also hold forth an outward victory and an outward tryumph an outward glorious conquest that Christ and his should have over the Serpent and his seede And the reason is this That this punishment of the Serpent and his seede it s come upon them as a recompence of what the Serpent and his seede have done or should doe to the woman and her seede to breake the Serpents head it s brought upon him as a punishment as it were by the law of Retaliation like for like he had been bruising he had been doeing all the mischiefe he could and God foresaw he would doe all he could therefore saith the Lord the woman and her seede shall breake the Serpents head and his seede now this being so looke how the Serpent hath bruised the heele of the woman and her seede in like manner must the woman and her seede breake the head of the Serpent and his seede but now the Serpent hath not only bruised the heele of the woman and afflicted her seede in a spirituall way by spirituall Temptations he hath not done this onely but this Serpent hath afflicted the woman outwardly the Serpent hath been afflicting of the woman one while by causing of Rents and Divisions among the womans seede another while by raising up persecution against the woman and her seede he hath in an outward way afflicted the woman and her seede therefore there shall be a day wherein Jesus Christ and the faithfull of God his faithfull Children shall breake the head of the Serpent and his seede in an outward way there must be such a day because this comes in as a just recompence of what the Serpent had done to them Now if we should but looke whither or no there hath been such a day at any time as yet truly we cannot finde such a day for if so be we should looke into former times and run through the times of the old Testament we shall finde that the whole time was in a manner the Serpents day in the morning of the old Testament what blowes doth the Serpent give to the womans seede when he held them in that sore bondage in Egypt and in the evening of the old Testament what a fearefull blow doth he give againe to the womans seede in that great dispeircing of the Israel of God into all the quarters of the world Let us looke into the morning and evening of the old Testament and we shall finde that the Serpent had not his head broken but he was an affliction to the woman all that time and though its true indeede the middle of that day was somewhat more calme and pleasant the woman and her seede having some respite under some of the Judges and good Kings of Israel and was able to beare up her head against the Serpent and now and then to give him a blow yet it was not like the breaking of his head there was no such thing as the breaking of his head but now there shall a time come wherein the Serpent shall have his head broken that is he shall receive a more deadly blow from Jesus Christ and those that are his then ever he hath given to them for its a greater thing to have the head broken than to have the heele bruised And if we looke to the new Testament times this hath never been done yet for the first three hundred yeares that great red Dragon the Pagan Roman Empire did persecute with most bloody Rage the woman and her seede and was red with her blood Rev 12.3 4. and as soone as ever the Dragon the Pagan Power was off the Stage then comes the Beast and he follows that course the Dragon before him had done of persecuting the woman for 1260 yeares and she all that time is in the wildernesse in sackcloth and ashes which time is but now expiring so that if we looke to the new Testament even unto this day its cleare that the Dragon and the Beast have afflicted the woman therefore yet the woman hath not had her day upon the Serpent but there is a time wherein the woman must have a day upon the Serpent to breake his head therefore there is such a kingdome wherein the Saints of Jesus Christ shall crush all the enemies of Jesus Christ in the world The whole time of the world is held forth by two great dayes There is the day of the seede of the Serpent and there 's the day of the seede of the woman First the Serpents seede have the day and that day all their worke is to afflict the woman to persecute the Saints but all that ever they can doe is but to bruise her heele they cannot destroy her I but there 's a day which the woman and the seede of the woman is to have now that is after the Serpent hath had his day and in that day the seede of the woman breakes the head of the Serpent that is gives a deadly blow unto the Serpent and the seede of the Serpent that as the woman hath been afflicted by the Serpent so he shall receive a deadly blow from her so that in the first promise that was made to man after he was fallen truly there was this the visible kingdome of Christ and we may say that this notion of the fifth Monarchy as now it s called or of the visible kingdome of Christ truly it s not a new fond notion though things may be said to be new in respect of discovery and our looking into them yet it s as ancient as any truth in the whole word of God in the very first promise wherein was laid the foundation of our Salvation there was laid the foundation of Christs kingdome Gods glory and mans happines goe together as the glory of God ly's in our happinesse so the glory of Christ ly's in the glory of his kingdome Againe let us looke Thirdly unto the new Covenant in the Renovation of it as in the first making of it and in the first Promulgation of it to man we have this as I have shewed you as one great branch of it the kingdome of Christ so looke unto the Renovation of it God did renew this Covenant againe and againe and in the renewing of it he did alwayes include this thing as a maine branch of it namely Christs visible kingdome I doe speake this the more fully because I take it here ly's a maine foundation for our faith in this great thing that is controverted in this day namely the kingdome of Christ for we all looke for salvation by the new Covenant we all know the new Covenant is an Everlasting thing and what ever is in the new Covenant is like it selfe unchangeable and Everlasting and if therefore the visible kingdome be a peice or branch of that then such a thing there must be Now I say look into the renewing of this Covenant and we shall finde that there is likewise this kingdome held forth the new Covenant was twice more
the Lord of Hosts Sin shall be ashamed to appear When the Apostles Preached such a light there was of Gods glory that some sins were ashamed to appear in day time as Drunkennesse 1 Thess 5.7 They that be drunken are drunken in the night 2 He will so discover the glory of his owne greatnesse and Majesty that all other dignities shall be in a manner nothing As though you set up ten thousand Candles yet when the Sun ariseth the light of them all is nothing The Suns of the world shall have their light put out by the rising of the Sun of Righteousnesse 3 He will so discover the glory of his owne power as shall destroy the Idoll-strength his Arm shall appear to be all in all Men shall visibly see that not Creatures strength but Gods Arme is al See how they shall sing then Isa 12.1 2. And in that day thou shalt say O Lord I will praise thee though thou wastâ—angry with me thine anger is turned away and thou comfortest me Behold God is my Salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jebovah is my strength and my Song he also is become my Salvation God is my salvation Now men cry such a valiant man such valiant men have saved us but then the Song will be God alone is our Salvation 4 He will so discover his wisedome as shall wholly destroy Idoll Pollicy Men shall see Gods wisedome so visibly in discovering Plots c. as that they shall see all wisedome of man to be folly 5 He will so powre out of his Spirit as shall utterly abolish parts learning and all those things as they are an Idoll He will powre out of his Spirit upon the Sons and daughters of Sion that they shall thereby be more filled with truth and more able to utter the great things of God than all the Schollars of the world 2 By shaking all Idolls Vers 21. When he ariseth to shake terribly the earth He will terribly shake whatsoever hath been or is an Idoll whether honour or strength or parts or grace And how hath God been shaking all these amongst us How hath he shaken the honour of the world pluckt off Crownes from the heads of Princes and throwne Nobles out of their seats How hath he been shaking strength broken in a wonderfull way Armies by Land Navies by Sea How hath he shaken mens parts and wisedome brought wise men and learned men who made an Idoll of their learning and wisedome to so low an ebb in respect of esteem as they never were and just it is and they shall yet be brought lower till they learne to give God the glory Yea how hath he shaken grace and how many men of grace are fallen that we might learne indeed to cease from man whose breath is in his Nostrills Vse 〈◊〉 Is it so that God will abolish all â—dolls Then learne this That a day will be how much soever men now cry up their Idolls that they shall be ashamed to owne them Isa 1.29 For they shall be ashamed of the Oakes which yee have desired and ye shall be confounded for the gardens yee have chosen Men shall be in this day ashamed to cry up worldly greatnesse strength pollicy parts as now they doe They may have a love in their hearts to these things as Idolls still but shall be ashamed to owne them in the way they now doe Read vers 20. In that day a man shall cast his Idolls of silver and his Idolls of gold which they made each one for himselfe to worship to the Moles and to the Batts 2 Is it so Then let us take heed we doe not in this day set up Idolls To set up Idolls in this day God is pulling them downe makes the offence double We have seen the Lord powring contempt upon many Idolls already and he is now punishing us with the Idolls we have set up let us not goe about to set up more O let us take heed of spirituall Idolls the great Promise of the New Covenant is Cleansing from Idolls Ezek. 36.25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and yee shall be clean from all your filthinesse and from all your Idells will I cleanse you Plead it with God 3 Is it so Then learne this There shall be a day in which Saints shall have hearts to exalt God onely The wretched Idoll selfe shall be utterly abolished This is a good day 4 Is it so Then Saints seeing such a day shall come Let us labour for a spirit sit for this day when it comes Two things will work such a spirit in us 1 A Mortified heart to a mans owne things being dead to our honour wisedome parts c. 2 An enlivened heart to the things of God and his glory And O! that this Spirit were in us that the glory of our father could be more to us then all the world See those blessed ones Revel 5. they cry out with a loud voyce Worthy is the Lamb that was staine to receive power and riches and wisedome and strength and honour and glory and blessing We too often cry out our owne worthinesse with a loud voyce but they the Lambs power is the Lambs glory honour wisedome and blessing is the Lambs FINIS A TABLE OF The Chief Heads of the preceding SERMONS I. The Fifth Kingdome or Kingdome of Christ founded on the New Convenant In one Sermon on Jerem. 33.20 21. Preached at Ham. THE Text opened Page 1 2 Qu What that Covenant is that was made with David Answered Page 3 Doct That the Kingdome or visible Kingdome of Christ is founded on the New Covenant proved 1 From the first striking up of the Covenant betwixt the Father and the Son Page 4 5 6 Qu What are we to understand by Gods dividing to Christ a Portion with the great and the Spoyle with the strong Page 7 8 9 10 2 From the Promulgation of the Covenant Page 11 Who are the Seed of the Woman and what it is to break the head of the Serpent Page 11 12 3 From the Renovation of the Covneant Page 15 It was renewed with Abrâ—ham Page 16 What it is for Christ to possesse the Gate of his Enemies Page 17 It was renewed with David Page 21 Qu How doth it appear that this is the new Covenant Page 22 4 From the work it selfe where the work doth begin to rise in the world c. Page 25 Vse 1. Let men or Satan doe what they can for the crushing and keeping down such a thing yet a day there is when it will come forth and that in the spight of all the power of men and hell Page 29 2 The unworthinesse of the Saints it cannot it shall not hinder or deprive them of this mercy Page 30 3 It ought not to be strange to us if we should see a death upon this work when it seems to he coming forth Page 36 4 We should waite upon God patiently for the bringing of it forth
especially renewed or with two persons more eminently namely with Abraham and with David The Covenant was renewed with Abraham and therefore it s oftentimes called the new Covenant made with Abraham Now if we looke into that we shall finde the great thing that was held forth in it is this of Christs visible kingdome wherein Christ shall bare Rule over all his enemies conquer all his enemies if we looke unto this Covenant as renewed to Abraham in the Galatians the Apostle speaking of this promise apply's it to Christ now looke upon the promises that were made to Abraham and we shall finde this truth that there was such a thing held forth as an outward visible kingdome Gen 22.16 17 18 ver And said by my selfe have I sworne saith the Lord for because thou hast done this thing and hast not withheld thy son thine onely son That in blessing I will blesse thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the starres of the heaven and as the sand which is upon the sea shore and thy seed shall possesse the gate of his enemies and in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast obeyed my voice Thy seed to Abraham and his seed were the promises made saith the Apostle He saith not to seeds as of many but unto seed as of one Christ and that here it must be understood not of seeds as many but of the seed as one the seed Christ is cleare because it s said thy seed shall possesse the gate of his Enemies not the gate of their Enemies which if it had been spoken of seeds as many it should have been but it s the gate of his Enemies and shew's that it s spoken of Christ now that which is promised is that Christ Abrahams seede shall possesse the gate of his Enemies there shall be a day wherein Christ shall possesse the Gate of his Enemies Quest What is the meaning of that Ans Why truly the meaning is this that a day shall come wherein Jesus Christ shall have power over all his Enemies in the world he shall have rule over his Enemies he that hath been trodden upon in his members we cannot say that he hath ruled over his Enemies yet but a day shall come wherein he shall have an absolute rule over his Enemies which is expressed here by the Gate as when a Conqueror comes against a City or Castle when he hath once possessed the gate he hath gotten the strength of it and they are all under him and at his mercy so there shall a day come wherein Christ shall possesse the gate of his Enemies they shall all be brought under him in such a manner as they shall be all subject unto Jesus Christ and his But now there hath never been such a day as yet indeed the Enemies of Christ they have hitherto possest his Gate if you looke from the first day to this day the Enemies of Christ have ever been in his Gate that is they have been treading the Church underfoote which is most properly his Gate But there is a day wherein Jesus Christ shall possesse their Gate and tread them underfoote therefore there is such a thing as a visible kingdome held forth in this promise made to Abraham Looke but to that promise made Rom. 4.13 where the Apostle speaks thus For the promise to Abraham was not to Abraham or to his seed through the Law but through the righteousnesse of faith The promise to Abraham that he should be heire of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the Law there was a promise expresly made to Abraham that he should be heire of the world we doe not finde this promise in Genesis in so many words therefore it seemes to me that the Apostle doth gather up the summe of all the promises made to Abraham and he doth sum up all in this God promises to Abraham that he should be heire of the world All the promises that Abraham should be a father of many nations all nations should be blessed in him his seede should possesse the gate of his Enemies what is that now that is the great thing held forth in all those promises why it was that he should be heire of the world and the promise therefore is of such a thing and indeed it was the substance of them all thâ— marrow of them that Abraham should be a great and an absolute heire and should have all the world given to him Now let us consider this it s the promise of God and he cannot lye Abraham himselfe never did possesse the whole world but was a stranger in it dwelling in Tents and Tabernacles Heb. 11.9 And if we looke to the naturall seed of Abraham namely the Jewes they never yet possest more than that little spot of land the land of Canaan and they have been cast out of that a long time and if we looke unto the beleiving Gentills the spirituall seed they have been to this day persecuted in the world its out-casts the of-scouring of it and cannot in any sence be said to have been made possessors of the world as an heire which is the Apostles word is made a possessor of his Inheritance where he beares rule as a Lord and all within the Compasse of his Inheritance are to him in no other capacity but of servants and Tenants Abraham was the heire of it but they never had the possession of it yet there is a time wherein they shall have the world for God who made the world and hath given it to whom he pleaseth was pleased of his own good will to give it to Abraham indeed what right had Abraham to the land of Canaan but God who hath right to all was pleased to give it to Abraham why so here Abrahams seed have the world given them there must be a time wherein the seed of Abraham shall possesse the world as truly as the seed of Abraham did possesse the land of Canaan which God gave to Abraham and his seed Now I say this hath not been and we cannot looke upon this as if so be the fulfilling of this promise were in giving them a part of it for God promises the world and therefore indeed there is a time wherein Abraham and his seed are to be possessed of the world and if so be there were not what were Abraham and his seed the better for the promise if so be they never possesse it And this promise is said to be made to Abraham not through the Law but through the righteousnesse of faith and that is upon the account of the new Covenant for in the Romans its said That the righteousnesse which is of faith speakes on this wise he doth oppose the old Covenant unto the righteousnesse of faith so that by the righteousnesse of faith we are here to understand the new Covenant and this promise made to Abraham as the heire of the world and that as of the
of Cyrus destroying of Babylon or in Alexanders destroying the Medes and Persians Monarchy or in the Romans destroying the Grecian Monarchy for that was a part of Gods decree as well as this what should the people therefore now sing Hallelujah's for more than in those times But because of the difference of the Instruments things now being done in a more holy sanctified way to a more pure end and there shall be more of the Image of God appeare upon those that shall doe this worke now and therefore they shall sing Hallelujah's otherwise the worke did not goe beyond the worke that had been done before Seventhly Reason 7 The Ruine of Rome or of the Beast it shall be so carryed on that this worke shall be a shaddow of the glorious kingdome of Christ of the kingdome of the Mountaine The kingdome of the Stone when it comes to smite Rome then shall be in it a resemblance as it were of the raigne of Christ and the glory of the kingdome of the Mountaine therefore it s said in the sixth verse And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude and as the voice of many waters and as the voice of mighty thunderings saying Alleluja for the Lord God Omnipotent raigneth There shall be so much of the Majesty of God of the power of God of the purity of God so much of the Image of God upon his Children when that worke is done as that they shall now say the Lord God Omnipotent raigneth it could not be said Hallelujah the Lord God Omnipotent raigneth if the worke were done by a Company of carnall nations and yet this is before the end before Christs coming for after this appearance we have the Bride making her selfe ready and the kings of the earth come together to destroy the Bride preparing for her husband and then you have Christ coming forth in his fury destroying his Enemies and rescuing his Bride But before that day there shall be such a glorious appearance in the world and such power in the hands of the People of God that it shall be said when men look upon it the Lord God Omnipotent raigneth the Lord Jesus Christ who is king of the world and king of Saints raigneth therefore it shall be done by Saints as leading Instruments Eightly Reason 8 Looke through the old and new Testament where ever we have a description of the persons that shall doe the glorious worke of God at the last day and you shall ever find them described and characterized as Saints I shall give you but two or three places one is Zach 9.13 When I have bent Judah for me filled the Bow with Ephraim and raised up thy Sons O Zion against thy Sons O Greece and made thee as th sword of a mighty man marke Raised up thy Sons O Zion against thy Sons O Greece who are they that are raised up against the Sons of Greece that is against the Turish power as I shewed you formerly they are the Sons of Zion I will raise up thy Sons O Zion whereas there was in all the foregoing Monarchy's one earthly Power raised up against another when it comes to the very last time God raises up another manner of Power I will raise up thy Sons O Zion against thy Sons O Greece So if you looke into Obadiah 18 21 verses And the House of Jacob shall be a fire and the House of Joseph a flame and the House of Esau for stubble and they shall kindle in them and devoure them and there shall not be any remaining of the House of Esau for the Lord hath spoken it And Saviours shall come upon Mount Zion to Judge the Mount of Esau and the kingdome shall be the Lords Saviours shall got up on Mount Zion who shall they be the House of Jacob and the House of Joseph shall burne up the Mount of Esau they shall Judge the House of Esau and then shall the kingdome be the Lords the universall kingdome of the Lord is not yet come in but here comes in the kingdome of the Stone the House of Jacob shall be a fire and the House of Joseph a flame they shall burne up all the workes of the world and Saviours shall come up upon Mount Zion and Judge the Mount of Esau When all his Enemies are brought downe and become his footstoole then shall he come forth and take the kingdome and the kingdome shall be the Lords Sit thou at my right hand uneill I make thine Enemies thy footstoole then the Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion rule thou in the mid'st of thine Enemies there 's the coming forth of Christ when his Enemies by his Saints are made his footstoole So likewise if you looke into Micah 4.11 12. Now also many nations are gathered against thee that say let her be defiled and let our eye looke upon Zion This gathering of the nations is not after Christs coming but before and what then Arise and Thresh O daughter of Zion for I will make thine Horne Iron and I will make thy Hoof's brasse and thou shalt beate in peices many people and I will consecrate their gaine unto the Lord and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth Who shall arise and thresh arise and thresh O daughter of Zion shee shall have Hornes of Iron and Hoof's of brasse to beate all the Enemies of Christ into very chaffe and dust as it s said the great Image was ground to powder why its Zion the poore despised daughter of Zion she that they stood looking upon and said Let her be defiled let our eyes look upon Zion they stood jeering at Zion and saith God Zion I will make thee a trouble and a torment to them all come up Zion and I will make thy Hornes Iron and thy Hoof's brasse and thou shalt breake all the nations to peices that now stand looking upon thee And in another place the Lord tells us Jacob is his Battell-Axe and weapons of warre so saith God Jer. 51.20 For with thee will I breake in peices the nations and with thee will I destroy kingdomes When he comes to worke his great worke in the world his faithfull Children shall be his weapons to bring it to passe Come to the new Testament and we shall see who God will make his Instruments to carry on his worke against the Beast Revel 15.2 And I saw as it were a sea of glasse mingled with fire and them that had gotten the victory over the Beast and over his Image and over his marke and over the number of his name stand on the sea of glasse having the Harps of God And in the 6 verse And the seven Angels came out of the Temple having the seven last plagues clothed in pure and white linnen and having their Breasts girded with golden girdles They shall be pretious Instruments they shall have much purity and Holines and much of the Image of God upon them and much
of the beauty and riches of Christ in them that shall doe this worke so if we looke into Revel 14. where after the Beasts time is run out in the 13 Chapter we have the Beast tryumphing and the Beast's time running out in 42 moneths now after this we have another kinde of persons another party coming upon the stage Revel 14.1 2 3 4 5 verses And I looked and lo a Lamb stood on the mount Sion and with him an hundred fourty and foure thousand having his Fathers name written in their foreheads And I heard a voice from heaven as the voice of many waters and as the voice of a great thunder and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harpes And they sung as it it were a new song before the throne before the four beasts and the elders and no man could learne that song but the hundred and fourty and four thousand which were redeemed from the earth These are they which were not defiled with women for they are virgins these are they which follow the Lamb withersoever he goeth these were redeemed from among men being the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the throne of God What a generation of men come up upon the stage when the Beast's 42 moneths are run out for that had been spoken to in the foregoing Chapter when that time is run out up comes the Lamb with his company and they are a company not like to the world for they have their fathers name written in their foreheads there 's holines in their foreheads they are a party in whose mouth there is no guile they doe not act in subtill polliticke wayes as men doe and have done So that I say Consider those that shall carry on this worke where ever we have them spoken of in the old and new Testament they are still set forth as Saints for the principalls and leaders in this worke I have been somewhat large in this for if we cannot find a kinddome till Christ come all the signes will be nothing therefore I have spoken the more to this but it may be objected Object That its the ten Hornes that hate the whore if you looke into Revel 17.16 the ten Hornes are said to doe it Ans To that I answer Wee must so interpret this as not to set it against the generall current of Scripture Now whereas the ten Hornes are said to hate the whore and make her desolate and burne her with fire the meaning is this that the ten Hornes as being conquered to the Lamb and the power of them being gotten into the power of the Lamb so shall the Hornes be turned against the whore and indeed this well agrees to the scope of the place for it s said in the 14 verse These shall make warre with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them There was warre betwixt the Lamb and some of the Hornes for we are not here to understand all the ten Hornes and in this warre the Lamb becomes the victor and then the Hornes which before did fight for the Beast and support the Beast when the power of the Hornes comes into the hands of the Lamb they turne against the Beast and indeed seeing it s done by the Hornes as conquered to the Lamb its cleare that in that day such of the Hornes as shall doe it shall be ruled by the Lamb and if so why then there shall be such a thing as the kingdome of Christ even in the Hornes when this is done And truly we cannot see at present that yet this kingdome is in the Hornes that yet the Hornes are conquered to the Lamb so that the Lamb raignes in the Hornes the kingdome of the Lamb is a kingdome of Righteousnesse a kingdome wherein there shall be no injustice oppression and the like we cannot see that there is yet such a thing among the Hornes and though it is not yet yet when he comes to take the kingdome he will make the Hornes other manner of Hornes and when he comes to doe it he will doe it speedily Object But Christs kingdome is not of this world and therefore it cannot be expected any such thing should be as the beginning of the kingdome of Christ till the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ himselfe Ans It s worthy our Consideration Who the person was to whom that was spoken and the occasion those words were spoken by Christ The person to whom the words were spoken was Pilate the Roman Governour The occasion was when he was accused before Pilate as an Enemie to Caesar as one that would have tooke Caesar's kingdome from him Jesus Christ answers upon it My kingdome is not of this world that is of this Mornarchy for the whole world at that time was under the Roman Monarchy There went forth a decree from Caesar that all the world should be taxed for so indeed the whole world and Monarchy are tearmes Equivalent so that My kingdome is not of this world that is it s not of this Monarchy It was a very good answer to that that was objected against him Caesar feares I will take the kingdome from him no saith Christ my kingdome is not of this world it s not to be in this Monarchy I have a kingdome but it s not yet I will not take Caesar's Crowne off his head I shall have a kingdome hereafter but Caesar needs not feare me now this comes in about Pilats querying with him about his being aking There is such a thing therefore yet before the coming of Christ as the setting up the kingdome of Christ in the world as the same shall be the kingdome of the Stone breaking in peices and destroying all other kingdomes And having thus spoken unto this I shall now come to speake of the signes of the Times the signes that this kingdome is nigh at hand that Jesus Christ is neere to his worke seeing there is such a worke to be done in the latter end of the fourth Monarchy whether or no is this worke neere at hand or is it far off and remote I shall not speake any thing at all as to the Computation of the time from the numbers left us in Scripture though much may be learned from them for doubtlesse the Lord hath not left us numbers to the end there should be no use at all made of them for there 's nothing in the word of God but its of some use but that I shall not speake to but proceed to shew you some of the signes of The Times First Signe 1 One Signe that is a cleare signe and evidence of the time that this kingdome of the Lord Jeâ—â— Christ as its the kingdome of the Stone is neere at hand is this The wonderfull breaking forth of light as to this worke it s very observable that when the worke of God is to be carryed on against the Beast there doth forerun
that thing for which others suffer and specially Saints who it may be would never else have minded the notion are very Inquisitive into the thing which they see Brethren suffer for and hereby they attaine light thus God taketh the wise in their owne Craftiness It was said in the Primitive times The blood of Martyrs seede of Churches Did not Queene Mary by her cruelty make those who before were averse to it ready and willing to receive the Protestant Religion Did not the Bishops loose themselves this way and by driving some few out of the Land multiply the number of the oppressed people within it Saints suffering for truth are the loudest and most powerfull Sermons of all others See what Paul saith to this Phil 1.12 13. But I would ye should understand Brethren that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the Pallace and in all other places Eighthly The Eight signe is Signe 8 The Defection and Apostacy of Eminent leading men in the Churches from their first light and Principles Christ makes it one signe of his second coming the Starr's falling from Heaven Math. 24.29 that is Eminent men as Pastors and others in the Churches falling and saith Christ When you see this know it is neere even at the doore When you see Pastors and Officers of Churches casting off the Churches and running to Colledges when you see men that have pleaded and Apologized for the power of Churches in opposition to Lordlines over them when you see these become Tryers and usurp Authority over all the Churches and people of Christ in the Common-wealth know that it is neere even at the doore Ninthly The ninth signe is Signe 9 The great dread that is upon the spirits of all men that are Enemies of such a thing rising in the world as a fift Monarchy What a dread at the time of Israels coming out of Egypt was upon the Canaanites and this dread is at the end of the forty yeares we doe not reade of such a dread at their first coming out but when the worke was just coming forth of their taking possession of the promised Land then the feare and dread fall's upon them It s observable that from the time that David was anointed king a dread of him though Saul had all the forts and strength of the Nation was upon the spirit of Saul And what a dread is there upon the spirits of those that oppose the worke this kingdome of Christ at this day its visible enough a dread already from the Lord is fallen upon them Tenthly Signe 10 A Tenth signe is Gods wonderfull withdrawing himselfe from such as oppose this truth and worke in respect of those common graces and assistances he hath formerly afforded them in other worke How did God withdraw from Saul so soone as ever David was anointed Before he could deny himselfe and refuse a kingdome Afterwards before another shall come into his Throne he will slay innocent David be it right or wrong and all the Priests of God to boote Before though he had cause and was stirr'd up to it he will by no meanes persecute afterwards though he had no just cause all things considered he puts the Lords Priests to death Before he was a very meeke man in all his actings afterwards he acts like a Mad man And the very Reason is this Reason Davids kingdome was now rising and Saul being in heart an Enemie to it the Spirit of the Lord withdraws from him and this withdrawing was the Immediate forerunner of Davids kingdome the most Eminent type of Christ's pleaded for at this day Now let us Consider whether it be not thus at this day let us looke to men that sit upon the Throne and men that call themselves the Ministry is it not as evident as the Sun when it shines at noone day that the Spirit of the Lord is withdrawne from both I say in respect of those common gifts and assistances they have formerly had whil'st they stood in the cause of God Are there not men this day in England that persecute Saints for laying open their evills and Apostacy's who time was would not persecute them themselves nor suffer others who would have done it to doe it Are there not men who time was feared none they had their faith as their best guard who now are so far from their former faith that they are become Magor-mishabib feare round about Looke to men who call themselves the Ministry could not many some yeares since preach often with life and power now it s a great matter and truly they are not able to doe it to preach once in a fortnight and when they doe preach that life they once had is so gone that Christians that heare had they not the same names and faces would not know them to be the men once the time was that they were able to speake a seasonable word whensoever occasion was offered but truly now they are able to speake no more than they have written in their paper or got by heart as the Schoolboyes doe Is it not evident I say the Lord is withdrawne from them This is a manifest signe the worke is at hand When Davids kingdome was rising the Spirit of God departs from Saul and had not many Bishops in Queene Maries dayes much life and so the Presbyters in the beginning of these times But observe when the worke of God began to rise against the one and the other the Spirit of God went off from them and fell upon that party that bore witnes against them FINIS Christ the only Foundation 1 COR 3.11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ THe Time is but short and therefore I shall wave speaking any thing touching the context or the explication of the words there 's no difficulty in them but there 's a plaine usefull Truth ly's plainely in the words which I shall give you That is Doct That the Lord Jesus Christ is the onely foundation That I may the better open this truth to you for your edification I shall cast those things which are in my thoughts into this Method namely To shew First What I meane by Christ's being a foundation Secondly In what respect the Lord Jesus Christ may be called a foundation Thirdly What Jesus Christ is the foundation of Fourthly Who it is that lay's Jesus Christ as a foundation Fifthly How the Lord Jesus Christ is laid as a foundation And then Sixthly and lastly When Jesus Christ is laid as a foundation in the soule I shall give but a hint of the first 1. Quest What wee are to understand by Christs being a foundation Ans Wee well know the foundation it s the bottome of a building that upon which the weight and stresse of any building ly's in every building there 's the structure it selfe and the foundation the structure it selfe