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<DATE>5-2-14</DATE>
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<NAME>John Latta</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="preface">
<PB REF="1">
<HEAD>A Preface to all tho&s;e who are the lovers of Truth.</HEAD>
<P>_I Doe pre&s;ent the&s;e &s;cattered con&s;iderations into the ten|der hands of all the lovers of Truth in this pre&s;ent ge|neration; You are Right Honourable, who love the Truth: And therefore doe I account it my glory to &s;erve you in the lea&s;t of your love; I dur&s;t not be &s;o unfaithfull in withholding any Truth within my own brea&s;t, and not to pub|li&s;h it, &s;eeing it is your love, and my glory in &s;erving you in it; I am al&s;o confident of faith|fulne&s;&s;e in all things from per&s;ons of &s;uch ho|nour; Wherefore I will tru&s;t this following
<PB REF="1"> Treati&s;e in your hands, which I will not tru&s;t with any others; from your faithfulne&s;&s;e I expect acceptance, I expect an improvement of it by you, though in your trea&s;ury it bee found but a mite; the Lord increa&s;e your trea&s;ury of truth, out of which may you have to &s;erve the great expence of this pre&s;ent tra|vaile, from <HI>Babylon</HI> to your owne Country; for your pro&s;perity in it, for deliverance out of the difficulties of it, for your full arrivall into your owne Country, and for your glorious welcome therein, prayeth</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your deare friend, and<LB> Fellow-Traveller.<LB> <HI>E. S.</HI></SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
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<DIV1 TYPE="treatise">
<PB REF="2">
<PB N="1" REF="2">
<EPIGRAPH>
<BIBL>JER. 51. VER. 9.</BIBL>
<Q>We would have healed Babylon, but &s;he is not healed; for&s;ake her, and let us go every one into his owne Countrey: for her judgement reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up unto the skies.</Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P>_WEE reade much of <HI>Babylon,</HI> in that Revelation that <HI>John</HI> brought from God unto the Saints, in Chap. 15. of his Book, ver. 5. we reade of <HI>Babylon</HI> written upon the forehead of the great Whore; we al&s;o reade, that this Whore in the la&s;t ver&s;e of that 17. Chap. was that City which ruled over the Kings of the earth, and <HI>Babylon</HI> is written upon her forehead: Now was this <HI>Babylon</HI> in the Text, and that all one? No, they are not all one, the one was naturall <HI>Babylon,</HI> the other is &s;pi|ritually called <HI>Babylon,</HI> but they are much alike; Now then con&s;ider, wherein they are alike, as al&s;o, that the drift of the&s;e re&s;emblances that I &s;hall lay down, is to draw up your apprehen&s;ions to my intention, which is (if it might be) to di&s;cover &s;omething of &s;pirituall <HI>Babylon;</HI> which I take to be the Church&s;tate of <HI>Rome,</HI> and <HI>Rome</HI> is <HI>Babylon,</HI> the Church&s;tate of <HI>Rome</HI> is <HI>Babylon,</HI> and though it be not the &s;ame with na|turall <HI>Babylon,</HI> yet it is &s;piritually called &s;o, and it is very like it in the&s;e following, and many more re&s;emblances.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, Babylon of old, naturall Babylon, was the &s;eat and City of <MILESTONE N="1"> Tyrants; of that mighty hunter <HI>Nimrod</HI> in the 10. Chap. <HI>Gen.</HI> ver. 10. and of <HI>Nebuchadnezzar,</HI> as in the fir&s;t of <HI>Daniel,</HI> the fir&s;t and &s;econd ver&s;es it will appeare; and &s;o is &s;pirituall Babylon, the City and dwel|ling place, the habitation of Tyrants, &s;oul-per&s;ecuting tyrants, &s;uch as <HI>Nimrod,</HI> mighty hunters of the Saints, of their &s;oules and con&s;ciences, and &s;uch as <HI>Nebuchadnezzar,</HI> de&s;troying, and captivating the Saints, with all their golden Ve&s;&s;els, their golden Liberties: witne&s;&s;e the blood of the Saints in all Nations, <HI>Rev.</HI> 17. 6.</P>
<PB N="2" REF="3">
<P>Secondly, <HI>Babylon</HI> of old was the place unto which the captivated <MILESTONE N="2"> people of God was carryed, the 2. of <HI>Chron.</HI> the 36. Chap. <HI>ult.</HI> &s;o is &s;pi|rituall <HI>Babylon,</HI> the Church of <HI>Rome,</HI> into which Church&s;tate the &s;oules of the Saints are carryed captive; nay, that &s;he might make &s;ure work, &s;he hath made all the Nations drunke with her whoredomes, as in the 14. Chap. of the <HI>Rev.</HI> ver. 8.</P>
<P>Thirdly, Naturall <HI>Babylon</HI> was the place of graven Images, of Ido|latrous <MILESTONE N="3"> wor&s;hip, as in 2 <HI>Chron.</HI> Chap. 36. ver. 7. and <HI>Jerem.</HI> 51. the 47. and the 52. ver. and &s;o is &s;pirituall <HI>Babylon,</HI> the Church of <HI>Rome,</HI> the mother of harlots and abominations, <HI>Rev. 17, ver.</HI> 5.</P>
<P>Fourthly, Naturall <HI>Babylon</HI> was very great, &s;itting upon many wa|ters, <MILESTONE N="4"> <HI>Jer</HI> 51. 13. &s;o is &s;pirituall <HI>Babylon, Rev.</HI> 17. ver. 1.</P>
<P>Fifthly, Naturall <HI>Babylon,</HI> (for the Babylonians are called Babylon <MILESTONE N="5"> as well as the place, the City <HI>Babylon,</HI> as in the 5. of <HI>Jer.</HI> ver. 29. God cur&s;eth <HI>Babylon,</HI> and biddeth, <HI>Let none of them that is of the people e&s;cape)</HI> now the&s;e naturall Babylonians were a &s;ecure and a joyous people, in <HI>E&s;ay</HI> 47. ver. 7, 8. and &s;o is this &s;piriruall Babylon, as in <HI>Rev.</HI> 18. v. 7.</P>
<P>Sixthly, The Babylonians of old were de&s;tructive to all of God that <MILESTONE N="6"> they could finde, de&s;tructive to his people, hou&s;e, wor&s;hip, all that they could finde: as in the 2 <HI>Chron. 36. ult.</HI> and &s;o is &s;pirituall Babylon, 2 <HI>The&s;&s;.</HI> Chap. 2. Ver. 4. <HI>Who exalteth him&s;elf above all that is called God.</HI></P>
<P>Seventhly, The naturall Babylonians were a very proud people, and <MILESTONE N="7"> this you &s;hall &s;ee in <HI>Jer.</HI> 50. ver. 31, 32. God calleth her mo&s;t proud; &s;o is &s;pirituall Babylon, and therefore &s;he is &s;piritually called Sodome, as well as Babylon, for &s;he is mo&s;t proud, let all the Kings of the earth witne&s;&s;e.</P>
<P>Eighthly, We reade that the King of Babylons Decrees again&s;t <HI>Da|niel,</HI> <MILESTONE N="8"> the three Children, (in the 3. Chap. of <HI>Daniel)</HI> again&s;t the people of God, were Per&s;ian Decrees, unalterable: So are the Decrees of this King of &s;pirituall Babylon, for the de&s;truction of the Saints, for the captivating their &s;oules, the&s;e are Per&s;ian Decrees al&s;o, they are unal|terable; nay, this King cannot change his Decrees, he cannot mend them, for (&s;aith he) there can be no errour in them.</P>
<P>But what do you &s;peak to us of <HI>Babylon,</HI> &s;eeing we are of the Church of <HI>England?</HI> and though <HI>Rome</HI> be Babylon, the Church of Rome, yet I <MILESTONE UNIT="Ob."> hope the Church of England is not; what do you &s;peak to us of Ba|bylon?</P>
<P>I wi&s;h the Church of England were not Babylon, and that our <MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;w.">
<PB N="3" REF="3"> Church&s;tate and that were not all one, I wi&s;h they were not alike; but while I de&s;ire it my &s;pirit faileth, for behold, when I would ju&s;tifie her, &s;he will not be ju&s;tified: Not to &s;peake of the con&s;titution, which with|out controver&s;ie is the &s;ame, yet according to the&s;e re&s;emblances, if I would ju&s;tifie her, I cannot: if I &s;ay there is no Tyrants, no &s;oul-tyrants, no <HI>Nimrod</HI>-like hunters in the Church&s;tate of <HI>England,</HI> none that are mighty to hunt the righteous, to per&s;ecute the Saints, if I &s;ay thus to ju&s;tifie her, mens con&s;ciences will cry again&s;t me, nay but &s;he is guilty; mens dark con&s;ciences, mens &s;tarved con&s;ciences, mens peri&s;hing con|&s;ciences (that have had their bread, their light, their life almo&s;t, taken from them, when as all their Go&s;pell &s;ons, their preaching me&s;&s;engers, were &s;cattered, were driven from them) will cry with a loud voice, nay but &s;he is guilty in this; the Church&s;tate of <HI>England</HI> is the habitation, the &s;eat, and City of mighty hunters: Pri&s;ons will &s;ay &s;he is guilty, other Nations will &s;ay &s;he is guilty, Wilderne&s;&s;es and tempe&s;tuous Seas will cry out, &s;he is guilty of this, I cannot ju&s;tifie her in this thing. And if I &s;ay further, though it be thus, yet it is not the place, not the city in which poore &s;ouls lie captivated, as they doe in the Church of <HI>Rome:</HI> if I &s;ay herein I will ju&s;tifie her, how many &s;ouls in every pari&s;h is there that wil cry out and witne&s;&s;e again&s;t me, and &s;peak it with a loud voice; Nay, but we are captivated here, while we are here we are in Babylon, wee are in confu&s;ion, for matter of their Doctrines we are confounded, and for di|&s;cipline we are confounded, and it is a pretty degree of knowledge to know that we are confounded: Alas, how many are there in every Pari&s;h, that if they have any Chri&s;t, any faith, any knowledge, any liberty, any holine&s;&s;e, it is in &amp; from the Church! they will profe&s;&s;e they believe wel, if they believe as the Mini&s;ter, they have a great light to walk by in the Church, though for al their light they cannot tel you where their Church is: Thus their knowledge, their faith, their liberties, their con&s;ciences, and all lie captivated in the Church, even as theirs at <HI>Rome,</HI> only here is more light, and more conviction, and more trea&s;ure in the &s;oules of men captivated, then there is at <HI>Rome:</HI> Alas, how &s;hall I ju&s;tifie her, &s;eeing the cry is &s;o great? but if I &s;ay I will yet ju&s;tifie her, here are not <HI>Romes</HI> Images, here is not <HI>Babylons</HI> Idols: The Mothers in <HI>England</HI> will cry out and &s;ay, we are full of <HI>Romes</HI> Idols; your mothers orna|ments &s;hews your father and your fathers care; the ornaments of your meeting, your chiefe meeting places, what are they, what is a Surpli&s;&s;e, an Altar, Organs, &amp;c. what is your &s;peaking-&s;peechle&s;&s;e-praying Idol?
<PB N="4" REF="4"> I would once have ju&s;tified it, and have &s;aid it is not the Ma&s;&s;e-booke: Oh <HI>England!</HI> and are not thy Church-creatures great? have they not been &s;ecure? have they not &s;aid they were delicate? and they &s;hould &s;ee no widowhood? have they not been de&s;tructive to all they could finde of the living God, in his living Saints, and living truths, and li|ving way? ha&s;t thou not been proud, O mighty Prelate? thou and thy creatures? ha&s;t not thou cau&s;ed thy Decrees to &s;tand? for all the con|&s;ciences of the Saints, thy decrees mu&s;t &s;tand, though they goe with|out their Eares, without their blood, without their liberties; thy decrees mu&s;t &s;tand, though the Saints gifts fall; who can ju&s;tifie, who can heale thee?</P>
<P>We would have healed Babylon, but &s;he is not healed; for&s;ake her, and let us goe every one into his owne countrey: for her judgement reacheth unto heaven and is lifted up unto the skies.</P>
<P>Four things I ob&s;erve in the words; fir&s;t, the di&s;po&s;ition of the Saints, <HI>We would have healed Babylon;</HI> Secondly, the &s;tate of <HI>Babylon,</HI> &amp; that is, <HI>&s;he is not cured,</HI> though the Saints would cure her: or as in the old tran&s;|lation &s;he could not be cured: Thirdly, a double duty, to for&s;ake her; and 2ly. To returne into their owne countrey: Fourthly, a double rea&s;on, one drawne from the uncurable &s;tate of <HI>Babylon,</HI> Therefore for&s;ake her: and the &s;econd from the fearefull judgement of God threat|ning <HI>Babylon.</HI></P>
<P>From which words thus lying, ob&s;erve the&s;e &s;ixe things. <MILESTONE N="6" UNIT="Ob&s;er|vations."></P>
<P>Fir&s;t, it is the di&s;po&s;ition of the Saints to &s;eeke the good of tho&s;e that are their enemies. <MILESTONE N="1"></P>
<P>Secondly, from this &s;econd part, that <HI>Babylon</HI> is not cured, ob&s;erve <MILESTONE N="2"> this: <HI>Babylon</HI> is uncurable.</P>
<P>Thirdly, it is the duty of the Saints, to for&s;ake <HI>Babylon.</HI> <MILESTONE N="3"></P>
<P>Fourthly, <HI>Babylon</HI> is not the Country of the Saints. <MILESTONE N="4"></P>
<P>Fiftly, that as the Saints ought to for&s;ake <HI>Babylon,</HI> &s;o equally 'tis their <MILESTONE N="5"> duty to returne into their owne Countrey.</P>
<P>Sixtly, the judgement of God again&s;t <HI>Babylon,</HI> is a terrible judge|ment. <MILESTONE N="6"></P>
<DIV2 N="1" TYPE="doctrine">
<P><HI>Fir&s;t,</HI> It is the di&s;po&s;ition of the Saints to &s;eeke the good of them that per&s;ecute them, of tho&s;e that are their enemies.</P>
<P>The Rea&s;on is, fir&s;t, becau&s;e it is their duty in the fift Chapter, <HI>Mat.</HI> <MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="Rea|&s;on."> 5. 44. <HI>ver&s;e,</HI> &s;aith <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t, Doe good to them that hate you, pray for them that per&s;ecute you,</HI> and de&s;pitefully u&s;e you, This is Gods com|mand,
<PB N="5" REF="4"> and it is the Saints duty, and duty breeds di&s;po&s;ition; The com|mands of God to his people, are not onely binding, but quickning al|&s;o; his Word giveth life; it worketh di&s;po&s;ition in his people.</P>
<P>Secondly, the Saints &s;eeke the good of their enemies; becau&s;e that <MILESTONE N="2"> in their good, the Saints them&s;elves &s;hall and doe po&s;&s;e&s;&s;e good, and therefore are they di&s;po&s;ed to doe it: and this rea&s;on God moveth his people withall, even while they are in <HI>Babylon,</HI> as we read in the 29. <HI>Chap. Jerem.</HI> the 7.</P>
<P>Thirdly, that they might be truely a ble&s;&s;ing to their generation, <MILESTONE N="3"> therefore they are di&s;po&s;ed to doe what they can, although it be a per|&s;ecuting Antichri&s;tian generation, what good they can doe they will doe, that truely they might be a ble&s;&s;ing in their generation.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, it teacheth us thus much, that we have not done ami&s;&s;e, in that <MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="&V;&s;e."> we have in our day &s;triven to cure the Church-&s;tate of <HI>England,</HI> nor no more hath the Parliament done, though &s;he be not cured.</P>
<P>Secondly, it may &s;tirre us up this day in our humiliations &amp; prayers <MILESTONE N="2"> for <HI>England:</HI> 'tis the di&s;po&s;ition of the Saints, and &s;o the Prophet al&s;o, bring balme for her cure, if &s;he may be healed; therefore be exhorted to it: for con&s;ider,</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, that though it be the place, the Church-&s;tate be the place of our <MILESTONE UNIT="Motives."> <MILESTONE N="1"> &s;ouls captivity, and of our brethren al&s;o: yet <HI>England</HI> it is the countrey of our Nativity; here are according to the fle&s;h, our fathers, our bre|thren and &s;i&s;ters, people of the &s;ame language, of the &s;ame &s;peech, Oh bring balme for her cure, if &s;he may be healed. <MILESTONE N="2"></P>
<P>Secondly, when we have done thus, we have done our duty, &amp; this &s;ure will move a Saint: let duty move you, for duty is better then life. <MILESTONE N="3"></P>
<P>Thirdly, and la&s;tly, &s;o doing we &s;hall have witne&s;&s;ed to the truth in our de&s;ires in the pre&s;ence of God, and have &s;hewen our &s;elves upright men in our generation. <MILESTONE N="2" UNIT="Doctr."></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="2" TYPE="doctrine">
<P>The &s;econd thing is, the &s;tate of <HI>Babylon,</HI> and that is, &s;he is not, though the Saints would have cured her, yet &s;he is not, or could not be cured: From whence ob&s;erve this: That <HI>Babylon</HI> is uncurable.</P>
<P>The fir&s;t rea&s;on why <HI>Babylon</HI> is uncurable, is, her wound is ulcerous: <MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="Rea&s;on."> Ulcerous wounds are hard to cure: you &s;ay of them, they will hardly be cured: Now 'tis &s;o with <HI>Babylon,</HI> her wound is marched over this thou&s;ands of times together, therefore 'tis uncurable. It is &s;aid of <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> in the la&s;t Chapter of the &s;econd booke of <HI>Chronicles,</HI> that they had &s;in|ned &s;o again&s;t God, till there was no remedy: and it is &s;aid of tho&s;e
<PB N="6" REF="5"> that harden again&s;t reproofe, in the 29. of <HI>Proverbs,</HI> the 1 <HI>ver&s;e,</HI> they &s;hall be de&s;troyed without remedy; there is no remedy for &s;uch &s;in|ners, &s;uch hardned marched &s;inners after many reproofes; now &s;uch is <HI>Babylons</HI> wound, 'tis an old &s;ore; therefore there is no remedy.</P>
<P>Secondly, meanes hath been u&s;ed for <HI>Babylons</HI> cure, and good means <MILESTONE N="2" UNIT="Rea&s;."> al&s;o, the Saints, the Prophet &s;aith, here we would, we, the Prophet was one of them, and yet &s;he is not cured, &s;he is uncurable; <HI>Abrahams</HI> pray|er had like to healed <HI>Sodome:</HI> and <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> prayer did heale <HI>I&s;rael;</HI> if any cure may be wrought, the Saints have done it, they have healed de&s;pe|rate wounds; I, but they have not healed <HI>Babylon;</HI> therefore &s;ure &s;he is uncurable.</P>
<P>Thirdly, when the con&s;titution of a thing is its di&s;ea&s;e, and the be|ing <MILESTONE N="3" UNIT="Rea&s;."> of a thing is its wound, it cannot be healed, it cannot be cured; but &s;o it is with <HI>Babylon,</HI> &s;pirituall <HI>Babylon,</HI> and therefore in all rea&s;on can|not be cured, &s;inners may be &s;aved, but &s;in cannot; if &s;inners are &s;aved, it is from &s;inne, and therefore Je&s;us Chri&s;t came to &s;ave from fume, and clean&s;e us from &s;in: indeed Je&s;us Chri&s;t may and doth ju&s;tifie the ungodly, and the &s;inners, but he will not ju&s;tifie &s;inne; &s;o the Na|tions that are defiled may be cured, they may be healed, but <HI>Babylon</HI> that doth defile cannot be cured.</P>
<P>Is <HI>Babylons</HI> wound uncurable: then no wonder that for all means <MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="&V;&s;e."> &s;he is not cured; Indeed to con&s;ider what meanes hath been u&s;ed for her cure, and yet &s;he is not cured, it would cau&s;e us to wonder, to con|&s;ider what preaching meanes hath been u&s;ed in <HI>Babylon</HI> for her cure, the Saints have preached, the two witne&s;&s;es have prophe&s;ied in &s;ackcloth, 1260. dayes of his 42. months, and yet &s;he is not cured; and how much &s;uffering meanes hath been u&s;ed, 'tis &s;trange that that hath not melted her, and cured her, when bleeding Saints, and burning Saints, and frying ro&s;ting Saints, all the Nations over, have witne&s;&s;ed the faith of Je&s;us, and in the fire unto death have held forth a healing-clean&s;ing-Go&s;pell-rule to Babylon, and yet &s;he is not cured; and to con&s;ider what Parliament means hath been u&s;ed in many Nations, it is &s;trange they have not cured her, e&s;pecially when they have been Re|forming Parliaments, &s;uch as we have had in <HI>England,</HI> (for this meanes hath been e&s;pecially u&s;ed in <HI>England)</HI> and yet &s;he is not cured; it is &s;trange indeed, but no wonder, for &s;he is uncurable; if ever Parliaments could have cured her in rea&s;on, Queen <HI>Eliz.</HI> Parliaments might have cured her, but for all tho&s;e Parliament plai&s;ters, yet &s;he is her &s;elf, and her
<PB N="7" REF="5"> beeing is her wound, therefore wonder no longer, for &s;he is uncurable.</P>
<P>Secondly, Is &s;he uncurable? It may teach us how this day to plead <MILESTONE N="2" UNIT="&V;&s;e."> with God for our Parliament, &s;he cannot be cured; if they would cure Bi&s;hops, and Prelaticall government, if they clip their wings (as they &s;ay) never &s;o much, they cannot cure the way of government, for though the wings are cut, the bird is the &s;ame, and her, for her beeing is her wound, &s;he cannot be cured; if they would cure our way of wor|&s;hip in our Service-booke, and purge it (as they &s;ay) never &s;o much, yet they cannot cure it: No, Idols were wont to be burnt; and if they &s;trive with it, and purge it never &s;o much, yet if they let it be, its beeing is its wound, and it cannot be cured, and &s;o for all the re&s;t of her abo|minations; and therefore it may in&s;truct us this day in our prayers for the Parliament, and it may al&s;o iu&s;tifie the Parliament in their former proceedings; Alas, they could never have cured the High Commi&s;&s;i|on, and therefore in that which they have done to that, they are to bee ju&s;tified: and &s;o again&s;t what&s;oever cur&s;ed thing they have thus pro|ceeded, they are to be ju&s;tified in it.</P>
<P>Is <HI>Babylon</HI> uncurable? It may lead us to the con&s;ideration of her end, of her downfall: God will cure all the Nations; I, but <HI>Babylon</HI> is <MILESTONE N="3" UNIT="&V;&s;e."> uncurable, what thinke you &s;hall her end be?</P>
<P>Is <HI>Babylon</HI> uncurable? Then let us for&s;ake her, be out of love with <MILESTONE N="4" UNIT="&V;&s;e."> her, and for&s;ake her; what man will &s;tay in his hou&s;e when it is afire, and there is no help for it? nay (in the neere&s;t relation under the Sun) what &s;oule will &s;tay in the body, when there is no cure? and therefore, why &s;hould uncurable <HI>Babylon</HI> be &s;o deare to you?</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="3" TYPE="doctrine">
<P>The next Ob&s;ervation is this: That it is the duty of the Saints (of <MILESTONE N="3" UNIT="Doctr."> the Lords people) to for&s;ake <HI>Babylon.</HI></P>
<P>Fir&s;t, that they might not be partakers with Babylon in her &s;innes, <MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="Rea&s;."> therefore the people of the Lord mu&s;t not abide in Babylon.</P>
<P>Secondly, the people of God mu&s;t come forth from Babylon, be|cau&s;e <MILESTONE N="2"> of Babylons puni&s;hment, that they might not partake of that nei|ther; both the&s;e rea&s;ons we &s;hall finde urged by the Lord upon his people in the 18. Chap. of the <HI>Rev.</HI> ver. 4. <HI>Come out of her my people, that ye partake not of her &s;ins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.</HI></P>
<P>Thirdly, that they might an&s;wer the love of God to them, in decla|ring <MILESTONE N="3"> unto them the &s;in of Babylon, and her puni&s;hment, therefore they ought to depart from her; for &s;hall God finde out you, and me, of &s;o many millions of men, to impart his &s;ecrets unto us, and tell us how
<PB N="8" REF="6"> contrary &s;he is to him, and his Go&s;pell, and the freedome of the Saints, and declare unto us what hee will doe with her, and bid us take heede, &s;inne not with her, take heede, come forth, that yee be not puni&s;hed with her; and &s;hall we yet lie &s;till in <HI>Babylon?</HI> how doe we an&s;wer Gods love to us poore wretched creatures? love requires love, and friend&s;hip requires friend&s;hip: now therefore the Saints ought to for&s;ake <HI>Babylon</HI> in regard of Gods free love to them, and friendly admonition.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, mu&s;t the Saints for&s;ake <HI>Babylon,</HI> and is it their duty? then <MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="&V;&s;e."> why doe we &s;tand &s;till? why doe we not for&s;ake her? The Exhortation is, that we would know our duty and obey, that wee would for&s;ake her.</P>
<P>Would you be moved to it? What, to goe out of Captivity? would you be moved to come out of a Pri&s;on? to have your &s;oules delivered? doe you lacke motives for this? The Lord move you to for&s;ake <HI>Ba|bylon:</HI> but would you yet be moved? take onely this one motive; if &s;o be you can but con&s;ider the mi&s;ery of this your captivity under her; and con&s;ider the mi&s;ery in two or three things, wherein it is wor&s;e then the Captivity of the people of God in naturall <HI>Babylon.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. Fir&s;t, they indeede were carried captive bodily, their bodies were <MILESTONE N="1"> captivated, and this was a terrible thing; and therefore they cry under it; I, but ours is wor&s;e than this, for, for all this, they had their &s;oules at liberty, they could u&s;e their apprehen&s;ions, and their judgement was good; they knew <HI>Babylon</HI> was wor&s;e than <HI>Zion;</HI> In the fir&s;t ver&s;e of the 137 <HI>P&s;alme, They wept when they thought on Zion:</HI> but alas, our judge|ments are captivated, and we &s;ee nothing, but it's good enough to be here, you know not, you pri&s;e not the Land of Promi&s;e.</P>
<P>Secondly, though they were in Captivity, yet when a deliverance was <MILESTONE N="2"> laid before them, and offered to them, they could rea&s;on thus, Delive|rance is better than Captivity; their rea&s;on was not captivated, but now 'tis wor&s;e, for mens rea&s;ons are captivated under this &s;pirituall <HI>Babylon;</HI> Alas Chri&s;tians, men would be very unwilling to be counted &s;o unrea&s;onable, as their Rea&s;on &s;heweth them to be; in Church matters, Rea&s;on is captivated, that word is made good, men are given over to &s;trange delu&s;ions, to beleeve lies.</P>
<P>Thirdly, though they were in <HI>Babylon,</HI> yet they loved <HI>Zion;</HI> and <MILESTONE N="3"> therefore in the 137. <HI>P&s;alme,</HI> and the 3. ver&s;e, <HI>If I forget thee, O Jeru&s;a|lem, let my right hand forget her cunning;</HI> oh, they loved <HI>Zion:</HI> but now tis wor&s;e, our affections are captivated al&s;o: Chri&s;tians, tis &s;trange to
<PB N="9" REF="6"> &s;ee how that when judgement is inlightned, and men are able to rea&s;on in them&s;elves for liberties, and to others for Je&s;us Chri&s;t, and yet they cannot get their affections off from <HI>Babylon:</HI> To in&s;tance in this one thing, If a private man (as they call them) with as excellent gifts as a publique (as they will di&s;tingui&s;h) and they are convinced of it; yet men will not admit the private man to Exerci&s;e without many <HI>Queries</HI> (though unrea&s;onable ones) (for it is &s;uppo&s;ed he &s;hould have as excel|lent gifts) and then there is nothing but this, the other is a publike per|&s;on, &amp; &s;o far as he is a publike Officer in the Church of <HI>England</HI> made by the Bi&s;hops, or the Popes Factors, &s;o farre well, con&s;idered it is not their beauty, and yet men cannot come off, it is not &s;o well, unle&s;&s;e they be Mini&s;ters, as they call them,: why now, are not your affections captivated? my In&s;tance is not betweene private men, and &s;uch as are publike after the order of the Go&s;pell; but &s;uch publike per&s;ons as they call Pa&s;tors in <HI>England</HI> made after the Je&s;uiticall Order, the Order of <HI>Rome:</HI> and now are not your affections captivated?</P>
<P>La&s;tly, they were onely captivated with their carnall Ordinances, <MILESTONE N="4"> but now they have captivated our Graces, our Gifts, and our Go&s;pell Ordinances: now in as much as we are made partakers of better Ordi|nances, and are captivated with them, our captivity is wor&s;e then theirs.</P>
<P>But in what manner, how &s;hould we for&s;ake? An&s;wer, if the Que&s;tion <MILESTONE UNIT="Que&s;t."> be, how for meanes, what meanes &s;hall we u&s;e?</P>
<P>I An&s;wer, con&s;ider the Motives, and con&s;ider God hath bidden you <MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;w."> come forth, and the Lord make his voyce a living voyce to you: Je&s;us Chri&s;ts voyce to dead <HI>Lazarus,</HI> was, <HI>Lazarus come forth;</HI> and though he was dead in the grave, he did not di&s;pute, and &s;ay, I am dead, how &s;hall I ari&s;e? No, but Chri&s;t gave the word, and <HI>Lazarus</HI> came forth; Now the Lord make his commanding Word to be a living working Word to us all.</P>
<P>But if you aske the manner, how? <MILESTONE UNIT="Que&s;t."></P>
<P>I an&s;wer in the&s;e foure or five particulars following. <MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;w."></P>
<P>Fir&s;t, Come forth, <MILESTONE N="1"> &s;peedily, &s;wiftly; for the manner, be of the fir&s;t ranke, as in <HI>Jer. 50. 8. Come forth out of the mid&s;t of Babylon, out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as he Goates before the flockes.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, Come forth with your garments undefiled: Tho&s;e that <MILESTONE N="2"> follow the Lambe follow him with undefiled Garments, and &s;o if you will come out of <HI>Babylon,</HI> and for&s;ake her, doe not defile your gar|ments, touch no uncleane thing: Oh how many are there that will &s;ay
<PB N="10" REF="7"> they are come forth of <HI>Babylon,</HI> they have obeyed the voyce of the Lord in this; when as they have but &s;pread the Babyloni&s;h garments farther? The Church of <HI>England</HI> will prote&s;t again&s;t <HI>Babylon,</HI> but oh, their defiled garments! the truth is, &s;hee doth defile better Gifts, and better parts with her Prote&s;tant Religion (as they call it) then ever &s;he did before: and therefore tho&s;e that will indeede come forth of <HI>Babylon,</HI> mu&s;t not defile them&s;elves with any of her accur&s;ed things.</P>
<P>Thirdly, come forth like men, and not like children, that is to &s;ay, <MILESTONE N="3"> upon your owne legges, upon your owne principles: if you are like children, carried forth by men upon others principles, you may be fetched in by men againe: If I &s;hould per&s;wade any of you this day, and you &s;hould re&s;olve upon that which I &s;peak, to goe out of <HI>Babylon,</HI> you might by another the next day be carried backe againe: but if you doe, through the per&s;wa&s;ion of God, goe forth in confidence in his Truth, and in con&s;cience unto his Command, then it is God that carri|eth you out, and man cannot bring you backe againe.</P>
<P>Fourthly, Come forth of <HI>Babylon</HI> in the love of your comming forth, <MILESTONE N="4"> you mu&s;t receive the truth in the love of the truth, and men mu&s;t out of <HI>Babylon</HI> in the love of deliverance: many there are that are in their judgements come forth, and their rea&s;ons are &s;et free, and yet they go not far from <HI>Babylon,</HI> the rea&s;on is, they are not come forth in the love of deliverance.</P>
<P>Fifthly, Come forth of <HI>Babylon,</HI> reioycing in, and prai&s;ing for the <MILESTONE N="5"> truth; &s;o the Saints, in <HI>Rev.</HI> 18. 19, 20. when the men of the world &s;hall weepe and cry, alas for <HI>Babylon!</HI> then the Church and &s;ervants of God &s;hall rejoyce that God hath taken vengeance upon her; and the day of Gods vengeance upon <HI>Babylon,</HI> is the day of the declaration of the truth, as in the next ver&s;e after the Text: Now then go forth reioycing in, and prai&s;ing for the truth that is revealed to you.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="4" TYPE="doctrine">
<P>And the rather becau&s;e <HI>(And this is the fourth Ob&s;ervation)</HI> Baby|lon <MILESTONE N="4" UNIT="Doctr."> is not your Country, Babylon is not the Country of the Saints.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t Rea&s;. why <HI>Babylon</HI> is not our Country, is, becau&s;e it is the Land <MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="Rea&s;."> of our Captivity, and while we are there, we are a captivated people: but the Saints are a free people, therefore it is not their Countrey, for in it they cannot be free, but in bondage, in &s;oule bondage: but indeede the Saints are free, for if Chri&s;t, <HI>if the Son hath made you free, then are you free indeede.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, That we &s;ay is our Country where we were bred and <MILESTONE N="2">
<PB N="11" REF="7"> born, where the Sepulchres of our fathers, and the dwellings of our bre|thren are, where we were borne and bred, that we &s;ay is our Countrey, but <HI>Zion</HI> was neither borne nor bred in <HI>Babylon,</HI> no, <HI>Babylon</HI> is de&s;tru|ctive to all of our Family, certainely <HI>Babylon</HI> is not our Country.</P>
<P>Thirdly, that wee &s;ee is mans Countrey where his Inheritance lieth, but the Inheritance of the Saints is not in <HI>Babylon,</HI> therefore <HI>Babylon</HI> <MILESTONE N="3"> is not their Country.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, commonly Countries breed con&s;titutions &s;utable to it &s;elfe, <MILESTONE N="4"> and we &s;ay he is &s;uch a Country man, becau&s;e his con&s;titution &s;utes the Countrey; but the con&s;titution of the Saints doth not agree with <HI>Baby|lon,</HI> they can hardly live in <HI>Babylons</HI> aire, therefore it is not their Countrey.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, Is it &s;o, is it not your Country? Why then, why not for&s;ake her? Oh that this day the Lord would bring one &s;oule out of <HI>Babylon,</HI> and <MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="&V;&s;e."> that every one were that one, that we might all go out of <HI>Babylon:</HI> What? &s;hould you take up your dwelling in Captivitie, when you are bought to freedome? your freedome it is the prize of blood: what &s;hould you take up your dwellings where you have none inheritance? and what? in &s;uch a place, at &s;uch a di&s;tance from your brethren? as farre as <HI>Babylon</HI> from <HI>Zion?</HI> and what? in &s;uch an unhealthy place, as you can hardly live? and where you were never borne nor bred?</P>
<P>I, but &s;ome may &s;ay, I was borne and am bred in that which you con|demne <MILESTONE UNIT="Ob."> for <HI>Babylon,</HI> to wit, the Church of <HI>England.</HI></P>
<P>Friend, the Church of <HI>England?</HI> perhaps the Go&s;pell hath laid hold on thee; (for that may be preached in a fal&s;e Church) and the Go&s;pell <MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;w."> hath come to thee, by this or that man, by whom God was plea&s;ed to &s;end it, as a Me&s;&s;age to thy &s;oule: let the me&s;&s;age be received as from God, and let the feet of him that bringeth the glad tydings of &s;alvation be plea&s;ant to thee; but if thou &s;ai&s;t the Church of <HI>England,</HI> I thinke thou doe&s;t not know what thou &s;ai&s;t, for pray ob&s;erve who did the Church of <HI>England</HI> bring forth? and now who doth it maintaine, but &s;uch as will give up their con&s;ciences, and give up their &s;pirits, and give up the Spirit, and give up the Saints, and all, to a deformed conformity, where good and bad, Chri&s;t and Beliall, light and darkne&s;&s;e mu&s;t dwell together? &s;ure thou art not &s;uch a &s;onne? if thou art, thou art unlike tho&s;e that thou calle&s;t thy Brethren, the Saints of the living God; and further, if thou art a beleever, and one that maketh con&s;cience of thy wayes, if they had met thee in thy liberties and priviledges, like unnatu|rall mothers, they would have killed thee in thy liberties and privi|ledges;
<PB N="12" REF="8"> &s;ure thou wa&s;t not borne nor bred here, and why &s;houlde&s;t thou not for&s;ake her?</P>
<P>I, but we &s;hall for&s;ake many good Mini&s;ters. <MILESTONE UNIT="Object."></P>
<P><MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;w."> I &s;ay not unto you, for&s;ake &s;uch, but for&s;ake <HI>Babylon,</HI> and carry &s;uch with you, if you can; and if they will not then go with you, you have not done evill in leaving them, you have done but your duty, and they doe evill that they do not go with you.</P>
<P>And further let me tell you thus much; there are among tho&s;e lo|cu&s;ts which are come out of the bottomele&s;&s;e pit, in the ninth <HI>Chapter</HI> of the <HI>Revelation,</HI> and the 7. <HI>ver&s;e,</HI> that Saint <HI>John</HI> hath a &s;trange vi&s;ion of them, or concerning them; they had things like Crownes upon their heads, and faces like men, and haire like women, but teeth like Lions; they may be toothed like Lions, though they looke &s;o &s;moothly about the face.</P>
<P>And if thou wilt yet dwell in <HI>Babylon,</HI> con&s;ider one thing more, the charges you mu&s;t live at here, the taxes of this countrey: a wi&s;e man will doe &s;o for outwards, before he will &s;ettle in a place, he will con&s;ider whe|ther he is able to live there or no: now it may be thou ha&s;t not, if thou art a &s;tranger, con&s;idered the taxes of this countrey: how they will &s;ometimes call for gifts, and con&s;ciences, and Go&s;pell-priviledges, and thou mu&s;t re&s;igne them, if a Prelate cals for them, or if a Presbytery cals for them, and &s;uch things are u&s;efull for thy &s;elfe, they are thy be&s;t goods.</P>
<P>Secondly, is not <HI>Babylon</HI> your Countrey? thinke it not &s;trange to be <MILESTONE N="2" UNIT="&V;&s;e."> wondred at in <HI>Babylon,</HI> for you are a &s;tranger; children and fools will wonder at &s;trangers, and not con&s;ider they are &s;trangers; it may be they will wonder at you, and cry out concerning you, a Browni&s;t, a Brow|ni&s;t, when they know not what a Browni&s;t is: &s;ome body you be, but they know not who, for you are &s;trangers.</P>
<P>Thirdly, are you &s;trangers in <HI>Babylon?</HI> you mu&s;t looke for hard u&s;age <MILESTONE N="3"> there: if you are in a Countrey, and a &s;tranger in it, you &s;hall not have that re&s;pect nor kindne&s;&s;e as a Countrey-man, if any is turned out of doores, it is the &s;tranger; &s;o have the Saints been &s;erved in <HI>England,</HI> and looke for no better u&s;age in <HI>Babylon.</HI></P>
<P>La&s;tly, if it be your owne Countrey, then &s;eeke out after your owne <MILESTONE N="4"> Countrey.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="1" TYPE="doctrine">
<P>For the fift Ob&s;ervation is, that as it is a duty to for&s;ake Babylon, <MILESTONE N="5" UNIT="Doctr."> &s;o equally it is the duty of the Saints to returne to their owne Countrey.</P>
<PB N="13" REF="8">
<P>For my proceeding in this fift Ob&s;ervation, con&s;ider with me the&s;e three things.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, what Countrey is our owne Countrey.</P>
<P>Secondly, what is it for the Saints to returne into their owne Coun|trey.</P>
<P>Thirdly, why ought the Saints to returne into their owne Countrey. <NOTE PLACE="marg">The gene|rall An&s;w. to the fir&s;t Que&s;t.</NOTE></P>
<P>For an&s;wer to the fir&s;t Que&s;tion: it may be demanded whether the people of God are bound to find out the Land of <HI>Canaan,</HI> and to return thither, as to their owne particular po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion by promi&s;e? whether they are to returne to that as to their countrey, yea, or no? To this I an&s;wer, that the Land of <HI>Canaan</HI> is no more the countrey of the people of God now then any other place or countrey is through Je&s;us Chri&s;t, 4. of <HI>John</HI> the 23. but though that be not our countrey, though that be not our re&s;t, yet there doth remaine a re&s;t for the people of God, <HI>Hebrewes</HI> the 4. and the 9. and this re&s;t is our countrey; as we are not to come forth of temporall <HI>Babylon,</HI> but from that e&s;tate which is &s;piritually cal|led <HI>Babylon:</HI> &s;o are we not to looke after any temporall <HI>Canaan</HI> to re|turne to that, but we are to looke for a countrey which is &s;piritually cal|led <HI>Canaan,</HI> and &s;uch a countrey we have yet remaining to us, we have a re&s;t, and our re&s;t is our countrey. Con&s;ider, for the proofe of this, the latter end of the third Chapter to the <HI>Hebrewes,</HI> with the beginning of the fourth, and it will appeare that this re&s;t is our country, typified out by the Land of <HI>Canaan:</HI> it doth appeare there to be &s;o by the&s;e two things: fir&s;t, the Holy Gho&s;t calleth them both but one re&s;t, as may be &s;eene by comparing the 11. <HI>ver&s;e</HI> of the 3. Chapter, with the 1. <HI>ver&s;e</HI> of the 4. The Spirit of God &s;aith not, Gods re&s;ts, or his fir&s;t or his &s;e|cond re&s;t; but Gods re&s;t, making them both one re&s;t. And &s;econdly, the Holy Gho&s;t maketh the way of entring into the&s;e re&s;ts to be the very &s;ame, not two wayes of entring in, but one way of entring in, and that is by faith, as may appeare by comparing of the 3. Chapter with the fir&s;t ver&s;e of the 4. in the one he &s;aith, They could not enter in becau&s;e of unbeliefe: in the other hee &s;aith, Take heed you are not &s;hut out through unbeleefe: &s;o we &s;ee here is the &s;ub&s;tance of <HI>Canaan</HI> in this re&s;t, here is our countrey. But for more particular an&s;wer unto this que&s;tion, <NOTE PLACE="marg">The par|ticular An&s;w.</NOTE> con&s;ider with me the&s;e three things:</P>
<LIST>
<ITEM>Fir&s;t, what this re&s;t is.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Secondly, why it is called a countrey.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thirdly, and why our countrey.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<PB N="14" REF="9">
<P>For an&s;wer to the fir&s;t of the&s;e, this re&s;t is the free grace of God, <NOTE PLACE="marg">The An|&s;wer to the fir&s;t of the&s;e.</NOTE> the free love of God, it may be you may thinke this is a &s;trange inter|pretation of this re&s;t, but if you con&s;ider the Scripture in that 3. Chapter of the Epi&s;tle to the <HI>Hebrewes,</HI> and it will appeare to be free grace, a free love; for to take this re&s;t to be Heaven (that is our &s;tate of happine&s;&s;e hereafter) that cannot be, for in the third ver&s;e of the 4. Chapter it is &s;aid they that beleeved were entered into it already. Againe it cannot be conceived that this re&s;t is the Covenant of grace, the new Covenant, for I doe not conceive that the promi&s;e made with <HI>Abraham</HI> and the land of <HI>Canaan</HI> was the &s;ame that the promi&s;e and the thing promi&s;ed are the &s;ame; though I confe&s;&s;e it, that the promi&s;e as it ends in the free grace of God &s;o it beginneth in it al&s;o, as God is the end of the promi&s;e, &s;o he is the begining: yet I conceive that the Covenant of grace and the grace of the Covenant are in our under&s;tanding to be di&s;tin|gui&s;hed, though it be true that in God there is no Obligation but him|&s;elfe, and &s;o the Covenant of Grace on Gods part is his grace, yet un|to us the love of God, and the covenant of that love, or promi&s;e of it to our under&s;tandings are two things: And now as <HI>Canaan</HI> was the end of the Covenant to <HI>Abraham</HI> and to his &s;eed, &s;o this free grace of God the end of the Covenant is our re&s;t, this is our <HI>Canaan.</HI> Againe, I cannot conceive <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t</HI> to be under&s;tood here by this re&s;t, any other waies con&s;idered but as God, for as he is man he is as capable of entering in|to this re&s;t him&s;elfe as we are through him, nay we are to po&s;&s;e&s;&s;e it to|gether by right of inheritance, <HI>Rom. 8. ver.</HI> 17. Con&s;ider Je&s;us Chri&s;t as Mediator, and &s;o he is capable of this re&s;t al&s;o, as he is in our per|&s;ons: as he is a Mediator he is in our per&s;ons as well as in Gods, for God is but one, as the Scripture &s;peaketh; &s;o that any otherwayes con&s;idered then as God, and he cannot be this re&s;t, but as he is God, &s;o is he love, as in the fir&s;t Epi&s;tle of <HI>John,</HI> Chap. 4. ver. 16. And thus as he is God, &s;o is he our re&s;t: And therefore in <HI>Heb.</HI> 3. ver. 12. (which I pray you well mind) the exhortation drawn from the rebellion of the Jews, for which God &s;ware that they &s;hould not enter into his re&s;t; the exhortation is, that they would take heed, le&s;t through the &s;ame un|beliefe they &s;hould depart from the living God: Ob&s;erve, here he doth not &s;ay, living Chri&s;t, though what&s;oever the &s;on of God is annointed to be, he liveth and continueth &s;o to be, yet when he &s;peaketh of this re&s;t, he &s;aith, living God: &s;o that this is the an&s;wer unto this Que&s;tion, This re&s;t is God, as God is love: this re&s;t is free grace.</P>
<PB N="15" REF="9">
<P>The 2. Que&s;tion, But why is this called a Country? The an&s;wer to <NOTE PLACE="marg">The An|&s;wer to the 2. Que&s;t.</NOTE> this is, Becau&s;e this is the &s;ub&s;tance of the Land of <HI>Canaan,</HI> I&s;raels Country: And therefore the Fathers, while in <HI>Canaan,</HI> did &s;eek after a better Country, as in <HI>Heb.</HI> 11. ver. 16. This is the be&s;t Country, be|cau&s;e a &s;pirituall one: and though it be a &s;pirituall one, yet behold here is Mount <HI>Zion,</HI> here is <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> here is that plea&s;ant river running from out of Mount <HI>Zion,</HI> who&s;e &s;treames make glad the City of God, as it is <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 4. ver. 4. What will you call this, will you not call it a Country? the <HI>Hebrews</HI> were come into this Country, as you may &s;ee in the 12. Chap. of their Epi&s;tle, beginning at ver. 22.</P>
<P>The 3. Que&s;tion, But why our Country? Becau&s;e we are born unto <NOTE PLACE="marg">The An|&s;wer to the 3. Que&s;t.</NOTE> this Country, as in the fir&s;t Epi&s;tle of <HI>Peter,</HI> Chap. 1. ver. 4. That Coun|try we &s;ay is ours, the which we are born heires of; you &s;ee we are born unto this, as unto our inheritance.</P>
<P>Again, As we are born unto free grace, &s;o are we born by free grace, that Country in which we are born, we &s;ay is our Country, this is more our Country: We are not only born in free grace, but we are born of free grace, and therefore they that are born again, are &s;aid to be born of God: And this birth, as it is called a birth, otherwhere, in the 2. Chap. to the <HI>Ephe&s;ians,</HI> is called a quickning, and that is by grace, as in the fifth Ver&s;e.</P>
<P>Againe, we &s;ay, that is our Countrey in which our dwellings are, this is our Country therefore, for as we are borne unto an Inheritance in free grace, nay, to the Inheritance of free grace; and as we are begot|ten of, and brought forth by free grace, &s;o is our dwellings in free grace al&s;o; our dwellings are in God, and he that dwelleth in God dwelleth in love, 1 <HI>Joh</HI> 4. 16. &s;o this free love, this free grace of God is our Coun|trey. The next Que&s;tion is, But what is it for the Saints to returne into their owne Countrey?</P>
<P>The an&s;wer to this Que&s;tion I make to tho&s;e who are in their travail <NOTE PLACE="marg">The An|&s;wer to the 2. generall Que&s;t.</NOTE> from <HI>Babylon</HI> unto their owne Country, You are come out of <HI>Babylon</HI> that Church-&s;tate which is &s;piritually called &s;o: Well, for &s;uch a one to returne unto his owne country is for him to travail untill he is in a vi&s;i|ble &s;tate of free grace, which you are not in untill vi&s;ibly thou art in the Apo&s;tles Doctrine and fellow&s;hip. Object. But &s;ome may &s;ay, why? if the free grace of God be this our country, then whether a man be in &s;uch fellow&s;hip or no, if he be a beleever he is in his owne Coun|try, for as he is a beleever he is in the &s;tate of grace. For an&s;wer, we are
<PB N="16" REF="10"> a &s;peaking concerning the vi&s;ible &s;tate of a beleever, whether in <HI>Babylon</HI> or in the vi&s;ible &s;tate of free grace. Again for a man to &s;ay he is in God or walketh in God, and yet walketh in darkne&s;s, he lieth and hath no truth in him, as in the fir&s;t Epi&s;t. of <HI>John Chap. 1. v.</HI> 6. Now what it is to walk in light, which is contrary unto darkenes, is &s;hewed in the 7. <HI>ver.</HI> to have fellow&s;hip one with another; what&s;oever the Children of <HI>I&s;raell</HI> had by promi&s;e and were po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed of by beleeving, they were not &s;eene to be in <HI>Canaan</HI> while they were in <HI>Babylon,</HI> nor untill they were vi&s;ibly returned into their owne Country: &s;o what&s;oever through faith the Saints do inherite, they are not vi&s;ibly in God untill they are vi&s;ibly in the fellow&s;hip of love; he that dwelleth in God dwelleth in love: thus for us to returne into our owne Country, is for us to returne unto the vi&s;ible fellow&s;hip of free grace; God is love, love is our Countrey, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, 1 <HI>Joh.</HI> 1. 16. And God is light, and if we walke in light wee have fellow&s;hip one with another, 1 <HI>Joh.</HI> 1. 7.</P>
<P>Que&s;tion. But why are the Saints equally bound to returne to their owne Country as they are to come out of <HI>Babylon?</HI> Becau&s;e that which is a ground of the one duty, is a ground of the other.</P>
<P>As they who come not out of <HI>Babylon</HI> when God calleth them, they <MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="Rea&s;on."> &s;in; &s;o they that returne not into their Country when God command|eth them, &s;in al&s;o: come out of <HI>Babylon,</HI> you &s;inne el&s;e, return to your owne Countrey, you &s;inne el&s;e.</P>
<P>As they who come not out of <HI>Babylon</HI> are liable to <HI>Babylons</HI> puni&s;h|ment; <MILESTONE N="2" UNIT="Rea&s;."> &s;o they that returne not to their Countrey are liable to <HI>Babylons</HI> puni&s;hment al&s;o. In <HI>Jer. 50. 37. Babylons</HI> &s;word &s;hall be upon the min|gled people; come out of <HI>Babylon,</HI> you will be puni&s;hed el&s;e: return to your own Countrey, you will be puni&s;hed el&s;e.</P>
<P>As they who come not out of <HI>Babylon,</HI> when God calleth, can no <MILESTONE N="3" UNIT="Rea&s;."> way an&s;wer Gods love in calling of them forth, &s;o no more can they who returne not into their owne Countrey when God calleth: as you will an&s;wer the un&s;peakeable love of God to you more then to thou|&s;ands, in &s;hewing to you the my&s;tery of <HI>Babylons</HI> iniquity, and calling you forth of it, <HI>Come out of Babylon;</HI> &s;o likewi&s;e as you will an&s;wer the un&s;peakable love of God to you more then to thou&s;ands in di&s;covering to you your owne Countrey and in calling you thither, returne unto your owne Country.</P>
<P>I will only make a double U&s;e of this truth; the 1. U&s;e &s;hall be of La|mentation, <MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="&V;&s;e.">
<PB N="17" REF="10"> that all the people of God would &s;eriou&s;ly con&s;ider this and lament their condition in that our God &s;hall &s;peake &s;o lowd, and yet that we &s;hould not heare him: Oh how few their be that knew what I would in all that I have &s;aid, or know what I meane when I &s;ay, that as it is the duty of the Saints to come out of <HI>Babylon,</HI> &s;o equally it is their duty to returne into their owne Country: Is it not therefore to be lamented? But the Se|cond <MILESTONE N="2" UNIT="&V;&s;e."> u&s;e &s;hall be of Exhortation unto all tho&s;e that under&s;tand what I &s;ay, that they would not put this Journy off by no meanes, but travaile with this word of God from <HI>Babylon,</HI> to their owne Country. But &s;ome man may &s;ay, Alas, the way is long, and in the con&s;ideration of the di&s;tance of place between <HI>Babylon</HI> and their owne Country, may even re&s;olve to &s;it down where they are rather then to take &s;uch a worke in hand. I, but to this I an&s;wer, that though the way belong, yet the end is hap|pie. Again con&s;ider, though between literall <HI>Babylon</HI> &amp; <HI>Canaan</HI> was &s;uch a di&s;tance, yet between &s;pirituall <HI>Babylon,</HI> and our re&s;t the di&s;tance is but a difference, I confe&s;&s;e the difference is as great as the di&s;tance; but let it be as I &s;aid before, the end is happy, the change is glorious: there is a difference between bon|dage and freedome, but to be free is to be happy, 'tis to be very beautifull, &amp; &s;o here is a difference: but your change is a happi|ne&s;&s;e, 'tis a glory. But &s;ome man may &s;ay, the way is very full of turnings, 'tis hard to find and therefore they will rather re&s;t where they are then venture upon this travaill, le&s;t they &s;hould lo&s;e them&s;elves. I an&s;wer, for a &s;lave, to argue thus, I will yet be a &s;lave le&s;t I &s;hould be lo&s;t. Poore man, is he not lo&s;t? he is a &s;lave, yet &s;uch is the rea&s;onings of many in this fal&s;e Church, they will not for&s;ake it? for tho&s;e that do runne they know not whither. Alas the&s;e men may be deceived, the&s;e &s;trag|ling creatures may be in the way to their own Country: but put the ca&s;e with them &s;ome doe run as they &s;uppo&s;e, yet to &s;peak in their language, as good doe &s;o, as re&s;t in &s;lavery in <HI>Babylon,</HI> not lo&s;&s;e of a mans &s;elfe like this to be lo&s;t here. But to this ob|jection I have this an&s;wer; though the way be crooked &amp; there are many turnings, you mu&s;t turne often if you will undertake this travaile, yet taking the word of God for your guide, for
<PB N="18" REF="11"> your rule that will make crooked things &s;treight, and rough things &s;mooth and plaine before you, as you &s;hall find it pro|mi&s;ed in the 42. <HI>Chap.</HI> of <HI>E&s;ay</HI> the 16. <HI>ver&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>But &s;ome man may &s;ay, but it is a very uncouth way, there is no pa&s;&s;engers almo&s;t in it, if I &s;hould goe, I &s;hould get few or none to goe with me, I mu&s;t goe alone, this is my discouragement; There are too many with this Objection in their mouthes: but is it not a weake one? men in attaining a|ny thing which is in their eye, care not how &s;ingular they are, and yet this is (now when your happine&s;&s;e and glory is in the end) the obiection, in your &s;ingularity, your way. Againe, Je&s;us Chri&s;t would make nothing of this obiection, while hee had his Father with him: nay, he laieth it down thus, That he was not alone while his Father was with him, <HI>Joh.</HI> 16. 23. And now &s;hall we &s;ay we are alone while God is with us? But yet &s;ome men &s;ay further, Alas, but the dirtine&s;&s;e of the way, 'tis full of mire|pits, &s;ome men are lo&s;t in them. This poore &s;oule I would &s;peake &s;omething unto of all the other, becau&s;e I have &s;eene &s;o many mired creatures, even at the very fir&s;t, when they have entred upon this travell: &s;ome in the mire of their owne cor|ruptions have beene lo&s;t: others, their friends have beene as a &s;nare unto: others the world: now to this Obiection, I have re&s;erved the be&s;t meanes, and that is faith, this will doe it where&s;oever you are mired, yet faith exerci&s;ed in the Com|mand, God hath commanded you to goe on, what will hin|der now an obedient &s;oule? but then faith exerci&s;ed in the promi&s;e of Gods pre&s;ence unto you: now, what can mire a beleeving, a loving &s;oule? So you &s;ee, for the wor&s;t you can &s;ay, here is yet the be&s;t meanes: but there is one more, and that is, it is a very darke way, and how &s;hall we finde it? For this I finde a rule and a promi&s;e in <HI>Jer.</HI> 6. 16. there you &s;hall finde them both, <HI>Thus &s;aith the Lord, &s;tand yee in the wayes, and &s;ee, and aske for the old pathes, where is the good way, and walke therein:</HI> and the promi&s;e is, <HI>you &s;hall finde re&s;t unto your &s;oules.</HI> And this is quite contrary unto <HI>Babylons</HI> condition: For the next thing that is here in our Con&s;ideration, is her Judge|ment: <NOTE PLACE="marg">La&s;t Do|ctrine.</NOTE> and the Ob&s;ervation is, <HI>That Babylons judgement is a
<PB N="19" REF="11"> great judgement,</HI> her judgement reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies: And I conceive that the&s;e words doe not onely hold it out unto us, That <HI>Babylons</HI> iudgement is a great iudgement, but they hold out unto us that <HI>Babylons</HI> judgement is the greate&s;t or highe&s;t, for it reacheth unto hea|ven, and is lifted up unto the skies: the wicked man his por|tion, in <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 11. 6. is &s;tormes and tempe&s;t, this &s;hall be their portion to drinke: but there is no wrath hath a fall like <HI>Baby|lons</HI> wrath, no &s;torme, no tempe&s;t can be higher then this <HI>Ba|bylons</HI> iudgement, for that reacheth up to heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies; &s;o that I ob&s;erve this, from this Meta|phoricall declaration of <HI>Babylons</HI> judgement; That <HI>Babylons</HI> judgement is the greate&s;t iudgement.</P>
<P>Now as Ancient <HI>Babylon</HI> did di&s;cover and typifie out my|&s;tery <HI>Babylon,</HI> &s;o the Judgment which come upon ancient <HI>Babylon</HI> doth al&s;o hold out unto us the Judgment which &s;hall come upon that State which is &s;piritually called <HI>Babylon;</HI> and this Judgment is the greate&s;t judgment that is, this wrath is the greate&s;t declaration of temporall wrath upon the Sons of men. <HI>Babylons</HI> Judgment is the greate&s;t. Judgment: for the proofe of this by Scripture I confirme it, by that one place, 16. Chap. of the <HI>Revelations</HI> of <HI>John</HI> and the 19. <HI>ver&s;e,</HI> there you &s;hall find that the Cup of <HI>Babylons</HI> wrath is filled out of the 7. Viall of Gods wrath; Gods la&s;t manife&s;tations are alwayes his greate&s;t, even of his wrath al&s;o, and of this is <HI>Babylons</HI> cup filled withall. It will further appeare that <HI>Babylons</HI> judge|ment is the greate&s;t Judgement, if you con&s;ider with me the&s;e particulars.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, that judgement which is from the fiercene&s;&s;e of Gods wrath, mu&s;t needs be the greate&s;t judgement; but &s;o was <HI>Baby|lons</HI> <MILESTONE N="1"> judgement of old, <HI>Jer.</HI> 51. ver. 45. and &s;o &s;hall the judge|ment of my&s;tery <HI>Babylon</HI> be, <HI>Rev.</HI> 16. ver. 19.</P>
<P>That Judgment which &s;ei&s;eth upon a people, and upon their <MILESTONE N="2"> Idols al&s;o; oh what a judgement that is! but &s;uch a iudge|ment was <HI>Babylons</HI> of old, <HI>Jer.</HI> 50. ver. 2. &s;uch al&s;o &s;hall the Judgement of my&s;tery <HI>Babylon</HI> be, <HI>Rev.</HI> 18. ver. 14.</P>
<P>Judgements which come with particular guilt along with <MILESTONE N="3"> them, they are &s;ore Judgements: by how much guilt there
<PB N="20" REF="12"> commeth along with a Judgement, by &s;o much is the Judge|ment the &s;orer: but <HI>Babylon</HI> of old, her Judgement came with particular guilt, <HI>Ier.</HI> 51. ver. 24. &s;o &s;hall the Judgement of my|&s;tery <HI>Babylon</HI> be, <HI>Rev.</HI> 18. ver. 6, 7.</P>
<P>That Judgement which &s;hal come upon the people of God <MILESTONE N="4"> and all, if they be found among &s;uch a people again&s;t which Gods wrath is, this judgement mu&s;t needs be very great: we reade in <HI>Ezek.</HI> 14. at the latter end, of &s;ore Judgements which &s;hould &s;ei&s;e generally upon the Land that &s;inneth: yet if <HI>Noah, Daniel,</HI> and <HI>Iob</HI> be there, they &s;hall be delivered: but if the people of God doe not come out of <HI>Babylon,</HI> but remain there, the Judgement that &s;hall &s;ei&s;e upon <HI>Babylon,</HI> &s;hall be upon them al&s;o: therefore <HI>Babylons</HI> judgement is very great: Thus it was with <HI>Babylon</HI> of old, <HI>Jer.</HI> 50. ver. 37. and &s;o God hath warned us, le&s;t it fall out &s;o with us through his puni&s;h|ment upon my&s;tery <HI>Babylon, Rev.</HI> 18. ver. 4.</P>
<P>That iudgement which cea&s;eth not but in the utter extirpa|tion, <MILESTONE N="5"> the utter de&s;olation of a people, that iudgement is a &s;ore iudgement, but this did not, concerning <HI>Babylon</HI> of old, <HI>Jer.</HI> 51. 63, 64. nor &s;hall not concerning my&s;tery <HI>Babylon,</HI> the 18. Chapter of the <HI>Revelations,</HI> from the 21. ver&s;e to the end of the Chapter.</P>
<P>That judgement or wrath under which the earth &s;hall <MILESTONE N="6"> &s;mart and vani&s;h away, that mu&s;t needes be great: but &s;uch &s;hall this wrath be, <HI>Rev.</HI> 16. 20. Put all the&s;e Greates together, and con&s;ider, Is not <HI>Babylons</HI> iudgement the greate&s;t iudge|ment, where&s;oever any iudgement doth exceede, one branch of this wrath held out under one particular Metaphor is ex|ceeding, <HI>Revel. 16. ult.</HI> But what is the ground of this? why is <HI>Babylons</HI> iudgement the greate&s;t iudgement?</P>
<P>The onely ground is, becau&s;e <HI>Babylon</HI> is guilty of the grea|te&s;t <MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="Rea|&s;on."> &s;innes, therefore &s;he lyeth open to the greate&s;t wrath: Con|&s;ider her guilt in the&s;e three things, be&s;ides that guiltine&s;&s;e which you may otherway have occa&s;ion to take notice of; fir&s;t, con&s;ider her blood-guiltine&s;&s;e, which God witne&s;&s;eth to be very great again&s;t <HI>Babylon</HI> of old, the 51. of <HI>Jeremiah,</HI> the 35. <HI>ver&s;e,</HI> and now under our pre&s;ent di&s;tractions in blood, if
<PB N="21" REF="12"> it be demaunded, Where will the guilt of this blood lye: let the word of God &s;peak, and the guiltine&s;&s;e, the blood-guiltine&s;&s;e of my&s;tery <HI>Babylon</HI> &s;hall be declared to comprehend it all; <HI>Rev. 18. ver&s;e</HI> the la&s;t, in her was found the blood of Prophets, and of Saints, and of all them that was &s;laine upon the earth: Her blood-guiltine&s;&s;e, why? &s;he is drunke with blood, the 17. <HI>Chapter</HI> of the <HI>Revelations,</HI> the 6. <HI>ver&s;e;</HI> God chargeth his own people with much blood-guiltine&s;&s;e, he telleth them their hands are full of blood, in the fir&s;t of <HI>E&s;ay,</HI> and the 15. becau&s;e they were full of the blood of their &s;acrifices; but <HI>Babylon</HI> is full of the blood of Saints: nay, let me hint it unto you, that &s;he is full of the blood of Je&s;us, in counting the blood of the Co|venant unholy, when they reckon the price and holine&s;&s;e of it, with them&s;elves and &s;ervices: now what&s;oever puni&s;hment are the&s;e men worthy of, &s;ee it in the 10. to the <HI>Hebrewes,</HI> the 29. and the 30. here is the ground why <HI>Babylons</HI> judgement is the greate&s;t judgement: but <HI>Babylons</HI> guilt is; &s;he hath not onely made her &s;elfe drunke with blood, but &s;he hath &s;inned again&s;t the word of him who hath &s;poken from heaven; And therefore in the fir&s;t <HI>Epi&s;t.</HI> of <HI>John,</HI> the 4. <HI>chapter,</HI> and the 2. <HI>ver&s;e,</HI> this &s;ame &s;pirit of Antichri&s;t, which is in <HI>Babylon,</HI> hath denyed that Je&s;us Chri&s;t is come in the fle&s;h. And this guilt is the ground of this the greate&s;t puni&s;hment, for in the 12. to the <HI>Hebrews,</HI> the 25. <HI>ver&s;e,</HI> If they e&s;caped not who refu&s;ed him that &s;pake on earth, much more &s;hall not we e&s;cape, if we turne away from him which &s;peaketh from heaven.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> But the&s;e doe not deny, but profe&s;&s;e Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> I confe&s;&s;e they doe profe&s;&s;e Je&s;us Chri&s;t, but that they doe not deny him, that I deny, for here is the third branch of their &s;in-guiltine&s;&s;e, that they deny him in his owne name, in the name of Je&s;us Chri&s;t, they deny that Je&s;us Chri&s;t is come in the fle&s;h. There is one divell that Je&s;us Chri&s;t ca|&s;teth out in the Go&s;pell, that doth adjure Chri&s;t in his owne name not to ca&s;t him out; &s;o the&s;e <HI>Babylonians</HI> doe in the name of Chri&s;t &s;et up &s;uch Kings and Prie&s;ts and Prophets, which doe te&s;tifie that &s;pirit to all the world, that they deny
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page"><PB N="20" REF="13">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page"><PB N="21" REF="13">
<PB N="22" REF="14"> that Je&s;us Chri&s;t is come in the fle&s;h; and in all their carnall ordinances wherein in the name of Chri&s;t they doe profe&s;&s;e him in all this they doe, but in the name of Chri&s;t, deny that Je&s;us Chri&s;t is come in the fle&s;h: Oh what a &s;inne is this? this is the height of their &s;innes, and this is the ground of the greatne&s;&s;e of their puni&s;hment.</P>
<P>One ground more of the greatne&s;&s;e of <HI>Babylons</HI> judgement, <MILESTONE N="2" UNIT="Rea&s;."> this is the ground of it: God will deale with <HI>Babylon</HI> as with &s;inne, not as with &s;inners, or with a &s;inning people, but as with &s;inne: for <HI>Babylons</HI> con&s;titution is a tran&s;gre&s;&s;ion, God will deale with this State, as with his Idoll &s;hepheard, and as with Idols, and Idols were wont to be burnt: Oh what a judge|ment will this be!</P>
<P>I will make a double u&s;e of this con&s;ideration, that <HI>Baby|lons</HI> judgement is the greate&s;t judgement: the fir&s;t is of infor|mation, the &s;econd of exhortation.</P>
<P>For information, to informe us of the pre&s;ent di&s;tractions of our times, <HI>Babylons</HI> judgement is the greate&s;t: Be infor|med from hence, that the nearer the&s;e pre&s;ent judgments come unto <HI>Babylons</HI> wrath, to a Church wrath, the greater mu&s;t wee expect them to be: the rea&s;on why the fir&s;t of this pre&s;ent judgement by the &s;word in <HI>Scotland,</HI> and in <HI>Holland,</HI> and in King <HI>Henry</HI> the 8. dayes in <HI>England,</HI> and in Queene <HI>Eliza|beths</HI> dayes was a great deale ea&s;ier then this la&s;t in <HI>Germany, Ireland,</HI> and then it is like to be now in <HI>England,</HI> is this, the lat|ter end of this pre&s;ent admini&s;tration commeth nearer the wrath that is to be powred out under the 7. viall: and it is therefore the nearer and the more like the &s;eventh wrath, the greate&s;t judgement: the more of this ingredient (a Church war) is in the difference in hand betweene the Kings of the earth and free people, the harder will it be decided in the great day of God Almighty in <HI>Armageddon:</HI> to bring &s;piri|tuall ordinances in their admin&s;tration into a civill &s;tate to be admini&s;tred unto all people, this produceth tho&s;e Antichri|chri&s;tian &s;innes: to bring the civill ordinance of the &s;word in its admini&s;tration into a Church-&s;tate: And hence followeth
<PB N="23" REF="14"> this Antichri&s;tian puni&s;hment: Get &s;omething from hence for your information in the pre&s;ent di&s;tractions.</P>
<P>The la&s;t u&s;e is unto all the people of God which are yet in <HI>Babylon</HI> (for when I pre&s;ent the&s;e my con&s;iderations to the Saints, they are pre&s;ented to &s;uch, as well as to others of Gods people) now to &s;uch my exhortation is nothing but that which is the naturall Exhortation in the words from this ground, that they would come out of <HI>Babylon,</HI> and returne to their owne Countrey, for her judgement reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even unto the skies.</P>
</DIV2>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
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</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
