• First, A TIME pointed at.
• Secondly, WORKE to be done in that time; which is double. The worke of God, and the Worke of Christ the Son.
• Thirdly, The MANNER of Christs doing his work.

We have Two times pointed at by the holy Ghost in this Scripture.

1 All that space of time between Christs first coming in the dayes of his humiliation, and his second coming in the day of his power and glo­ry, to take the Kingdome to himselfe. For the clearing up of this, consider,

1 That the holy Ghost devides the enemies which Christ shall have in this large Tract of time, into three ranks.

• 1 Heathens and People.
• 2 Kings of the Earth. And
• 3 Rulers.

Heathens and People (that is Jewes) against Christ, for that space of time wherein Heathenish Rome bare rule. Kings of the earth, while Antichrist Lords it over the Heritage of God. And lastly, Apostate Rulers, men of more refined Principles and professions (as will be pro­ved in its place) that yet shall prove Apostates, such pernicious impla­cable enemies to Christ in the last dayes, such, as God shall be no lon­ger able to bear with, but shall come forth against them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

2 And surely, The holy Ghost's distinct manner of Characterising them, signifies not a little to us concerning this matter. What more fit and true Character can be given of Heathenish Rome (that great red Dragon) than rage? What rage did that Beast exercise against the poore flock of Christ? How did he rend and teare it to pieces? The ten first Persecutions witnesse to it; And what vaine things did the people of the Jewes imagine, when they thought to extinguish the light of the Gospel, that shone in their Horison, and to extirpate the profes­sion of Christ out of their Coasts? And secondly, How directly and particularly doth the holy Ghost point out unto us the ten Hornes that gave their power to the Beast, under the notion of the Kings of the earth setting themselves against the Lord, and his anointed? How open­ly and stoutly the Kings of the earth have set themselves against the Lord, and his anointed, in giving their power to maintaine the domi­nion, lusts, and blasphemies of the man of sin, is evident by the havock they have made in the Church of Christ these many hundred yeares. And lastly, How exact and precise is the holy Ghost in describing un­to us by many notable Characters, the constitution of a third sort of [Page 3] Rulers, that should come upon the stage of the world in the latter end of those dayes, to finish the Tragedy of the old Serpent; yet, before the Kings of the earth should be totally extinct, or put by from prose­cuting their work; for while the remaining Kings of the earth set them­selves, these take counsell together against the Lord and his anointed.

3 The Apostles and Brethren in the fourth of the Acts, are of our mind; they begin the fulfilling of this Prophesie with the first coming of Christ, when Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and peo­ple of Israel, were gathered together against Christ, in the twenty-se­venth Verse.

4 As to the finishing-time of this Prophesie, we have good and sure ground to receive it for a truth, that this Prophesie runs downe to the day of Christs power, when all the Kingdomes of this world shall be­come the Kingdomes of the Lords Christ. For,

• 1 Here's the forbearance and long-sufferance of God at an end: He speaks to the world in wrath, and vexeth them in his sore displea­sure; A course God takes not till he hath tryed all other wayes and means, and that indeed the world hath fill'd the cup of her iniquity al­most full, and the mystery of iniquity is almost finish't; then, God re­solves to make a full end of her, as he did of the old world, when the appointed time came: But
• 2 Christ steps in, and by vertue of that authority he hath with his Father, he saith, he will declare the Decree: He procures a little sus­pension of the devouring wrath of God, and undertakes to declare the Decree in the midst of this wrathfull dispensation; now the Decree being onely concerning the matter of his Kingdome in the world, it's worthy our serious consideration, whether it point at a time past, or the time present, or to come. PAST, I conceive it cannot be, for we doe not find that this Decree hath been declared in former times, accom­panied with the weighty and materiall circumstances in the Text, viz. Declared, as his right and Title to the Kingdomes and possessions of the Kings and Rulers of the earth; in opposition to the present Govern­ours of the world, though the best and most Saint-like of them, who Take COƲNSELL against the Lord, and his anointed, that is, act against him hiddenly, that it appears not to the vulgar eye; and parti­cularly addrest to the Kings and Rulers of the world, as matter for their consideration; denouncing no lesse than perishing, death, to those that yeeld not to him; pronouncing them blessed, who forsaking their for­mer Lords and Rulers, put their trust in him: Now no time past being able to shew this Decree thus declared, therefore it cannot point out to us that part of time.
• [Page 4]3 Here is but a little time given men to repent in; which argues the day is far spent, and the night is at hand, the glasse is almost run out, there's but a few sands behind to run; the voyce was all the day long, beseeching and woeing to repentance, by loving and patheticall perswa­sions, We beseech you, saith the Apostle, in Christs stead, setting before men the tendernesse of the heart of Christ to sinners, and that match­lesse love of his that mov'd him to shed his blood for them; pourtray­ing before them in a lively manner a crucified Christ, with his Crowne of Thornes on his head, his wounds in his hands and sides, blood and water gushing out, and all this (with the merits of his death and suf­ferings) to perswade men to believe the willingnesse of the heart of Christ to save sinners, and that they would come and take him upon his owne tearmes, that they may be made happy by him. But now the day is so far spent, the evening come, and the time for repentance al­most expired, the voyce is altered, as we see in the last Verse of the Psalme, Kisse the Son least he be angry, &c. A hasty exhortation to re­pentance, and submission to Christ, from the consideration of his anger; it's but a little time he will waite for you, if you come not in to him, when his wrath is kindled but a little, you will perish from the way, then they will be onely blessed, that have put their trust in him. This Text holds a faire correspondencie with that in Rev. 22.11, 12. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: And he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his worke shall be. And that other followes at the back of it, Bring hither those mine enemies that would not that I should raigne over them, and slay them before me.
• 4 We have closely coucht in this Psalme, some signes of the coming of Christ, as The Apostacy and falling away of many (as appears by what followes) and the abounding of iniquity, upon which the love of many shall wax cold; for certainly, iniquity must very much abound, when such persons as these Rulers are (who they be, and what they are, will be made manifest by and by) shall take counsell together to break the bands of the Lord, and his anointed, and cast their cords from them: Which manifests that the love they once made shew of, is very cold indeed.
• 5 Here's a time spoken of, wherein Christ shall deale with the Kings and Rulers of the earth, concerning the matters of his Kingdome, and provoke them to give place to him, whose right it is. All the day long, he had been dealing with men promiscuously, but now he is taking to [Page 5]himselfe his great power the father hath given him, he deales in a spe­ciall and more then ordinary manner, with the Kings and Rulers of the earth.
• Lastly, This Psalme seems by the stile of it, to present to us Gods coming to judge the world; God coming downe to view the works of mens hands (as he did to Sodome, to see what men did there) and beholding the abominable wickednesses of men, he asks the reason of it, why it is so? and finding none to give an account, no Advocate to plead their cause, (his Son not appearing for them) he breaks forth into wrath and fury against the world, resolves to delay no longer, but to execute the Decree, performe his Promise to his Son, and powre downe his judgements upon the world: Sitting on his Throne, he laughs at them, hath them in derision, speaks to them in wrath, and vexes them in his sore displeasure.

Whosoever doth seriously ponder and weigh these Reasons, I con­ceive will see cause to believe it for a Truth, That this Prophesie takes in all that space of time between Christs first and second coming.

But in the second place, There is some speciall particle of time, pointed out unto us by that significant THEN in the fifth verse: THEN shall he speake unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. THEN, when? The holy Ghost affords us by the fa­vourable Aspect of this THEN, many Characters to guide us into a competent knowledge of that dismall time.

THEN, may have respect unto the heathenish rage, and vaine imaginations of the first company of enemies; and it signifies thus much, that when the rage of the one, and folly of the other came to the full, THEN God would judge them; and truly, at that time God put the old Dragon to his shifts, he had been quite extinct, and put beside his Kingdome, had he not evaded it, by giving his power to the Beast (Antichrist) and being contented to raigne by his substi­tute, the man of sin; but in a speciall and peculiar manner this remar­kable THEN, hath respect unto the last of those counterfeits, that would be esteemed Gods Deputies, yet are in truth Satans Instruments, against the Lord and his anointed. So that,

1 THEN when the RƲLERS take counsell together. RƲLERS, men that are neither of the number of the Heathen, nor of the Kings of the earth, but a more refined sort of men; such, as would be ac­counted Judges as at the first, and counsellours as at the beginning. RƲLERS, not of the earth, no, that is not exprest, onely there are Kings of the earth; but these counsellors are RƲLERS; of what? [Page 6]surely it's but genuine to say, they would be accounted Rulers of the Lords people: But Christ when he comes to deale with them in the tenth verse, saith, they are of the earth as well as the Kings, Judges of the EARTH: He discovers their hidden works of darknesse, and makes them appear in their true colours; Thus much I conceive is sig­nified to us by this, that though when Christ comes to speak to them, he calls them, as indeed they are, Judges of the earth; yet here they are termed onely Rulers, (and that in opposition to the Kings of the earth) that is, such as they termed themselves, and would be estee­med.

RƲLERS, Counsellors: No Heathenish Emperors, nor Popish Kings, but refined Rulers; here's Satan transformed into an Angel of light; The Heathens cannot prevaile, and the Kings of the earth doe not prosper, thus Satan being put to his last shift, turnes Saint in shew, sets up his Rulers, that have neither the violent rage of the Heathen, nor the open prophanesse of the Kings, but the soft hand of profession, to become nursing fathers, and nursing mothers to the Church of Christ, (as appears by what followes) even while they are taking counsell together against the Lord and his anointed: For,

They are RƲLERS, that having cut off some of the Kings of the earth, Rule in their stead: which is necessarily imply'd in the Text, for we know that the Kings of the earth (those that committed fornicati­on with the Beast, and gave their power to her, Rev. 17.2.17.) ru­led over the whole world (that part which is called the Christian world, in which this contest is, betweene Christ and his enemies) yet at last steps up some Rulers, and they get Dominion among the Kings; for it's clear by the Order of the words in the Text, these Rule, and take counsell, while the rest of the Kings are setting themselves against the Lord and his anointed: which could not be, if these Rulers had not de­stroyed some of the Kings, ruling in their stead; otherwise, there would be no place for them, the Kings of the earth having all the Christian world under their Dominion, it's no way reasonable to conceive, that those who love their Crownes so well, would willingly give their glory to others.

And why may we not say, that these Rulers get their Dominion by fighting the Lambs battels against the Beast; for, A Kingdome divi­ded against it selfe cannot stand; If Satan be against Satan, how can he prosper? Therefore it's not reasonable to think, that Satan should set them on work to destroy his Kings, but that these Rulers did fight up­on the account of Christ, and his people.

Againe, Satan is on the loosing hand by these Rulers, for, as Satan was not so visible nor so absolute in his rule over the world, in the Beasts time, as in the Dragons; so now he looses more ground in the losse of his Kings, then when he lost his Dragon; and can it be thought the wise Serpent would doe himselfe this mischief? Further, if these had gone out to warre upon any lower account, they would have been Kings still; as we see dayly, when one King is gone, another gets up into his seat, yet but a King; certainly, it's some weighty reason, that moves them to forsake the glorious Title of a King, and make such refined pretensions, as the very name Ruler (considering it stands in the Text in opposition to the preceding Heathens and Kings) signifies to us they will be forc't to.

Againe, They are RƲLERS, that have given profest subjection to the Scepter of Christ: That is hinted to us in the third verse, Let us breake their bands asunder: That these bands can be no other but that part of the yoke of Christ to which they have submitted, those Lawes and Commands of Christ to which they have subjected them­selves, being convinced in their consciences it was their duty so to doe: is clear to me upon these grounds.

1 Otherwise the holy Ghost should commit Tautology, and unne­cessary redundancy of speech; for Interpreters (and that according to the truth) expound these bands and cords, mention'd in the Text, to be no other then the Lawes and Commands of Christ: And would it not be a derogating from the glory of this blessed word of God, and that excellent significancy that is in every tittle of it, to say, that these two manner of expressions, signifie but one and the same thing, to give to it no more than a bare elegancy of speech? Surely then, one part of the verse would be superfluous, and may be left out, which God forbid: This were to charge the word of God, and so God himselfe, with that imperfection vaine man is subject to; which I presume none that pro­fesses himselfe a Christian dares to doe. And if this be granted (which cannot be denyed) that there is a weighty significancy in both parts of the verse; then

2 What more genuine Interpretation can be given? For how come the Lawes of Christ to be bands to a man, but by his being actually bound with them? As the cords and withes wherewith Sampson was bound, were not his bands before he became bound with them; they were cords and withes before, but then they were his bands, which he brake in sunder: They cannot be called a mans bands in respect of the duty that lyes upon him to yield obedience to them, for so they are cal­led [Page 8] cords, which these men endeavour to cast away from them. A man becomes bound, either by Covenant, Oath, Vow, or Engagement; when a man shall make a Covenant to walk in obedience to such and such Lawes, and bind himselfe to the performance of it with an Oath; when he shall make a Vow, and engage to doe such and such things; though these duties and obligations were but cords before, yet now by these tyes upon him, they are become his bands; these Rulers, being thus ty­ed and bound, take counsell together to breake these bands asunder, and to cast away the cords from them, that they are not as yet bound with.

Object. If it be objected, That in the Text it's said, Their bands, that is, the bands of the Lord and his anointed, so that they cannot be the bands of the Rulers.

I Answer:

• 1 It's brought in as the speech of the Rulers, and so I conceive holds forth unto us their Apostacy, who now in an opprobrious scorn, call them their bands, thereby denying that they were at all obliged to the observance of them: Or
• 2 By this terme, their bands, may be intimated to us those Lawes of Christ, which Christ by the common and ordinary workings of his spi­rit, had wrought in these Rulers some kind of love to, which moved them to a subjection to them; or, by his providence had necessitated them so to doe, otherwise they saw they could not prosper in their work; or, that the people of God, Christs anointed, by their exhorta­tions, calling upon them, and that formidable assistance they gave unto them while they stood for Christ against Satan in his Kings, had obliged them to be bound with; so that these may be truly called their bands, because they are the cords, with which the Lord and his anointed have bound them; of which they cannot be freed, except they break them: yet still they are the Rulers bands, which they take counsell toge­ther to break. Therefore
• 3 The consideration of the different carriage of these Rulers, to­wards the bands and the cords, will add some further satisfaction; they will breake their bands, and cast away their cords; if the bands had no more tye upon them than the cords, the same slight manner of carriage of theirs towards the cords, would serve them also to be rid of the bands: But it's far otherwise, though they think a bare casting and putting away, will clear them of the cords; yet, they are sensible, the bands cleave so close to them, they cannot be rid of them, unlesse they break them; as Sampson could not be free from his cords and withes, [Page 9]wherewith he was bound untill he had broken them: If they had not so obliged themselves to the Lawes of Christ, as that they were bound by them, what need they take counsell to break them; a man needs not stand to break a cord to clear himselfe of it, except he be bound therewith; if onely a proffer be made to bind him with it, he may put it by, and cast it from him, that is easier for him so to doe, and will serve the turne, as here in the Text they consult to doe; but if he be once bound with it, nothing but a forcible breaking of it will free him: So that this carriage of theirs, towards the bands and the cords, confirms our Assertion.

Yet notwithstanding this their professed subjection to Christ, these Rulers turne Apostates; Satan debauches them, then entring into them, makes them his owne, to finish his warfare, to fight for him, though af­ter another manner, in a more subtill method then formerly, bringing forth the very masterpiece of Satans wisedome, for we see here, they take Counsell together, against the Lord and his anointed.

2 THEN, when the Rulers take COƲNCELL: Counsell, in distinction from, and opposition to, the mad rage of the Heathen, and the open and publick boldnesse of the Kings; these two kinds of vassals not thriving in their way, Satan runs to his Saintlike Rulers, as to a sure refuge, his Counsellors; and they take counsell, a secret clandestin way, as expert Warriours, when great shot will not doe, against the wall of a City, or Fort, then they secretly undermine it, supposing to prevaile that way: a secret way, They will not scruple to transgresse the regular punctillio's of the Law in any case, but, from counsell to action pre­sently, before their counsells may be knowne: These take counsell, which way is best to be taken, what the most wise and prudent course may be, to accomplish their designe by; if by any way, by any means or course whatsoever, they can have their will, and stablish themselves, though it be never so wicked and unworthy. If no other way will serve, they will become Saints of the highest form: in shew, Pauls brethren, become all things to all men, that they may gaine some, for, they take counsell; and if need be (keeping a suitable decorum) speak and act against all those, though never so excellent in their Generation, that stand in the way of their designments.

To find out some new and neat way, the steps of their Predecessors they will not exactly follow; no, they have seen the folly and weaknes of those: But they seek after a curious piece of Art, whereby they may be able to doe that which all the world before them (their great grand-fathers [Page 10]the Heathen, and their fore-fathers the prophane Kings of the earth) could not doe, against the Lord and his anointed: They take counsell, they have wisedome (though from below) with them; for the Scripture saith, Where there's counsell there's wisedome: They are the wisest and most subtill instruments ever Satan made use of; they are Counsellors, such as God who is wisedome it selfe, thinks it high time for him to arise and disappoint them, least they prevaile against his beloved.

3 THEN, when the Rulers take Counsell TOGETHER; when there is a Combination and Confederacy in Counsells between these refined Rulers against the Lord and his anointed: when they shall combine together to make their hands strong, that they may keep their Dominion, maugre all the opposition, the Lord and his holy ones make.

4 THEN, when the Rulers take counsell together AGAINST THE LORD AND HIS ANOINTED; that is Christ and his followers, his anointed ones with the unction of the spirit, that follow him in all his out-goings, against the backslidings and Apostacies of these Rulers: True, the Apostles and Brethren in the fourth of the Acts, expound this of the father, and Christ the Son, that the father was this Lord, and Christ the anointed of his father; this they spake of the gathering together of the Heathen and Jewes against Christ, when they put him to death; but the father having given all power into his Sons hands, hath made him both Lord and Christ, as the same Apostle speaks in Acts 2.36. The father in recompence for his finish­ing that which he gave him to doe, hath made him Lord, and anointed him above his fellowes; and he ascending up on high, gave his gifts un­to the Sons of men, anointing them according to his promise, with the unction of the spirit; and let the Prophet David expound his owne meaning, saith he in another place, The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand (which Christ applies to himselfe) so that Da­vid understood Christ to be Lord. Againe, Touch not mine anointed, and doe my Prophets no harme; the anointed are his Prophets, and his Prophets are his anointed, and who these Prophets are, we may see in the Epistle to the Corinthians, they are the Members of the Church of Christ; so that David Expounds his owne meaning, and clearly ex­presses himselfe, to point out Christ and his anointed, in these words. Now the reason why I terme them the followers of Christ in some spe­ciall designe, is, because if all the Lords Prophets be anointed, then [Page 11]much more those, (they have a greater measure of the anointing,) who follow the Lamb in his sometimes rough, uncouth wayes of his provi­dences, who keep close to him when he is doing his strange work, and bringing to passe his strange act in the world, when he comes to take the Kingdomes of this world unto himselfe, whose right it is to raigne: And they are with him against these Rulers, is strongly imply'd, in that these Rulers are so close in consultation, and so fully bent against them; for, we cannot conceive, that these wise men would irritate any against them without a cause, but on the other hand, they wil foster all that will come under their wing, and take protection from them; and truly, it's not a small portion of this anointing will deliver them from the intan­glements of these Rulers; for they are Saints as to us (or at least to those who have not a very narrow and quick inspection into the state of the times) the fairest outside ever Satan had; And without doubt many of the people of the Lord may be taken and deceived with them: Some good thing they will doe (or they'le prove but foolish Counsellors) they will goe as far to meet a dissenting Brother, as it's possible for them, and not endanger their Dominion. If Satan cannot uphold his Dragon, he will be content with his Beast; but if he cannot keep up his Beast in any place, he will be satisfied with his Image; yea, rather than give out, the bare number of his name shall please him: So that many precious soules may be deluded for a time, if they take not great heed, otherwise that voyce would be needlesse, Come out of her my peo­ple, least ye be partakers of her sins, and so of her plagues.

5 THEN, when they Take counsell together, to BREAK THEIR BANDS ASƲNDER, AND TO CAST AWAY THEIR CORDS FROM THEM. The contest goes high, by this time it's come to particulars: Before, it was but in generalls; and it's about no small or triviall businesse, but who shall have the Authority and pow­er; The dispute is about the Kingdome (that is clear from the whole Psalme; saith God, Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion: And the Decree is wholly concerning Christs Kingdome over the world) about the Authority and Legislative power; Christ and his anointed say, the father hath given them authority to bind Kings with chaines, and Nobles with fetters of iron; to bind the Rulers with his Lawes, as with a cord; and these Rulers take counsell together to break their bands asunder, and cast their cords from them. We have already given our sence what these bands are.

These Rulers take counsell to BREAK THEM ASƲNDER. [Page 12]surely they had need of a greater than Sampsons strength, that would break the bands of God asunder; but these think to doe it by slights and wiles, they take counsell: They would breake their bands, al­though they be bound by the strongest Oathes and Obligations, the largest Vowes and Declarations, the greatest protestations and professi­ons, yet they must be broken rather than the Lord and his anointed shall have their due, and their right.

And to CAST AWAY THEIR CORDS; what though these cords be the most righteous, holy and wholesome Lawes of the great Jehovah, (that will blesse those with the greatest happinesse, that live in unfeigned obedience to them) that the Lord and his anointed would impose on them for their owne good and salvation; they will none of them, but take counsell to cast them away, scorning and deri­ding them as a burden too heavy for man to bear, a yoke not fit for the neck of such a free Creature as man is: Breake their bands, and cast away their cords, that they may have no power over them, that they may be their subjects, and not their Lords, that they may not intrench upon their Dominion, nor deprive them of their worldly enjoy­ments.

6 THEN, when they TAKE COƲNCELL: Before they pro­ceed to act; when upon consultation they are ready to goe forth in all their might, crying, LET ƲS breake their bands, &c. Then God will arise and shew himselfe, he will not suffer them to act their coun­sels least they prevaile, but while they are in counsell, he will take them to task, and let them find he can in wrath tumble them into those pits and snares they have digged for others.

7 THEN, when the Kings of the earth set themselves, and the Ru­lers take counsell together against the Lord and his anointed. The order of the words, in that the Holy Ghost brings in the Kings setting them­selves, and the Rulers taking counsell together, before he tells us against whom; seems to me to be of sufficient force to perswade us, that here is a hint given us by the Holy Ghost, of another confederacy, that there shall be some agreement between the (remaining) Kings of the earth (or at least some of them) and these Rulers, against the Lord and his anointed; and then will God arise, bear with them no longer, but speak to them in his wrath.

Lastly, THEN, when their Counsells shall be guilty of such a de­gree of Apostacy, as moves God to laugh at them; when they set at naught the counsell and reproof of God (which surely is contain'd in [Page 13]those bands and cords they reject) then, will God deale with them in that dreadfull manner mentioned, Prov. 1.24—ult. Because I have called, and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man regard­ded: But ye have set at nought all my counsell, and would none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your feare cometh. When your feare cometh as desolation, and your destruction co­meth as a whirlewind; when distresse and anguish cometh upon you; Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seeke me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not chuse the feare of the Lord; they would none of my counsell, they despised all my reproofe. Therefore shall they eate of the fruit of their owne way, and be filled with their owne devises; for the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fooles shall destroy them.

And when the abomination of their counsells come to that height, that God shall have them in derision, which is somewhat more then to laugh; It may possibly be, that a man may laugh at one (and that in anger too) whom he yet loves; but to laugh with derision, argues perfect hatred: When their counsells and doings against the Lord, thus provoke the eyes of his glory, THEN, shall be speake to them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

And if we would know when God will thus laugh at them, and have them in derision; The answer is plaine in the Text, he will doe it, up­on their taking counsel to break their bands asunder, and to cast away their cords from them: when the cry is, Let us breake their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us: He that sitteth in the hea­vens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision.

Thus we see what a multitude of plaine Characters the Holy Ghost hath given of that time wherein God will come upon the world, and doe such great things for his Son (who he hath made Lord, and set at his right hand) and his anointed ones: When we see these Characters written on the foreheads of the high ones of the earth, then we may safely say without haesitation, That God will suddenly come in wrath and fury, take their Dominion away, and give it to that rejected cor­ner stone, whose right it is to raigne.

Let us now make a stand, and by a serious review, see what may be observed as a beneficiall Lesson for us to learne.

1 That in these latter dispensations, men may fill up the measure of their iniquity, and bring judgement upon their Generation, by a bare ta­king counsell against the Lord and his anointed. When the Rulers take [Page 14]counsell together, then, God will speake unto them in wrath.

2 How Great matter of Comfort is it to the people of God, the fol­lowers of the Lamb, that their father is so far from suffering their ene­mies to prevaile against them in these last dayes, that All that ever they can doe cannot prevaile to breake one band asunder, (that is, so, as to free themselves from it, to settle themselves upon another foundation) but while they are taking counsell together, God comes and gives them the rout, let's them heare his mighty voyce in wrath, that they run to the holes of the rock, and cry to the mountaines and to the hills to hide them from the tempest of his fury: He will take the crafty in their owne snares, though they take counsell to draw the Lords people into their snares, and to throw them into the pits they have digged; yet, shall they not be able to bring it to passe, but they themselves shall be taken with, and fall into them; then the scourge shall teach them Ne­buchadnezzar's lesson, That the most high rules in the Kingdomes of men: In former times, his long-sufferance was much, he lets them goe on to rage and madnesse, to open and bold (yea, and prevalent) act­ing, setting themselves against them; but now, his patience will waite no longer, he will deale with them, before they are well warme in their counsells; He will cut the worke short in righteousnesse, because a short worke will the Lord make upon the earth; those dayes shall be shortned for the Elect's sake.

3 What a darke and distracting day, is this day? When such men as these Rulers have appear'd to be, having followed the Lamb so far, to the cutting off some of the Kings of the earth, and proclaiming the Lord to be King, made his cords (his Lawes) to become their bands, binding themselves with them (as hath been open'd at large) when such men shall now turne head, and deale subtilly with the Lord and his anointed, taking counsell against them: What a darke day of Apostacy is this day? The Dragon is able to cast downe a third part of the Stars to the earth; and when the Stars fall from heaven, what bitternesse will betide the Children of men? Without question these Rulers by their malevolent influence, will throw downe many who have been as shining lights, to the losse of their glorious profession.

How great will be the distracting darknesse of this day? When the cunning of these Counsellors (working underboard) not shewing openly their intentions, shall amuse men, that the most sharp-sighted observer, can scarcely discerne the temper of the times, so, as to demon­strate the truth of his observation to the understanding of others, (for [Page 15]we must remember that Satan now is at his last game, though men re­fuse to worship the Beast, and to receive his mark, yet if they keep but within the number of his name, he will esteem them as his good sub­jects, and be therewith content.) Here are Devils in the shape of Saints, carrying things in such a posture, as that almost all men are in a maze, not knowing what to dream the issue of things will be; surely, this day may truly be called neither day nor night, neither Satans night of darknesse, nor Gods day of light, in which men not having light enough to see clearly, nor wisedome enough to light up their Candles, goe poreing in the dark, ready to stumble at every straw of infirmity they meet with in the sincere hearts of the times, in the mean while ha­zard a choaking, swallowing downe the Camels of State abominations; yet, notwithstanding all this, God hath promised that at evening time it shall be light.

What a distracting day of division is this, among Gods own people? When some good soules exercising their charity shall consider the Ru­lers former good actions, and plead them, with their apprehensions of their present good intentions in what they doe, to those, who being of a quicker insight into the state of businesses, shall discover and assert their Apostacies, to perswade them into a favourable construction of their proceedings; and when on the other side, those, who retaining their sincerity in the life of it, being enlightened by the spirit of God in the worke of the day, both as to the work God would have done, and the counter-workings of the evill one, shall cry out amaine against those abominations, that God may not be without witnesse to the vin­dication of his honour, which men would lay in the dust: what inward fends and heart-burnings? What breach of all Gospel rules, will be the sad fruit of this dismall day? Let none say these things are far fetcht, and have no connexion with the Text, if men will seriously with unbi­assed judgements weight the ground-work, I conceive they cannot but see these things a necessary deduction from the premises.

4 The great faithfullnesse and love of God to his Son Jesus Christ his anointed one, that although out of his long-suffering he bore long with men, in their actings against his Son in the contest concerning his Priest­ly and Propheticall Office (though then at his appointed time he met with them to their confusion) yet, when it comes to the matter of his Kingdome, which the father is so strongly engaged to give him, and wherein his honour and glory is so abundantly concerned, THEN, will he waite no longer, but even while they are taking counsell, while [Page 16]they are but thinking of it, while they are consulting the wisest and most feasible way to bring to passe their purposes; it so enrages the eyes of his glory to behold it, that he will not suffer them to break so much as a piece of a band, but he will make bare his arme, and speak to them in wrath, by the mighty working of his power; The Lord will breake the staffe of the wicked, and the Scepter of the Rulers.

5 It's worthy our observation, That those who bring up the reare of the enemies of the Lord and his anointed, are Counsellors. Or if you will thus, That the last (and so the most subtill refined) designe of Satan against the Lord and his anointed, is managed by A COƲN­CILL. They take counsell together; such, as having the example of all the feates of policy former times have brought forth, and the advan­tage of that patterne of prudence and wisedome, the old subtill Serpent hath been drawing from the beginning of the world to this day, shall be so crafty and wylie, as that God by that shall be engaged to rouse up himselfe in his might, least they prevaile; The Rulers of the world taking counsell, become wise against the Lord and his anointed; Their excesse in humane wisedome and policy, engages God to shew forth the super-excellency of his Divine wisedome, being above them in that wherein they deale proudly.

6 Although the fins of these Rulers be not so grosly prophane as their predecessors, but their thred is of a finer spin; yet, they are guil­ty of such aggravations as the Lord Jesus cannot brooke: They provoke him (him who is the onely Mediator for sinners) that he will not speak one word to his father on their behalfe; Though God come with fury in his face, asking the reason of their doings, why is it so? and his wrath wax hot against them, we see our Lord Jesus appears not, pleads not a sillable for them, we read not a word of his intercession in this place: Formerly notwithstanding their sins were more grosse, and far greater in themselves, to the slaying the Lord of glory, he prayes, Fa­ther forgive them, for they know not, what they doe; and the Martyrs (as Stephen did) could beg on behalfe of their murderers, Lord lay not this sin to their charge: But now men are become wise, knowing sin­ners against his glory, Hypocrites, be hath not a word to speak for them, all that he will doe is to declare the Decree [I will declare the De­cree] to the world and them, if they will hear, well, but if not, they shall feele his wrath, and perish from the way.

7 That when the world and its Rulers come to this manner and measure of sin, they are excluded the intercession of Christ, (he prayes [Page 17]not for them, neither is it the fathers mind he should; when God puts him upon asking, it's not any thing for them, but their possessions and usurpations for himselfe, and a rod of iron to punish and destroy them) and so the prayers of the Saints. We ought not to pray for them, and for that, for whom and for which Christ prayed not; his intercession ought to be the patterne of our prayers; otherwise our petitions are not acceptable, for, in his beloved he accepts us. It hath been severall times at this passe with the world, Pray not thou for this people, nei­ther lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me, for I will not hear thee. God loves not to hear his people make such re­quests, he hath no mind to grant; Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be towards this people; cast them out of my sight, and let them goe forth. Though these three men, Noah, Da­niel, and Job were in it, they should deliver but their owne soules by their righteousnesse, saith the Lord God. And now it's come into the same pre­dicament againe; the world hath run its round, and is gotten into a like posture it was in when a flood of wrath overwhelmed it: What a sad condition is this world now in? It's tottering and there's none to underprop it; it's sinking and there's none to uphold it; The wrath of God is hovering over it, ready to fall upon it, and there's none to plead, to undertake for it; Surely the world is beholding to the inter­cession of Christ for its standing, and now that ceases, the foundations thereof are out of course, and it's falling: The day of the Lord is co­ming upon it as a Theef in the night, wherein the Heavens shall flee away as a scrowle, the Elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the earth with the workes therein shall be burnt up.

The second part of our work is, To search into the worke to be done in this remarkable time: Here is the work of the father, and of the Son.

1 The work of the father, which is two-fold, A worke of wrath to his enemies; which is amplified by a double expression, speaking in wrath, and vexing them in his sore displeasure: And secondly, A work of love and faithfullnesse to his Son.

Then shall he speake unto them in his wrath. God speaks to men in divers manners, by the voyce of his providences, the voyce of his mer­cies, the voyce of his rod, and the voyce of his judgements; and when God speaks by all in wrath, his providences blinding their eyes, his mer­cies hardening their hearts, his rod driving them from him, and (as the fruit of the former) his judgements cease upon them; here's a [Page 18]dreadfull day of wrath indeed, now God speaks to them in wrath: But his hath speciall relation to the voyce of his ward; for, what doth he peak to them in wrath? The Text tells us, Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Syon; the Gospel of the Kingdome: And that must needs be a day of wrath and terrors indeed, when that word which was wont to be a word of salvation, a word of love and good will, shall now be a word of wrath, in wrath. O sad!

God speaks his word in wrath to a people.

1 When it hath contrary effects upon them; a savour of death unto death, instead of a savour of life unto life: As in Isa. 6.9, 10, 11, 12. This Evangelicall Prophet Esay, must make the hearts of this peo­ple fat, their eares heavy, and shut their eyes; and that by speaking such gracious words unto them as he doth throughout his whole Pro­phesie: Certainly, this is none other but the wrath of God upon a wanton and backsliding people.

2 When God layes stumbling-blocks before a people, that they re­ceive not nor hearken to the word, but stumble and fall upon it, and perish, according to that in Jer. 6.21. Therefore thus saith the Lord, behold, I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them: The neighbour and his friend shall perish. This also is none other but the wrath of God upon a stubborne rebellious people: They had said they would not heare, and saith God let it be so, they shall not heare; he throwes stumbling-blocks in their way, least they should follow the voyce of his word, and he should blesse them: Yet these stumbling-blocks are not such, as in the least extenuate or lessen their iniquity, by giving them good and right ground to plead a necessity for their doings, but such, as men make to them­selves: True, God layes stumbling-blocks before them, yet it's them­selves that make those so to them; they are not so to a sanctified heart, (he, by the wing of faith can fly over them) but to an earthy lump of clay, whose eye is fixed upon no higher than a carnall and worldly glory: As

• 1 Gods making use of obscure mean foolish instruments (in the worlds eye) to publish his word and Decree to the world: He hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, the weake to confound those which are mighty, and the base and despised things of the world, and things that are not, to bring to nought things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence. This hath been his course all a­long since the world began, none must deliver his people from a de­vouring [Page 19]famine, but a despised Joseph; The Message of rebuke and threatning judgement to a Prince in Israel (good old Ely) must be sent by Samuel a weak Child, unskilfull in the word of Prophesie: And as if none of the Princes and Royall blood could be moulded after Gods owne heart, he must take David from the sheepfold, and make him (a mean shepheard) Governour over and a deliverer of his cho­sen people; And who are his Heralds to proclaime the Gospel of the Kingdome, but a company of poore despicable Fishermen? He leaves the wise and learned Rabbies, Scribes, and holy Pharisees of the times, and chooseth the fooles of the world, makes them prevalent to pull downe Principalities, powers, and strong holds, and they shall one day prevaile to the trampling their enemies under their feet as the mire in the streets. Thus, out of the mouths of Babes and sucklings, he ordain­ing strength, perfecting his praise, the spirituall man can discerne the glory of it, his heart will admire and adore it; But the men of this world, they take offence, stumble and fall to the perishing of their soules: What! will God forsake our wise and holy men, that excell in most excellent virtues, and speak by such Idiots, rash fooles, vaine­bablers, and mad men as they are? No, they cannot, they will not be­lieve it: If Peter and his brethren be filled with the holy Ghost, they are drunken: If Paul speak of the true God, he is a vaine-babler: and reason of Temperance and Judgement to come, much learning hath made him mad; This is the sence and judgement of the world.
• 2 The infirmities of his Messengers; their not walking up fully to their profession of the glorious Gospel, nor so exactly as they ought by the line of the word of truth in their mouth: Now, the men of this world drawing the line of their judgement from a wrong point, they think those mens Principles nought, and hypocrittically rotten, the word of truth in their mouth an errour, a delusion, a lye, not remembring the best of men must have their graines of allowance: Here, they take offence, stumble, and fall, rising up with their backs towards the truth: This God permits in judgement and wrath to the world, that they may stumble, and fall, and perish.
• 3 The manner of delivering the word of truth in this day of wrath, is a great stumbling-block to the world: God speaks to them in wrath, he was wont to speak in love, the Gospel was glad Tidings; but now the word, is a word of wrath, threatning judgement and destruction to the world for their wicked Apostacies and rebellions against the Lord and his anointed; O say they, this is no Gospel spirit, but a spirit of [Page 20]delusion; although, it's but the same Dialect the Holy Ghost useth throughout the Revelation against spiritual Babylon (Antichrist:) At this they stumble, and cast the word of life far from them, thinking they have good ground so to doe.
• 4 The Apostacy of false Brethren from the truth; this is a great stumbling-block to the world, by this the world blindly judgeth, that the way of the truth is but a meer phansie, and hath not that real good in it the world hath, otherwise these men would not change their sta­tion, they cannot think they would take worse for better, thus they stumble, and fall, and perish: This is also the judgement of God upon the world.
• 5 The spirituality of the truth; At this also the men of the world stumble, being blind and not apprehending the truth aright, put strange glosses upon it, and draw unworthy and uncouth conclusions from it, representing it (Satan helping them) to themselves and others in a monstrous shape, at which they stumble, and fall, and perish: As those men did, John 6. when Christ had been treating of that great and spi­ritual Mystery, of union with him, it is said, ver. 66. From that time many of his Disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

And vex them (or trouble them, as it is in the margent) in his sore displeasure. When God speaks in wrath, surely it cannot but bring great trouble to men: When God spake in wrath to Saul, that he had rejected him, and given the Kingdome to a neighbour of his bet­ter then he, how did it vex and trouble his soule? What feare ceized on him? How did it torment him, when he perceived the Lord being departed from him was with David? Oh, saith he to his Son, Thou Son of a perverse woman, doe I not know thou hast chosen the Son of Jesse to thine owne confusion, for as long as the Son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy Kingdome. How was that most excellent King Solomon troubled, when God spake in wrath, that he had given the greatest part of his Kingdome to another? And what trouble and vexation of spirit did it bring to all the Kings of Judah, and Israel, when at any time God spake unto them in his wrath, concern­ing the matters of their Kingdome? The whole History of the Kings make it evident.

And vex them in his sore displeasure. That must needs be a dread­full and terrible trouble, great anxiety of spirit, that comes from the sore displeasure of the great God: If we can imagine any trouble and vexation to be greater and more deadly then another, that must needs [Page 21]be it: Vex them in his sore displeasure; O dreadfull! what horrors! what gastly terrours of death, will encompasse men about in that day? If they turne to the left hand; to their Cisternes they have hewne out to themselves, behold, they are broken, and hold no water; If to the props they thought to have upheld themselves with, behold, they are rotten, and will not bear them up; and if to the arm of flesh, the strength of Aegypt, they trusted to, behold, it's a broken reed, and pierceth their hands: If to the right hand, from whence they are fallen; behold, nothing but the frowning brow of a wrathfull God, and the fiery spirit of an enraged people; whose heart burneth with the zeale of God, for the honour and glory of their God: What killing disappointments are here? What no hope? Alas, alas, very little, or none at all: What is the (feared) fruit this brings forth? Why, they repent not, but blaspheme the God of Heaven.

Quest. But what is this that God speaks to them that thus troubles them?

Answ. The Answer you will find in the Text, Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion; It's the word of the Kingdome; that God will take their Crownes from off their heads, and set them on the head of Christ: How was Herod troubled, and all Jerusalem with him, when he heard but a where is he that is borne King of the Jewes? How greatly did the tidings of a rightfull King trouble him? His conscience flyes in his face, and stings him, his jealousie and feare of loosing what he had surreptitiously gotten, rent his heart with a thousand anxieties, which vented themselves in unheard of cruelties against poore Inno­cents: And the Stories of the Martyrs tell us, that some Emperors af­ter the example of Herod, have been so troubled with the fear of, (and jealous of) King Jesus his robbing them of their Thrones, they have sought the destruction of the whole lineage of David: And at this day, what a dreadfull troublesome story is it to the Kings and Rulers of the earth, to heare the doctrine of the Kingdome of Christ is assert­ed and preached to the people? How jealous and full of wrath are they! How doth it trouble them!

Quest. Why should men be troubled and vexed at this word?

Answ. Truly there's some reason why the men of the world should be troubled.

• 1 Because the word is spoken, as that which God hath already done; I HAVE set my King upon my holy hill of Sion: I have done it, saith God, and the subsequent is easily drawne; you must submit to him, or [Page 22]you perish: If the doctrine were this, That Christ should have a Kingdome many hundred yeares to come, the people of God might preach it while their lungs lasted, and meet with no opposition from the men of the world, let them alone till that day, think they; but when the word comes so neere them, as to say, now is the time, God hath already done it, the time of performance is come; This galls them, rubs on the sore too hard, and troubles them.
• 2 Because this Doctrine is preacht in opposition to them: YET have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion: YET, though you have taken counsell against the Lord and his anointed, to break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords; to keep them at a low and under rate, as Pharoah did, that they may be your subjects and servants, and never be able to become your Lords: Yet saith God, I will speak to you in wrath, and trouble you with this, I have set my King upon my holy hill of Sion: I will doe it, you shall know and find that I am above you in that wherein you are so subtilly wise; in spite of you he shall be King, and raigne, it's his right, and he shall have it; I have promised him, and I will give the Kingdome to him, maugre all your envy and malice; I would not suffer the Heathen to keep the King­dome from him; and have brought downe to the dust those Kings of the earth you have slaine, for their attempts against him; and shall you prosper in your Apostacies and rebellions against him? I would not bear with their superstition, and shall I now connive at your hy­pocrisies? Shall I suffer and permit you to keep the Kingdome from him, and to interrupt the performance of my Promises? No: know, I speak it to you in my wrath, Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion.
• 3 Because it will destroy all their Idols, deprive them of all their dear enjoyments; their powers, with their pomp and glory, to which their heart cleaves so close, this sword of Christs mouth will smite them all; their Idols of gold, and their Idols of silver, and their Idols of ho­nour, &c. all these will it consume: And their Kingdomes must become the Kg domes of the Lords Christ, and all their Dominion, and the greatnesse (the glory of it) shall be given to the Saints of the most high, those whom they have trampled upon, and to whom they have been so barbarously ungratefull: These things trouble and vex these Rulers, that they gnaw their tongues for anguish and paine.

And surely this is a day of great wrath indeed; as when two Kings, and both strong, are striving for a Crowne, it's likely to be a day of [Page 23]great wrath, a bloody day: So, this day, for behold, what a feast will God make on this day, For the Fowles that flye in the midst of hea­ven, the flesh of Kings, the flesh of Captaines and mighty men, the flesh of Horses, and of them that sit on them, the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

We may conclude from these things:

• 1 It's not unsuitable to a Gospel spirit, to denounce the wrath of God against Rulers, for their Apostacies and abhominable hypocrisies; yea, and to deale particularly with them, laying the finger on the sore, pointing out the Abominations by name, denouncing the vengeance of God upon them: For, we see here how particularly God characte­riseth these Rulers, laying open all their abominations, speaking to them in wrath: And surely this also (as the rest of the Scripture) is written for our instruction.
• 2 It's no wonder that the Rulers of the world are troubled at, and moved against the Gospel of the Kingdome, for here God saith, He will speak it to them in wrath, and vex them with it in his sore dis­pleasure.
• 3 It's not so much the infirmities of the Saints accompanying the delivery of their message to the world, or any other circumstance about it, that troubles and vexes the Rulers, (let them pretend what they will) as the doctrine it selfe, when it's rightly asserted, and thorowly opened, as that which is at hand, and ought to be submitted to with­out delay. O! how doth it trouble and vex them to heare of the co­ming of King Jesus, to depose them (of their usurpations) and take the Kingdome to himselfe? If it troubled Herod, and all Jerusalem with him, when they heard of this Kings first coming meek and lowly; how then think we, will it not much more trouble the Kings and Rulers of the earth to hear of his second coming in power, and the glory of his Sion? It cannot be otherwise, for God saith he will trouble and vex them with an, I have set my King upon my holy hill of Sion.
• 4 When the Rulers come to this height of ungratefull wickednesse, to take counsell against the Lord and his anointed, to break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from them, THEN is the time of Gdos wrath come to that Generation; he will speake to them in wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
• 5 That before such time as God enters into judgement with the rest of the Kings of the earth, and that Whore (mystery Babylon the great) whom they uphold, God Judges these Rulers; he speaks to them in [Page 24]wrath, to them in particular, to them that Take counsell against the Lord and his anointed.

2 Here's the work of Gods love and faithfulnesse to his Son, in these words, Yet have I set my King upon Sion the hill of my holinesse: as it is in the margent of the Bible. YET have I, &c. As if God had said, Notwithstanding your taking counsell against him and his anoint­ed, and that you have so far proceeded (managing your businesse so wisely, to the very heighth and depth of wisedome) as to make your selves formidable in your owne eyes, thinking you have gotten strength and power sufficient to put your counsels in practice, crying, Let us breake their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us; yet have I set my King upon Sion, the hill of my holinesse: Though you take coun­sell against him, to make the way to his Kingdome as thorny, difficult, and perillous as you can; though you be so ungratefull, and unfaithfull to forsake and take counsell against him and his, yet will not I be so to my beloved Son, YET have I set my King upon Sion the hill of my holinesse.

Yet have I set MY KING: Though these Rulers will not make him a King, yet God will; My King, though they reject him, would breake his bands, and cast away his cords, that he might not raigne over them, yet God hath made him a King, and given him a King­dome: He it is, who must goe forth conquering and to conquer, de­stroying all his enemies, breaking them to pieces like a Potters vessel; plucking up every plant that his father hath not planted, throwing downe all those superstructures that are not of his owne building, crea­ting new Heavens and a new Earth, A New Creation, making it a suitable purchase to the unvaluable price of his blood, clothing it with his glory, that it may be a fit present for his father at the appoint­ed time.

Yet have I set my King upon SION; That is, the Church of Christ, by Sion is meant the Church throughout the whole Scripture; that I suppose is granted by all, therefore I need not enlarge upon it.

Yet have I set my King upon Sion the HILL of my holinesse. Why a hill? A hill is a place of great advantage, on which, if an Army be en­camped, [Page 25]it may be an impossible thing for the enemy to dislodge them: So, God here sets his King upon his Hill (his Church) a place of such advantage, that God doth (if I may so expresse it) even vaunt it over these Rulers, that he hath (notwithstanding their oppositions, policies, stratagems, and wisedome) set his King upon his hill, where he is a naile fastened in a sure place, on which all the vessels may hang secure and safe; such a place, as his being fixt there, frustrates all their de­signes, undoes all their contrivements, and brings to naught all their Counsells; it implies so much to me, for, it is as if God had said, notwithstanding you have steered a contrary course, and taken counsell how to make your selves strong, to break my Sons bands and cords, and have prevailed very far, that you are even ready to put your coun­sells in execution, crying out amaine for action, LET ƲS; not­withstanding all this, Yet have I set my King upon Sion the hill of my holinesse: I have done it, and there he is, and now what can you doe? It's impossible for you to dislodge him, for my hill is strong, Its terrible as an Army with banners: Why a hill? if a man be upon a hill, he may see all round about him; so here, God sets his King upon his hill, that he may from thence take a view of all the motions and contrive­ments, plots and designes of his enemies. When the Son is seated on this hill, those Counsels against him and his, which were secret and hid­den, in the dark before, (onely the Eagles of the Age, a penetrating eye, could perceive them) are now made manifest, and laid open to the view of all, to the shame and confusion of these Rulers.

Againe, when a man is set on a hill, he may be seen and heard of all, as Jotham was by the men of Shechem: So here, God hath set his King upon his hill, that his glory may be perspicuous to the whole world, and the publication of his Decrees may be heard farre and neare, that, though when the voyce of the Trumpet sounds shrill, and waxes loud­er and louder, the people may tremble for fear, yet, the Moses's and Joshuah's may have mountaine discoveries of the glory of God, having fellowship with the father and the Son, as with a familiar friend.

The hill of my HOLINESSE: The Kings seat is a hill of holinesse, yea, the hill of Gods holinesse: But why a hill of holinesse? why, nothing lesse then holinesse is a fit qualification for the seat of Christ; It's not the great names of men, Presbyterians, Independents, Anabaptists, Seekers, Non-church-men, above Ordinances; or Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors of Universities, Deanes, Masters and Fellowes of Colledges, Tryers, Parsons and Vicars of Parishes, that qualifie men [Page 26]for the work of Christ in this day; no, 'tis onely true holinesse, the holinesse (the Image) of God, that onely makes a man a fit seat for Christ to raigne in, and of which soever of the first sort of names of men, they are that have this qualification [holinesse] they are as so many sands or pieces of this hill of holinesse, and out of all these God will draw his holy ones, and they shall become the hill of his holinesse, and he will set his Son there, and he shall be their glorious King. The holinesse of this hill is the strength of it, were it not a holy hill, it might be overcome by the assaults and underminings of the enemy. It was the Image of God (which holinesse is) on Adam in the state of In­nocency, that made him a rightfull King over the world, and struck such an awe and dread of him into all the Creatures, keeping them un­der his obedience, but when he lost that, he lost all; so, it's the holinesse of the Church of Christ, this seat of the King, that makes it an Impreg­nable Fort against her Kings Enemies.

And why MY HOLINESSE, the holinesse of God? All other holinesse is nothing, mans righteousnesse is but drosse and dung, base mettall; but that which is Gods holinesse, the holinesse of God impu­ted to us through Christ, the Image of that Imprinted on us by the mighty working of the spirit of Christ, is that which the gates of hell shall not, nor cannot prevaile against.

And MY HOLINESSE; the holinesse of God is a perfect holi­nesse, and be ye perfect as your heavenly father is perfect. It's not to be holy in part, but to be wholly holy, all over sanctified; to be holy, so, as to be set against every wickednesse, to allow of, or wink at none: It's necessary this hill should be cloathed with the perfect holinesse of God, otherwise it would be as tender towards the wickednesses of men, as most professors are at this day, and so, not be wholly set against all wickednesses, let them be in what men soever, Rulers or people (though cover'd over with never so curious a covering) Christ their King is, and they must be so, otherwise they are no seat for him; I have set my King on the hill of my holinesse.

I have SET my King, &c. Set him, in a posture becoming a King; set him, as in a seat of Judicature, there shall he sit and judge his ene­mies; out of this hill the Angels come to poure out the Vials of the wrath of God upon the world: Set him, as in Majesty and glory, a­bove the Kings and Rulers of the earth, that have set themselves, and taken counsell against him and his anointed; here he shall sit and be­hold the wonderfull things the love of the father will doe for his glory and honour.

And I have set my King; it's God that sets Christ on Syon; I have done it, saith God; you thought (and took counsell) to deale wisely against my Son, but I have dealt more wisely for him, then you could against him; you seek to hide your counsells from me, and my counsell is hid from yon; you goe in contrary wayes to me, and I steer a course beyond and contrary to your expectations, and before you are aware bring my purposes to passe upon you, I have set my King on Sion. God doth this for his Son, in some eminent way, whereby it ap­pears he doth it, and none else; that his Son is engaged to him for his exaltation: There's some remarkable unwonted circumstance accompa­nies this action, making it eminently evident, to be the work of the finger of God onely; that it's not man, but God himselfe hath done this; I have done it, saith God. Upon this, this hill of God is so con­solidated and strengthened, as that Christ from hence declares the De­cree; hence, the Trumpet sounds, and all that will not hearken to the voyce thereof, are in great danger of perishing.

We see here what God doth for his beloved, in the midst of the op­positions and contradictions of men, He sets him upon Sion the hill of his holinesse.

Let us hence Observe.

1 In this day of his wrath, God will give the Kingdomes to his Son, Yet have I set my King upon Sion the hill of my holinesse; the Rulers taking counsell, and digging deep to hide it from the Lord, casting about to find out a way to keep his King from his right, in the midst of his wrath and fury against them for their wickednesse, he sets his King on Sion; now, I have done it, saith God; he speaks it to them in his wrath, and vexes them (with the doing of it) in his sore dis­pleasure. God having overturned the Heathen Emperors, the Popish Kings of the earth snatch up the Crowne, and set it on their head; God overturnes some of them, and these Apostate Rulers fasten the Crowne to their Temples; but their comes a third overturning, which is a thorough one indeed, for saith God, Remove the Diadem, take off the Crowne, this shall not be the same, exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high: I will overturne overturne overturne it, and it shall be no more, untill he come whose right it is, and I will give it him: Where are these Rulers now? there's no hope for them, for his King­dome is an everlasting Kingdome.

2 That while these Apostate Rulers are taking counsell together against the Lord and his anointed, the designe of God is then, at that [Page 28]time, to set his King upon Sion, the hill of his holinesse: And he doth it in opposition to them, though they contradict it, YET I have done it, saith God.

3 That the first thing God doth for his Son, after he hath made bare his arme, and entred into judgement with the Antichristian world (for surely he began that work, when these Rulers cut downe some of the Kings of the earth) and in opposition to these Rulers, is, to make him King in Sion, in his Church, Yet have I set my King ƲPON SION the hill of my holinesse; He is set there, in a posture fit for the carrying on the designe which he and his father are now managing in the world; there is his Throne, and his holy ones about him; and there he will sit, and together with them judge the world, and poure downe his fathers wrath upon it.

4 That Sion may be a fit seat for the Son to settle himselfe upon, in opposition to all his enemies, God makes Sion the hill of his holinesse; The HILL of my holinesse; a hill, for strength and stability, it's un­moveable; a hill, for union, all its parts are so united and compact together, as none can divide it; a hill, for height, The mountaine of the height of Israel, it's above the world, reaches up to the Heavens: And a hill of holinesse; the King being seated upon this hill, this me­taphoricall hill becomes his Court, and those in it his Courtiers; they are clothed with the same clothing his Majesty is, (h [...]lin [...]sse) they are all like their Lord; each one of them resembling the Children of a King, holinesse to the Lord is written upon them: And a hill of holines, for they are consecrated, separated, and set apart for the work of Christ at this day, sanctified for this service; enabled to overcome all the as­saults of the evill one, and having done all to stand, to keep their place and station, a seat and Throne for Christ, to be such Carpenters as shall fray away all the Hornes; the spirit of the Hornes shall not enter into these Carpenters, for God saith, Sion is the hill of his holinesse.

5 Although at this day, many may fall away, and loose their first love, many prove foolish Virgins, yet God hath his true Church, his hill of true holinesse, a fit seat for his Son; his chosen number, which he unites together, and by the mighty working of his spirit, they be­come the hill of his holinesse: He sets his Son upon this hill, and thence he issues forth the Decrees of his father about the concernments of his Kingdome, notwithstanding the power and forces of his enemies against him.

6 That under the Government of these Rulers the people of God [Page 29]have not liberty to come up to the height of Gods holinesse, for when they come to be a hill of holinesse, the world stands in opposition to them, and they unto the world. Christ is set upon the hill of Gods holinesse, in opposition to the Rulers of the world: If any then blame the followers of the Lamb, as busie-bodies and rash spirits, saying it's otherwise with them now, then it was under the Kings, they may be as holy as they will, and live in their fellowship with God and Christ in his owne Ordinances to the highest; it's a falsity, for if they seek af­ter the height of Gods holinesse, (to get to the top of this hill) to enjoy the fullnesse of the Promises in Christ, by following him fully ac­cording to the voyce of his spirit in his word in this day, they are op­posed by the Rulers, and taken counsell against.

7 We may here see what God expects from his Sion (his Church) that in this day, when the Rulers and great men of the world reject Christ, and take counsell against him and his, that this his hill of holi­nesse should receive his Son, and cleave so close to him, espouse his righteous interest so unfeignedly and so zealously, as that it may be a hill of advantage whereon Christ may sit as King, in opposition to the Kings of the earth, and in despite of these Rulers; although the Kings of the earth set themselves, and the Rulers take counsell together a­gainst the Lord and his anointed; when the Kings and the Rulers com­bine together to doe their utmost, the one by an open perverse setting themselves, the other by taking counsell (pernicious secret counsell) against him and his, and at last shall conjoyne Forces, openly setting themselves to act their counsells; things at this passe, God brings his Son to Sion, his Church, the hill of his holinesse, he is totally excluded the world, by the men of the world, from having any share in their Royalties, in these Rulers the father hath tryed the finest and purest piece of earth the world can shew, and finding it false, he brings his Son to Sion, sets him there, as in a safe place, expecting they will sub­mit their necks to his yoke, and their shoulders to his burden, and fol­low him in his goings forth against his enemies, after what manner so­ever they be, whithersoever he will lead them; This indeed is the rea­dy way to find out an everlasting rest, to get a full possession of the pro­mised Land, to be blessed in heavenly places with him.

Lastly, Behold, the Lamb with his 144000, his chosen number, standing upon Mount Sion, having their fathers name written in their foreheads. (Sion is the hill of my holinesse, saith God.) Here are the Armies of Heaven, with the great Captaine of Salvation in the head of [Page 30]them, in a posture fit, ready prepared to execute the Decree, Thou shalt breake them with a rod of iron, thou shalt dash them to pieces like a potters vessell: But before they enter upon this strange and wonderfull work, being the will of their deare Captaine and leader, they sing as it were a new song of praise unto God, before the Throne; and though it be a hard song that the world cannot learn, and it sounds harshly in their eares, seeming to them such a thing as never was before, a new invention of the spirit of delusion; yet, these chosen holy ones they are acquainted with, and expert in, singing this song before the Throne of God: Christ their Captaine begins, and they follow on, declaring the Decree.

So that now we are come to the work of Christ in this day, to consi­der what that is, that the Son goeth about as his work in this day of his Fathers wrath: It is, declaring the Decree of his father, as he tells us in these words, I will declare the Decree: He being thus seated on Si­on, the hill of Gods holinesse, he presently without delay sends abroad his Heralds, layes his claime, and shewes his right and title to the world, the Decree of his Father: We may here consider,

• 1 The Person declaring.
• 2 The Declaration it selfe.
• 3 The Matter of the Declaration.
• 4 The Persons to whom this Declaration is made.

1 The Persons declaring; I will declare the Decree; This is

• 1 Christ Personall, the Mediator [...]hrist Jesus: That Son of God whom the father hath set upon Sion the hill of his holinesse, he declares the Decree by his spirit in Sion among his chosen ones.
• 2 Christ Mysticall; This cannot reasonably be denyed, saith Christ, A body hast thou prepared me, then said I, loe I come to doe thy will O God. Intimating, that it was of necessity Christ should have a body before he could come to doe the will of his father; It's by this body of his as the instrument in his hand, that he fullfills the will of God; so, it's by his mysticall body (his Church) that he declares the Decree; doth this his work in this day of his Regement in Sion: Further, it's said, The Law shall goe forth out of Sion. And againe, Mat. 10.27. What I tell you in darknesse, that speake ye in the light; and what ye hear in the eare, that Preach ye upon the house top. Here's the man Christ Jesus teaching his Sion, and a command to them to declare it publickly to the world; This is that sharp sword going out of his mouth where­with he smites the Nations.
• [Page 31]2 The declaration it selfe; I will DECLARE the Decree: De­clare it, how? why, as a Herald declares the Decree of a Prince or State, with sound of Trumpet, and a loud voyce, in places of greatest note and resort, in the most open and publick manner that can be, that all may hear, that the Decree may come the eare of every man: So here, I will declare the Decree, so publickly, upon the house top, on the Mount, the Trumpet shall sound so shrill and loud, that it shall pierce the eares of all, yea, of the Kings and Judges of the earth; for, the exhortation to repentance is grounded upon this Declaration, Be wise now therefore, &c. which could not be a motive to them to repent, ex­cept they heard it; And I will declare the Decree, lay it all open, make it fully knowne, spread it before the understandings of men, that none may through ignorance perish from the way, and loose that blessed­nesse I have in my hand to give unto all them that put their trust in me.
• 3 The matter of the Decree; in which we have these six parti­culars.
  • 1 The party decreeing.
  • 2 The Decree it selfe.
  • 3 The means by which the performance is obtained.
  • 4 The account or score upon which the father doth all this for his Son.
  • 5 The person to whom this gift is given.
  • 6 The time when God will bestow this gift.

1 It's the Lord Jehovah that makes this Decree: who then can alter, or disanull it? Shall the Lawes of the Medes and Persians be unalte­rable, and shall not the Decrees of the great God of Heaven and earth? What folly is it for the world to oppose it? What fools-hardinesse is it for men to fight against the Almighty God?

2 Here's the Decree it selfe: And therein

• First, A Donation, or Gift: I will GIVE thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession; It's a Royall gift indeed, fit for a King to receive, and for the glorious God and father of our Lord to bestow; no lesse then a whole world; Heathens for an Inheritance, and utmost parts of the earth for a posses­sion: O matchlesse love of a father to a beloved Son! The Heathens that knew him not shall become his Inheritance, he will call upon the Nation that hath not been called by his name to behold him; he will be sought of them that asked not for him, and be found of them that sought him not; and the utmost parts of the earth shall be a habitation for [Page 32]him, to have and to hold, as the good pleasure of his father: all things shall be put under his feet; There shall be given him Dominion, and glory, and a Kingdome, that all people, Nations, and languages shall serve him: And that this gift might be certaine and sure, that nothing may be able to interrupt his possessing it, we have in the
• Second place, The means decreed and appointed, whereby he shall take this inheritance and possession to himselfe: Thou shalt break them with A ROD OF IRON, and dash them to pieces like a potters vessell: Breake them, take their power, rule, and Dominion away, breake their Scepters, and throw downe their Corwnes.

Breake THEM: who? why, all that in enmity oppose him, the raging Heathen, the profane Kings of the earth, and all the Hypocriti­call Saint-like Rulers, that would not have him to raigne over them; them shall he break: THOƲ shalt breake them; Christ, the Lamb on Mount Sion, he shall doe it, with his followers, that follow him whithersoever he goeth: But with what? With A ROD of iron; Here is the materiall sword, the instrument with which Christ shall break all his enemies; He that killeth with the sword, must be killed with the sword; they have shed the blood of the Saints and Prophets, and he will give them blood to drinke, for they are worthy: Behold, I will make thee a new threshing Instrument, having Teeth: Thou shalt thresh the mountaines, and beate them small, and shalt make the hills as chaffe: And dash them to pieces like a potters vessell; He shall break them all to shivers, grind them to powder, and make them become as the mire in the streets, and the chaffe of the summers threshing-floore, that the wind shall carry them away, and no place shall be found for them any more: And he shall doe this with as great facil­lity and ease, as a man dasheth a Potters vessell to pieces; he shall have no more trouble in it, then a man hath in dashing a brittle earthen pot to pieces against the ground.

3 The means by which the Son obtaines the performance of this Decree; his intercession; ASKE of me; It's but ask and have, if the Lord ask his father any thing, he will give it him; if he ask a world, his enemies for an Inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for a possession, his request is granted; The father heareth him alwayes, he neither will nor can deny him what he desires. Aske of me the Hea­then for thine inheritance, and thou shalt have them saith God, either thy slaves or thy free-men, which thou wilt, they shall be thine to doe with them as thou pleasest: Aske of me, the utmost parts of the earth [Page 33]for a possession, and thou shalt have it; if thou wilt have a whole world for thy Court, to entertaine thy followers, thy chosen ones, it's thine: And that the world may be emptied of all those usur­pers, enemies of thine in it, that thou mayest take quiet possession, Ask of me, and thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, and dash them to pie­ces like a potters vessell, send them flying into another world to inherit their merited portion with hypocrites and unbelievers: And ASKE of me, and I will give thee, &c. If thou wilt have the gift of my love, thou must ask it, ASKE of me; I will give nothing without asking, therefore come, Aske of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for a possession.

4 Upon what account or score is it that the father will doe so much for this his Son? Why, it's solely upon the account of his Son-ship; Thou art my SON, this day have I begotten thee; therefore now, Ask of me, and I will give thee, &c. God will give this gift to none but his Son, and were he not his Son he should not have it; it's a gift too rich and too glorious for any besides the Son of God, the Heire of the Pro­mises: Thou art my SON, said God, and I am engaged as I am thy father, to bestow a fatherly gift upon thee, and now Aske of me, and I will bestow such a gift upon thee, as becomes my glory to give, and thine honour to receive; Thou art my SON, this day have I BE­GOTTEN thee, I conceive this is not onely meant of the eternall generation of the Son, nor onely of that day of Christs exaltation and honour, when the father raised him from the dead, not suffering his ho­ly one to see corruption, making it evident he was the eternall Son of God, a perfect and all-sufficient Mediator; but also of this day, where­in God exalteth him as King, and makes him King in Sion: THIS DAY have I begotten thee, that is, this day have I made it evident to the whole world thou art my Son; I have but now begotten thee as to them, they would not believe before that thou wast my Son, such a Son, as I have made Heir and King of the world; but now, I have set thee on Sion, and it being out of all dispute in Sion, that thou art the onely rightfull King (and that I have made thee so) they have received thee, thou art set as a King there; and there is a sufficient light held out to the world from thence, of the truth of this, to leave them without excuse if they submit not to thee; so that, as I have begotten thee be­fore times was, now I have begotten thee in this day also; and being thou art my begotten Son, mine honour is concerned in thine honour, Aske of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thy inheritance, and [Page 34]the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.

5 To whom is this gift given? To the Son as Mediator, for we see it's the fruit of his Intercession, ASKE of me: And if so, then, to him as a representative, a common person, and so to all those he repre­sents; if it be given to him, then to his also, for Of his fullnesse we re­ceive grace for grace.

6 What day, or time is this, wherein God puts on his Son to make such requests, and promises to doe such great things for him? Why, THIS DAY, wherein God notwithstanding all the opposition of the world, and worldly powers (and in particular these Rulers) and in wrath to them for it, shall set his King upon Sion, the hill of his holinesse; this day, wherein I have begotten thee; ask of me this day; and I will this day give thee, the Heathen for thy Inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession: And this day thou shalt break them with a rod of Iron, and dash them to pieces like a Potters vessell: e­ven this day, wherein thou shalt ask it of me.

4 Let us consider the Persons to whom this Decree is declared, they are, The Kings and Judges of the earth: Those very Kings and Ru­lers (though here called Judges upon a significant account) which set themselves and take counsel together against the Lord and his anoin­ted: The Decree is declared and published to them, as is undeniably evident, by the Exhortation grounded upon the Decree, Be wise now therefore O ye Kings, be instructed ye Judges of the earth; You oppose me, setting your selves, and taking counsell against me, but you now heare the unalterable Decree of the great Jehovah my father, Be wise now therefore.

From these things we may conclude,

• 1 At this day, when Christ is seated on Sion the Hill of Gods Ho­linesse, there begins a new quarrell between Christ and the worlds Ru­le [...]s: He layes his claime to the world, which they say is their Domi­nion, and that he hath nothing to doe with it, but with his Church, bidding him keep to his Sion, where his God and father hath set him, and meddle not with them, for that is out of his sphere: And out of Sion Christ declares the Decree, his right and title to the utmost parts of the earth, and, that his father hath given him the Sword of his mouth, and a rod of iron, to smite and break all that oppose him, taking posses­sion of his fathers Donation; This breeds such jealousie, wrath, and fury between these two Competitors, that never was such a quarrelling day since the world had a being; Now the contest is between Christ [Page 35]and man, not such (as God hath made use of formerly to bring to passe his purposes) as are between man and man, but it's between Christ (who is God) and man, which of these shall have the Rule and Government: Formerly, the world hath had it's coverings, to hide and garnish over its actions, that they have not appeared in their true colours, and God suffered it so to be, but now the mask is taken off, they appeare plainly what they are, against Christ (notwithstanding all spetious pretences whatsoever) to the view of all the world: And as Christ deales more roundly with them, so will they be more outra­gious and inveterate against him, leaving no place for repentance: I will declare the Decree, saith Christ, and You Kings and Judges of the earth, repent and kisse the Son, or you perish; This not suiting with the high spirits of the world, they will yet kick against the pricks, persist in their old practice, in persecution of, and opposition against the Lord of life and glory.
• 2 That it's the Duty (and so no sin, nor contrary to Gospel Prin­ciples and Rules) of the anointed of the Lord, those Herralds of his glory that he sends into the world, (it's the very will of the Father, and of the Son) they should Preach and declare this Decree concerning the Kingdome of the Son fully, according to the due import of A De­claration, in the eares of the whole world, yea, that the Kings and Judges of the earth may heare, and feare, and tremble: If men or Devils in men besmear them with the spurious conceptions of their owne filthy hearts, what matters it? They have the pure water of the word at hand to wash off all that dirt: It's the work of Christ in this day of his fathers love, (I will declare the Decree) that which he will doe by his body, his Mysticall Members, and men cannot duely nor rightly charge his holy ones with sin or folly, in this their obedience to their Lord: It's the work of Christ, to declare it in Sion by his spirit, and it's the work of Sion (as the Instrument in his hand) to declare it againe to the world, in opposition to the Kings and Rulers thereof, in their usurpations upon the Royall interest and Prerogative of Jesus King of Sion.
• 3 That this Declaration is published in the time of the fathers wrath, neither is this expression of the Sons love without some tokens of dis­pleasure: The world and the powers thereof, have so slighted, trampled upon, and provoked the Son, as he will not speak one word for them to plead their cause with his father; but by his silence suffers his fathers wrath to break forth, speaking to them in wrath, and vexing them in [Page 36]his sore displeasure. The father having by his Almighty power set his King on Sion, and he being ready to over-run the world with the exe­cution of his fathers just displeasure, his heart being tender, his bowels rowle within him towards poore sinners, he must declare the Decree, with an Exhortation if now at last they will come in, submit to him, and he will blesse them; yet it's very hasty, and ends with the harsh sound of a threating, in case of a non-sudden-acceptance, there's a tang of the fathers wrath, and the Sons provoked displeasure goes along with it; the clearest sun-shine of this day is clouded with symptomes and tokens of wrath and displeasure, then it's no wonder if God judicially throw stumbling-blocks in the way of this Generation in this day, that they may not hearken to the voyce of his Son, but stumble, and fall, and perish.
• 4 The father having decreed to give the whole world to his Son, Heathens for an inheritance, and utmost parts of the earth for a pos­session; it must of necessity be, that all the GREAT possessors of this earthen world, will prove his enemies; and the declaration of this De­cree, will set the world on fire, fill it with a fiery fury: The heavens shall passe away with a great noyse, and the Elements shall melt with fer­vent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up.
• 5 That this is no rebellious nor strange word, but a doctrine beco­ming the Gospel and Gospel times, to proclaime the War of the Lord against all the enemies of Christ; it's the mind of the father, for this is part of the Decree which the Son hath engaged to declare, Thou shalt breake them with a rod of iron, and dash them to pieces like a pot­ters vessell.
• 6 That this day, is a day of great supplication and prayer, ASKE of me, saith God, the father commands to aske, upon such an encoura­ging account, as that it provokes Christ and his followers to lye hard at the Throne of grace, for the performance of the fathers Promises, saith God, ASKE and I will give; ASKE, or you cannot receive; but ASKE and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession: If God command to aske, upon such an account, how can it be but his people will obey with rejoycing, filling the Heavens with their cryes? And can we think Christ will not fill the Censor with these odours, and offer them up upon the Altar as a sweet perfume to God his father, and then, what voyces! what thunderings! lightnings! and Earth-quakes will this fire [Page 37]from the Altar fill the earth with? These will fill the Vials of Gods wrath, and send the Angels out of the Temple to poure them out upon the world.
• 7 Here's a direction for prayer, in this day: It's the will of the fa­ther, the prayers of the Saints should be chiefly, and in the first place, for the glory of Christ, that he may have Heathens for an Inheritance, and utmost parts of the earth for a possession; And for vengeance, and ability to execute the wrath of God upon the world secondarily, meer­ly as a means to accomplish the former, by removing lets and hindran­ces out of the way; Their heart in prayer to their father, ought to run out chiefly for the glory of Christ; and surely, if the world would be converted and turne to God, it would redound much to the honour of our Lord Jesus, therefore Christ undertakes to declare the Decree, tells them the whole sum of the matter, with Exhortation to come in to him, that they may be blessed with everlasting happinesse; but if they will not hearken to this voyce of love, then, ASKE, and thou shalt breake them with a rod of iron, and dash them to pieces like a pot­ters vessell.
• 8 In this day the Intercession of Christ, and so the prayers of the Saints, will be of very high concernment, of dangerous consequence to the world and worldly powers; They reach at no lesse then the Crowns and Scepters of the world, that the whole world may become the Lord Christs, Heathens for an Inheritance, and utmost parts of the earth for a possession: As the Saints formerly prayed against the Hea­thens rage, and the Kings open profanenesse, in setting themselves against their Lord; so, they now pray as zealously against the Clandestine cun­ning Counsells of hypocriticall Apostate Rulers; what though the men of the world, and some deluded sincere hearts, call it sin (and grosse infirmity at the best) leading to rebellion, unwarrantable talking tend­ing to nought but ruine, it matters not, they have the command of the great Jehovah for it, ASKE of me (saith he) and I will give thee the Heathens; ASKE of me and I will give thee the utmost parts of the earth; ASKE of me and thou shalt breake them with a rod of iron, and dash them to pieces like a potters vessell: ASKE these things of me, pray for them and I will give them.
• 9 That in this day, the perverse opposition of the worlds Saint-like Rulers to the Lord and his anointed, will prove such, as will compell them, to ask of their father AN IRON ROD; such an iron rod, wherewith they may breake their enemies, and dash them to pieces like a [Page 38]potters vessell: And if they ask it, he hath promised he will give it, and that in their hand it shall doe his appointed work; and then woe to the world, for, how great will the Vintage of Gods wrath upon the world be in that day.
• 10 Such prayers are no way contrary to the will and mind of God, nor unsuitable to a Gospel spirit in Gospel times, for we see at this day, wherein Christ is taking his Kingdome to set forth the Gospel in all its glory, the Command is, ASKE of me; God will be askt for such things, the giving of which ruines this old world, and makes way for the new Heavens and new Earth: ASKE of me, the Heathens for an inheritance, the Powers, Crownes, Scepters of the great men of the world, and I will give them to thee; ASKE of me the utmost parts of the earth for a possession, the whole habitable earth for a place to dis­play thy glory in, and I will give it; Pray unto me, against the Ru­lers, their Apostacy and wickednesses, taking secret wylie Counsell, com­bining in leagues and agreements together, asosiating themselves with the Kings of the earth against the Lord and his anointed, and that, to break their bands, and cast away their cords; Cry aloud unto me against them, and these their abominable practices, and I will put the iron sword of my wrath and vengeance into thy hand, and thou shalt break them with it, and my spirit shall so assist thee, by an Almighty opera­tion, as that there shall be as great ease and facillity without let or hin­derance in doing this work of my just wrath and vengeance, as there is in dashing a potters vessel against the ground.
• 11 Here is great encouragement to the Saints and people of God to persist and grow valiant in the way of the truth, of this truth; Lift up your hearts, cryes, and groanes higher and higher, to your God and father, against the enemies of your Lord, and for the glory and King­dome of Christ; for, while you are so doing, you are in your fathers way, doing his Command, ASKE of me, saith he. Againe, you are in the way of the Promise, if you aske, God hath Promised he will give, ASKE of me and I will give thee; yea, God stands here in a giving posture, he waites but for a Petition, and when it comes, he answers it gratiously, he bids you aske that he may give; there's a necessity you must aske, saith God, I have a gift in my hand worthy a God to be­stow, but you must aske it ere I can give it, that is the order I have set downe to my selfe to walk by, and I cannot, it becomes not my wise­dome to recede from it, therefore ASKE of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thy Inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.
• [Page 39]12 That there will be in this day, a reluctancy and backwardnesse in the people of God, to the performance of this great duty this dis­pensation of the father layes upon them; which may come to passe partly through the darknesse of this day, the uncertainty and unclearnesse of things, that they know not what to judge of them, (as hath been opened already;) and partly through that little betternesse in their condition now to what it was under the Government of the Kings, through carnality of spirit being ready to sit downe there; and partly through unbelief of heart, every little hardship and difficulty they phansie to be in the way, they look upon as impossibilities, and the mul­tiplying-glasse of unbeliefe, makes them to seem such tall and mighty Sons of Anake, as God cannot pull downe and overcome; so that they are ready to cry out, Let us make us a Captaine, and returne to our Onyons and Garlicke, and flesh-pots in Aegypt, for it was better then with us than it is now: If this were not so, this Command ASKE of me, were needlesse, for otherwise they would be willing enough and for­ward enough of themselves, their owne eternall happinesse and glory is so much concerned in it, that it would be a motive strong enough and sufficient to draw them; but here God is faine to call upon and com­mand his people, ASKE of me.
• 13 The time of Gods giving an answer and returne to all the pray­ers of the Saints, is now come: God having filled his hand full of blessings, he stands ready to open it, and scatter them downe upon his people, therefore saith he, ASKE and I will give; ASKE of me, that I may give; fill up the measure of your prayers, that I may fill up the measure of my gifts; I have seene, saith God, the hard measure you have met with from the world for my Sons sake, how ungratefully and unworthily they have dealt with you, trampling upon you as dung, deriding you as the off-scouring and drosse of mankind; but now, come, ASKE of me, and I will give you the reward of all your labour of love, a Crowne of glory for your Crowne of Thornes, a Royall Ex­change indeed: O! how tender hath Christ (by presenting to his open view, the wounds he received, the blood he shed, and the suffer­ings he underwent) made the heart of his father? He can bear no lon­ger, he cannot stay till his people come and aske, but calls upon them, Come my Lambs, ASKE of me, and I will give; ASKE, that I may give you the Heathen for an inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for a possession: He that commands to aske, promises to give, this is the time of giving, here's the time of receiving.
• [Page 40]14 The necessity, and mighty force and power of the spirit of pray­er; saith God, ASKE of me that I may give; you must aske be­fore I give; and ASKE of me, and I cannot deny you, but I must give you, Heathens for an inheritance, and utmost parts of the earth for a possession; ASKE of me, and I must help you, and you hall breake your enemies with a rod of iron, and dash them to pieces like a potters vessell.
• 15 What a usefull instrument hath God made Syon to be to his Son; as Sion must become the hill of Gods holinesse before she can be a fit seat for Christ, so before Christ can be exalted and honoured as King, he must be seated on Sion; he must be seated as a King there before he is in a fit posture to declare the Decree of his father, his right and title to the world; and as soone as he is settled there, he is accomplisht at all points, to encounter with the enemies of his Kingdome, sends them a defiance, a declaration of his right and title to their usurped pos­sessions; Sion is his Magazine, out of which he fetches all his instru­ments of war, and which he hath made of sufficient force to blow up and bring to ruine all the foundations of rebellion and opposition his enemies have laid against him.
• 16 It's worthy our taking notice of, and of confiderable consequence for us to observe, The way of our Lords proceedings in this day, where­in he is harnessing himselfe for the battel; it's not the way and course of the politick inventions, Machiavillian stratagems, under-hand-work­ings, and by the Maximes of State of this world; but in a noble, plaine, heroick way, like a piece of the truest valour that ever drew sword, like himselfe, sends forth his Heralds, commands voluntary submission, or else gives the challenge, lets them know, there's no way but death, perishing from the way of blessednesse.
• 17 That it's the greatest folly and madnesse for the Rulers and Judg­es of the world to oppose and fight against this praying people; for they are not onely against them, but the Father the Son and the spirit, and all the Host of Heaven are against them: As Elisha said, They that be with us are more then they that be against us, there's a greater and a stronger power with them, than the worldly Rulers can raise against them, although they could bring up Hell it selfe from the deep to serve them.
• 18 What a sad account will those be able to give, who joyne and strike hands with these perverse Rulers in this day; also, those who have not heart nor courage to stand up for the Son against these Rulers, [Page 41]and their wickednesses; For whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his owne glory, and in his fathers, and of the holy Angels. What shame and confusion of face will cease upon them in that day? If ever there was a time, wherein Christ expects his friends should stand by him, and plead for him, it's now, in this day spoken of in the Text, wherein the Rulers take such pernicious counsell against him, and those that forsake him now, he will not owne before his father, for we see at the latter end of the Psalme, those that kisse not the Son, submit not to him, and come under his yoke, perish from the way of blessednesse; they shall receive their portion with those that shall come at the last day, crying, Lord Lord open unto us, and Christ shall professe he knoweth them not.

From hence we may Observe,

• 1 That although this Decree be concerning the total Amotion of all the Kingdomes of this world, and their being given to the Lord Christ, yet, it must be declared with abundance of love to the soules of men, ex­horting all to repentance and submission to the Son, that they may be blessed.
• 2 That None are exempted (no not the greatest of sinners) from the benefit of this Exhortation; For, our Lord directs his speech chiefly and in the first place to his greatest enemies, the Kings and Judges of the earth, that set themselves and take counsell together against him and his, Be wise O ye Kings, be instructed ye Judges of the earth: What encouragement is here to all and the greatest of sinners to hear­ken unto this voyce, and come under his healings, and they shall be blessed?
• 3 We may here behold The abundant riches of free grace, and the immense greatnesse of the love of Christ to sinners; That notwith­standing the great and unheard of aggravations of the sins of the Rulers of the world at this day, yet he will have them exhorted and woed to come in unto him, that they may be blessed by him; yea further, not­withstanding this day is a day of great wrath, and the world have so provokt him as he cannot find in his heart to intercede for them, al­though his father in wrath enquire into their actions; yet with what love and grace and strong perswasions, doth he exhort men to come [Page 46]and submit to him that he may blesse them? He cannot be contented to see the worlds ruines, and the destruction of soules, before he hath made one Essay more, pleading with the world to consider their present and future condition, and accept of him upon his owne Tearmes, that he may give Blessednesse to them; yea, though the wickednesse of this world in this day be such, that it's flint hard, and made so by love and mercy, that our Lord is forc't to make a change, alter his voyce, from expressions and considerations of love, to a threatning of, and pointing to his direfull anger, to try how that may work; yet knowing it's not the naturall tendency of such a voyce to work thorowly upon the hearts of men, his love closes with a blessed Promise of blessednesse; as he began his work here on earth (in the dayes of his flesh) with wonderfull unparallel'd expressions of love, so, will he finish his work here with the same glory, he concludes with a large Promise of rich blessednesse! How tender is the heart of Christ! He speaks but two or three words that have symptomes of wrath and displeasure in them, he hides his gracious and loving countenance but a moment, and he can containe no longer, but he must unvaile himselfe and appear in the glo­ry of his Mediatorship; It is, as if he had said, I have exhorted you to come and kisse me, to submit to me least I be angry, and you perish from the way, but that hath but little operation upon you, therefore now I dis­play my glory before you; doe but come to me, believe on me, trust in me, depend and relye upon me onely and alone for happinesse, forsake all your Idolls, and every thing that is grievous and contrary to me, and I will blesse you; doe but trust me and I will doe it, the father hath given me power to doe it, and by that power I am able to doe it, and my blood shall speake the willingnesse of my heart to doe it, Who ever shed his blood for his enemies (such enemies) but I? and if I had not lov'd them with such a love as would give them the greatest blessings, I would never have done it; And not one that doth thus trust and believe in me shall goe without the blessing, all they that trust in me shall be blessed.
• 4 That though these Kings and Rulers be guilty of most abominable wickednesse beyond all that ever were before them, such as moves God to speak in wrath to them, yet, There's hope of life and salvation for them, if they will hearken to the Gospel of the Kingdome while it's Prea­ched to them in this Exhortation, and kisse the Son before his wrath be kindled but a little.
• 5 That in this day of the fathers wrath, Nothing lesse than a hearty and thorow submission to the Son will please him, and prevent his wrath [Page 47]breaking forth to our destruction; KISSE the Son least he be angry.
• 6 It's No Treason against the Royall Law of King Jesus, whatever it may be against the Lawes of men, to seeke to draw men from their obedience to these wicked Kings and perverse Rulers, to kisse the Son that they may be blessed with his everlasting blessings.
• 7 That Men must be instructed in the wisedome of God, and be filled with the graces and strength of the spirit, before they can be inabled to come under the happy influence of this blessed Promise, for we see, that in order to this submission to the Son, men are exhorted to be filled with wisedome and instruction, to serve the Lord with fear, and re­joyce with trembling, and then Kisse the Son, put your trust in him, and you shall be blessed.
• 8 That in this day, notwithstanding the cunning deceits and curious coverings of the Rulers, yet, the Kings and Rulers of the earth, and King Jesus, are so diametrically contrary to each other, in all their wayes and stations, as that it is impossible for a man to serve them, and be a friend to Christ; The Exhortation is, Kisse the Son, that is, kisse none but him, give no obedience but to him, yield subjection to none but to him alone, Come out of her my people, come from under obedience to the worlds and Antichrists Kings, Rulers, and Lawes, and become the sub­jects of Christ, submit to the Scepter of the Son; Kisse the Son, and then you shall be blessed.
• 9 That this Exhortation with the Decree, is indeed and in truth no other but the Gospel of the Kingdome, the fore-runner of it; which is Preached to the world immediately before it's brought into the world, to move them to submit to it when it comes, and to call the chosen of God out of the world, to prepare themselves to meet their Bride­groome.
• 10 That this Gospel of the Kingdome must chiefly and in the first place be Preached to the Kings, Rulers, and Magistrates of the world: Our Lord directs his speech first to them, Be wise yee Kings, be in­structed yee Judges of the earth: It must be preached to them in parti­cular; it's Preached to the rest of the world as it were by the by, they are put into the little word all, at the very close of the Exhortation; therefore, how little cause will the Kings and Rulers of the world have, to be wroth and angry with the Saints and people of God, for preach­ing this doctrine to them, although it sound so dreadfully in their eares? You see their Authority, they doe but their duty in it, to follow their [Page 48]Lord, and the dictates of his spirit, who hath undertaken this work; and they should perish together with you, if they should hold their peace, and break the Command of their Lord: And their end is onely, that you may be blessed if you hearken to it; what a mighty aggravation of your sin will this be, if you persecute, oppose, and take counsell a­gainst this doctrine, and the publishers of it? The wrath of the Son will be kindled against you, and when it's kindled but a little, you perish from the way presently, and that inevitably without remedy.
• 11 The time of the Preaching this Gospel, Is the evening of the Gospels repenting day; The Son of righteousnesse is now setting apace (as to sinners) and he will arise againe with healings in his wings one­ly. to those that put their trust in him; If this voyce be not hearkened to, his wrath will be kindled, and all his enemies shall perish from the way of Blessednesse; there's no longer day for repentance, they have lost the blessing, and though with Esau they should seek it with teares, they shall find no place for it; they shall hear this voyce no more, but another, Depart from me yee workers of iniquity, I know you not; after this voyce ceases, there remaines nothing but a fearfull looking for of Judgement: Therefore, it highly concernes the whole world, with their Kings and Rulers, to be cautious how they stop their eares, a­gainst this wise Charmers charming; surely if they doe, what horrors! what terrors! what a massie weight of wrath of the Almighty God! what unexpressible misery will be our portion for ever? How uncon­ceivably unsufferably tormenting, all our long day of eternity, will the recounting over all those opportunities (and especially this) we have had, to make our peace with the jealous God, and to get Christ to be our friend by an easie submision to him upon his owne tearms, be? This will be no small Worme gnawing our consciences to all eternity.
• 12 It's worthy our Observation, That notwithstanding those symp­tomes of wrath and displeasure that appear here and there throughout the Exhortation, Yet our Lord will have it end full of grace and love, with a Promise full of blessednesse, Though this Exhortation be made in a day of wrath, and accompanied with wrath, yet, at evening time it shall be light, the close of this day shall be with a very clear Gospel de­monstration of the good will of God unto the soules of men, so that if they hearken not unto him now, they shall for ever after hold their peace, be left without the least excuse, not have a piece of a word to say for themselves, although the wrath of God break forth upon them, perishing and destroying their soules with eternall death.