Application.

But since these things are so, what shall we do [...] I have been making some Essayes upon The Time of the Day; a few more upon The Work of the Day, may well accompany them. It will be well, if we may so have understanding in the Times, as to Know what we ought to do with re­ference to the future Kingdom of our David. Ac­cept, I pray, of this Counsel then, [...] coming from the God of Heaven to us; Labour it be found in [Page 45] such Frames, and such Wayes, as the State of PEACE [...]ow advancing [...]pe [...] the World, would oblige us unto.

Particularly,

1. Why do Godly and Able men give them­selves, no more to the Study of those Truths which concern the Peaceable Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ? Since the Accounts that we have about, The State of Peace to come, are things whereof our Lord hath said, in Rev. 22. 6 These sayings are faithful and Tr [...]e: they must needs be worthy our Study, as being some of the Rays darted from Him, who is, T [...]e God of Truth. and since these are the matters, whereof the Apostle Peter tells us, in a Per. 3. 16. There are in them, some things Hard to be underst [...]d; the more of Mystery there is in any such Truths of God, the more Exqui­site and Accurate should be our Study thereupon. The Truths which concern the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, are not so [...]intelligible, as that we must throw them aside, as he of old the Ob­scure and Crabbed Lines of the Poet P [...]rsi [...]s or cry out with Despair, I cannot Read, for the Book is S [...]al [...]d! No, the Representation which our Lord ha's given us of those Truth, is called a Revela­tion of them; and the Students thereof have there­fore a Blessing Pronounced upon them. David once [...]or'd the Grace of God unto him, which gave him cause for that Exclamation, Lord, That [...] shouldest speak to me, of things to come! For us then to sleight the Advice that we have had from Heaven about the Things to come; for us to think that, Some Scripture is not profitable; for [Page 46] unto [...]aht z [...] bred unto the sure Word of Prophets; my Brethren, tis a Distemper which we cannot be Excused in. I confess, Apocalyp [...]lical Stadies, are fittest for those Raised Souls, whose Heart­strings are made of a Little Fiery Clay, than o­ther mens; and it is to Then especially, that it take leave to say, There is a World of Sweetness in Diligent and Regular Studies upon the King­dom of our Lord Jesus. When Jeremiah had been deeply engag'd therein, he [...]dds, My sleep was sweet unto me! And John found the Book which had these things in it, Rev. 10. 10. Sweet as Honey. I may tell you, That the very A [...]gels of Heaven themselves, afford unto Holy men that (like Them) are have upon such Studies, a Com­munion that is hardly is be uttered; Angelical Visits, Angelical Comforts, Angelical Motions, are in a peculiar, though in an I visible man­ner Vouchsafed unto such men of [...]. And I shall tell you, that the Food of such S [...]ud [...]es is marvellously Scattered all the Bible over; so that you may almost every where, after some Digging, throw up some unsuspected Intimations of this kind, whereas you will find impossible to forbear crying out, with some Transport of Soul, I have found! I have found! There is like­wise a World of Safety, in Critical Studies upon out Distance from that Kingdom. There are in­deed very U [...]sa [...]e Computations, to which, and by which, many have Expos'd themselves. It ha's been Ridiculous to see, by what Chronology, by what Cabala, and with what Temerity, some have Steered, in Fixing, The end of the World; and there are many Temptations, into which men fall; when they find they have been too Bold in their [Page 47] suppurations. But yet Modest Examination of [...] the Time we are in, might prevent many a [...] step, that otherwise may be taken by us. The Jews are so maliciously Apprehensive of this, That they, [...] who [...] the Times: and when a Samuel considered h [...]w long Time the Jewes had [...]ow been in their Captivity, he cryes out, Lord, I am afraid that the Jesus whom the Christians worship, i [...] indeed the J [...]st one? Pray, let them [...]isk on. But if the E [...]aimites in Egypt, had Sufficiently weigh'd, That the Four Hundred and Thirty years of their continuing as they were, [...] much of being out; I suppose they would not have made such a Disastrous Expedition against the Canaanites, as that which in Psal. 78 9. is uttered among, The Dark sayings of old. On the other [...], If Luther had been Apprehensive, that the Time appointed for making better and better [...] than those which H [...]s and others had made an hundred years before, upon the [...] was come on, what [...], with his [...], must it have insur'd into him?

In a Word, An Acquaintance with Prophecy's may have more than a little Influence upon the Accomplishments of those Prophecies. It was fore­ [...]ul perhaps, two hundred years before h [...]d. in Isai 4 [...] 28. C [...]ras shall say to Jerusalem, Thus shalt be [...]ilt. Tis now reported, that the show­ing of that promise unto Cyras, was the thing their afterwards Excited him to Do what He Read. Thus, if at this Day, any Potent Prince, would suffer himself on he Convinced. That this were the Time for Distresses to be brought upon the [...] of [...]; how much Vigour [Page 48] and Conduct might the Affayrs of such a Prince he thence inspired with? Doubtless, their present MAJESTIES of Great BRITAIN, have seen cause to Consider on the Pr [...]diction of the Incomparable JURIEU, in the Dedication of his Excellent little Book enti [...]uled. The Ballance of the S [...]ct [...]ary, and Rublished several years be­fore the Late Revolutions in England, which have so Eminently made good that Pr [...]iction; God has placed you (says he, speaking of the then Prince and Princess of Orange) for Miracles in Israel, and for Signs, that he ha's intended your Highnesses to be the Principal Instruments of that Grand Deliverance, which He hath prepared for His Church, when the storm shall be ever.

Well then, Let good Researches into Sacred Pro­phecy, meet with no more Ill Resentments among the people of God. As for Profane persons, tis no wonder if they Care for note of these Things. It is what Prophrey it self ha's assur'd us of, in a Pet [...]. [...], 4. There shall is the Last Dates come suffers, that shall far, where is the promise of His coming? And it is well noted by our most Learned Let, Our Lord counted it a pi [...]c [...] of [...], unto His Church, to Reveal His Counsels so long be­fore and Proclames them [...]th wise and Blessed, that Study them; then by the Censure of the Divine word, they must be Fools and Miserable, that neg­lect these Sacred Oracles. But for any Pious persons to give those things a Discountenance, is an Evil that S [...]aroe can be Accounted for. And yet as he Disciples himselves being told of our Lords Resurrection in Luke 24 11 The Words [...] unto them, [...] Tales, and they Believed [...] not; [Page 49] so, there are still among the Disciples, those that Explode the Things which they ought rather to Embrace, with many Ex [...]asies of Soul. Yea, such is their too R [...]ah, but Strong prejudice against those things, that if they do not like the first opposers of the Chiliad, da [...]ly deny any Divine Authority to the Rev [...]tive of John, and the Second F [...]stle of Peter, yet they cannot pa [...]iently hear to hear the Result of the m [...]st Es [...]ate Meditations up­on those Prophecies. What is this, but a part of the Sleep, which the [...] in these dayes are to be overtaken with:

But Awake, I beseech you, Awake, out of this unbecoming Sleep, and Read, and Think, and Pr [...]ty, [...] the Father of Lights have given you some Light in those Prophecies, which you should C [...]v [...]t the Understanding of. Indeed the First step we are to take in our Studies, is. To get a large measure of Grace into our Souls. It is said in Dan. 1 [...]. 10. Note of the wicked shall understand, but the Wise shall understand. Men that are without the Fear of God, will go little bet­ter to Work than an I [...]th [...] upon the Pro­phecies of our Lord; nor is it likely that those who Drink any of the Ro [...]ish Pois [...]n, should have a [...] sharp enough to Pence into those Prophecies, much further than [...], who ha's written a [...] to prove, that the present Reign of the Pop [...], is the promised [...] of our Lord. But let us he like Abraham, for our Friend-ship with the God of Heaven, and we may make more hopefull Attempts in our holy Studies. What says the Psalmist, in Psal. 25. 14. The Se­cret of the Lord, is with them that fear him and it is His Covenant to make them to know it.

[Page 50] II. But unto our E [...]adies on the Peaceable Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, we should [...] our Prayers for it. Let us Long for, The State of Peace to come; and joyn our Cryes, in the [...] of the Martyrs, whom the Ten Pri­mitive Persecutions had Sacrificed, How long O Lord, Holy and Tr [...]e! Tis a Particular in the Directory which our Lord ha's given us for our Prayers. Let thy Kingdom come; now there will he all Peace in that Kingdom: and it is the Charge which He ha's laid upon us, Keep not Silence, give the Lord no Res [...], until He make Jerusalem a Praise it the Earth; now you will have a Vision of Peace in that Jerusalem. It is required of us, in Psal. 122. 6. Pray for the Peace of Jeru­salem: for That should we Pray, and for the hastning of that Peace, that shall be in and from the New-Jerusalem. Where God ha's given a Promise, methanks, we should not think much of a Prayer; since our God ha's told us of the Peace in the latter Daves, it becomes us to say, For this [...]use thy Servant has found it his heart, to make his Prayer unto thee. And, who knows what powerful and Effectual Jogs, our Prayers may give unto the wheels that may bring on the most Comfortable Revolutions? You find in Rev. 8 4 [...] 5. The Prayers of the Saints quickly bring T [...]drings, Voices, Lightnings, and Earth­quakes with them: and thus, the great M [...] ­ [...]c [...]hon, hop'd, That God world (and He Did) carry on the Reformation in Germany, because: many poor little Gracious Women, did use to meet and Pray for that Blessing. Be sine, The Nearer we are to, The Peace of the great Dry, [Page 51] the more Pra [...]erful shou'd we be for the B [...]rk of that Day. When Daviel understood by [...], that the Deliverance of the Lords People just at the [...], he [...]ers himself to Prayer with Fasting before God; and implores, in Dan. 9. 19. O Lord bear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for they own sake, O my God; it seems, he was afraid (and much more may we at this day be so) List the Salvations of the Church, might be [...] be­yond the Time Expected, because of mens [...] Behaviours under the Divine Dispensations. I say then, Pray hard; and if our Prayers have had their S [...]res in Procuring the Peace of the World, we need no more doubt than Daniel did, of a LOT in that Peace.

But we have both in point of Interest and in­point of Gratitude. a further Obligation to such Prayers as these. For, one main Thing, in that State of Peace which we pray for, is, The Calling of so many Distinguish'd Israelites as may make a mighty Nation, into the Sheep f [...]ld of the Lord Je­sus Christ. When the Israelites are brought [...] to Repentance and Conversion. Then tis, that, The Times of Refreshing do come from the presence of the Lord. Now, the Restitution of Israel will be [...] ­to us Gentiles, an Advantage Unspeakable and full of Glory. This is largely discuss'd by the Apostle Paul, in his Chapter upon it; where among other great Things, he says, in Rom 11. [...]. If their Casting away, were the Reconciling of the world, what shall the Receiving of them be, but Life from the Dead! It seems, nothing less than, A Re­surrection from the Dead, shall then bless the World, Moreover, Israel did once importune [Page 52] of God, that we Gentiles might have the Br [...]sts of His Institutions among us, for the nourish­ [...] of our Souls. Notwithstanding the E [...]vy [...] carnal among them, they that had in them the Spirit of God, would say, as in Psal. 67 2.3 [...]et say way be brown upon Earth, and thy Saving Health among all Nations; Let the People Praise thee O God, Let all the People Praise thee; but the case is now so altered, that if we have any Ingenuity in us, we shall do as much for them! Thus, even by our Prayers for it, we are to, [...]asten the Day of God. I know not, That the Day of Israels Reduction has any Symptom of nearness, in the late Exiccation of the D [...]d Sea; so far that the Ruines of the old Cityes in it, of late years begin to appear [though I have Considered Ezek. 16. 5 [...], 55.] But I know that a Spirit of Prayer for it, every where would be a Blessed Symptom of it. It is that of which I may say, The whole Creation groanith for it; Surely then, Our selves which have the first [...] of the Spirit, cannot be without our Groans for the Acceleration of it. Our own Peace is this Enwrapped in our Prayers. Besure, now Antichrist is come, we need not be afraid of [...]praying, Pr [...] mor [...]i Fi [...]is, [...]as Tert [...]ll [...]t [...] tells us, the Christians of the First Ages were!

III. And until the Peaceable Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ arrive, let the Prospect of it. Comfort us, under all, The Sufferings of this present Time.

We find those two things conjoyned, in Rev. 1. 9. The Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ. We must have Patience though that Kingdom [Page 53] should be longer coming than we think for, it we should have yet the more Patience because that Kingdom will make amends for all the [...] [...] ­siculties that have preceded it; but let [...] Kingdom give Comfort unto us, as well as Patience. We are now Surrounded and harassed with innumerable Mischiefs; esp [...]clilly with Wars, that have all sorts of Mischiefs Complicated in them. We are fill'd with Venation, when we see the Vanity that Embroils Humane Affayrs, and Enflames people to Plunder, Slaughter, and Captivate One another. But, Not si [...]ale na [...], et ol [...] Sic Erit; Let it comfort us to think, There will be no such horrible D [...]idgs, i [...]those Times, that we are now [...] unto!

Tis possible indeed that you and I, may Dy in the Storm; and yet a person of Note, in the Close of a Worthy Book, Dedicated unto the present King of Great Bri [...]tain, cheerfully says, I can send you the News of a Co [...]ti [...]el [...]ercase of the Flourishing State of the Church, very s [...]or [...]l to begin, and to continue to the [...]d of the World [...] and therefore I desire all Good People, to take special care of their Health that they may be so Happy as to Live to see a fall confirmation of [...] [...].

However, you know t'was Engag'd unto a Prince that lost his Life in a Battel, a Chron. 34 28. Thou shalt be gathered unto thy Grave is Peace. When you Dy, you shall go from not [...] Peace; [...] tis said of the Righteous, He shall enter into Peace; and when the New Jerusalem, withall the Peace of it, shall Come down from Go [...], out of Heaven, made no doubt of [...] be­ing acquainted with it.

[Page 54] But it is possible that many of Us, may Live to see the Peace of the Latter Dayes, getting [...]orther on open us, than we are well aware. [...] not so difficult in giving my Hopes leave [...] The Time to savour, the set Time is [...] at! as to feel no Encouragement for the Prayer which the Prophet, made upon such Hopes of old, in Psal. 102. 24. O my God, Take me not away is the midst of my Dayes. The Scripture seem to intimate, that just before the Peaceable Time, when it shall be proclamed, The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of His Christ! there shall be a little Presage of it, in one of the Ten Kingdomes, which once made the Ten Hor [...]s of Antichrist, by a Wonderful Arising and Ascending of our Lords witnesses in that Kingdom. If then in some very Considerable Kingdom of Europe, where the witnesses of our Lord Jesus have most F [...]ished, or Pres [...]cted and Compleated, their Testimony for Him, you should see a large Number of lost People, witnessing to the Kings, Office of Christ in His Church, and Enduring of Trials like to those which our Lord Himself underwent, for witnessing THAT Good Confession; If you should see that, [...] it was in our Saviours case, a com­pany of men like the Pharisees among the Jewes, (possibly men of the same True Religion) but under the Influence of a Romanist, should at last prevail so far as to Scatter, break up, and Cut off, all the Congregations of these witnesses and there­upon, send Gifts one to another, or keep a Day of Thanksgiving as of delivered from some Dangerous Plo [...]; If you should see, just Three years & an half, after this, a Royal Grd [...]t of Liberty for these [Page 55] Witnesses to Revive their Publick Worship, like what the Jewes had of old, by an Heathen Prince allowing them to Rebuild the Temple of God, [...] on which the Prophet says, They were brought [...] of their Graves: Lastly, If then you see the Re­v [...]lutions of a mighty Earth-quake presently come upon the Nation, that shall Irresistibly carry on all the Interests of the Reformation there; I say, if you should ever see such a Thing as this come to pass, near the close of Our Twelve hundred and Sixty Dayes, behold, an Omen of Great things immediately to follow thereupon; t'wil argue, That the last Slaughter of the witnesses of [...]ver, in that Kingdom, and that the Kingdom shall shortly after become Eminent for all sorts of Encouragements given to Religion there, in the Sight and Spite of all its Adversaries; t'wil argue, that the like work shall quickly be carried on through the other parts of E [...]ope, and that the witnesses, like Elijab, dropping off the Me [...] ­tle of their Sackloth, shall every where pass into a State of prosperous Holiness, beyond any that has been in the former Ages. The Faith­ful Ministers of our Lord Jesus Christ among us, that yet Preach and [...] the Crose, and Conflict with the Straits and wants of a Sackloth Condition, have a particular Comfort thus provided for them, in the Omens of our Dayes; Knew it, ye Witnesses of our Lord, the Old Cloathes of the wilderness, may be taken from you, sooner than many of you imagine, and you may short­ly Enter into that Rest, where, you shall have, The Garment of Praise, for the Spirit of Heavi­ness!

Finally, Let us all Solace our selves in the [Page 56] Fore-thoughts of that Kingdom, wherein all Peace will swallow up the Death which do's [...] [...]lict us every Day. When the Primitive [...] [...]ns were under their manifold Oppres­sions, they Thought, they Talk'd, they Wrote so much on, The Kingdom! The Kingdom! that the Silly Pagans Charg'd them with a Plot against the Roman Empire for it. But, we may take the Comfort of, The Kingdom, which is to bring Peace unto us with it, and yet he well able to, Silence the Ignorance of Foolish men.

IV. In the mean Time, let us A [...]trdate the Peaceable Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, by obtaining and maintaining as much of it Now among our selves, as may be Consistent with our present Circumstances. Or, as the Apostle has it, in 2 Pet. 3. 14. String yet Look for such Things, be Diligent that yet may be found of him in Peace; If our Lord should now pre­sently come to settle the Peace of His Kingdom in the World. Indeed we cannot cause the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus to come, one Hour before, The Day which God ha's Appointed for the Judging of the World, by that man, who He hath Ordained. Nevertheless, to be making some saint Imitations of it, would be no less an Ad­vantage to us, than tis I [...]cumbence on us. If we would have the Priviledges of that Kingdom, we should be found in such Dispositions and Behaviours, as that Kingdom will one Day bring into the World; Yea, Let us, Press on, if by any means, we might attain to the Resurrection of the Dead. We are told, in Math. 24. 46. Bles­sed is that Servant, whom His Lord when He cometh, [Page 57] shall slad SO doing: And our SO Doing, that if the Kingdom of our Lord should now imme­diately break in upon us, we should be found already Initiating our selves at the Works that Kingdom, THIS is no small pare of the WATCHFULNESS, which especially in these Latter Dayes, we are call'd unto.

And indeed, a proper PEACE, is the first thing, that I would hence take Occasion to Re­commend unto my Neighbours; by which PEACE, I mean, a Dismission given to all Quarrels, Contentions, Animosities. If our Lord Jesus were now, To be Revealed from Heaven, in Flaming Fire, let Him not find in broiling in the Fire of wrath and strife, one against another; This Fire would but make us a more Combus­tible Fuel unto That.

I do not lay any stress upon a Pretended Pro­phecy, lately found (they say) among some old. Manuscripts of Venerable [...]ds, at Rome, which speaking of great Revolutions to be in the Year 1688. adds,

But certainly, there is a Terrible Flood of Desolations, now Rolling over the World: and in such a Flood it becomes all the Creatures in the Ark or Church of God, that have any Anti­pathies unto one another, to lay them all aside. Methinks, it becomes all Protestants to unite at this Day, and instead of Smiting their Fellow­Servants [Page 58] [...] for their Differances, many of which have been in things that the Imposers have Confess'd [...]different, consider, whether the Lord will ol­ [...] [...] delay His co [...]tr [...]. Arist [...]des and Them [...]s­ [...] [...] the Heads of two Great Factions in Athens, when they saw the Persians take advantage of their Divisions, presently struck hands, and said, Here we lay down all our Differences, until we have put at End unto the Per [...]ta [...]wa [...]: So, Al [...] ­biades and Nicias, two great men of Athens, being at Variance, when they saw the Wicked­ness of one Hyperbol [...], who sought the Banish­ment of one of them, in order to the Destructi­on of [...]other, they secretly met, and made a Re­conciliation, and procur'd the Exile and Ruine of their Enemy. Cannot all Protestants now at last see those Intrigues of our Popish Adversaries, which are forcible Arguments for the like pru­dent, and speedy Accommodations? May our God now [...] up many a D [...]y, to Negotiate a Pacification among the Reformed and Reforming Churches; and many a B [...]rrough [...] to spread Uniting [...] among the people of God! Singular Crow [...]s will our Lord Jesus in His King­dom have to bestow upon these Blessed Sons of Peace.

But let me, Secondly, bespeak a Sacred REST, as well as a settled Peace, in the Churches of the Lord Jesus Christ. His King­dom will be the Sabbath of the Creation; and so much of the Sabbath as we have, so much of that Kingdom we do as it were Take by Force a­fore-hand, while the Substance of it is detained from us. Tis no wrong to the History of the [Page 59] Creation, if we discern this M [...]stery as also re­presented in it; Profound Writers have [...] [...] the way. The forlorn Mass of [...] horribly defaced and Confounded by Sin, [...] of as God will not own Himselfe the Author, [...] He will not say, It is Good; had yet the Spirit of God presiding over the Waters or the People, and still preserving somewhat of His Interest in them. This World of mankind, had One day, from Adam to Abraham; in which men had first an Evening, or Dimmer, and then a Morning, or Brighter Notice of the Me [...]siah, who is, The Light of the world. The Church [...] self, was this while an unform'd, and unshap'd thing in dispersed Families; but they had some Light of the Massiah, though He were not to come untill some Dayes or Ages after; yet was the Light of the Church distinguished by God from the Dark of the world, however He Blesses not the world in their Separation from the Church. The World had a Second Day, from Abraham to Moses. God now began to set apart His own People, from the Rest of the Waters; but the Separation was hitherto Imperfect, there were other Godly persons yet left in many other places. He call'd a people up, unto an Heaven­ly Church state; but so small was the Number the people thus advanced in the Houses of a [...] Patriarchs, that they were no more in Com­parison with the rest, than the Clouds are to the Seas; however, twas fit they should make some Figure in the Book of God; for from them have come down the Rui [...]s of the Blessings on us all. The World had a Third Day from M [...]es to Jesus. The Separation of Gods People from the Waters [Page 60] was now Compleated, in the National Church of Israel; t'was ripe for a Blessing, yea, for a [...]e­ [...] [...] one. The People of the most High, now [...] as a Dry Land; the Church is not like the [...] (as the World is) barren, rugged f [...]ll of Monsters; and though the Sea be alwayes beat­ing upon it, yet is keeps her Ground. Yea, the Fruits of all Graces, Virtues, and good Works, in an agreeable Diversity, are Conspicuous on it; if Weeds appear, they are to be plucked up. The World had a Fourth Day, from Jesus to Anti­christ. Now do's our Lord Christ, The Sun of Righteousness, Exhibit Himself; and the Church becomes as a Moon, with her Borrow'd Various Changeable Illuminations though not without her Spots, depending on Him; and Stars, or Ministers, of several Magnitudes, among which, the Apostles were of the First, are now S [...]ning in the Orbs of Heaven. The World had a Fifth Day, from the Rise to the Heighth of Antichrist; or, from the Fifth Century to the Eleventh. Birds and Fishes are the Emblems of the men, that make the st [...]rs in these Ages. First, there were men of Bold, Soaring, During Spirits, that would needs fly so high, as to Raise Disputations upon the Trinity, the Generation of the Son, the Procession of the Holy Ghost. In those Times, tis known how all mat­ters ran upon the Flights of the Arian, M [...]tedo [...]ian, Ent [...]chian, and such other Har [...]sies; the Flights were sometimes Happy, and often Too far. Af­terwards, there are Spawn'd Vast Shoals of other Creatures, that Live upon Filth and Mud, and upon Devouring one another; they had the Multitude on their side, and they dwelt in the Abyss of Ignorance; and those Great Whales, [Page 61] the Popes of Rome have had a particular Consider­ation among them. The World ha's a Sixth Day, from the Heighth to the Fall of Antichrist, which is between Seven and Eight hundred years.

Sorts of Beasts, and Insects and Serpents, have in these Ages been met withal. But in the Close, our Lord Jesus Christ, our Second Adam, sets Him­self in espouse His Church, now under the Notion of a Want [...], unto Himself. And wh [...] is now to follow, but a Sabbath, wherein our Lord Jesus, will give His Church to see that R [...]st, which Re­ [...]ies for the People of God. It is possible, that the Nation, which ha's discovered a peculiar Zeal for the Weekly Sabbath, may enter sooner than other Nations, in o the Twilight of that Rest. But, bes [...]re, God will wonderfully Break the Pe [...]ce of those, who do not carefully Celebrate the Sabbaths which are the Figures of the Kingdom wherein we shall have Peace. England saw this, in the Wars that quickly Ensu'd upon the Sports, which the people were once Invited unto the Profanation of the Lords Day withall. Twas the Expression of [...] Worthy Person, when [...] then heard the D [...]ns beating for Dances and Frolicks on the Sabbath Day, I fear lest the Holy God P [...]nish this I [...]iquit [...] with beating up Drums for a March on this very Day! and you know how that [...] was quickly brought upon the Nation. Thus, a person of Quality reflecting upon, The Tears of Germany, Printed fifty years ago, saw cause to say, he beleiv'd the Wars of Germany, would not be over yet, Because is a Cat [...]logue of their provoking Evils, there was no Confession made of Sabbath breaking too Common among them; and you again know what a Stage of Blood and [Page 62] Fire the Empire is, to this very Day.

There is one thing more that I would be­ [...] [...] to accompany the Peace and Rest of our [...] and that is, a Gospel CHURCH, to [...] pursued every where with, A Zeal that shall E [...]t us up. We are now in those Earth quakes, that will certainly Soak▪ down all the Houses that are not of a Divine Institution and Constitution in the World; the Ordinances of an Evangelical Church order, are those things That cannot be Sha­ken; and the way to be safe at such a Shaking Time as is now before us, is to get as many of those Unshaken Things, among us as we can. The Planting of Churches is one of those Good Things that are now Required of us. The Vast Improve­ment of Navigation since the late Invention of the Load sto [...]e and the Compass, his, like the other Changes of the World, the Concerns of the Church in the Bottom of it; it makes us able to carry the Gospel unto such Corners of the Earth, as have hitherto sat in, The Region of the Shadow of Death. Now, Tis a great Scandal. That we should permit the Roman Catholicks, to Exceed us, in Diffusive and Expensive Missions, for the Propagation of the Faith; and that so few of our Companies and Factories count themselves concerned for the Conveying of Spiritual Things to the Heathen, from whom we have so many Temporal: and by whom (which is dreadful to be spoken) Two T [...]ds of the World, are C [...]ver [...]d unto this day! Were man more Vigorous to E­ [...]ang [...]ge the World, or if the Spirit of our [...]LIOT were more Universally prevailing in them ( And within Twenty or Thirty years, you will [Page 63] see more of This they would not only more Honour and Enrich themselves, but also more serve The End, than they are well aware: I mean time, it belongs unto us, to see, that [...] Our selves do not keep at a Distance from that Church-state, which our Lord Jesus Christ ha's appointed for us. That Church state is, The King­dom of Heaven; and it fits us for a further King­dom. Tis not good being Abroad in a Storm; and you forget not, who t'was that said, O [...] Thing have I desired; That I may dwell in the House of the Lord; for in the Time of Trouble, He shall Hide me. But the [...] of Churches is a thing, a­bout which we are at the same Time to be Sol­licitous. We find that when the Twelve hundred and Sixty Dayes of Antichrist, are out; there are Thirty Dayes, and Fourty Five Dayes more, which, Blessed is be that waits and comes unto. It seems by This, that as Judas Maccabius, after the profanation of the Mosaical Sanctuary, by Aetioch [...]s for Twelve hundred and Sixty Natural Dayes, then spent Thirty Dayes in the Purification of the Temple; and spent Forty five Dayes more, to prepare all things, for the Dedication of it, thus, after the Strokes that God is now giving to Antichrist, there may go some Years to S [...]ety and Cle [...]nse the Church of many Schisms, [...] Abuses now crept into it. Now, though I des­pair of seeing any Church in all things answer­ing The Pattern is the [...], until those Dayes of Purification come; yet it is very pleasing [...] the Lord Jesus to see us Do what we can, for the Forwarding of that Holy Work; the very Soul of our Lord, is unspeakably pleased with it, when He sees, that it is our desire, and study to [Page 64] have our Churches Exactly live they New-Jerusa­lem whereinto enters [...] no [...] what [...] Abominations and Fal [...]y. Indeed, as when [...] Vig [...]la [...]ti [...]s appeared Vigorously against [...] Abuses that were Crept into the Church in the beginning of the Fifth Century, no less a man than John undertook the Patronage of those Abuses, and bestowing the Name of D [...]r [...]it [...]tins, with other bad and b [...]se Language upon the man that had so faithfully Reproved them; tis possible that some Great and G [...]od men, may now in like manner [...] upon our Endeavours to Correct the Abuses that are got into the Church; but the Day is at hand, when such Reformers will be acknowledged, the only Vigilant Servants of God. Thus, although the World be now in a Midnight of Security, yet is that Cry Raised among you. Behold, the Bridegroom comes, Go ye forth to meet Him! We meet Him. when we Go forth to much of that Reformation, which His Coming will more thoroughly fill the World withall.

V. And let us Beware of being found a­mong those that most horribly perish, in the [...], that are to precede the Peaceable King­dom of our Lord Jesus Christ. When a People are to Enter into Rest, usually some Consuming Judgments do first carry away an Untowardly, and Ungracious Generation, like the Is [...]a [...]lites whom the matter of B [...]l P [...]or prov'd fatal unto. But never was there such a Prodigious Wast of M [...]n, as there will be, when God is just Lead­ing a Chosen Generation, into the Rest of His King­dom in the Latter Dayes. Now there are especi­ally Two Things, that lay men open to the most [Page 65] formidable Plagues of our Dayes; which [...] are, Popery and Persecution.

Where to find Antichrist, if not in Popery can tell? The Day Light in now a little [...] brood for us, to take the Sor [...]y Puppet of the G [...]otian Antichrist, for, you Min of Sin. It is Enough, to note, That Antichrist must have an Empire, and yet an Empire founded in the [...], of a False Religion; it must here withal be an Empire obtain'd more by Craft than Force; but an Empire, whose Cheif City must be seared on Seven Mountains and the Great City which in the Dayes of the Apostle John, ruled over the King­doms of the Earth; it must be a Continuation of the Fourth Monarchy, and a Revival of it, when it had Received a Deadly [...]; but it must be only an Image of the Roman Empire, a Spiritual Sort of a Thing, which ha's no Arms, but the Superstition of is own [...] to maintain it. Antichrist must have a Prophet, or a man that pretends himself Infallible, to pronounces Oracles upon all Occasions; and a Corruption of Relgi­ion, especially by a Doctrine of Demons of Inf [...]i­our Mediators: a Worship of [...] of Pro­ [...]ct is, and Guardians, is the Thing that Cheifly Signalizes him; yet this Idolatry, being [...]led an Ad [...]tery, must be Committed by a Church of Christians, that once was the Spouse, of the Lord Je­sus Christ; it must be in the Temple of God, [...] ­tichirst must have [...] for the Supporters of his Throne; among which there must be [...] old Kingdoms in his Neighbour-hood, more pe­culiarly Siez'd into his hands; and at the same time, he must utter very [...] his own power and greatness; he must ascribe [Page 66] to himself, the Powers of the Lord Jesus Christ; and there withal make Bloody Wars against the [...], and overcome them; as his Kingdom is to [...] S [...]n for [...]ilthi [...]oss, it must like-wise be an [...] for Cruelty; he must Interdict all Com­merce with such as will not pay Homage to him. Antichrist must Raise Paganism out of its Grave, in a Disguize; and he must make a Noise of In­numerable Miracles. to demonstrate what he Teaches; persons given to Lyes; Legends, and Fables, must be his Emissaries; and yet they most pretend great Austerity, by Forbidding to Marry, and Commanding to abstain from [...]. In a Word, the Mystical Babylon must also drive a mighty Traffick, in the Sale of Spiritual Commo­dities; by which means, the Court of Antichrist must be Excessively magnificent; and he will En­slave the Children of men to all this, by first I [...]teriating of them. I pray, go find if you can, any thing but the Church of Rome that can afford you these Characters!— Et Eris mibi magnns [...] Apoilo. No, Tis from some Extraordinary Blindness, if men do not now see, the Church of Rome to be that Babylon, whereof tis the call of God, in Rev. 18 4. Come out of her, my People, that ye be not partakers of her Sins, and that yee Receive not of her Plagues. Tis a thing whereof some Considerable pers [...]ts for many A­ges, have been aware. Among others, a whole [...] of Gallick Bishops, in the year, 991. Cry'd [...] the Pope, He is the Antichrist who sits is the Temple of God. And it is impossible without Admiration to read the Admirable Oration made by the Bishop of Satisburgh, [...] the States of the Empire, in the year 1 [...]40, in which he calls. [Page 67] The Popes, The Priests of Babylon; and fl [...]ds at Rome, the Antichrist, which had the Ten Hores, or Kings of Europe under him. It would not [...] move sad than strange, if we should then be [...] loss to find the Seat of Antichrist in our Dayes. Wherefore, Believe me, Tis not possible for a man to Do a more Dangerous Thing, than to Continue in the Romish Communion, at such a Time as this! As for those Kingdoms, wherein Popery ha's been Abolished, if any man, be he High or Low, Rich or Poor, shall go to bring the people under that Grand Cheat again, I will Read you the Fa [...]e of that man; The Curse of Joshus never fell so hand upon the Rebuilder of Demolished Jerich [...], as the Curse of Jesus will fall upon the Authors of this Accursed Enterprize; neither shall they prosper in it, any better than the Jews, who at the Invitation of the Apostate Ju­ [...], going to Re-edify their Temple, God sent a terrible Earth-quake that ever-threw all they had already done, and by Fire from Heaven burn't up the Tools, and some of those that used them. But as for those Kingdoms, which yet Con­tinue Impenitent and Incurable in their Popery, One may tremble to foresee the Vengeance Im­pending over them. There is a Constagration in­tended for our World, of which the frequent Mis­chiefs by Fire in our dayes may be our Monitors. This Conflagration [Consider Dan. 7. 11, 12. and Isai. 66. 24. and Ezek. 39. 9. 10. and Rev. 14. 20.] as it seems, will be so Leisurely and Progressive, as to give an Opportunity, which we do not yet Comprehend, for the Escape of such as are to people, the New World. But the first Efforts & Effects of this Prodigious Conflagration, are like to [Page 68] be felt by Italy, whose horrendous [...], together with the late Shakings and Breakings [...] Earth in the bowels of it, would suggest [...] suspicions of such Events; and perhaps by some other Countrys involved in the like Incorrigible Popery. Tis with some surprise, that I have read, what is related by, Di [...] Cassi [...]s, [...] 66. about the Burning of the Mount V [...]savins in the Time of Ti [...]s V [...]spos [...], whereof among other things, he Notes — Quod Cla [...]got TUBARUM [...], But Italy may be thoughtful, whether at the founding of the Seventh Trumpet. the whole Territory there▪abouts must not suddenly be turned into an Entire V [...]savins. Could I do the part of an Angel, I would now lay my Hand upon as many as I could, that I might hasten them away from the Reach of the Horrible Tempest, which may thus come like a Start upon them: but, in this Discourse, I know, I shall be unto them. As o [...]e that Mack­eth, or, As one who Dreams of a Dry Summer! Yet however, I will call as Moses did, when he saw the Earth going [...]o Gipe, and Fire to Rise for Corah and his Companions, Depart, I pray you, from the Tents of these Wicked [...], lest ye per [...]h [...] all their Sins.

But there is another thing, which even some of those that imagine themselves to have shaken hands with Popery (whatever they may have in the Bellies of them) are too prone unto; and that is, Persecution. When that Neba [...]badi [...]ar, had seen an Image of the Four Monarchies, he made that very Image, I suppose, a St [...]t, which who­soever did not immediately D [...]s [...], was to be Burned for their Disobedience. The has been [Page 69] done by Antichrist, for many Ages; he ha's E­rected an Image of the Preceding Monarchies, in his own Supremacy; and they that will not own him for a God, shall be Burned in his Furnace [...] Persecution. But Wo to all Popish persecutors, in, The Day of the Lord, that shall Burn like an Oven! And if any have Renounced the Doctrine of An­tichrist, yet for them to retain so much of the Spirit of Antichrist, as to Persecute Conscientious Brethren, is little to Consult their own Preserva­tion, in that Fitry Day. It is broadly intima­ted [in Math. 24. 48,49.] That just before the Coming of our Lord, There shall be Church Of­ficers, that shall molest their Follow-Servants, who are desirous to have the Church Ordered by such Roles only as our Lord left for the Government of it when He went away; and that shall show more favour to a Common Dr [...]kard, than to one, that shall be, A Faithful and wise Servant in the House of God. It is intimated, That some sudden Provi­dence will at last Suprize and U [...]char [...]h [or assign a Portion with Unbelievers] those Evil men; and I wish, we may all so take the Intimations, as to forbear all future Persecutions. Let me plainly leave this Warning with you; That if any of you, Venture to Persecute the Conscientious People of God [Yea, though it be no Greater a Cause, than, A Scruple to Swear upon the Gospel, that any of them do Conscientiously Expose themselves upon] You are like to be sound among; The l [...]est Persecutors; and be it known unto you, That if the the Last Persecutors have the peculiar Un­happiness, to bear those Terrible Revenges, which the Blood-sheds of all the former Ages have been calling [...] I say again, and, The Lord God of the [Page 70] Holy Prophets, may make this Generation f [...]l what I say; I say, That all the Righteous Blood, [...] upon the Earth, from the Blood of Righteous A­ [...] [...] unto the Blood of the Blessed Menures, when [...] lately butchered with most Exquisite Cruelties, it shall be required of this Generation. The Per­secutors of this Time, do make themselves Parti [...] to all those Wretches, that have the Cry of the Blood under the Altar, going up to God against them; and let them know, That when the Day of the Vengeance of our God, is come [and it comes apace] to Comfort all that mourn, They shall be de [...]lt withal, as having the Guilt of all the that Blood, lying upon their miserable Souls. Now, Consider this, ye Persecutors, left He tear you to Peices, and there be [...]ne to Deliver you.

VI. But I Consider my self as appearing this Day in my Arms, among you; which Arms, you see, are a few smooth stones In a Scrip with a s [...]ag; I mean, a few proper and useful Texts, in the Scripture, with a Sermon; and I may not Lay down my Arms, until I have made some Ad­dresses more particularly to the Gentlemen, for whom tis that I now am in this Holy Service.

You, will then give me leave to tell you, That Your Swords and Spears are as yet Repreiv [...]d from the Change into Plough shares and Pruning­books, which they shall one Day be Condemned unto. Indeed, as Joshua could once make Time Stand still, while the people of God were to use their Swords and Spears; if it were in our Power, we would make Time Run on so fast as presently to bring on the Golden Age, wherein Swords and [Page 71] spears are all to be abolished: But in the mean Time, I have this Exhortation for you; I Pray [...] as Good use of your Swords and Spears as you [...]. The Prophet speaking of the Times [...] shall immediately precede those peaceable one, wherein they shall not learn War any more; he says in Joel 3 9,10. Prepare [...]ar, Beat your Plough­s [...]s into Swords, and your Praning books into Spears. Behold, how my Text is to be Inverted, until the arrival of that Peaceable Day, which our Endea­vours, cannot any more Anticipate, than we can make it Midsummer in the Depth of Winter! Though tis a no less Fr [...]n [...]ick than Wicked thing, for people to Raise Wars for the Introducing of that Peaceable Kingdom, which our Lord Jesus will yet have in [ the] World; or to do like those mad Fifth-Monarchy men, who have thought their Turbulent Insurrections would be Accepta­ble and Serviceable to the Holy Son of God, whose Kingdom is not of [this] World. It is Conveni­ent for me to leave this Caution with you! Whatever Opinion shall have a Natural Tenden­cy to move Seditions, Rebellions, Mu [...]inies, and rob Casar of the Rights that belong unto him; in Gods Name, Renounce it with Detestation; there is no such Opinion countenanced by our Blessed Gospel of Peace. Yet our Duty to our God and our King, ha's made it on many other Accounts necessary for us, at this Day, to be Learning of War.

Tis the Learning of War, to which I must now for a while Encourage you; and methinks, it should Wonderfully Quicken your Learning, when you understand, who your Titor is. It was the speech of the Psalmist in Isal. 144. 1. Blessed be [Page 72] the Lord my strength which teaches my Hands to War, and my Fi [...]g [...]rs to Fight. Behold, what a [...] the Souldier ha's to be Learning of! So [...] tis in that Honourable and Amiable Quali­ [...] that our Artillery-Company do this Day appear; You are this Day to muster, as the Scholars of that Glorious God, who i [...], The Lord of Hosts; even of Him, who is the King of Glory, the Lord mighty in Battel. If you meet with any persons that causelesly refuse to come into your Compa­ny, pray, ask them, Why they play the T [...]uant so? But, now that you may be, All Scholars, I am to say before you, a few Considerations which may close the Exercise that we are now upon.