the Ordinances whereas the Ordinance in it self is but a vail or shadow and silver is a pure metal though not so esteemed of as gold Unto this I answer Though the Ordinance in it self is but a shadow and so Babylon yet no question but that there are some glorious truths held forth which may be compared unto silver though the gold and silver it self shall fall in the fall of Babylon Now having spoken of the head of gold and the brest and arms which are silver next I shall speak of the belly and thiths which are of brasse that may very well signifie the counterfeit truths which were held forth in the National Church of England as touching Discipline I may very well say they are altogether counterfeit because they have no rule from the Word for what they practise neither for the calling of the Ministery nor the institution of such a Church Now having spoken concerning what is to be understood of the Image of Babel in reference to the Saints and the Ordinances and that counterfeit Church which was amongst us now I shall speak concerning those parts of the Image that concern the state in which Babylon hath begun to fall and in the first place I shall speak of the Monarchical power of this mixture of the feet and toes even that power which rules in the tenth part of the great City which is mystical Babylon But now some may object That Babylon is everywhere and so not to be confined unto any State Unto this I answer It is true that Babylon cannot be confined yet the Scripture is clear that whatsoever is spoken of that Babylon wherein the Witnesses are slain Rev. 11. Jer. 50 and 51 or where the Saints are in bondage c. now this Babylon spoken in these Scriptures is the tenth part of the great City which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt where our Lord was crucified as Rev. 11. which doth evidently appear to be this Island of Great Britain as I have formerly written Now as for the Monarchical power that hath been acted in the tenth part of the great City immediately before its fall it is well known to be before quoted Dan. 2 7 8 11 Chap. The Scripture will speak it forth to be an arbitrary power which hath evidently appeared to be in this Island which arbitrary power hath not onely been in the Monarchical Sâ—ate but in the foregoing Parliament of England which did in its special manner appear to be that glorious State spoken of Ezek. 28. and not onely have spiritual excellencies appeared in her but she hath appeared to be Babylon in special manner and in particular the violence done unto the Saints remember March and April Anno. Dom. 1647 and so accordingly the inhabitants of Caldea do go on to fill up the measure of their sin in the persecuting of the Saints to the hastening of the dreadful indignation of that God who is nothing but love in his own nature but consuming fire to his enemies Another Objection may arise Some may say What is the reason that you do give the spiritual meaning of the head of gold and the brest of silver and the belly of brasse and do onely give a literal signification of the legs of iron and the feet and toes of iron and clay Answ. As for the three former they have been accomplished already in the letter and the fourth almost though there is some of it remains behinde concerning which we must give literal interpretation before the spiritual meaning shall be made known Now as for the literal intepretation of the legs feet and toes of the great Image and the spiritual interpretation of the head brest and belly all this is to be accomplished in a spiritual and literal sense together and the spiritual meaning of the legs feet and toes shall be accomplished in the Kingdom of the Saints And with this I shall end this discourse The Second Letter Concerning the nature of the dissolving the heavens and the earth My dear Friends I Have cause to blesse God who causeth me to triumph in tribulation for sure I am most strong in God when I am weakest in my self and more enabled to act by the Spirit when I am most straightned in the flesh and having nothing in visible appearance in the enjoyment of the Saints or any other spiritual or temporal comforts yet I possesse all things in my God in whom I live and he in me and my joy and consolation is not in my self in that I live in God in mine own particular but my joy is the joy of you all for sure my soul is bound up with yours in the same bundle as the Apostle says I am alive if you stand fast in these terrible times wherein the powers of heaven are shaken and not onely the powers of heaven shaken in the Saints but heaven it self is passing away with a great noise and the element melts with fervent heat Now here I shall God assisting make forth that which I have formerly written which for the present I am deprived of howsoever I do here depend upon his help who I am sure will give it in again so far as it is spiritual enabling me to communicate it for the benefit of others so far as it shall stand with his glory which Writing did consist of divers particulars As First concerning the state of the Church of God in Babylon in respect of that wonderful tribulation before her deliverance out of Babylon and her being gathered out of Babylon and her being brought into the wildernesse after her deliverance and the glorious state of the Church which shall follow concerning all which particulars most of the Saints will joyn with me onely this wildernesse-condition is lookt on as most disconsolate insomuch that the Saints themselves may think as the children of Israel that it is best for them to continue still in Babylon especially those who do not onely live under the Ordinances but in them in abundance of sensible consolation which I am sure is not spiritual insomuch that it may well be compared to the flesh-pots of Egypt Now as for the former Writing so far as God shall enable me I shall here make it forth and so shew how far the Saints do joyn with me and where we differ Now all the people of God will agree in this that the Lord will gather his people out of Babylon in bringing them out of Darknesse and Errour they do likewise expect a glorious state of the Church but in contrariety of judgements one from another which is most in circumstances and not in substance Now the particular judgements of the Saints are as followeth In the first place and so in that they do most agree which is concerning this new heaven and earth that we do expect which is conceived shall not be till all these old things shall passe away And they do likewise expect an utter dissolution of this visible heaven and earth and
so after that the glorious state of the Church follows Others likewise do conceive that the Jews shall be converted to the Faith before the end And so concerning the glorious state of the Church most conceive it in a spiritual sense yet some do not deny but that there shall be a temporal power which shall go forth from the Saints as in Revel. 2. 16 17. and Psal. 2. which is the Kingdom of the Saints that is begun even here in Babylon amongst their implacable enemies as Mic. 4. from vers. 8. unto the end Dan. 2. 41. Now I shall not undertake to confute any of these particulars by force of Argument but I shall shew how far I can joyn with them and where I differ Now in the first place Whereas the Saints do expect a dissolution of all things at the last day when the Son of man shall come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and all the Saints with him in like manner who shall be gathered together by the sound of a trumpet as in 1 Cor. 15. and 1 Thess. 4 and 5 Chap. concerning which time the Scriptures are as follow Isai. 2. towards the end Isa. 13. Isa. 51. 6. Isa. 66. Psal. 50. Revel 6. 13. unto the end Reveâ— 20. all which Scriptures and many more speak of the day of Judgement and unto this I will assent in that I do verily believe that the glorious state of the Church shall not be until all these things be fulfilled which are spoken in these Scriptures as our Saviour saith Heaven and earth shall passe away but my word shall not passe away for that cannot be shaken because it is the foundation of the new heaven and the new earth as Isa. 51. 16. which is not to be understood of the written Word for that shall passe away when all things are fulfilled Now that Word of God which continues for ever is God himself as Joh. 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and that Word was God so that as God was from all eternity so this Word of God continues to all eternity and sure this Word begins to be manifested in the Saints 1 Joh. 4. though it hath been a long time hidden Howsoever though I do joyn in this that the glorious state of the Church shall not be till these visible things are passed away yet I differ from them in the matter which shall passe away and in the manner how it shall passe away and by what means it shall passe away Now that matter which shall passe away is generally conceived to be this visible heaven and earth at the last day and by what means by fire and in what manner it is made forth at large 2 Pet. 3. where it is said that the day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night wherein the heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the element shall melt with fervent heat and the earth with the works therein shall be burnt up Now I say I do differ in all these particulars in some sense for I differ First in the matter which shall passe away for I do not conceive that these visible heavens shall be dissolved and so consequently of that which follows Unto this some may reply Doth not the Apostle Peter speak plainly that the heavens and earth are reserved to fire against the day of judgement and perdition of wicked and ungodly men To this I answer If you do observe the Apostle Peter in the words foregoing you shall finde that he makes distinction between the world that perished by water and the heavens and earth which now are which are said to be reserved to fire whereas this visible heaven and earth as it is understood in the letter to be the firmament and the earth that we live in as it was distinguished in the Creation it is the same as it was from the beginning as the mockers say vers. 4. Now whereas the Apostle makes this distinction between the heaven and earth which was before the flood and the heaven and earth that now is whereas it is the same in the letter none will deny I say from this distinction of the Apostle in this Scripture and many other Scriptures which joyn in this I do conclude that these Scriptures which we have formerly conceived to concern the dissolution of this visible heaven and earth do onely concern the passing away of the Ordinances which is that heaven wherein God hath appeared gloriously unto the unspeakable consolation of the Saints and this earth here spoken of is the best part of man as his natural wisdom and humane learning and gifts not onely common gifts but spiritual gifts whereby they are enabled to speak unto edification which may be comprehended under the same notion for the Apostle speaks as if the wicked may have the common gifts of the Spirit Now those gifts that the Saints have been carried forth in of late do evidently appear to be that element which melts with servent heat But here you may observe that though heaven in our sense is thus on fire 2 Pet. 3. 12. yet it is but dissolved and the element is but melted onely here is a difference between heaven and the element for heaven onely ceaseth to be in that manner as it was in grosse yet there is no alteration in the nature of it as when we say the Parliament is dissolved the men continue the same onely it ceaseth to be a body Politick and likewise our precious Cordials as Bezer are not effectual to our good untill they be dissolved into some liquid matter so God who is our heaven in the Ordinance for there can be no heaven without him And so when God which is our heaven shall be thus dissolved and cease being covered with a vail then this vail shall vanish away like smoke which vail is the Ordinance and heaven being dissolved the Saints are in a capacity to contain this heaven in the flesh and surely God who is our heaven shall appear in the flesh of all his Saints shortly in his glorious manifestations for as the Apostle Peter saith We according to his promise look for a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse which is not a heaven without us as before in the Ordinances and the teachings of men but it is a heaven within us even God manifested in the flesh of his Saints as in the humanity of Christ Now the Saints stand in the same relation to God as our elder brother Christ whilst they are in the state of imperfection as John saith We are the sons of God but it doth not appear what we shall be but when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is and then are the sons of God manifest Now we see that we are no losers though our heaven being on fire hath been dissolved for now we have our heaven within us that cannot
he is truth Unto this I answer There is more excellency in the Saints then in the Truth I will instance in some particulars Our Saviour in Matthew speaking concerning the doctrine of the Pharisees who taught that if any did swear by the Temple it was nothing but whosoever sware by the gold of the Temple offended ye fools saith he for whether is greater the gold or the temple which sanctifieth the gold So by this we see that the Saints are more excellent then the Truth they are the temples of the living God the sons and daughters of God Almighty who do partake of the same nature union love and glory as Christ our Saviour our Head and Elder Brother Joh. 17. from vers. 21. unto the end From the Scripture it doth clearly appear that the Saints are more excellent then the Truth it self But I would not be mistaken for I do not speak here of Truth as God is said to be Truth nor dare I speak of it as Christ is called the Word of God as in Joh. 1. 1. Joh. and Revel. But I speak of Truth as it is held forth by the ministery of man in Babylon which appeareth most glorious unto to the carnal sense being held forth by men of learning and parts which shall fall in the fall of Babylon So my dear friend I have followed God in making forth that which he is pleased to convey by me as his instrument to whom I acknowledge all for here is no flesh to glory in his presence for it is none of mine the Lord knows And with this I shall close up desiring the Lord will manifest himself unto you in discovering those things which are hidden from the world who when they think of peace and safety the day of the Lord comes upon them as a thief in the night But I may say of you as the Apostle did of the Thessâ—lonians You brethren are not in darknesse that so that day should come upon you as a thief you are the children of the day we are not of the night nor of darknesse therefore let us not sleep as do others but let us watch and be sober And that must we do to whom the Lord is pleased to discover himself in making us to know that which is hidden unto others we dare not sleep nor be silent but stand upon our watch-tower as to wait for further discovery so to make known that which God hath revealed already And so here I shall close up committing you to God and to the power of his grace who will manifest himself more then ever in making his to know that now which hath been hidden from the beginning of the world And so wishing all happinesse in the Lord I shall ever remain yours in the greatest engagements An Addition Now having spoken concerning the spiritual meaning of the feet and toes spoken of Dan. 2. and likewise as God hath enabled me I have answered to some Objections yet upon further consideration there remain others unto which by the help of God I shall give answer Object 1. In the first place then How I can make it appear that the feet and toes of the great Image is one State How can it be confined to that Parliament of England which is come to confusion for it is evident the Scripture speaks of divers Kings which are the feet and toes for it is said in the last days of these Kings speaking of the last powers which is the feet and toes that the God of heaven shall set up a Kingdom Unto this I answer that if we wrest the Prophesies to the Letter the feet and toes appear to be divers Kings even ten in number answering to the ten horns that support the beast Dan. 7. and Rev. 13. Howsoever we have no warrant from the Scripture for any such interpretation the Scripture being altogether silent there is an interpretation given of the rest of the four Monarchs but for the Monarchical power which is in the mixture of the feet and toes there is no interpretation given but its own acts which the Scripture mentions in Dan. 2. 7 8 11. Now in the Letter the four Monarchies spoken of Dan. 2. which was first the King of Babylon the head of gold and so the other three Monarchies successively as the Scripture speaketh it needs no interpretation because it is clear in the letter but howsoever all Prophecies must have a spiritual interpretation for if it should be confined to the letter there would follow great absurdities because when the feet of the great Image are broken the iron and clay brasse silver gold falls all together and becomes as the chaff of the summer-floor whereas it is well known that the Babylonian Monarchy and the other two following are fallen the last is fallen in good part before the feet and toes are broken which in the letter are said to be broken in the first place by the stone which is cut out of the mountain And so it is clear that the great Image spoken of Dan. 2. is to be understood otherwise then we have formerly and certainly it will appear to be that Image of Babel that the Lord will visit Jerem. 51. 47 52 Now the Image or Images of Babylon are not to be understood in the letter that is such things as we count Images for they are not capable of visiting or punishing but is to be understood in a spiritual sense and so whatsoever is spoken here in Dan. 2. concerning this great Image whose head was of gold and his brest and arms of silver is to be accomplished in mystical Babylon and so in the first place the head of this great Image which is of gold doth concern the spiritual excellencies which do appear in mystical Babylon in respect of the glorious truths which have been held forth by the Saints but in confusion which is Babylon Jer. 51. where it is said that Babylon hath been as a golden cup in the Lords hand the nations have drunken of her wine therefore do the nations rage and it is evident that Babylon in the Saints which is the head of gold is lifted up very high in respect of those unspeakable comforts that the Saints have in the apprehension of the truth which is held forth by Babylon in that it is said How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer son of the morning Isai. 14. Now having spoken of Babylon in the Saints which is the head of gold now I shall speak of Babylon in the Ordinance which may be very fitly compared to the brest and arms of the great Image which are of silver I speak of the Ordinances which are held forth in the purest manner even those which are most agreeable to the letter of the Word even that element that melts with fervent heat which is a degree below Babylon in the Saints which is the head of gold But now it may be objected How can the brest and arms which are of silver signifie
from another but they make up the fulnesse of God and so this full God shall be manifested in the flesh of those Saints who shall live to the state of perfection and so the resurrection of this corporal body or flesh and blood as well in a spiritual sense as literal cannot inherit the kingdom of God neither can corruption inherit incorruption and so the Apostle saith Behold I shew you a mystery we shall not all die but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump and in Isai it is called the great trump that shall sound and then the dead in Christ rise concerning which I have spoken in another place So you see that these Scriptures do not concern the resurrection of the body after death which death cannot properly be said to be death in that the body is called a Tabernacle now a Tabernacle cannot be said to die onely it is dissolved as the Apostle saith When this earthly tabernacle shall be dissolved we have a house not made with hands but eternal in the heavens And so natural death may be looked on as when a man puts off his clothes when he goes to rest and the Apostle could desire not to be unclothed that is to put off this natural body but rather to live unto that time when the Saints shall be clothed upon and mortality swallowed up of life And so likewise the Scripture speaking of Christ calls his flâ—sh a vail saying the vail which was his flesh And so the natural body is onely a vail and when this vail which is the flesh is put off then man may be said to die and then this vail which is the body returns to the earth and the spirit returns to God that gave it Now this shews that the reasonable soul which is in all mankinde is God himself who is in a wicked man as well as in the Saints as the Apostle speaking to the Athenians comprehends them amongst the off-spring of God Acts 17. 28 29. when he saith Forasmuch then as we are the off-spring of God we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold or silver Now though God may be said to be in a wicked man Christ is not in any but those that are Christ's those who are the sons and daughters of God Almighty in whom God is manifested in the flesh however the Saints stand in the same relation to God their Father before the time of this glorious manifestation as the Apostle saith We are the sons of God but it doth not appear what we shall be but when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is and when to us a childe is born to us a son is given the government shall be upon his shoulder and in Revel. 12. that manchilde which is brought forth as he is caught up to God and to his throne so likewise he is to rule all nations with a rod of iron Now this Son in Isai. 9. and this Man-childe in Revel. 12. and he that sits on the white horse in Revel. 19. 11. who is called Faithful and True I say that which is spoken of in these Scriptures concerning Christ it is to be applied to every particular Saint who are comprehended in the number of those that overcome Revel. 2. 20. where it is said He that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end to him will I give power over the nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to pieces even as I have received of my Father and I will give unto him the bright morning-Star So likewise Psal. 2. which speaks of that power which is given to the Saints which is confined unto those which shall overcome which shall sit down with Christ in his throne as in Revel. 3. 21. where it is said To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father on his throne Now when it is thus with the Saints Christ ceaseth to be a Mediatour in that the Saints are invested into the kingdom and so declared mightily to be the sons of God by the resurrection from the dead and so have overcome hell and death being risen with Christ as in Hos. 6. 2 3. and 13. 14. I will ransome them from the power of the grave I will redeem them from death O death I will be thy plague O grave I will be thy destruction Now this ransome is an overcoming in that it is said in the Revelation that the Saints did overcome by the word of God and the testimony of Jesus which is done in the glorious manifestation of Jesus Christ and so we are in a capacity to keep the works of God unto the end Now this may be understood divers ways concerning which I cannot speak at present But when the Saints shall thus overcome they shall sit down with Christ in his throne even as he overcame and sate down in his Fathers throne Now this Kingdom of Christ is distinct from the former which was the Kingdom of Christ in the flesh a Kingdom of Forms a power over us but this Kingdom throws down all forms and power over us and all powers that were over us also in respect of the Ordinances which vanish away when this Kingdom doth begin and so likewise this Kingdom shall throw down all powers on earth Dan. 2 44. speaking there of the last powers it is said In the days of these Kings shall the God of heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to another people but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms and stand for ever Dan. 7 27 it is said The kingdom and dominion and the greatnesse of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and all dominions shall serve and obey him which is the fulnesse of God which comprehends all the Saints departed which shall be manifested in flâ—sh which is that resurrection spoken of as before Now this Kingdom which I have formerly spoken of is begun in Babylon Now here I have made a digression from the matter in hand in that I must follow God but now I am returned again and so accordingly I shall speak further concerning these particulars according as God shall give in which is concerning the state of the body after natural death Now we all know as the tree falls so it lieth and never riseth again as to live and that seed which is sown it dieth and ceaseth to be as it was that same body never appeareth And so when man dieth his body returneth unto the earth as in Ecclesiastes and Gen. 3. 19 where it is said In the sweat of thy brows theu shalt eat bread