foolish Shepheards that would devour the Flock and wil deliver them out of their mouths and he will make them as the dung of the Earth they shall no more speak lâ—es in the Name of the Lord but the Hailestrom shall sweep away the refuge of lyes and the eyes of this generation shall see it Be making ready for the glorious appearance of the Lord and cry Makâ— hast my belâ—ved and be thou lâ—ke â—o â— Roe or to a young Hart upon the Mountains of Spices 12. Wait for an Annointing of Light Zeal and Magnanimity to execute the vengeance of the Lord upon the beast for Wrath is determined from the Lord and the Nations shall tremble because of it and the Cup of it shall speedilybe put into theirhands â—hough they have said A confederacy and there is a healing and peace among them and the Testimony lyes dead yet the Lord will come upon them as the breach of many waters Let that word of our Lord dwell upon your hearts for the day of it is coming upon the World Luke 21. 25. c. Anâ— there shall be signes in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars and upon the Earth DISTRESS of NATIONS with perplexity the Sea and the waters roaring mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the Earth for the Power of Heaven shall be shaken and thâ—n shall they see the Son of Man coming in a Cloud with Power and greaâ— glory And when these things begin â—o come â—o pass then look up and lift up your hâ—ads FOR YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWETH NIGH. No age of the world hath produced such a series of Signs and Wonders as this hath done in these two years last past which are still multiplied which though neglected and blasphemed by a generation of scoffers yet are to be had in reverence by all that fear the Lord and regard the 〈◊〉 of his hands Which signs usuâ—â—ly be speak distresse of Nations and thâ— Sâ—â—nâ—s that observe them are called to liâ—t up thâ—ir â—eadâ— The voice of the Lord â—o Egypt in the signes and wonders of that â—â—y was Let my people go that they may serve me Exod. 16. 14 16. â—â— 8. 1. ch 9. 1. 13. ch 10. 3. And when Phâ—roah refused â—o lâ—t the People of God go free that they might serve the Lord and hardâ—ned himself against the wonders of God it proved his and the Egyptians destruction and wrath was upon them and the Lord by a strong hand let his people go But this Consideration would require a larger discussion Let what hath been hinted help you to a patient waiting let us say with good Jeremiah Chap. 14. vers last Art not thou he Oh Lord our God therefore we will wait upon thee for thou hast made all these things The Lord will raise the expectation of his Saints as he hath already begun and then he will come into them Psal 9. 15. then 't is but for a moment a little moment nay but as it were a little moment scarce to be call'd a little moment but as it were so and the indignation shall be over-past The Lord would assure his poor people That he waits but his siâ—test season as if delay were more grievous to him than to his people Who would not wait for such a God Oh! blessed be all they that wait for him Isa 30. 8. Take that word which the Lord hath spoken to one or another of his poor sâ—rvants Ps 3â— 34. Wait on the Lord and keep his way and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land when the wicked are cut off THOU SHALT SEE IT Amen FINIS
Poland France Ireland c. of late years and the death that the whole Work of Christ is under at this day it being clear that when the last slaughter is past and the lying dead three days and an half is over in the Witnesse resurrection that then they ascendâ—… to Heaven into a state of Liberty Power and Glory from which they fall no more but the seventh Angel sounds and the third Wo cometh upon the World the last Plagues to be executed upon the Antichristian World and Voices are heard in Heaven amongst the Churches proclaiming the Lord Jesus King of Nations for that upon the resurrection of the Witnesses and sounding of the seventh Angel the Lord Jesus comes forth to take to himself his great Power and to reign to contest with the Horns about his Soveraignty to rule the Nations with a Rod of Iron breaking them in pieces as a Porters Vessel at which time as some eminent Witness of the Lord have well stated it The little Stone cut out without hands the separated Saints in the Nations begins in a more especial manner to smiâ—e the Image Dan. 2. 39. for the Stone begins to smite upon the feet of the Image the last part of the Roman Monarchy which roes upon the feet ver 41. are the sâ—me with the ten Horns as Dan. 7. And the Stone smiting breaking in pieces consuming the Kingdoms as the Spirit of God opens the meaning of the Stone and its smiting v. 44. And in the dayes of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom the Kingdom of the Stone which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to othâ—r people but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever is interpreted further in the Vision that Daniel himself had of the same thing ch 7. 22. 26 When Judgement is given to the Saints of the Most High And ver 26. The Judgement shall sit the Saints judging the ten-horned Beast and his Kingdom and they shall take away his Dominion to consurne and to destroy it unto the end But I do but hint here what I may give a further account of in due time to remove the stumbling-blocks that lie in the way of many of the Lord's People as to this glorious truth But I return to my enquiry which is that I humbly judge that the last slaying of the Witnesâ—es was not about the time mentioned for the reasons hinted and others might be given but rather that great sore blow upon the Protestant Interest to be fixed upon that foot of account namely of the Beast making war with the Saints and overcoming them Rev. 13. 7. which War from the time of the Waldensian people he hath been carrying on and overcome them And so in Bohemia Germany c upon which Word are all the former Wars and Victories of the Beast to be stated and not in reference to the last slaughter when the Beast makes War with the Witnesses and kills them and overcomes them which is after a full testimony hath been finished to all the Offices Work and Kingdom of our Lord Jesus and then the Beast such as are in the Spirit of the Beast and influenced by him rise up by the wise and holy permission and ordering of the Lord to bring about his own glorious design and slay the Testimony lay it dead especially in a civil sence in that tenth part of the City where the killing most eminently is which is where the most eminent Testimony for the Kingdom of Christ is the Spirit hath been of any of the Nations and so all publike prophesying in an ordinary way and with an allowed liberty becomes cut off the publike assembling of Churches supprest in that tenth part of the City so that the Work Kingdom of Jesus Christ being likely to arise a few years since in the apprehension of most of the Saints and to the terror of the Nations lo it is laid dead say the sons of Babylon we wil so bury it that it shall rise no more though that will be found their great error I might â—â—stance the Judgement of several ancient holy Witnesses of Christ who are now in the same apprehension as to this dispensation we are under of some who in the highest day of our prosperity a few years since spake of it as to come upon us also as is humbly judg'd by som worthy servants of the Lord at this day that a more then ordinary discovery revelation hath been given forth to a worthy Minister of Christ some others that this is the 3. days a half in which the witnesses are to lie dead which I think meet only to hint at this time But if so then the Word of the Lord is Go and dye as to ordinary publike Prophesying and 't is the wisdom of the Saints to submit to the Dispensation of God and to be content even to lye as dead men in a civil sence till the spirit of life from God enter and a voice be heard in the providential workings of the Lord Come up hither Rev. 11. 12. And let it be soberly considered whether the contrary practice be not to cross the very design of the Lord at this day and to ruine the Churches and whole Interest of Jesus Christ whose resâ—rrection and restauration we are patiently to wait for Yea whether this be the last slaying or not 't is worthy a serious Judgement to consider That in the several Ages of Persecucion from the Apostles dayes unless where some have been carryed forth by an extraordinary impulse of Spirit the Professors and Churches of Christ met together in such a way as might most probably â—â—nd to their preservation in a private and retired way in the best Wisdom they could as the Disciples John 20 19. they were assembled in an upper Room for fear of the Jews And the Church of Hierusalâ—m sâ—attâ—red abroad in parties in the several Provinces upon the Persecution Acts 8. when they began to be halâ—d to prison from their Meetings and those that remained kept in a private way Acts 12. And so we find the Christians assembling secretly by night as they had opportunity As that Congregation that continued together in Q. Mary's dayes in London and kept up their Meetings secretly and were wonderfully preserved in that day though as I may presently shew 't is hard to give out any general absolute Rule in this case But 't is certain this was their ordinary practice The reasons hereof have been spoken to It may further be added that in such a retired way they shall not so much dare and provoke the civil Magistrate to greater wrath against them and not lay a stumbling block in their way but seem more to walk in the meekness of Jesus Christ and 't is the liberty that Jesus Christ doth indulge them and answers his promise of preserving and being a Sanctuary to
retired themselvs from their more publick Ministry In the ordinary providence of God these Reasons of it may be instanced 1. When publick Preachers are sent to preach to the world and the people will not receive them but persecute them they after some patient waiting may withdraw for a testimony against them Mat. 10. 14. which is too often the case of the servants of Christ though it doth not fully reach the case in hand 2. When the Lord Jesus hath more woâ—k and service for his servants and will preserve them to a day of liberty as hath been shewed of the whole generation of Saints then he hath used to hide them by his gracious providence in a wonderful manner and hath called them off from the publick stage and kept them in the midst of the persecutions they have been under or snatcht them out of them as abundant instances might be given so it is prophesied Isa 30. 20 That their teachers should be removed into corneâ—s till the Captivity was over c. 3. In mercy to the Churches that the liberties and lives of the servants of Christ may be preserved to serve them more publickly when the Lord by his providence shal make way and in the mean time may be useful to the Churches in a more private way and not to spend them in a kind of passionate courage upon the implacable fury of their persecutors whence it was that the Disciples at Cesarea so passionately besought Paul not to go up to Hierusalem And when he would have entred in among the people the Disciples suffered him not This may suffice to state and clear this case â—o the consciences of such as may be differently minded herein which may at least call for a mutual forbearance in love and that Satan get not an advantage to stir up heats heighten prejudices beget a greater distance among the people of God and so in stead of closing widen the sad breaches that have been amongst us And yet when I have thus stated this case that the call of Jesus Christ may be to retire and that 't is lawful upon particular personal persecution for the Ministers of Christ to do so yet I also say with blessed Bucer as he states this case on the 4th of Matth. upon our Saviour's retirement That there can be no absolute binding unlimited Rule laid down in this case that shall be binding in all times and to all persons And 't is hard for others to determine when a servant of Christ may more honour the Lord by retirement or by a publike exposing himself Every man in such a case is to give up himself to the leading of the Spirit of the Lord which hath carried some of the servants of Christ in one way and some in another in all times of persecution accordingly as Christ will be glorified by them Though the same Bucer who also retired in the Germane persecution concludes thus Where by retirement flight thou mayest see an advantage of honoring Christ tuae te horae servans by withdrawing thou dost as Christ himself did and as Paul at Damascus Yet that the minds of Saints may be fully satisfied herein I will consider what is usually urged by some to the contrary Obj. How do the servants of the Lord give forth a full Testimony if they retire when Edicts are given forth against them seeing 't is said they overcome by the Woâ—d of their Testimony Rev. 12. That we may therefore consider how far this may reach and when Saints may be said to keep the Commandments of God and to have the Testimony of Iesus Christ ver last 1. A Testimony is given first by the Preachers Witnesses of Christ by discovering the sins and the Antichristian abominations of the age day they live in and witnessing for all the Offices Worship Kingdom of Jesus Christ according to the Scripture as the Spirit of the Lord gives light and acts them thereunto and as the Providence of God opens a door to them Blessed be the Father of Spirits that through the Grace and Power of the Lord Jesus such a Testimony hath been given sorth to the glory of God the conviction and establishment as is hoped of the people of God which testimony no doubt the Lord will make good in his best time and which they leave with God being satisfied they are called by the providence of God to a more retired way 2. All other Saints do keep the Testimony of Jesus and the Commandments of God as opposed to the Commands of men in the matters of Christ and his Worship when they are through the teaching of the Spirit in the Word and the Power of the same Spirit resting upon them kept from partaking of the sins polutions and Anti-christian abominations of false Worship which men would impose upon them Acts 2. 40. Save your selves from this untoward generation Eph. 5 7. Be not ye therefore partakers with them v. 11. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness c. Touch not the uâ—clean thing be ye separate 2. Cor. 6 Come out of her my peâ—ple that ye be not pa takâ—rs of her sins that ye receive not of her plagues Rev. 18. 4. When the professing people shall obey the Lord in such words as these and not defile themselves nor provoke the Lord to jealousie against them this is a good Testimony and such Saints who call for extremities from others may find this to be a Testimony hard enough to be kept when they are tryed as thâ—y have in lesser matters already This Testimony the 7000. kept in Samaria that bowed not their knee to Baal and God accepted them in it And let all the Ministers of Christ who would approve themselves as such to God and his people take heed that they are faithful in this testimony as well as others of the people of God and that under pretence of having the liberty of their Ministry they are not found in compliance with Humane Inventionâ— against light to render themselves a scorn to the prophane and a grief and stumbling block to the godly especially when such eminent and severe strokes from Heaven have been upon many for so doing 3. Saints do keep the Testimony of Jesus Christ when they are found in the practice of Christ's appointments though in a more private way which is a testimony against the persecutions of the World and the abominations thereof as the primitive Christians practised 4. Saints do keep the word of Testimony when any of them are called before men for not partaking in false ways of Worship and being so called do not deny the truth but confess it before man Mâ—tâ—h 10. 32 33. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will â— coâ—fess bâ—fore my Father which is in Heaven But whosoever shall deny me before men him nill I also deny â—efore my Father wâ—ich is in Heaven So â—s said Iâ—sus Christ wiâ—nessed a good â—â—nâ—â—ssion before Poâ—tius Pilate 1 Tim
man is made an offendor for a word Let us all labour to do all in the Wisdom of Jesus Christ in our walking towards the World in 〈◊〉 assembling in our particular walkings in our silence and in our speaking lest not onely themselves but their Brethren also suffer by their weakness and folly Whoso â—â—lketh wisely shall be delivered Prov. 28. 26. 7. In retiring times Jesus Christ calls for bowels towards the afflâ—ctions and necessities of Brethren this is a special duty of the day some thousands of Families are bereft of their bread while the Lord hath spared to others a full portion not onely in mâ—râ—y to themselves but to be a blessing to their distressed Brethren Blessed be the Lord for what he hath done upon the spirit of his servants in this thing already Aâ— the distress will encrease so should the hearts and bowels of such in whose hand it is be enlarged else let not them think to partake of the day of mercy if they shew no mercy to their Brethren when the present dispensation so eminently calls for it A blast from Heaven wil come forth upon the Estates Families Names Spirits of such professors who with-hold bread from the hungry and cast it not upon the waters in such a day Never was such an opportunity put into the hands of any generations to shew much kindnesse to Christ and his Saints as at this day never such a time to lay up much treasure in Heaven 8. The day calls for resignment to the will of God to suffer or to do according to his good pleasure The Lord hath triumphed in some of his suffering ones who have gloriously overcome by the Blood of the Lamb not loving their lives â—â—to the death 't is possible some others may be called forth in the same way many to prisons and much hardship Oh! let us be resigned up to the will of Jesus Christ to be contented he should glorifiâ— himself upon us which way hee pleaseth Live upon that faithful saying 2 Tim. 2. vâ—r 11 12. If we suffer with him we shall also reâ—gn wâ—th him what more can be â—esired You have the pâ—â—mise of Jesus Christ to be with you in what he calls you to and you have the rich experience of your Brethren of his faithfulness therein who triumphed over death in a spirit of glory that was upon them for the Lords Prisoners even in every Prison of England their hearts are full of the praises of the Lord crying to the amazement of their Persecutors Blessed be the Lord for a Prison let not our Brethren be discouraged for Christ wâ—ll meet them and walk with them there This may quiet the hearts of all Saints and not be troubled in case the Providence of God so dispose of them and yet they are to walk wisely in this not exposing themselvs beyond what they see the Lord clearly calling themto and their own conscience satisfied therein A good Cause a good Call a good Conscience makes a mans sufferings sweet to him A servant of Christ may be in a good Cause and in a good work in a Christian duâ—y yeâ— noâ— have a clear Call at that time and season to it 9. The Lord calls for Cruciâ—iedness to the world a weanedness from all Creature comforts Redemption from all Earthly Interests that their hearts be loosned from them The world was got into the hearts of Professors now it must be cast out and the heart crucified to it if they think to follow the Lamb at this day Let every Believer improve his fellowship with the death of Jesus Christ to this purpose and by Faith realize Christ and heaven and glory and for the heart to feed upon them that the world be not as a weight upon their spirits which hath already drowned ensnared perverted too many and is the very bane of profession if not to the falling short of the Kingdom of God yet as to their own comfort their serving the Lord in their Generation Jesus Christ never much honored a worldly Professor or if so if the world at last â—ook hold of him â— bâ—ast wâ—s upon him 1. In retiring times the Lord calls to waiting a patient waiting I charge you that you sleep not nor awake my Lovâ—till he please saith the Spouse Cant. â— 7. The Soouse was contented to wait for him That word of Esâ—y chap. 52. 12. should be pondered by all that fear the Lord For ye shall not go out in hast nor go by flight for the Lord will go before you and the God of Israel will be your Reâ—eward The word refers to the day of the Captivity they should not go out by hast but see the Lord going before them by some signal providence or other as a call to them to go forth Then the Lord faith he would be their Rereward though the Enemy pursue them they should not be able to harm them the Lord in some Cloud or Pillar of Providence or other will call â—orth his People and they shall hear his voice and follow him Precipitancy is the issue of unbelief men do not hang upon the Arm of the Lord when impatiency carries them to such precipitancy Specially let us take heed to this When the Lord is casting in such Harbingers as fore-runners of his coming by signs and wonders in the Heavenâ— and on the Earth and on the Seas yea it may be by special Visision to some of his Servants and the expectation of Saints generally raised to look for him Oh let us wait for he will bring distresse upon his Enemies that they shall walk as blind men Neither shall their silver nor their Gold be able to deliver them in the Day of the Lords Wrath upon tâ—em Zeph. 1. 17. For behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the Earth for their iniquity and the Earth shall disclose her â—lood Isa 2â— v. last 11. As Saints are patiently to wait so also to take heed that they do not fall asleep I say the Lord delayeth c to let them be girt up as expecting their Lord calls and be ready to follow him wheresoever he goeâ—h c. let them not say in their hearts that the Lord hath forâ—aken his people that he is carrying the gospel from England that it is like to be as in the Boâ—emian day and so be consulting to make haste by flight into other Countrâ—ys unless such whose case may be peâ—uliar verily this would be for a provocation this would be the bitter fruit oâ— unbelief lo the Lord will hide you in your own land and keep you as the apple of his Eye hidâ— thy selfe as it were for a little moment freâ— not against the Lord though you are called off from your publike Assemblies and your Ministers laid as dead Verily the Lord who holdeth his Stars in his right hand will cause them to shine â—orth again and they shall give a more glorious light the Lord will be against the