Saints no smiters, or, Smiting civil powers not the work of saints being a treatise, shewing the doctrine and atempts of Quinto-Monarchians, or, Fifth-Monarchy-Men about smiting powers, to be damnable and antichristian / by John Tombes ...

§ 5. Suppositions implyed in the Quinto-Monarchians exceptions are shewed to be uncertain, as those about the Stone & it's smiting. Dan. 2. 34. 44.

NEvertheless let us examine what they say, of which some things are supposed, some things are inferred. The things sup∣posed and inferred are these:

1. That the fourth Kingdom men∣tioned.

Dan. 2. and 7. Is the Roman Empire; which I will not deny, though there be not a few very learned men, that take the fourth Monarchy to be the Empire of the successors of Alexander the great, and that upon such reasons, as might make sober men not too peremptory in the contrary opinion, much less to make the future smiting of it an article of faith, and the visible Kingdom of Christ to succeed it.

2. That the Kingdom mentioned to be set up Dan. 2. 44. shall be an external visible Kingdom on earth;

which is yet more doubtful, being more controverted among godly learned men: and that upon such weighty considerations on both sides, as may make considerate men, if not to suspend their judge∣ment, yet not too resolutely to assert it, nor obtrude it with such zeal, as the Quinto-Monarchians do, as an article of faith, and build such mighty attempts, commotions in the world, and hopes on so

uncertain a foundation. 3. That,

In the daies of these Kings must be meant at the end of the fourth Monarchy, when all the materials of the Image shall be broken in pieces, and scattered so as no place was found for them:

Whereas it is far more proba∣ble, that it was set up when Christ began to Preach the Gospel, as John Baptist and our Lord intimated, when he invited men to repent and believe the Gospel, for the Kingdom Heaven was at hand; very likely alluding to those places in Daniel ch. 2. 44.

In their daies the God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdom, which shall never be destroyed,

and therefore called the Kingdom of Heaven to distinguish it from the Kingdoms of men set up by them, not by the God of Heaven; whereto the like is Dan. 7. 14. And seems to be referred to the spi∣ritual Kingdom of Christ, which the Saints of the most High do take, as the Author to the Hebrews ch. 12. 28. saith,

Wherefore we re∣ceiving a Kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have, or hold fast, grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and Godly fear;

which no man doubts, to be meant of the receiv∣ing the Kingdom of Christ, by faith in him, upon the Preaching of the Gospel. 4.

There is a distinction made between the Kingdom of the Stone, and the Kingdom of the Mountain, as if they were either several Kingdoms, or at least of several conditions and qualifications;

whereas the text doth distinguish them no otherwise than in their extent, not one spiritual, the other visible & external, the one the working Kingdom, the other the Kingdom of glory.

5. That the Stone, which must do the smiting and breaking work, is not Christ personal only, but also Christ mystical with his members,

or to use the words of Mr. Tillinghast,

Though this Stone fundamen∣tally is Christ himself, yet considered as smiting the great Image, it can be no other but Christ mystical, Christ in his Members.

But sure in this they are mistaken, this work being made in scrip∣ture Christs own peculiar work, Matth. 21. 42, 43, 44.

Jesus saith unto them, did ye never read in the scriptures, the Stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the Corner? This is the Lords doing, and it is Marvellous in our eyes. There∣fore I say unto you, the Kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this Stone shall be broken; but on whom∣soever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder, or dash him to pieces.

In which passage it is apparent that by the Kingdom of God (which is to be conceived the same with that Dan. 2. 44.) is meant the Kingdom which was then among the Jews, which was no other

than the spiritual Kingdom of Christ, and the Stone, whose work is to grind to powder, or dash to pieces, (which is to be conceived to be the same, with the smiting and breaking, Dan. 1. 34. 44.) is that Stone, which was rejected by the builders, and should become the head of the Corner; which is no other but Christ personal, who was crucified by the Rulers of the Jews, but raised up from death and set at Gods right hand; and so became the Corner Stone of Gods spiritual House or Church, as it is expresly expounded by Peter, Acts. 4. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. And of him it is said,

that he shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working, whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself,

Philip. 3. 21. 6. It is supposed,

that this smiting work shall be by military Power, or by fighting:

Whereas,

if the cutting of the Stone out of the Mountain, be the setting up of the Kingdom, it must be without hands,

Dan. 2. 34. 44, 45. by the God of Heaven, and therefore to be done some other way, as Zech. 4. 6. The return of the Jews, and their esta∣blishing in their Land under Zerubbabel should be not by might, or Army, nor by Power, but by Gods spirit, or, as it is said, Isai. 11. 4. Of Christ,

that he shall smite the Earth with the Rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

By his Preaching, or by his Angels, or by his Creatures, as by flaming fire he may smite, as when it is said, 2 Thes. 1. 7, 8, 9, 10.

The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven, with his mighty An∣gels in flaming fire, taking vengence on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glo∣rified in his Saints; and to be admired in all them that believe.

And thus shall Gog and Magog be smitten, Revel. 20. 9.

When they shall go up on the breadth of the Earth, and compass the Camp of the Saints about, and the beloved City, fire shall come down from God out of Heaven and devour them.

By these and other means, the Stone may smite the Feet of the great Image, without swords, and such like military weapons, and fighting, and that be fulfilled, which is promised Psal. 2. 9.

Thou shalt break them with a Rod of Iron, thou shalt dash them in pieces like a Potters Vessels.

As he is described Revel. 1. 16. That out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword, so he warneth, Revel. 2. 16.

Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Yea, when it is promised, v. 26, 27.

He that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the Nations (And he shall Rule them with a Rod of Iron: as the Vessels of a Potter shall they be broken to shivers) even as I received of my Father:

It is to be understood of their prayers, as Revel. 6. 10. Revel. 8. 4, 5. Revel. 11. 5, 6. as James 5. 17. Revel. 12. 11. Not of Arms, and Armies, he that reads Revel. 16 and 19. Chapters, wherein is foretold the destruction of the Beast, and the false Prophet, may see more reason to conceive that Christ will do it by Plagues, as God did the Egyptians by Moses, or some other invisible way without the Saints; or if he use the Saints, he will do it by their Prayers and Testimonie, without o∣ther fighting. And therefore if it were granted; That that,

with which the fifth Kingdom doth begin, the work of the great Image, the overturning the Thrones of the Kings is to be per∣formed by the Saints, as chief instruments in the mannagement of it; yet it is not true, which Mr. Tillinghast saith in his 3. Sermon p. 65. Then it follows of necessity, there must be such a thing as the Civil and Military Power to be in the hands of the Saints, and that before the day of Christs appearance, they must have this Power in their hands, for the performance of that work.

So that notwithstanding this pretence, it is evil and horribly wick∣ed, for them that have called themselves,

the Saints and People of God, to seek for it, to pray for it, to plead for it, as the Fifth Monarchy Men have done,

contrary to the plain precepts of Christ and his Apostles, seeking for it by killing innocent men, under pretence of praying to God, and keeping fasts, cursing their Gover∣nors, and pleading by revilings, and false accusations, and most horrid pervertings of holy scripture, and self magnifyings for a power, not belonging to them. 7. It is supposed,

that if the smiting work be to be done by men, it must be by Saints in their Notion.

But there is no proof of this, or rather the words of scripture do plainly tell us; that the work is to be done by those Kings, which they conceive, they should destroy as Antichristian, in order to the setting up of the Fifth Monarchy. For thus we read Revel. 17. 16, 17.

And the ten Horns, which thou sawest upon the Beast, these shall hate the Whore, and shall make her desolate, and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts, to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their Kingdom unto the Beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

So that whereas these men imagin such an inconsistency with Gods purpose and glory to use the Kings and Governments, which have

supported the Whore of Babylon for her ruine, and therefore incite men to such hatred, and emnity against them, and with much dis∣dain, stomack, and bitter zeal; not knowing what spirit they are of, do vilify, inveigh against, and curse them, and seek their to∣tal abolition, glorying, like frantick men, in their own satanical spirit and designs, they should rather endeavour to do such things as might make Princes favour them, and hate the Whore; and rather admire, bless and magnify the Providence and work of God, in using them as instruments to pull her down, whose Predecessors out of their blind devotion, set up the Whore, and to protect the servants of God, who were by their Ancestors destroyed.

8. It is supposed

that this smiting work is to be done by Gen∣tile Saints, who are such as they have characterized them.

But this hath no evidence to prove it. For though I will not exclude the Gentile Saints from being meant Dan. 7. 18. 21, 22, 25, 27. Yet it is very probable (which Junius, Piscator and others observe) that by Saints in those places are specially meant the Jewish People, called, ch. 8. 10. The host of Heaven v. 24. The holy People, or People of the holy ones ch. 9. 15, 16, 19, 24. Gods People,

and their City Jerusalem called by Gods name, his Sanctuary, the holy City,

ch. 11. 28. 30. The holy Covenant, ch. 12. 7. the holy People. Yea sundry of those, that are much followed in this argument (as Mr. Mede Comment. on Revel. 16. 12.) do conceive, that by the Kings of the East who shall have their way prepared for expedition a∣gainst the Beast; are meant the Jews. And sundry Prophecies there are in the Old and New Testament, which do seem to foretel the Kingdom to be restored to Israel, according to the question Acts 1. 6. And therefore the more likely, when they are converted to Christ, if any Saints on Earth, to be chief instruments of destroying Baby∣lon, which hath oppressed them, Or that fourth Kingdom, which hath been

as strong as Iron, and broken in pieces and subdu∣ed all.

9. It is supposed,

that this smiting work is the work of this generation, and to be begun by the pretended publick spirited Saints of this Nation.

Whereas Mr. Tillinghast himself Serm. 1. p. 25. saith,

the work of Christs Kingdom, the glorious beginning of it, it shall be about the time of the Jews coming in: And in∣deed the coming in of the Jews, shall be a very great advance∣ment of this Kingdom.

I omit what Mr. Parker conceives of the Waldenses, and others, as long since beginning and carrying it on. There is nothing yet appears, but a violent, heady, presumptuous

spirit in those persons, who have thought themselves fit to begin the work, nor in the times, but the commotions that have been, which gives colour to this supposition.