when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him O do not lift up your hand against the Son but kisse the Son Let his Will be your Rule His Spirit your Guide His precepts your practices His decrees your delights His chosen ones your choicest companions Submit to his Gospel and Government Oh Sirs make your peace with God There is a fourfold Peace First There is a peace external this peace is with men Secondly There is peace supernal that is peace with God Thirdly There is peace internall that is peace with Conscience Fourthly There is peace eternall and this is peace in Heaven Psal 37.37 Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace If you have peace with God the world and the Devil cannot hurt you And upon the glory shall be a defence Isa 4.5 Believers have God for their Guide and Guard he that meddles with the Saints of God assaults God himself Zech. 2.8 He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of mine eye He that lifts up his hand against them lifts up his hand against God though they have many enemies yet they have one friend that hath more strength then all their enemies A ragged Saint is dearer to God then a glittering Emperour that wants grace O make your peace with the Prince of peace that in this life you may have assurance of eternal life that eternal death may not be your portion in the other life IV. Fourthly Make Religion your main business and not a by business Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure for if ye doe these things ye shall never fall 2 Peter 1.10 Work out your salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 But seek ye first the Kingdome of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you Math. 6.23 Oh why is the glory of this world so much regarded but because the Glory of Heaven is so little minded Oh what is an Earthly Kingdome in comparison of the Heavenly Kingdome the Angels themselves though they are glorious Spirits yet they are Ministring Spirits Do not most men in the world make light of God and Christ and the Spirit and Heaven and their precious souls And he sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding and they would not come Again he sent forth other servants saying tell them that are bidden Behold I have prepared my Dinner my Oxen and my Fatlings are killed and all things are ready Come unto the Marriage But they made light of it and went their way one to his Farm another to his Merchandize Math. 22.3 4 5. Wretched Wordlings make Religion a by-business they will hear read and pray when they have nothing else to doe Oh that such men did but know what everlasting Glory and everlasting torments are would they then do as they do Oh that they did but know the worth of their Souls and the want of a Saviour the shortnesse of their time and the greatness of their work would they then neglect God and their own souls as they do Oh Friends Let me beseech you to whom I write to make Religion your main businesse hearing reading praying believing and doing your maine businesse Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life which the Son of man shall give unto you for him hath God the father sealed Joh. 6.27 V. Fifthly Doe nothing in this World but what you can answer in another World For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Rom. 2.16 He hath appointed a day in which he will judg the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath ordained Acts 17.31 For God shall bring every work to judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil Eccles 12.14 Oh for the Lords sake my Dear Brethren Let nothing be done by you in this world but what may be answered in another world Many men doe that in this world which they cannot in another world Now they contemne God blaspheme God rebel against God go a whoring from God and persecute the Beloved of God Instead of protecting the Saints imprison the Saints and are more for crushing them than comforting them instead of visiting them vilifie them and instead of affecting them afflict them and eat them up as they eat bread Psal 14.4 And will not suffer them to worship the true God in Spirit and in truth but Mock them Heb. 11 36. Threaten them Acts 4.29 Accuse them Acts 24.5 Slander them Math. 1.11 Curse them Math. 5.44 Beat them Acts 5.40 Imprison them Acts 4.3 Plunder them Heb. 10.34 Banish them Heb. 11. And Murder them Rom. 8.36 All this the poor innocent suffer whilst swearing cursing whoring robbing blaspheming drunkenness and gluttoning and all manner of debauchery yea murder it self walks unpunished in the streets and only he that departs from evill makes himself a prey What wonder then if such as these shall one day hide themselves in Dens and Holes and cry to the Rocks and Mountains to fall on them and hide them from the face of him that sits on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb Rev. 6.15.36 Oh what will Persecutors do when Jesus Christ shall appear in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that knew him not and obeyed not his Gospel 2 Thes 1 8. Will they not then be dumb and speechlesse and have never a word to say for themselves as that man that had not on his Wedding garment Math. 22.12 But Oh Beloved Let that grace that hath appeared to all men teach us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts that we may live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Tit. 2.11.12 following the Lamb resisting Satan shuning sin and separating from the world VI. Sixthly Make the Word of God your Rule and the Spirit of God your Guide To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 We have also a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto ye doe well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-starre arise in your hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in righteousnesse 2 Tim 3.16 Howbeit when the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come John 16.13 The
is taken containeth six principal things First A Lovely Description of Jesus Christ and he is described by the similitude of a Lamb Lo a Lamb stood upon Mount Sion vers 1. And behold the Lamb of God Joh. 1.19 He is called a Lamb in a double respect First In respect of his innocency 1 Pet. 1.19 Secondly In respect of his meekness and patience Acts 8.32 Secondly A Lively Description of the Church the Lambs wife and that from vers 1. to vers 5. Thirdly A glorious Description of the Churches Ministers As the Church is in this book called Heaven so her Ministers are called Angels And I saw another Angel flying in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel ver 6. And there followed another Angel saying Babylon is fallen vers 8. And the third Angell followed him saying with a loud voyce c. Vers 9. Fourthly Here is set down the Doctrine which these Angels preach and publish The first Angell published the free Grace of God in Jesus Christ openly against all the inventions of men Saying with a loud voice fear God and give Glory to him and worship him that made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and the Fountains of waters vers 7. Namely That men should once fear God and worship him and give all glory to him none to Creatures none to Images none to Antichrist he that worshipeth the Beast worshipeth the Dragon and the Divel Chap. 13. The second Angell proclaimed the utter ruine of Babylon and the destruction thereof over the world saying Babylon is fallen is fallen that great City because she hath made all Nations drink of the wive of the wrath of her fornication vers 8. The third Angel doth seriously and solemnly give warning to all those who shall yet adhere to the Beast shewing the danger and misery of it If any man worship the heast and his Image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand 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 19.20 Fifthly A sweet word of heavenly consolation to the Saints and People of God And I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me write blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from henceforth they rest from their labours and their works do follow them vers 13. Sixthly The Judgments and vengeance which shall be executed upon the false Church the Spirit doth set it forth by a double similitude the one by rending the other by gathering and that from vers 15. to the end God will as it were rain Hell out of Heaven upon Babylon he hath fire and brimstone for this spirituall Sodome judgement without mercy and fury without compassion I shall now come to the words of my Text These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth This text is one of the Golden Characters of the hundred forty and four thousand which stood with the Lamb upon Mount Sion In these words are three things First the Subjects these Secondly the Act follow Thirdly the Object The Lamb whithersoever he goeth I shall gather this Observation from the words That it is the sweet temper and frame of soules truly gracious to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth In the handling of this point I shall shew you five things First What it is to follow the Lamb Secondly Why they follow the Lamb. Thirdly The Excellency of following the Lamb. Fourthly The Misery of them that follow not the Lamb. Fifthly How the Lambs followers may be known from the beasts followers First To follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth is to follow him in four things First In his Commandements If you love me keep my Commandements John 14.15 Ye are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you Chap. 15.14 Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life Rev. 22.4 Oh Beloved we cannot follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes unless we follow him in his commands Then shall I not be ashamed saith David when I have respect to all thy Commandments Psal 119.6 Christians should take as much delight in those precepts that enjoyne holinesse as in those promises that assure happiness Secondly In his teachings My Sheep hear my Voyce and I know them and they follow me John 10.27 A stranger they will not follow but will flee from him for they know not the voyce of strangers Vers 5. Thirdly In his Providences through all afflictions all straits all discouragements and sorrows whatsoever though it be a way of blood We must forsake all to follow a crucified Christ a condemned in bloody paths of sufferings if he call us to it Ye though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me Thy rod and thy staffe they comfort me Psal 23.4 For saith Paul I am ready not to be bound only but also to dye at Jerusalam for the name of the Lord Jesus We must be willing to venture the loss of all for him Liberty Estate Relations and Life it self We have forsaken all and followed thee Math. 19.27 Fourthly In his Example For I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you Joh. 13.5 that Because Christ hath suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 22. So that to follow Christs steps is to take him for an example We must walk in the same spirit in the same steps and in the same obedience VVe must not follow wicked mens Examples who walk in the broad way that leads to death and are of their father the Devil and his work they do John 8.11 But we must follow our Head Christ who went up and down doing good Acts 10.38 Now this is to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth In his Commands In his Teachings In his Providence In his Example Secondly To follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth is to follow him truly without hypocrisie and constantly without apostacy First Truly without hypocrisie Many follow the Lord as Beggars follow a man onely for an Almes they prize the wages of Religion above the work of Religion You seek me not because of the miracles but because you did eat of the loaves and were filled John 6.26 Oh Beloved God abhors an Hypocrite more then a Sodomite and Hell is provided on purpose for Hypocrites Mat. 24.51 My Beloved following the Lamb fully is to have the heart sixed and resolved for God My soul followes hard after thee said David Psalm 63.8 And as the Hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God All the faculties of his soule are working after God My soul and all that is within me praise the Lord saith holy David Secondly Constantly without Apostacy A
midst of her This is that which comforted and strengthened David Yea though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of Death I will fear no evill for thou art with me Psalm 23.4 When thou passest thorow the Waters I will be with thee and through the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Isa 43.2 Oh they that follow the Lamb shall stand for the Lamb have the presence of the Lamb his glorious presence his gracious presence his comforting presence his protecting presence his quickning and sanctifying presence The second Excellency is That they that follow the Lamb shall know the mind of the Lamb. It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them it is not given And blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear Mat. 13.11 16. Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you John 17.6 7 8. Jesus Christ that lies in the bosom of his Father he unbosomes and unbowels the heart of the Father to Believers they know his Secrets his Mind his Counsel and his WIll and none knoweth it but them I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes Matth. 11.25 But they that walk with God know much of the mind of God and the Mysteries of the Gospel The Third Excellency of following the Lamb is They that follow the Lamb may come boldly to the Lamb. Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time of need Heb. 4.16 A soul that hath an interest in Christ may come boldly to Christ and speak boldly to him and to his Father for any mercy he needeth he may go to the Throne of Grace for Grace and open his heart to God as one friend to another Oh what a liberty have Believers Oh what a priviledge have they that they May go to God with a holy boldness The wicked proud ones of the Earth are so high that the poor Saints cannot come boldly and freely to them but they may come boldly and freely to the Lord their God Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest The fourth Excellency is They that follow the Lamb shall have all their wants supplyed by the Lamb. Phil. 4.19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ They that follow the Lamb shall want no good thing Oh fear the Lord all ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him The young Lyons do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing Psal 34.9.10 The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want Psal 23.1 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desire of thy heart thou shalt have whatsoever thou desirest to have He that hath the chiefest good shall want no good Whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst And he that cometh to me shall never hunger Joh. 6.35 Oh who would not follow and believe in the Lamb Oh happy are all they that follow the Lamb. The fifth Excellency is They that follow the Lamb shall share with the Lamb First In his Divine Nature Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 That is of those Divine Qualities whereby we are made like unto God in Wisdom and Righteousness and true Holiness Ephes 4.24 Secondly In his Conquests The poor Saints share with Christ in all his noble and honourable conquests 1 Cor. â—5 55 over the World Death and Hell and over sufferings In all these things we are more then Conquerours through him that loved us Rom. 8.37 Thirdly They share with Christ in his Graces Of his fulness have all we received grace for grace Joh. 1.16 As a Child receives Member for Member as the Paper from the Press receives Letter for Letter as the Wax from the Seal receives Print for Print or as the Glass from the Image receives Face for Face so do Believers receive from Christ Grace for Grace that is for every grace that is in the Lamb there is the same grace in us in some measure Fourthly Believers share with Christ in his Glorious Titles He is called a Son so are they a King so are they a Priest so are they an Heir so are they Rom. 8.17 Rev. 5.10 Rev. 1.5 6. Fifthly They share with Christ in his Glory I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also Joh. 14.23 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one as we are one Joh. 17.22 My sheep hear my voice and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life Joh. 10.28 The Saints shall have the same Glory which Christ himself hath The Saints in Heaven are not only glorified with Christ which is a great exaltation but they do enjoy the very same Glory which Christ himself doth the same for kind though not for degree The Head and Members are glorified together with the same kind of glory God hath not one Heaven for his Son and another for his Saints but one and the same heaven for both Believers shall be as truly glorious as Christ is and eternally glorious as he is Our vile bodies shall be fashioned like unto his glorious body And we shall be glorified together with him and appear with him in Glory Rom. 8. Col. 3. Oh here is the excellency of following the Lamb they that follow him share with him The sixth Excellency of following the Lamb is They that follow the Lamb shall be protected by the Lamb. He suffered no man to do them wrong yea he reproved Kings for their sakes saying touch not mine Anointed and do my Prophets no harm Psal 105.14 15. which are his Saints Who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good and if ye suffer for righteousness sake happy are ye and be not afraid of their terrour neither be troubled 1 Pet. 3.13 Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness Isa 41.10 Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget yet will
righteousnesse lodened with the fruits of righteousnesse He beareth greater respect to our hearts than he doth to our works I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God Rom. 12.1 The Formalist he is all for outward action and for nothing of inward sincerity he is for a body without a soul and a shew without a substance but it is not a shew of outward piety that will excuse inward hypocrisie For he is not a Jew that is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh But he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Rom. 2.28 29. I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan Rev. 2.9 They are better in their outsides than they are in their insides but Believers are better in their insides than they are in their outsides The Kings daughter is all glorious within her cloathing is of wrought Gold Psalm 45.13 The one bowes his knee at the name of Jesus the other bowes his heart to the truth of Jesus the one signes with the Cross the other carryes the Cross Oh what would not superstitious men do for Heaven if they might have Heaven for their doing But they that sail in this rotten Bottom will surely sink in the Ocean Who hath required this at your hands to tread my Courts To what purpose is your sacrifices unto me saith the Lord I am ful of the burnt offerings of Rams and the fat of fed beasts and I delight not in the blood of Bullocks or of Lambs or of He-goates Isa 1 11. It was not the Clay Spittle that cured the blind man but Christs anointing his eyes It was not the troubling of the Waters in the Pool of Bethesda that made them whole but the comeing down of the Angel Alas the dish without the meat will not feed us Man may spread the Net of Duty but its God must take the Draught of Mercy Now by this Beloved you may know the Lambs followers from the Beasts followers And thus I have briefly and clearly shewed you these five things First What following the Lamb is Secondly Why gracious Souls follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth Thirdly The Excellency of following the Lamb. Fourthly The Misery of following the Beast Fifthly How the Lambs followers may be known from the Beasts followers I shall make some Use of this First For Examination and Selfe-tryal Oh friends for the Lords sake and for your souls sake examine your selves and try your selves by this that you may know whose you are and to whom you do belong Know you not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness Rom. 6. O who do you follow if men verily you have your reward if sin you shall have sins wages which is eternal death woe and misery in this life and Hell and destruction in the other life but if God then you shall have eternal life Therefore be not deceived mistake not your selves God is not mocked for whatsoever a man sowes that he shall reap O beloved Examine your selves and try your selves what is it you mind what is it you seek what is it you do do you follow the Lamb in his Commands in his teachings in his appointments and in his Examples through sufferings and reproaches have you forsaken all and followed him Matth. 10.29 Have you taken up his Crosse and denyed your selves Mat. 16.24 Have you learned of him to be meek and lowly Mat. 11.29 Have you visited and cloathed his Members Mat. 25.35 Have you kissed the Sun and made your peace with him O beloved are you new Creatures are you in Christ are you in faith Know ye not if Christ be not in you ye are reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 The second Vse is for Exhortation O Beloved Let me beseech you for your precious and immortal souls sake to come out of Babylon from the Beasts Image and from his Worship and from his Mark that you may not be defiled O come away to Jesus Christ Arise my Love and come away Cant. 2.10 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Mat. 11.28 Oh sinners he calls you to come to him will you not go we must forsake sin and embrace vertue put off the Old man and put on the New man we must have Repentance and Mortification a dying unto sin and a living unto righteousness from the love of earthly things to the desire of heavenly things Our bodies and souls must come away unto Christ our souls because they are the Spouse of Christ our bodies because they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost We must come away from the Eenticements of the flesh the allurements of the world and suggestions of the Divel and from the Whore of Babylon and from all the inventions and traditions of men Rev. 18.4 That ye may walk with God before God after God in the Name of God and in the Spirit of God And that we may live in Christ as Christ lives in the Father O what more happy then to live for ever and so to live for ever as Christ himself liveth Surely that is a blessed and glorious life This is a Believers life Secondly Labour more and more to be like those that follow the Lamb fully they are very holy and pure they are called Virgins First For their Chastity That I may present you as chast Virgins unto Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 These love Christ with a chast but not with an adulterous love Secondly For their purity They are Virgin-Saints they are not defiled with the Whore of Babylon but have kept themselves from her Idolatry and Superstition and from her sin and wickedness And in their mouth was found no guile Believers are stiled and titled Heaven Christs Members are glorious Members they are called Heaven for two Reasons First Because there is much of Heaven in them Secondly Because there is much of them in Heaven First There is much of Heaven in Believers much of God much of Christ and much of the Spirit Of his fulness have all we received grace for grac Joh. 1.16 The glory of God the knowledge of God the presence of God the love of God the holiness of God the joyes of God these are the things that make Heaven to be Heaven Now there is much of these in Believers therefore they are called Heaven We are taken into Communion with Angels and our Communion with the Angels in a great measure doth consist in bearing a part with them in praising God it is the action of Heaven Believers are holy Ones and they have glorious Titles First The Lords Portion Deut. 32.9 Secondly
you But it is good for me to draw near to God I have put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all thy works Psal 73.28 He that dwelleth under the shaddow of the most High no plague shall come nigh him He will give his Angels charge over thee Psal 91.10 Though the Fig-tree should not blossome and there be no fruit in the Vine though the labour of the Olive should faile and the fields should yield no meat the flock should be cut off from the fold and the herd from the stalls Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will triumph in the God of my salvation Hab. 3.17.18 The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower and the righteous runneth into it and are safe James 4.8 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you This is a great comfort to the people of God though they be as Lillies amongst Thorns and as sheep amongst Wolves that they have a God to go to Come my people enter into thy Chambers shut thy doors about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the indignation be overpast Isa 26.20 Let the world frown and friends forsake you God can sweeten all your enjoyments keep in Gods way and you will be sure of Gods protection doe you keep Gods precepts and God will keep your persons do what God commands and avoid what God forbids and then you need not fear what men can doe unto you If you would have God to take care of you you must cast your care upon God wait on him and walk with him obey his precepts and believe his promises Oh beloved Let wicked men fall out with us and hate us and reproach us and punish us as much as they will if we keep in with God therefore my beloved above all things get communion with God and keep communion with God Communion with God will yield you two Heavens a Heaven upon Earth and a Heaven after death all Saints shall enjoy a Heaven when they leave the Earth some Saints enjoy a Heaven whilest they are on the Earth He enjoyes nothing that wants communion with God he wants no-nothing that enjoyes communion with God X. Tenthly Live above the love of Life and the fear of death For whosoever will save his Life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it Matth. 16.25 If any man come unto me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple Luke 14.16 He that loves not Christ more than his life will be sure to save and to keep both He that goes out of Gods way to avoid danger shall certainly meet with danger Ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods 1 Cor. 6.19 20. My dear friends Let us live above suffering and fears though we cannot live without suffering In the world you shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world I have overcome the world for you and I have overcome the world in you John 16.33 He that loves Christ above his life will let life go rather then Christ Consider my beloved Christ and the cloud of Witnesses and Martyrs that are gone before and are passed over and through all those floods and safely arived to shoar and are now in Heaven with God and Christ and holy Angels where there is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore Thou wilt shew me the path of Life in thy presence is fulnesse of joy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 Oh the joy that they enjoy Oh the rivers of consolations that flowes from God! Therefore are they before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell amongst them They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sun light on them nor any heat for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them shal lead them into living fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 7.15 16 17. Who are they that have all this honour and glory and joy and blessedness in Heaven For this see verse 14. These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. The sweetnesse of the Crown which Believers shall receive will make them amends for the bitternesse of the Crosse they carried XI Eleventhly Desire better hearts more then better times O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickednesse that thou mayest be saved how long shall thy vaine thoughts lodge within thee Jer. 4.14 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts falsewitness blasphemies Mat. 15.19 The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it Jer. 17.9 Oh Beloved instead of reforming we are complaining of wicked men more then of wickedness of their cruelty more than our Apostacy of their injuries against us than our injuries against God We pore too much upon second causes or complaine of instruments not of our selves We have been a long time in sinning and we had need be a long time in repenting the times had not been so bad had not we been so bad and the times would soon be better if we were but better Alas Beloved we have sinned such sins as unrighteous men could not sin against the clearest Light and dearest Love the better God hath been to us the worse we have been to him he hath loaded us with his mercies and we have wearied him with our sinnes Oh let us blame our selves more and the times lesse Let us turne unto the Lord that he may turne to us in love and mercy Let our hearts go out to him that his heart may come unto us Oh beg and cry for better hearts that you may serve God better for broken hearts for sincere hearts for that is that God looks at and calls for Prov. 23.26 My Son give me thy heart Our hearts are alwayes out of tune to serve God but never out of tune to serve sin for if we had never so good times and not good hearts it would rather hurts us than blesse us XII Twelfthly Grow downward in humility and inward in sincerity Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes 3.8 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted Mat 23.12 Put on therefore as the Elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind meeknesse long-fustering Col. 3.12 Be cloathed with humility for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble Humble
with him A Believers dying day is his Crowning day And I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me write blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them Rev. 14.13 Oh I beseech you my dear Brethren every day spend some time in preparation for and meditation of Death Judgement Hell Heaven and Eternity Eternity is a sum that can never be numbred a line that can never be measured Eternity is a condition of everlasting sorrow or everlasting joy Oh think of this and prepare for this every day before the night of death comes And thus my beloved I have given you these Twenty precious directions for your souls I shall leave this Book with you as a Legacy of my dearest Love my desire in all this is your happiness here and your blessedness hereafter My earnest and humble desire of you is That you would mind this Book and my former Treatise not only read them but reform your lives by them O do your Duty love your Duty and live your Duty that you may be made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Which is and shall be the earnest and constant Prayer of one that esteems it a most glorious priviledge to be of the number of those who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth William Dyer REVEL 14.6 These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth THE Title of this Book tells us it is The Revelation of John and John tells us Chap. 1.1 it is the Revelation of Jesus Christ Christs Revelation to John and John's Revelation to us The Comma of this Book is set forth Chap. 1.19 VVrite the things that are and the things that shall be hereafter And into these two parts this book is divided First a Relation of the things that are referring to the seven Churches of Asia Secondly A Revelation of the general state of the Church to come and that from John's time unto the second coming of the Lord. The words of this Book are the true sayings of the true God they are therefore true and faithful Chap. 22.6 The matter of this Book so much concerns the good of the Church that Jesus Christ commandeth every one that hath an ear to heare to hearken what the Spirit of God saith unto the Church and to shew how earnest Christ Jesus is to have all his Members and Servants acquainted with the things revealed in this Book this charge he repeated eight times over as this Book shewes Chap. 2.7 11 17 29. And Chap. 3.6 13 22. And Chap. 13.9 A blessing is pronounced upon the Reader Hearer and Doer of the things written in this Book Chap. 1.3 O what can be said more or more effectually to stir us up to hear and read than blessedness And blessed is he that keepeth the words of the Prophesie of this Book Chap. 22.7 But how shall we keep them except we know them and how shall we know them except we read them The excellency of this Book is such as neither Man nor Angel none in Heaven or Earth or under the Earth was found worthy so much as to look into it till Jesus Christ went took out of his Fathers hand to open it unto us Chap. 5.3 The blessed St. John could not but weep for fear least this book should have been kept close from him and the Church so earnest was he to know those things which we neglect to know Chap. 5.4 This book is a most precious Jewel which Christ hath bestowed upon his Church in the latter dayes and it is our great duty to look into it and read it study it open it and expound it that all the people may thorowly be acquainted with it especially in these times for now in this Age is and shall be the very heat of the war and brunt of the battle betwixt God and Beliall betwixt Christ and Antichrist betwixt the Lambs followers and the Beasts followers Now this book lyeth all open and plainly telleth us what shall be the issue and successe in the day of battel which side shall have the victory and which side shall go down Chap. 17.19 And certainly the sons of Belial shall not long prevail the date of their Reigne is almost out and the time draweth on apace wherein both they and their Beast shall be laid in the dust This book sheweth us the rising of the Beast the declining of the Beast and the ruine of the Beast Chap. 18 Our Lord Jesus hath shewed us in this book the sorrowes and sufferings and afflictions and tribulations which the Church was to meet withal in the latter times Chap. 11.7 and Chap. 12.14 15. and Chap. 13.7 And her deadly and cruel Enemies the Whore of Babylon the Mother of Harlots the Beast the false Prophet and the great red Dragon which maketh War against her and casteth out floods after her Chap. 12 17 This book sheweth us likewise the true State of the true Church upon Earth what she is where she is how she is and what she shall be hereafter and that before the slaying under the slaying and after the slaying 1. Before the slaying time the true Church is in the Wilderness where she hath a place prepared her of God that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes Chap. 12.2 Before the slaying of the Witnesses the true Worshippers of God are in a low condition in heavinesse and sadnesse in sack-cloth and ashes in a mourning and suffering State being scattered and dispersed here and there as Israell was of old But though this be the condition of the poor Woman in the Wilderness yet she is not without comfort she may take comfort in three things 1. That God prepared a place for her 2. That God nourished her locked her up in his chamber of Providence 3. That God numbered her dayes of suffering The Tribulation of the Saints of the Old Testament is reckoned up still by years as the bondage of Egypt four hundred and thirty years and the Captivity of Babylon seventy years But under the New Testament by Dayes Ye shall have tribulation ten dayes Chap. 2.10 And the two witnesses shall lye dead three dayes and a half Chap Chap. 11.9 So the Woman was to be in the wilderness a thousand two hundred and threescore days The Church is compared to a woman for four Reasons First As as woman is weak and feeble so is the Church and can doe nothing without Christ John 15.5 Secondly As a woman is useful and fruitful so is the Church John 15.2 Thirdly As a woman is faire and beautiful so is the Church Ezek. 16.13 Fourthly As a woman is full of love affection so is the Church Cant. 2.5 2 Under the slaying time the true worshippers of God and witnesses of Jesus Christ lie dead in the Street of the great City which is spiritually called
Where there is a Vaile cast before the eyes of knowledge there is a Barre set before the hands of practise An ignorant person neither knows what he is a doing nor doth he know whether he is a going he doth nothing but undoe himself by doing Carnal men see no preciousness and loveliness in Christ Oh what is thy beloved more then another beloved Cant. 5,9 If thou knowest the gift of God and who it is that asketh thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water John 4.10 Christ goes undesired in the world because he goes undiscerned by the world But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 But now believers being enlightned by the Spirit of God and by the Word of God they see themselves what they were before faith and what they are by faith and what they shall be at the end of faith they see Christ to be all precious precious in his Ordinances precious in his Discoveries precious in his Graces precious in his Gifts precious in his Promises precious in his Members precious in his Ministers and precious in himself 1 Pet. 2.7 Therefore believers cannot but love him and follow him Fifthly They follow the Lamb because they love the Lamb. Grace be with all them that love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Ephes 6.24 They love him with a superlative love Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee Psal 73.25 The Spouse of Christ looks upon what she is as not great enough for his remembrance and what she does as not good enough for his acceptance Look not upon me because I am black because the Sun hath looked upon me My Mothers Children were angry with me they made me the keeper of their Vineyard but mine one Vineyard have I not kept Cant. 1.6 The Church is never more fair than when she judgeth her self to be most deformed never more happy than when she accounts her self most miserable never more holy than when she reckons her self most polluted she is never richer than when she seeth her self to be poorest of all The soul that loves much is a soul that works much the Commands of the Gospel are not grievous to him but precious to him Tell me oh thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest Cant. 1.7 A soul that loves Christ hath hath his eye upon Christ and his desire is after Christ The desire of our souls is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee With my Soul have I desired thee in the Night yea with my Spirit will I seek thee early Isa 26.8 9. True believers love Christ more then they love themselves They loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 13 11. Christ is dearer to them than their lives they slighted contemned yea despised their very lives when they stood in competition with Christ and his Glory and chose rather to suffer the greatest misery than he should lose the least dram of his honour The love of Christ hath made his Saints and VVitnesses yield all the parts and members of their bodies to the cruel and mercilesse instruments of bloody persecutors their backs to be whipt their eyes to be boared and their tongues to be cut out of their mouths Heb. 11.37 Oh how strongly did these love the measure of loving Christ is to love him without measure Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Tribulation shall not Persecution shall not Famine and Nakednesse shall not Peril and Sword shall not for I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8.35 38 39. Sixthly They follow the Lamb because they are married to the Lamb Jer. 3.14 I am married unto you Rev. 21.9 I will shew thee the Bride the Lambs Wife Cant. 2.16 My beloved is mine and I am his Here I will shew you two things First How Christs comes to be ours 2ly How we come to be Christs First Christ is ours by the free donation and gift of the Father God so loved the word that he gave his only begotten Son John 3.16 Secondly Christ freely gave himself unto us so that Christ is ours by his own consent he hath as it were passed over himself unto us Christ loved me and gave himself for me said the Apostle Gal. 2.20 Thirdly Christ hath passed himself over unto his Church by marriage and therefore she is called his Queen his Spouse his Bride and his VVife Psal 45.9 Although we had nothing to bring to him but poverty shame forrow and misery yet he took us and loved us and married us Fourthly Christ is ours by communicating his own Spirit to us 2. The Saints are Christs four ways First By the Donation of the Father God hath made him both Lord and Christ Acts 2.36 And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the Head over all things in the Church Ephes 1.22 And now saith Christ Behold I and the Children whom thou gavest me thine they were and thou gavest them me John Seventeen Six God the Father gave us to God the Son that he might redeem us and God the Son gave us to God the Father that he might sanctifie us and keep us from the evill of the World verse 17. Secondly We are Christs by choice I have chosen you out of the World And the Saints are said to be Chosen in Christ Eph. 1.4 And they are called A chosen Generation 1 Pet. 2.9 And chosen and faithful Rev. 17.14 Thirdly The Saints are Christs by purchase We were in our Enemies hands and under their power and could not free our selves from the bondage of the Law Sin Satan Death and Hell therefore saith the Apostle We are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6.20 For in respect of Gods Justice we are bought by Christ Fourthly We are Christs by combination and Covenant I entred into Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine Ezek. 16.8 That is I did make a Solemn Covenant or Stipulation with thee that I would take thee to be my people So that it is no wonder Pelievers follow the Lamb whethersoever he goeth they are married to him he is their Head and Husband Seventhly They follow the Lamb because they have the Spirit of the Lamb We have not the spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we may know the things that are of God And we have the mind of Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 2.11 12 16. And we know that he abides in us by the Spirit which he hath given us Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his This Spirit that the Lord
His Pleasant Portion Jer. 12.10 Thirdly His Inheritance Isa 19.25 Fourthly The Dearly beloved of my soul Jer. 12.7 Fifthly Gods Treasure and peculiar Treasure Exod. 19.5 Sixthly His Glory Isa 46.13 Seventhly The House of Gods glory Isa 60.7 Eighthly A Crown of Glory Isa 62.3 Ninthly A Royal Diadem in the same place Tenthly The Glory of God Jer. 3.17 Eleventhly Golden Candlesticks Rev. 1.12 Twelfthly Kings Rev. 5.10 And in my Text Heaven There is as much difference between the Church of God and other men as there is betwixt Gold and Dirt as betwixt Diamonds and Pebbles in the Lords esteem they are to God above all people The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Pro. 12.26 O how precious how happy how blessed and glorious are Believers they are called Heaven Secondly Believers are called Heaven because there is much of them in Heaven First Their Thoughts are in Heaven Psal 139.18 Secondly Their Desires are ie Heaven Psal 73.25 Thirdly Their Affections are in Heaven Col. 3 2. Fourthly Their Hopes are in Heaven Tit. 2.13 Fifthly Their Conversations are in Heaven Phil. 3.20 Sixthly Their Hearts are in Heaven Mat. 6.21 Seventhly Their Aims are in Heaven Luke 10.20 O there is much of Believers in heaven their souls are in heaven when their bodies are walking upon the Earth they live in heaven whil'st they are on the earth and they come to heaven when they leave the earth Eph. 2.6 And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus The Saints are set in heavenly places heavenly Dignities heavenly priviledges heavenly Prerogatives The Saints of the High God are set in high places The true Church is that Spouse that is fair and beautiful Cant. 2.14 O the Church of Christ is lovely and glorious First Glorious in her Head Secondly Glorious in her Titles Thirdly Glorious in her Gifts and Graces Fourthly Glorious in her Offices Fifthly Glorious in her Priviledges Sixthly Glorious in her Members O the Church of Christ is a holy Church and a glorious Church That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinke or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Ephes 5.27 They are not defiled they are Virgins and in their mouthes is found no guile Now he that hath an ear to hear let him hear I shall exhort you that are members of this heavenly Church First To seek Heavenly things before and above all things else Let your hearts be filled with Heavenly knowledge and heavenly riches Secondly Delight in heavenly things let it be your heaven upon Earth to serve the God of heaven Thirdly Act by Heavenly Principles Fourthly Have a holy dependance upon God For Direction For Protection For Assistance For a blessing Fifthly Eye Heavenly objects God Christ and the Spirit Sixthly Imitate Heavenly Ones follow them that follow Christ Seventhly Walk by a Heavenly Rule walk according to the Laws of heaven Eighthly and lastly Live much in heaven Your Father is in heaven Your Head is in Heaven Your Husband is in heaven Your King is in heaven Your Treasure is in heaven Your Crown is in heaven Your Wages are in heaven And where should you be but in heaven Knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance Heb. 10.34 For we know that if our Earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God and a house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 Oh these are blessed and holy ones And they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful Rev. 17.14 Oh labour to be like these in purity and piety in holiness and humbleness in meekness and patience in faithfulness and uprightness in spiritualness and in all Godliness Thirdly Follow the Lamb out of Babylon And they cryed with a loud voice saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth Revel 6.10 And another Angel came out of the Temple crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the Cloud Thrust in thy Sicle and reap for the time is come for thee to reap for the harvest of the Earth is ripe And he that sat on the Cloud thrust in his Sicle on the earth and the earth was reaped And another Angel came out of the Temple which is in heaven he also having a sharp Sicle Rev. 14.15 16 17. The Whore of Babylon shall be destroyed with a double destruction Her walls shall fall down Her wall of Power Her wall of Policy Her wall of Superstition Her wall of Maintenance And that for these Reasons First Because she hath corrupted Religion and that both in Doctrine and Worship Babylon is fallen is fallen that great City because she made all Nations drink of the Wine of the wrath of her fornication Rev. 14.8 Chap. 18.3 Secondly Because she hath poysoned the Kings of the Earth The Whore of Babylon hath been the great corrupter of Kings 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 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 battle of that great day of God Almighty Rev. 16.13.14 Chap. 17.2 Thirdly For her cruelty In her was found the blood of the Prophets and all the Saints that were slain upon the Earth Chap. 18.24 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and when I saw her I wondred with great admiration Chap. 17.6 Fourthly Because her ruine and destruction is published and proclaimed over the world And he cryed mightily with a strong voice saying Babylon the great is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of Devils Chap. 18.2 Chap. 14.8 Fifthly It is the great design that Christ hath in the latter dayes of the world to destroy Antichrist The Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings Cha. 17.14 His eyes were as a flame of fire and on his head were many Crowns and he was cleathed with a Vesture dipt in blood and his name is called The Word of God And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he should smite the Nations Chap. 19.12 13 15. Sixthly Because she hath greatly insulted and triumpht over the Lords people in their miseries and calamities And they that dwell upon the Earth shall rejoyce over them and make merry and send gifts one to another Rev. 11.10 Seventhly Because of all the Churches enemies that ever were this is the cruellest enemy The fourth Beast is worse than any of the former Beasts And behold a fourth Beast dreadfull and terrible and strong exceedingly and it had great Iron teeth and it was divers from all the Beasts that were before it Dan. 7.7 Rev. 18.24 Eightly It is the expectation of all the Saints that Babylon should be destroyed and thrown like a Mil-stone Chap. 18.21 Now God that hath raised this expectation in the hearts of his people he will not frustrate their expectation he will fulfill their Petions Ninthly God hath promised to destroy the scarlet Whore because she hath destroyed his Saints and she is to be rewarded as she hath rewarded others Chap. 15.5 6. Chap. 18.8 Tenthly The Whore of Babylon shall be destroyed because she trusteth in the arm of flesh and glorieth in her strength and riches How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her for she saith in her heart I sit a Queen I am no Widdow and shall see no sorrow therefore shall her plagues come Chap. 18.7 Now Beloved consider of this and think of this and keep your selves from Babylon that ye do not partake of her sins least ye receive of her plagues O poor sinners if you have any love to your Souls if you have any mind to be saved follow the Lamb that you may be saved by the Lamb. He leads poor souls from darkness to light From death to life From vice to vertue From Satan to God From poverty to plenty From sorrow to joy From misery to glory From an earthly Kingdom to a heavenly Kingdom Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom Mat. 25.34 O the Kingdom which Christ leads poor souls to is First A Rich Kingdom Secondly A peaceable Kingdom Thirdly A Righteous Kingdom Fourdily A blessed Kingdom Fifthly A Glorious Kingdom Sixthly A satisfying Kingdom Seventhly A Universal Kingdom Eighthly An Everlasting Kingdom Oh follow the Lamb follow the Lamb that you may be for ever glorified with the Lamb and by the Lamb. FINIS