talking with them especially to Moses as never man befides him enjoyed the like yet these two so choise and worthy instruments because they failed a little in the work of that Generation which was as before was shewn to beleeve in God and trust his power and goodness although their failing was at such a time which one would judge might render them excusable at least less guilty wherein the whole Congregation erred with them and as it were did hurry them into it yea and for Moses he never fayled but this time so that this once excepted he all along had followed God fully Yet I say because they failed God in that work which was the work of the Generation they for that and no other reason are laid by as to the perfecting of that work viz. bringing of Israel into Canaan which most happily and prosperoufly was begun and carried on a great way under them as instruments as Numb 20.12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron because ye believe me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel therfore ye shall not bring this Congregation into the land which I have given them So exceedingly displeasing to God are errors in the work of our generation that he will not let such things pass no not in his dearest children without some signal manifestation of his displeasure And which I cannot let pass without a further mark yet set upon it as a thing most worthy the serious thoughts of every one and such in especial whom God above others hath used and honoured in the work of the Generation is how that one single failing in the work of the Generation may cause a Moses to be laid aside 4 Danger of stumbling at the work of the Generation and all the dispensations of God about it The Jews in Christs time neglected the work of their Generation which was to beleeve in Christ receive him as the true Messiah whose coming their Nation was in expectation of and the very work it self through this neglect became a stumbling stone to them they stumble at it to think they should receive this man for their Messiah and stumbling at the work they likewise stumble at the several dispensations of God about it Christ comes of mean Parentage they stumble at that appears first from Galilee they stumble at that works miracles they stumble at that is followed by Publicans and sinners they stumble at that commits the Gospel to poor Fishermen they stumble at that Neglect the work of thy Generation and stumble at it Stumble at the work of thy Generation and stumble at all the dispensations of God about it 5 Danger of being blinded in or shut out of the work of the next Generation in case thou live to see it For God in his just judgement when men have shut their eyes against and withdrawn their hands from the work of the present Generation doth blind these persons to and will not honor them in the work of the following Generation though yet they may live to see it The Scribes and Pharisees wilfully shut their eyes to the work of Johns Generation and what followed they see afterwards the work of Christ in his Generation and of the Apostles in theirs and through the just judgement of God upon them their eyes are shut and they are blinded thereto A most pregnant place to our purpose we have Ezek. 44. vers 9. to 17. where under legal phrases and allusive termes the Holy Ghost setting forth Gospel-worship speaks very pathetically of two sorts of Priests belonging to that Gospel-state One were such as had defiled themselves with the pollutions of the former Generation by going astray to Idols when Israel went astray vers 10 12. who by way of punishment are to bear their iniquity which is not wholly to be turned out of the work of God who will still use them in the general and more common acts of his worship as vers 11 14. but to be set by as to the more special and peculiar acts of his worship in the Generation because they polluted themselves with the Idolatries and Superstitions of the former Generations as vers 12 13. Another sort of Priests there were who when Israel and their fellow-labourers went astray and defiled themselves by Idolatry did notwithstanding walk closely with God keeping their Garments pure from the defilements of that Generation these are privileged to draw neer to God in the more special acts of his worship to come into his Sanctuary and perform the service not of the outward Court only but of his Table as vers 15 16. The difference betwixt these is worthy yet a more narrow search The one have the charge of the gates of the house vers 11. the other Gods charge in his house vers 16. the one shall only kill the burnt offering and sacrifice for the people vers 11. the other shall stand before God to offer the fat and the blood vers 15. The one shall stand before the people to minister to them vers 11. the other shall come neer to Gods Table to minister to him vers 16. The one shall bear all this as their shame for their former abominations vers 13. the other shall receive all this honor as a reward for their not partaking in the abominations of the former age vers 15 16. The result of all is clearly this That such persons who have plaid loose with God in the former Generation though live they may to see the next Generation and be imployed in some common works yet will not God use them in the special works of that Generation except such of them that shall renounce their former pollutions of which more hereafter 6 Danger of becoming an Apostate and an open enemy to the truths of God Demas forsakes Paul and the work of his Generation and what follows he becomes an Apostate and exchangeth Heaven for Earth imbracing this present world In the Apostles dayes the great work of that Generation was the constituting of Churches and Saints assembling themselves together for mutual edification in Christian societies and if you mind it the Apostle lays the rise of that Soul-damning sin of wilful Apostacy in a neglect of this Heb. 10.25 26. Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is For if we sin wilfully And which I cannot here pass over that unpardonable sin against the Holy Spirit which our Saviour himself chargeth the Scribes and Pharisees with took as is apparent its rise hence For first they neglect the work of their Generation viz. of receiving Christ this neglect draws on an opposition this opposition malice against Christ this malice brings forth blasphemy against those very works of Christ calling them Diabolical which their consciences now and then convinced them were wrought by the power of God this malicious and deliberate blaspheming of what their Consciences I say now and then for they had apparent stumbling-blocks before them with which undoubtedly
sate upon them and judgement was given unto them Isa 31.1 A King shall rule in righteousness and Princes shall rule in judgement and we may read Luke 19.15 16 17 18 19. that at the time when Christ receives his Kingdome the faithful servant who hath improved his ten Talents well is then made ruler over ten Cities hee that well improved five over five Cities expounding that 1 Cor. 6.2 Do yee not know that the Saints shall judge the world 2 The sentence passed at the last day shall concern eternal life or death Mat. 25.46 the result of the General Judgement is the wicked go into everlasting punishment the righteous into life eternal but now the judgement in the time of the one thousand years shal be a judging of the world that is those wicked ones that shall bee suffered to live in this day as to outward punishments and servility in way of requital of what Christs people in all Ages have suffered from the world which is expressed Psal 140.6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their hands vers 7. To execute vengeance upon the heathen and punishments upon the people vers 8. To bind their Kings with chains and their Nobles with fetters of Iron vers 9. To execute upon them the judgement written This honour have all his Saints Halelujah So Isa 61.5 6. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks and the sons of the Alien shall be your Plow-men and your Vine-dressers expressions which note a servility But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord men shall call you the Ministers of our God Chap. 14.2 They shall take them captive whose captives they were and they shall rule over their oppressors All which places as is most clear to him that views the context and compares them with other Scriptures have respect to the glory of the last times as the day where in they are to have their accomplishment and a type of this I conceive the Gibeonites might be who as a remnant of those Canaanites destined to destruction were yet spared by Joshna who in entring Canaan was a notable type of Christ taking possession of his Kingdome to be hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of God and this is as I also conceive one reason of it why Daniel Chap. 7. after the destruction of the fourth Beast i. e. the Roman Monarchy as under Antichrist and casting him into the burning flame vers 11. yet addeth vers 12. that the rest of the Beasts i.e. those powers of the world whose dependance was not upon Antichrist had their Dominion taken away but their lives were prolonged for a season and time Why so namely That Saints to whom now the Kingdome was to be given vers 27. might rule over them And here as I judge are to be brought in those Scriptures which speak of the Saints Ruling and Reigning Rev. 5.10 And hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the earth Chap. 20.6 they shall be Priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years agreeing exactly to that of Isa Chap. 61.5 6. which was named but now strangers shall stand and feed your flocks but ye shall be named Priests of the Lord 2 Tim. 2.12 If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him which cannot bee meant of a Spiritual Reigning on earth because in that fense Timothy and other Saints Reigned then but this is a promise of a thing for future nor can it be a Reigning with Christ in Heaven because where is no Rule nor Authority there can be no Reigning but the Apostle tells us plainly speaking of heavenly glory 1 Cor. 15.24 that there all Rule and Authority and Power shall be put down it must be therefore at some other time which is this I am speaking of And what dangerous consequences will follow hereupon in case we say that as Christ himself after his resurrection continued some time on earth doing his fathers work before he entred into his rest so the Saints that herein also they might be like him shall after their resurrection continue here on earth doing the work of their Redeemer and that some time before they enter into their rest doth not as yet appear to me Object In case it be said How can these things be seeing upon Christs second coming the world that now is shall perish by fire as did the old by water that yet after this a seed of wicked men should remain for Saints to rule over Ans True the Scriptures which speak of this coming mention a coming with fire Isa 66.15 The Lord shall come with fire to render his rebuke with flames of fire Mal. 4.1 The day cometh that shall burn as an Oven 2 Thes 1.8 In flaming fire rendring vengeance and Rev. 19.20 immediately upon the battel of Armageddon before the thousand years begin we read of a Lake of fire into which the Beast and false Prophet are cast which fire that it shall be material fire Peter implys plainly 2 Epist 3. in saying that as the old world was drowned with water viz. material water so is this reserved to fire against the day of Christs coming Yet that this fire which whether it shall be general in all places at once or onely in that place where Christ shall appear and his enemies be gathered together whither the dross of the world shall be gathered as into one Lake is a question too nice to dispute shall not destroy the being of the World is clear First Because it is a fire for another end viz. refining not destroying Mal. 3.2 Who may abide the day of his coming for he shall he as are finers fire Secondly The New Heavens and New Earth that Isay and John speak of wherein shall dwel Righteousness and in which the Saints shall regin with Christ Peter makes mention of as a thing to be after this fire which as I have said he therefore brings in with a nevertheless 2 Pet. 3.13 Now what if we should say that as when the old world was destroyed by water not onely righteous Noah and godly Shem and Japhet but also cursed Cham yea the kinds of all the creatures were spared from that deluge to replenish the new world so at this day not onely the Saints in the world shall be preserved but even some of the wicked yea of all the creatures to serve the glorious ends and designs of God and that in the new Heavens and Earth which seems not without all ground because the Apostle Paul tels us plainly Rom. 8.20 21 22. That the creatures earnest expectation waits for that day in which the Sons of God shall be manifest when the creature Devils and wicked men on whom the curse shall still remain excepted shall be delivered from that bondage of corruption that now it groans under and that not by a total dissolution or annihilation of it but
by a glorious restauration bringing it into the liberty of the Sons of God For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God And also because in those very new Heavens and Earth that Isay speaks of and Peter quotes from him the Wolfe and the Lamb shall feed together that is good and bad shall be in the world together Neither let it be said that this will be any hinderance to the Saints glory and spirituality to bring them from Heaven the place of glory and that about a work so mean and low to rule over men upon earth for as Angels lose not their glory by attending upon the work of God here on earth nor their spirituliaty because the works they attend upon of ministring to the Saints destroying the Enemies of God c. are in themselves mean and low yea in a manner servile for so glorious Creatures as Angels to attend upon so shall not Saints at this day by being occupied in the Affairs of this Fifth Monarchy which shall be their work for Christ to act as Officers under him in his Kingdom lose any thing of their glory especially considering Christ himself whose presence is their glory shall be with them all this time nor of their Spirituality which never suffers decay in any through a being occupied in the will and work of the Lord. And what if the Lord who in the Legal Administration thought it good to have his peoples work a burden in the Gospel Administration work but no burden will in this administration have work and glory go together who will or hath cause to find fault with it Nay let me say what sometimes hath been in my thought with refreshing that the spirituality of Saints at this day shall be such as that from thence an awe shall be upon the surviving Sinners of the world who shall tremblingly come and how themselves down at the soles of their feet Isa 60.14 and subject themselves to them for this day as the Apostle saith Rom. 8.20 shall be the day of the manifestation of the Sons of God Gods people are Sons now therefore saith John 1 Epist 3.2 Beloved now are we the Sons of God but saith he though true we are so yet the world knoweth us not i.e. the transcendent glory and excellency of our state is now a thing veiled from the world but the day I am speaking of shal be the manifestation of the Sons of God wherein that noble and super-excellent Spirit that now under a veil it in the Sons of God shall be manifested before all men when all in general shall come to see the difference that is betwixt the spiritual man and the man that is meerly rational to be as vast yea far more vast than that which now is betwixt the rational creature and sensitive And as the sensitive creature now doth tremble before the rational from beholding through a secret instinct of nature a kind of Majesty and a more noble spirit in the rational creature than is in himself so shall at this day the meer rational man tremble before the spiritual when the manifestation of that super-excellent Spirit that is in the one above the other shall be open and naked before all and therefore Cant. 6.10 we have several degrees of the Churches light and glory 1 Looking forth as the morning with a little light so in the legal administration 2 Fair as the Moon more light So in the Gospel 3 Clear as the Sun that is come up to a high degree of spiritual light and life both for both are from the Sun which is giver of the one maintainer of the other so in the administration at this day And what then why terrible as an Army with banners the Saints and people of God through this high advance in spirituality grow terrible to the mean men of the world who now tremble before them By what hath been before said it may appear that notwithstanding the thousand years is a distinct time from the Day of Judgement being that time to speak properly in which Saints shall judge the world and reign on the earth yet in a large sense the time of the thousand years and the General Judgement both may bee called one great Day of Judgement And indeed that Saints shall one day judge the world is a thing so clear in Scripture that good men not making a distinction betwixt the judging in the time of the thousand years and the General Judgement do bring the Saints at the last day instead of standing upon Christs right hand even to fit with him upon the Bench and then and there to judge the world which opinion is not only repugnant to those other Scriptures wherein we have the manner of Saints reigning over and judging the world set forth which without a manifest forcing of them cannot be applied to this time but also hath not the least countenance for it self from any one Scripture that I know of where express mention is made of the last and General Judgement but the contrary rather as from that I have said before may bee gathered which is enough to put us upon a further search and not to receive this principle upon trust any longer And truly to me it appears that the Apostle himself 1 Cor. 15.23 24 25. makes a manifest difference betwixt these two times of judging calling one the time of Christs Reign to put his enemies under his feet the other the time of the end and both these after his coming Christ the first fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming Then cometh the end plainly intimating a distance of time betwixt his coming and the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father when he shall have put down all Rule and Authority and Bower For hee must Reign shewing what his work shall be betwixt the time of his coming and the end till he hath put all enemies under his feet Why both these different judgings may not be expressed in that of the Apostle 2 Tim. 4.1 Shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdome the quick first in such manner as hath been shewed and then the dead at the last and General Judgement which both are called his Appearing and Kingdome because he is but once to appear to do both and both taken together do but make up this Kingdome of Christ in which as King of Kings Christ will glorifie himself in the eyes of all creatures I see no convincing reason to the contrary Having thus spoken of the coming of our Lord according to that light I have received from the word I only now desire that none of Gods people who shall read this may be of the number of those who are troubled in mind and shaken that the day of the
opposition hath been so great an offence that not onely the common multitude but right honest hearts have from hence stood a loof from and been shy of the work of their Generation Christ could not be received of the Jews for their Messiah because the religious party of the Priests and Pharisee did oppose him And how great an offence was this to the poor simple meaning people who but a little before seeing his works cryed out Hosanna being now by these men of credit possest that he was a Deluder they change their note and cry crucifie him crucifie him as the story tells us 4 At the after-miscarriages and errors of those who have been the onely active instruments and lights at first in the work of the Generation T is matter of offence to not a few to see men active at first in the work of their Generation prove afterwards retarders of the work and darkness thence to spring whence the first light of the Generation did arise Hence most are apt to call in question the righteousness of that cause and purity of that light which the first owners by future miscarriages have cast a blemish upon Now though there seemeth in it to be just matter of jealousie yet if seriously weighed and compared with foregoing Presidents it is not so for who knows not that Solomon was the first King of Israel that ever built a house for the true worship of God and yet the first that ever built High places for Idolatry Peter was the first Disciple that publickly confessed Christ and yet the first that openly denyed him Judea was the first place where Gospel-light did shine and from whence the world was enlightned and yet the first place where error sprung up and the light of the Gospel darkned Act. 15.1 Certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren except yee be circumcised after the manner of Moses yee cannot be saved 5 At the gastly look and untrodden footsteps of some particular dispensations and actings attending the work of the Generation In all Generations almost there have been in managing the work of the Generation some particular actings which outwardly have had so foul an aspect that if not be held with an eye seeing God his will and design therein might justly breed offence dislike in the beholders With how offensive a eye did that act look how may we think in reason might it tend to the hardning the Egyptians that Israel going out of Egypt pretending to worship God should by a cheat as setting Gods will aside mans reason would account it plunder the Egyptians of all their Jewels and riches a thing which if done without Gods special command had been contrary to morality And whether or no had not Gods command authorized Joshua thereunto could that act of his in entring Canaan and not onely taking their Land from them but also putting all the Inhabitants both young and old to the sword been termed any other than an act of inhumane and barbarous cruelty Yea further let reason be judge of that act of Jaels in murdering Sisera at a time when his Master was in league with her Husband and when as he too as a man flying for life committed himself to her for shelter and what will it call the same but treacherous dealing an act of perfidiousness and highest injustice What need I multiply let reason not seeing Gods will be judge of Jehues action in putting the King his Master to death and extirpating the Royal Family and will it not brand the same with the odious names of Disloyalty Usurpation and Treachery to his Prince which yet was an act commanded by God God having so ordered it that in all ages there should stand in the work of the Generation some such facing and staring actions as should not onely amuse men but also offend the eyes of the obstinate weak or ignorant beholders 2 Take heed of being discouraged As offences on one hand hath put many a man by the work of his Generation so have discouragements on the other hand put some by and weakned the hands of others in the work Now there are several things at the which men are discouraged whereof I shall particularize a few As 1 At the littleness and lowness of beginnings It is Gods way in the carrying on of his great and glorious works of wonder ever to begin very low and rise high by degrees I shall instance onely in two things both appertaining to Christs Kingdom and the rather because as hath been shewed that it is the great work of this age 1 The Kingdom of Christ in his Churches it is a most glorious work yet low in the beginning The building of the second Temple which as hath been said was the type of this had first a day of smal things which lookers on were ready to despise Zach. 4.10 Who hath despised the day of smal things before a day of great things First a foundation stone is laid and then Zerubbabel the builder hath his hands holden forty years before he can lay a top-stone or bring the work to perfection The planting of Churches in the Primitive times what a low beginning had it one Paul and a few poor Fisher-men acting in this work and that against all the world This is lively set forth in that Parable Matth. 13.31 The Kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard-seed It begins as a grain of mustard-seed which is the least of all seeds and of this but one grain not many yet in the end it grows a Tree that the Fowls of the Heaven câ—me to lodge in the branches of it 2 The Kingdom of Christ over the world the glory of this work is such that when it shall be the whole earth shall be full of the glory of it yet how little and low shall this work be in the beginning It is at first a stone cut out of the mountains without hands little and weak yet after a great mountain filling the whole earth Dan. 2.34 35. It is first a little one after that a thousand Isa 60. ult A little one shall become a thousand It first begins in Sion i.e. in the Churches amongst a company of poor despised worshippers of Christ whereof Sion was a type Psa 2.6 Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion Afterwards it spread it self over all the world Vers 8 9. Aske of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron thou shalt break them in peeces like a potters vessel Davids Kingdom the most lively type of Christs Kingdom over the world how low and seemingly unlikely ever to rise was it in the beginning One David a poor mans Son a keeper of sheep to be a King and yet his Kingdom at present in the hands of another a powerful King Saul one chosen and annoynted by God to whom the
glory to him for the hour of his judgement is come Chap. 12.12 Therefore rejoyce ye heavens and ye that dwel in them Wo to the Inhabiters of the Earth and of the Sea for the Devil is come down unto you having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time Chap. 11.18 And the Nations were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be judged and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the Prophets and to the Saints c. LONDON Printed by R. Ibbitson for Livewell Chapman at the Crown in Popes-head-Alley 1655. The Epistle Dedicatory To all those who love and patiently wait for the Appearing and Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ Grace and Peace be multiplied Dearly beloved in our Lord IT is reported of the Primitive Saints that these words the KINGDOM OF CHRIST the KINGDOM OF CHRIST were so frequent in their mouths that their malicious Adversaries willing to mistake the simplicity of their meaning and intention did make the words matter of Fact charging them hereupon with Treason as if they had driven on some design to get for themselves the Kingdom Whether the simplicity of the Saints in the age we live in who being come to the very dawning of the day and beholding the Lord going up to his Kingdom cannot hold their peace but must cry out HOSANNA TO THE SON OF DAVID HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST may through the subtlety of the old Serpent have any such abuse put upon it or no I wave at present But this I am sure of the first ages had not the Kingdom of Christ so much in their mouths but after ages had it as little their hearts were not so warm to it but the generations since have been as cold And indeed it was necessary it should so be for the Beast Antichrist being to rise in the world who after his rise must continue to reign two and forty months Rev. 13.5 it was needful therefore to the end he might be revealed that there should be as the Apostle tels us 2 Thes 2.3 a falling away which falling away above all things was necessary that it should be in the Truths of Christs Kingdom no Truths being so diametrically opposite to Antichrist as these others shake off his leaves these pluck him up by the roots If therefore the policy of the Dragon had not found out a way to brand these Truths and by making them odious to hold them down his Kingdom must have fallen many ages since for he should have had no Beast to resign his Power Seat and great Authority to It stood him greatly in hand therefore by some means to cloud these which by continuing to shine would have nipped Antichrist in the bud and this the wisdom of God permitting to accomplish thereby in the end a more glorious design which he effectually did Hence within the fourth Century at the end of which the Beast arose the Truths of Christs Kingdom before generally received began to be condemned and to go under the odious name of Heresie Hence also we finde not in the Revelations any mention made of Christs Kingdom nor any noyse of such a thing in the world all the time of the Beasts reign but the great cry of the dwellers on the Earth is The Beast the Beast who is like unto the Beast yea the whole world wondereth after the Beast Rev. 13.3 4. But now in the latter days as the Beast begins to go down so do the precious Truths of Christs Kingdom again begin to revive and have a resurrection Hence we finde that as the world by degrees gets rid of the Beast so is the cry in it still louder and louder of Christs Kingdom First Amongst the Saints in the world who no sooner have got so much footing as to stand and face the Beast which before trod them down and trampled upon them but presently they make the world ring again with the noise of Christs Kingdom Rev. 15.2 3 4. And I saw them that had gotten the victory over the Beast and over his Image and over his Mark and over the number of his Name stand on the Sea of glass having the Harps of God And they sing the Song of Moses the servant of the Lord and the Song of the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy ways thou King of Saints Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy name for thou onely art holy for all Nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgements are made manifest Secondly After this the Beast having received a more fatal blow the cry of Christs Kingdom that was before among some Saints onely is now more general and runs among the multitudes yea the great ones too of whom till this day we hear little as Rev. 19.6 And I heard as it were the voyce of a great multitude and as the voyce of many waters and as the voyce of mighty Thunderings saying Allelujah for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth Thirdly and lastly Yet after this upon the sounding of the seventh Angel when Christ comes to take his Kingdom it is then openly proclaimed with a great voyce Rev. 11.15 The Kingdoms of this world are beâ—ome the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and â—e shall reign for ever And as an echo to this voyce â—he hearts of Gods faithful ones reply v. 17. We give thee â—hanks O Lord God Almighty which art and wert and â—rt to come because thou hast taken to thee this great â—ower and hast reigned Thus the noyse and cry in the world towards the latter end of Antichrists reign is very different to that which was in the time of his reign then the cry was The Beast The Beast now the old cry is up again The Kingdom of Christ The Kingdom of Christ Yet notwithstanding the cry of Christs Kingdom shall at this day be so loud shall not the ears of all no not of the Saints themselves be open to hear it but some of them as well as others shall be so deeply wedded to the sweetness of Antichristian wordly interests that to maintain these they shall rather choose to sit by the waters of Babylon than with the loss of them to stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion else what need would there be of any such Proclamation to be made as we read is immediately before Romes ruin Rev. 18.4 Come out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sins and that yee receive not of her plagues And these who thus shall do are not to be reckoned among those who in this great business followed not the Lamb at all but among those who followed the Lamb some part of the way towards Mount Sion but upon some turn or falling in with some worldly pleasing interest by the way did quit his company before they came thither For this cause the hundred forty and four thousand which
Beast into the lake of fire slaying the remnant Vers 20 21. This appears yet farther Dan. 12.1 There shall bee a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation even to that same time and at that time shall thy people be delivered The concurrence of this day of trouble and the battel of Armageddon both with the time of the delivery of Daniels people or the Jews proves them to be one and the same Now that a coming there is here is clear At that time shall Michael stand up which that it is Personal will appear by comparing with Matth. 24. where all acknowledge his Personal coming is spoken of which yet is the same with this for Christ speaking of the time of it quotes this of Daniel vers 21 22. Then shall bâ—e great tribulation such as never was from the beginning of the world to this time no nor ever shall â—e Another evidence of this wee have Joel 3. which Chapter agrees exactly to the battel of Armageddon 1 In that the Kings of the earth and the whole world gather together Rev. 16.14 here all Nations vers 2. multitudes multitudes vers 14. 2 That is about the time of the Jews return for when the Kings of the East are upon coming in the Kings of the Earth gather together So this vers 1 2. For behold in those dayes when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem I will gather all Nations 3 That is the great day of God Almighty Rev. 16.14 the Supper of the great God Chap. 19.17 this the day of the Lord spoken of by way of emphasis vers 14. The Day of the Lord is neer 4 That shall be in a place called Armageddon Rev. 16.16 signifying a place of destruction his in the valley of decision vers 14. i.e. the place of cutting off where God will cut off his enemies 5 That is the treading of the Winepress Rev. 19.15 So this vers 13. the press is full the fats overflow But is here a Personal coming yea vers 16. The Lord shall roar out of Sion and utter his voyce from Jerusalem and the heavens and the earth shal shake agreeing to thaâ— Hag. 2.6 7. of which presently v. 17. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Sion my holy Mountain agreeing to that Rev. 21.3 Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them So Hag 2.6 7. I will shake the heavens and the earth and the Sea and the dry land And I will shake all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come This being the same with the other of Joel can relate to no other time than the battel of Armageddon Now the coming here spoken of is not spiritual for the Prophets of the Old Testament having an eye upon Christ as yet to come do mostly if not ever when they speak of his coming intend such a coming of the Messiah as they expected and waited for which was Personal Neither can this coming be his first coming which was in a time of great peace not of shaking Heaven Earth all Nations as this is then was Christ the desire of the Jews only because known only to them but at this coming he is the desire of all Nations to which let me adde the Apostle speaks of this as a thing to be fulfilled Heb. 12.26 27. Nor can the words look to the last and General Judgement as if this coming were not till then because after this coming Gods House here below is to bee built and God will give peace in this place i.e. either largely taken for the Earth or strictly for Jerusalem and hard it will be to prove either of these things at or after the General Judgement This coming therefore must be that in the Text I come as a Theef both agreeing in time and this being personal that must also The like to this we have with much clearness vers 21 22 23. Yet further this is clear Zech. 14.3 4 5. which place by all circumstances the combination being general of all Nations ver 2. the time about the time of the Jews discovery c. must needs be the same with the battel of Armageddon Now would you see a coming here read ver 3. Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those Nations Vers 4. And his feet shall stand in that day on the mount of Olives Mount Olives was the place whence Christ rode as King into Jerusalem Mat. 21.1 2 3. The place where Christ preached the most remarkable Sermon of his coming Mat. 24.3 the place whence Christ ascended Act. 1.9.10.11 12. and probably at his descending shall come thither again But perhaps this coming is not personal Yes ver 5 The Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee agreeing to that 1 Thes 3.13 At the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints which coming none deny to be his personal coming One place more and I conclude this Argument and that is Rev. 19.19 20 21. which that it is the same with the battel of Armageddon appears 1 In that the parties are the same the Beast the false Prophet and the Kings of the Earth being parties in both 2 The time is the same for this in the Vials hath two notable things going before it 1 The ruin of the City Rome under the fifth Vial. 2. The coming in of the Jews who are spoken of in the sixth Vial Accordingly that in chap. 19 hath preceding First Romes ruin chap. 18. Secondly The Marriage of the Lamb to his Bride including in it the Jews conversion chap. 19.7 8. 3 The Expressions argue them to be the same for one is called That great day of God Almighty vers 14. the other The Supper of the Great God chap. 19.17 In the one they are gathered to Armageddon a place of destruction vers 16. In the other the rout gathered together are slain with the sword of him that sits upon the horse that is Christ Object But how doth it appear that here is a Personal coming spoken of Answ 1. Christ comes as a Bridegroom vers 7 8 9. Now Christs coming as a Bridegroom is his Personal coming Mat. 25.6 10. Behold the Bridegroom cometh go yee forth to meet him 2 He is called the Word of God vers 13. The most glorious Title of all by which the person of Christ is expressed John 1.1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God yea the person of Christ as considered in both Natures goes under this title ver 14. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us 1 Joh. 1.1 That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the Word of Life It is Christ as personally present that is the object of the outward Senses Hearing Seeing Handling yet Christ as the Word was
with this Prophecy of the Beasts final ruin and the Saints reign a thousand years afterwards tells us that the Son of man being come and having received of the Antient of daies his Kingdom Vers 13 14. and the Beast being slain his body destroyed and given to the burning flame Verse 11. the same as I have shewed with casting the Beast and false Prophets into the lake of fire Rev. 19.20 instantly upon this judging of the Beast i.e. Antichrist the little Horn and taking his Dominion from him to consume and destroy it to the end noting thereby his final destruction the Kingdom and Dominion and that as a fruit and consequent of the other is given to the Saints Verse 26 27. But the judgement shall sit and they shall take away his Dominion to consume and destroy it unto the end And the Kingdom and Dominiâ—n and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High agreeing punctually to this in the Revelation where first John sees the final destruction of the Beast after that Thrones set and the Saints sitting upon them and reigning with Christ and as in the one things are spoken of successively the one following after the other so likewise in the other 3 Because no time already past can upon the most strict inquiry be found in which Satan hath been bound and shut up at all much less for so long a space as a thousand years Two accounts there are of those who conceive the thousand years to be past Some reckon from the year of Christ 69. when Jerusalem was overthrown by Titus making up their Epocha of a thousand years in the year 1069. others reckon from the year of Christ 300. concluding the time in the year 1300. The first accoune takes in all the time of the ten most bloody Primitive persecutions under the Heathen Emperors the most cruel and barbarous Arian Persecution which followed the other together with a great part of the reign of Antichrist and several persecutions within this time under him The Second leaving out the Primitive Persecutions comprehends within it the whole Arian Persecution together with the greatest part of Antichrists reign under whom and all within this time was the horrible slaughter of the poor Waldenses beginning in the Year 1160. between which and the Year 1300. was made a most miserable havock of these poor Saints besides a cruel persecution which began An D. 894. in Bohemia raging throughout all this time so that indeed if within any of these accounts the Devil were bound we may certainly conclude he was never loose in the world 4 Because the very Basis or Foundation of all those Expositions which conclude the thousand years to be past stands upon three palpable mistakes 1 MISTAKE That the living and reigning with Christ spoken of Ver. 4. is no other but a spiritual reign of the souls of those who were slain for the witness of Jesus and that with Christ in Heaven To this I answer If the Reign here be meant of a Reign in Heaven onely then how can the time of the thousand years which yet the Author of this interpretation acknowledgeth be a definite time seeing if this may be called a reigning they have some already reigned above a thousand years yea all the Saints in this sente shall reign for ever 2 I ask how Saints reign in Heaven or who do they reign over Reigning impâ—â—es Subjects to be reigned over who are their Subjects there 3 How then comes it about the Devil at the end of the thousand years is let loose and gathers the Nations together and with them encompasseth about the Camp of the Reigners as Verse 7 8 9. They compassed the Camp of the Saints about and what Saints had been spoken of before but onely the reigning Saints who lived and reigned with Christ this thousand years shall then the Devil assemble Gog and Magog and with them go and compass about the Saints now reâ—going in Heaven who can beleeve that Object If to help it any should say the reign here spoken of is a Spiritual reign but not in Heaven but here on Earth all the time of the Beasts persecution the persecuted Saints did yet reign over sin over the Devil c. I answer This reign is no other but what is common to the Saints in all ages but the reign here spoken of is a reign peculiar to the time of the thousand years 2 The Text is against it for the Text speaks of the reign of such as were beheaded an Argument their beheading or martyrdom went before their reigning but this should be a reign of such as were to be beheaded noting their reigning to be first and their beheading after that directly contrary to the Text. 2 MISTAKE That the binding of the Devil this thousand years is to be understood no otherwise but as a laying a restraint upon him that he should not deceive the Nations by causing them to oppose the faith of Christ hinder the propagation of the Gospel amongst them draw them to Paganism and Idolatry as formerly he had done which accordingly say the Authors of this opinion all the time of the thousand years was made good the Gospel being within this time more freely propagated and received the growth of Paâ—anism hindred more than ever before This is the general Vote of Expositors who look upon the thousand years as past all with one mouth crying up this having indeed without it not so much as the least varnish or shew of reason to colour over their opinion I say not that I marvel when I read and observe so many worthy able quick and deep-sighted men in other things to build their interpretation of so difficult and knocy a Scripture as is this 20 Chapter of the Revelation upon such easie ground and such a sandy chaffie foundation as this is which certainly had not the ugly Dress of the Millenary point set forth by its Adversaries and holpen by the obscurity and some raw indigested Assertions of such as were its friends made them shie of it to avoid it as a Bugbear choosing rather to leap any where than into it they could hardly have satisfied themselves to have built any thing till first they had got better ground and more sure footing for a foundation for 1 Take either of these reckonings and were not within the time of the thousand years the Nations deceived is it not expresly said of the second Beast Rev. 13.14 who is the very same as I have formerly proved with that impudent Whore chap. 17 which siâ—s upon many waters Verse 1. that is Peoples and Multitudis and Nations and Tongues V 15. that he deceiveth them that dwell on the Earth Nay is it not expresly said of the followers of the Beast Rev. 13.4 They worshipped the Dragon that gave power to the Beast and they worshipped the beast saying Who is like unto the Beast Who is able
particular States and Kingdomes with their Heads and Rulers The fourth upon the German Empire or House of Austria The fifth upon the City Rome The sixth upon the Turk or Ottoman Family But this seventh and last is general reaching all things whatsoever that stand in the way of Christs Kingdome And this the change of speech used in this Vial different from all the other noteth also as it seems to me for whereas the other Vials are poured out upon such and such things the first upon the Earth the second upon the Sea the third upon the Rivers and Fountains of waters c. This seventh and last is said to be poured out into the Air noting hereby the spreading and dilating of it self as far as the Air spreads in such manner as that thereby all and every part is filled with the effects of it Now a Vial might be poured out upon the Air yet not dâ—late it self into every part to fill the whole with it as the first Vial poured out upon the earth did not so dilate it self as to destroy those earthly dregs of Popery in every part of the Papal Kingdome neither did the second upon the Sea destroy the Antichristian Hierarchy but in some Kingdoms only the third upon the Rivers and Fountains of waters not the ten Horns in general but some of them only did as to the overturning of their present Government and Constitution feel it yet each of these Vials are truly said to be poured out upon these subjects because they had effects to destroy some part that which they fell upon though they did not dilate themselves into every part but now this seventh is poured out INTO THE AIR noting a dilating and diffusing of it self as far as the Air goes which I have said before is general filling all things and places accordingly this Vial reacheth 1 The whole Kingdome of the Dragon or Devil who is called the Prince of the power of the Air Eph. 2.2 who upon the pouring out of this Vial with all his Host shall be bound and shut up in the bottomless pit for a thousand years as Rev. 20.1 2 3. And here indeed it had been more orderly to have placed our fore-going Discourse of the thousand years but because truth is to be preferred before order which when it tends to the obscuring of the truth is but curiosity and to be shunned I have therefore because in my judgement it stands more for the advantage of truth where it is than it would do here chosen to be a trespasser in points of nicety 2 The whole Kingdome of Antichrist or the Papacy 3 The remaining Powers of the Great Turk which were not destroyed by the sixth Vial. 4 The Kingdomes of this world i.e. such as neither have dependance upon the Papacy nor the Great Turk all shall come under this Vial and be utterly ruined and broken in peeces by it 3 The Adjunct A great Voyce And there came a great voyce out of the Temple of Heaven from the Throne saying It is done This Voyce is Christs Rev. 21.5 6. Hee that is Christ that sate upon the Throne said unto mee It is done The meaning of the words It is done I have formerly shewed to be only this NOW is the New Jerusalem established now is my Kingdome set up the work now is done and compleated for this work had its beginning before under the former Vials and that from the first day that the little stone began to smite the great Image and therefore Daniel Chap. 2.44 speaking of this Kingdome of Christ saith In the dayes of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom i.e. Christs Kingdome shall have its beginning as the same is a stone in the dayes of the Fourth Monarchy before yet the same is destroyed and it shall grow up by little and little smiting the great Image and still as it smites be increasing in strength and greatness but yet the same is not a Mountain filling the whole Earth till it hath broken in peeces the Great Image in such sort as that the place thereof is no more found vers 34 35. i.e. this Kingdome of Christ shall not be compleatly set up it shall not be the Fifth Monarchy though yet it shall be in a rising way until the seventh Vial be poured out which breaks in peeces and wholly removes the Fourth Monarchy and all worldly powers And this is clear Dan. 7.12 who there tells us that the rest of the Beasts had not their Dominion taken away i.e. the Kingdoms of this world are not compleatly the Lords and his Christs as Rev. 11.15 until such time as the Thrones of the Fourth Beast i.e. the Roman Monarchy as under Antichrist are cast down vers 9. the Beast himself slain his body destroyed and given to the burning flame vers 11. Then shall it be said as here with a great voyce It is done Then shall be verified what is said Rev. 10.7 The mystery of God is finished as he hath declared to his servants the Prophets that is now all things spoken of by the Prophets as touching my Kingdome and the setting of it up are finished for it is done the New Jerusalem is established And truly here let me adde that although some godly men whose thoughts I have an esteem of look every day for the setting up of this Fifth Monarchy and that by having the Powers of the world laid down and let fall out of the present hands they are in who hold them as they judge by right of the Fourth Monarchy and left free for Saints to come take up and execute yet must I needs say being convinced of the contrary in this I am not of their mind conceiving their mistake to lye in this viz. a not considering which too comes from a non-acknowledgement of Christs Personal coming before it by whom how and when this Fifth Monarchy is to be set up And for my own part as I greatly rejoyce to see so much power in Saints hands already and beleeve more will be every day as the Stone by rolling grows greater so do I also wait for that which some presently expect till that day wherein our Lord shall appear who himself will do this work viz. Destroy the Beast cast him into the burning flame and then give the Kingdome and Dominion and greatness of the Kingdome under the whole heaven unto the people of the Saints of the most High When that which but now is rising and shall rise every day growing still greater and greater as an augmenting stone shall become a huge and great Mountain filling the whole Earth And of this Kingdome as to the first rise of it which is little in an unlikely way in the midst of many difficulties I take it Davids Kingdome was a Type But as to the glory of it when the same shall be a Mountain filling the earth the Kingdome of Solomon was rather a Type for which reason Psal 62. which is a
another and although the more publick and general any mans imployment is the more he is in a capacity to do yet is there no man unless we could suppose some universal Officer over Nations and Churches which might lawfully act in every mars sphere which is in a capacity to do the whole work Observe therefore what work thou art in a capacity to do And here it will not be unnecessary to take into our mature consideration the place and station God hath set a man in the special gift a man may have the light revealed to him together with the opportunities that lie before him either of which may put some men into a capacity beyond others to act in some one business of their Generation rather then another Now what work soever any of these or aâ—l of them joyned together do put a man into a capacity of acting the dispensations of that age calling to the performance of such things for in Generation-work as hath been proved dispensation gives the Call a man may safely conclude that to be his work in his Generation which as Gods dispensations call him to so God himself will either here or hereafter strictly require an account of him how he hath done the same 2 Observe what work that is amongst those things thou art in a capacity to do in thy Generation which the dispensations of God without and the bent or inclination of the Spirit within at such time as the same is most spiritual or thou hast most intimate communion with God calls for the present doing thereof For it is most certain that every thing that a man is in a capacity to do he is not called alike to the doing of I may be in a capacity to do many things in my Generation and my Call to some of these things may be greater to others less my Call may be to some for the present to others for the future Now to find out which of these my Call lyes first unto it is most necessary to observe which Gods dispensations call loudest for as that which is as it were the hinge upon which the rest of the work doth turn and which if neglected nothing else can or is ever likely as it should be to be done to which although the essence of the Call lyes here yet if also here be added rather as matter of inducement than a bottome for a Call this other observation How my spirit stands at such times when I am most spiritual most dis-ingaged from private interests and most intimately familiar with God and most resolved to follow him which are the ordinary times of the holy Spirits speaking to the attempting of these things and if then I find the impulse of my soul strongly bending and inclining that way that the dispensations of God would lead me I may then conclude the dispensations of God without and the Spirit of God within as in themselves they ever agree so also now in witnessing the self-same thing to me that here doth lye that special peece of work which amongst the things I am in a capacity to do God calls aloud for the present doing of The call of a Dispensation without viz. Gods being risen to deliver his people and an impulse of spirit within putting man-like courage into a woman was the onely thing moved Jael to attempt that dangerous yet memorable act of slaying Sisera Judg. 5.24 25. Yea what other Call the Judges of Israel who Deborah the Prophetess excepted were not Prophets for the holy Ghost calls them Judges and that in a way of distinction from Prophets He gave them Iudges about the space of 450 years until Samuel the Prophet Act. 13.20 Yea after Moses Samuel of a man is the first Prophet extraordinarily gifted read of as Act. 3.24 Yea all the Prophets from Samuel and those that follow after I saw what Call these Judges had only Gideon Sampson and Deborah that we read of having extraordinary Calls except the Call of a dispensation the bondage Gods people were in and a secret impulse of Spirit wrought in them by the Lord stirring them up to endeavour their deliverance I cannot my self determine and therefore leave the doing thereof to others 3 Observe what peece of Generation work that is which when thou hast ventured on it thou hast found God most eminently appearing to thee for thy encouragement and also with thee for assistance in doing of it and know that the prosecution of that is properly thy work in thy generation Joshuah's special and principal work in his Generation was the rooting out the Canaanites and it was in this work that God did most eminently appear to Ioshuah both for encouragement in the beginning of the enterprize as Chap. 1.5 6. and with his assistance carrying of it on until the same was perfected as the story shews us 4 Observe what peece of Generation-work that is which thou being in a capacity to do in doing of art like to meet with greatest opposition and that from all hands and stick to that as thy work in thy Generation Christ when he was here on earth had two great works the one relating to his Prophetical Office which was to publish the glad tidings of salvation the other to his Priestly which was to dye for poor sinners In the first of these he is opposed both by the Devil the world and a professing party and in the last by one from whom one would least expect it even his beloved Disciple Peter acted by Satan to oppose him in this work 5 Observe what peece of Generation-work that is which when thou hast had a call an opportunity and an inclination to do it and hast not set about the same God hath presently with-drawn himself Gods usual way is to check his peoples neglects especially in Generation-work by with-drawing himself as hath been fully cleared in the foregoing Discourse under that branch discovering the danger of neglecting Generation-work in respect of our loss of communion with God thereby If therefore such a with-drawing thou art or hast been sensible of and these to grow upon such neglects lest there come a greater after-clap this being but Gods warning-peece minde better than yet thou hast done that work upon neglect whereof thou hast sensibly found these withdrawings and know the same is properly thy work in thy Generation 6 Observe what peece of Generation-work that is which put the case thou wert to dye would make most for thy comfort if done and most for thy discomfort if neglected Some work there is which men have to do for God in their Generations which if the messenger of Death should come and the same not done the heart would cry O spare me a little that I may recover my strength to do this and the other work not yet done by me as it should before I go hence and be no more seen Now know this for certain that that work which if I were now to die would afflict me because not done
the most gross part Air is of a subtle nature Water of a more gross Earth the grossest of all as being the dregs and settlements of the whole By Earth then we are not here to understand Earth as opposed to Heaven i.e. the true Church as vers 1. but the Popish Earth viz. the grosser part of Popery or the Lees and Dregs of that Religion opposed to the finer parts of it Now these Lees and Dregs are no other but that damnable Doctrine of the Papists by which Christs Mediation and Priestly Office and so consequently the very foundation of Faith and Salvation is destroyed which maintains Justification by works upon which poysonous deadly root do grow the filthy abominations of their Mass their Crosses Indulgences Invocation of Saints Purgatory Penance Pilgrimages Monkish-life c. which in respect of their Discipline though that be impure may yet well be called the Dregs as being far more impure Upon these filthy Dregs of Romish Doctrine began the first Vial to be poured forth by Luther and other Worthies of those times who by the light of truth made such a discovery of the unsoundness yea perniciousness thereof as that now the same began to be odious in the eies of all And that here and no where else either sooner or later we are to begin the Vials is clear because no time doth so exactly agree to what wee have said concerning the time in our first Proposition as this doth That discovery of the filthiness of these things which was more ancient in the times of Wickliff Hus the Waldeneses and Albigenses could not be any part of this Vial for the grounds of our first Proposition and also because that discovery served onely to deliver the faithful ones of those times from the poyson of these abominable Errors not having any such effect as to destroy them in others for they remained still in credit with the generality 2. The EFFECT A noysom and grievous Sore And there fell a noysom and greievous Sore upon the men which had the Mark of the Beast and upon them which worshipped his Image Our Expositors do generally understand this Sore to be that inward vexation envy wrath fury madness which as an inward Sore torments those in whom it is that befell the Priests Monks Canonists with all that Rabble who had the Mark of the Beast and worshipped his Image upon the pouring out of this first Vial. But according to this Interpretation the Effect of the Vial should be no other but a tormenting of the men who were the upholders of the evil and not a destruction of the evill it self whereas indeed the proper and natural Effect of every Vial is a destruction of the thing it falls upon It is not amiss therefore to seek yet some other interpretation of these words And what if we say thus That look as it is with a man or men that have noysom grievous Sores upon them others loath them withdraw from them cannot bear their presence or company So did it now befall the men who were the Authors and Assertors of these abominable Idolatries The generality of the people who before adored them as Gods not once calling their principles or practices into question did now by the pouring forth of this Vial come so palpably to discern the gross and horrible Idolatry of these their Forgeries as that they began to loath and abhor not only the things themselves but the very Assertors of them and to withdraw from them as infectious persons full of grievous and noysome Sores so that now they can no longer delude the people and draw them to a loving and liking of these things as formerly they had done no but themselves with their principles and invention are become odious and a filthy stinking Sore in the eyes and nostrils of the Commonalty Which Effect how evidently it did shew it self in Germany and here with us in England and also in other Nations about this time upon the preaching and writing of the forenamed Worthies with others their fellow-helpers is by many sufficiently recorded Thus much as touching the first VIAL VIAL II. 1 The SVBJECT The SEA Vers 3. AND the second Angel poured out his Vial upon the Sea By Sea here we may not as some understand Nations because they are a part of the Subject of the next Vial. Nor yet as others the corrupt Doctrines of Antichrist concluded upon in the Council of Trent which say they the learned Chemnitius poured out this Vial upon in his Book called Examen Concilii Tridentini because as hath been said the former Vial fell on these to which the Subject being still the same it is more proper to refer the labours of those godly men who after Luther still continued to lay open these things in their colours than to account the same the pouring forth of another Vial. Nor yet as a later Writer the Political state of the Roman Empire which did suffer detriment by the late German War 1 Because the Effect of that War fell as heavy upon Gods people there as his enemies whereas the Vials are upon enemies only as our fourth Proposition proves 2 Because notwithstanding those shakings the Empire is yet standing whereas the shaking of the Vials is such a shaking as destroyes and removes the thing shaken 3 Because the German Empire is as in its place shall appear the Subject of another Vial. But by Sea we are to understand the Discipline of Rome as under the former their Doctrine or to speak better the Romish Hierarchy in whose hands the power of Discipline lyes made up of a Pope Cardinals Archbishops Bishops together with the inferior Clergy who receive their power and standing from these which is by themselves called and to us known by the name of the Sea of Rome the Popes Sea the Cardinals Sea the Bishops Sea c. And truly this monstrous Beast though his Rise is out of the Earth Rev. 13.11 yet doth he exercise all the power of the first Beast vers 12. whose Rise was from the Sea vers 1. and therefore is not amiss called in this second Vial where the downfall of his power is spoken of by the name of the Sea whence his power is primarily derived And indeed look what neer affinity there is betwixt the Sea and the Earth they bordering one upon another the same is betwixt Discipline and Doctrine And as the Sea girts in the Earth on every side so that which is as it were the Girdle holding together all the gross earthly superstitions and inventions of Antichrist is an absolute tyrannical power of Discipline imposing principles wayes and forms upon the consciences of men wheresover the same is set up If you ask me When was this Vial poured forth I answer In the yeer of our Lord 1641. it had its beginning though the Effects of it are not wholly over as yet when the Parliament of England did vote down Arch-bishops Bishops with all that crew root
the Lord two parts therein shall be cut off and dye but the third shall be left therein And I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as silver is refined and will try them as gold is tryed they shall call on my Name and I will hear them I will say It is my people and they shall say The Lord is my God Isa 10.20 21 22. It shall come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob shall no more again stay upon him that smote them but shall stay upon the Lord the Holy One of Israel in truth The Remnant shall return even the Remnant of Jacob unto the mighty God For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the Sea yet a Remnant of them shall return the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness Chap. 4.2.3.4 In that day shall the Branch of the lord be beautiful and glorious for them that are escaped of Israel And hee that is left in Sion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called Holy even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the Daughter of Sion and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the Spirit of Judgement and by the Spirit of Burning Zepha 3.12 13. I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord. This is the day of purging out the Rebels Ezek. 20.38 And I will purge out from among you the Rebels and them that transgresse against mee Of judging between Cattel and Cattel Chap. 34.17 Thus saith the Lord God Behold I judge between Cattel and Caâ—tel between the Rams and the Hee Goats All which places as will be evident to him that shall but understandingly peruse them and compare them with other Scriptures speak of the last times when the Iews are to come in To this Remnant shall Christ at the great day of the battel of Armageddon which shall put an end to this day of trouble appear who shall from that day bee advanced to reign with him in his Kingdome But of this more hereafter Thus much as touching the sixth VIAL The Interval of time betwixt the pouring out of the Sixth and Seventh VIALS Verse 13. AND I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet Vers 14. For they are the spirits of Devils working miracles which go forth unto the Kings of the Earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battel of that great day of God Almighty These words to vers 17. do not properly belong either to the Sixth or Seventh Vials but contain an Interval of time betwixt both in which some remarkable things in order to the pouring forth the seventh and last Vial are to be transacted which are 1 The sending forth of Ambassadors or Agents from the Dragon Beast and false Prophet to the Kings of the Earth By Dragon We are to understand that Old Serpent the Devil and Satan yet principally as acting in the Roman Monarchy the seven Heads and ten Horus of the Dragon chap. 12.3 being the Armes of Rome for so the Holy Ghost interprets it chap. 12 9. And the Dragon was cast out that Old Serpent called the Devil and Satan chap. 20.2 And he laid hold on the Dragon that Old Serpent which is the Devill and Satan Now where the Holy Ghost hath given a manifest interpretation it is certainly curiosity to seek another As for the other two the Beast and the false Prophet the two Companions of the Dragon or Devil we shall the better discern these two Monsters if we consider how that Beast in the Revelation is sometimes spoken of without any distinction made as being but one Sometimes with distinction as though he were two as Beast and Beast Chap 13. Beast and Woman Chap. 17. Beast and false Prophet as here When Beast is spoken of without distinction it denotes the Political and Ecclesiastical State both of the Roman Empire as the same now is Antichristian As in Vial 2. Beast there used alone denotes both States as is clear because the Image of the Beast was of the first Beast Rev 13.14 compared with ver 3. The mark of the Beast was of the second Beast spoken of chap. 13. the first Beast having no mark and the two Beasts Chap. 13. which both are comprehended in the word Beast Vial 2. are as shall appear anon the Civil and the Ecclesiastical State of the Roman Empire as the same now is under Antichrist So in Vial 5. Rome is called the Seat of the Beast that is the Seat of the Political State for the Seat of the Roman Empire as the same was Pagan which State was Political onely is given to the first Beast Rev. 13.2 that is the Civil or Political State of Antichrist And also the Seat of the Ecclesiastical for it is upon the seven Mountains of Rome the Woman sits Rev. 17 9. i.e. the Ecclesiastical State So that Rome is the Seat both of the Political and Ecclesiastical State and therefore the Beast Vial 2. whose Seat is in Rome must be understood of both States Civil and Ecclesiastical both which make up but one Beast or Antichrist So Rev. 14.9 11. Chap. 15.2 Chap. 20.4 in all which places we have but one Beast spoken of but the same as having a Mark and an Image which for what I said but now must be interpreted of both States the Civil and Ecclesiastical The like we have Chap. 11.7 The Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them i.e. against the two Witnesses Now this Beast ascending out of the bottomless pit is meant of both States not onely for this reason that both joyn in slaying the Witnesses but because Chap. 17.8 we have it so interpreted for John being shewn first either State distinct vers 3 4. 5 6. the one represented by a Beast the other by a Woman riding upon this Beast in vers 7 8. hath the mystery of both together shewed him and both together are the Beast ascending out of the bottomless Pit which Beast there spoken of in such various and seeming contrary phrases was is not yet is shall ascend out of the bottomless Pit can be understood of no other but Antichrist in all because it is said The dwellers on the Earth shall wonder when they behold the Beast that was is not and yet is noting thus much that the dwellers on Earth as yet saw not this Beast for indeed his rise was not yet John seeing the rise of this Beast Chap. 13.1.11 as a thing to be after his time Yet is he called the Beast that was because in respect of that Civil Power this Beast should exercise and
be Popes and most of their exalted Clergy-men rise out of the dung 2 He looks like a Lamb as the Pope calls himself Christs Vicar the Servant of the Servants of Christ and his retinue pretend humility and their power to be from and for Christ and hold their station successively from the Apostles as he doth his from Peter 3 He speaks like a Dragon The Pope and all they who derive their power from him though he and they look ever so like Saints yet the absoluteness of their Decrees Injunctions and Impositions enforcing and compelling the Consciences of all declare them to be the Dragon that is the persecutor of the Woman or Christs flock as the Dragon is Rev. 12. 4 He exerciseth all the power of the first Beast Vers 12. As the Pope hath a double sword a temporal and a spiritual and his inferior Clergy make use of a Civil Power to uphold their own cause as well as a spiritual Now whereas some conceive the first Beast here to be the whole body of the Roman Empire as the same is the fourth Monarchy whereof the Antichrist is but a part and the second Beast to be the Antichrist and his Kingdome alone it cannot so be partly for the Reasons before given and further because according to this the Beast should continue to make war against the Saints and to kill them above two and forty months for reckoning the time of the ten Persecutions and all the time since in which war hath been made upon the Saints and they killed it amounts to much more than two and forty months which yet is the limited time of this Beasts persecution Vers 5. And power was given unto him to continue two and forty months Yea then how comes it to pass that this first Beast differs from the Dragon who yet did represent the former Empire for whereas the Dragon as one well observes hath but seven Crowns and those seven upon his Head Chap. 12.3 this Beast hath ten Crowns and those upon his Horns vers 1. which difference according to this Principle should not bee for they should be one and the same Therefore the first Beast is the Empire only as under Antichrist and of that as I have said the Civil state onely as the second the Eccelesiastical Furthermore as concerning these two Beasts we are not to conceive as though they sprung up at a distance one a good while after the other for the continuance of the first Beast I have said already is to be but two and forty months and so much time is allowed to both the Beasts Chap. 11.12 the holy City shall they i e. both the Beasts tread underfoot two and forty months And indeed the treading the Holy City underfoot two and forty months can be no other act but the act of the Beast it agreeing so punctually to be the precise time of his Reign And of what Beast I answer That very Beast mentioned vers 7. which ariseth out of the bottomless Pit and towards the end of this time kills the Witnesses which Beast I have already shewed to be spoken of both the Beasts viz. the Civil and Ecclesiastical state whose rise therefore must be together the time of eithers Reign being two and forty months For indeed so soon as the Roman Empire which before was Pagan but now Christian began to be so corrupt as to be the first Beast i. e. of Christian an Antichristian state persecuting the true members of Christ instantly with this corrupted state did the second Beast arise that is the sword and power of the Civil Magistrate which before was used by none but himself came now to be in the hands or at the will and disposal of Ecclesiastical persons Church-men as they are called that these thereby might become fit instruments to set up and establish their own Idolatries and persecute the Saints And by this arose a second Beast exercising by permission all the Power of the first and is therefore said to exercise it before him vers 12. in his sight vers 14. i.e. by leave or permission of the first Beast for which cause the making war with the Saints vers 7. the compelling all Nations that dwell upon the earth to worship the Beast vers 8. is appropriated to the first Beast as though it were his act whereas indeed it is properly the second Beast doth this as is clear vers 15 16 17. but hee doth it by exercising the power of the first without which he could not do it and therefore the same thing is recorded in describing either Beast because in this business the second Beast is the first mover but the effecting of it is done by the power of the first And indeed the second Beast may well be called another Beast distinct from the first notwithstanding the power he exerciseth by the power of the first because the hands this power is now put into or is at the disposal of are such as not only are without right to this power but also never had until this day any such power intrusted in them or at their disposal Yet that these Beasts though two are indeed one and make up but one Antichrist is clear because both the Beasts rise together as before both are alike in nature actions and conditions for both are filthy Beasts and cruel Tyrants both Patrons of Idolatry both bloody Persecutors of the Saints both are helpful one to another the first Beast communicates of his power to the second Beast vers 12. the second Beast gives life to the image of the first Beast vers 15. yea vers 18. one and the same number is assigned to both the Beasts and the number of bâ—th the Beasts in conclusion of the Vision is but the number of the Beast i.e. of one Beast Here is wisdome let him that hath understanding count the number of the Beast Which also addes a beam of further light for the clearing of what I have said before that Beast when spoken of without distinction is to be understood of the Civil and Ecclesiastical state both So that in fine the result is They are two Beasts as a Political and an Ecclesiastical state and yet but one Beast as Antichrist What I have said of these two Beasts I may say the same of the Beast and the Woman Chap. 17. The Beast the Woman rides upon is the Civil state the Woman riding upon this Beast is the Ecclesiastical only with this difference the second Beast Chap. 13. who upon his first rise was a Beast aspiring to no higher degree and exercising the power of the first Beast i. e. of the Civil state by leave as it were through permission of the first Beast is now through a long standing risen from a Beast to a Woman as disdaining to be in so low a degree as a Beast any longer Yea such a Woman as like a notorious Strumpet knows how to make the Kings of the Earth yea the whole world follow her dance
them and also to the Great Turk to encourage and heart him on to engage with them in a quarrel that is his as well as theirs together with all others of whom they have either hope that they will or may be drawn to joyn with them that by one general Randezvouze of all their force together they may venture the whole sink or swim upon the event of one battel Which battel is here called for the remarkableness of it both in regard of the multitude of enemies and the glorious appearance of Christ with his Saints who will fight this battel for them in such a way as never before the battel of that great day of God Almighty which is I conceive the same battel with what is spoken Psal 110. Isa 63.1 to 7 chap. 6.15 to the end Ezek. 38.39 Dan. 12.1 Joel 3. Zech. 14.1 2 3 4 5. Mal. 4.1 2 3. Of which terrible yet glorious day to mention all that in the foregoing Texts and elsewhere is recorded of it would call for a Treatise of it self and therefore I think it meet rather to leave the same to the sober and pious meditations of the Reader than here to add any thing further upon so large a Subject Concerning the Agents and Ambassadors of the Dragon Beast and false Prophet who are said to be three though possibly they may be multitudes because a threefold number denotes perfection and said to come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet not as if one came out of the mouth of the one another out of the mouth of the other and another out of the mouth of the third but because their sending is by the common consent of the aforesaid three parties who or what they shall be I look upon it as a part of curiosity to enquire any further into then what is here by the Holy Ghost determined of them 1 That they shall be Spirits viz. for their subtilty nimbleness and activity 2 Unclean Spirits for the filthiness and impurity of their principles and conversation 3 Like Frogs for their bold impudency and continual croaking in the ears of those they are sent to giving them no rest till they have drawn them forth to battel withall creeping into every hole and corner of the world to carry on their design 4 Spirits of Devils for their dissembling lying and cunning craft in deceiving above all that ever were imployed before them 5 Working Miracles and that as it were in way of imitation of the great and wonderful things God either hath done or is then doing for his people by this not onely to gain credit to their Ambassage making the Kings of the Earth the more ready to receive it but also to blind the eyes of those they are sent unto and harden their hearts against the apparent works of God at this day when they shall see things somewhat like to what God is doing in the world done by these as the Magicians of Egypt did blind Pharoah's eyes harden his heart by doing like things before him by Diabolical art as Moses did by the finger of God And here I cannot but in the way take notice of that which is the spiritual Engine of the old Serpent and one of his most politick Stratagems and Devises to blind others to the truths and dispensations of God in the world making them very odious and to be loathed of many which is when he perceiveth that God hath any great Truth to make known or any great Design to drive on in the World which he cannot hinder he will now become an Angel of light and be of the foremost by setting his own instruments about it either in discovering this truth or putting forward this design that so from a just cause of suspition being laid a prejudice being begotten in peoples hearts against these things the things though discovered ever so clearly might find no acceptation but rather a general dislike from those that should receive them as at the time of Christs coming he raised up false Christs as a blind that the true might not be received At the first preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles he vaised up false Apostles that the true might not be beleeved which is a thing hath been worthily observed by a godly man of late and I here mention it onely by way of remembrance that none of us may be taken in this crafty and hidden snare Thus much of the first thing preparative to the pouring forth of the seventh VIAL 2 The Personal coming and appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ Verse 15. BEhold I come as a Theef That Christ shall personally appear before the last and General Judgement is a thing that seems to me to have much footing both throughout the Old and New-Testament without granting of which I my self cannot as yet possibly others may reconcile one Scripture with another And truly to take notice of this Opinion here I am necessarily put upon it unless I should either wholly pass over these words or be false to my own perswasions and that which as yet I cannot think otherwise is the main thing intended by the Holy Ghost in them Though yet as the Argument it self in this place doth more concern the time of his coming viz. that his coming shall be betwixt the sixt and seventh Vials than the coming it selfe So that I may keep to the Argument I must here let go several Reasons I might make use of to prove this personal coming and confine my self to such onely as will clear up this viz. That the time of his personal coming is here spoken of to be between the sixt and seventh Vials Now that Christs Personal coming and not a coming by his Power and Spirit onely is the thing here intended which will fall out in this Interval or space of time betwixt these two Vials though yet at the end of it so as that it may indifferently be referred either to the conclusion of this time or the beginning of the seventh Vial is clear to me for these Reasons 1 ARGUMENT Christ shall personally appear at the time in which the remarkable battel of Armageddon shall be fought But that shall be about this time That the battel of Armageddon shall be about this time is clear in the words That Christ shall then appear I prove Isa 66.16 For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh and the slain of the Lord shall be many That this is the same with the battel of Armageddon hinted in the Text and more fully described Rev. 19. vers 17. to the end of the Chapter appears 1 Because the battel of Armageddon shall bee about the time of the Jews coming in This our Discourse at large under the sixth Vial proves So shall this For vers 7.8 we have their conversion spoken of Before shee travelled shee brought forth before her pain came shee was
delivered of a Man-child who hath heard such a thing who hath seen such things shall the earth bee made to bring forth in one day or shall a Nation be born at once for as soon as Sion travelled shee brought forth her children And then presently vers 16. wee have this battel 2 Upon the battel of Armageddon wee have a new Heaven and a new Earth as the consequent of it Rev. 21.1 I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away So this vers 22. For as the new Heavens and new Earth which I will make shall remain before me 3 Wee read of a Lake of fire after the battel of Armageddon Rev. 19.20 So here verse last Object But have we a coming here Answ Yea vers 15. For behold the Lord will come with fire and with his Chariots like a whirlewind to render his anger with fury and his rebukes with flames of fire Which coming that it must be Personal I shall shew anon out of Rev. 19. which speaks of the same coming as the battel there and here spoken of are one and the same The Prophet Daniel in his seventh Chapter doth excellently set this forth where having had the four Monarchies which Chap. 2. were represented to him in the form of a great Image and Antichrists Kingdom a part of the fourth or last Monarchy by the feet of that Image part of Iron and part of Clay now represented under another form of four Beasts and Antichristâ—s Kingdom by a little horn arising amongst the horns of the 4th Beast or Roman Monarchy he saith ver 11. That he beheld because of the great words the Horn spake i.e. because of the blasphemies of Antichrist the Beast that is the fourth Monarchy now governed by Antichrist the little Horn slain his body destroyed and given to the burning flame agreeing punctually to what is recorded Rev. 19.19 20. of casting the Beast into the Lake of fire burning with brimstone which comes in there as an effect of the battel of Armageddon And indeed that these two Texts must agree in time and be one and the same is clear to me because the main thing held forth in either is the final destruction of the Roman Monarchy and that as the same is under Antichrist Neither may it be doubted that by the little Horn the Kingdome of Antichrist should bee meant seeing what is here spoken of the little Horn agrees so exactly to what in the Revelâ—tion is spoken of Antichrist yea which makes the thing most evident the little Horn and the Beast or fourth Monarchy are vers 11. made one and the same Buâ— you will say Where have we a coming here Ans Look vers 13 14. I saw in the night visions and behold one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of Heaven and came to the Ancien of days and they brought him near before him And there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdome that all People Nations and Languages should serve him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion that shall not pass away and his Kingdome which shall not be destroyed Object But how appears this coming to be Personal Ans From the Text for observe first God as the Ancient of dayes by the manifestation of his presence and power with and amongst his people which I take it answers to the smoak wherewith the Temple is filled Rev. 15. last first begins to judge the little Horn or fourth Beast casting down his Thrones the work at this day in hand Now whilst the Ancient of dayes is amongst his people sitting and judging the Beast one comes to him like the Son of man with the clouds of Heaven to whom is given a Dominion Glory and Kingdome Observe first He comes not to receive a Kingdome in a spiritual way as God but as the Son of man Secondly He comes with the clouds of Heaven the very phrase used to set forth his personal coming Mat. 24.30 They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory Chap. 26.64 Hereafter shall yee see the Son of man coming in the clouds of Heaven Rev. 1.7 behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him Thirdly He comes to the Ancient of dayes who according to his God-head is the Ancient of dayes that is the Father who now had set up his Throne on earth and as the Great Judge was in the midst of his people manifesting his Almighty power amongst them in judging the Beast and there receives his Kingdome where the Ancient of dayes had now set up his Throne was sitting and judging And this is a manifest Argument that although his coming is mentioned after the casting of the Beast into the burning flame yet that indeed the same must be before because he comes to the Ancient of dayes i.e. the Father whilst hee was sitting upon the Throne in the midst of his people and passing sentence against the Beast before the Beast is slain his body destroyed and given to the burning flame which is the concluding act and the breaking up of the judgement after which the Ancient of dayes sits no longer Therefore I say his coming must of necessity be before the utter everthrow of the Beast or fourth Monarchy and within the time that the Father by his presence and power amongst his people is judging of the Beast And indeed if we do but compare this seventh of Daniel with the 110. Psal which is also a Prophecie of Christs Kingdome we shall find them most excellently answering one to another and the one helping to open the other In vers 1. the Father saith to the Son Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool What then Why the Father as the Ancient of dayes having judged Christs enemies and brought them well under we have streightway vers 2 Christs coming The Lord shall send the Rod of thy strength out of Sion And what doth Christ do at his coming Why as upon his appearing he finds the Beast Antichrist here called the Head over many Countries because this Whore sits upon many waters and the Kings of the earth with their Armies gathered together to oppose him so presently he in his fury falls upon them and destroyes them Vers 5. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath The battel of Armageddon is called That great day of God Almighty Rev. 16.14 upon the founding of the seyenth Angel the time of wrath Rev. 11.18 Thy wrath is come here the day of wrath Vers 6. He shall judge among the heathen he shall fill the places with the dead bodies he shall wound the Head over many Countries agreeing to that of Daniel of slaying the Beast destroying his body casting it into the burning flame and that Rev. 19. where the battel of Armageddon is described of destroying Kings and Captains Vers 18. casting the
sense and that in Christs admonition to the Church of Sardis Chap. 3.2 3. Yet considering that is but once and the other sense frequent there is hardly room left could nothing else be said for an indifferency in the the thing whether the coming here be spiritual or personal so as that we may take or leave but now when together with these the weight of the foregoing Arguments and Scriptures shall be put in the ballance it will then appear that there is not only a probability but a concluding strength in these also Before I leave the thing I shall adde yet further two Arguments more tending not so much to prove the Personal ceming of Christ to be here meant as in the general that the same is very neer and therefore most likely to be the coming here spoken of 1 Because the Apostle tells us 2 Thes 2.8 That the man of sin is to be consumed with the breath of his mouth and destroyed with the brightness of his coming which coming can be no other than his Personal coming because it was that coming the Apostle had been speaking of Vers 1 2. about which the Thessalonians were shaken in mind and troubled as conceiving it to be at hand possibly from what the Apostle had written in his first Epistle chap. 4.15 16 17. whence it might be inferred as if that present Generation should live to see that day and therefore he saith Not by word nor letter as from us Verse 1. which trouble the Apostle endeavors to remove by telling them that the man of Sin who was to be destroyed with the brightness of this coming was not as yet revealed and that therefore this coming which they were in doubt about could not be sudden Now observe do we already see the first viz. The Man of Sin in a consumption by the breath of Christs mouth i. e. the preaching of the Gospel then may we conclude the second viz. his final destruction which shall be by the brightness of Christs coming or appearing cannot be far off and therefore it is more consonant to the Apostles meaning to look for and expect this coming here betwixt the sixt and seventh Vials where a Personal coming is hinted which time is near to us than not to expect the same till the General Judgement which as shall appear hereafter is from us a thousand years at least how much more I know not and surely Antichrists continuance shall not be so long 2 Because Peter tells us expresly that Christs Personal coming shall be before the New Heavens and Earth 2 Epist 3.10 11 12. But the day of the Lord will come as a theef in the night in the which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noyse and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up None that ever I mes with denies this to be his Personal coming yet afterwards and that too as a fruit of this coming which therefore Peter brings in with a nevertheless as having reference to the Heavens and Earth before dissolved comes in the promise of the New Heavens and Earth verse 13. Nevertheless we according to his promise seeming to have his eye upon those very New Heavens and Earth promised Isa 65.66 look for New Heavens and a New Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness Now that these New Heavens and New Earth must be and therefore this coming which is to precede them before the last and General Judgement is clear because at the General Judgement the Earth and the Heavens fly away and their place is no more found Rev. 20.11 therefore no New Heavens or Earth after that yea the places in Isaiah which Peter hath his eye upon cannot be applied to the General Judgement or any time after it therefore the New Heavens and New Earth which this Personal coming is a fore-runner of must be before that day Obj. But when then are they or where are we to place them To that I Answer immediately after the battel of Armageddon or instantly upon the pouring forth of the seventh Vial when the voyce comes from the Throne It is dâ—ne Rev. 16.17 that is as appears Chap. 21.5 6. All things are made new He that sate upon the Throne said Behold I make all things new and then verse 6. He i.e. He that sate upon the Throne still said unto me It is done one Phrase expounding the other If therefore Christs Personal coming according to Peter must be before these New Heavens and Earth and if these New Heavens and Earth are the effect of the seventh Vial then is it most agreeable to Peters sense as well as Pauls in our last words and the Prophets of the Old Testament yea our Saviour himself in our former Arguments to place the Personal coming of Christ here betwixt the sixt and seventh Vials where it is said I come as a Theef and indeed as Peter doth here mention a Personal coming a little before the New Heavens and the New Earth so doth Isa 66.15 16. with verse 22. and John likewise chap. 19.11 with chap. 21.1 both which comings I have proved to be personal so that in this there is a glorious Harmony betwixt them and therefore it is safest to make the coming and time thereof one and the same in all And truly to me it is a Riddle how any of those worthy men which are not a few who yet strongly affirm the pouring out of the seventh Vial to be the last and General Judgement can from their own Principle conclude any other than that the coming of our Text which is the immediate antecedent of the seventh Vial is yea must of necessity be a Personal coming Having hitherto been proving Christs personal coming to be the coming intended in these words I shall now nakedly discover my own thoughts about it which possibly may prevent the rise of some Objections in the breasts of others and withall be no weakening to my former Arguments which are That I do not conceive this coming to be any other than that second coming which is an Article of our Christian Faith and we all look for though not to be at this time and indeed what I said last out of Peter though I should add nothing else doth give it so to be for I can finde in Scripture but two personal comings of Christ one in which he bare our sins and the other in which he shall appear without sin to salvation Heb. 9.28 Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin to salvation and as all the Scriptures which speak of his Humiliation Death and Sufferings have relation to the first so those Scriptures which speak of his coming Kingdom and glory to the second And indeed that coming which good men look upon to be at the General Judgement doth most exactly agree to what is recorded of this coming for 1 That
coming shall be a Coming as a Bridegroom Matth. 24.6 Behold the Bridegroom cometh intimating it shall be comfortable and glorious to the Saints such shall this be Rev. 19.7 8 9. 2 That coming shall be a black dreadful and terrible day to the Enemies of Christ to whom therefore he is said to come in flaming fire rendring vengeance 2 Thes 1.8 to descend from Heaven with a shout with the voyce of the Arch-Angel and the Trump of God 1 Thes 4.16 such a coming as shall make all the Tribes of the Earth to mourn Matth. 24.30 Then shall alâ— the Tribes of the Earth mourn and mens fiearts fail for fear Luk. 21.26 Mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the Earth for the powers of Heaven shall be shaken in which the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat 2 Pet. 3.12 such also shall this be as in many of the fore-quoted Scriptures appear Isa 63.1 Who is this that cometh from Edom with died garments from Bozrah Vers 4. The day of vengeance is in mine heart Verse 6. I will tread down the people in mine anger and make them drunk in my fury Chap. 65.15 For behold the Lord will come with fire and with his Chariots like a whirlwind to render his anger with fury and his rebukes with flames of fire Verse 16. For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh and the slain of the Lord shall be many Joel 3.16 The Lord also shall roar out of Sion and utter his voyce from Jerusalem and the Heavens and the Earth shall shake Mal. 3.2 Who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like a Refiners fire and like Fullers sope Chap. 4.1 For behold the day commeth that shall burn as an ovâ—n and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up that it shall leave them neither root nor branch These Scriptures as hath been before shewed relate to this coming 3 That coming shall be upon men unawares Luk. 21.34 35. Take heed lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares For as a snare shall it come on all men that dwell upon the face of the earth 1 Thess 5.2 Your selves know perfectly that the day of the Lord cometh as a Theef in the night So shal this Behold I come as a Theef 4 That coming shall be at a time of great tribulation such tribulation as makes Christ out of love to his Elect that they might not be swallowed up with it to shorten the daies of his coming Matth. 24.21 For then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time no nor ever shall be Verse 22. And except those days should be shortned there should no flesh be saved but for the Elects sake those days shall be shortned So shall this Dan. 12.1 At that time shall Michael stand up and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation even to the same time Zech. 14.2 I will gather all Nations against Jerusalem to battel and the City shall be taken and the houses rifled and the women ravished and half of the City shall go forth into Captivity and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the City Verse 3. Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those Nations 4. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives Verse 5. And the Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee 5 That coming shall be about the time of the Beasts final overthrow This hath been the opinion of all good men till of late that Christs second coming should give the final overthrow to Antichrist and this they have founded upon that of the Apostle 2 Thess 2.8 which I made use of but even now Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth i.e. by the preaching of the Gospel the Man of Sin shall first grow into a consumption which consumption he hath been in these many years and shall destroy viz. his final destruction with the brightness of his coming and this Text some call an undeniable Oracle to prove this truth accordingly the coming I am speaking of agrees exactly to this for the effect of the battel of Armageddon which battel is instantly upon this coming is the utter destruction of Antichrist giving the body of the Beast to the burning flame Dan. 7.11 casting the Beast and false Prophet both into the lake of fire burning with brimstone Rev. 19.20 but in case Christs second coming should not be till the last Judgement which cannot be less as I shall shew anon than a thousand years after this battel then could not the final destruction of Antichrist be at the time of Christs second coming for according to this principle his destruction should be a thousand years before it 6 That coming called by good men Christs coming to Judgement shall be a coming with all the Saints 1 Thess 3.13 At the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints So shall this Zech. 14.5 The Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee And indeed that Christ shall at this day bring all his Saints with him and not those only who have been Martyrs or Sufferers as some suppose is a thing that necessarily follows upon what hath been said before for if this shall be that very coming of Christ which is by all looked upon as his last after which Christ will return no more to Heaven to come in such manner thence again then most certainly not Martyrs only but all his shall come with him And this Scripture doth plentifully bear witness to 1 Thess 4.14 For if we beleeve that Jesus dyed and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus as all Saints do will God bring with him vers 16. The dead in Christ not some of them only but all that are dead in Christ shall rise first i. e. shall have part in that first Resurrection Rev. 20.5 6. 1 Cor. 15.23 Christ the first fruits afterwards they that are Christs not some but all that Christ hath a right unto and is interest in at his coming and it is of the first Resurrection only I take it that this whole Chapter speaks for the following verses from vers 35. to the end speak of the Resurrection of such only as shall have glory put upon them in the Resurrection Though sown in dishonour yet raised in glory Though sown in weakness yet raised in power vers 42.43 Yea such in whom death upon their Resurrection shall be swallowed up in victory vers 54. which are things not appliable to the resurrection of any but
place of their own destruction Verse 16. ANd he i.e. Christ gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew Tongue Armageddon These words have relation to the 14. Verse where we have the Kings of the Earth and the whole world gathering together to the battel of the great day of God Almighty onely because whilst they are gathering together from all parts and now in a manner their whole body united and ready to swallow up his people Christ appears and interposeth himself betwixt his people and their bloody raging enemies therefore we have the coming of Christ Verse 15. brought in between their gathering together and their full and compleat Randezvouze and so these words come to be dis-joyned from the former As touching the place here called Armageddon the opinions of Writers are various which being not a thing so material I shall not recite my own thoughts incline to their opinion who read it the place of destruction of an Army And possibly there may be an allusion in the name to that great destruction of the Canaanites at the waters of Megiddo Judg. 5.19 when Sisera the chief Captain of Jabin with all his Host fell by the hand of Deborah and Barak where was made such a total destruction that it is said Judg. 4.16 And the Host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword and there was not a man left And indeed I the rather incline to this interpretation for the agreeableness of it to those other Scriptures where as before I have shewed this battel is spoken of Isa 63.6 I will tread down the people in mine anger and make them drunk in my fury Chap. 66.16 The slain of the Lord shall be many Joel chap. 3.14 calls it the valley of Decision or cutting off and Rev. 19.21 The remnant were slain with the sword of him that sate on the Horse All implying a great and marvellous destruction of enemies The meaning of the whole is That Christ himself as well as the spirits before mentioned Vers 13 14. hath a special hand in the gathering together this cursed Troop they to destroy the Saints and people of Christ but he to manifest his love to his children and his own glory the more upon his appearing and to revenge upon them with his own hand the blood of his people and although their coming up and gathering to a head is through their instigation yet the disposing of their Quarters and place of Randezvouze is his who gathers them together into the appointed place of their destruction where for his peoples sake he intends to render upon them his anger with fury and his rebukes with flames of fire as Isaiah expresseth it And methinks when my thoughts are fixed upon this day I cannot but sometimes stand and admire not so much at the ruin of the enemies as at that matchless love of Christ towards his which will appear in doing of it who seems at this day to act the holy passions of a provoked Father and Husband who having seen his children oft murdered before his face and his beloved Spouse now in the hands of the Murderers can no longer forbear but in the heat and vehemency of affection with unexpressible indignation he himself with his drawn sword rusheth forth upon the Murderers as not contented to have their blood if his own hands be not dipped in it fighting with fury through and through and from the rage of his mightily provoked spirit being become deaf to all cryes kils and slays without pity or mercy and is so far from sadly resenting what he hath done afterwards as that he is marvellously delighted yea glories in it that for the sake of his Children and Spouse whose quarrel he hath been now revenging he hath ingaged so far as to come off the field with Garments dyed red in the blood of their enemies which excellently we have set forth Isa 63. where we have Christ after this wonderful slaughter made of his peoples enemies and that with his own hand who therefore is said to come from Edom Edom being ever a cruel enemy to Israel turning himself and in a way of triumph presenting himself to his Spouse who seeing one coming glorious in his apparrel i.e. most delightful to behold and yet withall having Garments dyed in blood and travelling as a mighty Gyant in the greatness of his strength she is astonished and as in an ex asie through wonderment fear and joy she cryes out Who Who is this that cometh from Edom in such a manner with dyed Garments yet glorious in his apparrel travelling in the greatness of his strength To whom Christ presently replies It is I O my Spouse It is I who am mighty to save thee who for thy sake have been treading the Winepress alone trampling the people in mine anger making them drunk in my fury bringing down their strength to the Earth and it is so far from repenting me of any thing that for thee I have done that were there or shall there be any more to gather together against thee I can yet do no less for my heart is filled with vengeance than tread them in mine anger yea trample them in my fury and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my Garments and I will slain all my Rayment Wonderful unspeakable love aâ—ming a most dear and blessed Saviour with burning affections and fury cladding him with zeal and vengeance as a cloak that hee might plead their cause and avenge their quarrel pour abroad the blood of their enemies who by their sins have thrust a spear in his side and wickedly poured out his What heart without melting into tears can consider of this Thus much as touching the fourth and last thing namely Christs wonderful disposing of his enemies to their own ruine with which concludes the Interval or space of time betwixt the sixth and seventh VIALS VIAL VII 1 The Angel pouring it out Vers 17. AND the seventh Angel poured out his Vial. The Angel of this Vial is doubtless Christ himself whose coming we spake of but now and who instantly upon his coming pours out this Vial called the Archangel 1 Thess 4.16 who is there said to come with a shout or voyce The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout and with the voyce of the Archangel And accordingly as an Adjunct accompanying this Vial we have a great voyce The seventh Angel poured out his Vial and there came a great voyce out of the Temple of Heaven which voyce is no other but the voyce of Christ himself as I shall shew anon 2 The Subject of it The Air. Into the Air No subject can be more general than the Air which containeth all things fills all places in which all Creatures breath The universality of the subject notes the pouring out of this Vial to be universal the fore-going Vials have fallen upon particular subjects The first upon the grosser parts of Popery The second upon the Antichristian Hierarchy The third upon some
clear Prophesie of the glory riches duration vast extent of this Kingdome agreeing in many things with that glorious Prophesie Isa 60. is intituled A Psalm for Solomon yet in respect of Christ the King or Monarch in this Kingdome David in Scripture is ever the Type and not Solomon because Solomon after he was sate upon the Throne did foulely back-slide to Idolatry but David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. This voyce coming from the Throne intimates what I have been speaking that now Christs Throne shall be set up and himself sit upon it as Chap. 21.5 which also we have Chap. 3.21 To him that overcommeth will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne The Throne Christ here speaks of is a distinct Throne from his Fathers Throne such a Throne as he was not to sit on till he should come from his Fathers Throne for saith he the Throne I am upon at present is my Fathers Throne which I overcoming am priviledged to sit upon but I have a Throne of my own which I shall one day sit upon when he that overcometh shall sit down with me on this my Throne as I now by overcoming am set down with my Father on his Throne which as it proves Christ shall have a Throne distinct from that on which he now sits so also it confirms what I said even now that the Dominion or the Throne is not to be given to the Saints untill such time as Christ himself comes and sits him down upon his Throne according to that Matth. 19.28 Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the Throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel and it is for this reason because the Apostles shall be advanced as chief in this New Jerusalem that Chap. 21.14 tells us that the foundations of this City shall have in it the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. And this Throne because not onely Christ himself sits upon it but also his Saints with him is therefore called Thrones in the plural number Rev. 20.4 And I saw Thrones and they sate upon them and judgement was given unto them which words exactly agree for time as before I have shewed with this of the seventh Vial. Now whereas this Throne upon which Christ sits and utters his voyce is said to be in the Temple of Heaven it clearly denotes Heaven in the Revelation being always understood of the Church on Earth the erecting of this Throne here below And indeed if we compare with Chap. 21. where we have the same Throne spoken of together with the voyce from it It is done Verse 5 6. it will evidently appear that the New Jerusalem there described is to be understood of a glorious state of the Church here on earth and not as some of Heaven hereafter First Because John sees a New Earth as well as a New Heaven Secondly Because the New Jerusalem is said to come down from God out of Heaven Verse 2. therefore not a description of the Church in Heaven which coming down out of Heaven left we should imagine it as some to be Visional onely namely that John in way of Vision saw it come down but really it is above we have therefore to free us from such a mistake a great voyce added Verse 3. Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men i.e. on earth the place of mens habitation whereas were the New Jerusalem to be understood of Heavenly glory the contrary should be viz. The Tabernacle of men with God Thirdly Because the glory of the Kings of the Earth which glory is outward and of the Nations shall be brought into it Verse 24. The Kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it Verse 26. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the Nations into it Neither of which can agree to Heaven hereafter but do most excellently agree to what is spoken at large in the Prophets of the glorious state of the Church on Earth in the last daies To say as is commonly such of the Kings of the Earth and those of the Nations who shall be converted here shall be there glorified and this to be the bringing of the glory of the Kings and Nations thither To that I answer 1. How can this be said to be their glory which is rather Gods put upon them than theirs 2 How is this brought thither is the glory of Heaven fetched thither from Earth 3 How can they be said to bring it thither who never receive this glory till they come there Fourthly Because it is evident from the 12. and 14. Verses that the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel and the twelve Apostles of the Lamb shall be first or chief in this New Jerusalem but let it be proved from any other Scripture that they shall be so in Heaven hereafter Fifthly Because Chap. 22. which to Verse 6. is a continued description of the New Jerusalem tells us ver 2. of a Tree in this New Jerusalem whose leaves are for the healing of the Nations Now let it be shewn how the Nations shall bee healed in Heaven hereafter Sixthly Because in this New Jerusalem we have express mention made as of the Throne of God so also of the Lamb Chap. 22.1 proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb Verse 3. There shall be no more curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it But now in Heaven hereafter though Christ as God coequal and coeternal with the Father shall reign for ever yet not as the Lamb which is clear 1 Cor. 15.28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be all in all i.e. the humane nature of Christ which dyed for our sins rose again as the Apostle in the foregoing verses speaketh was 〈◊〉 above all the Creatures all the time of the thousand years and the General Judgement according to which nature Christ is said to be the Lamb slain shall now be subjected after the end to the Godhead or Divine nature which in Heaven shall be all in all so that Christ as the Lamb shall not have a Throne there And this Interpretation is not so much mine as Augustines long ago and Calvins since who both speak the same thing confessing a subjection of the humanity of Christ to be here intimated whom I think good here to name not that their Authority nor my saying so proves the thing to be truth but that I might hereby stop the mouths of such who otherwise possibly would be ready to condemn the truth it self for error Yet let none hence conclude as some now adays fancy a cessation of the Humane Nature by being turned
into the Divinity so as that Christ shall be God-man no longer for the Apostle in saying the Humane Nature shall be subject denotes plainly that the same shall even in Heaven hereafter have a being for how can that be subject which hath no being And as the Lambs having a Throne in the New Jerusalem proves clearly that it cannot be meant of Heavenly glory after the day of Judgement so doth it as strongly prove what before I have laid down that not a Spiritual onely buth a Personal presence of Christ shall be with his people in the New Jerusalem all the time of the thousand years for Christ as the Lamb hath his Throne in it but Christ Spiritually onely is not the Lamb nor was he sacrifised in that sense Seventhly and lastly Because Isa 60. which Chapter as is most evident speaks not of heavenly glory but of a glorious state of the Church here on Earth is for time one and the same with this as plainly will appear by comparing one with the other Isa Rev. 60.11 the Gates shal be open continually they shall not be shut day nor night 21.25 And the Gates of it shall not be shut at all by day Verse 3. The Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightness of thy rising Verse 24. The Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honor into it Verse 10. Their Kings shall minister unto thee Verse 11. That men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles and that their Kings may bee brought Verse 26. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the Nations into it Verse 1. Violence shall no more be heard in thy Land Verse 20. The dayes of thy mourning shall be ended Verse 4. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor cryâ—â—â— neither shall there be any more pain Verse 19. The Sun shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightness shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory Verse 23. And the City had no need neither of the Sun nor of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb was the light thereof Verse 21. Thy people also shall be all righteous Verse 27. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye but they which are written in the Lambs Book of life Yet because it would be a thing hard to be beleeved that the New Jerusalems glory should be here on Earth therefore it is said chap. 21.5 These words are true and faithful and again chap. 22.6 These sayings are faithful and true One thing here is of special concernment to be opened to the end the words of the seventh Vial may be brought to a reconciliation with the description of the New Jerusalem chap. 21. both as I have shewed being to be referred to one and the same time which is this Seeing John in describing the New Jerusalem saith I saw no Temple therein Chap. 21.22 and the contrary is here intimated There came a great voyce out of the Temple of Heaven how can these things agree or the one be made Expository of the other when they speak things contradictory I answer John saw no material Temple such as was in Jerusalem of old to which here new Jerusalem is opposed Or secondly which I rather incline to John saw no such Temple as was the former Temple or Church-state under the Gospel But that a Temple there shall be is manifest for saith he in the next words which are given as a reason why no such Temple as formerly had been should be in this New state because indeed they should now have a better Temple The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb is the Temple of it So that a Temple there is but this shall not be such a Temple in which Christ through outward Ordinances as a medium is conveyed to his and they by faith enjoy him as now for what need of these things when Christ is with his people and to be enjoyed in another way of Visionâ— yea the duration of these things is but untill his coming 1 Cor. 11.26 For as oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup yee shew the Lords death till he come And the Apostle is clear in this that all injoyments of God by faith cease when sight takes place 2 Cor. 5.7 1 Cor. 13.8 9 10 11 12 13. And indeed what use will there be of 2 Glass to see Christ in when he shall present himself face to face which he will do at the day of his appearing 1 John 3.2 It doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is yea to behold the Lamb thus shall be a principall part of the New Jerusalems glory Rev. 22.3 4. They shall see his face and his name shall be in their fore-heads So that this Temple shall not be a worshipping of Christ and an injoyment of him through outward ordinances but rather a more immediate worshipping and injoyment of him in himself who therefore in this New Jerusalem is not onely the person worshipped but the very Temple we worship in And this which now I am speaking of is I taâ—◠〈◊〉 clearly held forth in those words of the Apostle Heb. 12.26 Yet once more I shake not the earth onely but also Heaven which place he quotes from Haggai chap. 2.6 7. which before I have proved relates to this time Now as Christ at his first coming shook the legal worship which the Apostle tels us stood in meats and drinks and carnal Ordinances imposed on them until the time of Reformations Heb. 9.10 for which reason the shaking hereof is called ashaking of the earth and did at his resurrection establish another way of worship far more spiritual than the former yee having also some outward Ordinances and Institutions as the former had which in Scripture is frequently called as opposed to the other Heaven and the Kingdom of Heaven so at his second coming will he shake this worship cast this Temple though more spiritual than the former to the ground also for saith he yet once more I shake not earth onely but Heaven also i.e. all the worship that now is I mean outward is upon Christs second coming to be removed and such a Kingdom and Worship instead thereof is to be set up as can never be shaken i.e. shall never be broken in peeces any more as the former worships have been but shall be the same for kind being as I have said a more immediate worship with that which shall be in Heaven hereafter And not darkly is this hinted Isa 60.19 20. The Sun that is those outward things which before were as a Sun under which are comprehended outward
Ordinances shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightness shall the Moon give light unto thee and verse 21. Thy Sun i. e. the Lord Christ who is the light of this New Jerusalem shall no more go down neither shall thy Moon thy outward glory and felicity with-draw it self making a clear distinction betwixt the Sun that before was which is called the Sun and the Sun that at this time shall be which is called thy Sun as being another Sun peculiar to these times and not the same Sun as was in former times and this Sun that we may not be mistaken in it is interpreted twice over to be the Lord Verse 19. The Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light Vers 19. as opposed to the former Sun And again For the Lord shall be thine everlasting light vers 20. being there added as a reason why this Sun should never go down no not in Heaven hereafter because the Lord should be this Sun And who is this Lord why Jesus Christ the Lamb who is said to be the Temple and Light of this New Jerusalem and that in opposition to the Temple Sun Moon i. e. all outward Lights and Ordinances that before had been Rev. 21.22 23. And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the Lord God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof And to this day as I conceive have those Scriptures reference Jerem. 31.34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brether saying Know the Lord for the shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them Isa 54.31 And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord arguing an immediate feeding and teaching not so much by instruments means and Ordinances as the Lord himself And though it is not denied these Scriptures had a fulfilling in the beginnings when the Spirit was poured down teaching then Christ promising and sending his Spirit for that end being more abundant and spiritual than in former times for which cause they are by Christ himself and Paul after him interpreted as then fulfilled yet it is evident from the scope of those places whence these Texts are quoted that the Prophets had in their eye another time namely the time of the Jews delivery when not Judah only but Ephraim Head of the ten Tribes also spoken of expresly by Jeremy should return yea the very time of the New Jerusalem whose stones are therefore by Isaiah said to be laid with fair colours her foundations with Saphires her windows of Agates her gates with Carbuncles and all her borders with pleasant stones not unlike that description of the New Jerusalem John gives us but more full Rev. 21. of that although in part these Scriptures had a fulfilling before in which sense Christ and Paul mention them yet the fulness or the compleat fulfilling of them respects the time we are speaking of And doth not the phrase of New Heavens and New Earth spoken of by Isaiah Peter John and ever with reference to this time imply as much for the very phrase of making a new implies the abolishing of the old which new made that it cannot consist of any such outward things as did the old is clear because upon the abolishing of the old such things only are left standing in this new as can never be shaken or removed which all outward things are subject to Thus although in the New Jerusalem a Temple there shall be yet not such a Temple as was the Temple of Jerusalem of old or is the Temple of Jerusalem that now is but as the whole state of things shall be new so shall the Temple be new In the new Heaven the Lâ—mb who sits upon the Throne shall be the Temple and the great Voyce out of the Temple of Heaven from the Throne is the Voyce of Christ himself who at this day will sit upon his own Throne in the midst of his Church and People which is clear as before I have said Chap. 21.5 6. And what I have formerly hinted I shall here remember again that the very reason as I conceive why many in these dayes cast off the holy Ordinances and Institutions of the Lord Jesus is this They find it clear in Scripture that the continuance of these things are but until his coming which coming puts an end to Ordinances they judging to be Spiritual only and not Personal and perswading themselves withall that in this sense Christ is come to them already they conceive it high time for them to quit and shake off all outward forms Object If against what I have said it be objected that Zechary Chap. 14.16 speaking of this time tells us They shall go up from year to year to worship the Lord and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles therefore Ordinances shall be at this day I answer If by worshipping the Lord and keeping the Feast of Tabernacles we understand a walking in Ordinances then shall the Ordinances at this day bee common to all even the worst of sinners for that such at this day shall be in the world hath been before proved and observe the comand to come up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles is general upon all that are left of those who came up against Jerusalem vers 16. All the Families of the earth vers 17. yea the very Heathen vers 18. and if Ordinances shall be so common at this day then will the purity of worship in respect of the Worshippers be less then than now it is and if so where then will be the holiness of this day which in this respect is to excel all dayes before it The meaning therefore I conceive is this That all people in remembrance of the terrible destruction Christ made of his enemies gathered together at Jerusalem upon his appearing shall from that day year after year i.e. often come and worship before the Lord i. e. fall down before this Christ sitting on the Throne acknowledging him to be the great King of the world and Jesus Christ the Lord to the glory of God the Father fulfilling that of Isa Chap. 45.23 Vnto me every knee shall bow And that of the Apostle Phil. 2.20 At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow And this the phrase used by the Holy Ghost of keeping the Feast of Tabernacles doth notably set forth for in Levit. 23.34 where we have the institution of this Feast we have vers 43. this added as the reason of the Institution namely the memorial of Gods strange and wonderful Providence towards and in preservation of Israel when they came out of Egypt which Deliverance as it was but a Type of this so the Memorial thereof by keeping the Feast of Tabernacles was a Type of the Memorial that should be kept
a pure River of water of life proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb Verse 12. And by the River upon the bank thereof on this side and on that side shall grow all Trees for meat whose leaf shall not fade neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months because their waters they issued out of the Sanctuary and the fruit thereof shall be for meat and the leaf thereof for medicine Verse 2. In the midst of the street of it and of either side of the River was there the Tree of life which bare twelve manner of fruits and yeelded her fruit every month and the leaves of the Tree were for the healing of the Nations Chap. 48.35 The name of the City from that day shall be the Lord is there Verse 3. And there shall be no more curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it Now Ezekiel in describing the New Jerusalem doth all along sure his expressions to that Administration and the capacities of Gods people in those times not speaking of things as they are in themselves or were to be in the accomplishment of which the whole of his Discourse is an instance But to instance more especially in one thing we have Chap. 41. a large description of a Temple which he that reads will hardly imagine to be the same Temple John speaks of Rev. 21. vers 22. The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb is the Temple of it and yet it is the very same and no other for Ezekiel Chap. 47. tells us of waters coming out of this house verse 1. causing a River verse 5. which River had on each side of it Trees for meat bearing fruit according to the Months whose leaf was for medicine verse 12. which very River is said Rev. 22.1 2. to proceed from the Throne of God and the Lamb interpreting clearly what we are to understand by Ezekiels Temple notwithstanding all the measuring the height length breadth Chambers Ornaments c. that we there read of things suting their capacities to whom the Prophet spake yet the Temple is indeed no other but the presence of the Lamb the Throne of God and the Lamb which is the very Temple of the New Jerusalem Rev. 21.22 And as in these so in many other places where the New Jerusalems glory is described by the Prophets we have sometimes long life intimated The childe shall die an hundred years old as the daies of a tree are the daies of my people Sometimes building houses planting Vineyards c. as if the great glory were to lye in such things which is not so but as Ezekiels Temple hath in his description a great deal of outward bravery suitable to such a Temple as their thoughts to whom he spake were most taken up with yet is in a word interpreted in the Revelations to be another manner of thing viz. the Lamb and his Throne so these things are spoken rather by way of condescention to their weakness who standing under an outward Covenant in which such things were promised were exceedingly pleased with things of this nature looking much at them making a greater account of them than as the things in themselves are or will appear to be when this day shall come 2 RULE That the coming of Gods people out of Babylon building the second Temple and Jerusalem being all an eminent Type of the thing I am speaking of therefore in some Scriptures where we read of this glory under that deliverance as a Type we are to look upon some things to have their fulfilling then in the Type some others to be fulfilled for time to come in the Antitype To this Rule appertain not a few places in the Prophets especially in Haggai and Zechary who prophesied upon the coming out of Babylon and at the time the second Temple was building as Hag. 2.6 7 8 9. the Prophet hath reference to the second Temple as a Type which he calls the latter house v. 9. but whilst he speaks of shaking Heaven Earth the desire of all Nations coming and thereupon the glory of the latter house to surpass the glory of the former built by Solomon in all these things it hath relation as in our former Discourse hath been proved to the time of Christs second coming and the state of the new Jerusalem So also in Zechary where we have several Prophesies concerning Jerusalems being built Chap. 1. chap. 2. chap. 8. some things had their fulfilling then in that Jerusalem which was afterwards built by Nehemiah as when it is said Jerusalem should again be inhabited as a Town without wals for the multitude of men and cattel therein Chap. 2.4 There should be yet old men and old women dwel in the streets of Jerusalem and the streets of the City should be full of Boyes and Girles playing in the streets thereof chap. 8.4.5 which things were afterwards fulfilled Jerusalem betwixt Nehemiahs time and the time of Christs coming being inhabited again and grown populous which when Zechary Prophesied was but a ruinous heap or in case these things are to be extended further to the time of the New Ierusalem we are to interpret them according to our first Rule but now there are other things as many Nations being joyned to the Lord in that day becoming his people and the Lord himself dwelling in the midst of them chap. 2.11 The coming of many people and the inhabitants of many Cities and the Inhabitants of one City saying to another Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of Hosts yea many people and strong nations coming to seek the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem and to pray before the Lord chap. 8.20 21 22. These things relate to the time of the New Ierusalem yet so as we must also interpret the Prophets manner of speaking and setting forth these things according to our first Rule 3 RULE That as the Gospel Administration which was when the Prophets wrote to come was to be a very considerable step towards the glory of the new Ierusalem things being under it to make a great advance in Spirituals in comparison of what then they were by reason whereof a beginning or a peeping forth of new Ierusalems glory should be held forth in that Administration Hence we are to look upon some places in the Prophets where this glory is spoken of as relating in part and in some things to the state of the Church under the Gospel Administration that now is but to have a more special relation in regard of the Prophets scope to the state of the New Ierusalem which is yet to come This is clear from the Scriptures before mentioned Isa 54.13 All thy children shall be taught of the Lord Jer. 31.34 They shall no more teach every man his neighbor and every man his brother saying Know the Lord which places as I have said have an accomplishment in part at
present but for their fulness they look to the time of the New Jerusalem which is yet to come So Ezek. 43.10 11. Those that are ashamed of their abominations shall have the form and fashion of Gods house shewed to them and chap 44.10 11. The Levites that went astray when Israel went astray are laid by in the special acts of Gods worship but v. 15 16. they that kept their charge when the rest went astray are imployed in the service of Gods Sanctuary and Table which things in a spiritual way God hath fulfilled and is daily fulfilling to his people under the present Administration though yet the general scope of this Propliecy as before looks to the time of the New Ierusalem By these few examples under each rule we may be able to judge of many others of a like nature which will in reading offer themselves to us 4 The Effects 1 Effect Terror Vers 18. And there were voyces and Thunders and Lightnings and there was a great Earthquake such as was not since men were upon the Earth so mighty an Earthquake and so great The great voyce from the Throne upon the seventh Angel pouring his Vial forth fills the whole world with terror In the Air are heard most dreadful astonishing thundrings and lightnings fearful affrighting voyces through the sound of the Trumpet Mat. 24.31 1 Cor. 15.52 houlings screechings lamentings of Devils whose torments now begin the time being come The Earth is terribly moved and ready to be rent in peeces with a horrible shaking upon the appearing of the Lord as Mount Sinai shook and quaked greatly when the Lord descended upon it Exod. 19.16 17 18. hereby the whole world is filled with trembling now do the Tribes of the earth mourn mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth for the powers of Heaven are shaken 2 Effect Ruin Wherein we have 1 A particular List of the things ruined which are 1 The Great City 2 The Cities of the Nations 3 Great Babylon Vers 19. And the Great City was divided into three parts and the Cities of the Nations fell and great Babylon came in remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the Wine of the fierceness of his wrath Setting aside the Dragon who was the principal stickler in encouraging and gathering together that Rout and Multitude who from all parts of the world come up to the battel of the great day of God Almighty whose punishment is passed over here but particular mention is made thereof Chapter 20. there seems to be three sorts of enemies who shall gather together at this day 1 The Popish Crew 2 Mahumetans 3 Some Kings of the Earth neither Papists nor Mahumetans The first stand under the Banner of the Beast The two last being one in this that neither pretends to stand up for Christ as doth the Beast who shall at this day by the subtlety Miracles and counterfeit holiness of the false Prophet be marvellously blinded being made to beleeve his cause to be quite contrary to what indeed it is but coming forth upon the account of some carnal respects or worldly interests yet mixed with malice which is natural to all that are of the Serpentine seed against the Saints are both comprehended under that of the Kings of the earth Rev. 19.19 I saw the Beast and the Kings of the earth Daniel Chap. 7. describes them otherwise though not much differing calling the first as here the Beast which I have shewed to be the Roman Monarchy as governed by Antichrist the little Horn the other the rest of the Beasts vers 12. noting other worldly powers who shall joyn hands at this day with Antichrist or the fourth Beast Now that Antichrist with other Kings of the earth as his adherents shall at this day make one Head to oppose the Saints is without question but yet perhaps it may be thought sufficient proof hath not from what hath been said appeared to evidence that the great Turk or the Mahumetan party shall joyn with the rest or should be comprehended under that of the Kings of the earth Now although no less can be thought when the Holy Ghost speaks in such general termes vers 14. The Kings of the earth and of the whole world then that the Turk who possesseth a great part of the world should be included yet that the sense of the words may be more clear I shall from other Scriptures prove that the great Turk shall have a hand yea a deep one too in this desperate ingagement Not much to insist upon because I would not bee prolix the gathering together of Gog and Magog spoken of in Ezek. 38.39 which divers worthy men and not without giving good reasons for it interpret the Pope and the Turk which gathering together that it is the same with that at this day the several circumstances of the place do evidence as will appear to him who shall compare the battel of Gog and Magog with this of Armageddon and not as some that spoken of Rev. 20.8 9. which mentions no battel as doth Ezekiel nor will that agree to the time of the Jews delivery which Ezekiel is clear in but rather should be a thousand years after neither can there the General Judgement immediately insuing thereupon be any allowance of time either to bury Gog's dead or for a glorious state of the Church here on earth both which Ezekiel speaks punctually unto yet well may those Rev. 20. being such of the seed of old Gog and Magog as shall survive the thousand years and shall at the end thereof upon the Devils letting loose act against the Saints as their Fore-fathers did retain the names of their Ancestors Gog and Magog still But to pass this I take it those places which are not a few in the Old Testament where mention is made of the rage of the Assyrian against Israel have a special reference to the thing I am now in proving for whereas the Turk doth at this day possess Chaldea Mesopotamia with such other Countries as did anciently belong to the Assyrian Monarchy so do I conceive what the Prophets oft hint at as touching the Assyrians invading Israel with his Armies to be rather Typical of what should be in the last dayes acted by his Successor the Turk than a plenary fulfilling of those Prophesies by any Invasions of the Assyrian in or about those times Isa 30.31 For through the voyce of the Lord shall the Assyrian be beaten down Which Text although I deny not but it had a typical accomplishment in the dayes of Senacherib yet doth not that answer the scope of the Chapter which it is manifest looks to the last dayes and how the 30 31 32 33 verses agrees to what we have formerly spoken as touching Christs coming at the battel of Armageddon will be clear to him who shall but compare sundry places which upon that occasion I have opened before with this As
door was set open to the Jews to recover their own land yet because Constantinople his chief City was not thereby destroyed therefore in respect of the wrath of God poured out upon that at this day it is here said Great Babylon came now in remembrance before God which words very fitly agree to the ruine of Constantinople but are not appliable either to the ruine of Rome or the Kingdome of the Beast in general both which came up into remembrance and had been actually punished before this day 2 The Inevitableness of this Ruine Vers 20. And every Island fled away and the Mountains were not found Islands and Mountains are places of refuge Men in times of commotion flye to these for shelter as being safer in them than they can be elswhere Now that which tome is a notable confirmation that the words are in this sense to be understood I find the Prophets in other places which relating to this very time serve as a Comment upon the Text intimating that men should at this day either be secure by reason of such shelters or flye to such places for shelter Ezek. 39.6 speaking of the Effects of the Battel of Gog and Magog saith I will send a fire in Magog and among them that dwell carelesly in the Isles as noting that some should at this day think themselves secure by being in Isles places of refuge and shelter The Prophet Isaiah Chap. 2.21 speaking of the day wherein God will arise to shake terribly the earth the same with that shaking Joel 3.16 Hag. 2.6 7. 21 22. tells us that some at that day for fear of the Lord shall flye to the clefts of the Rocks and to the tops of the ragged Rocks noting men shall seek shelter from such places of refuge as the Rocks of Mountains are But so inevitable shall their ruine be that notwithstanding men may flye for shelter to their outward Refuges thinking themselves secure by reason of them yet shall all their refuges and shelters prove no shelter against this storm for every Island shall flye away and the Mountains shall not be found 3 The Greatness of it Vers 21. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven every stone about the weight of a Talent The Hail from Heaven denotes the more immediate judgements of God which shall fall on his enemies at this day and there may be an allusion to the destruction of the Canaanites by great Hailstones from Heaven Josh 10.11 The greatness of the Hailstones each being about the weight of a Talent notes the judgements God will inflict at this day to be the heaviest and most dreadful that can be a Talent of all weights being the greatest 3 Effect Blaspheming of God And men blasphemed God because of the plague of the Hail for the plague thereof was exceeding great The Eeast lived a Blasphemer now he dyes a Blasphemer and goes blaspheming to the Lake of fire burning with brimstone whither the just judgements of God which when they cannot reform sinners on earth cast them to Hell have now brought him And this is the conclusion of this great day as it respects Gods Enemies which to their woe they shall find and feel to be a black dismal and fatal day though but the beginning of it as it respects the Saints and people of God to whom it shall be the most glorious joyful and lightsome day that ever they beheld When God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more curse but the Throne of God and the Lamb and his Servants shall serve him And they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads And this is that New Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven the hope of which let it purifie our hearts even as he is pure Let us alwayes have our loyns girded about our lamps burning and we our selves like unto men that wait for the Lord looking earnestly unto and breathing after that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who once was offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him will he appear the second time without sin to salvation When be that now overcometh shall be made a Pillar in the Temple of his God and he shall go no more out And Christ will write upon him the Name of his God and the Name of the City of his God which is New Jerusalem which cometh down out of Heaven from his God and he will write upon him his new name And those that do his Commandements shall have right to the Tree of Life and enter in through the Gates into the City when without shall be Dogs and Sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murderers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie Which things he hath sent his Angel to testifie in the Churches who is the Root and Off-spring of David and the bright and morning Star Who also himself saith Surely I come quickly Amen Even so Come Lord Jesus The Reason of the Order observed in pouring forth the VIALS THe Beast having now for a long time trampled under foot the holy City blasphemed God his Name and Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven and exercised his utmost rage and cruelties against all those who holding the testimony of Jesus could not be brought to worship him his Image or receive his Mark in their fore-heads or in their hands and being in all these his insolent and outragious practces animated yea assisted by the Kings of the earth subjecting themselves to him and giving their strength power and Kingdome to the Beast Christ as able no longer to hear the Blasphemies and behold the rage and cruelties of the Beast with all the determined time of redeeming Sion avenging the blood of his Elect on those that dwell on the earth judging the Beast casting down his Thrones and taking the Kingdome to himself being come without delay now rouseth up himself and in his wondrous zeal his power and greatness marcheth forth to judge the great Whore destroy the Thrones of Kingdoms take possession of the Kingdoms of this world and subject them to his own righteous Scepter But finding upon his first Rise that two of his ancient and principal Rights had been long invaded and laid waste by the Enemy namely The glory of his Priesthood upon earth and the exercise of his Kingly Power and Prerogative in his Churches the first by the putrified and filthy stinking puddle of Romish Doctrine which instead of exalting that Righteousness alone in Justification which is pure perfect heavenly did establish a righteousness which was earthly impure full of filthy dregs out of which one poysonous root were grown up innumerable Idolatries viz. the Mass Purgatory Indulgences Invocation of Saints Penance Pilgrimages Monkish life c. by which the glory of Christs Priestly Office was veyled the precious truth of the Gospel perverted and Souls instead of bread of
and applyed to that people who shall have the principal hand in this great work p. 53 54 The Question propounded Whether the Jewes first stirring shall be upon a bare Civil account or not Resolved at large p. 54. to 62 The Interval betwixt the sixth and seventh VIALS Four remarkable things falling within this Interval 1 Agents and Ambassadors are sent forth from the Dragon Beast and false Prophet unto the Kings of the earth p. 63 Here 1 The terms are opened and it is shewed 1. Who meant by Dragon ibid. 2. What we are to understand by Beast and false Prophet Explained 1 Beast in the Revelation is sometimes spoken of without distinction as though he were but one When so Beast denotes Antichrists twofold power Civil and Ecclesiastical p. 64. to 68. Here is shewed what is meant by Beast ascending out of the bottomless pit Chap. 11.7 why called Chap. 17.8 the Beast that was is not yet is shall ascend out of the bottomless pit What meant by the seven Heads of the Beast In what sense this Beast is called the Eighth yet said to be of the Seven 2 Beast is sometimes spoken of with distinction as though he were two when so one part denotes Antichrists Civil power the other his Ecclesiastical p. 68 to 69. 1 In this sense we read of two Beasts Chap. 13. One Beast arising out of the Sea this shewed to be Antichrist in his pure Civil State why the seven Heads of the Beast are interpreted first of the seven Mountains of Rome and secondly of the seven distinct Governments in the Roman Empire Another Beast arising out of the Earth this shewed to be Antichrist in his Ecclesiastical State That the first Beast cannot be the whole body of the Roman Empire p. 69 These two Beasts did both rise together p. 72 And how ib. These Beasts though two are really one and make up but one Antichrist ib. 2 In this sense we also read of a Beast and a Woman Chap. 17. What meant by Beast and Woman Why the second Beast is here called a Woman In what sense the Woman is interpreted the Great City p. 72 3 In this sense we have in the Text a Beast and a false Prophet mentioned The false Prophets shewed to be the same with the second Beast p. 110 Why the second Beast in his third estate is called a false Prophet p. 73 74 2 The manner of the Dragon Beast and false Prophets sending forth their Agents namely by a general Convention of the Popish party Two things debated in this General Assembly from whence this result of sending forth Agents and Ambassadors all over the world doth arise p. 75 3 Their grand design in this Ambassy p. 76 4 The Agents imployed in this Ambassy why said to be three Why said to come out of the mouth of the Dragon Beast and false Prophet Five Characters given of them p. 77 78 The second thing within this Interval viz. The Personal coming of Christ 1 Proved to be within the Interval betwixt the sixth and and seventh Vials 1 Argument Christ shall Personally come at the battle of Armageddon grounded upon eight Prophecies which are opened p. 79 to 88 2 Argument Christs Personal coming shall be at the time of the Kingdoms restoring to Israel proved from sundry Scriptures Here is shewed that the time of restitution of all things Act. 3.21 cannot be the General Judgement p. 88 to 97 Two Arguments to prove the former Position urged from the words themselves p. 97 98 Two Arguments more laid down in the General tending to prove Christs Personal coming cannot be far off ib. This coming we speak of is shewed to be the same â—th that coming commonâ—â— called a coming to Judgeâ—ent p. 101 to 111. Where 〈◊〉 shewed that there are but â—o Personal comings â—ut not Martyrs onely but â—l the Saints shall come â—ith Christ at this day The â—ace Rev. 20.4 5. answeâ—d The difference of this â—inciple from the common â—ceived opinion is shewed 〈◊〉 be onely this that afâ—ms the General Judgeâ—ent to be instantly upon â—hrists coming this mainâ—ins that the thousand â—ars Revel 20. are to â—sue first and after that â—e General Judgement Here is discussed the â—ousand years concernâ—g which it is assertâ—â— 1 That the thousand â—ars six times repeated â—ap 20. are one and the â—ins thousand years in all p. 111 2 That the thousand years are a definite time p. 111 112 3 That they are yet to come and to take their beginning from the Battel of Armageddon p. 112 113 114 1 Proved by three Arguments 2 Answer is given to their Arguments who reckon them past and the grounds of them shewed to be mistakes p. 114 to 119 The whole time from Christs appearing to the end of the world may be called in a large sense a day of Judgement p. 119 Two special differences betwixt the Judgement passed in the time of the thousand years and that which shall be at the last day p. 119 to 122. Where the manner of Saints ruling and reigning and judging the world is opened Two Objections answered 1 Objection How can this be seeing the world is to be destroyed by fire at Christs coming Answered p. 122 to 124 2 Objection How can this agree to the state of glorified souls or how will it stand with Saints glory and spirituality answered p. 124 to 127 The whole concluded with three Rules laid down to judge of such Scriptures as speak of Christs Second coming p. 127 to 129 3 Christs Watel word to his people Five Reasons given of it why the duty of watchfulness is by Christ annexed to the Dictrine of his second coming p. 129 to 138. Inhandling these the steep of the ten Virgins spoken of Mat 25. is opened 4 Christs providential disposing of his enemies p. 139 to 142. Here is shewed what is meant by Armageddon VIAL 7. 1 The Angel pouring it forth Christ himself p 142 2 The Subject of it the Air nothing the pouring forth of this Vial to be universal upon 1 The whole Kingdom of the Dragon 2 The whole Kingdom of Antichrist 3 The Kingdom of the Great Turk 4 The Kingdoms of this world p. 142 143 144. Here is shewed why a change of speech is used in this Vial different from all the rest 3 The Adjunct A great voyce shewed 1 Whose voyce this is p. 144 2 The meaning of the voyce p. 145 3 Why said to come from the Throne p. 146 4 Why the Throne the voyce comes from is said to be in the Temple of Heaven p. 148 Here is shewed that the New Jerusalem spoken of Rev. 21. Chap. 22. cannot be meant of Heavenly glory but must be a glorious state of the Church on Earth proved by seven Arguments p. 148 to 152 No outward Ordinances to be in the New Jerusalem p. 152 to 157 An Objection answered where is shewed what is meant by the going up to Jerusalem Zach. 14. to keep the Feast of Tabernacles
p. 157 The reason given why a particular description of New Jerusalems glory is forborn p. 158 Three Rules laid down to judge of such Prophecies as concern the New Jerusalem p. 160 to 166. Here is shewed under our first Rule That Ezekiel in his eight last Chapters treats of the same thing that John doth in his two last and that Ezekiels Temple is no other but that Throne of God and of the Lamb spoken of by John 4 The Effects 1 Effect Terror p. 166 2 Effect Ruin wherein we have 1 A particular List of the things ruined which are 1 The Great City which cannot be meant of the City Rome but of the whole power of the Beast p. 170 2 The Cities of the Nations shewed what meant by them p. 171 3 Great Babylon ib. 1 Not the City Rome ib. 2 Not Antichrists Kingdom in general ib. But The Turkish power or Constantinople his Royal Seat p. 172 A reason given for this Interpretation ibid. A reason also given why at this time the Furkish Seat should be called Great Babylon together with some Scriptures that carry in them a probability of the thing esserted p. 173 In order to the discussing the things spoken of in opening this second Effect it is premised and proved That the Turk shall be one principal Enemy in the battel of Armageddon p. 167 to 169. Here Gog and Magog is treated of and the gathering together of Gog and Magog mentioned Rev. 20. shewed to be not that gathering together of Gog and Magog spoken of by Ezekiel but another Here also is shewed that many of those places in the Prophets where mention is made of the Assyrians rage have reference to the Great Turk and are to be understood of him 2 The inevitableness of this ruin p. 173 What meant by Mountains and Islands and by their flying away 3 The greatness of this ruin p. 174 Why hailstones said to weigh a talent ib. 3 Effect Blaspheming God p. 175 The Conclusion of the whole The Reason added of the Order observed in pouring forth the VIALS p. 176 The end of the second Table THE CONTENTS OF The Third Part. CHAP. I. WHerein is set forth the state or condition of the two Witnesses within their Prophecying time and the time of their being killed from Rev. 11. Divided into ten Sections SECT 1. That the two Witnesses are the Magistracy and the Ministry Where is shewed why Zachery sees two Olive-trees and but one Candlestick John two Olive-trees and two Candlesticks Page 1 2 SECT 2. Why they are called Witnesses p. 3 A distinction made betwixt that general witness bearing common to Saints in all ages and that special witness-bearing peculiar to these two Witnesses and this time of 1260 years Here is also shewed that the peculiar work of these two Witnesses is to bear witness against the Beast in clearing whereof the 42 months of the Beast and the 1260 days of the Witnesses are proved to be one and the same p. 3 4 5 6 SECT 3. Why these Witnesses are said to be two why clothed in sâ—ckcloth what is meant by their destroying their enemies by fire shutting Heaven that it rain not turning waters into blood smitting the earth with plagues p. 6 7 SECT 4. That the three daies and a half of the Witnesses lying â—ead are to be understood not of 1260 years but of three years and a half onely and these to be the last three years and a half of the 1260 p. 8 9 10 11 SECT 5. The time of the Witnesses slaughter discussed in the general onely Three Conclusions concerning it laid down 1 Concl. That the killing of the Witnesses shall be within that very three years and a half which shall precede the Jews first stirring proved p. 12 2 Concl That the killing of the Witnesses shall be but a little before the downfal of Rome proved p. 13 3 Concl That the killing of the Witnesses shall be at the latter end of the third Vial. In order to the proving whereof is shewed That some Vials are poured forth before the slaughter of the Witnesses p. 15 16 Here is shewed that the Angel Chap. 17 1. that shews John the judgement of the great Whore was the Angel of the third Vial Also why the Holy Ghost in the explication of the Vials begins with the thirds leaving out the two first A ground to expect great discoveries under the third Vial and a reason given why God makes such discoveries under that Vial. The thing it self that the killing of the Witnesses is to be under the third Vial at the latter and thereof proved by three Arguments p. 16 to 20. Here is opened the war between the Lamb and the Kings of the earth Rev. 17.14 which is proved to be a Civil War or a war by a civil sword and for the time of it to fall within the Vials and in particular under the third Vial at the beginning of it immediately before the slaughter of the Witnesses Object All the Vials come under the seventh Trumpet answered p. 20 21. where is shewed that the seventh Trumpet is contemporary with the seventh Vial onely A Conclusion from the whole That the day of the Witnesses killing is in all likelihood already begun and not much more than begun ib. SECT 6. The Beast killing the Witnesses is the Antichristian Magistracy and Ministry p. 32. Why the Antichristian Magistracy and Ministery are spoken of as but one Beast when the Witnesses viz. Christs Magistracy and Ministry are ever spoken of as two p. 23 SECT 7. The nature of the witnesses death proved 1 Not to be a corporal death ib. But a death partly civil partly spiritual p. 24 25 Here is shewed wherein the blackness of this day will lye SECT 8. The place in which the witnesses lye dead 1 Not the whole Papal Kingdom but onely one of the ten Horns p. 25 2 Particularly to be Germany p. 26 27 28 Yet Christs Witnesses in other places must expect a cloud in some measure upon them and Gods work within this day ibid. SECT 9. How things shall be agitated in the world in the time the Witnesses lye dead 1 They of the People Kindreds Nations and Tongues shall see their dead bodies and not suffer them to be put into graves Here is shewed 1 What this putting their dead bodies into graves notes p. 29 2 Who are meant by those of the People and Kindreds and Nations and Tongues ib. 2 The dwellers on earth shall rejoyce make merry Here is shewed also who these are p. 31 3 There shall be in all likelihood within this time a general peace betwixt those Nations which are the horns of the Beast yet so as that this peace shall not be wholly effected till towards the end of this time p. 34 SECT 10. The Witnesses rise after three dayes and a half The thing setting them upon their feet is a spirit of boldness courage and noble resolution put into them by God Quest VVhether
be ensnared and polluted by any through the least compliance with or liking of the great Whore that hath deceived and defiled so many with her abeminations We are afraid because we have neglected it so much and so long lest you should forget to study and enquire into the great and marvellous things that God is doing for exaltation of his own name and Son And what the Saints ought to do for God at such a time as this Vnlike to the Children of Issachar which were men that had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do We are afraid because we are so carnal and walk so much by sense our selves that there should not be such a living by faith amongst you as the word and dispensations of God require especially when we hear so many of those who formerly hoped and quietly waited for the Redemption of Gods chosen now being fearful and unbeleeving speak like Mary How shall this thing be seeing we know not how it should be brought to pass We are afraid likewise because our own hands are so heavy and we unable of our selves to keep them steady lest your hands of prayer should be let down at this time and Amaleck should prevail against Israel And if these things should be found amongst you of which we must confess our selves to be very guilty how ought you and we to fear and tremble and lye low before the Lord being very unworthy of and unthankful for all those great and terrible things which his hand hath wrought for us And if we have not had nor yet have hearts holy and heavenly and spiritual enough to walk before him with under his former and present dispensations towards us how shall we be able to stand before the Son of Man when he shall appear in far greater power and glory And to follow him in those strange and untrodden Paths that he hath yet to lead his people in and thorow Surely it is now time for us having been hitherto so much wanting in it to consider our hearts and ways and those wayes that the Lord calls us to wait upon him in Surely it is now time for us who have left our first Iove to the Lord Jesus for which we have cause to be ashamed before the Lord not onely to remember from whence we are fallen and to do our first works to love him as much we have done formerly but having tasted more of his goodness and seen more of his glory and hoping to behold much more of it to love him more than ever we did and oh that we had hearts to do it at this time Surely it is now time for those Saints that have had and have their hearts espoused to carnal and worldly interests as outward glory honor riches c. to look up to the Lord and to get their hearts dis-ingaged and set loose from the world and the things of the world and to be for ever hereafter without so much as a thought of seeking great things for themselves as becommeth Saints Surely it is now time for the Spouse and all the professed friends of Christ to cast off and abandon all acquaintance and compliance with Antichrist and to keep themselves so pure and to approve themselves so true to Christ that if the Devil should tempt them as he did their Lord by profering them all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them yet never to fall down and any way worship that Beast It argued a very chaste and faithful heart in that worthy Man Master John Knox unto Jesus Christ that when Edward the Sixth King of England offered him a Bishopricke he refused it as having Aliquid commune cum Antichristo something of Antichristianism in it Surely it is now time for us not onely to beleeve in Christ which many think is all they need to do but also to own him in this hour of his patience wherein he looks to beowned by his Saints lest he frown upon us in the day of his great power and glory which draweth near And Brethren let us make it our chief even our onely Design and count it our greatest Priviledge though we shall be men wondered at for it to follow and serve the Lord Christ in faithfulness and like Luther in the cause of Christ be content though our low and carnal hearts may tremble at the very thoughts of it to undergo the hatred and violence of the whole world Neither let us be too much troubled nor offended at those changes alterations and desolations which do and may and as Christ hath said will attend the going on and advancement of his Kingdom in the world which was that which some may be wel-meaning people objected to Luther That that doctrin could not be of God that was attended with such troubles and desolations who replyed thus Ego nisrtumultus istos viderem Christum in mundo esse non crederem Vnless I should see those troubles and tumults I should not beleeve Christ to be in the world So Brethren if we should hear of Wars and Commotions and upon the earth distress of Nations with perplexity mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth let us not be terrified nor offended but as our Savior hath bidden us look up and lift up our heads for our redemption draweth nigh And because it is high time awake Awake oh Saints lift up your hearts and cry mightily unto the Lord and never hold your peace day nor night and give him no rest for it will not be long till he establish and make Jerusalem a praise in the Earth Stand therefore with your loyns girded about and your lights burning And ye your selves like men that wait for their Lord who cometh as he hath said as a Thief in the night who may be upon you before you are aware in an hour that you think not of And however you may be hardly used and beaten of your Fellow-servants and Brethren too who say their Lord delayeth his coming Yet be not wearied nor faint in your minds because of these things but be ye patient Brethren unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the Husband-man waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it untill he receive the early and latter rain Be ye also patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Grudge not one against another Brethren lest ye be condemned behold the Judge standeth before the door For he cometh he cometh to judge the earth He shall judge the world with righteousness and the people with his truth And you that are of a fearful heart be strong and fear not behold your God will come with vengeance even God with a recompence he will come and save you and will perform all his good word towards you and give you an expected end Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompence of reward For
the substance hereof there is more in it than barely my private conjecture And although this buiâ—ding may have in it much Wood Hay and Stubble which shall be burnt up yet is there also in it some Mines of Gold and precious Stones not hitherto found out which will abide the fire and the day is not far off which will make experiment of both And if in that day it shall appear that to a pound of dross but a grain of truth which before lay hid and buryed is here dug up and brought to light I shall judge Truth is of so great worth the Lord in this Dispensation to have been gracious to me and my labour notwithstanding many mis-apprehensions to be well bestowed Gold at first digging never comes forth without its dross And truly since I composed the same and saw that a very little time waiting would either prove the things asserted to be false Or if true bring them forth with a more general acceptation and conviction of the Truth thereof than I either now do or can expect it should meet with I judged it a point of prudence to forbear a while this enterprize But two considerations at present are upon me which over-ballance my resolutions the contrary way First A perswasion some part of my grounds for which are offered in the Discourse it self that a very cloudy day is to befall the Church of Christ under the Vial we at this day stand under some shadowings of which cloud though not the dismal storm it sends forth will even reach us here in England either in one way or another to which perswasion I have likewise and that from some ground this consideration added That God hath a special design to the end the faith of his people might not wholly fail them in this day upon the brink or beginning of it to let out such a light as to the great things he is doing in the world as shall wonderfully support the hearts of a remnant of his people and that quite through it Secondly That the very thing which shall set on foot that glorious work of Christ against Antichrist which is the principal part or the subject of this discourse shall be a letting out of light into the world a little before the time comes that the work is to be set on foot Hence Revel 18.1 immediately before the ruin of Rome as the principal leading cause thereto the Earth which before was covered with darkness as to the glorious designs of God as touching his work in the world is upon the sudden enlightned and what is the issue hereof why a speedy and irresistable judgement upon Babylon as the whole Chapter shews us These Considerations have made me think that as the people of God cannot in any way perform a more acceptable peece of service to the Lord Jesus in this day than by giving forth that light the Lord either doth or shall give them so likewise can they not in any work they shall put their hand unto do Antichrist a greater mischief next to his destruction it self than they may in this The Author acknowledgeth himself altogether unworthy of the first unfit and unable every way in himself to the second yet willingly would to the measure of his Talent be found in both He confesseth that neither in this nor any thing else that he doth hath he or can he attain thereto to have his heart and aimes so pure and spiritual aâ— it is fit they should and as he would they were yet resolveth that through grace assisting him neither the Devil no noâ— his sin shall make him throw aside that work in which he may do Christs cause or people any service Antichrist any mischief Which that it may be the fruit of this little peece is and shall be his prayer CHAP. I. Wherein is set forth the state or condition of the Two Witnesses within their Prophecying time and the time of their being killed and that from Rev. 11. ver 3. to 13. SECT 1. HAving in the fore-going Preface delivered so much as I judged meet by way of Preamble unto this our Discourse I shall here without spinning out the time or tiring the Readers patience whilst I detain him upon the way about things of lesser concernment enter strait way upon the thing it self That the Two Witnesses are the Magistracy and the Ministry appears to me a thing without dispute the allusion is so clear to Zerubbabel and Joshua compare Rev. 11 4. with Zech. 4 11 14. of which two one was chief Magistrate the other chief Priest and both these Prince and Priest were Sons of Oyl i.e. anointed in times of old therefore by Zechary and John both called two Olive trees Onely there is as Mr. Woodcock in his Treatise of the Two Witnesses hath observed this twofold difference betwixt the Type and the Antitipe 1 Zeâ—hary sees two Olive Trees but no Temple But John sees first a Temple ver 1. and then two Olive trees The reason is they in Zecharies time had as yet no Temple built but were to begin the world anew But now the work of Johns two Witnesses is not to build a Temple anew so much as to preserve and keep that they had 2 Zechary seeth two Olive trees and but one Candlestick John two Olive Trees and two Candlesticks the reason is this Zechary wrote in the time of the Law whilst the Church was National and so the two did belong to one Church John in Gospel-times when Churches were Congregational and so the two might be of several Churches Now the thing which doth yet further perswade me to hold to this Exposition is That excellent Analogie it carries with it to that of the two Beasts Chap. 13. which two Beasts as I have made appear upon the Vials p. 101 to 108. are no other but Antichrist in his Civil and Ecclesiastical State or the Magistracy and Ministry of Antichrist Now observe it as Antichrist by a twofold power a power Magisterial and Ministerial doth all the time of the Two and forty moneths oppress the Woman drive her into the Wilderness tread under foot the Holy City i.e. the People Truths and Worship of Christ so doth Christ all this time by the very same twofold power comfort and nourish the woman bear witness unto and maintain his own truth and worship alive in the world So that in short Christ raiseth up his Two Witnesses in opposition to Antichrists two Beasts Antichrist for Forty two moneths or One thousand two hundred and sixty days stands up with two Beasts to blaspheme God persecute the Saints tread under foot the Holy City Christ against him stands up with Two Witnesses to maintain his name and honor cherish his people uphold his cause and worship in the world And as Antichrists two Beasts are no other but the false Magistracy and Ministry so contrariwise Christs two Witnesses are his true Magistracy and Ministry SECT II. THey are called Witnesses their name being
Magistates and Ministers that he hath raised up to maintain his cause against Antichrists Magistrates and Ministers They are said to be clothed in sackcloth to note thus much That all the time of the 1260 days their condition shall be outwardly low they being trampled upon and trâ—den under foot by the Beast But more especially to fignifie how that these Two Witnesses should all this time be inwardly law wearing sackcloth the mourning attite in times of old mourning before God because as I have said they hear his glorious Name blasphemed behold the Holy City trodden under foot and the whole world deceived by the Beast They are said by fire to destroy their Enemies ver 5. To shut Heaven that it rain not in the days of their Prophecy ver 6. both which things are taken out of the History of Elijah 1 King 1.10 1 King 17.1 Farther they are said to have power over waters to turn them into blood and to smite the earth with plagues as often as they will ver 6. which is taken out of the Story of Moses and Aaron in Aegypt The whole as I conceive sets forth this the great damage that the Antichristian party shall sustain all the time of the 1260 days by means of these two Witnesses who shall have such power with God as oftentimes to bring down his heavy wrath upon the persons of their persecutors which is the thing noted ver 5. by their devouring and killing their enemies by fire and also upon their principal interests which I take to be the thing specially intended ver 7. by their shutting Heaven turning waters into blood smiting the earth with plagues i.e. The Popish Heaven waters earth shall all suffer by means of these two Witnesses in the time of their prophecy By the whole description of the two Witnesses as saith our German Author in his Cl. p. 66 67. God doth declare that what mercies in times of old he hath shewed unto his people the Children of Israel the same he will also shew in the New Testament unto them that beleeve He will give them Joshuahs and Zerubbabels saithful Teachers and religious Rulers and Governors who shall fit and edifie them unto the Temple of God and as Candlesticks give light unto them with their pure doctrine and as Olive trees assist them with powerful consolation He will give them zealous Elija's and Elisha's who shall fight against the whore Jezabel the Priests of Baal and other persecutors He will also at length send them his Moses's and Aarons who shall deliver them and bring them forth out of Antichristian bondage SECT IV. THe Witnesses their testimony finished are to be killed v. 7. And when they shall have finished their testimony the Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pâ—t shall make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them In this state they are to continue three days and a half ver 9 11. Though our discourse of the three days and a half according to the strictness of order should come in afterwards yet in regard the opening hereof will afford us light into some things that follow I have chosen to place it before That these three days and a half cannot be as is the opinion of many worthy men who look upon the death of the Witnesses to be a corporal death a time equivalent to the 1260 is evident 1 Bec. then there should be no distinction at all betwixt the time of their Prophecying and their being killed if through all the 1 260 daies which is the time of their Prophecy we should suppose them to be killed Now the Text hath made a manifest distinction betwixt these two times 2 Becanse it s improper to say that Christs witnesses against Antichrist should prophecy all the 1260 days and yet be killed too For put case the Beast all this time did put some to death yet so long as Christ at the same time and in the same place had always others in their room his witnesses were not killed A man is not without witness though some witnesses are taken away in case others stand up and appear in their room Nay those witnesses which all the 1260 dayes were put to death by the Beast did most ominently in dying bear witness for Christ for to dis for the truth is a living standing testimony to it That killing therefore could not be a killing as witnesses he who for truths sake loves not his life to the death is even in dying a most glorious witness of the truth 3 It s said ver 10. that when the two witnesses lie dead the dwellers on the earth rejoyce for this reason because they are dead who tormented them Now did the dwellers on the earth thus rejoyce all the â—260 days when were they then tormented Will the Text bear it to say they were tormented all this time and yet rejoyced too This the Authors or upholders of this opinion must necessarily assert Nay why do they rejoyce at their death why because being dead they fear no hurt from them which whilst they prophecyed they did for they felt of them as ver 5 6. therefore their prophecying and killing must be as two distinct things and so at two distinct times 4 Because How could they be witnesses all this time if dead Doth a man when he hath a cause to be tried go to dead men that they would stand witnesses for him or to living Or how did they Prophecy if dead Can dead men prophecy or are prophecying men dead 5 Why are they said to be killed onely in the street or one street of the great City ver 8. and not in the whole City seeing in this sense they have been within the 1260 days more or less killed all over the great City i.e. throughout the whole Papal Jurisdiction 6 What difference will there be according to this opinion betwixt their being killed and put into graves if we take both for a bodily death which this opinion doth 7 And lastly How according to this opinion are they all the three days and a half kept unburied or how at the end of these three days and a half shall those Witnesses which were killed rise again for shall we think thus that the bodies of Saints martyred by divers means and in sundry places for the space of 1260 years together shall all that time lie unburied be kept out of graves And then 2. This time expired life enters into these bodies and they rise again The Text according to this interpretation doth strongly inforce both for if we conceive their killing to be corporal by the same reason must their burial and their resurrection also We are necessitated therefore from the clear Text and reason it self to reject this opinion and seek another That therefore which is more consonant to the words and doth not wrap us up in such a labyrinth of Intricacies is to interpret the three dayes and a half which is the time of their being killed of
lower into the time of the Beasts Kingdom Now that the time times and a half should be a number distinct from the 1260 days appears to me upon these Reasons 1 Because the different expressions used of the womans abode in the wilderness the first and the second time argue them not to be one and the same but two distinct numbers for 1 Of her first going into the wilderness the 1260 days it is said v. 6. The woman fled into the wilderness where she hath a place prepared of God Of the second the time times and a half it is said She fled into her place v. 14. as seeming to intimate her having been there before 2 Of the first it is said They should feed her ver 6. noting a feeding by instruments and means she should have the enjoyment of Instruments Means and Ordinances though in a low and mournful condition all this time Of the second it is said She is nourished ver 14. noting that God by some immediate way of working would all this time keep a principle of grace alive in his though they should lye as dead taking little or no food outwardly by Instruments Means or Ordinances 2 Because the Dragon by the war in Heaven being cast down to the earth is said to have great rage ver 12. because he knoweth he hath but a short time But if this war in Heaven were at the beginning of the 1260 days as holds the common opinion which makes application of this to Constantines war he should then have a long time if after they were begun then must the time times and a half which are the consequent of this war be a distinct number from the 1260 days which is the thing I am proving And certainly the calling of the time times and an half a short time must be with respect to the fore-mentioned time of 1260 years which was a long time and if so then will it follow they cannot be one and the same number 3 Because the first going into the Wilderness is leisurely by degrees as the Beast by little and little crept in being not so much a forced act by outward violence offered to her as a voluntary act the woman retiring her self into a corner that so by a separation she might be kept pure and free from the defilements of that Beast she saw now rising But the second is on the sudden and she is forced to it by the exasperated rage of the Dragon and therefore she hath given to her two wings of a great Eagle v. 14. to note her quick and speedy slight lest she should be destroyed by the serpent 4 Because upon the womans first going into the wilderness the earth was no friend to the woman but rather the Barbarous Nations invading the Roman Empire did prove her Enemy by aiding the Beast and giving their strength to him But now upon this second going into the wilderness the turth is the womans friend and swallows up the flood the Serpent casts out of his mouth to cause the woman to be carried away therewith vers 15.16 agreeing to that chap. 11.9 These things added to the former grounds and method perswade me to think that the time times and an half ver 14. are not the same with the 1260 days ver 6. but a distinct number and in a word the very same with the three days and a half Chap. 11.9 signifying three years and a half a time notes one year times in the plural number two years half a time half a year in all three years and a half and to put a time for a year is as well Scripture phrase as a day for a year as Dan. 4.25 it is said of Nebuchadnezzar he should eat grass like Oxen till seven times should pass over him i.e. seven years SECT III. AGainst this it may be objected This cannot be because the war spoken of here which precedes the time times and a half and that war Chap. 11. which precedes the three days and a half are vastly different 1 That war against the Saints is headed by the Beast but this by the Dragon Answ This difference will be none at all let but this be considered that Chap. 11. speaks of the state or power acted by the Devil but Chap. 12. of the Devil as acting that state or power If this Answer be not sufficient he that shall observe our future discourse may find a farther and more full 2 Iâ— that war chap. 11. the Beast evercomes but in this is overcome and the Dragon cast down Answ True the immediate success and issue of the war chap. 12. is the vanquishing of the Dragon and casting of him out but yet the conclusion of the day is the subtil Dragon though cast out to the Earth finds a way and means to persecute the Woman and to drive her into the wilderness notwithstanding immediately before she had vanquished him and cast him out vers 13 And when the Dragon saw that he was cast unto the Earth he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man-child Vers 14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great Eagle that she might flee into the wilderness In conclusion therefore the Dragon or the Beast acted by the Dragon overcomes and so as to drive the woman upon this War into the wilderness and that for a time times and a half which is no contradiction at all but rather a more full opening of that war which is hinted chap. 11.7 as the immediate forerunner of the three days and a half Onely the Witnesses victory at first over the Beast is passed over in silence chap. 11. and the Beasts overcoming and killing them the thing expressed but chap. 12. their victory over the Beast is recorded first and yet afterwards his persecuting of them and driving them into the wilderness for a time times and a half or three days and a half If now the Question be put What war I conceive this to be Ans I judge it to be the war made by Gustavus Adolphus in Germany which war for the remarkableness of it hath been by many accounted the pouring forth of a Vial but though for some Reasons I have given in opening the Subject of the Second Vial it could not be so yet was it as remarkable under another consideration namely as it was a forerunner of the Witnesses being killed The Reasons of this my conjecture are 1 Because the time of this War agrees exactly to the time of that War which is the forerunner of the death of the Witnesses that War is a war in the finishing time of their testimony that is in the last 60 dayes or years of the 1260. which properly is the concluding time of their testimony Accordingly this War made by Gustavus Adolphus fell out within that time 2 Because this War must be supposed to be such a War as shall be headed by some eminent Christian Head on the one side raised up and acted by Christ which Head
is therefore represented by Michael i. e. Christ himself who acts him and the principal Head of the Beast on the other set on and acted by the Devil and therefore represented by the Dragon Now this can be applied to no other War so aptly as to the German War for where hath there ever been since the first rise of the Beast the like viz. of a War betwixt him and the Professors of the true Religion headed by the Beast himself of the one side and a religious godly Prince of the other 3 Because this War which precedes the killing of the Witnesses must be such a War as shall have great acclamations of Saints going along with it and great expectations founded upon it and that both as touching their deliverance from Antichristian bondage and also concerning the setting up of Christs Kingdom by it Therefore they cry vers 10. Now is come salvation and strength and the Kingdom of our God and the power of Christ i.e. Now the day of our deliverance of Babylons downfal is come Now the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus shall bee exalted in the world O now is the power of Christ manifested indeed Such was the Swedish War in Germany It is not yet out of the memory of many of Gods people what high expectations were raised upon that War in all the Protestant Churches How did every eye almost then look for the downfal of Rome presently conceiving no other than that that most worthy Prince would be the ruine of the Antichristian Where What wonderful triumphs and rejoycings were there upon the reports of his Victories by all the godly party within our Gates And how heavy a load did the news of his being cut off lay upon the hearts of Gods people every where Though the Author cannot testifie these things of his own knowledge his age not serving him to remember things of this nature beyond the sadding news of his death yet from what he hath read of this good Prince and the reports he hath had from persons aged and faithful he supposeth he may assert the thing and doubts not but many this day alive will witness it 4 Because the effect and issue of this War in Heaven is the casting down of the Dragon from Heaven to Earth who yet by this and partly for rage to see himself cast down finds out a way to persecute the Woman anew Accordingly the issue of the Swedish War was this The proud German Emperor who before in his pride was lifted up to Heaven would stoop and buckle to none is now glad by means of this War to come down from his greatness to condescend and stoop to such terms as he can for himself make with the Swede by which agreement notwithstanding and partly for madness to see himself made to creep on the earth i.e. condescend to terms who thought ever to have sate in Heaven i. e. rule as absolute Lord over Christs heritage doing to them what he list he finds out a way to persecute the Woman drive her into the Wilderness for a time times and a half i.e. kill the Witnesses for three dayes and a half So that the Swedish War agrees exactly and fully to this War here mentioned as the forerunner of the killing of the Witnesses And because the Witnesses were by this War to be killed and every death hath some struglings and girdings that attend it answerable to that life and strength in the thing killed that therefore the Beast might feel what life and strength is in the Witnesses he himself is almost broken to peeces at first by this War i.e. by the very struglings and girdings of the Witnesses whilst he is going about to kil them Object But it may be said more likely our late War in England should be this War Answ I have sometimes thought that this War in Heaven might comprehend the whole War within the last 60 years of the Beast and so take in the Swedish War and our English War too And this I confess that in most things this War doth carry a likelihood as well to the English as the Swedish War And farther I find my self much inclining to make this War and the War betwixt the Lamb and the Kings of the Earth Chap. 17.14 which War as I conceive points at our English War and no other one and the same but this I must also say that I am more satisfied to look upon them as two Wars both within the 60 years and the one following the other And so this War to be the German War only and the other betwixt the Lamb and the Kings of the Earth to be the English War yet both to fall within the last 60 years and to be forerunners of the killing of the Witnesses And the Reasons why I conceive this War to be the German War only and not the English also are 1 Because the English War hath been betwixt Protestants only but this War is a War betwixt some eminent Protestant Head on the one side and some eminent and professed Popish Head on the other as hath been before observed 2 Because this War being made by the Dragon is not so fitly appliable to any one Nation under Heaven as the German Empire which is as I may say the very Picture of the Old Dragon for the Dragon is set forth as having seven heads ten horns v. 3. And there appeared another wonder in heaven and behold a great red Dragon having seven heads and ten horns Accordingly the German Empire as upon another occasion hath been before observed consists of seven Electoral heads and ten horns i.e. so many Provinces The Prophecy therefore of this Chapter may without any forcing be applied in part to the Old Roman Empire and also in part to the present German Empire both of them bearing and giving the arms of the Dragon So that by the ruine of the old Roman Empire the Dragon only changed his Seat forsook Rome his old Seat leaving that to the Beast and betakes himself to Germany where the Beast for his willingness to surrender his old Seat to him provides him a new And indeed there may be these two Reasons given of it why the Dragon who governs the whole Papal Kingdom doth yet betake himself to Germany rather then any other place choosing that for his Seat 1 Because of all the Nations subjected to the Beast none was found so like his old Seat the Pagan Empire as the new erected German Empire 2 Because the Woman had in a manner for many ages together taken up her dwelling there bringing forth children and sending them abroad from thence into other parts therefore this old Persecutor of the Woman that he might the more trouble her peace placeth his Throne there What I have said is a good confirmation of our method before laid down that this Chapter brings us to the end of the Beasts Kingdom and is not to be limited within the first four hundred yeers after Christ for
I have handled that in opening the Vials and shall not here repeat it What may be collected from Chap. 11. I have given some general hints of it likewise in our first Chapter All therefore I intend to do at present shall be to take up some few Observations as lie couched in this Chapter and will add some little further light than what hath been already brought forth to the Question in hand 1 More generally The work shall go on with a more swift and irresistable hand than ever formerly Now shall not all the means and endeavors that can by the world or hell it self be used be able to hinder but the wrath of God as a mighty over-flowing deluge shall irresistably come in upon the Antichristian ungodly world This seems to me to be noted in that running and posting of Angels one after another so soon as ever the work is set upon this Basis vers 6. I saw another Angel flie in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel ver 8. And there followed another Angel saying Babylon is fallen is fallen Vers 9. And the third Angel followed them saying with a loud voyce If any man worship the Beast and his Image or receive his mark in his fore-head or in his hand The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God Vers 15. And another Angel came out of the Temple Vers 17. And another Angel came out of the Temple Vers 18. And another Angel came out from the Altar which had power over fire The posting of Angels argues the work now to be hot it runs like fire in a Thatch every Angel or Instrument makes a quick and speedy dispatch of his work 2 More particularly we have these things noted in the following part of this Chapter First The everlasting Gospell is preached vers 6 7. And I saw another Angel flye in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the Earth and to every Nation and Kindred and Tongue and People saying with a loud voyce Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgement is come and worship him that made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and the Fountains of waters Five things we have here observable concerning this preaching of the Gospel which shall be at this day 1 The wonderful purity and simplicity of the Doctrine of the Gospel as now held forth it shall be purged from those Antichristian mixtures and devices of man which tend to nothing else but to corrupt and darken the pure word of the Gospel and lead souls from the simplicity of the Gospel Hence it is called the everlasting Gospel because it shall be now preached as it was at first or all that dross that hath been and is in the Doctrine of the best Preachers hitherto shall now be purged out and that onely which will abide the fire and shall be everlasting shall remain 2 The matter it self that shall be held forth as one principal part of this everlasting Gospel shall be those things which concern Christ judging the great Whore and all his enemies and the setting up of his own Kingdonâ— calling upon the Rulers of this world to worship the Lamb throw down their Crowns and Scepter at his feet and therefore observe the matter of the Sermon is Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgement is come and worship him that made Heaven Earth c. as to say the time is come that the Lamb will judge the Whore destroy the Beast tremble all ye Nations before him ye Kings and Princes of the earth be wise give glory to him Kiss the Son worship before him who made Heaven Earth the Sea and the Fountains of waters lest he be angry and ye perish in the way as he is in his march to his Kingdom 3 The universal spreading of this Doctrine abroad and that as it were in a moment therefore the Angel to note the swiftness of carrying it is said to flye and to shew the universal spreading of it it is said to be preached to every Nation and Kindred and Tongue and People 4 The publick and boldholding of it forth such a spirit shall be upon the Preachers that they shall not whisper these things and speak them in private corners but openly and boldly in the Market-street yea in the very faces of the Kings and Princes of the Earth Hence to note the publickness of it the Angel is said to flie in the midst of Heaven i.e. openly in the view of all and to note the publickness and boldness both is said to proclaim it with a loud voyce 5 The great measure of faith that shall be upon the Preachers as to this particular business that the very time is come in which God will judge the Whore therefore they cry out The hour of his judgement is come As to say Flatter your selves no longer O ye Papists sit still no longer O ye Protestants with this in your mouths the time is not come the time is not come for assure your selves Christ will now delay no longer The hour of his judgement is come Secondly Romes destruction now comes unavoidably upon her vers 8. And there followed another Angel saying Babylon is fallen is fallen The words Babylon is fallen is fallen are not as I conceive to be looked upon as words of faith concerning a work to be done but rather a Proclamation of a work already done This Angel is but the Messenger and Herauld of those glad tydings who spreads this news over the Churches and Nations which what with the greatness of it the suddenness and unexpectedness of it begets such wonderment and joy that the whole World in a manner is filled with Hallelujah's Rev. 19. Thirdly A serious and solemn warning to all those who shall yet adhere to the Beast Vers 9. And the third Angel followed them saying with a loud voyce If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receive his mark in his fore-head and in his hand Vers 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb. Vers 11. And the smock of their torment ascendeth up for ever and over And they have no rest day nor night who worship the Beast and his Image and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name But why are the Papals warned by pronouncing against them so dreadful a threatning at this day Answ The reason hereof I take to be this because the day of Christs coming and the fatal ruin of the Beast and his followers is now at hand therefore the coming of Christ and the treading of the Wine-press follows immediately upon this Now Gods way is ever before his fatal blow to give his enemies such a warning as may both
leave them inexcusable and clear his justice before all men in their destruction Hence in regard the dreadful day of the Lords wrath is immediately to approach in which the Beast is to be slain his body destroyed and given to the burning flame the Beast and false Prophet both to be cast into the Lake of fire burning with Brimstone that therefore the Justice of God in this most terrible execution of his wrath might be apparent unto Men and Angels God before he will strike stirs up some in a more special manner to make discovery among the Nations of the terror of the Day approaching warning all not to side or have any thing to do with the Beast whose final destruction and torment is at hand and in case notwithstanding this warning they shall this is that they must certainly and suddenly expect to drink of the wine of the Wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the Cup of his indignation and to be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb the smoak of which torment of theirs shall ascend up for ever and ever I have sometimes thought this Angel may be the same with that Ch. 19.17 18. for both are immediately before the Great Day of God Almighty both seem to have very clear light into that thing of the destruction of Gods enemies therefore as the one paints out the very nature and manner of their torments so the other is said as to this parsicular viz. of the certain ruine of Gods enemies to stand in the Sun i.e. in clear light both speak with abundance of saith the one to the Papal power assuring them of ruine the other to the Fowls that flye in the midst of Heaven i.e. the neutral party who would willingly joyn with the Conquering side could they tell which that side would be therefore are most fiâ—â—y described by such Fowls whose chief desire is prey and said to flye in the midst of Heaven because they keep themselves as it were in the middle betwixt Heaven and Earth the Saints party and the party of the Beast not knowing which to fal in with yet would willingly be of the winning side and where they might have prey Now these the Angel assures that if they will joyn with the people of God they shall have victory and spoyl be both of the winning side and have prey to boot as to say You that waver and are doubtful which side to take would you bee of the prospering side take this then for assuredly the Victory shall fall to this party Now whether or no these Angels are two or but one I shall not be curious to determine nor is it a thing so material for us to know Onely such a thing may be and it is not improper to say That one and the same Angel may do both these works and that in a manner together viz. inform and invite the one whilst he threatneth and warneth the other 4 A sweet word of Heavenly consolation to the Saints and people of Christ the blessed day of their redemption being now come Vers 12. Here is the patience of the Saints here are they that keep the Commandements of God and the faith of Jesus That is in effect to say Here is the end and fruit of the Saints patience here is the blessed reward of keeping the Commandements of God and holding the faith of Jesus Now now the day is come in which it shall appear that the Saints have lost nothing by waiting patiently upon God for the fulfilling of his word by keeping the Commandements of God holding the faith of Jesus The world have looked upon them as fools and counted their life a very prison but here here are they that keep the Commandements of God here is the day of making up a right judgement of them here is their condition visible from under a veil Now now O yee world look upon them see what you think of them now and of all their patience obedience and faith whether were they fools as you esteemed them or no 5 And last We have Christs Personal coming vers 14. And I looked and behold a white cloud and upon the cloud one sate like unto the Son of man having on his Head a golden Crown and in his hand a sharp sickle That Christs Personal coming is the thing held forth in these words appears 1 Because the coming here is a coming of Christ as he is the Son of man which phrase doth ever point at Christs Personal coming 2 Because he cometh in the Clouds which is the manner of his Personal coming Matth. 24.30 Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in Heaven and then shal all the Tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory Rev. 1.7 Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him 1 Thess 4.16 17. The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout and with the voyce of the Arch-angel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air Matth. 26.64 Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man fitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of Heaven Luke 21.27 Then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power great glory 3 Because Christ comes with a golden Crown on his Head which agrees to no coming so properly as his last when he comes to receive his Kingdome and when upon his coming the Kingdomes of this world are to be given to him Of this Daniel speaking saith Chap. 7.13 14. I saw in the night Visions and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of Heaven and came to the Ancient of dayes and they brought him neer before him And there was given Dominion and Glory and a Kingdome that all People Nations and Languages should serve him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kindom that which shall not be destroyed 4 Because the Battle of Armageddon follows immediately upon this coming This is noted by the treading of the Winepress vers last The phrase of treading the Winepress is the very phrase used by the Holy Ghost in other places to set forth the terror of that day Rev. 19.15 He treadeth the Winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God Isa 63.3 I have trodden the Winepress alone Joel 3.13 All which places I have proved upon the Viais to have their fulfilling immediately upon Christs coming in that terrible day of the battle of Armageddon So that by all circumstances this coming is the same and can be no other than the coming mentioned Rev. 16.15 Of which we have treated at large and proved in opening those words
shall be in the land of Canaan near Jerusalem Hence that opinion falls to the ground which would have this 1600 Furlongs to be a designation of Peters Patrimony which saith the Author of it in the longest extent thereof from the wals of Rome to the River Po is exactly 1600 Furlongs whence saith he its probable that the Popes own Territories may prove the Cock-pit of this execution whither Christ as into a Wine-press will from all parts gather the bloody grapes when he means to tread them Another opinion I find hereof which applies 1600 Furlongs to the greatness of the punishment which shall befall the enemys of Christ at this day and that in respect both of the multitude of those who shall be punished and the length of their torment Blood flowing so great a depth as to the Horse Bridles and this for 1600 Furlongs is an Argument both of abundance of blood and a long time of pressing This conjecture also agrees well to the Prophets who speaking of this day make mention of multitudes that shall be destroyed Ioel 3.14 Ezek. 38. 39. Rev. 16.14 16. 19.19 20 21. and also of length of torment Isa 66.24 Now seeing that either of these opinions will and do agree to the mind of the Holy Ghost in other places where mention is made of this day I judge it most safe not to restrain the interpretation of so great a mystery to any one but as the wisdom of God in Scriptures more plain much more in places so mystical is manifold so to conceive that either viz. the time place and greatness of the punishment also may be here intended Thus once more we are come unto the day of Christs appearing which though looked for but by a few yet doubtless hastens upon us By how much this blessed time is nearer by so much the more doth it call upon us to have our eyes fixed thereupon to awake arise put on our beautiful garments and shake our selves of our dust gather up our courage our zeal our life our love to Christ his cause and people resolving within our selves for Sions sake not to hold our peace and for Jerusalems sake to give him no rest till the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness and the salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth till she who now is termed forsaken and her land called desolate shall become a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and a royal Diadem in the hand of our God and be no more called Hephzibab nor her land Beulah but the Lords delight marryed unto him the praise of the whole earth an eternal excellency a joy of many Generations a City of solemnities a Tabernacle that shall not be taken down nor one of the stakes be for ever removed where the glorious Lord will be unto his a place of broad Rivers and Streams to water the City of our God to replenish and make fat the Mountain of his Holiness Which things as he hath foretold them in his Word and will surely fulfill them in their season So let me say THIS GENERATION SHAL NOT PASS TIL ALL THESE THINGS BE FULFILLED for the time is at hand He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness Verily a short work will the Lord make upon the earth Warch ye therefore and pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape those things that shall come upon the world and to stand before the Son of Man For he that doth these things saith Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every man according at his worke shall be I come as a Theesâ— Blâ—ssed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Gâ—rments lest be walk â—â—ked and they see his shame Even so Come Lord Jesus Come quickly Amen Isa 14.32 What shall oâ—â— now duswer the Messongers of the Nation That the Lord bath founded Sion and the poor of his people shall trust in it From my Sâ—â—dy in Trunch the 23. day of the first Month in the year of our Lord 1654. FINIS A MOTIVE TO Generation-work OR A Key to unlock the Mysticall Numbers of Daniel and the Revelations tending to resolve the great Question of the Age we live in viz. How long shall it be unto the end of Wonders By J.T. A waiter for the Redemption of Sion Dan. 8.13 Then I heard one Saint speaking and another Saint said unto that certain Saint which spake How long shall be the Vision concerning the daily Sacrifice and the transgression of desolation to give both the Sanctuary and the Host to be trodden under foot Vers 14. And he said unto me Vnto two thousand and three hundred dayes then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed Exod. 12.41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years even the self same day all the Hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt LONDON Printed for Livewell Chapman 1655. The Epistle to the Reader Christian Reader IT hath been oftentimes in my thoughts that there is hardly any controversie in this age which is fruitful in little else but there are in that thing wherein the controversie lyes some more general principles of truth which as in their own nature they do carry a light round about them so could they be found our would in a few words inlighten a man more than all those tedious Volumes which about things controverted are daily sent forth into the world which ordinarily do but beat about the Bush never coming at the place where these principles lye The care of that man who would make discovery of Truth should be in the first place and above all to search these out and having found them to place them rightly for these being to be his foundation if but a stone in this foundation be either not of the true metal or displaced it necessarily follows that so much of the building as hath it for its Basis must be weak or carried awry The best outward means to attain these principles is to give attendance to the reading of the word and diligently to compare one place with another but yet this may be done and a man no whit the neerer if with this endeavour there do not concur the inward supply and assistance of the Spirit And truly I have many times thought with my self that as the great thing our faith is to have in its eye when it goes to the Promise for teaching is That the Lord would lead us to these so the principal thing in the Spirits teaching when it teacheth any soul is by its inward hints to point it unto these The most certain Character to know these principles by when they are attained and when not is an universal harmony of Truth for these principles are as the Center in which all the lines of Truth which are separated in the Circumserence do weet together and become one point But now as the wider any Circumference is the farther will a man be
likewise it is said vers 26. after 62 weeks that is 62 added to the other seven spoken of vers 25. which make 69 shall the Messiah be cut off and not after 70 weeks shall the Messiah be cut off because indeed Christs sufferings came before the 70 week was fully and compleatly expired These four deducted there remains to be accounted upon only 486 years which passed from the 20 of Artaxerxes Mnemon until Christs Passion THESIS LVIII Our third part or period comprehends the number of years from the year of Christs Passion until the end of the year 1655 or which is all one the beginning of that noted year 1656. THESIS LIX Within this Period we are to account upon 1622 years thus Christ was thirty years old when he began to preach Luke 3.23 from the time he began to preach until his Passion the common opinion holds three years and a half but we are to account three years only as is clear from Christs own words Luke 13.32 Go ye and tell that Fox Behold I cast out Devils and I do cures to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected vers 33. Nevertheless I must walk to day and to morrow and the day following Shewing us that Christ in preaching spent three full years and yet but three for as he is baptised at the very beginning of the seventieth week i.e. at the beginning of the first day or year of that week so he is perfected at the end of the third day of that week or the third year from the time he began to preach Christ then at the day of his Passion was three and thirty years old which three and thirty years because our common account begins from the year of Christs Nativity we are to deduct these deducted of 1655 there remains only 1622 which we are to account upon THESIS LX. Let us now reckon up the three last periods that wee have gone through and see what number of years of the 2300 we have already gained those yet behind will fall in of themselves The first period from the first of Cyrus to the twentieth of Artaxerxes Mnemon contains 147 years The second from thence to Christs Passion 486 years Both together makes up 633 The third period from Christs Passion to the year 1656 contains 1622 The total Sum is 2255 It follows then that with the beginning of the year 1656 there are 2255 of Daniels 2300 years expired the remaining years are only 45 which will expire A.D. 1701 the very year in which Daniels 1335 dayes doth also expire THESIS LXI The 2300 dayes of Daniel are the best and surest Chronologie of the Number of the worlds years that have passed since the first of Cyrus or the beginning of the Persian Monarchy until this present day THESIS LXII The 2300 years ending according to our former Computation at the same point with the 1335 is a good Argument to prove that our course by a good hand of Providence hath been steered aright both as to the beginning of either number and also the carrying on of this great number for should we seek after any other beginning of the 1335 dayes then what we have before stated the 1335 dayes could never be brought to end with the 2300. Or in case the head of the 2300 dayes were to be placed either higher or lower or the Computation to be made otherwise than what hath been laid down then would not the 2300 dayes concur in their end with the 1335. And such a Computation it is necessary should bee made as may bring both these to end together THESIS LXIII The Harmony that is betwixt all those Mystical Numbers we have passed through is a thing very glorious and admirable to behold for there is not any one of them but affords a beam of light to the other The 1290 dayes affords a great beam of light to the 1260 and contrariwise the 1260 to that again The 1335 dayes affords a glorious beam of light to the 2300 and contrariwise the 2300 to that again Finally as the beginning of the 1260 proves our beginning of the 1335 to be true so our beginning of the 1335 proves the beginning of the 2300 to be true And contrariwise as the beginning of the 2300 proves the beginning of the 1335 to be true so the beginning of the 1335 the beginning of the 1260 to be true So that which is glorious to consider the Mystical Numbers of Daniel and the Revelations though diverse and having diverse beginnings yet have within themselves such an universal Harmony that each one serves to inlighten the other and the other him again THESIS LXIV The final Conclusion is That the rise of the Witnesses the end of the Beasts reign and treading underfoot the Holy City and the first stirring of the Jews will in greatest likelihood be in the year 1656 with which year ends the 1290 dayes the 1260 the 42 months The Personal coming of Christ the final destruction of the four Beasts or Monarchy and the compleat deliverance of the Jews in the year 1701 with which year ends Daniels 2300 dayes and his 1335. Matth. 24.48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart My Lord delayeth his coming 49. And shall begin to smite his fellow-servants and to eat and drink with the Drunken 50. The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of 51. And shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the Hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth A Concluding Word WHen Daniel understood by Books the number of the years whereof the Lord had said He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem he set himself to seek the Lord by fasting weeping and mourning When Moses understood the time of the delivery of Gods people out of Egypt to be at hand he not only strengthned his Brethren but took courage and went in unto Pharaoh Though it is far from entring into my thoughts to compare my self with these yet is it my duty and desire to imitate them in their grace As to the first my hearts desire and prayer to the Father of mercies is That a Daniels praying Spirit might abound in my self and all the people of God at this day As for the second my intents and purposes were to have closed up this discovery with a solemn Exhortation First To the Higher Powers of this Commonwealth Secondly To all those who have fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ within it But considering how poor and vain a thing the words of the Creature are and how little where much is spoken reacheth the heart if the Holy Spirit apply it not in my after thoughts I judged it better to leave it to the Spirit of God to set home these truths than to undertake to do it my self and therefore resting in these thoughts I shall only in a word or two deliver a Message and I hope not my own First To the Higher Powers the Message is this THIS PEOPLE SAY THE TIME IS NOT COME the time that the Lords work should be carried on Is it time for you O yee to dwell in your cieled houses and this work of Christ lye waste Now therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts Consider your wayes Yea thus saith the Lord Consider your wayes For if at this time you lay aside that work wherein the cause and glory of our dear and blessed Redeemer is so neerly and immediately concerned and attend to work of another nature which comparatively he calls you not to he will assuredly in sore displeasure with shame and contempt lay you aside ruine shall come to Babylon salvation and deliverance unto Mount Sion another way Secondly To the people of God in this Common-wealth the Message is this That although you are verily as unworthy a generation of Saints considering how formal the profession of some is how loose the Principles of others how unlike Saints of old yea Saints but of yesterday we are all of this so great Grace now ready to be revealed as ever the earth bore Yet that the whole world may see and know the exceeding riches of his grace and that by the sheddings abroad of his love which is a way more suitable to Gospel administrations your over-grown corruptions may be rooted out and the breaches of Sion made up and you made to remember your own evill wayes and doings that were not good and to loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and abominations his grace shall with a notwithstanding triumph over all this your unworthiness and he will yet redeem his cause from the Grave carry on his work among you before you and by you as Instruments gloriously and speedily yea with a high hand for his Name sake Thirdly in particular to the Imprisoned Saints together with all those who in this day suffer the reproaches of men the scorn and censures of Brethren for the testimony of Jesus and upon the account of his Kingdom my Message is Your Brethren that hated you and cast you out for Christs name sake said LET THE LORD BE GLORIFIED but he shall appear unto your joy and they shall be ashamed Lastly To all Sions Children wheresoever they may be that take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof let me say Lift up your heads with joy for your redemption draweth nigh For yet a little while and behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the Inhabitants of the earth for their Iniquity when as he hath purposed he will stain the pride of all glory and bring into contempt the honorable of the earth For it is the day of the Lords vengeance and the year of recompences for the controversie of Sion And though the scarlet Whore begins now to say in her heart I sit as a Queen am no Widow and shall see no sorrow yet shall her plagues come upon her in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord our God that judgeth her FINIS