A BRIEF EXPOSITION UPON THE SECOND PSALM. Wherein we have That Time Modestly pointed at, (by the favourable direction of that significant THAN in the 5th v.) in which the Father will in Wrath to the (professing, refined) RULERS of the World Set His SON on ZION. AND A Description of the work the Son than performeth, both by his Spirit, and his Mystical Body. With useful Observations thereupon. Tending to clear up the scope of the whole Psalm. With Application to our Times.  
By WILLAM LLANVAEDONON of P. H. C.  Repent ye, for the Kingdom of Henven is at hand, Mat. 3.2. But the Saints of the most High shall TAKE the Kingdom, and POSESSE the Kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. Dan. 7.18. 
LONDON: Printed for Livewell Chapman, at the Crown in Popes-head-Alley. 1655.   

THE AUTHOR TO THE READER.  
THERE is a Time wherein God will speak to the Rulers of the World (the professing Rulers, the Rulers in Jerusalem) by 
a vers. 11.  A STAMMERING LIPP, a stuttering tongue (in the 28th of Esay) in such a manner, as though this stammering lip tell them, 
b vers. 12.  This is the Rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest, and this is the refreshing; though it show them the way to attain a sure and certain Rest, to settle themselves upon an everlasting foundation, yet 
c vers. 12.  They will not hear: God withdraws from them, that notwithstanding his word hath been 
d vers. 13.  Precept upon precept, and line upon line, it's now but here a little, and there a little among them: But although the word of God come forth into the world at this time in such a stammering weak posture, that it's despised and set at nought by the Rulers of the world, those 
e vers. 14.  Scornful men, yet, it's the Power of God; the breath of this STAMMERING LIPP smites these Scorners to the earth. Behold! what a Sermon of Terrors this stuttering tongue preacheth to these Rulers in Jerusalem, from the 14 to the 23 Verse. These Rulers are pleasing and hugging themselves in their own ways, with their Covenants and Agreements, Associations of Peace, as the most safe and unerring way to their settlement: Say they, 
f vers. 15.  We have made a Covenant with death (our strongest enemies) and with hell (the torment of a conquered condition) are we at agreement, that shall never befall us: When the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us, for we have made lies (high pretences for God and his glory, for the welfare and peace of Jerusalem) our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: As confident as these Rulers seem to be, yet this weak stammering lip overcomes them, conquers them; 
g vers. 18, 19, 20.  Your Covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand, the overflowing scourge shall overftow and tread you down; it shall be a vexation to you to understand the report, the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself in it, and the covering narrower than he can rap himself in it: And the Lord shall do this by laying in 
h vers. 16.  Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: Laying 
i vers. 17.  Judgement to the line, and righteousness to the plumet; Sending a shower of hail to sweep away the refuge of lies, and causing the waters to overflow the hiding place: All your fine pretences and curious slights of wisdom, those garnished cover under which you hid your evil intentions from the eyes of men, are now too narrow to hid you, you are discovered; thus your bed is become too short for you, those fair and spetious designs of yours, which you thought would prove as a bed of Down whereon you might rest your weary bones, are become too short, that it's a become a sufficient vexation to you to understand the report, the wisdom of God in this STAMMERING LIPP is got beyond you to your great regret and misery: and lest these men should in their hearts make it an impossibility, these things should be brought to pass, saith the same stammering lip, 
k vers. 21, 22.  The Lord stall rise up as in Mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. And now therefore be ye not Mockers, lest your bands be made strong, for I have heard from the Lord of Hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth. This Message God sends to these Rulers by a stammering lip (here a little, and there a little) 
l vers. 13.  that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. There's no way to avoid this judgement of the wrath of God, but by listening to these stammerings of the lip, spelling the mind of God out of them, bending our hearts to a conformity to it.  
And now Courteous Reader, all my ambition is, that these few Meditations I here present thee with, may prove a piece of that stammering lip, by which God speaks to the world; Surely I can promse thee no more than a company of stammerings, O that our Lord Jesus would cause something of his father's mind to be spelled out of them, that some glory may redound to his holy name! then shall I have my aim, and I shall possess a dram of that joy which none can be able to deprive me of: Neither despise nor reject them because they are but stammerings, for you see by the  Scripture, the Lord in wrath to the world's pretending Rulers, chooseth a stammering lip to speak forth his mind to the world, so that if we would in such a day as the Prophet makes mention of, be acquainted with the will of our God, we must sit down under the Oratory of that stuttering tongue; therefore how greatly doth it concern us to search and try every thing, and hold fast that which is good. I might have enlarged abundantly throughout the whole of this work, but upon several considerations I have chosen rather to hint and point at things as well as I could, than to dilate upon them. The good Lord water what hath been done with his rich blessing, and then a fruitful crop of honour to our dear Lord King Jesus will spring forth: The God and Father of our Lord grant it.  
Farewell.   

MEDITATIONS On the SECOND PSALM.  
THE Psalmist David, that sweet Singer of Israel, was a man after Gods own heart (as is elsewhere testified of him) and God knowing that he would make such an improvement of the discoveries of what he would do in the world, as would be very suitable to the heart of God; according (as he dealt with his Father Abraham of old, and) to his Promise, he keeps not his secrets from him, but reveals to him things to come, what he would do in the last days; a Conference between the Father and the Son, concerning the great interest of his Son, (the sum of which is this second Psalm) wherein the father expresses so great love, and manifests such strong resolutions, to exercise his wisdom and power in doing that for his Son, which his love tells him becomes the love of such a father to perform, and his dear Son doth deserve. The Son seeing his Father so full of wrath and jealousy for his sake, going about to make bare the arm of all his wonderful Attributes, and set them all on work to bring to pass his Decree concerning his beloved; he steps in, declares the Decree to the Sons of men, and he doth it with such tenderness of heart, such loving exhortations, and invitations, that if possible he might persuade them to submit to his Sceptre, come under his healing wings, and be blessed for ever.  
In this Psalm we have  


First, A TIME pointed at.  
Secondly, WORK to be done in that time; which is double. The work of God, and the Work of Christ the Son.  
Thirdly, The MANNER of Christ's doing his work.   
We have Two times pointed at by the holy Ghost in this Scripture.  
1 All that space of time between Christ's first coming in the days of his humiliation, and his second coming in the day of his power and glory, to take the Kingdom to himself. For the clearing up of this, consider,  
1 That the holy Ghost divides 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 Jews) 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 days, 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 poor flock of Christ? How did he rend and tear it to pieces? The ten first Persecutions witness to it; And what vain things did the people of the Jews imagine, when they thought to extinguish the light of the Gospel, that shone in their Horizon, 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 Horns 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 maintain the dominion, lusts, and blasphemies of the man of sin, is evident by the havoc they have made in the Church of Christ these many hundred years. 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 Rulers, that should come upon the stage of the world in the latter end of those days, 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 counsel 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 Prophecy 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 twentyseventh Verse.  
4 As to the finishing-time of this Prophecy, we have good and sure ground to receive it for a truth, that this Prophecy runs down to the day of Christ's power, when all the Kingdoms of this world shall become the Kingdoms of the Lords Christ. For,  

1 Here's the forbearance and longsufferance 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 tried all other ways and means, and that indeed the world hath filled the cup of her iniquity almost full, and the mystery of iniquity is almost finished; 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 virtue 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 wrathful dispensation; now the Decree being only concerning the matter of his Kingdom 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 do not find that this Decree hath been declared in former times, accompanied with the weighty and material circumstances in the Text, viz. Declared, as his right and Title to the Kingdoms and possessions of the Kings and Rulers of the earth; in opposition to the present Governors of the world, though the best and most Saintlike of them, who Take COUNSELL against the Lord, and his anointed, that is, act against him hiddenly, that it appears not to the vulgar eye; and particularly addressed to the Kings and Rulers of the world, as matter for their consideration; denouncing no less than perishing, death, to those that yield 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 show this Decree thus declared, therefore it cannot point out to us that part of time.  
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 glass is almost run out, there's but a few sands behind to run; the voice was all the day long, beseeching and woeing to repentance, by loving and pathetical persuasions, We beseech you, saith the Apostle, in Christ's stead, setting before men the tenderness of the heart of Christ to sinners, and that matchless love of his that moved him to shed his blood for them; pourtraying before them in a lively manner a crucified Christ, with his Crown of Thorns 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 persuade men to believe the willingness of the heart of Christ to save sinners, and that they would come and take him upon his own terms, 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 voice is altered, as we see in the last Verse of the Psalm, Kiss the Son lest he be angry, etc. A hasty exhortation to repentance, and submission to Christ, from the consideration of his anger; it's but a little time he will wait for you, if you come not in to him, when his wrath is kindled but a little, you will perish from the way, than they will be only blessed, that have put their trust in him. This Text holds a fair correspondency 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 work shall be. And that other follows at the back of it, Bring hither those mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them, and slay them before me.  
4 We have closely couched in this Psalm, some signs of the coming of Christ, as The Apostasy and falling away of many (as appears by what follows) 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 counsel 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 show of, is very cold indeed.  
5 Here's a time spoken of, wherein Christ shall deal with the Kings and Rulers of the earth, concerning the matters of his Kingdom, 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 himself his great power the father hath given him, he deals in a special and more than ordinary manner, with the Kings and Rulers of the earth.  
Lastly, This Psalm seems by the stile of it, to present to us Gods coming to judge the world; God coming down to view the works of men's hands (as he did to Sodom, 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, perform his Promise to his Son, and pour down 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 Prophecy takes in all that space of time between Christ's first and second coming.  
But in the second place, There is some special particle of time, pointed out unto us by that significant THAN in the fifth verse: THAN shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. THAN, when? The holy Ghost affords us by the favourable Aspect of this THAN, many Characters to guide us into a competent knowledge of that dismal time.  
THAN, may have respect unto the heathenish rage, and vain 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, THAN 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 Kingdom, had he not evaded it, by giving his power to the Beast (Antichrist) and being contented to reign by his substitute, the man of sin; but in a special and peculiar manner this remarkable THAN, hath respect unto the last of those counterfeits, that would be esteemed Gods Deputies, yet are in truth Satan's Instruments, against the Lord and his anointed. So that,   

1 THAN when the RULERS take counsel together. RULERS, 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 counsellors as at the beginning. RULERS, not of the earth, no, that is not expressed, only there are Kings of the earth; but these counsellors are RULERS; of what? surely it's but genuine to say, they would be accounted Rulers of the Lords people: But Christ when he comes to deal 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 darkness, 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 only Rulers, (and that in opposition to the Kings of the earth) that is, such as they termed themselves, and would be esteemed.  
RULERS, Counsellors: No Heathenish Emperors, nor Popish Kings, but refined Rulers; here's Satan transformed into an Angel of light; The Heathens cannot prevail, and the Kings of the earth do not prosper, thus Satan being put to his last shift, turns Saint in show, sets up his Rulers, that have neither the violent rage of the Heathen, nor the open profaneness 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 follows) even while they are taking counsel together against the Lord and his anointed: For,  
They are RULERS, that having cut off some of the Kings of the earth, Rule in their stead: which is necessarily employed 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, between 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 counsel, 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 Crowns so well, would willingly give their glory to others.  
And why may we not say, that these Rulers get their Dominion by fight the Lamb's battles against the Beast; for, A Kingdom divided against itself 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.  
Again, Satan is on the losing 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 loses more ground in the loss of his Kings, then when he lost his Dragon; and can it be thought the wise Serpent would do himself this mischief? Further, if these had gone out to war upon any lower account, they would have been Kings still; as we see daily, 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 forced to.  
Again, They are RULERS, that have given professed subjection to the Sceptre of Christ: That is hinted to us in the third verse, Let us break their bands asunder: That these bands can be no other but that part of the yoke of Christ to which they have submitted, those Laws and Commands of Christ to which they have subjected themselves, being convinced in their consciences it was their duty so to do: 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, mentioned in the Text, to be no other than the Laws 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, signify 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 forbidden: This were to charge the word of God, and so God himself, with that imperfection vain man is subject to; which I presume none that professes himself a Christian dares to do. And if this be granted (which cannot be denied) 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 Laws of Christ to be bands to a man, but by his being actually bound with them? As the cords and withes wherewith Samson 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 broke in sunder: They cannot be called a man's bands in respect of the duty that lies upon him to yield obedience to them, for so they are called 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 Laws, and bind himself to the performance of it with an Oath; when he shall make a Vow, and engage to do such and such things; though these duties and obligations were but cords before, yet now by these ties upon him, they are become his bands; these Rulers, being thus tied and bound, take counsel together to break 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 Apostasy, 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 term, their bands, may be intimated to us those Laws 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 do, otherwise they saw they could not prosper in their work; or, that the people of God, Christ's 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 counsel 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 break 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, unless they break them; as Sampson could not be free from his cords and withes, wherewith he was bound until he had broken them: If they had not so obliged themselves to the Laws of Christ, as that they were bound by them, what need they take counsel to break them; a man needs not stand to break a cord to clear himself of it, except he be bound therewith; if only 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 do, and will serve the turn, as here in the Text they consult to do; 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 turn Apostates; Satan debauches them, then entering into them, makes them his own, to finish his warfare, to fight for him, though after another manner, in a more subtle method then formerly, bringing forth the very masterpiece of Satan's wisdom, for we see here, they take Counsel together, against the Lord and his anointed.  
2 THAN, when the Rulers take COUNCIL: Counsel, in distinction from, and opposition to, the mad rage of the Heathen, and the open and public boldness 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 counsel, a secret clandestine way, as expert Warriors, when great shot will not do, against the wall of a City, or Fort, than they secretly undermine it, supposing to prevail that way: a secret way, They will not scruple to transgress the regular punctilio's of the Law in any case, but, from counsel to action presently, before their counsels may be known: These take counsel, which way is best to be taken, what the most wise and prudent course may be, to accomplish their design by; if by any way, by any means or course whatsoever, they can have their will, and establish themselves, though it be never so wicked and unworthy. If no other way will serve, they will become Saints of the highest form: in show, Paul's brethren, become all things to all men, that they may gain some, for, they take counsel; 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 weakness of those: But they seek after a curious piece of Art, whereby they may be able to do that which all the world before them (their great grandfathers the Heathen, and their forefathers the profane Kings of the earth) could not do, against the Lord and his anointed: They take counsel, they have wisdom (though from below) with them; for the Scripture saith, Where there's counsel there's wisdom: They are the wisest and most subtle instruments ever Satan made use of; they are Counsellors, such as God who is wisdom itself, thinks it high time for him to arise and disappoint them, lest they prevail against his beloved.  
3 THAN, when the Rulers take Counsel TOGETHER; when there is a Combination and Confederacy in Counsels 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 THAN, when the Rulers take counsel together AGAINST THE LORD AND HIS ANOINTED; that is Christ and his followers, his anointed one's with the unction of the spirit, that follow him in all his out-going, against the backslidings and Apostasies 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 spoke of the gathering together of the Heathen and Jews 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 recompense for his finishing that which he gave him to do, hath made him Lord, and anointed him above his fellows; 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 own meaning, saith he in another place, The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand (which Christ applies to himself) so that David understood Christ to be Lord. Again, Touch not mine anointed, and do my Prophets no harm; 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 own meaning, and clearly expresses himself, to point out Christ and his anointed, in these words. Now the reason why I term them the followers of Christ in some special design, is, because if all the Lords Prophets be anointed, then much more those, (they have a greater measure of the anointing,) who follow the Lamb in his sometimes rough, uncouth ways of his providences, who keep close to him when he is doing his strange work, and bringing to pass his strange act in the world, when he comes to take the Kingdoms of this world unto himself, whose right it is to reign: And they are with him against these Rulers, is strongly employed, in that these Rulers are so close in consultation, and so fully bend against them; for, we cannot conceive, that these wise men would irritate any against them without a cause, but on the other hand, they will 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 entanglements 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 do (or they'll prove but foolish Counsellors) they will go 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 souls may be deluded for a time, if they take not great heed, otherwise that voice would be needless, Come out of her my people, lest ye be partakers of her sins, and so of her plagues.  
5 THAN, when they Take counsel together, to BREAK THEIR BANDS ASUNDER, AND TO CASTANNA AWAY THEIR CORDS FROM THEM. The contest goes high, by this time it's come to particulars: Before, it was but in generals; and it's about no small or trivial business, but who shall have the Authority and power; The dispute is about the Kingdom (that is clear from the whole Psalm; saith God, Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion: And the Decree is wholly concerning Christ's Kingdom over the world) about the Authority and Legislative power; Christ and his anointed say, the father hath given them authority to bind Kings with chains, and Nobles with fetters of iron; to bind the Rulers with his Laws, as with a cord; and these Rulers take counsel together to break their bands asunder, and cast their cords from them. We have already given our sense what these bands are.  
These Rulers take counsel to BREAK THEM ASUNDER. surely they had need of a greater than Sampsons' strength, that would break the bands of God asunder; but these think to do it by slights and wiles, they take counsel: They would break their bands, although they be bound by the strongest Oaths and Obligations, the largest Vows 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 CASTANNA AWAY THEIR CORDS; what though these cords be the most righteous, holy and wholesome Laws of the great Jehovah, (that will bless those with the greatest happiness, that live in unfeigned obedience to them) that the Lord and his anointed would impose on them for their own good and salvation; they will none of them, but take counsel 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: Break 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 entrench upon their Dominion, nor deprive them of their worldly enjoyments.  
6 THAN, when they TAKE COUNCIL: Before they proceed to act; when upon consultation they are ready to go forth in all their might, crying, LET US break their bands, etc. Then God will arise and show himself, he will not suffer them to act their counsels lest they prevail, but while they are in counsel, 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 THAN, when the Kings of the earth set themselves, and the Rulers take counsel 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 counsel together, before he tells us against whom; seems to me to be of sufficient force to persuade 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, THAN, when their Counsels shall be guilty of such a degree of Apostasy, as moves God to laugh at them; when they set at naught the counsel and reproof of God (which surely is contained in those bands and cords they reject) then, will God deal with them in that dreadful 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 counsel, and would none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh. When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you; Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord; they would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devises; for the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.  
And when the abomination of their counsels come to that height, that God shall have them in derision, which is somewhat more than 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 counsels and do against the Lord, thus provoke the eyes of his glory, THAN, shall be speak 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 plain in the Text, he will do it, upon their taking counsel to break their bands asunder, and to cast away their cords from them: when the cry is, Let us break 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 plain Characters the Holy Ghost hath given of that time wherein God will come upon the world, and do such great things for his Son (who he hath made Lord, and set at his right hand) and his anointed one's: When we see these Characters written on the foreheads of the high ones of the earth, than 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 reign.   

Let us now make a stand, and by a serious review, see what may be observed as a beneficial Lesson for us to learn.  
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 counsel against the Lord and his anointed. When the Rulers take counsel together, then, God will speak 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 prevail against them in these last days, that All that ever they can do cannot prevail to break one band asunder, (that is, so, as to free themselves from it, to settle themselves upon another foundation) but while they are taking counsel together, God comes and gives them the rout, let's them hear his mighty voice in wrath, that they run to the holes of the rock, and cry to the mountains and to the hills to hid them from the tempest of his fury: He will take the crafty in their own snares, though they take counsel 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 pass, 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 Kingdoms of men: In former times, his longsufferance was much, he lets them go on to rage and madness, to open and bold (yea, and prevalent) acting, setting themselves against them; but now, his patience will wait no longer, he will deal with them, before they are well warm in their counsels; He will cut the work short in righteousness, because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth; those days shall be shortened for the Elect's sake.  
3 What a dark and distracting day, is this day? When such men as these Rulers have appeared 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 Laws) to become their bands, binding themselves with them (as hath been opened at large) when such men shall now turn head, and deal subtly with the Lord and his anointed, taking counsel against them: What a dark day of Apostasy is this day? The Dragon is able to cast down a third part of the Stars to the earth; and when the Stars fall from heaven, what bitterness will betid the Children of men? Without question these Rulers by their malevolent influence, will throw down many who have been as shining lights, to the loss of their glorious profession.  
How great will be the distracting darkness of this day? When the cunning of these Counsellors (working underboard) not showing openly their intentions, shall amuse men, that the most sharp-sighted observer, can scarcely discern the temper of the times, so, as to demonstrate the truth of his observation to the understanding of others, (for 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 Satan's night of darkness, nor God's day of light, in which men not having light enough to see clearly, nor wisdom enough to light up their Candles, go 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 choking, swallowing down 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 souls exercising their charity shall consider the Rulers former good actions, and plead them, with their apprehensions of their present good intentions in what they do, to those, who being of a quicker insight into the state of businesses, shall discover and assert their Apostasies, to persuade them into a favourable construction of their proceed; 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 work of the day, both as to the work God would have done, and the counter-workings of the evil one, shall cry out amain against those abominations, that God may not be without witness 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 dismal day? Let none say these things are far fetched, and have no connexion with the Text, if men will seriously with  judgements weight the groundwork, I conceive they cannot but see these things a necessary deduction from the premises.  
4 The great faithfulness 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 Prophetical Office (though then at his appointed time he met with them to their confusion) yet, when it comes to the matter of his Kingdom, which the father is so strongly engaged to give him, and wherein his honour and glory is so abundantly concerned, THAN, will he wait no longer, but even while they are taking counsel, while they are but thinking of it, while they are consulting the wisest and most feasible way to bring to pass 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 arm, and speak to them in wrath, by the mighty working of his power; The Lord will break the staff of the wicked, and the Sceptre of the Rulers.  
5 It's worthy our observation, That those who bring up the rear of the enemies of the Lord and his anointed, are Counsellors. Or if you will thus, That the last (and so the most subtle refined) design of Satan against the Lord and his anointed, is managed by A COUNCIL. They take counsel together; such, as having the example of all the feats of policy former times have brought forth, and the advantage of that pattern of prudence and wisdom, the old subtle Serpent hath been drawing from the beginning of the world to this day, shall be so crafty and wily, as that God by that shall be engaged to rouse up himself in his might, lest they prevail; The Rulers of the world taking counsel, become wise against the Lord and his anointed; Their excess in humane wisdom and policy, engages God to show forth the super-excellency of his Divine wisdom, being above them in that wherein they deal proudly.  
6 Although the fins of these Rulers be not so grossly profane as their predecessors, but their thread is of a finer spin; yet, they are guilty of such aggravations as the Lord Jesus cannot brook: They provoke him (him who is the only Mediator for sinners) that he will not speak one word to his father on their behalf; Though God come with fury in his face, ask the reason of their do, why is it so? and his wrath wax hot against them, we see our Lord Jesus appears not, pleads not a syllable for them, we read not a word of his intercession in this place: Formerly notwithstanding their sins were more gross, and far greater in themselves, to the slaying the Lord of glory, he prays, Father forgive them, for they know not, what they do; and the Martyrs (as Stephen did) could beg on behalf 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 do 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 feel 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 prays not for them, neither is it the father's mind he should; when God puts him upon ask, it's not any thing for them, but their possessions and usurpations for himself, 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 pattern of our prayers; otherwise our petitions are not acceptable, for, in his beloved he accepts us. It hath been several times at this pass 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 go forth. Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God. And now it's come into the same predicament again; 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 hover 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 Thief in the night, wherein the Heavens shall flee away as a scroll, the Elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the earth with the works therein shall be burnt up.   

The second part of our work is, To search into the work 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 twofold, A work 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 faithfulness to his Son.  
Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath. God speaks to men in divers manners, by the voice of his providences, the voice of his mercies, the voice of his rod, and the voice 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 dreadful day of wrath indeed, now God speaks to them in wrath: But his hath special relation to the voice 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 Zion; the Gospel of the Kingdom: 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 ears heavy, and shut their eyes; and that by speaking such gracious words unto them as he doth throughout his whole Prophecy: Certainly, this is none other but the wrath of God upon a wanton and backsliding people.  
2 When God lays 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 stubborn rebellious people: They had said they would not hear, and saith God let it be so, they shall not hear; he throws stumbling-blocks in their way, lest they should follow the voice of his word, and he should bless 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 do, but such, as men make to themselves: True, God lays stumbling-blocks before them, yet its 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 carnal and worldly glory: As  

1 Gods making use of obscure mean foolish instruments (in the world's eye) to publish his word and Decree to the world: He hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, the weak 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 famine, but a despised Joseph; The Message of rebuke and threatening judgement to a Prince in Israel (good old Ely) must be sent by Samuel a weak Child, unskilful in the word of Prophecy: And as if none of the Princes and Royal blood could be moulded after Gods own heart, he must take David from the sheepfold, and make him (a mean shepherd) Governor over and a deliverer of his chosen people; And who are his Heralds to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom, but a company of poor despicable Fishermen? He leaves the wise and learned Rabbis, Scribes, and holy Pharisees of the times, and chooseth the fools of the world, makes them prevalent to pull down Principalities, powers, and strong holds, and they shall one day prevail 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 spiritual man can discern 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 souls: What! will God forsake our wise and holy men, that excel in most excellent virtues, and speak by such Idiots, rash fools, 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 sense 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 men's Principles nought, and hypocrittically rotten, the word of truth in their mouth an error, a delusion, a lie, not remembering the best of men must have their grains 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, threatening judgement and destruction to the world for their wicked Apostasies and rebellions against the Lord and his anointed; O say they, this is no Gospel spirit, but a spirit of 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 do.  
4 The Apostasy 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 mere fancy, 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 margin) in his sore displeasure. When God speaks in wrath, surely it cannot but bring great trouble to men: When God spoke in wrath to Saul, that he had rejected him, and given the Kingdom to a neighbour of his better than he, how did it vex and trouble his soul? What fear 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, do I not know thou hast chosen the Son of Jesse to thine own confusion, for as long as the Son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy Kingdom. How was that most excellent King Solomon troubled, when God spoke in wrath, that he had given the greatest part of his Kingdom 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 spoke unto them in his wrath, concerning the matters of their Kingdom? The whole History of the Kings make it evident.  
And vex them in his sore displeasure. That must needs be a dreadful 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 than another, that must needs be it: Vex them in his sore displeasure; O dreadful! what horrors! what ghastly terrors of death, will encompass men about in that day? If they turn to the left hand; to their Cisterns they have hewed 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 Egypt, 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 wrathful God, and the fiery spirit of an enraged people; whose heart burneth with the zeal 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 Zion; It's the word of the Kingdom; that God will take their Crowns 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 Jews? How greatly did the tidings of a rightful King trouble him? His conscience flies in his face, and stings him, his jealousy and fear of losing what he had surreptitiously gotten, rend his heart with a thousand anxieties, which vented themselves in unheard of cruelties against poor 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 dreadful troublesome story is it to the Kings and Rulers of the earth, to hear the doctrine of the Kingdom 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 Zion: I have done it, saith God, and the subsequent is easily drawn; you must submit to him, or you perish: If the doctrine were this, That Christ should have a Kingdom many hundred years 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 near 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 preached in opposition to them: YET have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion: YET, though you have taken counsel 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 Pharaoh 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 Zion: I will do it, you shall know and find that I am above you in that wherein you are so subtly wise; in spite of you he shall be King, and reign, it's his right, and he shall have it; I have promised him, and I will give the Kingdom to him, maugre all your envy and malice; I would not suffer the Heathen to keep the Kingdom from him; and have brought down to the dust those Kings of the earth you have slain, for their attempts against him; and shall you prosper in your Apostasies 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 Kingdom 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 Zion.  
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 Christ's mouth will smite them all; their Idols of gold, and their Idols of silver, and their Idols of honour, etc. all these will it consume: And their Kingdoms must become the Kg domes of the Lords Christ, and all their Dominion, and the greatness (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 ungrateful: These things trouble and vex these Rulers, that they gnaw their tongues for anguish and pain.   
And surely this is a day of great wrath indeed; as when two Kings, and both strong, are striving for a Crown, it's likely to be a day of great wrath, a bloody day: So, this day, for behold, what a feast will God make on this day, For the Fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, the flesh of Kings, the flesh of Captains 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 Apostasies and abominable hypocrisies; yea, and to deal 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 Kingdom, 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 itself, when it's rightly asserted, and thoroughly opened, as that which is at hand, and aught to be submitted to without delay. O! how doth it trouble and vex them to hear of the coming of King Jesus, to depose them (of their usurpations) and take the Kingdom to himself? If it troubled Herod, and all Jerusalem with him, when they heard of this King's 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 Zion? 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 Zion.  
4 When the Rulers come to this height of ungrateful wickedness, to take counsel against the Lord and his anointed, to break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from them, THAN is the time of Gdos' wrath come to that Generation; he will speak 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 wrath, to them in particular, to them that Take counsel against the Lord and his anointed.   For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the Valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act: Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord, awake as in the ancient days, in the Generations of old.  

2 Here's the work of God's love and faithfulness to his Son, in these words, Yet have I set my King upon Zion the hill of my holiness: as it is in the margin of the Bible. YET have I, etc. As if God had said, Notwithstanding your taking counsel against him and his anointed, and that you have so far proceeded (managing your business so wisely, to the very height and depth of wisdom) as to make yourselves formidable in your own eyes, thinking you have gotten strength and power sufficient to put your counsels in practice, crying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us; yet have I set my King upon Zion, the hill of my holiness: Though you take counsel against him, to make the way to his Kingdom as thorny, difficult, and perilous as you can; though you be so ungrateful, and unfaithful to forsake and take counsel against him and his, yet will not I be so to my beloved Son, YET have I set my King upon Zion the hill of my holiness.  
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 break his bands, and cast away his cords, that he might not reign over them, yet God hath made him a King, and given him a Kingdom: He it is, who must go forth conquering and to conquer, destroying all his enemies, breaking them to pieces like a Potter's vessel; plucking up every plant that his father hath not planted, throwing down all those superstructures that are not of his own 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 ZION; That is, the Church of Christ, by Zion 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 Zion the HILL of my holiness. Why a hill? A hill is a place of great advantage, on which, if an Army be encamped, 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 express it) even vaunt it over these Rulers, that he hath (notwithstanding their oppositions, policies, stratagems, and wisdom) set his King upon his hill, where he is a nail fastened in a sure place, on which all the vessels may hang secure and safe; such a place, as his being fixed there, frustrates all their designs, undoes all their contrivements, and brings to naught all their Counsels; it implies so much to me, for, it is as if God had said, notwithstanding you have steered a contrary course, and taken counsel how to make yourselves strong, to break my Sons bands and cords, and have prevailed very far, that you are even ready to put your counsels in execution, crying out amain for action, LET US; notwithstanding all this, Yet have I set my King upon Zion the hill of my holiness: I have done it, and there he is, and now what can you do? It's impossible for you to dislodge him, for my hill is strong, It's 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 designs 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, (only 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.  
Again, 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 fare and near, that, though when the voice of the Trumpet sounds shrill, and waxes louder and louder, the people may tremble for fear, yet, the Moses and Joshuah's may have mountain discoveries of the glory of God, having fellowship with the father and the Son, as with a familiar friend.  
The hill of my HOLINESS: The King's seat is a hill of holiness, yea, the hill of God's holiness: But why a hill of holiness? why, nothing less than holiness 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 Vicechancellors of Universities, Deans, Masters and Fellows of Colleges, Tryers, Parsons and Vicars of Parishes, that qualify men for the work of Christ in this day; no, 'tis only true holiness, the holiness (the Image) of God, that only makes a man a fit seat for Christ to reign in, and of which soever of the first sort of names of men, they are that have this qualification [holiness] they are as so many sands or pieces of this hill of holiness, and out of all these God will draw his holy ones, and they shall become the hill of his holiness, and he will set his Son there, and he shall be their glorious King. The holiness of this hill is the strength of it, were it not a holy hill, it might be overcome by the assaults and undermine of the enemy. It was the Image of God (which holiness is) on Adam in the state of Innocency, that made him a rightful 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 holiness of the Church of Christ, this seat of the King, that makes it an Impregnable Fort against her King's Enemies.  
And why MY HOLINESS, the holiness of God? All other holiness is nothing, man's righteousness is but dross and dung, base mettle; but that which is God's holiness, the holiness 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 prevail against.  
And MY HOLINESS; the holiness of God is a perfect holiness, 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 wickedness, to allow of, or wink at none: It's necessary this hill should be clothed with the perfect holiness 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 covered 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 holiness.  
I have SET my King, etc. 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 pour 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 counsel against him and his anointed; here he shall sit and behold the wonderful things the love of the father will do for his glory and honour.  
And I have set my King; it's God that sets Christ on Zion; I have done it, saith God; you thought (and took counsel) to deal wisely against my Son, but I have dealt more wisely for him, than you could against him; you seek to hid your counsels from me, and my counsel is hid from yond; you go in contrary ways to me, and I steer a course beyond and contrary to your expectations, and before you are ware bring my purposes to pass upon you, I have set my King on Zion. 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 only; that it's not man, but God himself 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 voice 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 Zion the hill of his holiness.   

Let us hence Observe.  
1 In this day of his wrath, God will give the Kingdoms to his Son, Yet have I set my King upon Zion the hill of my holiness; the Rulers taking counsel, and digging deep to hid 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 wickedness, he sets his King on Zion; 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 Crown, and set it on their head; God overturnes some of them, and these Apostate Rulers fasten the Crown to their Temples; but their comes a third overturning, which is a thorough one indeed, for saith God, Remove the Diadem, take off the Crown, this shall not be the same, exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high: I will overturn overturn overturn it, and it shall be no more, until 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 Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom.  
2 That while these Apostate Rulers are taking counsel together against the Lord and his anointed, the design of God is then, at that time, to set his King upon Zion, the hill of his holiness: 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 arm, and entered into judgement with the Antichristian world (for surely he began that work, when these Rulers cut down some of the Kings of the earth) and in opposition to these Rulers, is, to make him King in Zion, in his Church, Yet have I set my King UPON ZION the hill of my holiness; He is set there, in a posture fit for the carrying on the design 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 pour down his father's wrath upon it.  
4 That Zion may be a fit seat for the Son to settle himself upon, in opposition to all his enemies, God makes Zion the hill of his holiness; The HILL of my holiness; 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 mountain of the height of Israel, it's above the world, reaches up to the Heavens: And a hill of holiness; the King being seated upon this hill, this metaphorical hill becomes his Court, and those in it his Courtiers; they are clothed with the same clothing his Majesty is, (holiness) they are all like their Lord; each one of them resembling the Children of a King, holiness to the Lord is written upon them: And a hill of holiness, 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 evil 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 Horns; the spirit of the Horns shall not enter into these Carpenters, for God saith, Zion is the hill of his holiness.  
5 Although at this day, many may fall away, and lose their first love, many prove foolish Virgins, yet God hath his true Church, his hill of true holiness, 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 holiness: He sets his Son upon this hill, and thence he issues forth the Decrees of his father about the concernments of his Kingdom, notwithstanding the power and forces of his enemies against him.  
6 That under the Government of these Rulers the people of God have not liberty to come up to the height of God's holiness, for when they come to be a hill of holiness, the world stands in opposition to them, and they unto the world. Christ is set upon the hill of God's holiness, in opposition to the Rulers of the world: If any than blame the followers of the Lamb, as busybodies and rash spirits, saying it's otherwise with them now, than it was under the Kings, they may be as holy as they will, and live in their fellowship with God and Christ in his own Ordinances to the highest; it's a falsity, for if they seek after the height of God's holiness, (to get to the top of this hill) to enjoy the fullness of the Promises in Christ, by following him fully according to the voice of his spirit in his word in this day, they are opposed by the Rulers, and taken counsel against.  
7 We may here see what God expects from his Zion (his Church) that in this day, when the Rulers and great men of the world reject Christ, and take counsel against him and his, that this his hill of holiness 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 counsel together against the Lord and his anointed; when the Kings and the Rulers combine together to do their utmost, the one by an open perverse setting themselves, the other by taking counsel (pernicious secret counsel) against him and his, and at last shall conjoin Forces, openly setting themselves to act their counsels; things at this pass, God brings his Son to Zion, his Church, the hill of his holiness, 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 tried the finest and purest piece of earth the world can show, and finding it false, he brings his Son to Zion, 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 go 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 Zion, having their father's name written in their foreheads. (Zion is the hill of my holiness, saith God.) Here are the Armies of Heaven, with the great Captain of Salvation in the head of them, in a posture fit, ready prepared to execute the Decree, Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, thou shalt dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel: But before they enter upon this strange and wonderful work, being the will of their dear Captain 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 ears, 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 Captain gins, 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 Father's 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 Zion, the hill of God's holiness, he presently without delay sends abroad his Heralds, lays his claim, and shows his right and title to the world, the Decree of his Father: We may here consider,  

1 The Person declaring.  
2 The Declaration itself.  
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 Personal, the Mediator ●hrist Jesus: That Son of God whom the father hath set upon Zion the hill of his holiness, he declares the Decree by his spirit in Zion among his chosen ones.  
2 Christ Mystical; This cannot reasonably be denied, saith Christ, A body hast thou prepared me, than said I, lo I come to do thy will O God. Intimating, that it was of necessity Christ should have a body before he could come to do the will of his father; It's by this body of his as the instrument in his hand, that he fulfilleth the will of God; so, it's by his mystical body (his Church) that he declares the Decree; doth this his work in this day of his Regiment in Zion: Further, it's said, The Law shall go forth out of Zion. And again, Mat. 10.27. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in the light; and what ye hear in the ear, that Preach ye upon the house top. Here's the man Christ Jesus teaching his Zion, and a command to them to declare it publicly to the world; This is that sharp sword going out of his mouth wherewith he smites the Nations.  
2 The declaration itself; 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 voice, in places of greatest note and resort, in the most open and public manner that can be, that all may hear, that the Decree may come the ear of every man: So here, I will declare the Decree, so publicly, upon the house top, on the Mount, the Trumpet shall sound so shrill and loud, that it shall pierce the ears 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, etc. 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 known, spread it before the understandings of men, that none may through ignorance perish from the way, and lose that blessedness 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 itself.  
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 disannul it? Shall the Laws 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 itself: 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 Royal gift indeed, fit for a King to receive, and for the glorious God and father of our Lord to bestow; no less than a whole world; Heathens for an Inheritance, and utmost parts of the earth for a possession: O matchless 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 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 Kingdom, that all people, Nations, and languages shall serve him: And that this gift might be certain 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 himself: Thou shalt break them with A ROD OF IRON, and dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel: Break them, take their power, rule, and Dominion away, break their Sceptres, and throw down their Corwnes.   
Break THEM: who? why, all that in enmity oppose him, the raging Heathen, the profane Kings of the earth, and all the Hypocritical Saintlike Rulers, that would not have him to reign over them; them shall he break: THOU shalt break them; Christ, the Lamb on Mount Zion, he shall do it, with his followers, that follow him whithersoever he goeth: But with what? With A ROD of iron; Here is the material 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 drink, for they are worthy: Behold, I will make thee a new threshing Instrument, having Teeth: Thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff: And dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel; He shall break them all to shivers, grind them to powder, and make them become as the mire in the streets, and the chaff of the summer's threshing-floore, that the wind shall carry them away, and no place shall be found for them any more: And he shall do this with as great facility and ease, as a man dasheth a Potter's vessel to pieces; he shall have no more trouble in it, than a man hath in dashing a brittle earthen pot to pieces against the ground.  
3 The means by which the Son obtains the performance of this Decree; his intercession; ASK 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 always, he neither will nor can deny him what he desires. Ask of me the Heathen for thine inheritance, and thou shalt have them saith God, either thy slaves or thy freemen, which thou wilt, they shall be thine to do with them as thou pleasest: Ask of me, the utmost parts of the earth for a possession, and thou shalt have it; if thou wilt have a whole world for thy Court, to entertain 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 potter's vessel, send them flying into another world to inherit their merited portion with hypocrites and unbelievers: And ASK of me, and I will give thee, etc. If thou wilt have the gift of my love, thou must ask it, ASK of me; I will give nothing without ask, therefore come, Ask 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 do so much for this his Son? Why, it's solely upon the account of his Sonship; Thou art my SON, this day have I begotten thee; therefore now, Ask of me, and I will give thee, etc. 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 Heir 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 Ask 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 only meant of the eternal generation of the Son, nor only of that day of Christ's 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 eternal 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 Zion: 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 Zion, and it being out of all dispute in Zion, that thou art the only rightful 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, Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thy inheritance, and 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, ASK 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 fullness 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 do 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 Zion, the hill of his holiness; 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 Potter's vessel: 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 yourselves, and taking counsel against me, but you now hear 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 Zion the Hill of God's Holiness, there gins a new quarrel between Christ and the world's Ruler's: He lays his claim to the world, which they say is their Dominion, and that he hath nothing to do with it, but with his Church, bidding him keep to his Zion, where his God and father hath set him, and meddle not with them, for that is out of his sphere: And out of Zion 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 father's Donation; This breeds such jealousy, 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 and man, not such (as God hath made use of formerly to bring to pass 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 its cover, to hid 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 appear plainly what they are, against Christ (notwithstanding all spetious pretences whatsoever) to the view of all the world: And as Christ deals more roundly with them, so will they be more outrageous 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 kiss 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 its the Duty (and so no sin, nor contrary to Gospel Principles and Rules) of the anointed of the Lord, those Heralds 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 Kingdom of the Son fully, according to the due import of A Declaration, in the ears of the whole world, yea, that the Kings and Judges of the earth may hear, and fear, and tremble: If men or Devils in men besmear them with the spurious conceptions of their own 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 father's love, (I will declare the Decree) that which he will do by his body, his Mystical Members, and men cannot duly 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 Zion by his spirit, and it's the work of Zion (as the Instrument in his hand) to declare it again to the world, in opposition to the Kings and Rulers thereof, in their usurpations upon the Royal interest and Prerogative of Jesus King of Zion.  
3 That this Declaration is published in the time of the father's 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 father's wrath to break forth, speaking to them in wrath, and vexing them in his sore displeasure. The father having by his Almighty power set his King on Zion, and he being ready to overrun the world with the execution of his father's just displeasure, his heart being tender, his bowels roll within him towards poor sinners, he must declare the Decree, with an Exhortation if now at last they will come in, submit to him, and he will bless 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 father's wrath, and the Sons provoked displeasure goes along with it; the clearest sunshine of this day is clouded with symptoms 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 voice 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 pass away with a great noise, 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 proclaim 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 break them with a rod of iron, and dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.  
6 That this day, is a day of great supplication and prayer, ASK of me, saith God, the father commands to ask, upon such an encouraging account, as that it provokes Christ and his followers to lie hard at the Throne of grace, for the performance of the father's Promises, saith God, ASK and I will give; ASK, or you cannot receive; but ASK and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession: If God command to ask, upon such an account, how can it be but his people will obey with rejoicing, filling the Heavens with their cries? 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 voices! what thunderings! lightnings! and Earthquakes will this fire from the Altar fill the earth with? These will fill the Vials of God's wrath, and send the Angels out of the Temple to pour 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 chief, 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, merely as a means to accomplish the former, by removing lets and hindrances out of the way; Their heart in prayer to their father, aught to run out chief for the glory of Christ; and surely, if the world would be converted and turn 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 happiness; but if they will not hearken to this voice of love, then, ASK, and thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, and dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.  
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 less than the Crowns and Sceptres of the world, that the whole world may become the Lord Christ's, Heathens for an Inheritance, and utmost parts of the earth for a possession: As the Saints formerly prayed against the Heathens rage, and the King's open profaneness, in setting themselves against their Lord; so, they now pray as zealously against the Clandestine cunning Counsels of hypocritical Apostate Rulers; what though the men of the world, and some deluded sincere hearts, call it sin (and gross infirmity at the best) leading to rebellion, unwarrantable talking tending to nought but ruin, it matters not, they have the command of the great Jehovah for it, ASK of me (saith he) and I will give thee the Heathens; ASK of me and I will give thee the utmost parts of the earth; ASK of me and thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, and dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel: ASK these things of me, pray for them and I will give them.  
9 That in this day, the perverse opposition of the world's Saintlike Rulers to the Lord and his anointed, will prove such, as will compel them, to ask of their father AN IRON ROD; such an iron rod, wherewith they may break their enemies, and dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel: And if they ask it, he hath promised he will give it, and that in their hand it shall do his appointed work; and then woe to the world, for, how great will the Vintage of God's 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 Kingdom to set forth the Gospel in all its glory, the Command is, ASK of me; God will be asked for such things, the giving of which ruins this old world, and makes way for the new Heavens and new Earth: ASK of me, the Heathens for an inheritance, the Powers, Crowns, Sceptres of the great men of the world, and I will give them to thee; ASK 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 Apostasy and wickednesses, taking secret wily Counsel, 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 facility without let or hindrance in doing this work of my just wrath and vengeance, as there is in dashing a potter's 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, cries, and groans higher and higher, to your God and father, against the enemies of your Lord, and for the glory and Kingdom of Christ; for, while you are so doing, you are in your father's way, doing his Command, ASK of me, saith he. Again, you are in the way of the Promise, if you ask, God hath Promised he will give, ASK of me and I will give thee; yea, God stands here in a giving posture, he waits but for a Petition, and when it comes, he answers it graciously, he bids you ask that he may give; there's a necessity you must ask, saith God, I have a gift in my hand worthy a God to bestow, but you must ask it ere I can give it, that is the order I have set down to myself to walk by, and I cannot, it becomes not my wisdom to recede from it, therefore ASK of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thy Inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.  
12 That there will be in this day, a reluctancy and backwardness in the people of God, to the performance of this great duty this dispensation of the father lays upon them; which may come to pass partly through the darkness of this day, the uncertainty and uncleanness of things, that they know not what to judge of them, (as hath been opened already;) and partly through that little betterness in their condition now to what it was under the Government of the Kings, through carnality of spirit being ready to sit down there; and partly through unbelief of heart, every little hardship and difficulty they fancy to be in the way, they look upon as impossibilities, and the multiplying-glass of unbelief, makes them to seem such tall and mighty Sons of Anake, as God cannot pull down and overcome; so that they are ready to cry out, Let us make us a Captain, and return to our Onions and Garlic, and fleshpots in Egypt, for it was better than with us than it is now: If this were not so, this Command ASK of me, were needless, for otherwise they would be willing enough and forward enough of themselves, their own eternal happiness 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 feign to call upon and command his people, ASK of me.  
13 The time of Gods giving an answer and return 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 down upon his people, therefore saith he, ASK and I will give; ASK 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 seen, saith God, the hard measure you have met with from the world for my Son's sake, how ungratefully and unworthily they have dealt with you, trampling upon you as dung, deriding you as the offscouring and dross of mankind; but now, come, ASK of me, and I will give you the reward of all your labour of love, a Crown of glory for your Crown of Thorns, a Royal 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 ask, but calls upon them, Come my Lambs, ASK of me, and I will give; ASK, that I may give you the Heathen for an inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for a possession: He that commands to ask, promises to give, this is the time of giving, here's the time of receiving.  
14 The necessity, and mighty force and power of the spirit of prayer; saith God, ASK of me that I may give; you must ask before I give; and ASK 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; ASK of me, and I must help you, and you hall break your enemies with a rod of iron, and dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.  
15 What a useful instrument hath God made Zion to be to his Son; as Zion must become the hill of God's holiness before she can be a fit seat for Christ, so before Christ can be exalted and honoured as King, he must be seated on Zion; 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 soon as he is settled there, he is accomplished at all points, to encounter with the enemies of his Kingdom, sends them a defiance, a declaration of his right and title to their usurped possessions; Zion 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 ruin all the foundations of rebellion and opposition his enemies have laid against him.  
16 It's worthy our taking notice of, and of considerable consequence for us to observe, The way of our Lords proceed in this day, wherein he is harnessing himself for the battle; it's not the way and course of the politic inventions, Machiavillian stratagems, under-hand-workings, and by the Maxims of State of this world; but in a noble, plain, heroic way, like a piece of the truest valour that ever drew sword, like himself, sends forth his Heralds, commands voluntary submission, or else gives the challenge, let's them know, there's no way but death, perishing from the way of blessedness.  
17 That its the greatest folly and madness for the Rulers and Judges of the world to oppose and fight against this praying people; for they are not only 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 than 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 itself from the deep to serve them.  
18 What a sad account will those be able to give, who join 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, 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 own 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 counsel against him, and those that forsake him now, he will not own before his father, for we see at the latter end of the Psalm, those that kiss not the Son, submit not to him, and come under his yoke, perish from the way of blessedness; they shall receive their portion with those that shall come at the last day, crying, Lord Lord open unto us, and Christ shall profess he knoweth them not.    

The third and last part of our work, is, To consider the manner how Christ manageth his work in this day, and that is, with much love and pity to the souls of men, exhorting them to a timely repentance, promising blessedness to all that harken to him; Although he hath separated his Zion from the world, and made it the Hill of God's Holiness, a fit seat for himself; yet, he cannot be contented to go with a sword in one hand to execute his father's Decree, but he must have a Pardon in the other, to bestow upon all those that will submit and come in unto him.  
Be wise now therefore, O ye Kings: be instructed, ye Judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.  
In these words we have  

1 An Exhortation.  
2 Motives to provoke men to hearken to it.   
In the Exhortation we have  
1 The Persons exhorted, and they are chief the Kings and Judges of the earth; those very Kings that set themselves, and those very Judges (or Rulers) that take counsel together against the Lord and his anointed: But though the Exhortation be chief to the Kings and Judges, yet not exclusive to others, for we find in the last clause of the Psalm, Blessedness promised to all them that put their trust in the Son; which ALL taketh in more than the Kings and Rulers, yea, ALL men of what rank and condition soever that put their trust in him, shall be blessed; and it must of necessity follow, the Exhortation is of as large an extent as that ALL, for the Promise is brought in as a Motive to provoke to a hearty embracing of, and harkening to it.  
2 Here's the matter of the Exhortation: which is,  
1 To get a true and an exact knowledge of God and his ways, in this their day: Which is held out unto us in two expressions, WISDOM and INSTRUCTION.  
Be WISE now therefore O ye Kings: O you profane Kings, that having a whore's forehead and a face of brass, without shame and remorse have stood up, and set yourselves publicly, wilfully, with all your might against-me-without a cause, to keep me from my rightful inheritance, and to prevent my entering my possessions, the Copyhold my father hath given me: Be wise now THEREFORE; wherefore? why, you have heard the Decree of my father, the Justice and Equity of my right and Title to my Kingdom; I have asked it, and he hath given it me, who hath right and power to give it, he that made it hath given it to me: And my father having set me on Zion the Hill of his Holiness, I am prepared to encounter you, I will wait your leisure no longer; therefore now be wise, know, consider what you have to do, if you resist and stand it out, there's no way but perishing and death; but if you submit yourselves unto, and put your trust in me, I will bless you, make you really happy; here's life and death set before you, be wise now in your choice, that you may live and not die: Be wise with the wisdom of God wherein is life, for why will ye die? You are Kings, and it's a hard lesson for you to be willing to part with your great possessions, and become Beggars, but learn it, and you shall find wisdom itself in such seeming folly; Whatsoever any man forsakes for my sake, I will give it him again in my Kingdom with great advantage, saith Christ; Be wise, know and consider the great Jehovah my father, and what he hath already done for me; know and consider me also, what I am to do to, and in the world, as the will of my father in this day of his great wrath and fury.  
Be INSTRUCTED ye Judges of the earth: Ye Judges, you that have set yourselves above the rank, and your feet on the neck of Kings, that would be accounted repairers of the breaches, and restorers of the paths to dwell in; and yet take counsel against the Lord and his anointed, to break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from you; you Judges, that carry it so underhand and secretly against me and mine, while you seem to be for me, pretending a kiss, when you intent a blow under the fifth rib, that you need not strike a second time: Come you Judges be INSTRUCTED, know the wickedness and folly of your malicious ways, they will yield you nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit, the best fruit they can present you with is torment; for, this Proverb shall be taken up against you, The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the Sceptre of the Rulers, yea, Tophet is ordained of old, yea, for the King it is prepared, he hath made it deep and large, the pile thereof is fire and much wood, the wrath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it: ye Judges of the EARTH; though you have set yourselves in the highest form, and will not be numbered among the Kings of the earth, but present yourselves to the world as Rulers, your Authority and Government to be of my father's appointment, and according to his will; yet, be instructed in this, know this, that you and your inventions are of the earth, earthy; though you will not be Kings of the earth, yet you are Judges of the earth, though the most refined, yet still but earth; you, your ways, and inventions, are not of, nor from heaven, but of and from the earth: Be instructed ye Judges of the earth in the wisdom of God, in the service, worship, and out-going of God in this your day, you have been cunning and wise Counsellors for yourselves, and in your own ways and concernments; be ye now instructed, become as wise and knowing in the ways and concernments of God and his Son in this your day: Be wise ye Kings, and be instructed ye Judges of the earth, harken unto me or you perish from the way of life and blessedness, and go into eternal death and misery.  
2. To worship the true God, and him only▪ Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling; Here's both service done to God, and rejoicing in God; and they are exhorted to mix the one with fear, and to mingle trembling with the other, and then they will be in the way of the Promise, Isa. 66.2. To this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. And Psal. 112.1. & 145.191. Mal. 4.2. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his Commandments. He will full fill the desire of them that fear him, he also will hear their cry, and will save them. But unto you that fear my name, shall the Son of righteousness arise, with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as the Calves of the stall.  
3 To a hearty submission to the Son in this way the father hath set him; giving him that honour and those deuce, the father hath decreed he shall have; KISS THE SON; this kiss gives us to understand, the most absolute subjection that is possible; not that which is only of the outward man, through fear and inability to resist, but that, which is from the heart, and the fruit of the strongest love, grounded upon the best and surest Basis of the highest reason.  
2 The Lord gives the world several Motives to provoke them to hearken to his advice and Counsel. And they are  
1 The Consideration of the Sons anger; Kiss the Son lest he be angry: All the day long hitherto we were exhorted to repentance and submission to the Son, from the consideration of his love and tenderheartedness to sinners, but now we are called upon with a Lest he be angry; The day of Gods judging this Generation, and putting the Decree in execution, the time for the full performance of his Promises to his chosen ones, is come, and now Christ's heart is so full of love to his suffering one's, that have been so long trampled upon by the world, that he is so intense upon giving out the gifts of his father (their Crown) to them, that he will not tarry nor wait long, but his anger will be kindled, and then there follows nothing but woe, perishing, death: And lest he be angry, it strongly implies, that he will be angry, and angry to the purpose with all those that will not readily and quickly hearken to him, inflicting no less punishment upon them than perishing, eternal death.  
2 The Consideration of the sad condition we shall be in, if his wrath be kindled but a little: and ye perish from the way, When his wrath is kindled but a little: Here's a perishing woe; now his wrath is kindled and kindled but a little, there's no way but death; how dangerous is it to provoke the Son in this day, when a little kindling of his wrath will perish our souls! How strongly ought this to work upon us, to move us to make haste and meet him in the way, lest his wrath be kindled but a little, and he accuse us to the Judge, not owning us before his father, and our portion be to perish with the hypocrite and unbeliever:  
And perish from the way; another piece of the Motive, and an aggravation of our sin if we harken not to it; While this Exhortation sounds in our ears, we are in the way to happiness, the day of Salvation is not quite spent and gone, the night hath not yet totally ceased upon us, but, if our dull and stubborn hearts, by not closing with his gracious motions, kindle his wrath but a little, we perish, the day of salvation is cut off from us, the night of judgement and wrath ceazes upon us, and we are undone for eternity.  
3 A Promise of Blessedness; Blessed are all they that put their trust in him: Here's love indeed! Come, submit to me, put your trust in me, and I will bless you; if the consideration of my aptness to be angry in this day, and how dangerous it is to have my wrath kindled but a little, if this will not move you, but you rather (though unworthily and irrationally) count me a hard Master; yet, let this prevail with you, that you shall get no less than blessedness by trusting in me, yea, none shall go without it, but all they that trust in me shall be blessed; yea, and be blessed with the highest blessings, with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places; yea, with blessedness in the abstract, BLESSED are all they that put their trust in me; blessedness itself, the Fountain of blessedness shall be their Portion: And now come, come and be blessed, made really happy; if you will not hearken to this, I have nothing more to say, Blessed are all they that put their trust in him; With these words the blessed Lamb of God closes up his mouth, and goeth about his father's work.   

From hence we may Observe,  

1 That although this Decree be concerning the total Amotion of all the Kingdoms of this world, and their being given to the Lord Christ, yet, it must be declared with abundance of love to the souls 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 chief and in the first place to his greatest enemies, the Kings and Judges of the earth, that set themselves and take counsel 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 voice, and come under his healings, and they shall be blessed?  
3 We may here behold The abundant riches of free grace, and the immense greatness 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 wooed 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 provoked him as he cannot find in his heart to intercede for them, although his father in wrath inquire into their actions; yet with what love and grace and strong persuasions, doth he exhort men to come and submit to him that he may bless them? He cannot be contented to see the world's ruins, and the destruction of souls, before he hath made one Essay more, pleading with the world to consider their present and future condition, and accept of him upon his own Terms, that he may give Blessedness to them; yea, though the wickedness of this world in this day be such, that its flint hard, and made so by love and mercy, that our Lord is forced to make a change, altar his voice, from expressions and considerations of love, to a threatening of, and pointing to his direful anger, to try how that may work; yet knowing it's not the natural tendency of such a voice to work thoroughly upon the hearts of men, his love closes with a blessed Promise of blessedness; as he began his work here on earth (in the days of his flesh) with wonderful unparallelled expressions of love, so, will he finish his work here with the same glory, he concludes with a large Promise of rich blessedness! How tender is the heart of Christ! He speaks but two or three words that have symptoms of wrath and displeasure in them, he hides his gracious and loving countenance but a moment, and he can contain no longer, but he must unveil himself and appear in the glory of his Mediatorship; It is, as if he had said, I have exhorted you to come and kiss me, to submit to me lest 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; do but come to me, believe on me, trust in me, depend and rely upon me only and alone for happiness, forsake all your Idols, and every thing that is grievous and contrary to me, and I will bless you; do but trust me and I will do it, the father hath given me power to do it, and by that power I am able to do it, and my blood shall speak the willingness of my heart to do it, Who ever shed his blood for his enemies (such enemies) but I? and if I had not loved 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 go without the blessing, all they that trust in me shall be blessed.  
4 That though these Kings and Rulers be guilty of most abominable wickedness 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 Kingdom while it's Preached to them in this Exhortation, and kiss the Son before his wrath be kindled but a little.  
5 That in this day of the father's wrath, Nothing less than a hearty and thorough submission to the Son will please him, and prevent his wrath breaking forth to our destruction; KISS the Son lest he be angry.  
6 It's No Treason against the Royal Law of King Jesus, whatever it may be against the Laws of men, to seek to draw men from their obedience to these wicked Kings and perverse Rulers, to kiss the Son that they may be blessed with his everlasting blessings.  
7 That Men must be instructed in the wisdom of God, and be filled with the graces and strength of the spirit, before they can be enabled 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 wisdom and instruction, to serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling, and then Kiss the Son, put your trust in him, and you shall be blessed.  
8 That in this day, notwithstanding the cunning deceits and curious cover of the Rulers, yet, the Kings and Rulers of the earth, and King Jesus, are so diametrically contrary to each other, in all their ways and stations, as that it is impossible for a man to serve them, and be a friend to Christ; The Exhortation is, Kiss the Son, that is, kiss 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 Laws, and become the subjects of Christ, submit to the Sceptre of the Son; Kiss 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 Kingdom, the forerunner 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 Bridegroom.  
10 That this Gospel of the Kingdom must chief 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 ye Kings, be instructed ye 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 ears? You see their Authority, they do but their duty in it, to follow their 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 only, that you may be blessed if you harken to it; what a mighty aggravation of your sin will this be, if you persecute, oppose, and take counsel 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 Gospel's repenting day; The Son of righteousness is now setting apace (as to sinners) and he will arise again with healings in his wings only. to those that put their trust in him; If this voice be not harkened to, his wrath will be kindled, and all his enemies shall perish from the way of Blessedness; there's no longer day for repentance, they have lost the blessing, and though with Esau they should seek it with tears, they shall find no place for it; they shall hear this voice no more, but another, Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, I know you not; after this voice ceases, there remains nothing but a fearful looking for of Judgement: Therefore, it highly concerns the whole world, with their Kings and Rulers, to be cautious how they stop their ears, against this wise Charmers charming; surely if they do, what horrors! what terrors! what a massy 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 easy submission to him upon his own terms, be? This will be no small Worm gnawing our consciences to all eternity.  
12 It's worthy our Observation, That notwithstanding those symptoms 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 blessedness, 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 souls of men, so that if they harken 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 souls with eternal death.     

The great Correspondency this Interpretation holds with other Scriptures that have relation to our times.  
Now it remains that I should do these two things.  

1 Show that great correspondency, this Scripture with the Interpretation given of it, holdeth with other Prophetical Scriptures that have special relation to these last days.  
2 Give my opinion and judgement (according to the light the father of lights hath given to me) where abouts we (in this our day) are; that we may consider and know our work, God expects at our hands.   
For the first, This Psalm (according to the following comparison) is contemporary with the 14th of the Revelation.  
Psalm 2. From Vers. 6. to the end. Revelation 14. From Vers. 1. to Vers. 8. YEt have I set mine anointed upon Zion the hill of my holiness, as the Margin hath it. I will declare the Decree, the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the Heathen for thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. ANd I looked, and lo a Lamb stood on the Mount Zion, and with an hundred forty-foure thousand having his father's name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: And I heard the voice of Harpers, harping with their Harps. And they sung as it were a new song before the Throne, and before the four Beasts, and the Elders, and no man could learn that song, but the one hundred forty-foure thousand, which were redeemed from the earth; these are they which were not defiled with women; for they are Virgins: These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth; These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God, and to the Lamb: and in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the Throne of God. Be wise now therefore, O ye Kings: be instructed, ye Judges of the earth; serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling: Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little, blessed are all they that put their trust in him. And I saw another Angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every Nation, and Kindred, and Tongue, and People: Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgement is come; and worship him that made heaven and earth, and the Sea, and the fountains of waters.  
In the Psalm the Holy Ghost shows us, the special and peculiar posture, the Son of God shall stand in at that Time, upon Zion the hill of God's Holiness, with the work he will then do in his Zion; Declare the Decree to them: In the Revelation, the same Spirit tells us, the particular qualifications of this hill of Holiness, on which the father hath set his Son, with the work the one hundred forty-foure thousand being so qualified fall to among themselves; after the example of their Lord, they sing a new song.  
Again, In the Psalm, the spirit of God describes the Preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom; in a special and peculiar manner to the Kings and Rulers of the earth: In the Revelation the Holy Ghost deciphers to us the Preaching of the same Gospel, in relation to the whole world in general; The Exhortation to the Kings and Rulers, and the Gospel Preached to them that dwell on the earth, is one and the same: These two Scriptures thus compared together, are an exact Comment upon each other.  
The Psalm closes with an Exhortation, the preaching this Everlasting Gospel: This 14th of the Revelation, goes on, shewes us the work the Son doth being seated on Zion, having his 144000 about him; after he hath declared his father's Decree, after the everlasting Gospel is preached; he destroys Babylon, lays that proud and lofty one in the dust; pronounces them cursed, and subjects of his father's eternal wrath, that worship the Beast and his Image, and receive his Mark in their forehead and hand, blesses them (according to the last clause in the Psalm) that die in the Lord: Yea, proceeds to show us his completing Acts, his Reaping the harvest, and Treading the Winepress of his father's wrath.  
Now if any should be desirous to know further of the Time, when God will set his King upon Zion the hill of his holiness, and when the Lamb will stand on Mount Zion with his 144000 about him; I judge, the father will do that for his Son, in that space of Time between the pouring out of the third and fourth Vials; and the declaration of the Decree, with the Exhortation annexed; and the preaching the Everlasting Gospel, will end (if not before, yet) with the finishing Time of the fourth Vial: My Reason is:  
Because, The declaration of the Decree, with the Exhortation to the Kings and Judges of the earth, is the product of the Sons being set on Zion as King; and the preaching the Everlasting Gospel, is the fruit of the Lambs standing on Mount Zion with his 144000 singing their new song; now the end of all being to bring men to repentance, exhorting them to turn to the true God, worship him only, and submit to the Son that they may be blessed by him; and this being a real act in God, intending the salvation of men, it cannot be but all this must be done before the day of repentance and salvation is finish● and gone; when the night cometh no man can work; and if so, than it must of necessity be granted also, that these things must be done before the fourth Vial is powered out; for, after that Vial is once gone forth, there remains no place for repentance, the day of repentance and salvation is spent and gone; for the Text expressly saith, that men blasphemed the name of God, and repent not to give him glory.  
When the two Witnesses rise (which we have good ground to believe will be at or before the pouring out of the fourth Vial) and execute some part of the wrath and judgements of God, the day of repentance and salvation being not yet passed over and gone, it's recorded, (Rev. 11.13.) that the remnant of men left gave glory to the God of heaven, a true and excellent fruit of true repentance; but here, the day of repentance and salvation being finished, and men's hearts hardened, that is recorded also, that men blasphemed and repent not to give him glory.  
And in this 14th of the Revelation, immediately upon the preaching of this Gospel, Babylon (Rome) falls; and suddenly upon the neck of that, God by the mouth of an Angel, pronounces them cursed (without remedy) that then worship the Beast, and his Image, and receive his mark; and the Son of man follows with his sharp sickle, reaps his harvest, and gathers the Vine of the earth, treads the winepress of the wrath of God: What God may do in a more than ordinary way, with any particular soul, I leave it, but there's no general Time of repentance and salvation, interveening these executions of the wrath of God, when once the fourth Vial is poured out: Not being able to answer these Reasons, I am fully persuaded to believe the truth of this Assertion. And whether daniel's little stone's smiting, and the rise of the two Witnesses, be not contemporary with David's hill of Zion, and John's Mount Zion, Christ being seated on it; whether all these Prophecies will not be fulfilled at one & the same time; yea, whether they signify not to us one and the same thing, only, one, one part of the work of God at that day, another, another part of it, I leave to the serious consideration and narrow scrutiny of the godly wise at this day.  
And let none be discouraged from believing these things, because of the unlikeliness of them to come to pass in our days; for, the flood of God's wrath upon the old world, was as unlikely to that world's understanding, to overflow when it did, as these things can be to this, and the Scripture saith, the coming of the Son of man shall be like unto those days. Again, the Scripture saith, He shall come at midnight, a time when men (asleep) lest expect him: And again, When they that dwell upon the earth shall be in the height of their mirth and jollity. FULL OF PEACE, rejoicing and sending gifts one to another, than the spirit of life from God enters into the two Witnesses, and fills those rejoicing earthen souls with great fear, brings an Earthquake, slays a part of the world, and affrights the remnant that are left, extorting from them glory to the God of heaven: Yet again, though the whorish woman Babylon, may come to such prosperity, as to say in her heart, I sit a Queen, and am no Widow, and shall see no sorrow, her plagues shall come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine, and she shall be utterly burnt with fire, for strong is the Lord who judgeth her: Let our hearts ponder these things, and we shall tremble as the word of God, for judgement is at the door.  
In the second place, I am to give my judgement how far we are come at this day, or rather, how near the great God in his providence is come to us, at what part of this Psalm thus expounded, we may lay our finger, and say, this is our state and condition, this is the work God would have us to do in this our day; To do this is a great work, but to do it with demonstration to convince the understandings of men, and stop the mouth of the gain-sayer, is a far greater work, which I despair to perform; yet, according to the measure of light the Lord hath given me, I shall make an Essay towards a clear evidencing of the Truth.  
I conceive We are come to the dawning of that day, wherein God will in wrath to the world's Rulers, set his King upon Zion the hill of his holiness; and the Lamb will stand on Mount Zion with his 144000 (his chosen one's) about him; wherein the Son will declare the Decree, and the 144000 will be singing their new song before the Throne of God, according to the import of that Command of the father to his Son in this second Psalm, ASK OF ME? And that the present Kings and Rulers of the world (but especially the Rulers who are the head of this gathering together against the Lord and his anointed) are those against whom the father will engage in this day of his wrath and jealousy for his Son, speaking to them in wrath, and vexing them in his sore displeasure, even with this, his setting his King upon Zion the hill of his holiness.  
The Reasons for this my Assertion, are  

1 Because we are already gotten under (if not towards the latter end of) the third Vial; to prove this, that it may be as valid a reason to you, as it is to me, I entreat thee Courteous Reader, let thine eyes, accompanied with thy mind, take a journey through Mr. Tillinghast's Treatise upon the Vials, where you will find so much Reason, and such strong Arguments for this assertion, as I presume will be so satisfactory, as it will not be expected I should say any thing more to the point: And if so, then upon my former proof, it appears, the dawning of this day of blessedness to the Saints, and of wrath to the world with its Rulers, hath ceased upon us: But,  
2 The first fruits of the qualifications of God's hill of holiness, Christ's 144000; the sprinklings of the spirit of that day; the beginnings of Christ's being received as King in Zion, are to be found in the midst of a despised people among us in this our day. Let us view over the Qualifications of Christ's 144000, consider them, and put on a pair of those excellent spectacles made of pure love, and our dim eyes will not behold men like Trees, but, like the purchased inheritance of the Son, qualified according to the Decree, to such and such a work, at such a time; I say, the first fruits, the beginnings of these (though yet imperfect) will appear plainly to our view: And let us with simplicity and singleness of heart, look out at the Casements of our souls, and we shall behold the sprinklings of the spirit of that glorious day; The work of the day shows us the spirit of the day; The Saints in that day sing a new song before the Throne of God, etc. which is such a song as is so uncouth, so strange to, so contrary and above the nature, Principles, and reason of the world, as they cannot learn it; no man without this hill of holiness, none but the 144000 can learn to sing this song: What is this strange song that is so hard to be learned? Why, consider it, and you will find it to be the Decree, the Son in the second Psalm undertakes to declare: If we consider this particular also, we shall find plainly to appear in this our day, some sprinklings, the beginnings of the mighty workings of this spirit. Let us yet make a stand, and consider the temper and spirit of the Lords people in this our day, and we shall find Christ to have a little footing on Zion already; his 144000 begin to look upon him, to consider him as their King, and their hearts are cleaving to him apace: If we consider these things, we shall behold an Emblem of a glorious fabric to be erected in its due season; which cannot be far off, for when the singing of Birds is heard, they fly chirping from bough to bough, it's a sign the winter is past, and the spring is come: Now is the Time, in which Christ will (or doth) call to his beloved, Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away: Fellow me. O my Dove! that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret place of the stairs (Gods hiding-place for his people in a day of wrath) Let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice: For sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. Take us the Foxes, the little Foxes (those that are less discernible, and lest mistrusted to do mischief) that spoil the Vines, for our Vines have tender Grapes, Cant. 2.10, 11, 12.   
What though this Kingdom of Heaven be now but as a grain of Mustardseed, the smallest of grains, yet it's watered with the dews of the spirit, and it will, it shall grow up to a Tree able to give shelter to the Fowls of Heaven. Elijah's Cloud of blessings, although at first it appear but as the little hand of a man, yet in a short time it spreads over the whole Heavens. When we fee the day begin to break, can we be so stupid as not to believe the Sun makes haste in his course to arise upon our Horizon? When these things appear, such signs of the Times are given to us, what wilful sins of ignorance shall we be guilty of, if we not minding them, believe not what is a coming? We can tell by the signs thereof, whether it will be fair weather, or soul, to day; And why are we ignorant of the signs of the Times? Surely it's a token of a hypocritical spirit, whose damnation will be very great.  
Let none say, that which I seem to plead for, is encompassed about with such infirmities, so much of the spirit of man, such contrarieties to some Gospel rules, as we cannot believe it to be of God: For this plea will be found no good plea at the Son's Tribunal, it's but a fond excuse at best, lay what stress you will upon it, it will not hold; This day, is a day of wrath, and the word spoken, is spoken in wrath, and except we dive into its glory, through the veils of wrath upon it, and hearken to it, and embrace it, giving obedience to it, we shall perish from the way of blessedness.  
Again, let us consider the signs of this day of Christ's coming to his Zion, that other Scriptures afford; and we shall find them to be such, as will signify no such thing to any, but to those who have the most precious faith of this Gospel, waiting for the consolation of Israel; the Holy Ghost will be upon them, and let them see the blessed fruit of their expectation: There shall come in the last day's scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, where is the Promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation, 2 Pet. 3.3. In heart saying, our Lord delays his coming, smiting fellow servants; eating and drinking with the drunken, Mat. 24.48, 49. And though the Son of God hath told us, that his father will avenge his own Elect speedily, which cry day and night unto him, nevertheless, When he comes, shall he find faith on earth? Luke 18.7, 8. yet, The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise 2 Pet. 3.9. But is it not to this end? That the Trial of your faith (the faith of Gods chosen) being much more precious then of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. 1.7. If these things be so, how ought we with all diligence, to walk with fear and trembling, lest we stumble and fall upon those stumbling-blocks of wrath God throws in the world's way, and perish upon them together with the world.  
And my Reasons why I conceive the present Rulers of this world, are those enemies of Christ, God will speak to in wrath, and vex in his sore displeasure, are 

1 Because I find the Scripture expressly saith, That those who shall be the Rulers of the world at this day of Gods setting his Son upon Zion, will oppose, and take counsel together against the Lord and his anointed; Therefore hath he said, He will speak to them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure, with setting his King upon Zion the hill of his holiness: And seeing it's a truth, that we are come to the dawning of the day, wherein the father will set his Son on his Zion; it must follow, that these are the Rulers that will be the subjects of the direful displeasure and wrath of the Great GOD.  
2 Because I perceive the Rulers are already taking Counsel together to make their hands strong against the Lord and his anointed, and to break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from them; And the faithful Almighty God hath said, He will then speak to them in his wrath; and vex them in his sore displeasure; and if they harken not to the Gospel of the Kingdom preached to them, they shall without remedy perish from the way of blessedness; speedy and swift destruction will be their portion. To prove this to the vulgar understanding is very hard; yet, if we will but consider these few things, we may learn somewhat of the business.  
1 That the Characteristical work of these Rulers, is not their acting, but TAKING COUNCIL against the Lord and his anointed; (for, as it hath been already proved, God will not permit them to act their Counsels, but while they are in Counsel, he will speak to them in his wrath.) Now, Counsel being a close-cabinet act, though day may be discerned through a little cranny, yet, it's a hard work at present to prove it clearly to the understandings of others; but when they come to this height, have brought their Counsels (as they think) ready to put in execution, crying out for action, LET US, etc. then this will appear to be a truth, to those that will not believe it now; and those who now are counted the fools, uncharitable, rash spirits of the Times, will be found guided by a spirit of wisdom and truth.  
2 That these Rulers, not being tied up by Satan or their own consciences and principles to any Rules of practice (all is left to their wisdom and counsel) they will act suitable to the present interest of their state and condition; Their bounds (in that respect) are larger to range in then ever any of the world's Rulers had given them before; they will turn themselves into any shape or form, to please men, to keep them within the bounds of their Rule and Dominion; all this and much more, is couched under that significant COUNSELL in the first Verse of the Psalm; they are well skilled in the turn and wind of the wily Serpent, which practice of theirs makes things so dubious, and hardly discernible by the understandings of men.  
3 The present actings of these Rulers against some of the most endeared servants of our Lord Jesus, signifies not a little to us concerning this matter: Consider seriously (for it concerns us not a little ●o to do) the true ground and reason of their so unworthy deal with, and rough sinful handling of them: It weighs nothing, that these Rulers put an ugly Vizard on their face, representing them to the world, as clovenfooted (Devils) evil doers; for this hath been the course of Sarans instruments ever since the world began, thereby to depress the truth, that their falsehood and error might take place: Herein these Rulers resemble their predecessors, the Heathens and Kings of the earth; for which, they shall together with them and their Companions, be called to account ere long, when things will appear as indeed and in truth they are, not, as these Rulers would now have them: I say, let our hearts ponder the true reason of present actings, and we shall be sensible of the truth of the Assertion.  
4 Let us consider daily, and make a narrow and thorough search into the actions of these Rulers, with the natural tendency of them; and get a Serpent's wisdom, with the innoceny of the Dove, and we shall not need that any man should teach us in this matter.    
I shall close up this discourse with one word to the Saints, the followers of the Lamb in these evil days.  
To you, the followers of your dear Lord Jesus in this evil day of Apostasy: You have here, something set before you of your work, God the father hath commanded you to do, and your Lord (the Son) expects should be done by you for him in this your day; also, the Qualifications hinted at, that will enable you to perform this work, according to the will and mind of your God and father. Further, you have it also hinted to you, that you are already entered into the confines of the work of this day; the Lord hath drawn over you to the view of the world (if they shut their eyes and will not see, the greater will their condemnation be) an Emblem of that strange and glorious work, he is now about to perform, and bring to pass in the world: The waters of this Sanctuary are risen almost to your ankles; Now give me leave to exhort you the bosom friends of our Lord Jesus, Fellow your Leader, the spirit of your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, pass through and through the waters of the Sanctuary, that they may not only wash you to your ankles and knees, but to your loins, all over; stay not your course till you come to the unpassable overflowings of the spirit, that you cannot pass till you are taught to swim in that River of God, or after the example of your Lord to walk upon those holy waters, doing the will of your God and father, and keep in the way of the promise and these things also shall be given you: Consider your work, and get an exact and distinct knowledge of that work your Lord and Master hath cut out for you to do in this day of his Controversy with the world and its professing Rulers; and mind the Qualifications ordained to be bestowed upon you to enable you to perform that great work to the praise and glory of grace.  
Let me (who am less than the least of all Saints, yet let me) beg of you these few things.  
1 Flee all flashinesse and flagings of spirit; let not the predominancy of such infirmities over you, give the world occasion to conceit; the sword of the Lord in your mouths and hands signifies but a vain flourish, is grounded on nothing but the airy fancies of men; but by a holy and steady perseverance in taking up your Cross daily, and following your Lord, give the world good ground to fear, that it's the sword of the great God, wherewith he will plead with all flesh, and the rod of his mouth, wherewith he will smite the earth, and the breath of his lips wherewith he will slay the wicked, Isa. 11.4. Having put your hand to the Blow, look not back; having entered into the work, make not the least retreat, now you are running out of her, over whom the Lords judgements and wrath are impending, which he will put in execution ere long, let not your hearts backslide, Remember Lot's wife, lest you also be turned into pillars of salt, made a savoury example of the judgement and wrath of the great and jealous God, to work in those that shall come after you a savoury spirit fit for the work you perish from.  
2 Get clear of this world; make a seasonable and timely retreat into your Chambers (Gods hiding place) into the clefts of the Rock, that you may be hid from the wrath of God which is coming upon the world: Behold, the spirit of God himself makes this Exhortation to you, Isa. 26.20, 21. Come my people, enter thou into thy Chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hid thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For behold, the Lord cometh out of his place, to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. The Lord having told us what great changes and destructions he will bring upon the earth, gives us in these two verses a loving invitation (with prevalent Motives) to hid ourselves while that his great wrath be overpast: I say, Get clear of this world; our Lord tells us, It's impossible for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven; for one whose heart is touched with and cleaves to the present evil world, to be an inheriter of the world to come, which God hath promised as a reward to the faithful followers of the Lamb: True, in this day you must ask a world, Heathens for an inheritance, and utmost parts of the earth for a possession, but not this present world for yourselves, but another for the Son, your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; yet, for your comfort, know, you are not under an exclusion, for you must ask a world for Christ as he is your head, your King, that from him you may receive (according to the Decree of God) what your portion is, Of his fullness you may and shall receive grace for grace: He that hath in this old world been faithful over a few things, which the Lord hath given him in charge, shall in the (new) world to come, be made Ruler over many things, and enter into the joy of his Lord, Mat. 25.21. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life, Mat. 19.29. But he that doth not by the exercise of a faithful spirit, make such a retreat out of the world, shall perish in the ruins of this world. If our spirits be right, the counterpane of the spirit of our Lord in this day, our prayer to our God and father will be for the utter dissolution of this old world, and the bringing forth the new Heavens and new Earth promised; for the performance of those glorious and admirable Promises, which the God and father of our Lord Jesus hath made concerning this matter: Now if our hearts be not wholly taken off this present evil world, that voice, Come out of her my people, will seem to us (as the speech of righteous Lot to his Sons in Law) as the speech of one that mocketh, and not harkening to it, we shall perish with the world; at best, if any such tempered soul be saved, it will be as by fire, he will suffer great loss: What advantage then can the enjoyment of this present evil world be unto us?  
3 Take not up your rest in any attainment; though you may have taken many a step in following your Lord, and gotten on high above the world, and (it may be) the rest of your brethren, yet take not up your rest there, but keep on your pace (endeavouring daily to mend it) in following the Lamb; be not contented nor satisfied with any thing below the sitting down together with your Lord and Saviour at the right hand of glory, in those Mansions of the father's house, which your Lord is gone before to prepare for you, and hath promised to come again to receive you, that where he is you may be also; Rest not until you see your Lord (the Son of man) sit in the Throne of his glory, and then shall you sit upon Thrones also, Mat. 19.28. I say, take not up your rest in any attainment, otherwise, you will be of the number of those first which shall be last, in vers. 30. Those that are lag now, will get before you to your great regret of spirit; and (as in the next Chapter) a part of those many which be called, but not chosen to the work of the day, and so you will run a great hazard of missing that glorious reward, the gift of your Lord, To reign together with him.  
4 Remember this, That in this day, in the carrying on the work your Lord hath put into your hands, there must be no guile found in your mouth, you must be without fault before the Throne of God: Your Lord expects you should exercise such sincerity of spirit in your following him in this work, as that you be not defiled with any of that guile (that hypocrisy and doubleness of heart and tongue) the world's mouth hath always been filled with: In the matters of the Kingdom of your Lord, and his out-going against the world in this day, you must be without guile, and without fault, so clear, as that God sitting on his Judgement Throne may see no fault in you, without fault before the Throne of God: Let it be so, and when your Lord comes, you will hear his blessed voice calling unto you, Well done good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.  
5 Would you be such, as God will teach knowledge, and make known his mind to, in such a day of wrath as this is, Then (it's not my counsel but the Lords) be weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. Isa. 28.9. Whom shall be teach knowledge? and whom shall be make to understand doctrine? (or the stammeringe of lips (as the margin hath it) at this day) them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts? Be ye weaned from the milk of the worldly carnal professing Church, be drawn from the breasts of her consolation, and the Lord will teach you knowledge, and make you to understand doctrine; there shall not be a stammering of the lip, in the things of God, in this your day, but the Lord will make you acquainted with it, to the understanding of it. Instead of her milk and her adulterous breasts, he will give you the teachings of his good spirit, making you intimately acquainted with his blessed everlasting Gospel: Though, he withdraw from the worldly professing Church, that his word is but here a little, and there a little among them (as he formerly dealt with the carnal, yet professing Church of Ephraim) though his word hath been among them, precept upon precept, precept upon precept, and line upon line, line upon line, but now, it's but here a little, and there a little, the Lord is gotten to the threshold off their house, and is departing quite away from them; I say notwithstanding this, he will manifest himself to you, if you be weaned from their milk, and drawn from their breasts; separate yourselves from, have nothing to do with the worldly (though professing) Church, he that hath made this Promise, will perform it, for he is faithful; let who can, charge him in the least with the breach of any tittle of his word and promise.  
6 Be upon your watch, that you let not slip the nick of time God gives you to (and he expects you should) do your work in. The time when God expects you should receive his Son, and exalt him among you as your King, is then, when he is rejected by the worlds (refined) Rulers, and they enter into Associations & Combinations against him, to break his bands asunder, and cast away his cords; this is the time for you to stand up and declare for the Decree of God the father on the behalf of your Lord and Saviour; and, the very nick of time, which you are not upon your peril to let slip, (as you will answer before his father and your father) is then, when these wicked (yet professing) Rulers are going about to execute their abominable Counsels, crying LET US, let us do it, break his bands, and cast away his cords, then, it's your work and duty to stand up and cleave to your King, follow him whithersoever he will lead you: I say, slip not your time, for it concerns you, if you will not own him now before the world (you will run a desperate hazard that) he will not own you before his father, and then, what misery and unhappiness will betid you? Let your own enlightened consciences judge.  
Lastly, Beware of unbelief, the mother of all evil and misery; though you should get to the very borders of the land of Promise, and the providence (the voice) of God call you to encounter with your enemies, to remove every let and obstruction in the way to your full possession, yet unbelief is able to drive you back into the wilderness again, if you take not great heed; would you not return to your wilderness Companions, the Briars, and the Brambles? would you not have that mournful ditty heard in your mouths again? Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar, then flee all unbelief that mortal enemy of your happiness: unbelief of the truths and mysteries of the Sons Kingdom, is the Characteristical sin of the times immediately before the coming of Christ, When he comes shall he find faith on earth? This interrogation is a strong affirmation of the truth of the negative, He shall not find faith on earth. The Son had in the preceding words asserted the faithfulness of God in the certainty of his avenging his Elect which cry day and night unto him; yet, saith he, Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall be find faith ou earth? In that time when God is about to spread abroad his faithfulness in making bare his arm, to answer all the cries and prayers of his people, to avenge them of their enemies, yea, even when the Son of man is a coming to make good the word of his blessed father, Shall be find faith on earth? That is, He shall not find faith on earth: Men will not believe that it's the time of Gods performing his Promises; the face of things appear so (through the counter-working of the evil one, the man of sin and his instruments) to the merely rational eye, that in this very time when the Son of man is coming to avenge the Elect of God which cry day and night unto him, the men of the world become mockers, saying, Where is the Promise of his coming, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation? And others that would be esteemed the better sort, they cry out, The time is not come, The time is not come; They believe not the word of the Kingdom. Beware of this unbelief, lest you lose the comfort of this coming of the Son, when other faces shine with the joys of the Spirit, yours be bedewed with tears, the sad fruit of this defiling unbelief.  
THE END.