A DOUBLE WATCH-WORD, Or the Duty of WATCHING; And Watching to Duty, both Echoed from Revelations 16. 5. and Jeremiah 50. 4, 5.  
By one that hath desired to be found faithful in the work of a Watchman.  
JOHN OXENBRIDGE.  
LONDON, Printed by S. G. for J. Rothwell, at the Fountain in Cheapside, 1661.   

The PREFACE.  
Christian Reader,  
LEst thou shouldst think thyself impertinent in reading, or me in giving thee this occasion of it, know that the first Sermon thou meetest with here; on Rev. 16. 15. was preached in a course of the morning Lecture( that Ambulatory and savoury City-Break-fast) and the Lord gave me therein an acceptance, with some Reverend Brethren, beyond my desert or expectation; so that I was desired to publish that Sermon. But it being too short to come forth alone, and not having the opportunity( as I was desired) to enlarge it( my larger notes on that Scripture being not at hand) I did at the request of many, join the second Sermon, and so the third on Jer. 50. This Scripture God had put much upon my heart in the beginning of the last Winter, and when I was far from my study and usual helps, he taught me thence with a strong hand upon my bed some truths, which seemed to myself, and many, very seasonable. And indeed some things for the quieting of our spirits in waiting upon God, proved so seasonable( when I saw soon after that horrid and unchristian insurrection 
Jer. 6.  of that mad handful in the City) that I could not but bless God that had stirred and steered my spirit, so as to disavow such courses, before I know either their beginnings or issue.  
Now truly I have been so unprofitable a Servant, that I may well greatly admire, and readily receive the grace of my Master if he will yet make the least use of me. And that he may n●w do so, I have prayed and desire thee to strive with me therein, that I may be delivered from them that believe not, and 
Rom. 15.  that my service may be accepted of the Saints.  
farewell.   

ERRATA.  
page. 2. line 6. rend, l. 17. deal those, p. 4. l. 5. walk naked, l. 7. d. then, p. 5. l. 4. the duty of, p. 13. the figure 13. p. 16. marg. d. use, lin. penult a repent, p. 11. l. 5. contr. l. 15. d. not, p. 19. l. 17. d. this, l. 21. d. 4. use, l. 28. help in, l. 26. marg 4. use, p. 20. l. 13. wakeful eye, p 24. 4. l. marg. 2 Cor. 11. p. 27. l. 1. d. of, p. 39. l. 17. pray, l. 19. shall, p. 52. l. 4: lin. d. as near as may be, l 5. as near as may be to, p. 53. l. 15. d. s in sins, p. 55. l. 2 1. marg. 2. arg. p. 56. 1. l. speake's imp. p. 97. l. 19. show, p. 100. l. 5. d. 1. p 202. l. 1. 7 that and till, p. 104 l. 1. it is, p. 105. l. ●. d. t, in dot, p. 112, l. 12. for want of l. 9. arrand l. ultima by, p 115. l. 23. Antichrists, p. ●17. l 2. marg. Joh 17. 21. p. 120. l. 23 vogue. p. 124. l. 5. See p. 131. l. 26. then by your union.   

THE FIRST WATCH-WORD FOR THE LAST TIMES: showing the Duty of Watching.  Revel. 16. 15. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garment, lest he walk naked and they see his shane. 
THese words are a doctrinal parenthesis, 
Coherence of Text.  cast in by Christ himself into the midst of that prophetical discourse of the sixth vial●; and they are as a cordial or drachme of the bottle to keep the true Christians from fainting or falling in the day of their greatest trial. The danger that in that dark and gloomy day threatens the true reformed Church, is from a Three fold principle and party; as we we may red in the 13. and 14. verses just before the Text. There are three unclean spirits out of the mouth of the Dragon, beast and false Prophet engaging all to the uttermost against the people and interest of God; and all these are under one head, and in one rendezvous in the verse following the Text. Now be it so that we are not just upon this 
Called Arma Geddon.  point of time,( for in judging that we would not be positive) yet what caution and cordial is high enough for the greatest conflict and danger, will sufficiently answer that which awaite's us in our times, whatsoever it may prove. Wherefore this Scripture may( as seasonable) deserve our consideration; and that it may have it, we should know what these 3. parties are those which in favour of Babylon( when her Euphrates or strength is dried up,) do raise so great a power against those that have with drawn themselves from, and set themselves against this Babylon( that is to be destroyed. If then you will take a view of the several standards under which this Antichristian force marcheth against the followers of Christ; you will see the first spirit coming out of the mouth of the Dragon, that is, having the command and commission from the Dragon, by which I understand a violent, profane, irreligious party acting by persecution after the manner of Heathen Rome, and the Devil manifestly reigning then and there; for in this book of Revelation we have the Devil and his Servant the Pagan Emperour of Rome, presented to us under the notion of the Dragon, Revel. 12. 3.  
The 2d. spirit comes out of the mouth of the Beast, by which I understand a superstitious Idolatrous party, I mean Idolatry against the second Commandement in the means of worship, as the former Heathen Rome was in the object of worship against the first Commandement. This Beast must needs be popish Rome, for Rev. 13. 1, 2. it hath the 7. heads, and ten ruling horns, and the Dragon gives him his power and seat and great authority, and who but the Pope hath the Dragons seat?  
The 3d. spirit is out of the mouth of the false Prophet, by which I understand an Heretical sly party, which though they have horns like a Lamb, and so seem an opposite party to the Dragon, yet speak like a Dragon, Rev. 13. 11. they do the Pope's work, as he doth Satans.  
Now when a spirit of profaneness and violence, a spirit of superstition, a spirit of corrupt Doctrine do severally and jointly amass and engage the powers of the world against the power of godliness, then is this watch-word given before the battle, Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk and they see his shane. In which words you have a Duty propounded, 
●arts of Text.  and then persuaded. The Duty is propounded in it's name watcheth, and in it's aim, keepeth his garments. The Duty is persuaded by the gain if it be done, blessed is he, and by the loss if neglected, lest he walk naked and they see his shane.  
From the whole we may learn,  
Christ hath care of his people in the worst of times. If men do not care what becomes of them, or theirs, yet Christ takes care and makes provision for their safety; he gives out warning before he will speak out all their danger; before he brings all the enemy into one field, to a general muster, he provide's his servants armor, before he will let the blow fall on them. And if Christ in the prophesy provides for them so long before, will he not much more make good provision and care in the time of performance, the neck of their necessity?  
The keeping us safe and sound in terrible and tempting times, is a singular Duty and mercy. Blessed is he, not they, as the rest of the world are a multitude they see his shane; there is one striving and all the world spectators It is a singular duty, the end of each Christian in particular, to stand upon his guard and look to himself in such times, though he see many others altering and faltering; yea, though he see Cedars fall, he must not despond and fall under their ruin as though he were made only to attend the way, opinion and fate of leading men; this is no discharge from, but an enforcing of his watch. And if all your watch and keeping prosper through the Keeper of Isral, you are under singular favour and blessing; admire him, not thyself, and pitty others.  
In the most dangerous times it is possible for a Christian to be in a good condition. When all the world is about the ears of a Christian, yet he may be a very blessed man. When we see violent profaneness, filthy superstition, and rotten doctrine, very active and stirring, we are ready to think well of the condition of other Christians, in other places or times, and cry out of our own misery as Isa. 24. 16, From the uttermost parts have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous, they have some thing to joy and glory in, but I said my leanness, my leanness woe unte me. I am in a poor and miserable case to fall into such times, for the treacherous dealers have dealt treacher. ously: why, is that any new or strange thing? yes, for never the like heard of, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously, Fear and the pit and the snare are upon the inhabitants of the earth. The fear of the Dragon, or persecutor, the pit of the Beast or Idolater, the snare of the false Prophet or deceiver. But Christian let not thy heart be overwhelmed in such times, if now or ever thou thinkest thou seest them, for as it follows in the 18. verse, he that fleeth from the noise of the fear, he that is over solicitous to decline the dint of persecution, shall fall into the pit, will bemire himself with the carnal Religion of the Idolater, and he that cometh out of the midst of the pit, may be taken in the snare. He that hath so deadly a fear, and is so scared from popish Idolatry, may fall into the snare of unsound doctrine and silly delusions.  
But Christian remember, that this fear, pit and snare, are only upon the inhabitants of the earth, them that have but an earthly Religion, earthly aims, earthly conversations, but not upon the Inhabitants of Heaven, they that converse there, and aim that way. Be the times bad, very bad, yet is not God good, yea very good, and very 
Psal. 73. 1.  good to Israel? Yea, he may be best of all to you in the worst times; if mens doings are bad so that they do all things ill, yet Gods doings are good, and he doth all things well; if mens words are nought, very 
Mark 7. 37  nought, yet Gods Word is good, as good as ever, nay, may be better of more gust and sweetness then ever. And as God and his Word may be now very good to Israel, to thee if an Israelite, so may thy heart be good when the times are bad, and thy heart may be a clean heart when all the world is defiled. Wherefore if we be not blessed, if things go not well with us in the main, in times we call and did, and do, make, and continue evil, let us blame ourselves and our own hearts, let us fault them rather, then the times, they may be proving and improving. If you believe,& resent this that they may be in a good condition in bad times you will ask the question how may it be, and you will have answer in the next Doctrine.  
His condition is good in bad times that keepeth his garments. For the understanding of this, know what is a Christian's garment, and what to keep it.  
A Christians garment is Christ believed and professed, Gal. 3. If any man be baptized into Christ, be really united to his person as well as bearing his name, be a Christian inwardly and in heart and spirit, he hath put on Christ, Ro. 13. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts( though you may the necessity) thereof. Christ is a garment too rich for the Devils scullion. Christ is as a garment to a Christian, 1 as he hide's nakedness in justification, 2. as he adorne's in sanctificat on, 3 as he defends against violence of seasons in redemption, and 4 as there is some answerableness between him and a Christian, in all the lineaments of hisl Soul and life.  
To keep this garment is not for a Christian to lay it up in a chest, but to keep it close about him, to wrap himself warm in Christ, to use Christ for his covering, ornament, defence and pattern in terrible and tempting times. Wrap yourself in and keep close to Christ as he is your King, and so he will secure you from the Dragon and Beast, the profane persecuting and the superstitious party, for they would have command of a Christians life and worship, but this belongs to Christ as a King. Keep to Christ as your Priest against the Beast or Idolater, that you may admit of no other sacrifice, Altar, Incense, merit or intercession of any in Heaven, of one rank or another. Hold fast to Christ as your Prophet, that you may be kept from the Beast and false Prophet, who would put other Doctrines and Traditions upon you then you have received from Christ?  
That a Christian may in trying times keep his garment( hold close to Christ) he must keep special and close watch. If he keep not his watch, he cannot his garment. Watching is a duty of general concernment for all Christians and times, but in trying times a Christian must double his watch, must look out sharp, must be specially intent. See the reason, nature, and Use of this watch.  
Because of Christ's terrible manifestation of himself against them that are secure; behold I come as a thief that is, suddenly and to spoil, and therefore to affright. Whatsoever comes on a secure and unexpecting person comes suddenly, and if a friend come so, he may startle us, much more if at midnight when you are in deep sleep; a Thief comes with a light in one hand, and in the other a naked sword or cocked pistol to your bed side, and so wakens you, and this frightful sight is the first that your opened eyes meet with, this will be very ghastly; and so will Christs sudden appearing be to all those that in such trying times are secure, careless, and look not, and prepare not for his coming.  
Because of the special blessing that is upon thē, which are on their special watch, in such trying times. The blessing is sure because pronounced by Christs own mouth, and there never was nor can be found guile in his mouth. They that will by no means let go their garment though the Dragon, Beast, and false Prophet, pull hard at it, will haply, be censured and cursed, as those that are a froward, waspish, cross-grained, intractable, and unsatisfiable sort of men, that mar all good designs; but Christ blesseth them, yea, and they shall be blessed. It may be those that are easy yielding men, and will be content to change their garment, turn their coat, may have the applause& blessing of flattering silly men, yea, and may bless themselves and count themselves happy, but they loose the blessing of Christ.  
The shameful discovery of him that neglects his special watch in such times; Lest he walk naked and they see his shane. His nakedness may be the filthiness of his nature, and his walking naked, his having his course and conversation stained with his corruptions; his corrupt nature breaks forth in enormous and foul courses; he appears to be a Cowardly, Covetous, Ambitious, False, Sensual, or silly Creature, like any other of the Children of Wrath. And the shane of this discovery is that it will be observed in him by many others, and improved to the dishonour and scorn of himself and his profession; they see his shane, the Devil and his Children that watched for this, will triumph when they find it, and say, Look you now, what is become of all this man's great Profession, and his blessed Reformation, behold he is become as one of us; for thus they will blame& scorn that in him which they have wished and persuaded him to.  
Thus having seen the Reasons of special watching, let us inquire into  
The nature of this watch.  
1. To watch is to keep from sleep, or security, and carelessness, and to be exercised in a holy fear and care, 1 Thess. 5. Let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch. It is to look about us that no evil of sin, or suffering may surprise us, and take us( as we say) napping. If we cast off a holy fear and awe of God, so as to venture on any thing( as hath been our manner in late times) we can not perfect holiness, or happiness.  
2. To watch is to avoid the causes of security, all opiate or sleepy dulling occasions; this is called Sobriety by? Paul, 1 Thess. 5. 6. Let us watch and be sober, and this sobriety is twice coupled with watching by the Apostle Peter, 1 Peter 4. 7. and 5. 8. and it is opened by their  
Lord, Luke 21. 34. Take heed to yourselves lest at any time, no one time is allowed to security or that which breeds it, your watch may never be discharged, much less in our dayes,( which are the last dayes, to which Christ speake's here as well as in our Text) may ye be slacken in your guard, lest in any one day or hour your hearts be overcharged, or made heavy( as most translations render) with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life, if your hearts be very at ent to, and intent on, this bodily and worldly life: they will be too inattentive and remiss, to your spiritual life; if earthly things fall with a great weight upon your hearts, they will not also stand under the weight of your Heavenly Concernments, and so that day, the day of Christs powerful and glorious manifestation come upon you unawares, or( as the French translation) suddenly surprise you, Watch ye therefore and pray always.  
3. To watch is to have your eye open to Gods eye and Gods hand; To his eye, see that he seeth you and all your matters, and 
Exod. 14. 24, 25.  one look of that eye of his into the host of the most confident and formidable Egyptians, hath troubled their host, and taken off their Charriot-wheels that they drove them heavily. Look also on Gods hand, his doings, for it is fit that the eye of the servant should 
Psal. 123. 2  be to the hand, to the least becks and motions of his Master. And it is good for you to observe well what God is doing in the world, for he doth often cast down and build up again, but those that do not regard, do not seriously and faithfully improve the 
Psal. 28. 9.  works of the Lord, nor the operations of his hands, he shall destroy them and not build them up.  
4. To eye satan, and see what he is doing, for he goes his rounds to spy advantages to attack you, and therefore your guards within must go their rounds to defend; if he be undermining in one place, and you are watching and digging in another, what hinders but that he will spring his mine, and make his breach and entry? Watch therefore this watchful enemy, and see in what part of Doctrine, Conversation, or Worship he is about to supplant you; He drew one of the Church of Corinth to an 
1 Cor. 5.  incestuous and scandalous match, and made it with him and the Church a very light matter; but when by the faithful watchman the Apostle Paul he was defeated in this design, he rallies his force and skill presently in a contrary enterprise, and designe's the Church into an excess of rigour, and the offender into despair; And he had carried it, had not the same Apostle watched and discovered his stratagem. Wherefore look about on every side, that you may see 
2 Co. 2. 11.  where your restless enemy makes his approaches.  
5. To watch, is to eye your own heart with it's inletts and outletts, and see what evil it is a doing or like to do. For your heart within hath too much correspondence with that enemy without, and hath but too much of his Image: For is Satan the old Serpent that deceiveth the world? so is your heart deceitful above all things; is Sata●… 
Rev. 12. 9. Jer. 17. 9. Math. 13. 9.  that wicked one? so is your heart desperately wicked. And how dare ye shut your eyes sleep and be secure, having so wicked a deceiver lodged within doors? Look daily hourly, into the shop, and see what forgery is about there, what evil thought, affection, device, fashionable to the present evil world is upon the anvil; thy heart will be continually forging some evil or other, as ensnaring fear of Men, Envy, Grudging, 
Psalm 73.  and Impatient freting at their Prosperity, frivolous spending of your time and Spirit in speaking evil of them, without those holy ends of Gods glory and your own or others Edification; Murmuring at Providence as too harsh, or at your Brethren, as more guilty and causal of present and feared evils; questioning the necessity of continual strictness. Watch your heart in any of these its it's extravagancies, and catch it in the manner; for any of these or any other evil word or work makes you as dry wood, as a dry and combustible three in 
Lu. 23. 31.  evil dayes, the dayes of the kindling of Gods wrath, as innocence and care in these and other common corruptions renders you as a green, living three, on which the fire takes not so easy hold.  
6. To watch, is to eye your duty, and see what good you should be doing. You must watch unto prayer, 1 Peter 4. 7. and so unto instruction, prov. 8. 34. Blessed is the man( saith wisdom) that heareth me, not stumbling by accident upon me, but watching daily at my gates. When a door or opportunity of such a duty opens, presently to thrust in; so is there a watching for the season of every duty, of Patience, Courage, self-denial, Love, usefulness, this is that readiness or preparation for every good work, 2 Tim. 2. 21. Tit. 3. 1. That such fruit may be brought forth in its season, Psalm 1. And the special fruit or duty in such a time is towards God to aclowledge him, towards brethren to help them, towards others to convince them; but if in one word or Scripture you would know the duty of Christians in a time when Babylons ruin, and the true Churches deliverance are in hand, red them in Jer. 50. 4, 5. In those dayes, and in that time, saith the Lord, the Children of Israel shall come, they and the Children of Judah together, going, and weeping: they shall go and seek the Lord their God. They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thither ward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten.  
Here you have the duties, you must watch to, and ply hard, Union and Communion among yourselves, repenting, melting frame, inquisitiveness after Gods instituted worship, a spiritual, real exercise of it, seeking the Lord himself, a practical temper, and fixed steadfast one. But of this hereafter.  
7. To watch, is by the prayer of Faith, to put yourselves into the hands of the watch-man of Israel; by those Scriptures which join prayer to watching, some ancient Councils pled against the power and free will of man, for which the Pelagians did contend; Your care is not enough, except the Lord keep the Soul, the watch man watcheth but in vain, Psal. 127. 1.  
Learn the necessity of conversion in terrible and tempting times. They that are of the night and darkness they will be found a sleep, 1 Thess. 5. 5, 6. and only the Children of the light and day are competents of this watch; Wherefore it is high time to wake and have your eyes open, that you may keep them open, and to put on your garment that you may keep it on, else you go up and down like Bedlams, quiter naked to shane and all assaults whatsoever▪  
terror to such as watch and make it their work to pull off the garments of a Christian, whether by force, or fraud, and fineness, by persecution, or by corrupt Worship and Doctrine. If they that watch to keep their garments are under a blessing, those that are in a contrary watch, must needs be under what is contrary to that blessing, even a curse. Such persecutors and deceivers are all unclean, and acted by Satan, they are doing his drudgery, 
Rev. 16. 14  they are the Spirits of Devils, and are all engaged against the rising and stronger side, for it is a war against God Almighty who will have the day.  
Take heed you throw not off your garments in terrible and tempting times; Let not not the blustering wind of persecution and profaneness fright you out of your garment, nor the fawning sun shine of superstitious or heretical deceivers flatter you out of it. And to persuade you the better to keep your garment on, and apostasy off, consider that if any of you proves an Apostate,  
1. You are lost with God, 2. with men( good and bad) and 3. with yourselves. 1. You are lost with God, for if any of you draw back, his soul shall have no pleasure in you, Heb. 10. 36.  
2. Lost with good men, for when you are by your apostasy a manifest Hypocrite, the upright and innocent man will stir up himself against you, Job 17. 8. If his own soft disposition or love of quiet, do quench his resentments of your apostasy, he will in zeal to God and the truth, blow up and kindle his Spirit against you.  
3. Lost with bad men, for they will scorn you, either as a false man in your former or present profession and practise; or else despise you as a pusillanimous base man, a man of a mean sneeking Spirit; they will say as Absolom to Hushai, 2 Sam 16. when he had redoubled his acknowledgement( for Apostates must acquit themselves double diligent) God save the King, God save the King, Absalom said to Hushai, Is this this thy kindness to thy friend?  
4. Lost with yourselves, your Conscience ever growling if not brawling, in your bosom; So that you can neither have that gust of good that upright ones have, nor of sin as sinners.  
Be persuaded to keep your watch that you may your garments against the attempts of the Dragon, the Beast and the false Prophet. I will cast in a word for your help of each.  
Against the Dragon or profane persecuting attempts, watch and keep your eye upon Christ as your pattern, and Patron. As your pattern, Heb. 12. 1, 2. Let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and Finisher of our Faith, who for the joy that was set before him, that is, instead of the Joy he had eternally with his Father, or, that in his human nature he might have that state of glory, which as a prise, was set at the end of his course endured the cross, despised the shane. Also with a wakeful look on him as your Patron, Rev. 17. 14. These shall make war with the Lamb( all or some of the ten horns) and the Lamb shall overcome them, this then is the stronger and prevailing side, and must needs be so, for if the enemies be Lords, but Christ is Lord of Lords, if any of them be Kings, he is King of Kings. He then is greater then the greatest, and higher then the highest.  
Against the Beast or superstitious party, with open and watchful eyes look on God in Christ as your only Lord and Law giver in his worship, Rev. 14. 12. Here is the patience of the Saints, here are they that keep the Commandements of God and the faith of Jesus, that is, you see to what issue and blessed advantage they come that will suffer from man, rather then quitting the Commandements and Institutions of God, and the true following of and adhering to Christ; for though they suffer the wrath of man, yet that is not like the wrath of God which they undergo( 9, 10, 11: verses) which yield to the Beast, or his Image( any shadow of power put forth on that behalf) by open subjection and profession( which is the mark on the forehead) or by more sly concurrence or assistance, which is the mark in the hand. Whosoever doth either way pay homage to the Beast, the popish Antichrist, must drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture( without alloy of mercy and clemency) and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, in the presence of the holy Angels,& in the presence of the Lamb, it shall be surely and thoroughly done, and neither Angels whom he hath invocated, nor Christ whom he hath in word only professed shall help him; And the smoke of their torment ascendeth for ever and ever. So can no man's wrath for disobedience to him, men may break in upon your name and revile you, your liberty and imprison you, your estates and impoverish you, your bodies and kill you, but the fire of this wrath and torment is soon out, and there is no smoke or remainder of it; And they have no rest day nor night, whereas in disgrace, Prison, Poverty, Death, the true Christian that keeps to the Commandements of God, hath his rest in his Father's bosom and his own.  
3. Against the false Prophet, or unsound Doctrine which is not according to godliness, keep your waking eye on Christ as your strength and Prophet, Gal. 5. 10. I have confidence in you through the Lord that you will be none otherwise minded. Not through your parts or resolution, but the Lord and his strength. If you quit this fastness and strength you may soon be otherwise minded, your own resolution and confidence not hindering but promoting it. If you change your dependence and teacher, you will your mind, 1 Cor 10. 12. Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall. He that thinketh: so also 
Arab. sir. vulg. Fr. ital. Sp●n.  some red, instead of which another reade's, he that is confident in 
Aethiop.  himself that he standeth, that he standeth on his feet-saith 
Ital.  one translation, that he standeth firm saith 
Span. Psal. 30. 6.  another, he that saith in his heart he shall never be moved, no man shall ever persuade me to that, the error is so absurd. I warrant you I can never be persuaded to it. Christ is not engaged in honour or faithfulness to keep such a man, for he pretends to be his own keeper; therefore such a man is just a falling, he is tottring, nay he is already fallen into error, for this is his error, to think he shall not, he can not err; If you fear not to fall, your fall is to be feared, for you will be careless as well as fearless; you will be standing upon your own legs, and they are not as Christ's, like pillars of marble, 
Can. 5. 15.  but will bow under you, as broken reeds. I am therefore jealous of you, if you be not so of yourselves; and the less fear you have of your fall, the more have I. For a Christian's standing is rather by his hands then his legs; that is, when in jealousy and fear of falling( through his own weakness and corruption of mind, through his own light and giddy head) he dare's not sleep, nor stand alone, but watcheth against snares, and keepeth Christ his garment. If you slacken your watch, and hold and depend not on the mo●th of your true Prophet, you are likely to fall into the mouth of the false, that gapeth for you. You will be adventuring( as Eve) without a due fear of yourselves, without sufficient Warrant from God, and without the use of such helps God hath provided, without these you will parley with the Serpent, and the just consequence of that rash Confidence and daring Presumption of yours, will be that the Serpent will beguile you through his subtlety, so that your mind will be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. To fortify you against this mischief, this spirit of Devils that comes out of the mouth of the false Prophet.  
You must keep close to Christ, not only as your prophet, but your utmost Prophet in the Gospel, Gal. 1. 8. If we who are Apostles so miraculously called and countenanced from Heaven, and the Pope pretend's but to succeed one of them, and other false Teachers can surely but pretend to be like them, but if Peter himself, or any other Apostle, or an Angel from Heaven, or any Angel appearing as an Angel of Light, or any man of high and heavenly holiness, and power beyond the rate of other professors, if any such preach any other Gospel unto you, then that which we have preached and of that we have an account in their story and Epistles which therefore must be the touch-stone and boundary of any new teaching or Teachers, and if any such confine not himself to what the Apostles have preached, let him be accursed. Let him not be blessed or admired, let him not be believed, let him not be followed, but let him be 
Greek  anathematized, let him be 
Arab.  segregated, let him be as one that is excommunicate, that you have no communion with, nothing to do with. And lest this sharp sentence should seem to be spoken by Paul in his heat and hast, he saith it again in the next verse. Both these Verses are such a Thunder-bolt to the attempts of the false Prophet, that in times dangerous that way, Anastacius red them every day. And think not you, these last times to be privileged from such dangers, when the Dragon and Beast are stirring, watch against them and the false Prophet also, for he will be doing his part, and complying( its likely) in doctrine, and by degrees in worship, and we see in our day of trial that men which have been too high for the form of sound doctrine according to godliness, have easily bowed to forms of unsound worship; And it is no news, Matth. 24. 9, 10, 11. In time of great persecution, when Christians were imprisoned, slain, and hated of all Nations for Christ's names sake, and in times of great apostasy, Treachery and Division, when many offended, and betray one another, and hate one another, then many false Prophets shall arise, and with good success they shall deceive many. Satan who manageth all these temptations can make them all agree against thee, and therefore thou must also be agreed and resolved to keep strike Watch against the Dragon, the Beast, and the false Prophet also.   

THE SECOND WATCH-WORD, Or the Watching to the Duty of the LAST TIMES.  Jer. 50. 4, 5. In those dayes, and in that time, saith the Lord, the Children of Israel shall come, they and the Children of Judah together, going and weeping, they shall go and seek the Lord their God. They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves unto the Lord, in a perpetual Covenant, that shall not be forgotten 
HEre is a Prophetical Description of of Gods people in the Stature, Complexion and Feature they should grow to, relating to a certain time; of which time, and the Description relating to it, we must consider a little, that we may be edified by the Text.  
The time and dayes wherein the people of God shall attain to the Complexion described, you may know by the three first Verses of the Chapter, which show:  
1. This Word, or Sermon of Jeremy from the Lord to be against Babylon, Verse 1.  
2. The necessity of preaching, or publishing it's destruction, and this is in the beginning of the second Verse, Declare ye among the Nations, and though it might be no pleasing, and so no safe matter to preach of, now Babylon was in such power, yet publish and conceal not, Babylon is taken.  
3. Babylons ruin is amplified,  
1. By the vain help of her greater Idols ( Bel, Merodach) as well as her lesser, And,  
2. By the Instrument, out of the North there cometh a Nation against her, Vers. 3.  
3. The degree of Babels ruin, it is an utter destruction, that northern Nation shall make her land not only the City desolate,& none shal dwell therein, they shall remove, they shall depart, both Man and Beast.  
These are the dayes, and this the time wherein Gods people( called the Children of Israel and Judah) must be of such a Complexion as the Text gives a draft of; Yet for our improvement of the Text in these last dayes, it will be further inquired, whether it remaines only as a Doctrine to teach us some proportionable truth, or as a prophesy which is not fully answered. The latter I close with, that is, This prophesy, though it were in some degree answered, yet was it not accomplished to the uttermost, in dissolving the Babylonish Monarchy, contemporary to which, was the Jews return to their own Land. The reasons of this persuasion are,  
1. When this time is full, and this prophesy is evacuated, the City of Babylon, because of the wrath of the Lord, shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate, every one that goeth by Babylon, shall be astonished and hiss at thy plagues, Verse 13. As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and the neighbour Cities thereof, saith the Lord, so shall no man abide there, neither shall any Son of Man dwell there, Verse 40. So in the next Chapter, which is part of this prophesy, Verse 8. Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed, Verse 37. Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling place for Dragons, an astonishment and an hissing without an inhabitant. And the Land of Chaldea( whereof Babylon is the Mother-City) shall be made desolate, atd none shall dwell therein, they shall remove, they shall depart both Man and Beast, Verse 3. before the Text.  
But this Desolation of the City and Country, was not executed at the dissolving of the Babylonish Monarchy, for long after this City flourished in the Persian Monarchy, and the Greek Monarchy,( whose first Monarch Alexander died there) and in the time of the Roman Monarchy, when indeed it suffered decay by the Neighbourhood of Seleucia, of which Strabo( who in Tiberius time) saith it is greater then Babylon and Babylon 
{αβγδ}.  for the most part waste, and Pliny( who in Trajan's time) intimate's a decay, but it 
Doct. Heylin.  was repaired by the Saracens, and 
( b) Ferrarius saith, etiamnum regionis caput& seeds praefecti.  ( c) it is to this day a great City. The Tables indeed of Asia, set forth by Jacobus Castaldus, show the ruins of an old City near to Babylon, or Baldach( as it is now called) hence some conjecture is made, that the ancient Babylon is destroyed, and a new one near to it, called by the same name, or Baldach; but this is but a conjecture, and being granted, answers not this prophesy, for that Country or Land of Chaldea, is hereby supposed to be well inhabited, and this City the Metropolis of Chaldea but a little removed; if indeed it be removed, for Otto Frisingensis saith, the present Baldach or Babylon, is part of old Babylon.  
2. When this time prophesied of in the Text is full, the Children of Israel, or ten Tribes, do return as distinct from Judah; but in the return of the Jews, upon the fall of Babylon( which is past,) the Ten Tribes had no visible or considerable share, and were no distinct Body, those few of them that did return with the Jews, were as members of that Body, and might be only the offspring of them israelites, which went off to Judah in the good time of Rehoboam, many good people following the rejected Levites out of all the Tribes of Israel, 2 Chron. 11. 13, 14, 15, 16.  
3. The return of the Jews from old Babylon, can not fully answer this in the Text, for then they did not join to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant, never to b●… forgotten; as is here foretold, but the●… made so great a revolt that John Baptist●… work was to turn the hearts of the Childr●… to their Fathers, Mal. 4. last. that is to t●… Religion of their Fathers, which was no●… even lost, and so Luke 1. 17. the Ange●… interpret's the Children by disobedient, a●… to their Fathers by to the wisdom of t●… just.  
Wherefore this prophesy of Babylon ruin( and so the Churches retu●… thence) must reach to some other tim●… and some other Babylon, and the Scriptu●… leads us to look at spiritual Babylon, of much name in the book of the Revelatio●… for in the 18. Chapter, Verse 4. 5, 6, 〈…〉 21. 23. What is spoken in Jeremies pr●…phesie, Jer. 50 and 51. and what in Is●… 47. is applied to this spiritual Babylo●… which must be destroyed in the last time and if mystical or spiritual Babylon 〈…〉 meant here, then also spiritual Israel an●… Judah( and not only natural) that com●… out of the state of Babylon, and both a●… parts of the mystery of God, which ha●… been declared to his Servants the Prophet●… Rev. 10. 8. Thus much may suffice to clea●… the dayes and time unto which the description of the Church in the Text is fitted:  
Now for the Complexion, Stature and Feature of Gods people severed, delivered and returned from Babylon, it consists( as it is drawn in this Text) of seven lines or parts, which are as so many Doctrines.  

The First is Union of their differing parties, Israel and Judah together.  
The Second is Communion, let us join ourselves.  
The Third, Repenting, Praying, going and weeping.  
The Fourth, Enquiry after worship of Gods Institution, they will ask the way to Zion.  
Fiftly, Holiness and Spirituality in their Religion, seek the Lord, and join to the Lord.  
Sixthly, A practical Spirit, going and weeping, and ask the way with their faces thitherward.  
Seven●hly, A fixed, stayed frame, join to the Lord in a perpetual Govenant.   
I shall not at this time handle any of these Doctrines in particular, though they all deserve my own, and your most serious consideration, but all that I can now reach to is, to touch a little upon each Doctrine, in a word of Explication and Confirmation, and so make general use of them all.  
In the dayes and time of Babylons utter destruction, and the true Churches deliverance and departure thence, the members of the true Church, though formerly divided and differing, will unite. The Children of Israel, they and the Children of Judah together. Between these there had been much envy and vexation, much frowardness and crosseness, but now they will come together out of Babylon. By this Union I understand a knitting in affection and interest, so as Gods people may be capable of a joint departure from Babel, and a Communion among themselves in the matters of God. This Union of Gods people is necessary in the dayes and time of Babylon's utter ruin, because if they do not unite, they will be Babylon one to another, and this domestic Babylon will be worse and worse endured then foreign Babylon, whose destruction is expected.  
In the dayes of Babylon's fall, Gods people will have a holy and religious communion among themselves, they will make, and take good motions, they will be saying, Come and let us join ourselves to the Lord. It is a warm and profitable fellowship one with another in the things of God, whereby they will provoke one another to quit Babylon, and be serious in the main, and substance of true Religion. This Communion must be in the last dayes, for then the glory of Apostolical times w●ll revive, and then fellowship was one of the four standing Ordinances in the Church, Acts 2. 42. They continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship, and breaking of bread and prayer.  
Gods people in the day of Babylon's final fall, and their own deliverance thence, will be in a mourning, melting frame; they are weeping as they go out of Babylon. They will be much in repenting, fasting and prayer; much in humiliation for the sins that brought in Babylon, and that Babylon brought in. If their deliverance or exaltation come on not only in the hand of providence, but in the bosom of a promise( as their peculiar mercies do) then they must humble themselves under the mighty hand of God, 1 Peter 5. 6. and then he will exalt them in due time; It can not be the due time( and God will take no other) to deliver his people till they are sensible of his heavy hand chastening them, and their own provoking him.  
In those dayes of Babel's ruin and restauration, Gods people will be very inquisitive after Gods instituted Worship; they will ask the way to Zion, not which way to go back to Babylon, but which way to come off thoroughly from thence and on to Zion: that is, the Worship which is chosen and instituted by God, and so is pleasing to him, for none else can please him, neither can any Creature choose and carve out Worship to his mind, Psal. 78. 67, 68. He refused the Tabernacle of Joseph▪ But choose the Tribe of Judah, the moun●… Zion which he loved. This inquisitive frame after Gods instituted Worship is necessary in Christians at such a time▪ as an evidence of the former, For their repentance would not be true, if there were only a ceasing from the evil doings▪ the false Worship of Babylon, and not 〈…〉 learning to do well, to pay the true Worship of Zion which he loves, Isa. 1. 16. 17▪ And if Christians should only cease from the ways of Babylon, and not learn th●… paths of Zion, Atheism would prevail; and Christs design of breaking the yoke of Babylon and destroying it, is, not that 
Isa. 10  his anointed ones should run loose, as the wild ass, but that they should take up a sweeter yoke, for so is that of Christ's.  
In those dayes of Babylon's utter destruction, and the Churche's salvation, Gods people will be spiritual and holy, in and by all their Worship and Religion. They will go and seek the Lord their God, not fawn upon a party of Men, though they look to Zion▪( as not daring to despise his Wisdom and Care) yet they terminate not there, they sit not down in Zion, as content with joining to it, but come let us join ourselves unto the Lord. They will not be any longer so formal in the Ordinances of God but seek after the God of Ordinances. To seek the Lord himself is to aim at the enjoyment of him in peace and holinesse, to seek his favour and liking, and to seek his likeness; so to join themselves to the Lord, is to be upon terms of Reconciliation and Amity with him, and of Conformity to him, ●o his image and to his will. Now this spirituality and holinesse is necessary for true Christians in the dayes of Babylons fall, because carnal things( as worldly power, wealth and pleasure) and a carnal or formal possession of Ordinances, that well-favored Harlot,( that sits in the Temple of God,) hath to the height; and all she hath at the service of her lust; Therefore Gods people would be like her, and he should have no glory by her fall, if they should be carnal, and formal; if they be not spiritual and holy, the tribute and honour would be brought in to sin and satan and not to God. God would lose his due praise, and the end of his delivering his people; Covenant deliverance is for this purpose, Luke 2. 73, 74, 75 The Oath God swore to Abraham, was that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear in holinesse and righteousness.  
Gods people, in the time of their own deliverance, and Babylons full destruction, will be very real and practical; going and weeping, they shall go, not pray and sit still, but with their praying and fasting they advance in Reformation, they ask the way to Zion, with their faces thitherward, that is, steadfastly bent to practise what they can find out, and to walk in the ways of God they can discover; and they say, Come let us join, not go ye and join. This reality and practicalnesse of Christians, is their walking up to their principles and profession. And there is much equity that they should do so in the the last times, for then Christians expect that God should do with his hand, what he hath spoken with his mouth, that his mystery declared to his Prophets, should be finished, Rev. 10. 8. well then, may God expect of Christians, that they should also do with their hand, what they have spoken with their mouth, which hath made profession; that their preaching, and praising should not be high, and their practise low.  
When Babylon should be for ever destroyed, then Gods people shall be for ever established in all good ways, they will join themselves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten. They shall be no more so giddy and wavering, they shall not be for God in a good mood only, and when their deliverance is new and fresh; neither shall they be so childish and light to be tossed with every wave, and taken with every conceited opinion and practise, not making a Covenant one day, and breaking it the next, but they shall be of a stayed and stable frame, their Covenant shall be perpetual, and never forgotten. And this must needs be in the dayes of Babylons destruction, Babylon's or Antichrist's state, is a state of apostasy, by apostasy of Christians in Doctrine, Worship and Life, was the Antichristian Church bread, born, and kept up; if therefore Christians be not healed and delivered from a back-sliding spirit, then if the present Antichrist were destroyed, another would be breeding, and the walls of Babylon would be built again, and so the destruction and desolation thereof would not be perpetual, neither would the Kingdom of Christ be everlasting.  
Having thus taken a general prospect of the Text, and so a view of the frame and temper of Gods people in the time of Babel's utter desolation, and their own through recovery therefrom, let us make some use of the whole. I would make four uses of it.  
1. Use of Conviction. From hence take occasion to consider your spiritual estate, what is fit for such dayes and times we with the Text speak of. If the people and friends of Christ must be of such a frame and complexion as hath been declared, what great need then for you to be regenerate, for none of the first birth can reach to this complexion. We had need be new Creatures, for what should old Creatures do with, or in a new Heaven and a new Earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness: ye would be out of your Element, as a Fish on the dry Land, it would be a strange world to you; that which will be a Heaven to others( to see things so changed, and so savouring of holinesse, order, peace) will be a Hell to you, if you be not changed from your present old state, and the less any of you is renewed, the less are you fit for, and can you be joyous in that glorious restitution and reformation of the last dayes. The real, saving change of any one among you is a preparation for, as i● is a delineation of that blessed change in the last dayes; your true convers●on is an Epitome of it, as a child of a man, a man in a smaller letter and volume, so is your conversion in particular, a narrow draft of that great Reformation, which we look for at the last, and both have like expressions, 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature, old things are past away, the old Heaven or way of Religion which he took in his natural state, is past away, and the old Earth his former Conversation in the world with man, behold all things are become new, he is wonderfully changed and renewed in both, 18. And all things are of God, all this change in the man is beyond any created power, and is by a creating power, and therefore Isa. 65. he saith with the same note of wonder as in this of the Corinths, Behold I create new Heavens, and new Earth, that is as much as a new world, for the world consists of them two parts, and the Apostles all things, and new creature, answers the Prophets creating new Heaven, and new Earth, all these new things are not by human observation or resolution, nor common light, but they are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Iesus Christ. This is the reason of Gods putting forth his creating power a second time, for as man and all creatures fell under a curse, and so under vanity and disorder, by opposition and enmity to God in the first Adam, so this enmity being taken away by the second Adam, God makes him as it were the Head, Root, and Beginning of another world, another Creation, and every one that is( by conversion) of this new Creation hath thereby in some measure, his old disorders removed, and a new frame instead thereof. Wherefore ply this work of the new Creature, for ere long this new world or Creation will be written in Capital Letters, and you that are renewed will be a kinn to it, and have some seeds and beginnings thereof; But this reconciliation and renovation is brought about by means, for so it follows in the Apostles words all things are of God, reconciling us to himself, and giving to us the ministry, or ministration of reconciliation, so the original. And as this administration takes place with you, so you have the reconciliation and its happy consequents effectual for you or not. And therefore you are not to sit still and think all is done, but you are verse 20.( by those that minister this Reconciliation) entreated as by so many Ambassadors of peace to be reconciled to God, and know when they thus bespeak you, God bespeake's you, and Christ beseecheth you; And therefore these poor servants of Christ beseech you also that you would not receive this grace of God in vain, but harken to the Treaties of peace, while yet it is a time of Treaty and acceptance, 2 Cor. 6. 1, 2. This is that kindly improvement of Scripture prophesies for the last times, and it is peculiar to these divine prophecies, to have this divine virtue, and teaching in them to bring us nearer to God; other prophesies are not so improvable unto renovation. See the holy Spirit of God leading you to this improvement of divine and Scripture Prophesies or predictions, 2 Peter 3. 11. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved( the Heavens and the Earth, v. 10.) what manner of persons ought ye to be; Ye ought to be not the old Creatures which you were, but new Creatures; ye ought to be in a state answerable to so great a change in and of the world: and if you ask how shall this state be manifest in all holy conversation and godliness, that is,( as the Aethiop renders it) in the holy exercise of righteousness, the former speaking of a holy state and habit, this, of the acting from, and according to it; it also intimates a frequency of acts, and that of all kinds, for the Greek is in all holy conversations and pieties, and so the vulgar Latin and arabic translate, and the Syriack red, in your holy conversations, and the fear of God. Bring down all those strange predictions to yourselves, and your own concerns and practise. So after in 13, 14. We according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that you may be found of him in peace, that is, in a state of Reconciliation and Renovation, without spot and blameless, that is, in a practise and course suitable to such a state, and such expectation. Christ in his entertainment of his, keeps his best Wine for the last, John 2. but this new Wine, these best comforts he will not put into old Bottles, old Creatures, lest the Wine run out& be lost, and the Bottles perish; but he will put his new Wine into new Bottles, that both may be preserved, Matth 9. 17. If any of you not having a Wedding Garment, a renewed state for a renewed world, will crowd in& think to scramble for a share, you will be deceived, the Lord will spy you, and will meet with you and punish you, though you be not of them that oppose or persecute the Servants or Ministers of God that invite you, nor yet of them that openly and professedly despise and refuse the invitation: But if you be not agreeable in state and course to his excellent entertainment, he will find, and cast you out what friendship soever you profess to him and his. He will call such a one of you Friend, because of your pretention, but will use you as an Enemy, and cast you into utter darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Wherefore let me beseech you to mind this work of the new Creation, for yourselves and yours, in these last times, if there be a new world within you, a new world without will be good for you, and you for it; otherwise it would be an ill world for you, and you will be ill for and in it; To convince you of the necessity of minding this great work of a new World, or new Creation, in these last dayes, I would use Three Arguments.  
If you be not new Creatures, you cannot attain that make and complexion which Gods people shall be of, in the time of their full deliverance, and Babylons utter ruin.  
1. You cannot reach that Union which will be then among them, if you be unregenerate. It will be a beautiful face of the Church, as a pleasant mixture of white 
Psal. 133.  and read, with an excellent proportion of pats, but such, as while you are altogether in the flesh, you can not come near to, nor fall in with; for the ground of this Union is the Spirit, Eph. 4. 3. It is the unity of the Spirit: till therefore you are born of the Spirit, and have the same Spirit in you with other true Christians, you can not be a living member, you want ●… hat golden tack, which should fasten you 
Exo. 26. 6.  ●… o them, and make you one Tabernacle. While you are yet in the first Adam, and without Christ, you are aliens from the 
Eph. 2. 12.  Common-wealth of Israel. What is the Common-wealth and blessed time of Is●… aelites, can not be so for you; you ha●… king no inward Conjunction, no vital ●… igament with them, you being not one ●… ith them in Spirit and interest of that ●… ind, though you may be one with them ●… y some outward tie, one in the flesh, ●… ne in the side and party for some fleshly ●… espect, but this siding of yours with Is●… aelites, will not entitle you to the peace 
Gâl. 6.  ●… at is upon Israel, nor add any weight ●… ought it do a number to them, nay you ●… ay be a snare to them, as Exod. 12. 38. there was gnereb rab, a great mixed multitude, or as the Arab translates, an abundant promiscuous crowd, or as th●… Vulgar, an innumerable promiscuou●… throng. But this great mixture that wa●… awakened by wonderful plagues, to g●… with Israel out of Egypt, never came int●… Canaan, but hindered that generation o●… Israel from going in, as you may se●… Num. 11. 4. when another word is use for these mingled strangers, Asaphsep●… as if one should say in our English phras●… Omnium gatherum, this hotchpotch, th●… fell a lusting, their mouths watered afte●… the savoury meat of Egypt,( so it was t●… them) after they had for some time bee●… without it; they remember the Leeks, ●… nyons, and garlic of Egypt, and this kin●… less their lust, but they forget the plagu●… of Egypt, which might have quenched i●… And this fire in the mi●t multitude stay●… not in themselves, but takes hold of th●… Israelites, so that all the carcases of th●… one and other fell in the wilderness. you be yet strangers& not Israelites, n●… Christians indeed, though you go alo●… with such out of Egypt, out of Babylo●… yet you come not thoroughly out of Egyp●… out of Babylon, you bring it out with yo●… ●… n your hearts, you are out of Babylon, ●… ut Babylon is not out of you; if you be ●… ot in the belly of the Pope, the Pope is ●… n your belly. You that are carnal may ●… rove to the reforming people of God ●… ursed hang by's, you may be like pitch ●… o them, to defile them, and make the ●… ire of lust and wrath take hold of them. Hence come the great quarrels, murmurings, apostasies after Reformation ●… egun.  
2. If you be unrenewed, you are unfit for that spiritual Communion, which will be on foot among Gods people, in the last happy dayes. For what fellowship hath light with darkness? 2 Cor. 6. 14. When the Children are like themselves, that is spiritual, they are too bright for you to behold, they discover and torment you, so they are beyond your taste or skill, and bearing. Neither can you well dwell together, no more then the Fuller and the Collier, for the trade of the carnal man is to black, and defile himself and others: but of the true Christian, to cleanse heart and hand.  
3. If you be unregenerate, you are unfit for that weeping, that repenting praying frame, which Gods people will be in, at the time of their blessed deliverance You that have hearts of ston, how ca●… you melt and mourn? indeed as som●… stones before, or in wet weather, will hav●… a dampness or sweat, so may some unregenerate men at the terror of God Judgements, and Plagues on Antichris●… have a sweat, and horror upon them some relenting for the time,( as Pharoa●… himself had) but if you go so far, yet th●… heart of ston is a ston still, and as hard a●… ever. Therefore if you will weep with Gods people when they weep, and fast indeed with them when they fast, and tender, and rend your hearts as they, you must have this heart of ston taken away; which if it be done, and you do mourn with them when they mourn, you shall also rejoice with them when they rejoice.  
4. If you be unrenewed, you will not ask the way to Sion, but rather to Babylon, for that is down hill, and according to 
Isa. 2. 3.  your corrupt nature, whereas the way to Sion is up hill While you have only the Spirit of the world, 1 Cor. 2. 12. you will go with the world, and do as the most do; and your Pride will not bear it, that you should be to seek of your way, or that any should be better then you. This distinguishing one from another, or at least the distinguishing of any from the world, displeaseth you. This Christ tells his Disciples, concerning the world( and ●… t holds of all that are of it, and animated ●… y its Spirit) John 15. 19. Because ye are ●… ot of the world, but I have chosen you out ●… f the world, therefore the world hateth you. The formal or very reason of the world's ●… ate of Christians, and that which cutt's ●… o the heart is, that they are not one piece ●… ith the world, but are by Christ's graci●… us and powerful working, taken off from ●…, and this so done, that it falls into the ●… ye and observation of the world. You ●… herefore that are of the world,& left with ●…, you cannot endure that Sion should be Mountain, much less that it should, as must in the last dayes, be prepared on ●… e head of the Mountaines, for so the ●… eb●ew sounds, Isa. 2. 2 If it were but the ●… aching of a worldly interest, and building worldly Church( as Babylon is) you ●… old bear it, because it will bear with ●… ou; but if you be not admitted to the ●… uilding of Sion, the building of the ●… emple there, that building shall not be ●… dmitted by you, if you can help, or rather hinder it, Ezra 4. 2, 3, 4, 5. You may be Adversaries to th●… building of the Temple again, to th●… near as may be restoring of Ordinances as to the frame they were in, before B●… bilonish Captivity; You may be unwilling any such work should be in hand b●… if something of that kind be set on foo●… you may notwithstanding make fai●… weather to it, and say to building, to r●…forming Christians, Let us build with y●… for we seek your God. We have as tr●… a heart as the best, and we do sacrifice 〈…〉 him, we keep the Church, and say o●… prayers, ever since the dayes of Esarhado●… we do as our Fathers have done before u●… But those that are Jews indeed, true I●…raelites, and really the people of Go●… they will tell you another story, you ha●… nothing to do with us, to build an house our God, but we ourselves together w●… build unto the Lord. This will displea●… you that are unsound professors, that t●… upright unite among themselves, but n●… with you, we ourselves together will buil●… the 70 red {αβγδ} which is so oft●… used for the distinct, yet united admi●…stration of the primitive Church in 〈…〉 Acts. The sir. reads we apart, the ●… rab. we alone. Here will be the quarrel, if you be then strangers to the work of grace, and may not have your hand in in Sion's work, you will have a hand against it; and if you can do any thing in Court or Country against it, you will; And then woe to you, if in the last dayes you be found enemies to Jerusalem, if you will neede's set your shoulders against it, you will be cut in pieces. You will have a mind as the mixed multitude to make you a Captain or King,( as the Targum of Jonathan and Jerusalem) to have some leading men, that you may return to Egypt, see the sins aggravated in Neh▪ 9. 17. They refused to obey, neither were mindful 
Num. 14. 4  of the wonders that God had done among them, but hardened their necks,( against Gods yoke and conduct) and in their rebellion, appointed a Captain to return to their bondage. They did actually pitch upon a Captain, and not only speak of having one or other, and this, though it were to bondage.  
5. If you be not new Creatures, you will not with Gods people in the last dayes seek the Lord and his face, though the face of men; you will not join yourselves to him, though you will if you can for some by-end join yourselves to Sion: How can your dead heart hirst for th●… living God in his Ordinances, in appearing before him, Psalm 42. 2. Your carna●… mind is at enmity with God, and yo●… can not be hearty in comforming to hi●… will and mind.  
6. If you be not new Creatures, yo●… will not be real and practical as God people will be in the last dayes: for operation follows nature, if you be not created in Christ Jesus, you will not be fo●… good works indeed, Eph 2. 10. If God i●… Christ work not on you( this new Creation) you will not work for him. I●… you grant the form of godliness, you will deny the power of it, as many will d●… in the last dayes, 2 Tim. 3. 1, 5. If you speak of sin and Reformation, it will be but for fashion or factions sake; for being an old Creature, you will be for your old work, which is another work, another Trade, you will be a worker of iniquity, in the land of uprightness you will deal unjustly, and not behold the majesty of Jehovah, Isa. 26 10.  
7. A fixedness in good you can not have, if you have no root, if you have not the root of David, Rev. 5. 5. You can not have Davids fixed heart, Psalm 57. 7. He that hath root in himself, dureth but for a while, Matth. 13. 21. If sometimes you be of good mind, it is but for a fit and mood; and this goodness of yours will be but as a morning Cloud and early due, Hosea 6. 4. notwithstanding which all the Harvest may be burnt up. And if you be but chaff, what can be expected, but that you should be dirven up and down by the wind.  
This may more then suffice for the first Argument, to convince you of the necessity of your conversion in these last dayes, for else you can be no way fit for them, you have no part of that garment which Gods people will then wear; when Babylon shall be utterly ruined, and they thoroughly delivered.  
If you be not new Creatures, you will be of the Complexion of Babylon, the carnal earthly Church, that is to be destroyed; You will be like her in sin, and in Judgement; talk what you will against her. You are like her in sin, for Rev. 13. 2. The Beast to which the Dragon( the Roman Emperour) gives his seat, the City of Rome is like a Leopard, and that impenitency, if you remember Jer. 13▪ 23. Can the Leopard change his spots 〈…〉 And it is the spot and brand of the popis●… party, Revel. 1●. 9, When scorched unde●… the fourth vial, they blasphemed the nam●… of God, which hath power over these plague●… and they repented not to give him glory. The●… stomachs are too bog to confess the●… error, and to take shane to themselve●… and give God the glory of his justice an●… power; So under the fifth vial, verse 1●… They blasphemed the God of Heaven, b●…cause of their pains, and th●ir sores, an●… repented not of their deeds. So Revel 9. 20▪ The rest of the men that were not killed b●… these plagues, yet repented not of the work●… of their hands, that they should not worshi●… Devils and Idols, of gold, and silver, an●… brass. This is most likely to be of th●… popish party, which was not awakene●… by the Judgements of God in the Easter●… parts; for it cannot be of Turks or Jews▪ for neither of them have such images, a●… this Text speaks of, but the papists are full of them, and will not be warned to repent of that Idolatry. And this Scripture may answer, Revel. 2 21, 22. J●za●●●… which seduceth Christians to Fornicat●on●… and Idolatry, hath space given her to re●… ent, and she repented not; This Western Church is not under so quick a visitation ●… s the East, but she improves not this ●… place for Repentance. Now if you be of the same grain as Babylon, if you will ●… ot repent, and so are like her in sin, you will partake of her plagues; You will be 
Rev. 18. 4.  ●… ast into the same bed of Tribulation, if you be found in the same bed of Fornication. You will partake and bewail her ruin, if you partake of her sins, Rev. 18. 9. And the Kings of the earth who have committed Fornication, and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning. These Kings that have held communion with Babylon, must be( for ought I see) of the ten horns, who having given their strength to the Whore,( which is to commit Fornication with her, Prov. 31. 3▪) afterward hate and burn her, Rev. 17. 16. And that they should lament to see the smoke of that burning, which they themselves have kindled, is strange, and I know not the reason, except it be that they act upon other principles then true Repentance of their carnal Popish Religion; some quarrels and across interests may engage them in the work of burning Babylon, and then a●… the Israelites against Benjamin, be sorr●… they have gone so far. If any of yo●… happen( for it is but a hap on your par●… to oppose and destroy Babylon, and y●… repent not of her sins, you will certainl●… repent of the opposition and ruin th●… you have made; you will be weepin●… over her when better souls v. 20. will an●… must rejoice over her, because God hath●…venged them on her; then will that 〈…〉 performed which is promised, Isa. 65. 13▪ 14. Gods servants will eat and drink, whe●… ye will be hungry and thirsty; they will rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed, they shall sin●… for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorro●… of heart, and ye shall howl for vexation o●… spirit.  
Wherefore be persuaded rather now t●… repent and be ashamed, with such repentance and shane as may end in that jo●… and glory of Gods servants; Come no●… to Christ for life, lest he come against yo●… for death; now take hold of his grac●… lest his wrath take hold of you. It is certain, if you be not now delivered by him, you can not hereafter be delivered from him. You may haply have other conceits, and in confidence of your good estate, and your being Protestants, impatiently long for, and talk of the Kingdom of Christ, and the throwing down of Romish Babylon; but if you be not such as Christ expects in that day( our Text hath  told you what) then will not he or his day be such as you expect. Think well of that Scripture which is for this purpose, Amos 5. 18, 19, 20. Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord, when this desire is not upon a change of heart, and in love to God and his glory, but rather for a change of your outward condition, being someway discontented and weary of your present, ●… o what end is it for you? what will such as ●… ou be the better for it, the day of the Lord ●… s darkness and not light; As if a man did flee from a Lion and a Bear meet him; Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness and not light, even very dark and no brightness in it, no Comfort nor help to you, and may be no time of Conversion and acceptance to you, that have resisted the Holy Ghost in all his strivings, by former means of grace by the word& works of God. When the Lord Jesus comes to take vengeance on them that have not obeied his Gospel, shall that slight professor and Mountebank-Christian be able to hold up then? hear what a mere pretender to the true God saith on the foresight of such a day, Num. 24. 23. Alas! Who shall live when God doth this? It is not every one that saith Lord▪ Lord; it will be but a few, many grea●… talkers, will not be able to escape, an●… let thee and I say, am I in a condition t 〈…〉 escape in that day? If we be not sound a●… heart, how confident soever we be now we shall tremble then, Isa. 33. 14, 15▪ The sinners in Sion who live in Sion an●… in their sins, be never truly changed suc●… are afraid. fearfulness hath surprised th●… hypocrites, who among us shall dwell wit●… the devouring fire; who shall bear those dreadful Judgements of God. He tha●… walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly▪ This shows the fire not to be of hell, for no upright ones dwell there. Say therefore in a holy fear of God, Mal. 3. 2. Wh●… may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth. Not many for he his like a refiners fire; if then, I be but dross sticking to true Christians, I shall be consumed by this fire: and like a fullers soap, if than I be but dirt that sticks to the wool, J shall be scoured and washed a way. If you be of them, that fear the name of God, and so tremble at his word& works, as to come in, and be at 
Mal. 3.  peace before his wrath break out, Christ's day will arise upon you, with healing in his wings, the Sun of righteousness that will rise that day so terrible to others, will cheerfully, gloriously down upon you, and heal all your ails; otherwise he comes with wounds, for the hairy ●… calpe of such a one that goeth on still in his Trespasses, Psalm 68.  
3. Arg. To persuade you in these times to answer the call of Christ, is, The favourable season you have for it. It seems to be as the eleventh hour, the latter end of the 
Mat. 20. 6.  Gospel's day, and yet if at last you will take entertainment with him, he will deal as bountifully with you that have loitered so long as those that came in at the first. This his bounty should be wonderful in your eye, for it is so in every other eye that looke's upon it. It is more then you could expect, and then men can bear, their eye is not good enough to see and endure it, much less to do so. When Christ is about to ascend his Throne, that he may reward his labouring servants, and punish his froward adversaries, now to offer peace to you, after your so long neglect and opposition●… Rev. 14. 6, 7, 8. The everlasting gospel not extinct by popish corruptions i●… preached, persuading to fear God, an●… give glory to him, for the hour of his judgement is come. Oh let this marvelous condescension and sweetness of Christ bo●… your stubborn hearts. Now kiss the So●… lest he be angry, and ye perish from th●… way. You have been bidden formerly 
Psalm. 2.  you have had your first invitations, Luk●… 14. 16. and these you have not answered▪ Matth. 22. 3. but now the Lord sends hi●… servant at supper time, Luke 14 17. to say▪ come, for all things are now ready. Ther●… is now no more time to dally, to delay▪ are you only not ready, when all thing●… else are ready? Is mercy and grace ready for you, and are not you ready for it? Doth the door of grace as yet stand open to you, and is the door of your heart yet shut to grace? You have been called upon to buy Wine and Milk without money, and 
Isa. 55.  it hath been with you but a dull and dead Market, but now that Market may be ending, now all may be patcking up, therefore tarry not. If now you will not trade, the servants of Christ which have so long negotiated for him to no purpose, may go ●… nd complain to their Lord, here is no ●… oing for us, here is scarce any that heapen's our commodities, sand us Lord whither thou wilt sand us. When the ●… ewes out stood their Market, and refused ●… he gospel till there was no remedy, the ●… ervants of Christ professed it, lo we turn ●… o the Gentiles. Wherefore before the 
Act. 13. 16  ●… oor be shut, press hard to get in; in●… eat the Lord, before he depart, to save ●… ne soul more.  
To give aim for our intelligence in ●… ings to come to pass in the world, about ●… e destruction of Babylon, and the ●… orough Reformation and deliverance 〈…〉 the Protestant Churches. If we grow ●… to this stature and feature in the Text; ●… Union, Communion, Repentance, &c.) ●… ose great things of the ruin of Anti●… wrist, and the reign of Christ can not be ●… rr off. Those signs and unusual ap●… arances that we are ascertained of in ●… e Heavens, Earth or Waters, must have ●… eir due regard as the works of God, ●… ho will be reverenced therein; They ●… ay show us that God is doing some ●… eat and extraordinary things in the ●… orld, but we shall hardly know from ●… ence what, when or where. We have a more sure word of prophesy, to which we shall do well to give the greatest heed to know what is coming upon the Earth let us rather look on the face of our fouls then the face of the firmament. One sig●… from Heaven in the hearts of Christians is better then many signs in the Heave●… over the●r heads only. Some carry a●… almanac in their bones, to tell the●… what weather is coming, and surel●… Christians do carry an almanac in thei●… hearts, and by the frame of them, may( according to the Word of Truth) b●… weather-wise, may know what is coming upon us in these dayes. As God would not hid from Abraham, what he was about to do against Sodom, so neither from the Children of Abraham( that walk i●… his steps, and will be faithful to promo●… Gods interest in he world) will God hid●… 
Gen. 18 17, 19.  what he is about to do against Antichrist or spiritual Sodom in these last dayes When Gods people do grow up to the wholesome Constitution of a godly fruitful Union, in Repentance and prayer, i●… a conscientious regard to instituted and spiritual worship, in a practical a●… stable following of God; when the people of God( though yet weak and tender do put forth these leaves, ye may know that the Summer is nigh, ye may know that 
Mat. 24. 32, 33.  their deliverance is near, and even at the doors; For these are the signs( precedent or concomitant) which God hath given thereof, and that you may rest assured of the Intelligence you get this way, you have in the Text the word of Jehovah himself, who gives being to all his promises; In those dayes, and in that time saith Jehovah. You shall not be put to such uncertainties, as in other intelligence, such a one reported, and another heard such a one say, and some conclude this or that, from such a sign or wonder. But Jehovah, who is of unquestionable truth saith this.  
To persuade us patiently to wait for this seasonable destruction of Babylon, and deliverance of the true Israel of God. Ye have need of patience, For yet a little 
Heb. 10. 36, 37, 38.  while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith, God will avenge his own Elect, 
Luke 18. 7, 8.  though he bear long with them. Christ( who is the faithful one, the Amen, most sure in his word) saith, I tell you, that he will avenge them speedily, but when the Son of man cometh( to execute this vengeance of God upon the enemies of his elect) shall he find faith on the earth? Friends or foes will scarce believe that he will come to do any such work. I would help the faith, and so the patience of you that are Christ's friends, that you may live; and the serious consideration of the Text, will afford much help to your faith& patience▪ and so to keep you alive in the last times, The Text tell's you when it is seasonable, for Christ to come and dispatch this work against Babel, and for Sion, and if he stays not after this season, he doth not tarry, h●… is not behind hand, as the word signifie●… in — Habacuc, whence the Apostle 
Hab 2. 3. Jeacher.  quotes his, and there the first tarry, in our translation is not the same with the later; and the Chald. opens that, wai●… for it, because it or he will surely come, will come in his time, the time which he had said was appointed, that is the fit time, the season. The Apostle, 2 Thes. 2. 8. makes two times or degrees of the fall o●… Antichrist, there is a consuming or wasting by the Spirit of his mouth, by the powerful administration of his word, and then there is a destroying of him by th●… brightness or dawning of his coming. Now to keep Christians from the faith an●… comfort of this coming of Christ, Satau dath endeavoured to discredit, to antecate, or to baffle or null it.  
1. He hath sought to discredit this appearing of Christ by false fires, and a●… arms, false appearing that so this true appearing may not be regarded. As they ●… hat in the fable, were oft mocked by he ●… he boyes, crying out the wolf, the wolf, at last when indeed the wolf ●… ame, they would not believe it, nor prepare for it. Thus Satan at several times hath raised rumors and false cries of the ●… omming of Christ, that men might give ●… o heed to his coming indeed. Christ warns his Disciples of this juggle of Sa●… an, Matth. 24. 23, unto the 28. At this ●… 3. verse, it is thought our Lord begins ●… o answer to the second question pro●… ounded by his Disciples in the third ●… erse, what shall be the sign of thy coming? ●… o which he answers that there will be ●… any false appearances, some particular ●… en will report that Christ is here or ●… ere, and though these pretended Christ's ●… r their Prophets, should show great ●… gnes and wonders, yet believe not them, ●… ut the true Christ that hath  told you be re, they should do so. If any men pretend that he is in any remote solitary place, or that in some private meeting and retirement, you must not believe it. Fo●… Christ's real coming will not be any suc●… secret or doubtful business, not a smal●… Candle or blaze, but clear and universal●… as a through lightning that pierceth a●… places speedily, and all good hearts wi●… be assured of his coming and gather 〈…〉 him.  
2. There hath been an antedating 〈…〉 this coming of Christ, an over hasty e●…pecting of it; and this being disappoin●…ed, the faith and comfort of this appea●…ing of Christ, must needs be weakened, f●… this making hast is contrary to fait●… and faith unto it. As he that believe●… will not make hast, will wait and allo●… God his time to perform, so he that w●… 
Isa. 28. 16.  make hast believeth not; so far as he hasty and must needs have things do●… presently, so far he is in doubt, in u●…belief of the certainty of performan●… This hasty antedating of Christ's appe●…ing, seems to be the weakness or wo●… of Christians in our times, and no wond●… for it hath been so, long since in Chri●…ans that were a great deal farther o●… Luke 19. 11. When Christ was drawi●… near to the place and time of his suffering, then his Disciples thought that the Kingdom of God should immediately appear. So some Disciples now a dayes, when they are nearest to their greatest sufferings with Christ, may in their conceit skip that hard lesson, and look for an immediate, sudden reigning with Christ. And though the Disciples then were sufficiently confuted in that their hasty expectation, yet as soon as the great plunge of the across was over, and Christ was risen, their former weakness riseth also, and they are at the same hasty frame again, Acts 1. 6. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And although this weakness were then checked in the Apostles, yet they lived to see it, and worse, spring up in others who pretend some of them, a revelation, some an Apostolical Tradition( either by some secret word, or by some secret writing) for this conceit of theirs, that Christ's day was forthwith to come; against which weak conceit or wily deceit, one of the Apostles is forced to use a vehement dehortation, and that from the true appearing of Christ, as they valued and expected that real appearing, so not to regard this imaginary one, 2 Thess. 2. 1, 2, 3. Now we beseech you Brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye b●… not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by Spirit, nor by Word, nor by Letter▪ as from us, as that the day of Christ is a●… hand. Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come, excep●… there come a falling away first, &c. As if h●… should say, Christ will not have his glorious day,( never to be shut up by night) till Antichrist have his day, which mus●… end in everlasting darkness. And if i●… our dayes our subtle adversary, as an Angel of Light prevail so far with any to antedate the coming of Christ, and allege any Revelation or Vision for it, our Lord hath here provided an Antidote against the poison and trouble of this Antedate.  
3. satan hath of old, and so may now prevail with some against this truth of Christ's appearing, not onely to disbelieve, but to scorn it as a mere fancy, because of the delay, and may be because of the former mistakes. And wicked hearts of these last times, have more of the one, and other occasion to feed their profaneness, 2 Peter 3. 3, 4. There shall come in the last dayes scoffers, walking after their own Lusts; And saying, where is the promise of his coming? for since the Fathers fell a sleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning.  
Now against all these designs of satan, I propound in this third use a patient waiting with a quiet spirit, for the appearing of Christ to destroy his, and his Churches great opposite, and to deliver his people. Let us wait for his doing both, when his people are ready for them, as our Text declare's.  
1. Arg. If these works of Babylon's destruction, and Israels deliverance should not be done in season, they would loose 
Sept. {αβγδ}.  their Beauty, Eccles. 3. 11. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time, that is, in it's season, and the season only is Gods time. The Chaldee paraphrast gives an instance, The breach of the Ten Tribes from the other, might not be when Sheba the Son of Bichri attempted it, because the Temple for all the house of Israel might have been hindered in the building and use. It is most certain truth that God is a wise worker, and will not by the importunity or confidence of any be drawn to mar the beauty of his works to do them overhastily, that is unseasonably. There is a certain due time for the destruction of Antichrist, 2 Thes. 
{αβγδ}.  2. 6. He must be revealed in his time, in the season that is suited to him,& his revealing is in order to to his consuming and destroying. So of Israel's enemy which may be Antichrist,( as compared with Sodom) God saith, Deut. 32. 35. To me belongeth 
Deut. 32. 32. with Rev. 11.  vengeance and recompense; therefore ye my people must not prescribe▪ what, how, or when it must be dispensed▪ this is not your jurisdiction, their foot shal●… slide in due time, the enemies of the Church seem to take firm footing, so tha●… none can move them by their pushing▪ nor trip up their heel, but when it is a f●… time their feet shall fail them, they shal●… trip, for the day of their calamity is at hand, there is a day appointed, and the thing: that shall come upon them make hast. If y●… would know by what tokens this day o●… calamity may be discerned, it follows ver. 36. For the Lord shall judge his people, in chastening of them, and so awakening them to judge themselves, and repen●… himself for his Servants; They repent themselves of their provoking him, and he( in his manner) of his being provoked, When he seeth that their power is gone, their hand is gone, saith the Hebrew, they have no hand of their own to lift them up, there is none shut up or left, no reserve at home, or escaped abroad, which( as one Translation) can help 
Syriac.  or support. Here we see that there is a certain season, to which God referreth both the destruction of the enemy, and the deliverance of his people. For the later( the deliverance of the Church) it is further testified, that there is a certain season, and God hath not promised it in any other time, 1 Peter 5. 6. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. When mercy comes in a promise, it comes in the greatest worth, and it never comes in a promise but when in due time. The due time is not as soon as you want it, but when Christ( who can best weigh all circumstances) seeth fit, John 2. 3, 4, 5. When the Mother of Jesus, espied that her friend wanted Wine, she presently tells Jesus, expecting as present a supply. But he will not be put out of his place, or time by any, though never so dear and near to him; He saith Woman, what have I 〈…〉 do with thee, mine hour is not yet come, i●… was coming but not come, his season of showing his extraordinary power; an●… whosoever will set him a time for that make too bold with him. Therefore your best way in this case, is to be quiet and do your duty, as she saith to them there, Whatsoever he saith unto you do it. If you are in this posture, you shall have your Wine, your comfort, your deliverance, when it will be richest, and of the best relish. Appear you in a way of waiting and obedience in your time, and Christ will appear in a way of power in his, 1 Tim 6. 14, 15. Keep this Commandement, ordering you in matters of the Church, and of common conversation, without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing 
{αβγδ}.  of our Lord Jesus, which in his times proper seasons, that is, his forebounded times, he shall show who is the blessed, and onely Potentate, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. Christ will not 
Arab.  do his great works toward the end of the world, in improper and unfit times; any time will not serve turn, none but the proper time, for then will his works be ●… n the fairest and best appearance; therefore quietly wait on him, for the fulfilling them in the season.  
2. Arg. This quiet waiting is the more ●… ikely way to attain the destruction of Babylon, and deliverance of the Church, Psalm 37. 9. Evil doers shall be cut off, ●… ut those that wait upon the Lord they shall ●… nherit the earth, verse 11. The meek shall ●… nherit the earth. Yea, those that with a meek spirit wait till God destroy Baby●… on, are most likely to know it, Jer. 51. ●… 9. The prophesy against Babylon is committed to Serajah, and Serajah was a quiet Prince. Another man of a turbulent spi●… it, would not have waited for Gods time ●… nd way of performing the prophesy; but ●… old have been making Commotions, ●… nd this prophesy the occasion and de●… ence of them. And if the quiet waiting ●… sraelite be the Cabinet in which the pro●… hecy of Babylon's destruction is deposited, then is he also nearest to the possessi●… n of that mercy; before these promises ●… f God( of Babylon's ruin and the Churches salvation, for they are both ●… romises to the Church) are brought forth ●… unto performance, by faith and patience ●… e are brought as near as possible to possession, Heb. 11. 13. These all dyed i●… faith, not having received the promises, bu●… having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them and embraced them. Yo●… may have the promises of the last daye●… in your bosom, and embraces, thoug●… not in your hand; You may have the comfort of them, living and dying in the fait●… of them, and quiet waiting for them though you never live to see the perfo●…mance.  
3. Arg. Unquiet hasty spirits, do n●… contribute to Babylon's destructio●… but their own, and do rather obstru●… then promote Sion's deliverance; and a●… indeed more likely to eye& follow thei●… own advantage, then the good whic●… they pretend, as you may see Dan 11. 1●… The robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision, but they sha●… not prosper. Though they pretend God predictions of such a deliverance, and s●… are forward in great undertakings, y●… are they likely to intend themselves, th●… feathering of their own nests, the robbin●… and spoiling of others,& enriching themselves, but they thrive accordingly in th●… conclusion, they prosper not. And it is mercy that such prosper not in thei●… selfiish and unseasonable attempts, of establishing the prophesies against Babylon, or for Sion. If such hasty hands should tear unripe fruit from the three of Providence, what would such unripe& unseasonable deliverances breed, but crudities& worms, a raw temper& not a healthful one; and our heavenly father loves us never the less, for denying the gathering& tasting such fruit, it may be if we did taste it, after a bite we should throw it away, Numb. 14. to the end. Those murmurers that would not enter when they might, now nere 40 years before the time they rise up early,( but never the near) and got them up to the top of the Mountain, saying, lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised. But Moses and the Ark of God, and so the sober part of the people, went not up with these wilful adventurers, who miscarry in their enterprise, And it was well they did, for if such an unruly, mutinous, ungodly generation, had gone into Canaan, what sad work would they have made of it? If a child that is Heir to an estate, should have it in hand before he come to years of discretion, he would haply spoil the state and himself also. Christians are not yet grown up to years of discretion, an●… therefore it is not good in the eyes o●… their Father to put such an estate, as som●… hast after, into their hand, though he ma●… intend if for them another day. If Babylon were utterly destroyed, and the Protestants( even the most real of them) ha●… the power of the world in their hand●… what should they do with it; so far as w●… yet see, they could no more walk with i●… then little David could in Saul's armour●… which was too bog and cumber som●… 
1 Sam. 17.  for him, neither had he proved it; so neither have they any experience in such 〈…〉 matter, neither are they grown to a stature of gifts and graces for such a thing●… their spirit is not able to do the work, no●… bear up under the Temptation of such 〈…〉 state. And let a state be never so gay if it be not fit for Christians, it is not useful, and so not desirable, as a shoe tha●… is richly embroidered with gold, and be set with pearls, yet if it fit not the foot, 〈…〉 man can not make the proper use of it▪ can not go in it, though his teeth wate●… at that gaudy thing. Let Apparel be neve●… so royal and splendid, yet if it be not fit▪ it will not become nor serve him that put's it on. Nay the reaching after such 〈…〉 state before the fit time( though there ●… e a time reserved for it) tends not to the ●… dvantage, but loss of the thing, and them ●… hat so unseasonably catch at it, 1 Chron. ●… 7. 21. The Son's of Ephraim might know ●… here was a time when God would give ●… he Canaanites into the hands of Israel, but they adventuring before the time, fell ●… n the undertaking. The Town of Veli●… rae in Italy, had their walls touched with Lightning from Heaven, which was in●… erpreted by their Wise men, to signify ●… hat a Citizen of theirs should have the Empire, whereupon they then, and often ●… ade war with the Romans, to their ●… wn disappointment and loss; but at last Augustus that was born there, obtained ●… he Empire. The Jews also, upon mi●… ache of some predictions of their ●… aving the dominion, did often rise ●… arms to their fall. It hath been one ●… f the English vanities, to be credulous ●… f pretended prophecies, and thereby in●… aging in evil and ruinous designs, as is ●… bserved by Mr. Fox and others. The Duke of Buckingham in Henry the 8. time, ●… as so cozened into foolish dreams of a 
Sir John Hayward, Edw. 6,  Crown, as to loose his Head. In Edward ●… he 6. time, there was a prophesy that the King, Nobility and Gentry should b●… destroyed, and 4. Governours should b●… in their stead, which was the ground o●… an insurection. Now the uprightness●… of a Christian is to watch against the s●… that is his, by his national, as well as h●… personal, or vocationall complexion. Th●… Professors in Crete must know and avoi●… 
Tit. 1.  the common sins of the Cretians; so mu●… professors in England the sins and van●…tie of the English, whereof this is one, g●…ving heed to uncertain prophecies, an●… thereupon engaging in sinful or doubtf●… designs to accomplish what is so for●…told, instead of waiting for Gods counsel●… And this hasty urging of providence, an●… 
Psalm 106. 13, 14, 15.  not waiting on the Divine Will a●… wisdom, doth argue forgetting Go●… former Work, and brings in a lusting exceedingly in the wilderness, and a temptio●… God in the desert, and he gave them their r●…quest, but sent leanness into their souls.〈…〉 God do yield any thing to this eager lu●… and desire, it is only the present feedin●… and flattering their carcase, but in th●… best part of you( your souls) you wi●… not thrive, or be the better but the worse so that in this our usual saying is gain said, you fare not the better but the worse by coming sooner. Wherefore I would conclude this Use, with that earnest persuasive of the Church, Can. 2. 7. I charge you, O ye Daughters of Jerusalem, if ye be professors of, or well wishers to the truth, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, as ye look for any comfort and content in your life, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love till he please. That ye do not over-hale Christ, and think to draw him to do his mighty works before the season; in such a sense the Chaldee Paraphrast interprets this Scripture, counting the over-hasty outfall of the Sons of Ephraim, 
1 Chro. 7.  in Egypt on the philistines, and of the wilful Israelites in the wilderness, on 
Num. 14.  the Amalekites and Canaanites, to be a transgression of this rule. And( Beloved) you may( by holy reason) reason your souls into a patient waiting on Christ, till this hour and season of doing his works is come, for if your Lord himself be willing to wait for his Kingdom, and to suffer yet a while Antichrist and his followers, 
Heb. 10. 1. Henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.  to usurp, on his right and throne, instead of being his footstool; if he be willing as yet to wait for his throne, how much more are ye obliged that are but his attendants, to be content to wait his time, it will be contrary to duty and manners to over hale our Lord, or go before him, and not suffer him to take his own time, to make and pursue his claim, who is sovereign in wisdom as well as in power, Kingdom and glory to do it.  
Take great heed and care about the work of your generation, which may be the promoting of Babylon's destruction and Sion's deliverance. In this,  

1. Take heed of false work, and  
2. To your true work.   
1. Take heed of false work, of which you are in danger, to which you will have temptation specially in the case mentioned. Psalm 125. 3. The rod of the wicke●… shall not rest, or( 
Heb. Chald. ) be quiet, acquiesce, be still without disturbance, upon the ●●●… of the righteous, lest the righteous put forth their hands to iniquity. If the Rod,( the strokes of the wicked pesecuter) seem to continue long, and rest on you without any check, as though it were in it's proper place, and where it must all way be, yet for your own deliverance and their punishment, which are good, do not put put forth your hand to evil, do not st●eine your Conscience beyond what is lawful and usual with you; And to tie up your hands from iniquity, from evil means of accomplishing these good ends, Consider,  
1. That Christ will not, needs not have his right by your doing wrong; though other Empires have been founded in iniquity, in unrighteousness, Cruelty, and Perfideousnesse, yet Christ will not go these steps to his Throne, as he will use so will he get his Kingdom well, Psalm 89. 14 Justice and Judgement, righteousness and wisdom, the habitation of thy Throne, such will the constant management of his Kingdom be, and he will come to it by means agreeable hereto, for mercy and truth go before thy face. If your procedure be not in mercy and truth, you are nor fit Harbingers for this King and Kingdom you pretend to.  
2. To keep your hand from iniquity, yea, from being too busy, consider that some Scriptures do hint that little of man, little of the best of men( in their worldly might) will be used in setting up Christs Kingdom, Dan. 2. 44, 45. The God of Heaven will set up a Kingdom, and this was intimated in the vision, forasmuch as thou sawest that the ston was cut out of the Mountain without hands Christ in this may be typed out by that mighty Champion Eleazar, which signifie's the help 〈…〉 God, 2 Sam. 23. 10. He arose and smote t●… philistines, and the Lord wrought a gre●… victory that day, and the people return●… after him only to spoil. Christ alone 〈…〉 some mighty work, may give the blo●… and defeat the Enemy, so that his fo●…lowers have nothing to do but purs●… and enjoy what he hath done; and we 〈…〉 find his people united, not fighting, b●… pursuing, Isa. 11. 13, 14. They shall upon the shoulders, not the faces of 〈…〉 Philistines Christ by his terrors, or th●… own blind quarrels, or infatuated co●…sels, may put them to a rout; how l●…tle was it Israel did by number 〈…〉 strength, to put the Midianites to ro●… and flight? Judges 7. It cost them n●… one blow of their hands, but the Th●… Hundred Israelites blew the Trumpets, a●… broke their pitchers, and all the Host 〈…〉 and cried and fled, and the Lord set ev●… mans sword against his fellow, even throug●… out all the Host. And Christ's deliveran●… of his people from those that have ensl●…ed, and tyranously oppressed them, said to be after this manner, Isa. 9. Thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, a●… ●… he staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppres●… our, as in the day of Midian, Isa. 10. 26. The Lord will stir up a scourge for him, ●… or the Assyrian, which the stock on which the Babylonian was graffed, and Babylon is counted by( 
C. Stephanus. ) some Authors ●… e Metropolis of Assyria,( 
Pliny. ) and Assy●… ia from it called Babylonia, and( 
2 Chr. 33 11. ) King ●… f Babylon called King of Assyria, according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock ●… f Oreb, and that slaughter at Oreb was ●… y the Ephraimites, who were onely used a pursuing, not getting the victory. It may be the Lord Jesus will not use his own people much in the foul drudgery of the first cutting down of their enemies, ●… or in the mean work of digging pits, ●… r hiding snares, laying plots for them, ●… ut his people being out of sight, he will ●… e seen in destroying them by themselves, ●… s is expressed in a Psalm that speaks of ●… he destruction of Antichrist, Psalm 9. ●… itle, upon muth labben the death of the Son, what Son but the Son of Perdition, 
2 Thes. 2.  now of the way of his perdition it is said, Verse 15, 16. The Heathen for so Apostate Idolatrous professors are called, 
Rev. 11. 2.  are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hide, is their own foot taken. The Lord is known by the Judgeme●… which be executeth, the wicked is snar●… in the work of his own hands, Higgaio●… Selah, This will be much for the glor●… of Christ as God, that the destructio●… of his great Antichristian Adversary will be very much by their own plots, d●…signes and party. Those Kings may wo●… the ruin of Babylon, which may afterwa●… 
Rev. 17. 16 with 18. 9. 2 Kings 9. 32. 33. Rev. 2. 20.  bewail it; And this painted Harlot Jez●…bel may be thrown to the Dogs, by tho●… that formerly have been so unman●… such Eunuchs as to be her slaves. This 〈…〉 some other way, God will rain snare●… fire and brimstone, and an horrible temp●… upon the wicked. Therefore take he●… 
Psal. 11. 6.  of false and mistaken work in these l●… dayes, to bring about the destruction 〈…〉 Babylon, or the deliverance of Sion.  
But secondly, take good heed to you true, sure work, which is cut out for yo●… in this Text, it is to put on that frame, th●… garment in which Christ expects you when he comes to destroy Babylon an●… deliver his Church, be putting on Union Communion, Sack-cloth,( or serio●… mourning and supplication) be puttin●… forward in Reformation of Worship according to the mind of God, be with you●… spirits pressing through the Acts of Worship to the Divine Object of it, be doing Christians( every day practising what you are every day learning) and be established, grounded Christians, not weather-cocks. Would you fain have the promised deliverances, you will hasten them by suffering and doing the Will of God, Heb. 10. 36. Ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the Will of God, ye may receive the promise. The more earnest you are in receiving the Commands of God for these last times, the more near you are to receive the promises of them. When the marriage of the Lamb is come, and so 
Rev. 19 7, 20.  Christ comes as a bridegroom to his Church,& as a terrible conqueror too, against the Beast and false prophet,& their partakers, then the Lambs Wife the Church hath made her self ready O that ye would be making yourselves ready, and be among those blessed ones, that are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb, and you must come in a frame suitable to the marriage; and till you are ready, it is well for you that the Lords comes not to rule 
15. Verse.  the Nations with a rod of iron. The Lord 
2 Pet 3. 9.  is not slacken concerning his promise, but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish. If he should not stay till you are ready, if he come upon you while you are quarreling, carnally secure, superstitious, hypocritical, &c. What would become of you? Be you therefore putting yourselves into a posture for this coming of Christ, and this is to look for, and hast unto the coming of the day of God. When 
Verse 12.  the Disciples were much in the thoughts of the immediate appearing of the Kingdom 
Luke 19. 11, 12, 20, 27.  of God, Christ tells them the parable of the Talents, thereby turning their thoughts and endeavours to their proper and profitable business, and what was theirs is your much more, by how much the nearer that Kingdom is; Wherefore think often, my Lord is coming, what Trade do I drive for him in the world, what am I doing? am I in a way that I may be glad at his coming, when not only the Antichristian party, but the slothful professor will perish? When Peter is in the way of deliverance, and his chains fall off, he must 
Acts 12. 7, 8.  do as he is bidden, he must gird himself, and bind on his sandals, make himself ready to walk after his deliverer, cast thy garment about thee and follow me. If you will be in a way of deliverance, you must be in a way of obedience to, and compliance with your deliverer. Do you believe deliverance is a breeding, you must be diligent to know and observe what conduceth to the accomplishing and management of it, as Manoah about samson. You reprieve the Enemy, while you 
judge. 13.  neglect the Work God expects and designs in his people; for the Lord will 
Isa. 10. 11.  perform his whole work, he will not do it by halves upon Mount Sion, and then punish the stout heart of the King of Assyria. When he hath made his Church bend and yield to him, then he will break the sturdy unyeilding Enemy. You hinder the work without, while you slacken that within. Be awakened to such duty as will further your deliverance, and so receive that Exhortation; Deliver thyself O Sion, that dwellest with the Daughter of Babylon. 
Zech. 2. 7.  And be not as an unwise Son, that stay's long in the birth; that is every way 
Hos. 13. 13  dangerous, to Mother and Child to you and your generation. Moses avenged the Israelite that was oppressed, and smote 
Acts 7. 24, 25, 30.  the Egyptian, for he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them, but they understood not. Their deliverance was ready for them, but they not making themselves ready for it, nor complying with the tenders thereof, they are put back forty years, for so long did Moses continue in Midian, and they in Egypt. In like manner afterward, when the Israelites had as it were the door into Canaan 
Num. 14.  opened, and might freely enter into all the good thereof, but their hearts being shut to it, and every way unfit, they have a sad reverse, and are put back into the wilderness near forty years; and when the people of God have by their unreadinesse and unsutablenesse for mercy, thrown off and adjourned it, they can not at that time recover it, they can not then thrust into Canaan, be they never so daring and adventurons. Wherefore if you will have your hopes and desires of the ruin of Babylon, and raising Sion, take place and signify any thing, you must fall seriously to Heart▪ work and House-work, and set and keep up Christ's Kingdom there, that it may take place in the world. You( may be) cause the world to hear much of his Kingdom and Government, but let them see something of it; and if you that say you have seen Christ, and desire his Kingdom, do not first submit to him,& give the world example so to do, how can you reasonably expect that they( which have not known him or it) should do so? Will they not suspect that when you speak of Christ's ruling, you mean your own? And believe it, whosoever of you is not willing that Christ should reign, Christ will come when he comes, to the terror& confusion of such. Yea, when you go out to meet the Bridegroom, and as foolish virgins, are not ready 
Mat. 25.  for his coming; you will be woefully disappointed, and how much soever you have talked of him and his coming, you will be excluded, and he will answer all your importunate expectations with that sad dismission; Verily I say unto you, I know you not.   

THE THIRD SERMON, Being a particular WATCH-WORD for UNION.  Jer. 50. 4. The Children of Israel shall come, they and the Children of Judah together. 
THE Children of Israel here are the Ten Tribes, as distinguished from Judah, they had broken off from Judah, and greatly corrupted the Worship of God, and were at defiance with Judah, on all occasions taking part against them, and it seems grudged at them the more, as transcending and so condemning them in the Religion they both professed. As for the Children of Judah, they indeed kept more close to the true instituted Worship of God, but carried it too high and crossely to their brethren the Israelites, being ready as the weaker on all occasions, to raise and assist enemies to them; But here is a time spoken of when both shall agree, and this time is when Babylon shall be utterly destroyed, and themselves fully delivered thence. Now this destruction of Babylon hath in the former discourse appeared to extend to spiritual Babylon or Antichrist, and then the Children of Israel, and Children of Judah, will type out all the people of God( in their several degrees and divisions) which are come, or coming out of Babylon. This( being premised) will make way for this Doctrine.  
In the days of Babylons utter destructions the people of God will unite. When they thoroughly leave Babylon, they will their divisions; they will have much oneness, much love among them. I shall handle this point in 4. Heads, showing,  

1. What this Union is.  
2. That there shall be such Union in the days of Babylon's destruction.  
3. The Reasons and Necessity of it.  
4. The Use to be made of the Truth so declared and confirmed   
1. What this Union is that shall be in the dayes of Babylons utter ruin.  
1. Wicked Emulations will be gone, Isa. 11. 13. The envy of Ephraim shall depart, 
sir. Span.  some red it envy, as our Translation, 
Fren. ●. 70.  others red it jealousy or zeal, There shall not be such suspcions of, nor grudging at the prosperity( temporal or spiritual) one of another; neither shall there be any content in one anothers fall into sin or affliction  
2. Mutual vexing and provoking one another shall cease, Judah shall not vex Ephraim. Now vexing is by contempt and undervaluing, or by affronts and thwarting; 
Arias Chald  some render the word straighten, which is by ●mpairing and lessening their interest, 
70.  others afflict, 
Arab.  or trouble, and this promised 
Is. 65 last.  elsewhere, They shall not hurt not destroy in all my holy Mountain.  
3. There shall be great dearness of affection, much sympathy and tenderness, which is that, their Lord prayeth for to their Father and his Father, John 17. 21. They they also may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee; and this prayer is not only for the Apostles in their time, but for them also which shall believe on me( saith Christ) through their word. 
Verse 20.  Here is a pattern and a promise set up for true Christians, that they be in one another as the Father is in the Son,& the Son in the Father, that you may get into one another's hearts,& so be wrapped up, as one concerned in another. But see further how this Love and Union is contrary to their former envying and vexing, Eph. 4. 2. With all lowliness or submission of mind, 
Aeth:  subjecting yourselves,( for 
Prov. 13. 10.  only by pride cometh contention, that alone is enough to make distances and quarrels, and brings a contempt of others as less in grace, gift or rank) this lowliness or humility breeds meekness, 
sir.  or placability, or 
Fren.  sweetness, not making anger, nor keeping it, not dealing roughly but easily, pleasing or pleased with long suffering 
Fren:  or patient spirit, not testy, not easily taking anger, for bearing one another in love, 
sir. Arab.  or bearing, or 
Fren. vulg. lat.  supporting; not being hasty one with another, to cast off or slight, because of ignorance, or weakness, but using indulgence and pardon.  
4. This Union among Gods people will be their making up but one Interest in the World, John 11. 51, 52. That Josus should die for that Nation, and not for that Nation only, but that he should gather together in one, into one thing, or interest 
{αβγδ}.  the Children of God that were scattered abroad; scattered not only in place but interest and affection; and the gathering them from these scatterings is the fruit of Christ's death, Eph. 2. 16. The enmity is slain by the cross, there may be some wounding, abating, and Cessation( as by truce) of their enmity and divisions by other causes, but the death and abolishing of them is by the death of Chrst. And when they are thus united, it will make them to be serviceable to the Lord in their generation, with one shoulder to bear the same burdens, and thrust on one wor●… 
Zeph. 3. 9.  for the Lord. Their Union is described in our Text, to be as making one interest against Babylon, against Antichrist 
Isa. 11. 13. Fly upon the Phililistins. ( whence they will come together) and for Christ, a joint seeking Jehova●… their God, and inquiring jointly after Sion or his way of Worship. Therefore,  
5. Lastly, this Union will arise to 〈…〉 Communion in and for the Lord; they will be of the same mind in the Lord, fo●… 
Phil. 4. 2.  else it would not be such ● Union w●… speak of, but a Conspiracy. They will be so far united, that they can embrace one another as Children of the same Father, and pray one for and with another, and join together in joining to the Lord in the main of godliness and Worship. This Union will not be a carnal, but a spiritual Union, and so arising from a singular portion of the Spirit promised in the fast dayes, and that promise seems not yet exhausted, but is necessary for the attaining of this union we speak of, and so must we reach after it, Eph. 4. 3. Endeavouring or studying to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace, that is, to feel and show that they are animated by one and the same Spirit, enlightening and enlivening them.  
The second thing I have to do, is to she by the attestation of other Scriptures with our Text, that there shall be such an Union of Gods people( that come out of Babylon) in the dayes of Babylons utter ruin, and their own through deliverance, Isa. 11. 13. When the Adversaries of Judah are cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, nor Judah vex Ephraim. foreign Enemies shall be destroyed, when they cease from their domestic enmity, Jer 32. 36, 37, 39. They said of this City it shall be delivered into the band of the King of Babylon, but God saith, Behold I will gather them out of all Countries, and will bring them again to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely, And I will give them one heart& one way. When the Israelites get off from Babylon, and settle in freedom from it( which can not be till Babylon be destroyed) then they shall be of one heart in affection, and one way for the main of their Religion, or the fear of God.  
A like prophesy to this is Ezech. 11. 17, 18, 19. I will gather you from the people, and I will give you the Land of Israel, and they shall come thither, and shall take away all the detestable things. And I will give them one heart. There seems something this way, Mat. 24 27, 28. As the lightning cometh out of the East, and shineth even to the West, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the Eagles be gathered together. This appearing of Christ may be to destroy his Enemies, and relieve his true Disciples; it will not be any doubtful business, so that some of his people should own it, and others disown it, but all of them will be of a mind, they shall be gathered together to feed upon 
{αβγδ}.  the same dish, the same Christ, Ezech. 37. 16, 17, &c. Ephraim and Judah make up one body, one people, and it is by Ephraim's yielding to Judah, for they have 
V. 24.  David( who of Judah) for their King,& 
V. 23.  they cease from idolatry, Zeph. 3. 8, 9 When God will pour his indignation upon the Nations, he gives the reason of it For then will I turn to the people a pure Language, a single, entire, not a confounded Language, and to serve the Lord with one shoulder, not one shoulder against another, not shuffing and shouldering each other, Mic. 5. 2, 3. Out of Bethlehem must he come that is to be ruler in Israel, Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which traveleth hath brought forth. That they may accept of his government, they must be long under bondage and misery, even till that Nation of the Jews be born in a day, than the remnant of his brethren, shall return unto the Children of Israel. This speaks the agreement of Gods people in that day, whether the remnant of Christs brethren ●… e Judah, who is kindred in the flesh, or ●… he Christian Gentiles, who are his kindred ●… n the Spirit.  
The Third Work comes now to hand, to show the reason and necessity of such uniting of Gods people, in the dayes of Babylons ruin and their own deliverance: and these Reasons I would so lay down, not onely as Reasons to convince, but as Motives to persuade.  
1. Reas. Gods people must further this ruin of Babylon by effectual prayer, and their prayer that it may be made effectual requires their union. That prayer is that blast of the Rams horn, is the great battery which must cast down the walls and strength of Babylon, it appears in this prophesy of Jeremy against Babylon, where we find the people of God effectually at this employment, Jer. 51. 35, 36, 37. The violence done to me, and to my flesh, be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Sion say, and my blood upon the Inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say. It seems then that Babylon, is not such an Enemy as must be prayed for, but such as may and must be prayed against; for here we have Gods people praying for a return and revenge of all their violences or abuses, and all their blood or slaughters upon the City and Country of Babylon: If you say, how shall we know that his prayer of theirs was approved, by acceptance& answer? red your satisfaction in that which follows; Therefore thus saith Jehovah, behold I will pled thy cause, and take vengeance for thee, and I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry, and Babylon shall become heaps. The same thing is signified, Rev. 15. 6. The seven Angels came out of the Temple, having the seven Plagues, 16. 1. And I heard a great voice out of the Temple, saying, to the seven Angels go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God. In the Temple or Church of God are bread and obtained the plagues or gradual destruction of Babylon, and the commission( as one might say) for the executing of them. Judgements comes out from thence, As formerly Rev. 8. 3, 5. There are the prayers of the Saints, with much incense upon the golden Altar, and the fire or vengeance on Heathen persecuting Rome is taken from that Altar. showing that the destruction of that Enemy, is the effect of the prayers of true suffering Christians, through the merit and mediation of Jesus Christ. And Christ doth not onely foretell, but encourage the prayers of his servants for this end, Luke 18. 7, 8. Shall not God avenge his own Elect, which cry day and night unto him, there is earnest and continual prayer of Gods people unto him, to whom vengeance belongs, and the great smoking vengeance at last in this world, will be upon Babylon, or Antichrist, 
2 Thess. 2.  that is the great opposite; but why doth he tarry? The account is given in the next words, though he bear long with them. He stays and waits till they be fit for such a dispensation, his patience 〈…〉 not only toward the Enemy, but it 〈…〉 needful toward his own, that they may in this time of stay, get off from the sins, and so the Plagues of Babylon, as Sodon 
Gen. 19. 15, 22. ( which is also a type of Antichrist) is forborn, and that till Lot might get out from thence. But all their lingering and unfitness shall not alway hinder the execution of the vengeance. I tell you( saith Christ, who is the truth) that he will avenge them speedily; he will not stay a moment after the season, and Christ( by whom God will execute that vengeance) doth find, but will-get over impediments, he cometh not creeping, or climbing over upon his hands and feet, as Jonathan over 
1 Sam. 14.  the Rock, but leaping upon the Mountains, skipping upon the Hills, that is easily, cheerfully, 
Cant. 2. 8.  speedily; And so the Church preys that he would come speedily; Make hast 
Can. 8. last  my Beloved, and be thou like a row or a young Hart; Who are wonted to such places, and make nothing of those impediments upon the Mountains of spices. Thus the Church preys, but she scarce believes, she sees so many obstructions without, but the obstruction within, is her unbelief, which Christ takes notice of, as an obstruction, but such as he will conquer. Nevertheless when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Take one Scripture more to prove the necessity and influence of the prayers of Gods people, in their deliverance from Babylon, Jer. 29. 10, 11. After seventy years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you and perform my good word, that is, my promise towards you, in causing you to turn to this place, and the cause of this is in himself, his own counsel and purpose, for I know the thoughts that I think towards you, but the effect of that cause and the condition of executing that purpose is their prayer, Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me. Ye shall more then ordinary in solemnity, earnestness and frequency gird yourselves to the work of prayer. Well then, is it now evident that prayer must further their deliverance from Babylon, and so Babylon's ruin, for while she stands, she openeth not the 
Isa. 14. 17.  house of her prisoners. And it is as evident that the prayer of Gods people is then effectual when they are united, Zeph 3. 8, 9. When God riseth up, or is stirring, whereas before he seemed to sit still, and not to have any mind to the prey, he makes the union of his people as the cause of the cause, for he will turn to the people a pure Language, instead of that confounded and divided one, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent. This proves both parts of this first Reason, for it makes prayer necessary for the ruin of the Enemy, and union of his people necessary for that prayer, else one will pray for one thing, and another for another; and when they can not, and will not understand one another, God will not understand one or other, till they are all agreeed, that with one Lip they can all, not some, call upon the Lord, he will not agree to them; he will return them back and say, you must agree in your prayers, before I will agree to your prayers. For when he destroys Babylon, Antichrist the common Adversary of his people, he will dot it as a common salvation to them, as a common favour to them all, and not a singular favour to any party of them. So when any great mercy was obtained for Christians.( as that of the Spirit in his miraculous gifts) they continued with one accord in prayer and supplication. So afterward 
Act. 1. 14.  when the Apostles were forbid to preach, and greatly threatened if they did, 
Act. 4. 23, 24.  the company of Christians lift up their voice to God with one accord. And indeed Christians not united, can not challenge an answer of their prayers by virtue of a promise, for the promise runs upon their union, If two of you shall agree on earth as 
Matth. 18. 19.  touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father. Nay Christ prescribe's Union and Peace, as a precedent condition of Prayer. First be 
Mat 5. 23, 24.  reconciled to thy Brother, and then come and offer thy gift, and of a prevailing prayer, a prayer that you may believe shall prosper; What thing soever ye desire when ye 
Mat. 11. 24, 25.  pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them; And when ye stand praying for give, if ye have ought against any. If ye can not close with one another, but must keep your distance from one another your Heavenly Father will keep his d●…stance from you. Though ye pray mu●… against Babylon, and for Sions deliverance▪ and join fasting with your prayer, yet y●… have no cause to complain or expostula●… with God, that he seeth not when you hav●… fasted, and taketh no knowledge when y●… 
Isa. 58. 3, 4  have afflicted your soul, the reason of hi●… neglect of all your prayers, with fasting is manifest; Behold ye fast for strife an●… debate. Ye strive with one another, an●… would engage God one against another▪ to fulfil your passions, but ye pray amiss, ye ask and have not, because ye ask food 
Jam. 4▪  for your lusts. If ye would wrestle and strive as Israelites with God, ye must cease your strivings one with another.  
2. Reas. What hand soever Gods people must have in way of outward action for Babels ruin, requires Union. Indeed their work seems not much, but whatsoever it is, it requires their Union, 
Isa. 11. 14.  Ephraim and Judah being reconciled, fly upon the shoulders of the philistines. When Gods people are united, the philistines are scattered, they dare not show their faces, or stand in battle array, they turn their backs, the re-allying, or rallying of Gods people is the routing of their Enemies; when they are of a pure language, and speak the same thing, the mouth of the Enemy 
1 Cor. 1. 10  is stopped. The strength and courage of the philistines to speak or act against Gods people, is their having Epraim or Judah on their side; then they can speak or fight; but when these brethren unite, the philistines are down in the mouth, their heart is sunk into their heels. The philistines themselves can not bind samson, but his brethren the men 
judge. 25.  of Judah, they bind him, though he were raised to be their deliverer, and when they engage, they will not fall upon him themselves, he slays the philistines heaps upon heaps.  
When Gods people( not by their own might, but the miraculous power of God) have any notable advantage against their common Enemy, they cannot pursue it except they alloy their own differences. When the Midianites by the sword of the 
judge. 8. 1, 2, 3.  Lord were put to flight, the quarrelling Ephraimites had like to have made the Midianites retreat good, and beat back the sword of Gideon, and it could do no execution, neither could he pursue the Enemy till he had with soft words taken away the edge and sharpness of his chiding Brethren. And though these contentious Brethren escaped this time, yet when they not repenting of former strife, will in their envy be quarreling again with him whom God had raised for his peoples deliverance, they fall into a great 
judge. 12.  mischief by the sword of J●phthae. So that it is best for Ephraim to cease from envying and quarreling with his Brother, lest instead of promoting the ruin of the common Enemy they do their own.  
3. Reas. While Gods people are not united but divided, their name is Babel, in the first sense of that name, Gen 11. 9. Therefore is the name of it called Babel, because the Lord did there confounded the Language, 
Heb.  or the Lip, as Babel is red, 
{αβγδ}. 70.  confusion; When the Lip and Tongue of any is confounded, is so divers, that they can not 
V. 7. 1 Cor. 14. 11.  understand one anothers speech, they are as Barbarians one to another, so that they cannot build together, then are they Babel. And as natural speech was confounded at the building of this first Babylon, so spiritual Language( their speaking all the same thing in matters of 
1 Cor. 1. 10  Religion) was confounded more& more in the Church, divisions and heresies grew more, as spiritual Babylon did rise, as the mystery of iniquity did grow. And it is possible that as divisions of Christians did spring and rise with Babylon, with Antichrist, so they shall fall and whither together.  
4. Reas. Till Gods people do unite, one part of them will be as Babylon to another, either actively, to do as Babylon to another, or passively to suffer as Babylon from another. 1. Actively, so the stronger party of divided Christians( who are nearer to the world and worldly Church, and can go further with it, they) will be as Babylon, oppressing and ensnaring Consciences and imposing their degree of Religion& Reformation, as the necessary and utmost measure. Now this is to act like Babylon, for Babylon of old did under the severest penalties, require an universal conformity to the Worship, set up 
Dan. 3.  by her Will and Authority, and had a fiery furnace for all refusers; and mystical Babylon forceth all to receive her mark, 
Rev. 13. 15 16, 17.  to own her Authority& way of Worship, or else they must have no common privileges( not buy or sell) nay, they must not breath in the common air. Divided Protestants do thus act like Babylon, yea& for Babylon, they do her work for her, which she could not compass by her self; so the Calixtines, or comforming Protestants in Bohemia, helped forward the oppression and persecution of those called the brethren, which could not so far comform to the Romish Rites; and so in other parts of Germany, have those that bear the distinct badge of Luther, after the manner of Rome, oppressed their Brethren, that stand at a further distance from Babylon in Doctrine and Rites.  
2. Passively, some Protestants suffer as Babylon from them that differ; the weaker party is apt to brand the stronger party with the name of Babylon or Antichrist, because some degree of that pollution, doth cleave to them, or seems so to do in these mens eyes; and so these separate from them, and abhor them as Babylon and Antichrist. Though it be not Christistian ca●●or, to rate other mens sins or failings,( if so they be)& revile them with the worst names, the names of the highest sins in that kind; If we use our own sins so, and abhor ourselves for anger or passion in Heart or Tongue, as a kind of murder, because against the same command, yet we would not like that the same penalty should be inflicted, much less have we any warrant to punish anothers passion, as murder, or to abhor him as a murderer; Now to condemn, and to use any brethren as Antichrist or Babylon, is to punish and lay a heavy censure upon them. But right or wrong, so it is by the divisions of Gods people, they become Babylon one to another, and so while they stand thus divided, Babylon can not wholly fall, and instead of the destruction of Babylon, here is the destruction one of another, or rather one by another. Some bite one another; so do those that so deeply censure 
Gal. 5. 15.  and condemn of Whoredom, for a little too much flaunting,& make every lightness and confidence, sufficient conviction of being the Whore of Babel: and others devour one another; so do those that oppress and subdue their brethren in their Consciences, and will force them to incorporate with them, or will live upon them. Both that biting, and this eating, or devouring one another, tend to destruction one of another; they will be consumed one of another, or as some interpret, 
Aetb.  your remnants will be made an end of. Which side soever is left, or what fragment soever of either side, doth remain, the common enemy will dispatch.  
Wherefore foreign Babylon may not well be destroyed, nor power or full liberty left to Gods people, while they are thus minded one to another, and be or supposed to be Babylon one to another, they would abuse their power& liberty. Why should the Father give his Child a Knife, while for wit or grace he will be hurting both himself, ( for a man may rule 
Eccl. 8. 9.  over another to his own hurt) and his Brethren and sisters therewith.  
5. Reas. Ephraims envying and devouring Judah, and Judahs vexing Ephraim, is a worse way of consuming, then if it were by arrayed Babylon, and it were better that Babylon her self in her own likeness, should do this her own foul work, then that any of Gods people should do it for her one upon another. So that it could be no advantage to Gods people, while so divided, to have Babylon utterly destroyed; Nay it would( I say) be worse to have Babylon fall, and the●r divisions stand, whereby themselves also must needs fall and be consumed. It is worse in itself, that one part of them should consume another; this is worse because it is their sin( as well as, and worse then their suffering) and this their sin is worse in them, then if it were acted by Babylon. If this Wolf do bite and devour, and so consume the Saints, she doth but according to her kind, and her manner,( for she is a Beast, addicted and wonted to the blood of Saints) but for the sheep to bite and devour, and so consume one another; for them to kick, gore, and tear one another, it is to go out of their kind, it is monstrous, it is unnatural, and such a thing as the Sun will blushy to behold; it is so ominous and frightful, that it speaks the overturning the whole frame of nature. It is such, as certainly their great shepherd will never stand by and behold. He can not bear it, but will rather have the Wolf come in and devour some bite others, and fright all into their kind, that they may be tamer to one another. And for this good use, it is good there is a Wolf in being, and as this unseemly biting& devouring one another, will not be born by their Father, so can it not be born by themselves; It is most grievous and intolerable for them to be bitten& torn by those that have taken sweet counsel together, and walked to the house of God in 
Psa. 55. 14.  company; for these to take counsel against them( as one part useth) or( as others) abhor all Communion with them; for 
Verse 13.  those that have been their guides to led them, now to turn their faces about, and confront them as Enemies, Oh this, this, 
Verse 12.  is hardly to be born, It was not an Enemy that reproached me, then I could have born it, for what else should I expect of an Enemy, neither was it he that hated me, that did magnify himself against me, then I would have hide myself from him. I would and could flee from him, but how should I beware of a close and domestic Enemy; Wheresoever I go he will be at my heels.  
6. Reas. Gods people till united, will not be sufficiently distinguished from or by the world, and so not from Babylon the worldly Church. Christ tells Christians when they may reasonably expect to be counted of his School, House or retinue, and so severed from the bulk of the world; By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples, if ye have love one to another. Ye 
Joh. 13 35  may in word separate yourselves from, and defy Babylon; Ye may put characters and distinctive names upon your selves, nay, ye may have some such secret& invisible impressions upon your spirits, so that ye may to yourselves, and to God be distinguished in your estate from other men; but all these are at most to the generality of men but audible characters: till you come to a singular& notable degree of love one to another. Ye have not a visible convincing character seen and red of all men that ye are Christ's Disciples. Your separating in profession from Antichrist doth not enough declare you followers of Christ, if you do not also unite one with another. You may separate from Babylon, out of love to separation and change, rather then love to Christ; and you may in your separating, rather follow the conduct of your own across, insociable and uncertain spirit, then of the good spirit of Christ.  
7. Reas. Christ's Kingdom must rise and spread, as Antichrist declines and narrowes; the fullness of the Gentiles must come in, when the plagues are poured out upon Ba●ylon, for upon them great and 
Revel. 15. 3, 4.  marvelous works of God in destroying Babylon, it is concluded, who shall not fear thee O Lord, and glorify thy name? where can any be found that will stick to their false Gods and Worship, when God hath rendered himself by his executions on Babylon so terrible and so admirable? For thou only art holy, for all Nations shall come and worship before thee, for thy Judgements are made manifest. The manifestation of Gods righteous vengeance on Babylon, will have some influence upon the coming in of the Gentiles; yea, the Angel that preacheth the Gospel to every Nation, and 
Rev. 14. 6, 7.  Kindred, and Tongue, and People, persuades them to fear God, and give glory to him, in consideration of the approach of these Judgements on Babylon; so he saith, for the hour of his judgement is come: this will be an argument with the Idolatrous Gentiles to forsake their Idolatry, and worship him that made Heaven and Earth, and the utter destruction of Babylon is then at hand. There followed another Angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; Christ will be providing himself another people( even of them that were no people) before he doth utterly destroy this man of sin, that sits in his Temple; But Christs Kingdom can not spread in the world, and have any universal or considerable accessions, till his true people( by whom it must be extended) be knit to one another in love. Christ prays to his Father for believers that they all may be one, here is general Union, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee; here is a close Union, that they also may be one in us; here is a spiritual union, it is in the Father and Son, that the World may believe that thou hast sent me. This intireness of Christians among themselves, will be one means to bring the world to the knowledge and acknowledgement of Jesus Christ, sealed by the Father for the salvation of the children of men. And look as Christ when he was to gain his first ground on the Gentiles, did give Christians so high a strain of brotherly love,( so much accompanying and helping one another, being of one heart and one Soul) that there by 
Acts 2. 44 46. 4. 32.  the Gentiles might believe that he was sent and anointed of God; so was there a stop of the Gospels work on the Gentiles, as Brotherly love did decay, and Christians fell in pieces by the working of the mystery of iniquity, and it may be the late stand of converting work in England, is from such a cause in part. And that the work of the Gospel on the Gentiles may revive, there must be a reviving of Brotherly love, a blowing up& flaming forth of the first ardour among true Christians, and then the world will believe that Jesus is the Christ, is sent of God as the Saviour of the world. The world will then fall in love with Christ and his people, when they see his people dwell together in unity: 
Psalm 133.  this ointment, this blessing from Christ, the Head, will perfume all his people to the world, and make them a blessing in the midst of the earth, as they had for such reason favour with all the people, and 
Acts 1. last  the people magnified them. And me-thinks, Christians should all agree in this, that 
Act. 5. 13.  Christ should have his Kingdom, and be believed in the world, and have the Heathen for his inheritance, and have the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession; 
Psalm 1.  And if ye will agree that he should thus reign, ye must agree& be of one accord, one heart and soul, that he may thus reign. Cease then your unchristian emulations, and have a holy emulation for Christ, and against Antichrist. Antichrist is set upon his usurped Throne by his subjects, who having one mind, give their power and 
Rev. 17. 13 17.  strength to the Beast, they agreed to give their Kingdom unto the B●ast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. And shall not you much rather be of one mind, and agree to give Christ his rightful Throne and so fulfil the Will and words of God?  
8. Reas. The praise of God would not be glorious praise for the destruction of Babylon, if his people be not of one accord. Some part of his people that are nearest the door and succession of power, would( may be) rejoice and give praise( such as it would be;) but others jealous of their Babylonish abuse of power( either in violence or confusion) would be at a question, whether to give thanks to God for his destroying Babylon the great. Thus the glory and lustre of Gods praise would be much abated, for the splendour of thanksgiving is in the concurrence of many Christians, That the abundant g●ace might through the thansgiviving of many, redound to the glory of God. I will be abundant 
2 Cor. 4 15  favour to destroy them that destroy the earth, and it is fit so great and abundant grace should turn to Gods account; 
Rev. 11. 18  should be very much to his glory, but it can not redound to his glory, but through the thanksgiving of many. And it highly sets off any favour of God to be gotten by the prayers of many, and worn with the praises of many, and therefore it is holy and pure ambition for the interest of God, rather then our own, to covet the prayers of many, not so much that our mercy may be sure and full; as that the praise of God may be the fuller, so the Apostle, You also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us, by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf. For they that 
2 Cor. 1. 11  hearty pray, will hearty praise. And therefore God will have all his people so far agreed that they may in prayer seek, and in praise aclowledge this great work of his, his destroying Babylon. He will not have( at least among his people) such a doubtful acknowledgement in his last building of Sion,( which is accompanied with the fall of Babylon) as there was in founding the second Temple, when the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy, from the noise of the weeping of the people. No, the Lord will have his Judgement on Babylon, and salvation 
Ezr. 3 last.  of his people acknowledged, with an universal voice, a glorious shout for those of her Adulterers and Merchants, that do then repined, will be inconsiderable, and stand too far off to drown or alloy the shout and praise of that day. 
Rev. 18. 9, 11.  The whole World shall rejoice, Then the Heaven and the Earth, and all that is therein, shall sing for Babylon, for the spoilers 
Jer. 52. 48.  shall come unto her. Then will Gods people be hearty and universal in praising God, as you may see in that Psalm, which is for the destruction of the Son of perdition. 
Ps. 9. title, 1. 14.  I will praise thee O Lord with my whole Heart, I will show forth all thy marvelous works, That I may show forth all thy praise in the gates of the Daughters of Sion. And there is a great voice of much people, saying, Hallelujah, for true 
Rev. 19. 1, 2.  and righteous are his Judgements, for he hath judged the great Whore of Babylon, which did corrupt the Earth with her Fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand; for her Idolatry upon the yielding part of men, her persecution on the refusing part.  
9. Reas. The destruction of Babylon is to promote a spiritual interest, Who shall not fear thee, and glorify thy Name, for 
Rev. 15. 4.  thy Judgements are made manifest? But till Gods people are united, they are too carnal to promote a spiritual interest; their divisions are too pregnant a proof of their being carnal, so the Apostle chargeth the Corinthians. For ye are yet 
1 Cor. 3. 3.  carnal, for whereas there is among you envying and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal and walk as men? If divided Christians have so far their corruptions predominant, and walk but as the rest of corrupt mankind, to what purpose should Christ bestow so much cost of power, wisdom, jealousy and goodness upon thē, to destroy Babylon and deliver them. They being carnal would not be likely to glorify God but themselves, and their particular party and interests; they would do as other men, walk as men, as children of the first Adam, which is earthly, and not as members of the second Adam which is Heavenly. And when Christians are in this divided, and so carnal posture, though they pray never so much for Babylons ruin, and their own deliverance; Yea, though they strive, struggle, and take up arms, all will not do, because( while in such frame,) what they should so get, would be bestowed not upon the Lord, and for his glory, but to serve their Pride, Violence, Luxury; and Christ will never be at such expense, and purchase a Revenue for these or the like base lusts. red all this  told you plainly by the Apostle James; Ye lust and have not, ye kill and desire to have, you venture your souls, 
Jam. 4. ●, 3  and strain your consciences in violence, and all because you have a great mind to get a share in the world, but all in vain, and can not obtain, ye fight and War, and yet have not, because ye ask not. Oftentimes your actions are of that nature, that ye can not tell how to join prayer to them, but some times ye do; Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. If the prayer and other means be lawful, yet the end is carnal, and God sees such intentions or dispositions a far off, and hath promised no 
Ps. 139. 2.  grant to such prayers.  
10. Reas. When Babylon is destroyed, there must be increase of divine knowledge, and things must be more clear to Christians. The Temple was filled with 
Rev. 15 last  smoke, till the seven plagues were fulfilled, these were for the wasting& destroying of Babylon, and after them the Temple was 
Rev. 11. last  opened. But while the people of God are divided, there is no s●gn of their growth in divine and heavenly knowledge, for the wisdom that is from above, is first pure, 
Jam. 3. 17.  then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated. It is rather wisdom from beneath, it is earthly and hellish, that is impure, unpeaceable, when Christians are contentious( picking or maintaining quarrels) when they are rough and harsh to one another, when they are sturdy and not yielding( where they may without defiling themselves) they are yet dark, and in the smoke of this their hellish fire; see that great peace and agreement that will be at last, the wolf shall dwell with the Lamb, &c. and the sucking Child play 
Isa. 11. 6.  on the hole of the Asp, they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain; The Reason of this marvelous change is given, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord. Gross Ignorance, and the love and maintenance of it, came into the Church in the company of persecution and violence; and when true heavenly wisdom makes it's returns to the Church, Love, Gentleness and Innocence, will be found there also. Let men pretend never so high notions, yet if they can not hit with, and have love and tenderness for other true Christians, and Communion with them, their wisdom is not heavenly.  
11. And last Reason. While Gods people are divided, they are in a way of wrath rather then deliverance; their anger one against another, is a sign and effect of Gods anger against them all; Through the wrath of the Lord of Hosts is the Land darkened, and the people shall be as 
Isa. 9. 19, 20, 21.  the fuel of the fire, and no man shall spare his Brother. The wrath of the Lord is as fire, the smoke whereof so darkens, so infatuates them, that they will not know, but fall upon their Brethren as enemies; They shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm, weaken those which should be their strength and protection, Manasseth, Ephraim, and Ephraim will give him as good, or rather as bad as he brings, and so flies at Manasseth, and they together shall be against Judah, for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. As long as they continue mutual enemies, God is an enemy to them all. When God is reconciled to his people, they are reconciled one to another, and this wrath and plague is translated from them to his and their common enemies for their destruction. This shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite 
Zech. 14. 12, 13.  all the people that have fought against Jerusalem: their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, while they are yet in their power, and not cast down by any greater human power; And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the Lord shall be against them, and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up apainst the hand of his neighbour. As once it was with the philistines, when Jonathan wrought with God, the multitude 
1 Sam. 14. 45, 16, 20.  m●lted away,& they went on beating down one another; every mans sword was against his fellow. This is the portion of Christs enemies, great and small that will not be instructed by him, nor reconciled to him, he will dash them in pieces like a potters 
Psalm 2. 9, 10, 11.  vessel. Let Christians therefore tremble under their divisions,( their breaking into pieces) as a testimony of Gods great displeasure; God hath wounded you with the wound of an enemy, and with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity, because your sins were 
Jer. 30. 14.  increased.  
1. Use. To enforce the necessity of your Conversion, that so you may be one piece with Gods people, and promote their and your own deliverance with Babylon's ruin. The unity we speak to and for, is the unity of the Spirit. You can not be one 
Eph. 4.  with true Christians( as a living member) except you have one and the same Spirit; that is the only real and natural tie; worldly interest is but an outward slight tie, a string that will not hold. You are by it but an artificial member, and belonging to another body, belonging to the world, and so, as the borrowed member of another body, can not be made to survive it, but will rot and perish with it, though the body( to which you were so artificially fastened) do yet live. Being unconverted you cleave to Gods people as the dross to the gold; the gold passeth through the fire unconsumed, but leaves the dross there. If you would have one heart with Gods people, you must have a new spirit, for the old spirit will not, cannot kindly fall in. I will give them, saith the Lord, one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. 
Eze. 11. 19▪  If you will give yourselves by the will of God, to the servants of Christ, you must first give your own selves to the Lord. If not, 
2 Cor. 8. 5.  you will never hold out; neither in the way and walk, nor in the end and peace of Israelites indeed. You will be following your own old carnal hearts, and they will led you off from the interest of Israel, to your own crooked ways( which are natural 
Psalm 125. last.  and proper to your crooked spirits) and though you would still pretend to Israel, yet you shall be distinguished, the Lord will led you forth with the workers of iniquity, but peace shall come upon Israel. You will be slinking and not be through paced with Israel, and God will see to it that you shall neither partake, nor hinder the peace and blessed issue of Israel.  
2. Use. To instruct Christians unto a patient accepting of the trials and troubles, that do or may befall them, for these afflictions may make for our Union, and our Union for the Churches greatest mercies, and Babylon's final overthrow. Affliction is rather to be chosen then sin, affliction and mutual love, rather then prosperity and mutual enmity. It is better that the Fathers rod should come and make peace, and hush all the contentions and brawls of his Children, then that in the absence of the Rod, they should make so unhandsome a noise, and so scandalous a din, throwing the house out of the windows. Our Lord joins his Command of Brotherly-love, with his predictions of 
John 15. 17. 18  the worlds hatred; and indeed the worlds hate of you, and that upon one common score,( because they first hate Christ) should and doth engage to mutual love; if the wicked world can espy something of Christ in you all to hate and despise, can not you find something of Christ in you all to love and tender? Therefore when 
Aliquid Christi Melancth.  Christians are in danger to fall in with the wicked world, and fall out one with another, it is better they should have the world frown on them, then flatter and dandle them. It is as true as usual a comparison, when the sheep are careless and wandring far from one another, it is the love and care of the shepherd to bring them together by his dog.  
When brotherly-love grows could, it doth( as the frost) unite heterogenous things( things of another kind) they love all a like, as well one as another, they are making a medley with the world, and so drowning their proper interests& lustre, yet they are not of the world, but Christ hath chosen them out of the world; and 
Joh. 15. 19  therefore the world can never hearty love them, though it can so dissemble it's hate, as to deceive them into a belief of it's love. Now there is need of a fiery trial, the trial by fire distinguisheth the gold from the 
1 Pet. 4. 12.  dross& unites the gold; this fire brings a thaw, this heat segregates heterogenous things, and aggregates homogeneous, now every one will go to his kind, like will to like. And this discrimination and union is worth a great deal of affliction When the children are wrangling, and not like children, but like cats& dogs, snarling, scratching and biting one another, now it is good that the Father should come and correct them; for it will draw out& manifest their brotherly-love, that was butted before by unbrotherly carriage; Now Christians can pity and help one another, now they can pray for, and with one another; Now they can search and prie rather into their graces then their infirmities And when we goody brotherly love, or the manifestation of it, the effect of their chastening, we know that Fatherly-love is the cause of it; and in very love and 
Heb. 12. 6. Ps. 119. 75  faithfulness doth our Father chasten us, that we may be received of him, and of one another.  
3. Use is an exhortation to Christians, to mind union one with another, as ever you mind and look for the deliverance of the Church, and downfall ●● Babylon; It is the command, will and de●●gn of Christ, that you divide from Babylon, that you may not be destroyed with her, and unite together among yourselves, that you may be saved together▪ But Satan's design is to mingle you with Babylon, that you may be destroyed with her, and divide you among yourselves, that you may be consumed by yourselves. If you will unite you will work with God, and shall work great salvation in Israel. If you will still divide, 
1 Sam. 14. 45.  you will be across to Christ, as Antichrist, and do Satans work. It hath been, and is Antichrists great business in our generation, to divide Protestants one from another, in public quarrels, England from Holland; Holland, brandenburg, and Denmark from Sweden; and now to pretend to an accommodation with one part( the Lutherans) that they may, and till they do, utterly destroy the other. And as haply this busy Pope, by his Emissaries 
De propagandâ fide.  of the new name Inquisition, doth unite the Popish states,& divide the Protestant; so by the same hands it is thought he doth make and cherish private differences in, both Englands as well as elsewhere; that Protestants being weary of their distractions and breaches, some part,( it may) be the greater, may fall in with the Roman catholic Church, who boasts in unity,& bywracks& gibbets forceth to it. And will you( Christians) by your divisions, gratify Antichrist to your destruction, rather then obey and gratify Christ to your deliverance? Antichrist knows what he doth in dividing you, for so he keeps off his own ruin; but you know not what you do in dividing yourselves, you keep off your own deliverance. If you be resolved you will not agree, Christ is resolved he will not deliver, neither is it as hath appeared, reasonable he should. Wherefore be not only willing to peace offered, but search for it, and eagerly follow it when it withdraws; and this you must do if ever you will see good dayes, you must eschew 
1 Peter 3. 10, 11.  evil, and do good, you must seek peace and ensue it, or 
Some Greek Copies.  make peace, 
Fr. Ital.  or search for peace and follow it, with the same eagerness, as persecutors do good Christians, you must hunt as some 
sir. Arab.  red, run after it. This readiness for peace will appear,  
1. If Gods receiving any man be enough for yours, and enough against any different opinion; Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not( as too nice) and let not him which eateth not, 
Rom. 14. 3.  despise him that eateth, as too loose, for God hath received him.  
2. If you will on occasion, as well exercise indulgence to another, as expect it from him. You will else be like that wicked servant, who when he needed forbearance, pleaded for it; Have patience withme, and I will pay thee all, but when his fellow needed 
Mat. 18. 26  the same,& used the very same plea, he will notyield. And observe this, that the party of you that will be more sturdy& unyielding, and more backward to receive peaceable advice, is likely to be the more faulty and guilty party. Moses shewed himself to two Israelites as they striven, and would have set thē at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren, 
Acts 7. 26. 27.  Why do ye wrong one to another. But he that did his Neighbour wrong, thrust him away, saying, who made thee a Ruler and a Judge over us? And this surly behaviour to Moses, whom God designed to be their deliverer, put back their deliverance 40. years. If the Israelites will not make peace one with another, they shall yet many a year make bricks for the Egyptians. If they will not endure Moses, as a gentle and righteous umpire, they shall endure yet a while Pharaoh, a severe and unrighteous tyrant.  
And further, to persuade you to peace and union, you may consider, it is for your safety, which was shewed of old by Silurus, to his sons in a bundle of arrows, which could not be broken while so united, but being severed, were easily snapped asunder. And in Philosophy it is known that all corruption is from division; every thing subsists while it continues one. Wine is more able to resist the air and all corruption, when it is kept together.  
But yet further to enforce this, if you Christians will not unite one with another, with whom will ye? God hath put bars of everlasting enmity between you 
Gen. 3:  and the seed of the Serpent. And what God hath separated, let no man attempt to join. It cannot be, you are of another spirit, another generation. Whatsoever you count of one another, the world counts you all but odd people; and an odd number with an even, can not make an even number, two odd numbers joined, may make an even number. Wherefore should you court the world, or the worldly Church that is Babylon? If you retain your integrity, you can not hearty entertain one another. And bethink yourselves, whether the Lord Christ will not take it ill at your hands, that you should be so stiff& unyeilding to your brethren that follow Christ, and yet can be any thing suppling to Baal, you can go to the utmost of your line in compliance with Antichrist. But how can I have a more full or proper argument for the union of Gods people, then what is lodged in the Text, as it was spread in the former discourse? How can you without this Union go any of those steps there mentioned to meet the Lord Jesus when he comes as a bridegroom to refresh his Church, and destoy the great Whore? Christ then expects you should be in a holy and profitable communion; but that is not possible without the Union we have now spoken to. Can two walk together except they be agreed? 
Am. 3. 3.  Christ will have you then in a weeping, that is, repenting praying frame; but what repenting if you do not confess and forsake this great iniquity of your contention; and what prayer can you pray without doubting, if you lift not up 
1 Tim. 2. 8.  holy hands without strife. And for building Sion; divided, confounded tongues are more likely to build Babylon. So for the spiritual use of Ordinances, or the seeking the Lord and joining yourselves to him; If you can not embrace and cleave to thē that are begotten, how shall you indeed join yourselves to him that begetteth? Likewise for your obedient practical disposition, 
1 John 5. 1  you must needs be far from it, when you can be content to live in the neglect of so great a command of Brotherly-love and peace, which Christ hath so frequently enjoined, and so earnestly urged. Lastly, for fixedness in Gods ways, it is not probable you should grow to it, while you are divided: for divisions do make men willing to embrace new occasions of withdrawing fro those that they are alienated from, and also those that are estranged from others, will fasten,& even force upon them new errors which were never dreamed of before.  
But what speak I of any good dayes and blessed times here, for which this Union of Christians is necessary? It is certain the blessedness of true Christians is in the coming of Christ, and then all of them must be gathered together unto him. Now we beseech you by the coming of our Lord Jesus, and by our gathering together unto him 
2 Thes. 2. 1  And no one Saint nor party of Saints can have their happiness complete, till they are united and together. The dead in Christ shall rise first, Then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together 
1 Thes. 4. 16, 17.  with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Christians, you are the nearer Heavenly complete Glory, and perpetual presence of Christ, the more you are knit together in Spirit and Interest.   
FINIS.