4thly. The full casting out and rejectng of all will-wor- ship, and their attendant abominations; Rev. xi. 2.
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5thly. Professed subjection of the nations throughout the whole world unto the Lord Christ; Dan. ii. 44. vii. 28. Isa. Ix. 6 — 8. the kingdoms become, &,c. amongst whom his appearance shall be so glorious, that David himself shall be said to reion.
6thly. A most glorious and dreadful breaking of all that rise in opposition unto him; Isa. Ix. 12. never such desola- tions ; Rev. xvi. 17 — 19.
Now in order to the bringing in of this his rule and king- dom, with its attendances, the Lord Christ goes forth in the first place to cast down the things that stand in his way, 'dashing his enemies in pieces like a potter's vessel:' this is a part of the design of providence, wherein we are to meet him in these days.
I shall speak a word, (1st.) Unto them who are enabled to look through the clouds and darkness, whereby his paths are encompassed. (2dly.) Unto them who cannot.
(1st.) For the former, be you persuaded to meet the Lord in this his design, yet to continue steadfast in helping him against the mighty : I speak not only to you who are in au- thority, nor unto you to whom the sword is girded : but unto all that wish well to Zion. We have every one our mite that we may cast into this treasury : we may be all princes in this case, all Israel's, prevailers with God and men. There be three things whereby even you, who are but as the number, the common soldiers of Christ, may meet the Lord in this design.
[1st.] By faith ; believe the promises, close with them, act faith upon them, and you will believe the beast unto de- struction, antichrist into the pit, and magog to ruin; believe that"^ the enemies of Christ shall be made his footstool, that the nations shall be his inheritance, that he shall reign glo- riously in beauty, that he shall smite in pieces the heads over divers nations ; live in the faith of these things, and as it will give you the sweetness of them before they come, so it will hasten their coming beyond the endeavours of thousands, yea, millions of armed men.
[2dly.] Meet him with your supplications ; cry unto him, as Psal. xlv. 3 — 5. ' Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty
" Psal. ex. 1. 4. ii. 7, 8. Micah v. 3, 4. Isa. Ix. 12.
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ride prosperously, because of truth and meekness and righ- teousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's eneihies, whereby the people fall under thee.' This will make you be the 'armies of heaven/ that follow him in his great under- takings ; Rev. xix. 14. It is his praying people, that are his conquering armies that follow him : now you find it coming, leave not pulling with all your strength, lest it roll back again, shoot not two or three arrows, and so give over, but never leave shooting until the enemies of the Lord be all destroyed.
[3dly.] Seeing it is his gospel whose advancement the Lord Jesus aimeth at in all these dispensations, and whose quarrel alone he revengeth (whatever naen may do), help on to the advancement of that gospel of his, which as formerly it was oppressed by the height and tyranny of the tower of Babel, so for the present, is exceedingly defiled and cum- bered by the rubbish of it being in some measure cast down.
[4thly.] Whereas in these dispensations, it is most emi- nently and frequently in the praise of Christ, said, that he is just and righteous in all his ways, as you may see in all the acclamations of the saints upon the execution of his judg- ments on his enemies ('just and righteous art thou'); which is signally done on this account, because the ways whereby he doth it are counted most unrighteous in the world, in this then also is he to be met, even in the administration of jus- tice and judgment : you will otherwise certainly be found in a cross path unto him, and be borne down before him. This is that wisdom which he calls for among the judges of the earth, when he is set to reign on his holy hill ; Psal. ii. 10,11.
(2dly.) I shall add one word or two unto them, ^vho either from the darkness of the things themselves, or from the pre- judices and temptations of their own spirits, are not able to discern the righteousness of the ways of God, but rather lift up themselves against him.
[1st.] Then, consider the constant appearing of God against every party, that under any colour or pretence what- ever have lifted up themselves for the reinforcement of things, as in former days ; what colour or pretence soever they have put on, or which way soever they have turned themselves.
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God hath still appeared against them : can you not discern his leavening their councils with folly and madness, weakening their hearts and hands, making the strong become as tow, and the successful a reproach? Though they have gone from mountain to mountain to seek for divination, and changed their pretences as often as Laban did Jacob's wages, yet they find neither fraud nor enchantment that will prevail : and dolh not this proclaim, that the design which God had in hand, is as yet marvellously above you ?