Vial into their hands and poured it out upon Episcopacy to some purpose Then came the Parliament of England and rooted up Episcocal Government by the very roots and in both Nations it was done with a great deal of Judgement Wisdom Courage Piety And his Kingdom was full of darkness So our translation but the Greek imports but this his kingdom was darkned what Scotland had done in a judicial way and the Parliament of England had done in a judicial way I say when the news thereof came to the Popes ears to the ears his Cardinals Jesuites and all his religious orders and Churches in Europe can you imagine less but it was black and sad news to them and news of a dangerous consequence and a shrewd persage to all the lovers and upholders of that Government what a deal of Popish lustre and glory was there in the three Nations by reason of Episcopacy East Host Altar Tapers Copes Surplesses dressing up of Chappels with the Pictures of Christ Virgin Mary Apostles Adorning Church-Widdows with the stories of the Bible in time to have become Laymens books Altar-adoration Sacrament-adoration Organs Singing of service that travellors from beyond Seas when they saw the posture of things would say one to another we are at home were but the service in Latine as t is in English And what great hopes had the Pope of the reconciliation of these Kingdoms to himself again and all by means of that height of Episcopacy amongst us But when a Vial full of wrath was poured out upon it according as you have heard how was the popish lustre and glory in England Scotland and Ireland quite put out and a very considerable degree of loss sorrow and darkness brought in upon the Popes whole dominions so as made them generally bite their tongues for madness and blaspheme The sixth Vial is poured out upon the great river Euphrates Euphrates must be here taken mystically for that which is the maintenance and defence of Rome Antichristian as that river was anciently of old Babylon There are five streams of baseness that run into one and so make up this great Euphrates Saint John mentions them Rev. 9.20 21. Images Murthers Sorceries Fornications Thefts by these Rome hath encreased her wealth and by these Rome hath been upheld and secured Now when the ten Christian Kings or Supream Powers shall be so far converted to God and have the eyes of their understanding so far enlightned as to see all this their perverting of Religion and these gross abuses out the Christian world their hearts will then rise against her so as to dry up and withdraw these streams of base revenues by which they have been so enriched and defended They 'l pull down Images whereby the simple people have been deluded severely punish their Sorceries whereby they have so awed and terrified the World their fornications and whorish stews whereby so many have been daily drowned in sensuality and undone eternally they 'l put an end to their Inquisitions whereby so many precious Servants of God have been cruelly murther'd an end also to their spiritual Thefts and Robberies when they perceive the merits of the Alsufficient sacrifice of Jesus Christ is held forth to them freely for the remission of sins according to that Isaiah 55.1.2 They 'l refuse to trade with them any more for their rotten creature-righteousness their Pardons and Indulgences shall bring in no more treasures into the Popes Coffers they 'l part with no more monies to have the souls of their departed friends prayed and sung out of Purgatory and will cast all their Trumperies out of their dominions And thus shall the great river Euphrates be dryed up That be way may be prepared for the Kings of the East that is that the ten Kings or Supream powers now finding in the eye of reasons the ruine of Rome feasable may encourage one another to the work and dispatch it they are called Kings of the East in allusion to Cyrus who came East from Babylon and took it Or thus that way may be made for the Kings of the East i. e. for the briging home the People of the Jews who are here called Kings You may see another notable interpretation of this Vial in Mr. Reynolds Sermon preaced before the House Aug. 28. 1644. page 41. The seventh and last Vial is poured out into the Air. The Air in which the Antichristian world lives is the smoak of the bottomless Pit Rev. 9. or the darkness of Ignorance for out of this came their Locusts all their hellish Doctrines and Worship Upon the pouring out of this Vial the Glory of the Son of Righteousness and of Gospel Ordinances doth so break forth as quite prevails against that Infernal Darkness and Spiritual Ignorance which bred Papacy and in which Papacy had so long breathed and lived and so the Antichristian Air being destroyed they fall a gasping and the pangs of Death come upon them for immediately there comes a voyce from Heaven saying T is done there 's an end of the Pope and his Kingdom and all the Mystery of iniquity Let me speak a little to the following verses Verse 18. There were voyces and thunderings and lightnings and as it were the sound of Trumpets upon mens Spirits that make their hearts quake and tremble within them and also a great earth-quake such a one as was not since men wer upon the earth so mighty and so great These will be sad days with the Antichristian party such thunderings voyces lightnings from above such an earth-quake from beneath them the face of things threatning as if Heaven and Earth would come together Do you marvel if at their Worlds end they be at their Wits end The effects of these lightnings thunders earthquake follow verse 19. First The great City was divided into three parts But by this Great City I understand Rome it self which was shaken into three factions and so became weak that it could not defend it self against the Besiegers There have been three factions amongst us I call them Factions onely because each have so esteemed of other peradventure it will run upon a threefold Party of Faction to the end of the War Then the Citits of the Nations fell i. e. fell off from her and left her dosolate of all former help and comfort and so Babylon the great came into remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the wine of the feirceness of his wrath See how this is expressed Rev. 18.8 Her plagues come in one day Death and Mourning and Famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire The latter end of that nineteenth verse doubtless looks as far as the great battel of God Almighty the issue whereof is set down Rev. 19 20. the Beast was taken and with him the false prophet and were both cast alive into the Lake of fire burning with brimstone Yet all this contents not Christ he still goes on to pursue his Victory Rev. 16.20 Every
and carriage and see what we contribute to this great design Christ is gone forth upon Do ye so dispence Justice and Judgement so administer Gospel-Ordinances Word and Sacraments so act your Faith so Pray so Fight as may help to shake out the remaining Vials of wrath faster and faster upon them There is never a man or woman in this Congregation but may carry the matter so as when Christ hath got the day and conquest may without lying or vanity of spirit say Through the goodness of God upon me I was a weapon a poor instrument in the hand of Jesus Chirst for the effecting of it when Rome is all on a flaming fire may say I was one that helped to set it on fire when Babylon is fallen I was one that helped to pull it down which if thou hast done not Jehu-like out of pride and for thy own ends but as service due to Jesus Christ and for the bringing in of his Kingdom doubtless thy seed shall be blessed upon Earth and great shall be thy reward in Heaven Vse 4. The last Use is to you who in reason may live to this great day of Romes ruin when you shal see the great Earthquake shaking their Politicall Heavens and Earth all to pieces and the greatest temporall glories now in Christendom brought down laid low and trodden under foot let it not trouble you at all for let me tell you those in Rev. 18. That shall tament her burning are none of Christ friends but carnal wretches and indeed his enemies Your duty upon it is of a clean contrary nature Rev. 18. you read of Babylon fallen as when a milstone is cast into the bottom of the Sea of the smoak of her burning and that in one hour she is made desolate saith the Holy Ghost Rejoyce over her thou Heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her Rev. 19.1 After these things that is after Rome burnt and laid in ashes I heard a great voyce of much People in Heaven in the true Church of Christ saying Allelujah salvation and honour and glory and power unto the Lord our God ver 2. For true and righteous are thy Judgements for he hath judged the great whore which did corrupt the Earth with her Fornication and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand ver 3. And again they said Allelujah and her smoak rose up for ever and ever ver 5. A voyce came out of the Throne saying praise our God all ye his servants ye that fear him both small and great It was one of S. Austins three wishes that he could have rejoyced greatly in to have seen Rome in her glory though but heathenish but I am confident were he upon earth now one of his greatest wishes wherein he would most please and solace himself would be to see Rome all on a flaming fire and burnt to ashes O quam pulchrum spectaculum And truly there is cause why you should rejoyce in it with exceeding great joy 1. When the Witnesses were dead in the streets you know what was their carriage Rev. 11. They rejoyced over them made merry sent gifts and God will have you to tread forth the law of retaliation as they rejoyced over your misery so Gods tels you t is an equal thing and he requires it as a duty of you to rejoyce greatly over their miseries 2. You know what postures they stand in in reference to Christ and his Church they provoke God daily with the highest hand that ever any did as I have shewed you they wrong Christ strangely keeping him out of his just rights they are the proudest enemy the cruellest enemy and enemy of the longest continuance the most hopeless of ever being brought in by repentance that ever the Church had any and therefore if ever the people of God might rejoyce in the downfall of an enemy you may certainly in this 3. Consider the sequel of their ruin which will be this A Kingdom that cannot be shaken as the Apostle speaks Heb. 12.27 28. and if the Text be rightly understood it speaks to this very time and business Out of the ruins and ashes these wars shall make Christ will bring the most glorious frame of Government that ever the world saw and let men and States do what they can it will not be brought forth till then but then it shall and can any Saint but rejoyce in that which ushers in those good and blessed times Scripture is so abundant in promising which shall be the subject of the ensuing discourse THE REIGN OF CHRIST By Ed. Hawghton LONDON Printed for Francis Tyton 1652. TO THE READER I Would not have any one think that I am able no nor any man now alive to set forth the so-much-expected Kingdome of CHRIST in the true worth and glories of it let it suffice if I give you some rude draughts of it The Prophets of old did speak very clear and excellent things concerning the Messiah his Birth Life Miracles Doctrine Death Resurrection and what was to follow thereupon insomuch that Isaias is usually called by Divines the Evangelical Prophet But when John was come our Saviour saith of him Mat. 11. He was the greatest of those that had been born of women meaning in respect of his knowledge of the Messias nay that he was was more then a Prophet i. e. he had more abilities to speak of Christs nature offices and excellencies of his kingdome then any or all the Prophets that had been before him But yet sayes he The least in the kingome of God is greater then John the Baptist After the ascension of Christ and descension of the Holy Ghost the meanest Minister of the Gospel was able to hold him forth in all points more excellently then John the Baptist was To bring this home to the present businesse We that now speak concerning this great this blessed Kingdome of Jesus Christ onely as Prophets yet not by any private spirit but groundedly from the Word may speak very clear undoubted and in their eares especially to whom this subject is somwhat strange and new very wonderful things almost incredible but when Rome shall come to be buried in its own ashes and after that the great Battel of God Almighty fought and finished and Christ hath his Kingdome actually upon the Anvil hammering and working it out those whose lot it shall be to stand forth Ministers of the Gospel then and be eye witnesses of Christ so at work of them it may be said They are the greatest of those that have been born of women in respect of their distinct knowledge of the Kingdome of our Lord nay more then Prophets men far more accomplish'd to speak of the parts government glory of his Kingdome then any or all the most holy learned men that have been before them who saw it only at a distance through the Prospective of the more dark and general Promises and spake of it by way of
of Popish wordly powers they vanished and new ones came up in their place According to this Text must divers others be understood Isa 66. from the 18. verse to the end of the Chapter the Prophet Treats wholly of this Kingdom In the last verse he bids you look on the carcases of the men that had transgressed against Christ how remarkably and everlastingly they are destroyed In the 18 19 20. verses you have the Calling of the Jews and Nations of the Gentiles In the 21. and 23. verses you have the Ministers and Ordinances of the Gospel set forth and verse 22. all this called new heavens and new earth In the Margent of this Scipture there are divers quotations I would commend two of them to your notice One is Isa 65.17 For behold I create new heavens and new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into my minde That which God will do is so strange so mighty a Work that in comparison of Gods former Works of Providence t is called a Creation of new Heavens and new Earth which cannot be understood concerning the material Heavens and Earth for 't is a Prophesie of something to come that then was not but there was as much yea the very same Heavens and Earth properly taken then as there is now or ever will be there will be no change in the now Visible or Material Heavens Earth but the same Earth Sea Sun Moon Stars to Christs last coming Therefore the Prophet means and calls them new in respect of former ones as t is in the Text the former shall not be remembred Honoris gratiâ The Political Heavens and Earth as I said before of the Pope and Popish worldly Kingdoms these shall pass away and Christ shall set up new Heavens viz. a Heavenly King and Government over all the World Heavenly Officers to rule under him Thy exactors shall be righteousness heavenly Ordinances heavenly gifts and graces shall shine forth heavenly Pastors and Discipline and a new earth of external peace and external plenty the following verses of that 65. of Isaiah will force your thus to understand it The other Scripture the Margent quotes is 2 Pet. 3.12 13. Looking for and hastening to the coming of the day of God c. Nevertheless we according to promise look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness q.d. though I bid you look for and hasten to the great day of God wherein all shall be set on fire yet nevertheless take special notice how that word nevertheless v. 13. comes in do not fear that you shall lose that glorious Kingdom upon earth that your hearts are generally so much set upon Act. 1.6 7. Lord wilt thous now restore the kingdom to Israel That the Messias would do it 't was commonly known and believed of all the Jews and by these taken for granted our Saviour denyes not the matter of their Quaere suffering them to go on in their Faith of the thing it self only gives check to their curiosity It is not for you to know the times and seasons the Father hath put in his own hands Fear not say Peter before the great and last burning we groundedly from a promise expect that God will make and give us in our Posterity new heavens and new earth in which shall dwell none of that base ungodliness the present heavens and earth of the Kingdoms of this World are full of but in which shall dwell Righteousness as t is Rev 9 8. He names the chief thing in Christs Kingdom which will bring with it all the rest I have spoken of to you If we that live now who have taken notice of the present state of things might be raised out of our graves and have a full view of the Kingdom Christ will set up everywhere certainly there would be no more spirit in us we should cry out here is noting of that World that was when we were upon earth we see none of the old Kings and Queens old Rulers old Governments old Sins and Sinners old wayes that formerly were all the old things are gone and behold all is become new Here 's a new King and new Officers new kinde of Preachers new Ordinances new Discipline new Saints new Church new State all 's become new Why this is not the World that was when we were alive behold here 's a new World that the Lord Christ Omnipotent hath Created Lastly This Kingdom shall be of no small continuance Surely Christ will not be at all this care cost pain to pull down to set up to make a new World of it and all this but for a day or a year Antichrist had a thousand two hundred and threescore years to play Rex in now indeed 't is pitty Christ should not have as long a Reign in the World at least It is not for us to know the times and seasons the Father hath reserved in his own hands But I le tell you what Scripturer saith to it Isa 65.17 he had promised as I told you to create new Heavens and new Earth and lest you should mis-understand this new Heavens and new Earth what they are he tels you ver 18. I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy that I mean but when shall this be Why ver 19. When the voice of weeping and crying shall be no more heard in her which must needs point at a time after the destruction of the Temple for then there was weeping and crying enough amongst them viz. upon the now so much expected Calling of the Jews and setling of them again in their own Land at which time ver 22. They shall not build and another inhabit as it had been often formerly with them they shall not plant and another eat but they shall dwell in their own houses and eat their own labours But for what space shall this joy and settlement of theirs be It follows Mine elects shall long enjoy the work of their hands they shall enjoy their new heavens and new earth a long time Rev. 20 2 3 4. The angel laid hold on Satan and bound him at thousand years and the Saints lived and reigned with Christ successively generation after generation a thousand years T is very likely this is a certain number for an uncertain but whether it be more or it be less questionless this expression of a thousand years assures us of a very long time Isa 60.15 I will make thee the joy of many generations not a few but many generations I leave it to your judgement what number of years in this case are to be accounted many the Saints shall enjoy this blessed this glorious reign of Christ for many generations But that which goes immediatly before is this I will make thee an eternal excellency speaking of the Church The word eternal here being to be understood comparatively to other great Kingdoms that have been set up and in time fallen must import a duration as great
of revealing of him was most sutable serviceable to the great design God had upon the base rotten Christian World Fourthly The revelation of him in this Book and elsewhere is sufficiently clear to all the Elect who have set themselves to find out Antichrist As it fared with the Jews concerning Christ Rom. 11.7 so also with the Gentilish Churches concerning Antichrist The election have obtained knowledge of him when the rest are blinded by their own wilfulness by their self interest and God holds their eyes in a just judgement that they shall not see and know him Dan. 12.10 None of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand If the sense of the Context be rightly drawn down it speaks to this present business concerning Antichrist and bringing in the Kingdom of our Lord the men of the world will be blinded to the last but the spiritually wise do discern and judge of all things Rev. 15. ult The Temple was filled with smoak from the glory of God and from his Power and no man was able to enter into the Temple till the seven plagues of the seven Angels were fulfilled This verse will bear a double Interpretation one of them is this the Temple or Church of Christ gained out of the hands of Antichrist hath the glorious presence and Power of God abiding in it for the smoak that filld the Tabernacle and Temple upon their dedications had that signification whereto the Holy-Ghost here alludes God hath been powerfully and gloriously present amongst his Saints since the Vials began to be poured out The other which I aim at is This the Temple or Church of Christ to the eye of the Antichristian Partie as a powerfull and just judgement of God upon them is full of the smoak of Apostacie smoak of Errors Heresies the smoak of Schisme the smoak of Treason the smoak of Rebellions the Church of Rome and Popish Faction can see nothing of Righteousness Equity Honesty in any or all those wayes the Saints take against them their Assemblies and Councels their Doctrines and doings are the darkness and grievance of smoak unto them and will be so yet a while for none of them says the text can come into the Temple To be true members of the Church of Christ to own the Assemblies of the Saints in their worship and wayes till the seven plagues of the seven Angels be fulfilled I say till then such a smoak is in their eyes they will not be able to get any clear vision of things though there be the light of noon day to guide us in our work and way The whore hath layed Kings mighty men Merchants and all them both great and small that dwell upon the Earth except two poor witnesses dead-drunk with the wine of the spiritual fornication Rev. 14. Those who are drunk with Heresies Errors their own Inventions and Opinions can have no right understanding or discerning spirit in them neither of themselves nor of the great Antichrist nor of the true Church nor of God in Christ God in his works or worship they know no body they know nothing but what their drunken fancy and strong delusions suggest to them Popery is a mystery 2 Thes 2. Rev. 17. and do you wonder if Papists and carnal impenitent People do not or cannot understand mysteries See but one text more Hos 14.9 Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them for the wayes of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them but the transgressors shall fall therein This Scripture can hold truer in nothing then in this business between Christ and Antichrist wicked men are blinded in it they stumble at it and fall but the Saints of God being wise and prudent they discern they know go on in the right wayes of the Lord. I am perswaded there is no man in the World that hath the Spirit of Jesus Christ in him that is a Saint indeed but if he set himself to study this point which Humility Diligence Faith and Prayer he shall be led into the very City of Rome and there comparing predictions with the Popes actions for Paul had no other way mightily to convince the Jews that that same Jesus who was born of Mary suffered so ignominously under Pontius Pilate was the very Christ but by laying his birth in the circumstances of it his manner of Life Doctrine Miracles Death Resurrection to the Prophesies that went before of him and this did it I say when he shall have taken a full veiw of things there comparing the Popes carriage with what Daniel Paul and the Apostle John have spoken of him and see how fully they joyn and cloze one with another he shall be forced to sit down satisfied that the Popes of Rome are the great Antichrist and the oftner he reads this Chapter of Paul to the Thessalonians and Saint Johns Revelation he shall wonder at the clearness of this truth shining and breaking in upon him more and more and marvel that any who ever read Saint Paul and Saint John do not see it Though God hath expressed things darkly in this point yet clear enough to all the Elect if the rest be deceived and perish he matters it not 't is the Elect he intends to Communicate secrets Mysteries and do good unto But the Bishops of Rome that were once by common confession such good men some of them even Martyrs for Christ they were planted as Jeremiahs expression is wholy a right seed how were they turned into the degenerate plant of a strange Vine into the Vine of the Earth Rev. 14.18 How came they to so much vilenes as to make up the man of sin the great Antichrist For satisfaction to this 1. Those of them that were truly good righteous and holy persons doubtless their seed abode in them so they lived and so they died their Righteousnes Holiness Services Sufferings went along with them Secondly God hath not so annexed grace to any Function or Rank of man not yet to any one place in the World but in process of time that Function may fail that place basely degenerate Sure if God had Entailed grace and goodness on any succession of men it was Aaron and those that followed in the Priesthood but how it was with them may be known if you read 1 Sam 2.12 to the end of that Chapter The Holy Ghost spake nothing bad but all good of the Angel and Church of Philadelphia yet now t is the Synagogue and habitation of Turks and Devils But a most ominous Prophetical Warning did Paul give the Church of Rome Rom. 11.17 to 23. If some of the branches be broken off and thou being a wild Olive-tree wert graffed in among them and with them partakest of the Root and Fatness of the Olive-tree Boast not against the Branches if thou Boast thou bearest not the Root but the Root thee Thou wilt say then the Branches were broken off that I might be
shall deliver him I find upon search That when Christ is going in good earnest to set up his Kingdom in the name and glory of it there is a great hazard I may say downfall of Kings I shall make this good to you from four scriptures The first of them is Psal 2. ver 2. The Kings of the Earth set themselves and the Rulers take councel together against the Lord and against his Christ This Peter saith was fulfilled at Christs apprehension tryal and death Act. 4.25 26 27. Herod Pontius Pilate the Chief Priests and others consulted and set themselves against him when he had but given out some hints of his Kingship This was that which stirred them up so against him Tell us art thou the King of the Iews And when Pilate was minded to let him go they cryed out He that makes himself a King speaks against Caesar whereupon Pilate went and passed Sentence upon him When there was but some talk that Christ would set up a Kingdom they presently band themselves against him and he dyes for 't and so they think they have broke the Cordes of his Government asunder as t is vers 3. In the 4. verse God laughs at them being wroth verse 5. Speaks that which vexes them Yet or notwithstanding all their combined powers and policies against him have I set him up King of Sion verse 6. And says God I will declare the decree thou art my son this day have I begotten thee verse 7. This was fulfil'd in his raising him up from death to life Act. 13.33 God hath passed an Eternal Decree concerning his Son That when they should kill and bury him he would the third day bring him forth out of the womb of the grave and own him for his Son and set him at his own right hand there to intercede and his intercession should not be in vain Ask of me says the Father to him and I will give the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession ver 8. As if he had said I will set thee in possession of thy inheritance which shall have the uttermost parts of the earth for its boundary according to that Psal 72.8 He shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth For God to declare the Decree is to act it for Dei discere est facere When the time is at hand he must be thus set in actual possession of all the Dominion and Greatness and Glory that God hath promised him if the Kings of the earth did set themselves and the Rulers took councel together against him when he did but speak somewhat of his Kingly Office how much more will they do it then when they see his throne a building and his Kingdom a going up to the no small prejudice of their Interest Revel 11.15 17 18. When he begins to put forth and act his Great Power and do something towards taking the Kingdoms of this world into his own hands and reign then the Nations are angry at him that is they act against him in their anger wherein Kings are chief as you may see Rev. 16.14 16. But do they carry it no and thy wrath is come Rev. 11.18 Christ in his wrath fights the battel with them in Armageddon that is where he gives them a most remarkable overthrow and destruction which this 2. Psal expresses plainly Thou shalt break them with a rod of Iron and dash them in pieces like a Potters vessel v. 9. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the earth v. 10. as if he said look You well to your selves be his servants without Complement and rejoyce with trembling when he comes about this work v. II. Kiss the Son with kisses of Reverence kisses of Obedience lest he be angry and then a little thing will provoke him and so ye perish in the mid-way in the mid-way of your plots enmities oppositions of him for if his wrath be kindled but a little blessed are all those those Kings and Rulers especially that have Wisdom and Faith to get interest in him and be of his side those that have not the fire of his wrath will certainly consume them ver 12. The second Scripture is Isaiah 24. ver 18.19 20. Marlorat who professes to have taken the marrow and substance of his Comment out of Vatablus Luther Musculus Calvin Oecolampadius Pagnin c. hath these very words upon the latter end of the eighteenth ver pertinet autem proprie hic contextus ad Papistus nostros Christ in this Prophesie says he chiefly intends the Popish State Upon a following verse he hath these words ' hoc vaticinium proprie ad Christi regnum pertinet this other part of the Prophesie doth chiefly respect the kingdom of Christ he means his glorious kingdom expressed in the last words of the Chapter The Popish and Gospel-opposing World is here set out by the Earth as it is also in diverse places of the Revelations Rev. 14.19 Chap. 16.1 Here is mention of heavy transgression according to Rev. 18.5 Her sins are reach'd up to heaven The transgression is sayd to be so heavy upon it that the foundations of the Earth shake reel to and fro yea are utterly broken down fall and rise no more the same you may read Rev. 16 18 19. and Rev. 18.21 And it shall come to pass in that day that is in the day of the Earthquake that the Lord shall punish the Host of the high ones that are on high Who are they I take the next words to be Exegetical why the Kings of the Earth upon the Earth ver 21. The most of the Kings and high Ones of the Earth will be Engaged aganst him enough to make an Host whom Christ will fall upon and punish upon the Earth with temporal judgement according as you have heard when he is abought to Raign before his Ancients gloriously as 't is ver 23. If this Prophesie have been at all fulfilled it will doubtless be much more fulfilled in that day for Prophesies many times have a gradual fulfilling The third Scripture is Psalm 110. Sit on my right hand till I make thy Enemies thy footstool ver 1. Concerning those Enemies you may get some light out of Luke 19. ver 14. the Citizens hated him and sent this message after him We will not have this man to Raign over us and ver 27. Those mine Enemies which would not that I should Reign over them c. The Father speaks of those who were Enemies to Christ as a King Enemies to his Raigning When Christ had cast down heathenish Idols and Government Rev. 12. in all reason he might have expected in Constantine and following Emperors and ages to have set up his Kingdom but then upstarts the Pope that Beast with his ten horns or Kings who by their smiting and pushing keep Christ out of all Whereat to speak after the manner of men Christ
world to be the true Melchisedech not only King of Righteousness as I but now shewed you but also King of Salem i e. King of peace ruling all the Kingdoms of the world for the generality of them will be his in external peace Isa 9.6 7. To us a Child is born to us a Son is given he shall be called the Prince of Peace of the increase of his government and peace i. e. his government of peace or peace of his government there shall be no end and that this be not limited to internal peace it follows upon the Throne of David to order and establish it but Davids Throne and government of peace was external therefore so also shall Christs be Isa 2.2 It shall come to pass in the last dayes that the Mountain of the Lords house shall be established upon the top of the Mountains and all Nations shall flow unto it ver 4. He shall judge among the Nations and rebuke many People and they shall beat their Swords into Plough-shares and their Spears into pruning hooks and National shall not lift up sword against Nation neither shall they learn war any more Isa 11.6 7 8 9. The Woolf shall dwel with the Lamb the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid the Calf the young Lion and the fatling together and a little Child shall lead them The Cow and Bear shall feed their young ones shall lie down together and the Lion shall eat straw like the Oxe The sucking Child shall play on the hole of the Asp and the weaned Child shall put his hand on the Cockatrice den They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain for the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea The Prophet goes on in the 10 11 12. verses concerning this Kingdom and sayes he ver 13. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off Ephraim shall not envy Iudah Iudah shall not vex Ephraim Isa 60.18 Violence shall be no more heard in thy Land wasting nor destruction within by borders and therefore is it ver 11. Thy gates shall be open continually they shall not be shut day nor night And sure such a City who never shut their gates take themselves out of all possibility of danger This 11. ver S. Iohn quotes Rev. 21.25 The gates of it shall not be shut at all by day for there shall be no night there i. e. no night of darkness caused by enemies wars sorrows oppressions for saith Christ I will make all thine Officers peace Isa 60.17 There were no end of giving you Scriptures that must of necessity be understood of the peace of this Kingdom Rev. 21.2 3 4. Ezek. 34.24 25. My servant David meaning Christ shall be a Prince amongst them And I will make with them a Covenant of Peace and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the Land and they shall dwel safely in the wilderness and sleep in the wood i. e. without fear or danger which is unusual and unknown Ver. 28. They shall no more be a prey to the Heathen neither shall the beasts of the Land devour them but they shall dwel safely and none shall make them afraid He gives you light ver 29. when this shall be And I will raise up for them a plant of Renown and they shall be no more consume with hunger in the Land neither bear the shame of the heathen any more This place cannot be fulfilled yet since Ezekiel spake it for they have been a prey to the heathen beasts have devoured them they all bear the shame of the Heathen at this day But when the time comes that this promise shal be fully made good to them these things shall never befall them more but there shall be peace to him that comes in and to him that goes out they shall have peace extended to them like a River as the expression is Isa 66.12 He speaks to our present purpose as the context there clearly gives it Ninthly His Reign will bring wonderful plenty and outward prosperity to his Subjects Isa 30.23 Then shall he give the rain of thy seed that thou shalt sow the ground withall and bread of the increase of the earth and it shall be fat and plenteous in that day shall thy cattell feed in large pastures ver 24. The oxen likewise and young asses that ear the ground shall eat clean provender which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan There being such plenty they will not grudge it them they may well afford them clean provender The two following verses I quoted under the sixt Head they speak of the abundance and increase of Blessings Spiritual all which says the Prophet shall be in the day of the great slaughter Rev. 19.20 And when God shall binde up the breach between the two Tribes and the ten then there will be plenty of all things not only for the soul but also for the body Isa 60.16 Thou shalt suck the milk of the Gentiles and shalt suck the brests of Kings you must take special notice of this all along that the great and glorious Promises of this Kingdom are made primarily and chiefly to the Nation of the Jews the Nations of the Gentiles not excluded they also shall share in them according as they shall come in to Christ ver 17. For brass I 'le bring gold for iron silver for wood brass and for stones iron I will also make thy officers peace and thy exactors righteousness They shall not bee impoverished by those that bear rule amongst them Ezek 34.26 I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing and I will cause the showre to come down in his season and there shall be showers of blessings ver 27. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit and the earth shall yield her increase Rev. 21.24 The Kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour into it ver 26. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the Nations into it Time was and in part yet is that the Kings and Kingdoms of the world brought the glory of their power and wealth and laid it all down at Antichrists feet to enrich him to make him a pompous pamper'd Beast but the days are certainly comming wherein they shall make as much haste to lay down all the feet of Jesus Christ and his People according to that Dan. 7.27 the kingdom and dominion and greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most High and all dominions shall serve and obey him Tenthly The setting up of this Throne of his will make such a change from bad to good in all points that in Scripture t is called a new world Rev. 21.1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth were past away viz. The Political Heavens and Earth
feet of his Will Set up as much of Christ and his Kingdom in thy Family as thou canst suppress sin in it as far as thy power will go set up Duties of Religion in it bring all under the power thereof Oh that Magistrates would not stand consulting chiefly what sutes best to the Interest of the State but what sutes best to the Interest of Jesus Christ and will most help on his Kingdom Certainly setting up standing by and countenancing in Spiritual Powerful Ministery not suffering Sabbaths and Ordinances to be prophaned and affronted good Learning and Holiness maintained in the Universities and other inferiour Schools Judgement and Justice executed without respect of persons I say doubtless these things would contribute much towards the enthroning of the great King of kings Oh but some man will say I am a poor wretch I can do noting towards the hastening this Kingdom you speak of That 's strange Canst not thou go into thy chamber or Closet and there lament the Antichristianism that is in the present Governments of the World tell God that he 's Omnipotent and so is able to remove whatsoever stands opposition to the Kingdom of his Son minde him of his many promises that he will do it Ask him if he should fail what would become of his Faithfulness of his great name Jehovah and then cry Lord let thy Kingdom come Lord how long yet Lord when shall it once be Be assured of it God may be stirred up much by fervent praying to hasten his Work You have a very notable place for this Psal 102. ver 13. to ver 19. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come Thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof So the Heathen shall fear the name of the Lord and all the Kings of the earth thy glory He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer This shall be written for the generation to come and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. What shall be written for the generations to come what shall the People which shall be hereafter created praise the Lord for Why this that when the Lord shall build up Zion and so appear in the glory of his power and grace as to make the heathen and all the kings of the earth to fear his name he will therein have regard to the prayer of the destitute The word that is here translated destitute signifies arbusculum nascentem in deserto a poor shrub in the wilderness which every beast is ready to bruise or tread upon a poor shrub that is low and mean and despicable When the Lord shall appear in his Glory and build up Zion in its Glory he will do it in reference to the prayers and sighs and wrestlings of such poor shrubs as the weakest and meanest of you are and therefore says the Prophet Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence give him no rest till be establish till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth Isa 62.6 7. q.d. You that are Saints indeed and make mention of the name of God in prayer follow him hang about him let him not have a quiet day when argument fails yet importunity may do much till he have broken Antichrist and all the powers of this World that stand in the way of the Gospel till he have set up the Kingdom of his Son made his name great and glorious in all the earth You poor of the flock may do more toward this work then you are aware of Wherefore I beseech you stand fast in the faith pray without ceasing quite your selves like men Oh! but I shall not live to see it nor share in the joy of Gods People and glory of this Kingdom My Answer to thee is thus 1. If God take thee to Heaven before thou canst be no great looser by that thou shalt drink there at the Fountain-head of glory when those thou hast left behinde must drink but of the streams of Grace at a far greater distance 2. The News of this Kingdom set up will be quickly brought to heaven and spred all up and down there thou mayest as well enjoy the comforts of it there keep a day of thanksgiving there and sing thy Hallelujahs with the spirits of just men made perfect to Him that sits upon the throne 3. Get upon mount Nebo however and thence look into the Canaan that flowes with milk and hony setting an eye of faith upon the Prospective of Promises thou mayest bring it very near to thee and have a very clear view of it Heb. 11.1 Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen v. 13. These all dyed in the faith not having received the promises i. the matter of them but having seen them afar off were perswaded of them and imbraced them Though the great things promised were far off from them yet by saith and strong perswasions of the truth of them they brought them very near so that they took them in their arms and saluted them as the word in the original imports Abraham though he lived many hundred years before Christ yet he rejoyced to see his day He saw it and was glad Joh. 8.56 he could improve faith and promises to as much comfort and joy of heart as old Simeon did the very taking him up in his arms it applies it self I remember what Jacob when he lay upon his death-bed said to his son Joseph Gen. 48.21 Behold I dye but God shall be with you and bring you to the land of your fathers Thus when thou liest upon thy last bed thy children and friends coming with blubber'd cheeks and heavy hearts to take their leaves of thee thou mayest tell them Behold I dye but this is the support and comfort of my heart God shall be with you God will let you see the good dayes he hath spoken of in his word even from generation to generation I dye and must never see the glory of Jesus Christ in his Churches upon earth yet Posterity shall see it the Saints of God in after-ages shall enjoy the comforts the blessednesse of it and that 's life to me in the midst of death I rejoyce in that and glory in that with joy unspeakable FINIS Reader I Would have thee rest thy heart assured of this That the 21 22 Chapters of the Revelations are a Description of a State of a Church here below yet in allusion to Heaven Amongst many reasons which might be given for it take these three 1. It is called the New Ierusalem coming down from God out of Heaven And behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them chap. 21.2 3. The Church triumphant is taken up from the earth into heaven and the spirits of just men made perfect may more properly be said to dwell with God then God with them 1 Thess 4. Then shall we for ever be with the Lord. 2. It 's said the Kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it v. 24. Into the Church of Christ on earth for the further completing of the Churches happinesse We all know the glory and honour of earthly Kings is of no esteem in heaven can adde nothing there 3. It is said The leaves of the Tree Rev. 22.2 are for the healing of the Nations meaning the Spiritual sores and wounds of hte Nations But surely there are in Heaven it self neither whole Nations nor persons that stand in need of any healing whatsoever VVherefore it may safely be concluded the 21. and part of the 22 Chap. of that Book are a Description in high expressions and metaphors of the State of a Church here upon Earth E. H. * Thursday Lectures at Horsham in the county of Sussex * Ann. Christi 66. Ann. Neronis 11. In this as also in many other Prophesies Evangelical matters are clad with legal and old terms * Though under Legall terms * Some judgment or destruction that all must acknowledge to be from God