to the particular Policie and State of the Jews Common-wealth, as concerning the year of Jubile, raising [...] seed to the brother departed without issue, by marrying his wife, &c.

The two last of these are abolished, one with the Ceremonies on which they attended, the other as being onely peculiar to [Page 13] that Government, is now decayed and determined with it.

The Great Controversie now to debate, is whether the first of of these, i. e. the Statutes and Judgements annexed to the Moral Law be as Binding to all Nations, as the Moral Law it self.

In r [...]ference to which, I take the Affirmative part, and say, That the Judicial Laws, annexed to the Moral Law, is as Bind­ing as the Law, and ought to be put in practise by the Magistrates of ALL the NATIONS in the whole world.

This great Argument controverted.

It is acknowledged that the Moral Law, is obligatory, uni­versal, The Adver­saries con­fession. and eternal; for that it is agreeable to the Law of nature commanded by God to Moses, revived and ratified by Jesus Christ in the Gospel: and therefore may really and truly be termed the Law of Christ, and the Royall Law of Jehovah, binding ALL NATIONS.

But as for the judiciall Law, it ended with the Jews Common Their Obje­ction. wealth, for which it was intended; and therefore untill it can be shewn, when and where it was renued and imposed upon all Nations Mounseir Needham the Court Parrasite and Pensioner, that scoffing Ishmaelite and blasphemous Rabshakah of the times saith he will not believe it.

Resp. I am glad this Court Sycophant and Temporising Parasite hath so much grace as to acknowledge what he hath in reference to the Royal Law of Jehovah, i. e. the Moral Law, and as touching the other, I answer and say.

That the Judiciall Law annexed to the Moral Law, is no more ended or determined than the Moral Law it self. Neither can be, And that for these following Reasons, i. e.

1. For they are as I have said, conclusions and rules of justice, Reason 13 grounded upon the Morall Law, or Royal Law; and were not ap­pointed to prefigure any thing, but meerly grounded upon the law of Equity and Justice; and therefore can nor ought to be laid aside any more than those precepts of equity and justice, to which they are so inseparably annexed, as that the one cannot suffer detriment without the other, and consequently neither the law, statute, or judgment, but by an open and apparent contempt of Jehovah the Lord Christ, the God of equity and justice, who hath established and ratified them to be his laws to such purpose, and so not judaicall, or peculiar onely to the Jews, but to all that are under the verge of the Moral Law.

[Page 14]2. For that the breach of the Moral Precept, (or Law is the same before the alone Law-giver) in one part of the world, as in ano­ther, as to kill a man wilfully, or by Accident, is now the same sin before the eyes of God in England, as it was then in Canaan, and consequently of any other transgression of the Moral Precept; and therefore in such cases, the great and singular Law-giver hath de­clared that one Law should be for the stranger, (i. e. the Gentile) as for the home born, (or Jews themselves) Exod. 12. 49. Lev. 24. 22.

And therefore unlesse this Changeling, will undertake to prove Iehovah the Lord Christ, such an one as himself, as to prefix one punishment in Canaan for the violation of a Moral Precept, (whether General or particular) and another sort of punishment for the same Transgression in another Country, as in England, &c. (which blasphe­mous Assertion he is as like to maintain as any I know, for a Sti­pends sake) he cannot avoid, but must per Force subscribe, that the said statutes and Judgements, are of as large an extent, as the Moral Law it self acknowledged by him, i. e. Obligatory, Universal and Eternal, and Binding all Nations.

Object. 2 All Nations have a latitude left them of making such Civil Laws as they shall think convenient, for the better Government of themselves, according to Prudence and Discretion, provided they be not contrary to that Royal Law.

Respon. Prag. I here challenge thee, and all thy Mast [...]s, which in Court, City, or Country, Ʋniversities or Innes of Court, by what names or titles so ever, dignified or distinguished, to shew me one Text of Scrip­ture that granteth any such latitude to Magistrates, by the alone Law-giver, as they are (or ought to be) his Ministers or servants, to put his Laws in execution, but contrary-wise such Actions are so abominable in the eyes of Jehovah the Lord Christ, as that he hath denoted a curse against those that do take upon them, either to adde or detract, that either swerve to the right hand or the left, from those Laws, Statutes and Iudgements prescribed by him: for proof hereof see Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. No Monsieur, Prag. those that are Dispensers of Iehovahs lawes, must not make Laws for him, whe­ther in reference to Statute or Iudgement, he is as able to prescribe his punishment, as his Law, without their help or assistance.

And therefore it was that our blessed Saviour so much inveigh­ed against the Scribes, Pharises, hypocrites, of his time of abode here on earth, (like unto Needhams forementioned Masters) [Page 15] for that they had not onely transgressed the Commandements of God, by their vain Traditions, (or Expositions) but he had even made them thereby of none effect, Mat. 13. 3, 4, 5 &c.

So that I affirm that Clause in Needhams Objection, (i. e.) For the better Government, &c. to be absolute blasphemy, for that by so say­ing in plain terms, that his (aforesaid Masters, are Wiser than the Great God of Heaven and Earth, in reference to the composing of all Government for the sonnes of men; and therefore according to the Statute and Iudgement appropriated by Iehovah in such Cases he ought to be put to death, vid. Lev. 24. 11. 15. 23. as also for his scurrilous expressions against Moses and the Laws, given by God un­to him to communicate to the people; for he that despised Mo­se's Law, was to dye without mercy, under the testimony of two or three witnesses, which Judgement will doubtlesse fall upon the heads of Needham, &c.

In so saying, he clearly giveth the Apostle Paul the lye, who asserteth, That the foolishnesse of God is wiser than the wisdome of men, 1. Cor. 1. 25. The meanest of the Divine Orders, being far beyond the wisest of his or his Masters vain imaginations: so that by such their deceived foolish hearts, they onely contract to themselves that Heathenish Character, i. e. by professing themselves Rom. 1. 2, 2. wise, to be Down­right Foolish; for in such Cases the Apostle doth positively affirm, that the wisdome of the world, (viz. Athenian like Wisdome) is foolishnesse to God; for it is written, I will destroy the wisdome of the wise (whether in Civil or spirituall matters) I will bring to nought the Councels of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the Scribe? where is the disputer (or Needhams) of this world? hath not God made Foolish the Wisdome (or politick carnal wisdome) of this World? and therefore he concludeth, that not many after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called by God to be made Instruments in his work or service (whether in Civils or Spiritualls) but contrary­wise hath made choice of that which is Foolish in the esteem of Needham and his Masters (whether in reference to persons or things) to confound that which they esteem wisdome, that no flesh might glory in his presence, vide Rev. 27, 28, 29.

1. I doe therefore hereby affirm, that God that gave life and limbs unto men, &c. hath onely power to dispose of them, and none else; and that he that taketh away either the life or limb of any man, o­ther wise than God himself hath appointed, or given direction (in the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament) either by [Page 16] general rule, or particular precept, is a Murtherer and a Tyrant.

2. I do also hereby affirm, that whosoever doth not take away life or limb, in such cases as the alone law-giver hath appointed is an unjust Judge. And that he will be punished by Jehovah the Lord Christ for so doing:

Reason, For he hath said Yee shall do no unrighteousnes in judgment, thou shalt not respect the person of the poore, nor honour the person of the mighty, Levit. 19. 15.

But in Righteousnesse shalt thou judge thy Neighbour.

(A text that ere long may be urged against those that have ur­ged it against others, vid. Abridg. Remonst. Albans pag. 10. with se­verall other scriptures to such purpose.) And hence it was, that Moses charged the Judges of Israel, saying, Heare the cause between your brethren and judge Righteously, between every man and his bro­ther, and the stranger that is with him; and yee shall not respect persons in Judgment, but yee shall heare the small as well as the great, you shall not be afraid of the face of man, Deut. 1. 15, 16, 17.

Reason, For the judgment is Gods.

3. That in all other cases, the Magistrate being the Minister or servant of God (or at least ought so to be) Rom. 13. 4. ought to execute justice, as the alone Law-giver their Lord and Master hath prescribed, which they cannot do otherwise than by putting his laws in execution, according to those statutes and judgments established by God himself (and not according to thei [...] own lusts and humours, as our present Magistrates do at this day, punishing severall things by death, which the alon [...] Law-giver hath appointed other punish­ments; and severall things with other punishments, for which the alone Law-giver hath appointed death.

Reason. For it is required in a disposer, that he should be found faithfull, 1 Cor. 4. 2.

But Gods will otherwise appeareth not, then in his word or law. Therefore who so doth not accordingly, doth not perform the will of the alone Law giver, in his word or Law, and consequently of the number of those Magistrates mentioned by Solomon in his book titled Wisdome, cap. 6. 1. to whom he saith, by way of rebuke and admonition, Heare therefore O yee Kings and understand, learn ye that be Judges of the ends of the earth; give ear you that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of Nations, for power is given you of the Lord, and soveraignty from the highest, (i. e. the Constitution of Authority or Magistracy, Rom. 13. 3, 4. and that according to [Page 17] the Armies own construction of that place, in their Abridgment of the Remonstrant Albans, wherein pag. 6. they say, that Paul speaks in that place of Authority, &c. Magistracy in its constitution, not of a Person abusively exercising it to be Gods instrument of Good to e­very one, and an incourager of good in every man, and an envying to evill) who will try your work (or pollicy) and search out your Counsel: then Counsellours look to your selves, you had need then to treble your guards about you.

Reason Because being Ministers of his Kingdom: (the Kingdome will be then found to be the Lords, and not theirs, who are now Usur­pers both over it, and the Lords Goverment, which he hath ap­pointed for it) ye have not judged right, (wherein have they not judged right,) nor kept the Law? What will become of those Magistrates then that have neither kept the Law, i. e. that have not judged according to the Law of the alone Law giver; neither have judged according to their own Laws, surely the following judg­ment will fall with a Witnesse upon such Magistrates.) Nor walk­ed after the Counsel of God (no nor of good men neither, but of a company of fawning Parrasites, the Frogs, Locusts, Caterpillars, and Cankerworms of Nations) horribly and speedily will he come upon you: For a sharp judgment shall be to them that are in high pla­ces, for mercy will pardon the meanest (such as may not proper­ly be termed the makers and judges of Heathenish Laws, i. e. the petty­foggers of the Laws and governments of man, i. e. such as are not Com­missionated to such purpose) but mighty men shall be mightily tormented.

Reason For he that is Lord Oneral shall fear no mans person (How?) not the person of O. P. &c. Neither shall he stand in aw of any mans greatnesse (but sure he dare not meddle with his Highnesse, that is, a degree above greatnesse) for he hath made the small and great, and earth for all a like, (how, for all alike? thats a strange saying indeed, sure­ly, the Lord will be a leveller with a witnesse)

But a sore tryall shall come upon the mighty: Let her alone un­till that day, The Fox fares b [...]st when he is threatned most. These are but Bug-bear-expressions to frighten children, valiant Heroes fears them not, me vive fiat, saith Nero and his Comrades, let this day of judgment come in their time, so much do they fear it; tush, they are onely mock-beggers, and scar-crows, they see by reason and ex­perience [Page 18] that all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation, let a company of dreaming Prophets say what they will, doth God take notice of idolatry or Tyranny, as the sim­ple vulgar term it? Tush, he seeth no such thing, there is no such knowledge in the most high, and if he do know, yet doubtles he hideth away his face, and will not see it; For surely otherwise he would not have suffered it so long to have been practiced as he hath done; a­way therefore with all such Fancies, and let us look after our pre­sent work to suppresse such sawcy insolent fellows, that dares to cite such Treasonable Texts, to the [...]nd they may affright us. What! doth not our Prognosticatours tell us, that our Government is permanent, and will not admit of alteration for many hundreds of years? what then ought we to give heed to such bablers.

Unto you O Kings (saith Solomon) do I speak, that Ye may learn wisdome, and not fall away. (How now Solomon, do you give us this Counsel, surely this book was made when you were in your do­ling condition, when you began to have one leg in the grave, it was not so with you when your Government lashed your brethren, as with whips, when your provision for one day, was thirty mea­sures of fine floure, and threescore measures of meal, ten fat ox­en, and twenty oxen out of the pasture, besides Harts, and Ro­bucks, and Fallow-deere, and fatted fowl, when you had for­ty thousand stalls of horses for your Chariots, and twelve thou­sand horsemen; when you had seven hundred wives, and three hundred concubines: No, this was when you began to surfet of your pleasures, and therefore to cry all is vanity and vexation of spirit, well, when we have taken our fill of pleasure as you did, we shall peradventure take your advise, in the mean time give us leave to satisfie the lusts of our own hearts, and if not, know, we will take leave, and so farewell Solomon.

Seeing that which is not of of faith or firm perswasion is sin, Rom. 14. 23. and faith must be grounded upon the Word, as being wrought by the Word, Rom. 10. 16, 17, 18. The Magistrate can­not justifie his Acts of Justice in the sight of God, unlesse he can warrant the same from the word of God: and what word is there for taking away the life of a man for simple theft, &c. with se­veral other things now acted by the present Magistrates of this Nation, as I shall undertake to prove, if ever providence call me thereunto.

5. In as much as God hath created man in his own Image, Gen. 1. 26. &c. which Image is in Mans Soul, animating his body: This Image I say, ought not to be defaced and dissolved, but by warrant and direction from the word of God, and consequently in all other Cases, where the Great Law-giver hath as well prescribed the Punish­ment, as the Offence, i. e. the judgement or punishment, as the Pre­cept or Statute, and that who so doth not so, is a Rebell and Traitor to the alone Law-giver, whose servant he ought to be in all faitfulnesse, and not an Ʋsurper of his Masters Authority or Legisla­torship, as our present Magistrates are at this day.

Object. Mordecay and Daniel, having place of Government under the Babylonish and Persian Kings, did no doubt administer Justice ac­cording to the Laws and Customes of that Country.

Therefore the Laws of the Heathens were assented unto by godly persons.

Resp. The Case is now far different, for those Emperours or Kings were Heathen, but the present Magistrates of this Nation, are at least in pretence Christians, and therfore for them (above all other) to act by and according to those Heathenish Laws and Customes doth render them to be Worse than the very Heathen.

Reason For the Heathens did make and act by such Laws, meere [...]y out of blind ignorance, Acts 17. 30. and therefore God is said to wink thereat, but since hath commanded All Men every None then can plead excuse. where to re­pent of such their wickednesse, because he hath Appointed a day in which he will Iudge the World in Righteousnesse, which can be done by no other, than his own Holy, Iust, perfect and Righteous Laws, by the Man whom he hath ordained, &c.) but the present Magistrates of this Nation, or Supreme power, which I take (with Mr. Feak) to reside in the Army or Chief Officers thereof, they do it Presumptuously, witnesse their Declarations, Remonstrances, &c. in which they have Notoriously proclaimed to All the World, that they have fought to set up the Lord Iesus Christ to be King or Le­gislator in this Common-wealth, as also vowed obedience unto him up­on his Own Terms, and that they would admit Him Onely to the exercise of his Royall Authority, [...]and in order thereunto have affirmed, that the Law that was put into the hands of which was no o­ther than the statutes and judge­ments de­pending [...]pon the Moral Law Deut. 17, 18, 19. Ioash at his Coronation, to be a Law from heaven, as also a Rule for all Ru­lers, and that whosoever is not under those Laws, owns not [Page 20] his Subjection to God. So that what the Apostle saith of the Hea­then, Rom. 1. 21. i. e. (That when they knew God, they did not worship him as God, but became vain in their imaginations, their foolish hearts being darkened, and so professing themselves wise became fools, and thereby left themselves without ex­cuse) I may fitly apply to the late actions of these Army men, yea, and that in a Greater measure, in reference to the Law of God; Reason. For in this particular Iehovah hath not afforded many of the Hea­then that priviledge, as to have either the Letter or true sence of the Law, Rom. 2 14. But these persons have both the Letter and true sence of the Law, and yet wilfully refuse to put them in practice, and consequently receive this great grace and favour of God in vain, chu­sing rather with Turks and Infidels, to be a Law unto themselves.

And what is this lesse in a Civil Sence, than the Quakers and Ranters Tenent in a Spirituall Sence, the one thinking they have No need of the Touchstone rule, or Standard of the Scriptures of the New Testament, to guide them in their Spiritual condition, or In­ward Man, living meerely upon the dictates, figments or Notions of the wild Fancies of their frisking brain. The other that they have likewise, Reason and light of nature enough within them to govern themselves and their Vassals in reference to the outward man, and therefore like the other, will not make use of the Old Testament, for that purpose, but esteem them as things base and despicable for such wise and Profound Persons, as Mr. Needham and his Ma­sters, the now great Courtiers are.

And thus betwixt them do they compleat that Body of Iniqui­ty and And have filled up the measu [...]e of the wrath of their pre­d [...]c [...]ssours in iniquity▪ and conse­quently ripe for judge­ment, wh [...]ch sleepeth not. Transgressions, and therefore with the Heathen may properly be said to be without Law, and without God in the World, and consequently at the very threshold of entring into that unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost, which is defined to be a resisting of the known truth, which can be no other than the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, not of infirmity, or for fear or favour, but of more Malice and Hatred against the writ­ten Word, i. e. the LAW and the Gospel (the one trampled under foot by the Ranters and Quakers, and the other despised and con­temned by Need [...]am and his Masters, witnesse his scurrilous pam­phlet, tituled the Observator) notwithstanding they are the very di­ctates of the Spirit of God to Moses, the Prophets and Apostles, as I have proved.

And therefore ought to be of as much value and esteem among the people of God, as if the same words were now inspired into them by the same Spirit: so that by having the benefit of the Holy Scriptures, it is as much as if we had Moses and all the Prophets, with Iesus Christ and his Apostles now Extant with us, with all the Miracles which were wrought by them for the Confirmation thereof, John 20. 31. and consequently do thereby injoy God, Christ and the blessed spi­rits breathings, as if the same were now breathed upon us, in reference to our guidance and direction in the duties required of us by God, either as to himself or our Neighbour, so that where it is prophesied, that in the latter dayes, we shall be all taught of God, I affi [...]m, it is meant of no other teaching, than that of the Old and New Testament which shall then be the Onely Rule and Square of our Actions, whether in reference to things spirituall or Civil; for it cannot be other than Blasphemy to assert, that the blessed spirit should teach Contra­dictions, to teach one Rule in Scripture, and another Rule in Notion, and if so, then all Notions whatsoever these Ranters, Quakers, &c. pretend unto, which are not as agreeable with the Letter of the Scriptures, as a pair of Indentures agreeth with one another, and even as face answereth face in a glasse, I say, and do testifie that they are of their Father the Devil.

And therefore the words of the Apost [...]e, may fitly be applyed to these men, Heb. 4. where speaking of such as were once inlight­ned, and have tasted of the good word of God, and the power of the world to come, saith, that it is impossible for such if they shall fall away, to be renewed again by Repentance, seeing they have crucified to themselves the Son of God, and have put him to an open shame, as also those words in Cap. 10. 26, 27, &c. where he saith, If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacri­fice for sin, but a fearfull loo [...]ing for of Iudgement and fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries. Again, if he that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses, of how much great­er punishment shall he be thought worthy, who hath troden under foot the Son of God, and hath done despite to the spirit of grace, such [...] now term the same spirit, the spirit of the Devil, which they have all along hi­therto (during the time of their Straits and Low Condition) owned for the Spirit of God; and the sole guider and director of their Actions, Simile. Vid. Epist. Jud. v. 10, 11, 12, 13, &c. much like the Apostate Sons of God in the old world, [Page 22] who having once declared their holy profession, through the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, became the most desperate wretches that were in that world, running themselves head-long (like a horse into the battel) into all manner of Excesse and Riot, neither fearing God nor man, which abominable wickednesse was the occa­sion of the destruction of that world. And our Lord Jesus hath foretold, that as it was in the dayes of Noah, so shall it be at the com­ing of the Son of man.

Implying that a great Apostacy shall happen at that time among the Professours of the truth, which this day is too evidently fulfil­led both in the Eyes and Ears of all that truly fear God, and keep his Commandements, to do them, but to the thing in question.

2. If Mordecay and Daniel might have had their will, they would doubtlesse have promoted the Royall Laws of their Jehovah, with the Statutes and Judgements annexed thereunto, as clearly appeareth by the practice of good Nehemiah, Cap. 8. 1, 2. who no sooner had the Gal. 6. 10 As we have opportunity let us do good. Opportunity put into his hand of magnifying the Law of God, and making it Honorable, but forthwith put it in practice, which sad experience teacheth, our Army-Men have not, albe­it, all their opportunities, vows and protestations to that purpose, as before expressed, whereas it is the mind of God, that if a man vow or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond that he break not his word, but do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth, Numb. 30. 2. Again Deut. 23. 21. When thou shalt vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it; for the Lord thy God shall surely require it of thee, and it will be sin to thee: again Ecclesiast. 5. 4, 5, 6. ‘When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it, for he hath no pleasure in Fools. Pay that which thou hast vowed, better it is thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin, nei­ther say thou before the angel that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voyce, and destroy the work of thy hand, All that your Swords have gotten you.’ Godly David telleth God, that ‘he will pay the vows which he made to him when he was in trouble,’ but it seems our Army-men, are content with Nebuchadnezzar to proclaim the God of Daniel to be worshipped in their Dominions, provided he will be content to have it done after the Baylonish fashion. Otherwise they have no more to say un­to him.

Again, it is worthy our observation, what notabe Jugglers Instance. the Kings or Tyrants of the earth have ever been with God, as for in­stance in Dan. 2. 47. we find Nebuchadnezzar (having lately recei­ved a favour from Daniels God, in reference to the knowledge of his dream, openly declaring, that of a truth Daniels God was a God of Gods and a Lord of Kings, and a revealer of Secrets, and yet notwithstanding all this, in the third verse following, we find the same Nebuchadnezzar er [...]cting an image of Gold, and com­pelling the worship [...]ers of Daniels God, to fall down and worship it. An Act not much unsuitable to the present actions of our Ar­my-men, who having formerly proclaimed Jesus Christ, as aforesaid, Comparison. (by way of thankfulnesse for their wonderful preservations from so many eminent dangers, and to exalt and magnifie him onely, and that by his own Way, or Rule of Worship, in and by his own Laws, and Ordinances, contained in the holy Scriptures, that they would suppresse whatsoever was contrary thereunto, both in Church and State) but the Nine Dayes Wonder being over, forthwith cast all their Ingagements behind their backs, and in­stead of performing thereof, turn direct Antipodians, or Retro­gradians, by setting up an image of some things that had been destroying, and not onely so, but also commanding obedience thereunto, witnesse the late Gooernment they have erected.

3. Albeit Mordecay and Daniel did act according to the Laws and Customes of that Country, during their captivity in that place, that doth not in the least argue or conclude that the Laws of the Babylonians and Persians should now be promoted among us.

Reason For what should we do with their Laws, without their Idols, for their Laws were their Religion, by which they worship Flesh, God or King, or Tyrant, at whose Lust and Pleasure, the lives of men were sacrificed to appease his wrath, or their graven and mol­ten gods, with the Rites and Ceremonies appertaining thereunto.

Therefore in as much as we do at least pretend, that we do not worship their gods, what use have we of their Laws or Religion? whether in reference to their idolatries, or Tyrannicall worship required by them?

So that the necessary Consequent of what hath been said will be, that so many of this Nation, as own that God, which made his own Law in Mount Sina, by which he will be worshipped, as [Page 24] also how his Subjects shall demean themselves one towards ano­ther and which was established and ratified by his sonne, and our Saviour (in Mount Olivet) and also by his Apostles, (as hath been proved) That they henceforth indevour the promotion of those Holy, Just, and perfect Laws, with all their might and power, and contrary-wise to suppresse all such persons and things that are opposite thereunto, whether in Church or State.

Object. Our Saviour commandeth us to give tribute to Cesar, and the Apostle injoyned obedience to the higher powers, which doth bear the Sword, and that for conscience sake, Rom. 13. all which giveth Approbation to the Laws of Nations.

Resp. The people of God, were then (as I have said) under the power of Heathen Magistrates; and therefore to the end they might procure unto themselves a great and peaceable life in all godlinesse, and honesty, 1 Tim. [...]2. 2. Our Lord Jesus and his Apostles, ad­monished them in such cases, not to oppose or resist them, and in­deed who would not feed a hungry and greedy Lion, rather than to be torn in pieces, and devoured by him. But all this doth not in the least prove, that the Laws of Cesar, or the Image thereof, are better than the Laws of God, or that the people of God, having now under God freed themselves from the Dominion of Cesar, should now by force be brought back again to worship and adore the image and Superscription of Cesar, under a Cesarian Habit, that they should submit to the Laws, Customes and Traditions of those false gods they have Conquered, and Neglect the Laws, Statutes and Judgements of that God by whose might and power they have conquered these false gods, and their worshippers; for if so, what is it other than to imitate those disobedient Israelites (who joyned in league with the Canaa­nites, whom the Lord signed for destruction) and with them to worship Baalim, and the Groves, Judges 3. 6, 7.

Therefore such whom the Lord hath made instrumentall, either by word or sword, to extirpate the name and person of Cesar out of this nation, ought doubtles to persevere therein until they have as well ex­tinguished and blotted out his Image and Superscription, in whomsoever, and whatsoever they see or find it to be fixed in, and that to All Ends and purposes;

For without all Controversie, the one is altogether as lawfull, if not More than was the other, yea doubtlesse, it is a far lesse re­sisting [Page 25] of Magistracy to destroy the Image and Superscription of Ce­sar, than it was to destroy His Name and Person, but the Army af­firmed, it was no resisting of Magistracy to destroy the person and name of Cesar, therefore it will be no resisting of Magistracy in the o­ther, to destroy the Image and Superscription, in whomsoever, and whatsoever they find it.

For in such Cases the Army hath concluded it as a Maxime, that it is no resisting Note. to side with just Principles, i. e. in such Ca­ses, whereupon the life and death of True Religion, whether in reference to God or our neighbour doth depend) and that in such Cases, men are bound in duty and conscience both to God and their Neighbour, (where no effectuall help doth from else­where appear) not to be wanting in any thing, they can either do or say, to hold off impending Ruine from an Honest People and a good Cause, but that as in publick fires all ought to lift up their Voice and Hand, bringing what Ladders, Buckets, or what other assist­ance they can (vid. Abridgement, Remon. Albans p. 1.) as did (say they) part of the people in Arms, or an ARMY interposing against the Standing Authority, for the life of good Jonathan, ‘ 1 Sam. 14. 45. And the People said unto Saul, shall Ionathan dye, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid, as the the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he hath wrought with God this day.’ So the People rescued Jonathan that he dyed not.

From which (with severall other Presidents in the said a­bridgement) it is clearly apparent, that an Honest and just cause, doth justifie the Means that may accomplish it, as also the instruments that acteth therein, what then is there wanting, but the sword of the Lord, and of Gedeon, to destroy all ungodlinesse, and unrighteousnesse of man from off the face of the earth, and to erect those holy, just and perfect Laws, Statutes and Ordinances of Iehovah the Lord Christ, instead thereof.

Object. The Moral Law was ratified by Jesus Christ and his Apostles, but not the judiciall Law you plead for, yea, Jesus Christ doth in severall places, null some of the Statutes and Judgemen [...]s, which were constituted, and appointed by Moses, as in Mat. 5. 38. where he saith, ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, (as in Exod, 21. 22, 23, 24, 25. Lev. 24 19, 20. Deut. 19. 20,) but I say unto you, that ye resist not evil, but whosoe­ver shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him th [...] other also.

Resp. Our blessed Saviour doth here neither abrogate the Statute nor the Iudgement, depending on that precept, Thou shalt not kill, but onely freeth the same from the Traditions, and interpretations of the Scribes and Pharises, Hypocrites of those times, who took and gave li­berty to foster and follow private revenge, and therefore in as much as vengeance is Gods, and in that he saith he will repay it by his in­struments, i. e. by such Magistrates as shall put his Laws in exe­cution). The Lord Jesus doth hereby rebuke them for taking on them to revenge their particular and private injuries, and so to ar­rogate to themselves that power that belonged to him, and con­sequently to his Lawfull Deputies, the Civil Magistrate, and not that he doth here in the least take off the punishment that God by Moses had appointed in such cases, i. e, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, &c.

Reason For if so, then it would unavoidably follow, that every man that listeth may strike out the eyes and teeth of his Neighbour at pleasure, as also that the person so offended should be so far from seeking revenge on the offender, as that he is ingaged by our Saviour to provoke the offender to do him more mischief, by turning unto him the other cheek to be smitten: and if this be not the mean­ing, then I would gladly know what course men should take in point of such injuries offered unto them. That may be collected from this expression of our Saviour afore mentioned.

If it be replyed that complaint is to be made to the Civil Magi­strate, to the end he may do Justice therein on the person of­fending.

Resp. I demand by what Rule, for it is clearly evident to all that are rationall, that those words of our blessed Saviour, will bear no such construction, but quite contrary-wise, that the person so injured, should endeavour to provoke the offender to do him more mischief.

Again, put case that an Appeal is to be made to the Civil Magi­strate, if that Civil Magistrate, to whom the Appeal is made, be an Administrator or Executioner of the Laws of the alone Law­maker, and giver, what other punishment ought he inflict, than that which he findeth prescribed in his Masters Laws, so that in s [...]ch case Magistrates must either of necessity wholly omit any pu­nishment for such like offences, or they must judge by the stand­ing [Page 27] Rule prescribed in the Law of God, contained in the five books of Moses.

So th [...]n without all Controversie, where Jehovah hath as well prescribed the punishment as the offence, it ought not to be al­tered by any Magistrate whatsoever; and therefore for any Ma­gistrate to assume the impudence to dissolve those things, that God hath so joyned together, by the dictates of their own phantasie or light of Nature within them, is no other than by professing them­selves wise to become fools. Again, the Apostle James affirmeth, That there is but one Law-giver, who is able to save and to de­stroy: It is therefore an absolute usurpation of Gods Legislative power, to save or destroy by any other means or rule, than that great and onely Law-giver hath prescribed. Again, in point of com­mon sence, to whom can it rather refer to give rules of direction, for what offence mans life shall be saved, or other punishments to be inflicted; and for what his life shall be taken away, then to that holy, just, and righteous Law-giver, who is the Author and giver of life, and at whose will and pleasure mans life and limbs ought to be taken away, and not otherwise.

And therefore I do hereby aver, that whosoever shall hence­forth contaminate or despise the aforesaid statutes and judgments doth directly derogate from Gods Authority and subjection, who is the onely and sufficient Law-giver, as also from the sufficiency of his Laws, which is ten thousand times more perfect than any other constitution whatsoever, and will thereby bring upon them­selves an unavoidable destruction.

And it is well worthy our observation, that whilest the present Army owned those judicials, I plead for, to be from heaven, and a rule for all Rulers; and that who so was not ever under them owned not his subjection to God. They urged no other rule of justice to try the late King by, as is cl [...]erly manifest in that paper titled the Abridgment of the R [...]monst. Albans, where they cite multitudes of presidents out of holy writ, to prove him guilty of death: but not one statute law of the Nation: No, they were then out of date with them: but now temporamutantur, &c. And the world is run round again since that time.

Object. Jesus Christ and his Apostles never commanded the practice of the Judicial Laws you speak of, therefore not to be urged under the Gospel.

Respon. I have proved from Jesus Christ himself, that he came not to destroy the morall percepts, and consequently, not those statutes and judgments which are in separably annexed thereunto, and have no dependance at all either upon the Ceremonial Law, or their pollitick constitutions, but are as I have said, conclusions and rules of justice, grounded meerly upon the Loyall Law; and there­fore Jesus Christ, could not destroy the one without the other. But Need­ham himself hath confessed that Jesus Christ did ratisie the Royal law: Ergo, those judiciall precepts afore mentioned.

Resp. 2. That the Apostles of the Lord Jesus taught the use thereof, appeareth from Pauls 1 Epist. to Tim. 1. v. 9, 10. where he saith, the Law is made for unholy and prophane persons: For mur­therers of fathers and murtherers of mothers, for manslayers, for Whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankinde; for men stealers, for lyers, for perjured persons: and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God, &c. From which words it is clear, that the Judiciall Law, (I stand for) was to be in force under the Gospel.

Reason, For severall things here numerated by the Apostle, are not found in the Decalogue or Ten Commandements, or Royal Law, but are deductions there from, i. e. part of those statutes, which depend thereon as the Five Books of Moses will sufficient­ly testifi [...]: For the Royal Law, onely saith Thou shalt not kill.

It doth not particularise killing of fathers or mothers, or manslay­ers, &c. Again, it also saith in a g [...]neral expression, Thou shalt not Commit Adultery.

It doth not particularise Whoremongers, or such as defile them­selves with mankinde.

Again, in point of Theft, it only saith in a general term, Thou shalt not Steal.

It doth not particularise Man-stealers, &c. and so in the rest: There can then be nothing more clear than that the Apostle doth here speak of the Judicial Law, annexed to the Moral precept, which he affirmeth to be good and lawfull to be practiced amongst Christians.

Therefore it may be safely concluded, that the Judicial Law an­nexed to the Moral precepts, is as well to be practiced by Chri­stians [Page 29] under the Gospel, as before among the Jews, and that to all ends and purposes, which I collect from these words; if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, i. e. Loving God above all, and our neighbour as our self; that also saith the Apostle, ought to be determined by those Statutes and Judgments.

1. Because God hath given no other rule to govern the world by; who are all under the Royal Law, as hath been proved, from Rom. 3. 9. 29. and consequently under the other, i. e. the Statutes and judgments.

2. In that Jesus Christ did not destroy the one more than the other.

3. In that the Apostle ratifieth the one as well as the other: As then it was Moses and Aron before Christ, so now Moses and Christ in the Gospel State (as Mr. Brain well observed.) God is said to judge the secrets of mens hearts (i. e. the inward man) by or according to the Gospel, Rom. 2. 16. And the things done in the flesh (i. e. the actions of the outward man) by the Statutes and Judgments aforementioned, as hath been shewed, as also from 1 Tim. 5. 17. where the Apostle saith, The sins of some are open before hand, and go before to judgement, i. e. before the Civill Magistrate: Others follow after, and so under the Judgment of Christ in the Church. And this is further illustrated, from Rom. 2. 2. we are sure that the judgment of God, is according to truth, against them that commit such things, which things if you would know read cap. 1. and you will find them to be idolatry and false worship, as in making images of men, and birds and four footed beasts or cree­ping things, as also in vile affections as of men and women, changing their kinde, fornication, &c. all which appertaining to the judiciall precepts. Again, 1 Cor. 5. the Apostle doth make a clear distinction betwixt them that are properly under the civil and spiritual govern­ment, i. e. the external and internal, of Moses and Christ, as in vers. 12, 13. where he saith, What have I to do to judge them that are with­out, do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth: as if he had said, Men are now to be judged in things civil, by the civil law of God, committed to the Magistrate, and that not only by the men of the world, but members of Churches also; for the Apostle doth not blame the Corinthians cap. 6. of that Epistle, for that they brought their civill controversies to be decided by the civill Magistrate.

Reason 1. But because those civil Magistrates did not judge by the law of God, and therefore could not give a just judgment.

Reason 2. As also in that they were such Judges, as were not rightly fixed or qualified, for such a purpose: the latter is evident by the title, which the Holy Ghost putteth upon them, vers. 1. viz. unjust Judges: the former is also evident, by the place of their a­bode viz Corinth, the Magistrates thereof being unbelievers, v. 6. i. e. Heathen Judges, judging by Heathenish Laws, as are all that now Govern as they did. And in things spiritual by the censures of the churches, as the afore mentioned expressions do clearly evi­dence. Again, our blessed Saviour himself, doth clearly mani­fest that judgement of external acts against the Law of Moses, was left to Moses, Luke 12, 13, 14. where the man coming to have the in­heritance divided, Christ gave him this Answer: Man, who made mee a judge and divider over you?

Again, in the case of the woman taken in the Act of Adultery, John 8. 3, 4, 5, 6. Jesus Christ would neither accuse or condemn her, so that the woman was dismissed, not absolved; Shiloh being now come, the Scepter was now departed from Judah, and a Law-giver from between his feet, Gen. 49. 10. The Jews at this time being then un­der the dominion of the Romans, had not power to put any to death, by their Law, as clearly appeareth by comparing the 7 v. of John 19. with v. 31. of cap. 18. where the Jews tell Pilate, they have a law to punish blasphemers by death: And yet the case was then such with them, that they could not put any to death thereby.

And hence I conceive it was that the Scribes and Pharisees, Hy­pocrites brought the woman taken in the act of Adultery to our blessed Saviour, to entrap him, i. e. to see if he would take upon him to put their law in execution, and that if he had, then to have accused him for intermedling upon the priviledge of Caesar, as is clear from John 19. 12. Where they tell Pilat, that if he let Jesus go he was not Caesars friend.

Reason For (say they) who so maketh himself a King, (that is, that taketh upon him to put our Laws in execution (without the appro­bation of Cesar) speaketh against Cesar, Mat. 22. 15, 16, 17. &c. All which temptations our Saviour then avoided, because the time was not yet come, that his Kingdome should be on the earth, he being before that time to become a sufferer, both in his own [Page 31] person, and in his Members, by that Roman power then in be­ing, at the end whereof, i. e. at the expiration of the Little Horns Dominions Dan. 7. it shall arise out of the ruine thereof, and so by gradation spread it self over the face of the whole earth, as in v. 25, 26, and 27 of that chapter.

Object. The Severity of Mose's Judicials, ought not to be practiced under the Gospel, as the continuall practice of the Church shew­eth, as Paul willeth the incestuous person onely to be excommu­nicated, 1 Cor. 5. there was then no Law in force to put such to death.

Resp. This conceipt was the first ground of the Manichean Heresie; for in making of difference in the proceedings of Justice under the Law, and under the Gospel against one and the same Transgression, they thereupon laid a foundation for the setting forth of two gods, the one severe, and the other mercifull, whereas the Lord Jesus doth rather aggravate than mitigate the punishments of the Judici­all Laws, as in the explication of that Precept. Thou shalt not kill.

He to shew the latitude, or complement, or full extent of the mind of his Father therein, saith, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of Judgement, and whoso­ever shall say to his brother Racha, shall be in danger of the Councel: but whosoever shall say thou fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire: hence John saith, He that hateth his brother, is a murtherer in Gods esteem. Again v. 27. in his Exposition of that Precept, Thou shalt not commit adul­tery.

He saith, that Whosoever looketh after a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. &c. And hence the Apostle Peter speaking of lascivious persons, saith, They have eyes full of adultery, 2 Pet. 2. 14. In which expressions, Christ shew­eth that the Moral Precept extendeth as well to the inward as out­ward man, and that he will punish the transgressions of the one, as of the other, the one by the Civil magistrate, and the other by his Church, and not in the least mitigateth the punishments of the fruits of the flesh, i. e. Theft, Aultery, Fornication, Ʋncleannesse, Lasci­viousnesse, Idolatry, Withcraft, &c.

And as touching the incestuous person, I have laid down a suffici­ent Reason why the Church could not punish him with death, they having not the power to put the Laws of God in execution, as also [Page 32] in that their Civil Magistrate did not act by Gods Laws, but were unjust Judges: so that it may as well be argued and concluded from Pauls expression elsewhere, i. e. Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labour with his hands, &c. That Theft under the Gospel, is to be no other wayes punished by the Civil Magistrate, than by an admonition to steal no more; therefore those that affirm that the punishments of the Judiciall Law is mitigated by Christ and his Apostles under the Gospel, would do well from the mouth of God, to shew in what it is mitigated, or to whom, and whether to all or to some sinnes onely, and why not all as well as some, and how it can be in some particulars, and not in all, or each of them, or how it can be under the Gospel, and not declared by Christ, and if by him, then how can he be said to establish the Law, and yet de­stroy all in part, and whether Idolatry, Blasphemy, Murther, Adul­tery, Theft, &c. be not the same in Gods esteem now, as formerly in England, as in Judea, and if so, then why not the same punish­ments here, as there, for the violation thereof; with much more that might be urged to this purpose.

Object. If those Statutes and Judgements annexed to the Moral Law for the breach of the Moral Precept, were now to be instituted, it would overthrow all the constitutions of Government in Christendome, yea, in the whole world; and so bring all the Magistrates of the earth, into a Chaos of confusion and destru­ction with all their adherents, and that both in things Civil, and Ecclesiasticall.

Resp. That is no more than God hath appointed and determined shall come to passe at bringing in of the Kingdome of the Man-child, who is to rule all Nations with a rod of iron, Psal. 2. 9. and 72. 8. Rev. 2. 27. and 19. 15. and therefore for the further clearing up of this Assertion, I shall set before you.

1. Who are the professed Ant [...]gonists of the Man-child, with the matters or things, whereby they have all along resisted and opposed his government, and Subjects.

2. The determinate purpose of the Man-child, (i. e. the Lord Jesus) to subvert and destroy those persons and things, which have and do so confront him and his Members, i. e. his Church or people.

3. The manner how he will effect it in all the Nations of the earth.

[Page 33]4. The persons by whom he will effect it.

And first of the first, in order to which I Assert.

Assert. That the Kings or Tyrants of the earth, have in all ages been the Grand Antagonists to the Kingdome and Government of the Lord Jesus, and that both in things spirituall and Civil, in the things appertaining to our duty towards God, and our Neighbour, comprised in the two Tables of the Moral Law.

But before I proceed to the proof of this Assertion, I shall in the first place give you to understand, that I take these two Ta­bles of the Moral Law or ten Commandements, with the Sta­tutes and Judgements afore mentioned, to be the Royal Law or Government of Jehovah the Lord Christ, and that those Statutes and Judgements, are that Civil Law, by which he will rule the Nations with a rod of iron, in that they produce the sword of Justice in the hands of the Civil Magistrate, which sword of Iustice, I say, is that iron Rod, formerly mentioned, and no other thing, and hence it is, the Saints are said to have a two edged sword in their hand, as well as the high prayses of God in their mouths, Psal. 149. the one edge offensive, and the other defensive.

I also take the Gospel or New Testament to be the Spirit of the The Gospel the spirit of the Law. Law, and this Assertion our blessed Saviour himself confirms, Joh. 6. 63. where he positively affirmeth, that the Words which he spake, they were Spirit, and they were Life; which is also confirmed by the Apostles in v. 68. where they say, whither shall we go from thee, for thou hast the words of eternal life, &c. But the Gospel or New Testament is the Counterpain of those words so spoken by him and his Apostles, which they have left unto us, ratified by signes and miracles, to be a Lanthorn to our feet, and a light unto ourpaths, in the things that the Lord Christ expecteth to be done by his body, the Church: so that the Doctrine of the New Testament, I like­wise take to be Christs Golden Scepter, which he holds forth to all Nations, and especially unto his Spouse, the Church, which with the Ordinances contained therein, I take to be the two edged sword of his mou [...]h, mentioned Rev. 19. 13, 15, 21.

Having thus given you my thoughts touching the two grand Principles of nature, in reference to our duty to God and our neigh­bour, I shall proceed to the two Direct Opposites thereof, i. e.

1. Idolatry, or false worship, as to God.

[Page 34]2. Tyranny or Inhumanity, as to our Neighbour.

Which two Principles I do hereby aver to be of and from the Devil, and consequently, that those that put them in practice, are the Servants or Ministers of the Devil, and professed Antagonists to the Government of Iehovah, the Lord Christ, which he hath appoint­ed to govern the sons and daughters of men by, whether in reference to himself or their Neighbour.

Now for proof of the forementioned Assertion, I shall give a brief Narrative of the first Originall of Idolatry and Tyranny after the Flood.

Iehovah having destroyed the Old world with a Deluge of water (by reason of the Abominable Apostacies of the sonnes of God, or Professours of Gods worship) Noah and his family onely excepted: yet notwithstanding that so notorious president of sin and punish­ment, no sooner was the present world repopulated, and that in a small measure, but the depraved light of Nature (the Ranters, and Quakers present adored light, which is no better than the darknesse of hell, or bottomles pit, notwithstanding the voluntary humiliation of the Quakers at this day, to colour it over, the Devil having now put his angel of light's habit upon the Ranters back or Principle, i. e. an externall shew of holinesse, or voluntary humi­lity, as in Col. 2. 18, 19. where he exhorteth the true body or Church of Jesus Christ, saying, let no man beguil you of your reward in a voluntary humility, (or self-denyall in the things of this life) or worshipping of Angels, (or figments or Notions of the mind) intruding into those things that they have not seen, (notwithstanding all their pretence of seeing) Vainly puft up with a fleshly mind. Pure Quakers, as can be spit out of the Devils mouth, as wofull experience will shortly teach them, they being (as I hear Mr. Iohn Goodwin lately and truly characterised them) The last born of the Devil. The Qua­kers Tenent is the De­vils last game he hath to play

The Devil, as I have said, having put upon their accused Prin­ciple, his most beautifull robe of delusion, which the Lord preserve all good people from.

I say, no sooner was the present world repopulated, and that in a small measure, but the aforesaid depraved light of Nature, now so rampant, and idolized among the Apostate Professors of these dayes) in mankind became subject to the like temptations, and [Page 35] delusions of Satan, which brought them into the like abomina­ble practises of violating the two forementioned grand Princi­ples of nature, by practising Idolatry, and Tyranny. The ori­ginall of which defection or wicked practice (after the Flood) upon a publick account, is by Historians fixed on Nimrod.

The ground of this their Assertion, they take from Gen. 10. 8, 9, 10. Where Cush is said to beget Nimrod, and that he began to be a Mighty one in the Earth, and a mighty hunter before the Lord, and the beginning of his Kingdome was Babel.

1. Hierome in Tract. Gen. saith, that Nimrod was the first man after the Flood, that exercised Tyranny, which before was not practised.

2. Iosephus saith, he provoked men to pride and contempt of God, teaching them to ascribe their Happinesse to themselves, and not unto God.

3. Hugo Annot. in Gen. saith he brought in Idolatry, teaching men to worship the [...]ire that was so commodious unto them, which pra­ctice (saith he, the Caldeans followed.

4. Whereas Nimrod is stiled a Mighty Hunter before the Lord, Augustine rendereth it against the Lord, but the proper meaning is, that it is spoken by a Metaphor, because he hunted men, as Beasts are chased (in which sense David saith, that Saul hunted him, as Partridges are hunted in the mountains) and that in the very sight and presence of God, he practised Idolatry and Tyranny: so that from Nimrods Idolatrous and Tyrannical Dominion, it grew into a Proverb, to resemble an Idolater and cruel oppressour to Nimrod.

Behold then, all ye Idolaters, (or false worshippers) and Tyrants, (or cruell oppressors) the Root from which you had your Sap and Growth, from that time to this present day. B [...]hold also, the first Metropolis, or City of refuge, that this your great Grandsire prepared to secure himself from danger, the Greatest Tyrants, ever providing the greatest security for themselves, knowing they are neither in favour with God or good men; and hence it is they ever for­tified themselves with strong Cities, &c. being afraid, even of their own shadows, witnesse the Hand-writing upon the wall, which made Belshazzars countenance to change, yea, put him into such ana­gony, (and that in the height of all his jolily) as loosed even the ve­ry joynts of his loyns, so that his knees smote one against another, Dan. 5, 6. [Page 36] yea, it put both him and his Nobles in such a fright, that it was high time for them to call aloud for their Astrologers, Caldeans and southsayers, and yet all to no Purpose, Lillies Art was then non­plust with its Albumazar, as also in Nebuchadnezzars Dream, touching the Fifth Monarchy, which shamefull disparagement, to their diabolical profession, makes them they could never endure a dreaming Prophet since, and especially if it savours of that fifth Monarchy Dream, as expounded by Daniel, cap. 2. 34, 35, 44, 45. which Dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure, maugre all the Diabolicall instruments in the world, by what name or title so­ever they are called.

And hence it is, that all the Tyrannicall and Idolatrous Govern­ments The Rise of Pagan Ba­bylon. that were from Nimrod to Constantine the Roman Emperor, (which I term the Old Pagan state or Government) had their Rise and being from Nimrod and that City and Tower of Babel, and therefore commonly called in Scripture the Queen or Mother of Idolatry, and Inhumanity, and consequently of all Idolaters, and Tyrants, the issue of that hellish spawn.

And in like manner, I also take the Rise of that Autichristian The Rise of Antichristi­an Babylon. Babylon, tituled in Rev. 17. 5. Mystery Babylon the great, the Mo­ther of harlots, and abomination of the earth, to be meant of Rome in point of situation, and the Nimrod thereof to be Constantine, who after he had swallowed up the floods of water, cast by the Dragon after the woman, Rev. 12. from v. 13. to ult. (which (I take to be by his Conquest over the persecutours of the Christians,) he is said to give unto the Beast which rose out of the waters, cap. 13. 1, 2. his power and seat and great Authority, by which act of his became the mixture of Iron, and Potters clay, together in the images feet, foretold by Daniel, cap. 2. 33, 41, 42, 43. which I [...]on, and Potters clay, I take to be the mixing of the Civil and Ecclesiastical powers together, which from that time have been continued to this present day.

Having thus stated the Rise both of the Pagan and Antichristian Babylon, I shall in the next place enlarge my self a little in refe­rence to each of them, to the end, that by a better knowledge th [...]reof, the people of God may be more induced to abominate and detest them, as also to execute the Judgement upon them and their supporters and adherents, as it is written, Psal. 149. with mul­titudes [Page 37] of other Scriptures to that purpose, and first of the first A brief Narrative of Pagan Babylon. (viz.) of Pagan Babylon, with its Adherents.

As to what this Nimrod was Note: Who Nim­rod was. , some take him to be the same which Forreign stories call Belus, and that he was the first founder of the Idols in the Eastern Countries, who were derived from him, as Belial, Beelzebub, Belphegor, but it will appear by what follows, that Nimrod was before Belus.

2. Touching Babel, the beginning of Nimrods Kingdome, it Of Babel in general. was so called, not from Belus, as some would have it, but from the Confusion of Languages, as the ancient Saxon word Babel doth seem to import, which word was usually men [...]ioned by them to such persons, as spake confusedly, to whom they would say, why Babel ye, or why confuse ye the true etimology of the word, being why Babel ye, or why do ye imitate those persons at Babel, who spake so confusedly, as th [...]t they could not be understood by their Auditors: but to put all out of doubt, the Scripture doth clearly testifie as much, Gen. 11. 9. in these words, therefore is the name of it called Babel, because there the Lord confounded the Langua­ges of all the earth, and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of the earth.

3. Touching the building of the City of Babel or Babylon, the Of the City and Tower of Babel. first Metropolis of Idolatry and Tyranny, Quintus Curtius ascribeth it to Belus, lib. 4. Berosus cited by Josephus to Nebuchadnezzar, lib. 1. cont. Appian. from Dan 4. 30. where Nebuchadnezzar is present­ed saying, is not this great Babel which I have builded for the House of the Kingdome, the might of my power, and the ho­nour of my Majesty. Berosus Arrianus, maketh all three builders of Babylon,

As 1. That Nimrod began the Tower, anno 131. after the Flood.

2. That Belus built the City, who saith he reigned after Nim­rod 65 years, and that he himself (i. e.) Belus reigned 56 yeers.

3. That Semyramis the wife of Ninus, which reigned 24 yeers, much inlarged the City, and fortified it.

A [...]ter all this, when the Assyrian Kings had made Niniveh the imperial seat, so that Babylon was much neglected and decayed, at last, Nebuch [...]dnezzar having conquered the City of Niniveh, re- [...] ­dified Babylon, (as before mentioned) and hereto agreeth Iosephus O [...]osinus lib 6. and August. lib. 16. de Civit. Dei, cap. so that the be­ginning [Page 38] and Foundation was laid in Nimrod, as in Gen. 10. 10. which saith, That the beginning of his Kingdome was Babel.

4. As touching the way and means, this Nimrod took to set How Nim­rod became a Monark. up his Idolatrous and tyrannical government, I shall likewise set forth, to the end that the present Idolaters (or false worshippers) and Tyrants or civil oppressors of the times) may compare their present conditions and actions with their predecessors, at the erecting of their great grand-mother Babell. Nimrod, having by his craft and policy wound himself so into the affections of the people, as to be made their Captain-General: Or, Ring-leader of that company; and cal­ling to mind how the old world was drowned and destroyed for Ido­latry and Inhumanity which designe he had now in his heart to pra­ctice (as his predecessors of the old world had done before him) though covertly; and therefore under a Nimrods Policy. pretence of making themselves famous in the earth to all posterity: And thereupon stirred up the rude multitude (under this plausible pretence) to build him a City and a Tower, that might not only free him from the danger of men; but also from fear of any thing that God could do unto him, as also that he might with more boldnesse effect his wicked and ungodly enterprises. And this he did in One tyrant taketh ex­ample by another. imitation of the Tyrants of the old world, i. e. the Gyants or Apostate sons of God, of whom it is reported, that they had a City called Enos in the Mountains of Libanus, that ruled over the whole world. But it is to be under­stood that this Nimrod could not fortifie his City, Tower, and Palace with Demy Cannon and such like Artillery: for the use of such engines of cruelty were not then found out; but since the Devil, for the better encouragement of servants, hath now supplied them with plentifull store thereof for such purpose, &c.

I shall now in large something in reference to the Tower, in the attempting and erecting whereof these following sins concurred, with which I shall also mentioned, to the end the present Nimrods, or Idolatrous tyrannical Babel-builders of the times may rumi­nate thereon, and consider how far short they now are (if any) of Nimrods then condition.

1. In the building of this Tower, his impiety appeared, in at­tempting it in despite of God. As the Prophet Isaiah, according to The impiety of tyrants. this pattern bringeth in the King of Babylon vanting himself say­ing, I will ascend unto the clouds; I will be like the Most High.

[Page 39]2. His vanity appeared, in seeking to be made famous on earth, and not by good actions to be made glorious in heaven: he thought to Their vanity exalt himself by building, and not by loving God above all, and his neighbour as himself.

3. His disobedience appeared, in that it was Gods ordinance, Their dis­obedience. that the earth should be replenished by them, and yet they wilfully oppose the Counsel of God, by resolving not to depart from them, as in v. 6. where they say, Let us build a City and Tower, whose top may reach to heaven, that we may get us a name least we be scattered.

4. Herein his impudence was also discovered: For whereas Their impu­dence, pride, and volup­tuousnesse. he should have been convicted in his conscience for his pride and arrogancy, Rom. 2. 15. he openly proclaimed his ambition, voluptuousnes, &c. to all posterity, proceeding to such a violence therein, that nothing could now restrain him, as neither the fear of God, nor the fearfull looking for of judgment and fiery indignation (2 Pet. 3. 10.) to be poured out upon him, as in Heb. 5. 26, 27. But contrariwise, whatso­ever, he had proudly devised, he would as impudently practise. The confusion of their language was therefore a fruit of their pride: as in Pride bring­eth confusion Prov. 16. 8. Zeph. 2. 10. so that whereas they looked to gain credit, they found shame and confusion.

Like as when Saul had thought he had made a goodly place for Simile. himself, as triumphing for his late victory over Amaleck: Even then he was rejected for being King (1 Sam. 15. 28) for his not obeying A warning for tyrants. the command of the Lord, against his professed enemies. All which one would think to be fair warnings to the like disobedient Sauls of the times. (And in particular at Black-hall) the Lord give them grace to consider thereof, if they be not past repenting.

Again, That the Kings of the earth were the original or root of I­dolatry and Tyranny, is also asserted and proved by King Solomon, in his book titled Wisdome cap. 13. 14. where speaking of this Kings the Original of Idolatry & Tyranny. subject, he saith:

For by the vain-glory of men, they entered into the world: And therefore shall they come shortly to an end.

Reason ‘For he paradventure being willing to please one in Authority, forced all his skill to make the resemblance of the best fa­shion; and so the multitude being allured by the grace of the work, took him now to be a God; which a little before was but hono­red as a man. And this (saith he) was an occasion to deceive the world.’

Reason

Argum. ‘For the worshipping of Idols (of what sort so ever) not to be named, is the beginning, the cause, and the end of all evill.’

But the Kings of the earth were the Authors, Cont [...]mners and promoters of Idols, and Idol-worship: as hath been shewed:

Therefore the Kings or Tyrants of the earth were the beginning, the cause, and the end of all evill.

And thus I have proved, and that by the testimony of [...] King, that the Principles of the Kings or Tyrants of the earth, are directly opposite to the two Grand Principles of Nature, i. e. To love God a­bove all, and our Neighbours as our selves.

And this Doctrine is also plentifully confirmed by the Apostle Paul in Rom. 1. from v. 18. to ult. which is well worthy also of per­usal, as to this particular, and now I shall proceed to the Se­cond particular in order, i. e.

Assert. That Jehovah the Lord Christ is determined to have a generall reckoning day, with those persons, and things that have so confronted him and his Laws, i. e. these two Principles of Nature, with the Decalogue and Statutes, and Judgements depending thereupon, as hath been shewed.

And this is also proved by the testimony of King Solomon, in the aforesaid book cap. 13. and cap 14. where having treated of the two sorts of Idolatry, i. e. of worshipping of the creature, and like­wise of the Image of the creature, he concludes, That the ungod­ly and his ungodlinesse are both alike hatefull to God; for that which is made, shall be punished together with him that made it, Look to it then Idol-makers; for black will be your day, when the onely wise Potentate, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, shall by his Saints bring your actions to the touchstone of the Scriptures.

But least they shall say, this Testimony of Solomons, (which I have cited the rather, because he is a bird of their own feather in point of Title) is Apochrypha, I shall commend unto them the testimo­ny of that Grave Orthodox Divine, new created Doctor, and sin­gular Dean in England (for you must understand all the rest were Popish, and superstitious) which I have done, the rather in regard of that great repute he hath for a learned Rabby, to the end, what is said by him, may gain the more credence with his Masters and fraternity, with the rest of the Rabble Rout of Locusts, Caterpil­lers and Canckerworms of the Nation.

And for their better attention, I do also hereby give them to un­derstand, and that the expressions, I shall mention, are extracted out of a Sermon preached by him, before no lesse persons than the House of Parliament, from Heb. 12, 26, 27. i. e. Whose voice then shook the earth, but he hath promised, saying, yet once more, and I shake [Page 42] not the earth, but the heavens also, and this word yet once more signifi­eth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. In the Ex­planation of which words, he useth these following expressions, i. e. ‘as the Apostle here applyes part of the Prophet Haggai, so that Prophefie, even in the next words gives light into the mea­ning of the Apostle, look what Heavens and Earth the Prophet speaks of, of this, and no other speaks the Apostle. The Spi­rit of the Lord in the Scriptures, is his own best interpreter, see then the order of the words, as they lye in the Prophet Haggai, cap. 6. 7. I will shake Heaven and Earth, I will shake all Nations, God then shakes Heaven and Earth, when he shakes all Nations, that is, he shakes the Heaven and Earth of the Nations.’ I will shake Heaven and Earth, I will shake all Nations, is a Pleonasme.

For I will shake the Heaven and Earth of the Nations: these are the things shaken in my Text.

Query. The heavens of the Nations, what are they?

Resp. Even the Political heighths and glory, i. e. these Formes of Government, which they, (meaning the Civil and Ecclesiasticall Magistrates, whether under Pagan or Antichristian Babylon,) have set up for themselves (not for Christ) and their own Interest (not Note. for the Interest of Christ and his sanctified ones) with the gran­dure and lustre of their Dominions.

The Nations Earth is the multitude of their people, their strength and power, whereby their Heavens and Political Heighths and Splendor of the Popular Multitude, and Strength of the Nations of the earth, that are to be shaken, as in Rev. 12. 16. and 21. 13. where by an Earthquake, great Babylon receives a fatall blow, and Isa. 51. 15, 16. and 34. 4. All the Host of Heaven shall be dissolved, and the Heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll, and all the Hosts shall fall down as the leaf falleth from the Vine.

Now these dissolved and rolled Heavens, are no other than the Powers and Note. Heighths of the popular Nations. Their Government and Tyranny: As both the foregoing and following verses do declare, the Lords wrath (saith the Prophet) is upon the Nations, and his fury upon their Armies: he hath delivered them to the slaughter, &c. vid. Ezek. 3. 2. 7. You may take it (saith this learned Rabby) for a rule, that in the denuntiation of the judgment of God, [Page 43] throughout all the Prophets, Heavens, Sun, Moon, and Stars, and the like acceptable beauties of the Heavens are taken for Governments, Dominions in Pollitick States: As in these Scriptures, Isa. 12, 13, 14, 15. Jer. 15. 9 and 51. 25. Isa. 13. 13. and 60. 20. Psal. 68. 8. Joel 2. 10. Obad. 4. Mat. 24. 29. Luke 21. 25. Rev. 18. 12, 13. and 11. 12. and 20. 11. and 6. 12, 13, 14, 15. The wasting and destroying of the Pagan Roman State, and the plagues and com­motions of the people; the dethroning of idol worship; the destru­ction of persecuting Emperours, and Captains, with the transposition of Powers and Soveraignty from one sort to another is held under this Grandure of words, being part of the shaking of Heaven and Earth in my Text, vid. Euseb. Eccles. Hist. Lib. 9. c. 8. 10. Lib. 8. cap. 17. de Vet. Constan. lib. 1. cap. 50, 51, 52.

Adde hereunto (saith the Court Chaplain) the promises of the restauration of Gods people, into a glorious condition after all their suf­ferings. How now Doctor, take heed what you say, for these words are petty Treason, if your Masters come to hear thereof; But I pray what is that Restauration and glorious state you here dream of; for I will assure you the Court counts such expressions but dreams and phansies [...]nd such a thing as will never be: And there­fore pray let us see what ground you have in scripture, for such a re­stauration and glorious estate as you speak of.

Doct. It is perpetually in the Scriptures held out under the same terms (meaning of Heaven and Earth) and you have a plentifull de­monstration of this point (How Doctor) is there such a plentifull de­monstration in scripture, of a restauration of Gods people into a glorious state and condition after all their sufferings? Pray what scriptures are those, they will be Novelists at Court, for they can entertain no such Phansies, therefore pray lets have them.

Doct. See Isa. 65. 17, Behold, I creat new Heavens and a new Earth, and the former shall not be remembred, nor come into my mind: Doct. how ever this is to you, I am sure it is a new and strange doctrine at Court, what man? Must all the political government in the world with the grandure and lustre of them, be so shaken and done away, [...] that they shall not so much as be remembred, nor come into the minde of God and his people? Indeed Doctor, you must preach this doctrine no more at Bethel; for now it is the Kings Chappel: I will assure you there is now treason in such Texts. But certainly Doctor, [Page 44] you judge this glorious government to be within us; not vi­sible in the world. See v. 18. Be ye glad and rejoyce for ever in that which I create.

Reas. For behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing, and her people a joy: (But Doct. the Court will tell you that this Jerusalem, which God will so create, is meant of Jerusalem within man, and not of a Jerusalem without man, or visible as that Jerusalem, in which the Jews did inhabit in Canaan: And therefore for our better understanding of this particular, we will if you please, take a view of the following expression of the Prophet: which are these. And I will rejoyce in Jerusalem, and joy in my people, and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, and the voice of crying. There shall be no more thence an infant of daies, nor an old man, that hath not filled his dayes: for the child shall die, an hundred years old; but the sinner that is an hundred years old shall be accursed: what think you of these word [...] Do­ctor? Is all this meant to be fulfilled within the people of God? but if we have no more than this to say for the Fifth Monarchy without or under the Heavens, Mr. Cardell one of the late Fifth Monarchists will tell us, that all the four Monarchies, three of which, are past and dissolved, viz. the Babylonish Meads and Persians, with the Greatian Monarchy have been all within us, and that the fourth Monarchy, viz. the Roman Monarchy is now within us, and is in like manner to bee dissolved within us: And therefore it is far lesse to have Infants and Old men within us at one and the same time, as before mentioned: therefore we must yet proceed to the following verses, and see if we finde any thing that the Quakers cannot so well digest, as old men and children to live and die; as aforesaid, we shall there­fore proceed to v. 21, 22. &c. where the Prophet saith:

They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vine­yards and eat the fruit of them. (Surely, the Quakers hath divellish wide weasands, if they swallow downe all these particulars: as Houses and Vineyards, with their builders and Planters; but they do these things onely when they are in their Quaking fits: But Sir, this Text puts me in minde of your brother Doctors, Master Thomas Goodwins Sermon upon Rev. 5. 9, 10. where speaking of the glorious estate and condition that the people of God shall enjoy after all their sufferings, citeth this very text to prove his Assertion, i. e. [Page 45] That they shall enjoy a Kingdome upon earth, for saith he, they shall build houses, and plant vineyards. O, to see how good wits will jump, for he useth even your own words, i. e. A glorious con­dition after all their sufferings; and therefore Gentlemen, seeing you are both convinced of this truth: See if you can conquer the Souldiers with your rhethorical Artillery. But in the interim, let us lay before them the following words of the Prophet, v. 21. They shall not build and another inhabit, they shall not plant and another eat; for as is the dayes of a Tree, are the dayes of my people. And my elect shall long enjoy the works of their hands: (It appeareth then there must be Mechanical persons in this glorious state, which the two lear­ned Doctors assert is to be; for the following words saith, They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth trouble.

Reas. For they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their off spring with them (they are then to procreate children under this glorious estate and condition, vid. cap. 66. 22. And it shall come to pass [...] that before they shall call (saith the Lord) I will Answer: And whil [...]st they are yet spealing I will hear (there is then to be the use of Ordinances under this glorious state and condition) and pray, &c. The Wolf and the Lamb shall feed together, and the Lyon shall eat straw with the Bullock; and dust shall be the Serpents meat, i. e. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy moun­tain, saith the Lord. They shall then beat their swords into plow-shares, and their spears into pruning hooks: Nation shall not lift up sword against Nation, neither shall they learn war any more:

Gentlemen you will stand in need of all your Rhethorick, when you go about to convince the Souldiery of putting this Doctrine in practice.

But if this scripture be fulfilled, and this glorious time is now under this present Government; Why do they not, as it is here directed by the spirit of God to be done? And now Doctor, I shall proceed to your confirmation of this grand doctrine, from the New Testament, to which purpose, I finde you to instance 2 Pet. 3. 13. Where the Apostle having before in that cap. put the peo­ple of God in minde by way of remembrance touching the glo­rious kingdom and state, which you and your brother Doctor hath affirmed must be, and which I am sure yet is [...].

Reas. For the Soldiers swords are not yet [...] to Plow-shares, nor their Spears into Pruning-books, &c. (witne [...] the intolerable [Page 46] taxes yet to support them.) The Apostle I say, having put the people of God in remembrance of the words, which are spoken by the Holy Prophets, and likewise of the commandment of them the Apostles of the Lord Jesus to such purpose, and that they should not be danted touching the accomplishment thereof, not­withstanding scoffing and mocking, and blasphemi [...]g of the scof­fing Ishmalites, and railing and blasphemous Rabshakahs, that should happen to be neer the time of its approach: ‘Who walking after their own lusts, will say, where is the promise of his coming: for since the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued as they were from the beginning: For this they are willingly ignorant of, that by the word of God, the Heavens were of old, and the Earth standing out of the waters, and in the water, whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. But the heavens and earth, which are now by the same word, are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgement, and perdition of ungodly men, but beloved, (faith the Apostle) be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord, as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day; for the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slack­nesse, but is long-suffering to us ward, not wiling that any should perish, but tha [...] all should come to repentance; but the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the Heavens shall passe away with a great noise, and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be, in all holy conversation and godlinesse, looking for and hoping unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat. Neverthelesse we according to his promise, look for new heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth Righteousnesse, not Idolatry and Tyranny.’

Now for the better understanding of the Rabbies meaning t [...]ching the new Heaven and new Earth here mentioned, I shall [...] another passage of his in pag. 12. of that book, where he having asserted that it is not to be meant of the material Heaven and Earth, produceth this Scripture to prove the same, i. e. Isa. [Page 47] 51. 15, 16. I am the Lord that divided the sea, whose waves roared, the Lord of Hosts is his name, and I have put my words in thy mouth, and have covered thee with the shadow of my hand, that I might plant the heavens, and lay the Foundations of the Earth, and say unto Sion, thou art my People.

In these words saith the Doctour,

2. ‘Of his greatnesse, acquainting them with his mind, i. e. his Laws and Ordinances at Horeb, I have put saith he, my words in thy mouth.’

3. ‘Of that favourable and singular protection afforded them in the wildernesse, when they they were encompassed with ene­mies round about. I covered thee with the shadow of mine hand.’

Query, Now (saith the singular Dean) &c. to what end was all this?

Resp. Why saith he (meaning the Lord by the Prophet) that I might Plant the Heavens, and Lay the Foundations of the Earth.

Query. What of those material, visible Heavens and Earth, 2460 years before, at least, were they planted and established.

Resp. It is all (saith the Rabby) but making of Sion a people, which before was scattered in distinct Families.

Query. And how was this done? quoth the Doctour?

Resp. Why the Heavens are planted, or a glorious frame of Govern­ment, and Policy is erected among them, and the multitudes of their people are disposed into an orderly Common-wealth, (Note) to be a firm Foundation, and Bottome for the Government among them: So that from what the Doctor hath here asserted, it is as clear as the Sun in its brightest Lustre, that the Frame of Government for the unmovable Kingdome, or Jesus Christ, or the fifth Monarchy.

Are those Laws, Statutes and Judgements, which were given by Jehovah at Horeb and revived and ratified by the Lord Jesus at Mount Olivet, Mat. 5. For those are they the Doctour terms the firm Foundation, a firm Foundation for an unmovable Kingdome?

And this Doctrine is also ratified by the Prophet Malachy c. 4. where speaking of the dissolution of those old Heavens and old earth, formerly treated of, i. e. the Political Frame of Government, which men have made for themselves, &c. i. e. of those Heavens, and Earth, which the Apostle Peter saith, are to be burned and consumed by fire, as also of that new Heaven, and new earth, where­in dwelleth Righteousnesse, I say the Prophet speaking of that Great and notable day of triall by fire, telleth us by way of explana­tion what is intended by the Holy Ghost, in such manner of ex­pression, saith, ‘Behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven,’ Note, ‘and all that are proud, and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Proud and wicked per­sons must be this fire. Lord, and it shall leave them neither Root nor Branch: but unto you that fear my name, shall the Son of Righteousnesse appear with healing in his wings, and ye shall go forth and grow as calves of the stall, and ye shall tread down the wicked, for they shall be as ashes under the soles of your feet (Note) In that day that I shall do this, saith the Lord, Remember (what?) the Law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb with the Statutes and Judgements.’ Ergo That Law, Statutes and Judgments, shall be put again in practise that day.

Again the Doctour doth further confirm this Doctrine from Rev. 21. 1. I saw a new heaven, a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, And there was no more sea.

Here saith the Doctour, the Heaven and earth is restored, but the sea shall be no more.

‘Those gatherings together of many waters, (saith the Rabby) Rivers from all places, or Pretended Clergy men from all Nations into General Councels, which were the sea or many waters, on which the Whore sate, shall have no Note. place at all in the Churches re­stored Conditions’ (Reader, you must understand the Rabby did not then dream of the Court of Tryers now at Whitehall, or else you must (if you can) conceive them not to be pretended Clergy­men, or a general Councel, no you must take them to be only an image of such pretended Clergy men and general Councel, and the like you know, is not the same (a pure Juggle) But I conceive the Learned Doctor is out in the Exposition of that forenamed Text in Rev. for the holy Ghost doth not there speak of the Restauration of any of [Page 49] his Political Heavens and earth so much already treated of; for the Text saith plainly, they were passed away, and the Prophet Isa. saith, cap. 65. 17. that they shall not be remembred, nor come into the mind of God or his people; therefore there can be no expectation of any restoring of them, it must therefore be unavoidably meant of the a­foresaid Laws, Statutes and Judgements, which the Doctour [...]im­self calls the firm foundation for the unmovable Kingdome of Jesus Christ, and hence it is the Lord by Malachy puts his people in mind thereof, at that notable day, saying, Remember ye the Law of Mo­ses, &c. as aforesaid, and therefore whereas it is said, there shall be no more sea, I do understand there shall be no more use of the Le­viticall Priesthood, that being now abolished by our blessed Saviour, shall be no more. No more use of the type, when the antitype is come, no more use of the shadow when we have the substance, which myst [...]rie the Prophets saw but darkly, as appears by their writings, few of them seeing a Change of the Leviticall Priesthood, which I conceive to be the great stumbling block to the Jews from Christs abode on earth to this present day.

But neverthelesse, the Prophet David doth most excellently foretell the change thereof under the Gospel-dispensation, as in Psal. 40. where speaking in the person of Christ, (for it is impossible it should be understood of himself saith, sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire, mine ears hast thou opened, burnt-offerings and sin-offerings hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo I come, in the Volume of thy Book it is written of me, that I should do thy Will, O God, which Text the Apostle Paul doth clearly expound of Christ, Heb. 10. 8. saying above, When he saith, Sacrifice and offering, and burnt-offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hast pleasure therein, which are offended by the Law, (i. e. the ceremoniall Law) Then said he, Loe I come to do thy will, O God.

He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second, he taketh a­way the shadow, that he may establish the substance.

Now where was it prophesied of David that he should have a body given him to do away Sacrifice, or to put an end thereunto: it must therefore be meant of some others, and what other than he that hath born our transgressions, and by whose stripes we are heal­ed, vid. Isa. 54. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, &c. and 52. 13, 14. 15. in both which places also the Prophet speaketh of another person, and not of [Page 50] himself, i: e. Jesus Christ the Righteous, who is the pro [...] for our sinnes, Rom. 3. 25. 1 John 2. 2. and 4. 10.

The Learned Doctour having thus proved for me what is meant by the Old Heavens, and the Old Earth, as also the New Hea­vens and the New Earth, i. e. by the Old Heaven and Old Earth, all the Old Forms of Government since the Creation, that have been made by Political or Humane invention, as also the New Heavens, and new Earth to be that Constitution or Government made by God himself, and ratified and confirmed by Jesus Christ, (i. e. the two grand Principles of Nature, afterward branched forth into the Deoalogue or ten Commande­ments, with the Statutes and Judgements unneued thereunto, and the Ordinances of Jesus Christ in the New Testament, which is the Spiri­tual, Ecclesiastical, or Gospel-part thereof) I shall in the next place bring the presen [...] powers and Constitutions of Government in the Na­tion to the test or touchstone of the Scriptures, and in this particu­lar also Mr. Owen shall say for me in the forementioned Sermon, p. 21. i. e. That the Kings of the Earth have given their power to Anti­christ, indeavouring to the uttermost, to keep the Kingdome of Christ out of the world, or that we term the fifth Monarchy.

Again p. 13.

Reas. ‘Even because in their present constitutions, they are di­rectly framed to the interest of Antichrist, which by notable advan­tages at their first moulding and contrived insinuation, ever since hath so rivited it self into the very fundamentals of them, that no digging nor myneing with an earthquake will cast up the foundation stones thereof, &c. Because as is their Interest, so is their Acting. [Page 52] The present powers of the Nations, stand in direct opposition to the bringing in of the Kingdome of Christ. At which time, saith the Do­ctor) Two things there are that will be confessed incumbent on him in this day of his advancement.’

1. ‘The bringing home of his antient people to be one fold, with the fulnesse of the Gentiles; raising up the Tabernacle of David, and building it as in the dayes of old: In the accomplishment of innumerable promises, and answer to millions of prayers. (Doctor in this, you and your brother yet hath not cut a thred:) but pro­ceed Doctor. Now there are two main hinderances of this work, that must be removed, the first whereof is:’

1. Real,

2. Moral,

Doct.

Resp.

Query

Resp.

Query

Resp.

Query And what is this Prelacy?

Resp.

Query Well said Doctor, and so he hath done blessed be Je­hovah for it. But what think you of Presbytery? Is not that it you meant where you said Prelacy, or the like? Pray Doctor tell me your minde freely, what you think of the Presbyterian Gov [...]rn­ment, and that Civil, Political Power that doth supoort it?

Resp.

Query I plainly perceive that this Presbytery would have been a hellish Bondage to have been confined unto; for you have painted it out in very notable significant characters; but pray what was the de­signe of the Scots if they had prevailed?

Resp.

Thanks (noble Doctour) you are then clear of opinion, that Presby­tery, and the Civil Magistrates and Governments that support it, are also Adherents to the beast or Papacy, and consequently, that they also are to participate of that Tremendous, Final destruction, and totall amotion, as you have declared to fall on Babylon.

But I pray, is there no hopes of taking off the Civil Magistrate from joyning hands with the Horned and Hoofed Beasts of the Presbyterian judgement?

Resp. Can any expect that such as these, i. e. Civil Magistrates of Political Governments, such as they have made for themselves and their interest, as the Doctour hath formerly mentioned) should take up the despised quarrel of Christ against that Flourishing Queen. Doubtlesse, no such fruit will grow on these trees, &c.

I Perceive Doctor, there is then but one way to be taken with the Papal, Prelatical and Presbyterian Magistrates, and Ministers, that will not be obedient to the Heavenly call, (as you have for­merly hinted) i. e. a final destruction, and total amotion of them together, and so Needhams Objection is answered with a wit­nesse, and fully verified, i. e. ‘That the erecting or instituting of the Statutes and Judgements, annexed to the Moral Precept [...] will and is appointed by God to be the overthrow of all the Political Gouernments in the world,’ and so I shall proceed to the third particular. But now it comes in my mind, I shall before I enter thereupon, desire to compare our present Government with your Text, to the end we may see whether or no it be in the Black Bead-roll, that is, to receive the final destruction and total amotion you say must happen unto them. And for better Order sake, I shall once more recite the words of your Text Heb. 27.

And this word once more, signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, us of things that are made, that those things that cannot be shaken may remain.

Argum. Now in these words it is notoriously p [...]ident to every Ra­tional Man, that all such Heavens and Earths, (or Political Forms of Government, which men have made for themselves, as afore menti­oned by you) as are made (by such means) shall be be shaken and removed, (i. e. by a fi [...]al destruct [...]n, and total [...]tion, as you have also affirmed.)

But the present Government of this Nation was made his State-Policy or Humane Invention.

Ergo according to Mr. Owens Assertion and Attestation, the pre­sent Government of this Nation, is to receive a final destruction and total amotion.

Proof. That the present Government of this Nation was made by State Policy or Humane Invention, I appeal to every rational man, sure I am, it was neither made in Mount Sina, nor ratified in mount Olivet, unlesse the Learned Doctour can prove the Cock-pit to be the one, and the Parliament-House to be the other, (which I believe will strain his Logick to the highest key.)

Argument. Again from this Text it is also undeniably evident, that all such Governments as may be shaken, must be also shaken and re­moved, and that upon the Account of being made as aforesaid.

But the present Government of Nation, is such a Government, as may be shaken.

Therefore according to the Doctours Assertion, the present Go­vernment of this Nation, is to receive a final destruction, and total amotion.

Proof. That the present Government of this Nation is such as may be shaken, I refer to the alterations, which the late Parliament, if they might have had their wills, would have made therein, and if it may be shaken by them, then consequently by others, therefore a Government that may be shaken, &c.

Argument. A third Argument may be drawn from the Do­ctours own Assertions, who saith, that such Magistrates as are either tyed by Oath, or other Compact to maintain either the whole or some part of the old Tower, under the Right of Ho­ly Church-Prelacy or the like, (by which word like he intendeth Presbytery, as hath been shewed) that such a Magistrate and Go­vernment, is to be enumerated among Babylons Adherents, and consequently to receive that, final destruction and total amotion as afore mentioned.

But the present governors & government of this nation doth provide for the maintenance of the Presbyterian Ministry of the nation, which the Doctor looketh upon and judged as a part of Antichristian Hierar­chy, witnesse the terming them a Procrusts bed, a heavy yoke, &c.

Therefore the present Governours and Government of this [Page 57] Nation according to Mr. Owens Assertion, is to be enumerated as aforesaid, and likewise to suffer as aforesaid, and thus I shall proceed to the third particular, i. e. How, or in what manner, the Lord Christ will effect this final destruction and total amotion of all Politick, or Humane Forms of Government, ‘and in this parti­cular, the Learned Rabby shall plead for me in that notable Si­mile, which he hath culled out of the Scriptures to that very end and purpose, i. e. Now as Sampson. intending the Destru­ction Vide p. 27 upon Heb. 12. 17. of the Princes, Lords, and residue of the Philistines, who were gathered together in their Idol-Temple, he effected it by pulling away the Pillars, whereby the building was supported, whereupon the whole frame topled to the ground. So the Lord intending the Ruine of that mighty Power, whose top seems to reach Heaven, will do it by pulling away the Pillars and Supporters of it, after which it cannot stand one moment.— Sic transit gloria mundi.’

Query. Doctour this hath been a strange sort of Language, and dangerous I will assure you, I wish you be not called in question for it, but what are the Pillars of that fatal building, which must thus be ruinated with it.

Doct. Resp. ‘Are they not the Powers of the world, as presently stated and framed (implying they are) Pull them away, and a­lasse what is Antichrist? It is the Glory of Kings put upon her, that makes mens eyes dazle on that Roman Harlot, otherwise she is but like the Egyptian Deities, who silly worshippers, through many glorious portlets and Frontispices were led to adore the Image of an ugly Ape.’

Well Doct. Seeing you have in brief given me so full and am­ple satisfaction in this particular, I shall proceed to the other, i. e. The Persons by whom he will effect it.

To the knowledge of this particular the Holy Ghost doth plentifully inform us, i. e. By the most despicable instrument, as will appear by these following instances.

When the Israel of God must be delivered from the Egyptian bondage, Moses must be preserved by an Ark of Bul-rushes, and so bred up to that purpose. Again, when they were in great distresse by the Midianites, the Lord made choyce of Gedeon, a man of a poore Family in Manasseh, and Gedeon the least or meanest of that Fami­ly, [Page 58] Judg. 6. 15. &c. After this, David the son of Jesse must be brought from the flock to vanquish Goliah, and the Army of the Philistines, 1 Sam. 17.

And now in reference to the bringing in of the Kingly inte­rest of the Lord Jesus into the world (which is to be accomplish­ed in the ruine and destruction, both of Pagan and Antichristian Babylon, with all their adherents, whether in reference to their Civil or Ecclesiastical governments, as hath been plentifully treated [Page 59] of) which must be done with might, power, and strength, with Armies and Blood, Rev. 19. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. (where by the Iron Rod is meant the material sword, yea, even that material sword prophesied of Psal. 2. 9. and 72. and 149. 6. Rev. 2. 27.) who will now the Lord make use of? will it be of Kings, Potentates, Nobles, and Great ones of the earth, no it is contrary even to com­mon sence that he should; for as the Doctor hath well obser­ved, it cannot be expected those men should take up the despised quarrel of the interest of Christ, and that for these Reasons.

1. Because they are such as have given their powers and states, and strength unto the Beast, or to maintain Idolatrous or false worship, Rev 13. 1, 2. and 17. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. without which their Tyrannical Government cannot be keppt up.

2. In that they have committed fornications with the Beast, as also their Subjects, Rev. 17. 1, 2.

3. It is by them that she is supported at this day, as hath been proved.

4. For that it is declared by the Holy Ghost, that at the Ruine of Babylon, the Kings of the earth, who have committed fornication, and lived delitiously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, Rev. 10. 9. 20. as also the Merchants of the earth, as from v. 11. to v. 20. as also the Harpers, mufitians, pipers, and Trumpeters of Baby­lon, i. e. all her dependents, and therefore it is contrary to com­mon sence, that they should be active in her destruction, Rev. 6. 15, 16, 17.

5. In that this Supper of the Lamb, or the day of Christs power, the fowls that fly in the middest of heaven are invited to eat of the Flesh of Kings and the flesh of Captains, and the Flesh of mighty men, and the Flesh of Horses, and them that sit on them, and the Flesh of all men, both free and bond, small and great.

Therefore it is impossible, that they should be instrumental for Christ against Babylon, but contrary-wise, antagonists thereunto, which with the former Reasons given by the Doctor, doth clearly hold forth, that the Lord Jesus will not make use of any of the present authorities or powers of the world, to bring this utter de­solation upon Babylon, for in so doing, they should fight against them­selves.

Object. The Text saith peremptorily, that the ten horns shall [Page 60] hate the Whore, and make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her Flesh, and burn her with fire, which manifestly implies, that the horns shall continue till her destruction, if not longer, and that they shall be the notable instruments that God will make use of in her Ruine.

Resp. The spirit of God in the Scriptures, doth not clash against it self in this particular any more, than where it saith, we are justified by works and not by faith onely, Jam. 1. 24, 25. as also by faith without the deeds of the Law, Rom. 3. 18. as also freely by grace, v. 24, Tit, 3. 7. the first being a visible or demonstrative Justifi­cation, the second a Justification in a mans own Spirit, and the third a Testification of the Spirit of God, evidencing or witnessing the truth thereof, wrought by Christ to that spirit of man, Rom. 8 16. So in this particular, where the ten horns are said shall hate the Whore, &c. I say, is impossible it should be meant of these very horns, that I have mentioned for those Reasons I have laid down, and therefore it must unavoidably be meant of some other Horne, (viz. powers) as by the Lords assistance I shall prove from Rev. cap. 17. in v. 12. of which chapter it is said, The ten horns which thou sawest are ten Kings, which have received no Kingdome as yet, but receive power as Kings▪ one houre with the beast: these shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them. Gedeons number from 32000 to 300. Read Judges 1. &c. and see if you be Lappers; for the Lord will save Israel by no other. Such as have burn­ing Lamps in their earthen pitchers, in the earthly tabernacles of their fl [...]sh

Reas. ‘For he is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, and they that are with him, are called, and chosen, and faithful, &c.’

Note 1. The three characters of the Lambs army, least any pre­sume to come to the Marriage Supper, to eat the Flesh of Kings and Captains, Rev. 19. 17, 18. without a wedding garm [...]nt, vide Luke 14. to this purpose, from v. 15. to v. 25. Mat. 22. from v. 1. to v. 15, for many will be called, but few chosen, they must be such as will forsake all to follow the Lamb where ever he goeth, you see what became of the Merchants, Farmers, and effeminate persons, they must be such, as if they have not a sword, they must sell their coat and buy one, Luk. 22. 36. they must be such, as will leave the dead to bu­ry their dead, Mat. 8. 22. such as will beat their plow-shares into swords, and their pruning hooks into spears, such as of weak, are made strong, Joel 12. 3. &c. but to the matter in hand.

I say, that by the afore mentioned Scripture it doth clearly ap­pear [...] that the Battel betwixt the Kings of the earth, and the Lamb [Page 61] and his Army, is to be fought, before they are said to hate the Whore, &c. as in v. 16. untill which time God hath put it into their hearts, to fulfill his will, and to give their Kingdome unto the beast, untill the word of God shall be fulfilled, v. 17. So that I gather from hence, That as the Conquest of the Lambs Army extends it self over the Dominions of the Beast, and her supporters, (viz. The Civil Gover­nours, and Governments of the earth, with their people and multitudes implyed by the waters on which the whore sitteth) v. 15. 1. and that the Laws, Statutes, Judgements and Ordinances of Jehovah the Lord Christ is planted instead thereof, by so much the said Nations or earthly powers, shall be said to hate the whore, and make her de­solate and naked, and eat her flesh, and burn her with fire, that is, they shall see so much excellency in those Laws, Statutes, Judgements, and Ordinances, beyond all what they injoyed under their former Governments, as that they shall abhor and det [...]st both their Go­vernours and Governments, whether Civil or Ecclesiastical, the one surmounting the other, as far as the light of the Moon excels the smallest star.

1. When they shall have Judges as at the first, and Rulers as at the be­ginning, Isa. 1. 26. Not the Arbitrary powers of the Kings of the Na­tions, which were brought into the Common-wealth of Israel, con­trary to the mind of God, 1 Sam. 8. as for Saul to take their sons, and appoint them for himself, for his Chariots and for his Horsemen, and some to run before his Chariot (or to make foot­boyes of free born Israelites) to appoint Captains over thousands, and Captains over fifties, to eare his ground, and to reap har­vest, and to make his instruments of war, to take their daugh­ters to be confectionaries, and to be Cooks and to be Bakers, to take their fields and their vineyards, and their Olive-yards, even the b [...]st of them, and give them to his servants, to take the tenths of their seed, and of their vineyards, and give them unto his Officers and to his servants, &c. No, the Israelites knew no such servitude in Samuels dayes, if they had, Surely Samuel would not have set that Goverment before them as so strange a thing: No, honest Samuel (who could say in the integrity of his heart, whose ox have I taken, or whose Asse have I taken, or whom have Y defranded) used no such Tyranny, Good man he could govern the people without a­ny of these Kickshaws, neither do we read of any of the Judges [Page 62] of Israel, that ever kept a standing Army, notwithstanding they were invironed with enemies on every side, but that when need required they unanimously joyned themselves together for the defence of each other; and so freed themselves from expence in that kinde: neither do I ever read of one Tax that ever was laid by the Judges of Israel.

2. When violence shall be no more heard in the land, nor wast­ing or destruction within our borders, when the walls shall be called salvation, and the Gates praise: Isa. 60. vers. 18. when Je­rusalem shall be a quiet habitation, a Tabernacle that shall not be taken down, nor one of the Stakes thereof be removed; nei­ther any of the cords thereof broken, when the glory of the Lord shall be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams, wherein shall go no Gally with Ore, neither gallant ship passe thereby: (no need then of the Romish Merchants, or Factors, for no m [...]n will then buy her Merchandise any more, Rev. 18. 11.)

Reas. For the Lord is our Judge, The Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King, He will save us.

3. When our officers shall be peace, and our exactors Righ­reousnes Isa. 60. 18. when they shall be such as fear God, and hate covetousnes; men of truth, that will not respect persons in judgment, but shall hear the small as well as the great, Deut. 1. 17. when the judg­ment shall not be mans, but the Lords: when the people shall say, The Lord blesse thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holinesse, i. e. the Civil and Church Government. I say when the Nations who are now under the Dominions of the Antichristian Babylon, shall once see and finde the difference betwixt this Governments, I have here given a small glimps of, and the present Idolatrous and tyrannical domi­nions they are now slaves and bondmen unto; they shall then begin to hate the Whore, and make her naked and desolate, and shall eate her flesh, and burn her with fire: And note that is to be rationally concei­ved, that the ten horns shall all at once stand looking upon the City of Rome lamenting over it, to see it on fire, and yet to have a bond in that her destruction: which conflict betwixt the Lamb and the Beast, I conceive doth take its rise at the Dominion of the little Horn, Dan. 7. 8, &c. and shall be determined at the Armageddon battel, Rev. 16. 13, 14, 15, 16. at which time we are to expect the coming of Christ as a thief in the night.

Again, That the Instruments, which the Lord Jesus will make use of in this great design, shall be poore contemptible persons, s [...]e Isa. 41. 14, 15, 16. fear not thou worm Jacob, &c. I will help thee saith the Lord, &c. Behold, I will make thee a new threshing instrument, ha­ving teeth, thou shalt thresh the mountains and beat them small; thou shalt make the hits chaffe, thou shalt fan them, and the winde shall car­ry them away, and the whirl-winde shall scatter them. And that this hath an allusion to Giddeon the Thresher, and his army. Read Isa. 10. Where the Lord speaking of the deliverance of his people from the Assyrians, or Babylonish bondage or servitude, saith, v. 24. Thus saith the Lord God of Hoasts, O my people that dwelleth in Sion, be not affraid of the Assyrian, he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staffe against thee after the manner of Aegypt: For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction: And the Lord of hoast shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Median, at the Rock Oreb, &c. And it shall come to passe In that day that his burthen shall be taken off from thy shoulders, and his yoak from off thy neck: and the yoak shall be destroyed because of the annointing.

Again, Dan. 2. 34. Thou sawest till a stone was cut without hands (or which was not in hands) which smote the image upon his feet, th [...]t were of Iron and clay, and brake them in pieces: Then was the Iron, the clay, the brasse, the silver, and the gold, broken in pieces together, and became like the chaffe of the summer thresh­ing floor; and the winde carried them away, and the whirle­wi [...]d scattered them, &c. Again, that these despicable persons shall be the Saints of the most high, vid Psal. 149. Let the Saints be joy­full in glory; let them sing aloud upon their beds: Let the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a two edged s [...]ord in their hands, to execute vengeance upon the Heathen, and punish­ments upon the people; To binde their Kings in chains, and heir Nobles with fetters of Iron, to execute upon them the judgement written: This honour have all his Saints, praise ye the Lord, Amen.

Again, Dan. 7. 17, 18. These great beasts, which are four Kings, which shall rise out of the earth; but the Saints of the most high, shall take the Kingdome, and possesse the Kingdome for ever and ever. Vers. 21, 22. I beheld, and the same horn (viz. the little­horn, Dan. 7. 8.) made the war with the Saints, and prevailed a­gainst [Page 64] them, untill the ancient of dayes, and judgment was gi­ven to the Saints of the most high, and the time come that the Saints possessed the Kingdom. Vers. 25. And he, (i. e. the little horn) shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the Saints of the most High, and shall think to change times and laws, and they shall be given into his hands, untill a time, and times, and the dividing of time, (which I conceive to be, 3 years and a half, i. e. from the first entrance of his Dominion, at which time) Judgment shall sit (i. e. at the end of the 3 years and a half:) And (then) they (i. e. the Saints) shall take away his dominion, To con­sume and destroy it, unto the end. Vers. 27. And the Kingdome, and greatnesse of the Kingdome, under the whole heavens (the Quakers will have a large Gut, to hold this Kingdome and Dominion) shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High; whose kingdome is an everlasting kingdome, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

Isa. 60. 12. That Nation and Kingdome, which will not serve thee shall be broken in pieces, that is saith the learned Doctor: All the Nations of the earth, not a known nation, but the blood of the Saints of Christ is found in the skirt thereof; and yet all this (saith he) shall be transacted with so much obscurity and darknesse, Christ not openly appearing unto carnal eyes, that though many shall be purified and made white, yet the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand Dan. 12. 10.

There shall be no such demonstration of Christ presence, as to open the eyes of hardned men, but at length having suffered the poore decei­ved wretches, to drink of the Cup prepared for them: He appears himself gloriously, cap. 19. 13. in a more e [...]inent manner than ever before, to the totall destruction of the residue of opposers, and this will be the utmost close of that dispensation, which he now beginneth to stir up the hearts of his Saints unto, i. e. to execute the vengeance written, and to which purpose he hath also commissionated them, Rev. 18. 6, 7, 8. But before I speak to the Commission, it is worthy of our best obser­vation, to take notice of the just and righteous dealings of God unto the inhabitants of Babylon: for I say before he giveth out his Com­mission to his Saints, (who are to judge the world) 1 Cor. 6. 2. and to be the rod of his strength, Psal. 110. 2. His battel-Axe, weapon of [Page 65] war will break in pieces the horse and his rider, &c. Jer. 51. 20. 21, &c. he doth in the first place send his Messengers from his Churches with great power to enlighten them with his Glory, crying mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of Devils, and the hold of every soul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hatefull bird.

Reas. ‘For all nations have drunk of the wrath of the wine of her fornication, and the Kings of the earth have committed fornica­tion with her, and the Merchants of the earth are waxen rich through the abundance of her delicates, and this I take to be by way of Aggravation, to shew her abominations, and how ripe she is for Judgement and executions, as also to strike a terrour in the hearts of the people of God, that are yet in her, of what rank soe­ver:’ which having done in 4. and 5. v. he sendeth other Messen­gers to call the people of God out of her, saying, Come out of her my people, God hath his people in Babylon.

Reason. 1. That ye do not partake of her Sinnes.

2. That ye receive not of her Plagues.

Those then that partake of her sins, shall rrceive of her plagues.

Reason. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembred her iniquity after which fair warning he forthwith giveth his Commission to his Saints, in these words, ‘Reward The Saints Commission against Ba­bylon and all her ad­herents. her as she rewarded you, and double unto her double accord­ing to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double: how much she hath glorified her self, and lived deliti­ously so much Torment and Sorrow give her.’

Reason. For me saith in her heart, I sit a Queen and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow, Therefore shall her Plagues come in one day, (viz. this day of vengeance) Death, and mourning and famine, and she shall be utterly burnt with fire.

Reason. ‘For strong is the Lord God that judgeth her,’ so, that it is clear, this Judgement and Vengeance is to be inflict­ed upon Babylon and her adherents by way of recompence, for the further confirmation whereof, see these following Scriptures id est, ‘ Psalme 2. 4, 5. He that sitteth in Heaven shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision, then shall he speak unto them, (viz. to the Kings of the earth and the Rulers, v. 2.) in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure,’ ‘ Psal. 139 8, 9. [Page 66] O Daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed, happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us, happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones,’ ‘ Isa. 54. For my sword shall be bathed in heaven, (viz. in the Pa­gans and Antichristian heaven or Church) Behold it shall come down upon Idumea and upon the people of my curse to Judgement. The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatnesse, &c. and the Ʋ ­nicorns shall come down with them, and the Bullocks with the Bulls, and their Land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatnesse.’

Reason. For it is the day of the Lords vengeance, and the year of recompence, for the Controversies of Sion, &c. (the remainder of that cup) Isa. 47. 1, 2, 3. Come down and sit in the dust, O Virgin, daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground, there are no thrones, O daughter of the Caldeans, for thou shalt no more be called the tender and delicate, take the Milstone and grind meal, and cover thy locks, &c. Thy naked­nesse shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen, I will take ven­geance, &c. vid. cap. 49. 26, Jer. 50, 35, 36. A sword upon the Cal­deans-saith the Lord, and upon the Inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her Princes, and upon her wise men, a sword is upon their ly­ers, (viz. her Astrologers, &c.) they shall dote. A sword upon her mighty men, (her Army-men) and they shall be dismayed. A sword upon their Horses and their Chariots, and upon all the mingled people, good and bad that shall be found in her, Rev. 18. 4.) and they shall become as women (there will be no fear of Lao­diceans, the Merosh As in the Epistle. Churches, that hath one word for God, and a­nother for Baal, of those that halt between Christ and Antichrist, that can swallow a Parsonage, &c. and yet be a Church-gather­er, in the world, and not of the world, the Hocus Pocus Chri­stians of the times) A sword upon the Treasurers and they shall be robbed, (it will be an ill day with Treasurers it seems, let them therefore look to it) A drought upon her Waiters, i. e. her Cler­gy men of all sorts and sises, vid. Rev. 18.

Reason. For it is a Land of graven Images, (i. e. either of Idola­try or Tyranny) and they are mad upon their Idols,

Again, the Lord speaking of his people, (Jer. 51. &c) saith, ‘I will render unto Babylon, and to all the inhabitants of Caldea all these evils they have done unto Sion in your sight, saith the Lord, Behold I am against thee O destroyinng Moun­tain, saith the Lord, which destroyest all the earth, and I will stretch out my hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the Rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain, [ Note] and they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor for a foundation,’ (not the least grain of humane invention, either in things ap­pertaining to Babylon) whether in its Civill or Ecclesiasticall e­state, where the Lord hath given a c [...]ear and expresse command himself, But thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the Lord. Zach. 12. 2. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all people round about it, &c. and in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone, for all people that burden themselves with it, shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it, in that day, saith the Lord, will I smite every Mat. 18. 7. Luke 17. 1. 2. horse with astonishment, Note. and his Rider with madnesse, (no great fear then of such Horses and Riders, for it seems both Horse and Man will be confounded to move against the Holy, just and perfect Laws of Jehovah the Lord Christ) if they do, woe and sadnesse will be unto them, yea, it had been better that a Milstone had been tyed about their neck, and that they had been cast into the bottome of the sea, than to offend one of those little ones, that shall be made instrumentall for Babylons destruction.

Rev. 6. 12. &c. And I beheld when he had opened the sixth Seal, and loe there was a great earthquake, and the Sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the Moon became as blood and the starres of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figges, when she is shaken with a mighty wind, and the heavens de­parted as a scroll, that is, rolled together, and every mountain and Island were moved out of their places, and the Kings of the earth, and the greatmen, and the rich men (Weep and howl you rich men, for the miseries that are now coming upon you, for your riches [Page 68] are corrupted, and your Garments moth-eaten, your gold and silver is canckred, and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were with fine, Jam. 5. 1 &c. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last dayes, &c.) and chief Cap­tains, (i. e. Generals, Lieutenant-Generals, Commissary-Gene­rals, &c. and Colonels of Armies,) and the mighty men (whe­ther in point of honour or estate) hid themselves in the dennes, and in the Rocks of the mountains, and said unto the Mountains and Rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the wrath of the Lamb.

Reason. For the Greatest day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand: (Repent therefore, that your sinnes may be blotted out at the day of refreshing of the Lords people from himself, lest he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver you, and know it will be a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the great God of heaven and earth, the Lord in much mercy set these these things home upon your hearts and souls, lest you be found fighters against the Lord of Hosts, the God of Battel, who is able to consume you with the blast of his nostrils.)

Lastly, as to the means whereby these great transactions shall be accomplished by the poore, weak, few, and contemptible number of the Army of the Lamb, the Learned Doctour Owen hath given us a brief and full answer, (i. e.) Such as are the things shaken, such must their shaking be, i. e. Spiritual, if Spiritual, Natural, if Natu­rall, Civil if Civil, & hence it is, that the great Champion of the truth is discovered unto us, by these following characters, i. e. And I saw (saith John) and behold a white Horse, and he that sat upon him, was called faithful, and true, (note this fifth Monarchy-man) and in Righteousnesse doth he judge and make war, his eyes were as a Flame of Fire, and on his Head were many Crowns, and he had a Name written that no man knew, but himself, and he was clothed with a vesture dipt in blood, and his Name is called the Word of God.

Note. The Word of God must then be the Rule and Sinew of all the Actions of the fifth Monarchy men, they must onely execute the Judgement written, bringing all the actions of Babylon and her Adherents to the Touchstone of the Scriptures, as for example in re­ference to the Political Government of the World, they are to pro­duce Jam. 4. 12. There is one Law-giver, who is able to save, and to de­stroy; [Page 69] and from thence demand of the Civil Magistrate, by what Rule or Authority he maketh his own Laws, seeing he petends him­self a Minister or Servant unto the alone Law-maker, and conse­quently to put his Laws in-execution, and thus they will be struck as dumb as doore nails, for in this case they have nothing to plead, but the authority and custome of their Ancestours, and their Ance­stors from Nimrod, and Nimrod from the Apostate sons of God in the old world, and they from the Corruption and vain imaginations of fall'n man, and fall'n man from the suggestions and delusions of Satan, and so primarily from the Devil.

Again in point of Ecclesiastical Government and Doctrine, the fifth Monarchy-men are to produce, Mat. 15. 8. In vain do ye worship me, teaching for doctrine the Traditions or commandements of men, and so keep them close to the word of God, and not to suffer them to continue as they are, i. e. partly Jure Divino, and partly Jure Humano, as the Presbyterians do acknowledge their Government to be, and so down with it even to the ground, for being found in Babylon, they and their Government must be destroyed with Babylon, as the learned Doctour hath asserted, and clearly proved, and so consequently to all other false worships, or Governments whatsoever: and hence it is, that the Lambs followers are said to be clothed in white Linnen, white and clean, all their Acts will be done in truth and righteousnesse, the white Linnen is the righte­ousnesse of the Saints, Rev. 19. 8. 2. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the Nations, and he shall rule them with a Rod of iron: here we see, the word maketh way for the material sword, which the Rod of iron doth clearly import, so that as the Doctour saith, the Civil part of Antichrist must be conquered with the iron Rod, and the Ecclesiastical part with the sword that proceedeth out of the Lambs mouth, (viz.) the Holy Scrip­tures, and this doth further appear from Psal. 149. 6, 7, 8, 9. as also from the following words of the afornamed chapter of Rev. 19. i. e. v. 17, 18, 19, 20. which must unavoidably be applyed to the Conquest of the material sword, in that (the other, i. e.) the remnant are said to be slain, with the sword of him that sate upon the Horse, which sword proceedeth out of his mouth, as in v. 13. as al­so in v. 16.

And therefore O Babylon, whether Pagan or Antichristian, I do [Page 70] hereby in the name of the Lord Jesus bid defiance to thee, in whom­soever thou refidest, whether by Idolatry or false worship, or whe­ther by Tyranny or cruel Dominion, being in opposition to the two grand Principles of nature, i. e. of loving God above all, and our neigbours as our selves, and consequently to the bringing of the unmovable Laws and Ordinances of the unmovable Kingdome of the Lord Jesus upon earth, and now in daily expectation by his Saints, and therefore I advise thee, (as the Lord did Niniveh by the Prophet Nahum) to consider, ‘Art thou better than Populus No-Ammon that was situate among the Rivers that had the waters round about it, whose Rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea, Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite, Put and Lubim were the helpers, yet was she carried away, she went ino captivity, her young children were also dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets, and they cast lots for their Honourable men, and all her great men were bound in chains, thou also shalt be drunken, thou shalt be hid, thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy, and all thy strong holds shall be like fig-trees with the first ripe figs, if they be shaken they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater. Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women, the gates of thy Land shall be set wide open unto thine enemies, the fire shall devour thy Bars. Draw the Waters for the Siege, fortifie thy strong holds (with Demy Canon, &c.) Go Into clay and tread morter, make strong the Brick-kil, there shall the fire devour thee, it shall eat thee up as Canker­worm, make thy self many as the Canker-worm, make thy self many as the Locust, yet for all this, before two years be expired, the Laws and ordinances of Jehovah the Lord Christ, shall be magnified and made Honourable in this Nation, and Idolatry and Ty­rany shall be extinguished, even so Amen.’