Kingdome shall very shortly begin to break in peeces and consume all these Kingdomes Insomuch that the spirits of many precious ones were revived their minds inlightened Insomuch that methoughts I heard one Disciple that had been ready to faint and quail saying to another Disciple in Jonathans language See I pray you how mine eies have been inlightned because I tasted a little of this Hony This word of the Lord concerning the glorifying of his Son in the sight of all Nations is sweeter than the hony or the hony comb Oh dear hearts you who heard a proof of Christ speaking in him Tell me Did not your hearts wax warm nay did they not burn within you while he spake of those things to you and while he opened to you in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power those Scriptures which do so neerly concern the King of Saints and his Cause at this day His next design was to travel from Prison to Prison where any of the Servants of Christ were shut up and accordingly made an entrance upon that work in coming to this Castle to visit us as not being ashamed of the testimony of the Lord nor of us his Prisoners 2 Tim. 11.8 but appeared very willing to be partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel of the Kingdome according to that measure of the power of God which should be given him even to suffer bonds in the maintenance of that Cause and glorious Truth which formerly had been owned but is now rejected by the General and his Men of War Insomuch that he would in private discourse with some friends declare That a Prison was like to be his portion ere long And no question if he had lived to have inlarged upon the signs of the times and the Spirit of God had come upon him with power the Supreme single Person at his Head-quarters at White-hall with the advice of his Cabinet Councel would after grave and mature deliberation have found it very necessary absolutely necessary to have suspended and silenced such a Preacher as neither knew how to hold his peace nor yet to pipe to the tune of the New Instrument for we must know that this New Monarchy is founded upon NECESSITY Necessity is the Father and Mother Necessity and Policy are the Nurse and the Guardian of this young Government Alas poor creature it was born in a Consumption and besides that hath had many Convulsion fits since it came into the world insomuch that its Friends and Physitians have had much ado to keep life in it at several critical hours since its Nativity And beside we shall find that Maxime true Nullum violentium est perpetuum violent Motions will quickly work Commotions Confusions and Destructions Let none take offence at this Language for I cannot forbear vilifying the Kingdomes of the fourth Beast when my thoughts are upon the magnifying of the Kingdome Power and Glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. Isa 37.22 And if the Virgin Daughter of Sion without any disparagement to her holy modesty might of old be allowed by God himself to despise the great King of Assyria and to laugh him to scorn I know no reason to the contrary but one of the Lambs followers may without breach of rule in an holy triumph of Faith express contempt of the Kings of the Earth who are all of them the lovers of the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth But to return from this digression of Necessity Both Friends and Foes may easily conjecture how warm an incouragement it would have been to all of us to be refreshed with his company in the several Prisons where wee and our Brethren are shut up if it had pleased the Lord to say Amen and so have given the word for the undertaking of his intended spiritual Summer-progress for wee found him to bee indued with such a Spirit and to have so much acquaintance with the Lord and his Word concerning the present oppressed Truth and Work that undoubtedly the Glorious Cause wherein we are ingaged would have been so much the more inquired after and searched into by many of the Saints But the Counsel of the Lord must stand By conference also with him here in my Prison-chamher I understood how long since and upon what occasion the Lord had taken him by the hand and brought him into his spacious Galleries to walk and take a prospect of that part of Christs Kingdom and glory which is now ready to bee revealed in these last times So that I now plainly discern this in regard his day was to be so short he was thereupon spirited from the Lord to do much work in a little time for those Generation-works of his his Books so called together with his knowledge of the times are no question a special product of Providence in this season and may serve for the rouzing up and quickening of such as are upon their watch to look about them that they may not be surprized And for the rendring unexcusable that Generation of drousie Professors and Apostate pretenders which this Nation swarms with at this day Neither let it seem strange to thee whosoever thou art that readest this that the learned Rabbies and the Orthodox Doctors of these times are so exceeding dumb as to this point for first consider It is not the high-way to Ecclesiastical promotions it is impossible they should get or keep any great Church-livings if such Doctrine should be preached by them or imbraced by the people as these Fift-Kingdom-men desire and indeavor to leaven the land withall And then secondly It is according to the tenor of Gods working in the Generations before us such mysteries use to be hidden in their first discoveries at least from the wise and prudent and were revealed unto Babes that so no flesh might glory in his presence Wherefore let no man find fault that the Lord takes such unlikely Instruments to break the Ice to prepare the way nor yet take offence at that diversity of Opinions and Apprehensions which is and will be found for a little while among the Assertors of this Doctrine of Christs Kingdom in the approaching glorious ministration of it It is true such a thing is intimated and handled by this Author in his second Sermon concerning the signs of the times at the 52 page c. But this will occasion the true children of the true light to search the Scriptures daily whether those things there discussed be so or no I confess I have some hope to be successful in reconciling the matter betwixt those good men by communicating ere long to publick view if not prevented what I apprehend to be the mind of God in that particular In the mean time I desire the Lords little remnant whom he hath reserved to himself in this general Apostacie waiting for the breaking forth of the next dispensation from under this dark cloud to entertain these Sermons of this Disciple lately deceased taken in short-hand from his lips
his workes and in sundry signes then for men to call for other signes its provoking Christ doth give them a signe There shall be no signe given this evill and adulterous Generation but the signe of the Prophet Jonas what signe was that he gives them such a signe that they should never see the signe till the worke was over they could conclude nothing from it till it was too late As Jonas was three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly so shall the Son of man be three dayes and three nights in the belly of the earth they could gather nothing from this signe till Christ was dead and risen againe and then the worke was over they had fild up the measure of their Iniquitie and so they could gather nothing from this signe till it was too late therefore it s bad dallying with and tempting of the Lord Christ gives these persons a signe for the hardening of them a signe in Judgement a signe that should not open their eyes till it was too late therefore take heed of shifting off the signes of the times take heed against cleare signes to shuffle off Gods worke saying I must have some other signe or some extraordinary signe God will not be dallyed with in such things as these are The second Sermon MATHEVV 16.3 O yee Hypocrites yee can discerne the face of the skie but can yee not discerne the signes of the Times SUrely its good for us to know the times the signes and seasons of Gods worke and this is that that is here held forth to us and shall be the subject of my present discourse namely The signes of the Times Quest What are the signes of the Times Answ Truly it was not in my thoughts till very lately that it had been a Question among any of the Children of God Whether or no the worke of the present time were the worke of Christs kingdome I did conceive it to be one great Article of our faith that the work that God doth call his Children to at this day and he calls upon them from heaven to attend to had been the worke of Christs visible kingdome over the world but there is a notion among good and holy men worthy Instruments of Christ that we are not to expect such a thing as this fift kingdome untill such time as our deare Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ shall come forth and bring his kingdome with him and indeed if so I must confesse for my owne part I am very much in the darke what should be the worke of the present time and what the worke is that the Saints and people of God are called to if the dispensations of God doe not call to this and if the word of God doth not leade them to this if all doth not leade us to this namely To looke upon the worke of Christs visible kingdome in the world Satan that is indeed the grand Enemie of the kingdome of our Lord Jesus he doth labour as you may have observed might and maine so long as he could wholly to obscure the notion it selfe of a visible kingdome and indeed to hold the Saints and people of God in such a beleife as that there was no such thing at all as an outward kingdome but it was a phansie and a dreame of those who ever they were that did expect it and truly it was none of the lest of the subtilties of the Serpent in setting abroach those principles of late yeares among professors that all things were to be taken spiritually and so indeed make them to allegorize the whole Scripture knowing that could he once bring them to this he should thereby keepe downe the kingdome which he did clearely foresee was neere approaching and would rise in the world but when the Devill saw that his pollicy fayl'd him here and that indeed there was such a blessed light of this visible kingdome let forth into the world that all those mists that he rais'd could not darken the light of it why truly as I have feared others doe he fly's to this retreate as to another hole out of which he might beate downe the present worke of the Generation namely this to perswade the hearts of the Children of God and to make us all be of a beleife that there is no such thing that Saints should looke for or expect or attend unto as a visible kingdome untill the day of Christs appearance and truly if so be the Devill can but accomplish his end and designe here if he can but bring us to the beleife of such a thing as this he doth know full well that he shall as effectually oppose and strike dead the present worke of the generation as ever he could have done if he had held the people of God in the beleife of the other thing that there is no fift kingdome at all for what are Saints called to or can they doe unlesse it be onely to pray and to beleive which Saints of all ages and generations from the beginning of the world might doe I say what in this age are they in an especiall manner called to in reference to Christs kingdome if so be there be not such a thing till Christ appeare I desire to speake this soberly because indeed I could not wave it I thought to have fallen directly upon the signes of the Times and not to have spoken any thing as to the thing it selfe but truly all signes will be of little use if the thing it selfe be in doubt therefore I saw a necessity that something be spoken unto that To cleare therefore the conceptions of the people of God in this and that we may goe upon as cleare ground as may be let it be considered Asser That the kingdome of Christ his visible kingdome or that thing called the fift Monarchy its twofold or it doth consist of two parts namely the kingdome of the Stone and the kingdome of the Mountaine The first of these I conceive to be as the evening time of that kingdome to wit all that time that is to be before the rising of the morning Starre the sun of righteousnesse Jesus Christ the last is the morning state of that kingdome that which succeedes the rising of the morning Starre and Sun of Righteousnesse The first of these it is as I may so say the working kingdome of the Saints it s that kingdome wherein Saints are by their Lord Imployed to doe some notable service against his coming which is The breaking downe the great Image the bringing downe all his Enemies that when he comes he may find them his footstoole for he is to sit at the fathers right hand untill all his Enemies be made his footstoole therefore this kingdome of the Stone is the working kingdome the kingdome wherein the Saints are Imployed in a glorious worke for Christ to plucke downe all that Jesus Christ when he comes may have his Enemies his footstoole The other I call the kingdome of glory wherein the Saints
of Cyrus destroying of Babylon or in Alexanders destroying the Medes and Persians Monarchy or in the Romans destroying the Grecian Monarchy for that was a part of Gods decree as well as this what should the people therefore now sing Hallelujah's for more than in those times But because of the difference of the Instruments things now being done in a more holy sanctified way to a more pure end and there shall be more of the Image of God appeare upon those that shall doe this worke now and therefore they shall sing Hallelujah's otherwise the worke did not goe beyond the worke that had been done before Seventhly Reason 7 The Ruine of Rome or of the Beast it shall be so carryed on that this worke shall be a shaddow of the glorious kingdome of Christ of the kingdome of the Mountaine The kingdome of the Stone when it comes to smite Rome then shall be in it a resemblance as it were of the raigne of Christ and the glory of the kingdome of the Mountaine therefore it s said in the sixth verse And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude and as the voice of many waters and as the voice of mighty thunderings saying Alleluja for the Lord God Omnipotent raigneth There shall be so much of the Majesty of God of the power of God of the purity of God so much of the Image of God upon his Children when that worke is done as that they shall now say the Lord God Omnipotent raigneth it could not be said Hallelujah the Lord God Omnipotent raigneth if the worke were done by a Company of carnall nations and yet this is before the end before Christs coming for after this appearance we have the Bride making her selfe ready and the kings of the earth come together to destroy the Bride preparing for her husband and then you have Christ coming forth in his fury destroying his Enemies and rescuing his Bride But before that day there shall be such a glorious appearance in the world and such power in the hands of the People of God that it shall be said when men look upon it the Lord God Omnipotent raigneth the Lord Jesus Christ who is king of the world and king of Saints raigneth therefore it shall be done by Saints as leading Instruments Eightly Reason 8 Looke through the old and new Testament where ever we have a description of the persons that shall doe the glorious worke of God at the last day and you shall ever find them described and characterized as Saints I shall give you but two or three places one is Zach 9.13 When I have bent Judah for me filled the Bow with Ephraim and raised up thy Sons O Zion against thy Sons O Greece and made thee as th sword of a mighty man marke Raised up thy Sons O Zion against thy Sons O Greece who are they that are raised up against the Sons of Greece that is against the Turish power as I shewed you formerly they are the Sons of Zion I will raise up thy Sons O Zion whereas there was in all the foregoing Monarchy's one earthly Power raised up against another when it comes to the very last time God raises up another manner of Power I will raise up thy Sons O Zion against thy Sons O Greece So if you looke into Obadiah 18 21 verses And the House of Jacob shall be a fire and the House of Joseph a flame and the House of Esau for stubble and they shall kindle in them and devoure them and there shall not be any remaining of the House of Esau for the Lord hath spoken it And Saviours shall come upon Mount Zion to Judge the Mount of Esau and the kingdome shall be the Lords Saviours shall got up on Mount Zion who shall they be the House of Jacob and the House of Joseph shall burne up the Mount of Esau they shall Judge the House of Esau and then shall the kingdome be the Lords the universall kingdome of the Lord is not yet come in but here comes in the kingdome of the Stone the House of Jacob shall be a fire and the House of Joseph a flame they shall burne up all the workes of the world and Saviours shall come up upon Mount Zion and Judge the Mount of Esau When all his Enemies are brought downe and become his footstoole then shall he come forth and take the kingdome and the kingdome shall be the Lords Sit thou at my right hand uneill I make thine Enemies thy footstoole then the Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion rule thou in the mid'st of thine Enemies there 's the coming forth of Christ when his Enemies by his Saints are made his footstoole So likewise if you looke into Micah 4.11 12. Now also many nations are gathered against thee that say let her be defiled and let our eye looke upon Zion This gathering of the nations is not after Christs coming but before and what then Arise and Thresh O daughter of Zion for I will make thine Horne Iron and I will make thy Hoof's brasse and thou shalt beate in peices many people and I will consecrate their gaine unto the Lord and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth Who shall arise and thresh arise and thresh O daughter of Zion shee shall have Hornes of Iron and Hoof's of brasse to beate all the Enemies of Christ into very chaffe and dust as it s said the great Image was ground to powder why its Zion the poore despised daughter of Zion she that they stood looking upon and said Let her be defiled let our eyes look upon Zion they stood jeering at Zion and saith God Zion I will make thee a trouble and a torment to them all come up Zion and I will make thy Hornes Iron and thy Hoof's brasse and thou shalt breake all the nations to peices that now stand looking upon thee And in another place the Lord tells us Jacob is his Battell-Axe and weapons of warre so saith God Jer. 51.20 For with thee will I breake in peices the nations and with thee will I destroy kingdomes When he comes to worke his great worke in the world his faithfull Children shall be his weapons to bring it to passe Come to the new Testament and we shall see who God will make his Instruments to carry on his worke against the Beast Revel 15.2 And I saw as it were a sea of glasse mingled with fire and them that had gotten the victory over the Beast and over his Image and over his marke and over the number of his name stand on the sea of glasse having the Harps of God And in the 6 verse And the seven Angels came out of the Temple having the seven last plagues clothed in pure and white linnen and having their Breasts girded with golden girdles They shall be pretious Instruments they shall have much purity and Holines and much of the Image of God upon them and much
Mr. Tillinghasts EIGHT LAST SERMONS I The Fifth Kingdome or Kingdome of Christ founded on the New Covenant one Sermon on Jer 33.20 21. II Signs of the Times two Sermons on Matth. 16.3 To which is added six Signs as they were in his Notes III Christ the only Foundation one Sermon on 1 Cor. 3.11 With the prosecution of the point as it was in his Notes IV The Promise of the Father two Sermons on Act. 1.4 V The evil of the Times one Sermon on Mal. 3.16 17. VI Look to your Aims and Ends one Sermon on Matth. 11.7 To which is added The Idols abolished being his Notes on Is 2.18 Matth. 3.2 Repent yee for the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand LONDON Printed by M. S. for Livewell Chapman at the Crown in Popes-head Alley 1655. A PREFACE TO THE READER THe Lord upon my frequent remembrance of the depth of the Riches both of his Wisdome Rom. 12.33 and of his Knowledge hath given me many and manifold occasions to break forth in the words of the Apostles sudden exclamation How unsearchable are his Judgements and his waies past finding out Yea such hath been the tenor of his dispensations and of the Appearance of some of them of late years from out of those unsearchable depths as may well induce us in the midst of such musings to cry out in the words of the Song of the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty Rev. 16 3. Just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints Who will not fear thee Oh Lord and glorifie thy Name But Oh ye faithful followers of the Lamb who shall be able to fathom and to measure the depth and heighth the breadth and length of those judgements which are yet to come upon the people and the Princes of the earth Wo Wo to the worshippers and admirers of the Dragon of the Beast and the false Prophet how terrible will Jehovah be unto the little Horn the last power which lifts it self up against the Saints of the most High after the expiration of the two and forty months How will this little Horn which goar 's our sides and pusheth us into corners roar when the Judgement shall sit and they that is the Saints shall take away his Dominion Dan. 7.26 to consume and to destroy it unto the end And with what consternation of mind will the proud Nimrods of the world flye before the Lamb and his followers when the mighty Hunters themselves shall be hunted from Mountain to Hill by the little handful of those who ar redeemed from the earth And whitherwill ye rune for shelter Oh ye Tyrants Who shall be your Lord Protector in the Day when Jehovahs fury shall be powred out like fire Nâ—humâ— 6 And if the Rocks are thrown down by him what will become of Reeds If the Sons of ancient Kings be hurried out of the world to their own place for their oppressions and persecutions for their contempt of God his Word and his Works what will be the portion of the New Monarchical Tyrants who are but of yesterday and have not had time to take root in the earth neither shall ever be able to confirm or establish their Domination But to contract and call off my mind from expatiating upon this point It cannot but be confessed That the sudden loss of so blessed an Instrument in the hand of Christ in such a juncture of time may well be matter of astonishment or of great grief to those poor souls who beginning to halt betwixt two opinions found present help and strength administred to their feeble knees by his Ministry and having also their eyes anointed with Gospel Eye-salve for the discovery of the present and other Truths It was no marvel that they became so sensible of the usefulness of such an Interpreter in that populous City as the deceased Author of the insuing Sermons And indeed We Prisoners your Brethren and Companions in Tribulation and in the Kingdome and patience of Jesus Christ could not refrain rejoycing with you for the hopes you had that he should have been as an Arrow or a polished shaft in the hand of a mighty man even the man Christ Jesus in such a day as this But as the heavens are higher than the earth Isa 55.9 so are the Lords ways higher than our wayes and his thoughts than our thoughts We are taught to say It is the Lord 1 Sam. 3 18 let him do with us also as seemeth good to him for indeed we are not our own 1 Cor 6.20 we are bought with a price whether we live or dye we are the Lords Rom. 14 8 and therefore we are obliged to glorifie him in our bodies and in our souls But to proceed to a brief Narrative of some particular passages and circumstances which may be of use for the Christian Readers who are far remote from the City to know It is to be remembred That this Servant of the Lord had waited for some space of time viz. about a year of daies to understand the mind of God in reference to the work which was upon his heart to do for the Lord Jesus at length perceiving his way to be plain before him he came up to the City of London where it pleased the Lord to put a period to his dayes within a very short space after he was arrived But how diligently he improved his time and his talent I need not declare for it s well known to thousands that he laboured as if it had been for his life to promote that glorious Cause which was once the joy of the Saints generally throughout the Nation although now it be almost forgotten by the most and the concernments of Christ and his people in the midst of a generation of Revolters and Backsliders from the work of God in their day Three principal businesses he had upon his spirit to dispatch The first was to speak his mind freely to the Great Man as they call him which accordingly after solemn seeking the face of the Lord with some Brethren he did and did bear his Testimony to his face in the first place in the presence of divers witnesses in such a way of plaineness and pity towards him who was guilty of such open Abominations that undoubtedly it will be of use hereafter to the stopping of the mouths of all Court-flatterers who are one of the worst sort of creeping Vermine in the world purposing moreover to proceed to an higher and more publick Testimony as God should give him a spirit and opportunity thereunto In the next place like another young Apollos Act. 18.27 28. being come to the City he helped them much who had beleeved the present Truth through Grace for he mightily convinced many and that publickly that the Kingdome of Christ is not only a Spiritual Kingdome but an outward visible Kingdome as his words are that this is a branch of the New Covenant That this
against me And seeing the Lord hath given me an opportunity to testifie the truth for the Cause sake wherein I suffer and which the Author of these Sermons did own to his death I hope no inconvenience can arise from this brief Apology thus briefly represented to the little Remnant of the Womans Seed who in these dayes of Hypocrisie and Apostacy keep the Commandements of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ One word to my Fellow-prisoners in this glorious Cause from the Word of the Lord and it is a part of those glad tydings which they through Grace may bee abundantly refreshed in the remembrance of as I have been in this long time of Oppression THERE REMAINETH A REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD. A Sabbatisme so the Word is an holy solemn Rest and it hath reference to the World to come even the state of the Saints in the Thousand years This hath been in all Ages good news to so many as being pilgrims and strangers for the Lords sake in this present evil world have been alwayes hated reproached oppressed persecuted tormented slaughtered by the four great cruel wild Beasts Dan. 7. Oh what a voluminous Martyrology would that be which can comprehend all the cruelties bloody Massacres and despiteful dealings with the Saints of the most High which have been perpetrated upon this earth since Cain slew his brother Abel which can exemplifie in punctual narrations of truth all the Methods Stratagems Pretences and Policies which Persecutors have and will make use of for the suppressing of that spirit which with boldness doth justly contradict them in their wickedness and Abominations It s not a work for a finite creature to undertake none are sufficient Historiographers of these things but the Three who bear Record in Heaven where there is a Book of Remembrance written for those which feared Jehovah and thought upon his Name in their Generations Blessed be the Name of the Lord our God and our Father how sweet is his presence in a prison to his suffering servants Moses esteemed the reproaches of Christ greater Riches than the treasures of Egypt And wee from the overflowings of Divine Love have such glorious Incombs that we would not exchange the least of them for all the gold and silver which is coming from the West-Indies to the New Court. As the noble Marquess Galeacius Caracciolus when Golden Temptations were presented Let their money perish with them saith he who account all the gold in the world worth one dayes communion with Jesus Christ in the holy Spirit Dear Brethren in Bonds for the Lords sake How is it with you Have you cheerful lively spirits Do you live in the sense of the love of God shed abroad in your hearts by the holy Spirit which is given to you Doth your faith grow exceedingly Doth your love and zeal abound more and more for the Lord Jesus and his Interest What ripeness and readiness of spirit soul and body do you find to arise to come forth and to march in the honorable Expeditions of the Lamb against the Beast Are you prepared to follow the Lord fully Oh let us for I desire to be of that number let us never give the Lord rest till he burn with fire that Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth together with all her Daughters and until Jerusalem the New Jerusalem be established the praise of all the Earth We cannot but wait and hope till the Spirit cloath 〈◊〉 as it did Amazia 1 Chron. 12.18 that we may speak saying in a mystery Thine are we David and on thy side thou Root of Jessai peace peace be unto thee and peace be unto thine Helpers for thy God helpeth thee And I make no Question but â—re it be long there will be a coming to our David day by day to help him untill it become a great Host like the Host of God and so to turn the Kingdom of Saul unto him whose right it is according to the word of the Lord. For do the Kings of the Earth at home or abroad think of setling and establishment at this time of the day Alas poor creatures their glass is almost run out The God of Heaven is numbring their Kingdoms and finishing them The God of Heaven is weighing the new and old Tyranical Monarchies and will find them too light The God of Heaven will work Divisions in their Kingdomes and will give them all to his Son and his Saints It is true their ghostly Fathers and their Court-Chaplines do put this evil day afar off and perswade their Majesties their Highnesses and their Excellencies c. that we are possessed with on evil spirit of Sedition and Emnity against Government but we dare say to our Father who sees in secret and tryes the reins that they Lye and speak not the truth for he knows who knows all things that the desire of our souls is to be under the best Government that ever was or will bee in the world We confess we groan to be delivered from that Bondage which we are in under the Tyrants of the world we would not have the Beast nor any of his Horns to exercise such cruel domination over us as in time past because we had a little reviving from our former yokes by the out-stretched Arm of the Almighty and it was sweet unto us and we long for a full possession wherefore let us oh let us beleeve and the Lord increase our faith that we shall take them captives whose captives we are and we shal rule over our oppressors We shall meet and magnifie the Lord together and those followers of the Lamb who have prayed and wrestled in prayer for us and for the present it will be of use to look into those good works and comfortable words which this servant of the Lord who lived and dyed in the testimony of this truth doth spread before you who purposed to visit you and to incourage your hearts and to strengthen your hands in God yea and to be refreshed by you I mean you who are removed far off and thrust into holes and corners contrary to All Rules of Righteousness But though he purposed Jehovah preverted who doth all things according to the counsel of his own will and it becomes us who remain alive and have through grace received a Kingdom which cannot be shaken to serve the Lord in our Generation acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire And now oh that those precious truths handled by him might through the blessing of the Almighty become spiritual nourishment to us in our captivity The first Kingdom is founded upon the New Covenant Christ Jesus is the onely foundation c. It is good we shouldbe put in remembrance of these things though we do know them and are through the rich supply of the spirit in some measure established in the present truth I might inlarge but I shall not detain you nor the other Readers any longer but
recommend you and all those who worship not the Beast nor his Image who will not receive his Mark in their Foreheads or in their right hands to the special Protection and Benediction of him who sits upon the Throne to whom and to the Lamb who was and is worthy to take the Book and to open the seals thereof be blessing glory and power for ever and ever AMEN I am Brethren honored and beloved in the Lord by the good hand of God upon me Your Fellow Prisoner in the most glorious cause upon earth CHR. FEAK From my Watch-Tower in Winsor Castle this second day of the sixth moneth 1655. Upon the Author and these his posthume Papers NOw if I could set forth aright And give a view to clearer fight Of that sweet grace which in his Breast Had taken up its quiet rest How would poor souls come in to him Who fram'd his heart and did begin To beautifie with rarest art That inner man his hidden part But here I fail for suddenly His light 'gan shine and by and by It was not his nor ours and we Left in the dark how can we see London thou had'st him last in thee He came to die and do'st thou see What pearls of price he left behind O have them have them still in mind His Books thou had'st before and here His Pulpit-Breathings just so near As broken pen could take them From smiling lips that spake them Go little Book and give a taste To all that love thy Tillinghast Of sweetest Truths And blest let be To Sions Sons his Memory H. F. A Funeral or Elegiack Verse Breath'd at our Friends Interment on his Herse I t is the Father Will that now is done O ur hopes when set on Creatures are soon gone H enceforth let 's learn to set our hope in God N ote well this providence and hear the Rod. T he Lord can comfort us as by our Brothers I n doubling his sweet Gospel-spirit on others L ike precious Faith Light Self-denial Love L et Saints surviving seek for from above I oy 't was to him to do his Masters Will N ow of his Masters Joy he hath his fill G reat testimony to the Truth he bore H e minded Sion till he spake no more A nd spent himself in seeking to allure S aints that divided were to peace and sure T o peace he 's gone that ever shall indure R. D. Errata PAge 2. line 20. for hold thus much read hold forth thus much p. 4. l. 15. r. wrapt p. 7. l. 23. r. equivalent p. 23. l. 17. r. Priest of the new Covenant he is made with an oath p. 72. l. 5. r. of the world p. 115. l. 15. r. this is not c. p. 13â— l. 5. r. could not be THE FIFT KINGDOME OR Kingdome of Christ founded upon the New COVENANT JEREMIAH 33.20 21. Thus saith the Lord If you can breake my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night and that there should not be day and night in their season Then may also my Covenant be broken with David my servant that he should not have a son to reign upon his Throne and with the Levites the Priests my Ministers THe three foregoing Chapters and this they have a looke unto the last times and they doe more particularly relate unto the times in which God will gather together Israel and Judah as in the 14 vers Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will performe that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah I say the Prophesie lookes to the time when the Lord will unite the ten Tribes which are called the house of Israel and the two Tribes which are called the house of Judah and will performe all those good things that he hath promised to them in that day when they shall againe be united together Now among the many blessed things the Lord hath promised unto his people in that day this indeed is the chiefe and the great mercy God hath promised A KINGDOME for thus saith the Lord David shall never want a man in the 17 vers to sit upon the Throne of the house of Israel We have a kingdome promised unto the people of God a Throne at this day and that is shadowed forth under the kingdome of David Davids kingdome was a Type of Christs kingdome and indeed whereas this kingdome here promised is shadowed forth by that of David it doth hold thus much That the kingdome is not onely a spirituall kingdome but an outward visible kingdome for such a Throne and kingdome Davids was Now in the words that I read to you the Lord gives assurance unto his people that he would make good this promise and the assurance that the Lord gives unto his people is grounded on the Covenant made with David and lest there should be any doubt about the Covenant made with David the certainty of it the Lord tells us that the Covenant made with David was as certain as the Covenant of the day and night If you can breake my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night that there shall not be day and night in their season then may also my Covenant be broken with David my servant Why now the Covenant of the day and night hath been unalterable from the first Creation unto this day there hath been day and night in their season why so saith the Lord my Covenant with David it s an unalterable an unchangeable Covenant and upon this Covenant this Throne and Kingdome I now promise to you is founded Quest If so be you aske What that Covenant is that was made with David Answ It s Answered If we doe but say it was an unchangeable Covenant that Covenant is the new Covenant where it s spoken of it s spoken of as an Everlasting and an unalterable Covenant and indeed this Covenant that the Lord doth here speake of is no other but that new Covenant as is cleare from other Scriptures 2 Sam 23. David when he was ready to dye in his last words he doth make this his Comfort Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire although he make it not to grow So that the Covenant made with David it was an Everlasting Covenant it was a sure Covenant it was a Covenant that David had founded his very Salvation upon therefore it could be no other but the new Covenant the Covenant of grace And so likewise the Prophet Isai 55.3 ver he saith there I will make an Everlasting Covenant with you even the sure Mercy 's of David The Covenant of David it was an Everlasting Covenant Now this Throne and kingdome which is here promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah and also to all the seede of Abraham as well the
spirituall as the naturall the Gentills as the Jewes which should in this day become one with them it s founded and that upon the Covenant of David and that is the Everlasting Covenant the new Covenant the Covenant of grace so that there ly's this truth before us Obser That the kingdome or visible kingdome of Christ its founded in the new Covenant or The doctrine of Christs kingdome it s a part or Branch of the new Covenant Something I shall speake as to the clearing of this and then speake a few words by way of Application As to the clearing of the Point that it is so that the kingdome of Christ its rapt up in the new Covenant the glorious and blessed Covenant of Grace hath this lodged up in it as one maine peice of it namely a visible kingdome This is cleare if we doe but looke to the first striking up of the Covenant betwixt the Father and the Son between God and Christ in Eternitie The new Covenant though it did come forth in Time the promise of Eternall life came forth in Time yet the foundation of it was laid in Eternitie in hope of Eternall life saith the Apostle which God that cannot lie promised before the world began so that the promise of Eternall life that great blessing of the new Covenant the foundation of this Covenant it was laid in Eternitie before the world began Now if we doe but looke to the transactions past between God and Christ in Eternitie at the striking up of this Covenant we shall finde that this was one great branch one great peice of the new Covenant namely a visible kingdome that Jesus Christ should have a kingdome and be king and have all his enemies under him here it was one great peice of that Covenant that was made between God and Christ in Eternitie In the 49 of Isaiah which Prophesie is applyed by a worthy man unto the thing I am speaking of namely the striking up of the Covenant between God and Christ in Eternitie its cleare the Prophesie doth run upon Christ and in the two first verses as he conceives The Lord Jesus is brought in declaring how that his father had called him and what worke his father had put into his hands for him to doe and so he doth aske what he should have for his labour what wages he should have for the doing his worke And in the third verse the Lord comes and he doth offer to Jesus Christ as his reward and wages Israel thou art my servant O Israel in whom I will be glorified Now as the said person observes Christ considering that these were but a handful that they would many of them stand out against him and oppose him he thereupon complaines my labour is in vaine and I have spent my strength for nought and in vaine If this be all my reward for my worke in dying if I should have no other reward then Israel truly then I should labour in vaine and yet notwithstanding Jesus Christ is so willing to the worke that he undertakes it however saith he my worke is of God I will doe that worke and I will even leave it to himselfe what reward he will give me Now the Lord seeing Christ willing to take this worke upon him he comes in the 6 â—h verse and proffers more largely to him And he said It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel I will also give thee for a light to the Gentills that thou maist be my salvation unto the end of the earth Here the Lord comes in and doth proffer more largely and fully he opens his heart more fully to Christ Indeed here is the very conclusion the result of all that did passe betwixt the Father the Son now observe among those things that the Lord doth promise to the Son this is one that he shall have a kingdome in the 7th verse Thus saith the Lord the redeemer of Israel and his holy One to him whom man despiseth to him whom the Nation abhorreth to a servant of Rulers Kings shall see and arise Princes also shall worship because of the Lord that is faithfull and the holy one of Israel and he shall choose thee This is one great thing which was promised by the Father to the Son and that from Eternitie namely a kingdome that Christ should have a kingdome wherein Kings should worship him wherein Princes should fall downe before him and submit to him so that these things are spoken by the Prophet in Time yet as they were transacted betwixt the Father and the Son they were before time and so the Lord had assurance of the kingdome wherein Kings should fall downe and worship him and that in Eternitie But more clearely Isai 53.10 11 12 ver where we have likewise the substance of the Covenant that was betwixt God and Christ the Father and the Son and the tearmes and conditions of either party Jesus Christ for his part he is content that God should bruise him and to be greived and that his soule should become an offering for sin and make Intercession for Sinners then the Father againe he promises on his part that Jesus Christ should see his seede that he should Justifie many and the like but observe among other one speciall thing that the Father promises is that Christ shall have a Portion with the great and shall divide the spoile with the strong this of all other is the great promise Quest Now the Question may be what are we to understand by Gods dividing to Christ a portion with the great and the spoile with the strong Answ Why surely these words they cannot be meant onely of Christs spirituall tryumph over his enemies and Christs spirituall reward because these words they are brought in as the reward the Father gives him for his suffering because he powred out his soule unto death and was numbred with the Transgressors and bare the sins of many therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoile with the strong therefore it cannot be a spirituall reward and the reason is because the reward the Father gives to the Son must be Equivolent unto his suffering for the Father would not give unto his Son a reward that is short of his sufferings this were to look upon God as straite handed when Jesus Christ had done his worke to give a reward short of his worke therefore the reward must be as large as his sufferings Now looke upon the sufferings of Christ and they are of two sorts There was spirituall sufferings and that in undergoing that bitter agony he underwent in the garden in encountering all the sore Temptations of Satan and all the frownes of his Father upon the Crosse here was aboundance of spirituall sufferings and he had the sting and torment of our sins his very soule was powred out unto death with it
But now Christ beside these had outward sufferings he was made a reproach and was buffetted he was nailed to the Crosse and he was peirced Now the reward must be as large as his sufferings if the reward were onely a spirituall reward that would answer onely the spirituall part of Christs sufferings for so great was Christs spirituall sufferings that what ever he receives from the Father in a spiritual way is but a full sufficient reward for them Now what shall Jesus Christ have for all his outward sufferings why surely he must have some reward for these also there must be something that must be given by the Father to the Son as a reward of these therefore I take it that these words they are mainely that part of the reward they doe hold forth the outward part of the reward God had told him before that he should see his seede and that he should Justifie many I but now because Jesus Christ met with a great deale of suffering from the world too therefore saith God I will give him a portion among the great and he shall divide the spoile with the strong because he was buffeted and nailed to the Crosse and peirced therefore the Father will give him a portion among the great and he shall devide the spoile with the strong therefore I will honour him and set him above the great and above the strong and this shall be the reward of his sufferings that the Father will give him a kingdome and glory and that as a reward of his sufferings Isai 52.13 14 15 ver Behold my servant shall deale prudently he shall be exalted and extolled and be very high As many were astonied at thee his vissage was so marred more then any man and his forme more then the sons of men so shall he sprinkle many Nations the Kings shall shut their mouths at him for that which had not been told them shall they see and that which they had not heard shall they consider My servant shall be exalted and extolled and be very high who is this Gods servant why Jesus Christ he whose vissage was more marred then any mans and his forme than the sons of men to speak of Christs suffering day in Christs suffering day his vissage was marred and he was without forme or comelines that is he had no beauty men were astonied at him to look at him seeing him so poore and so despised that this should be the Messiah and the Saviour of the world well saith God though my Son hath been so debased so dishonoured in the world yet I will exalt him above the great men of the world and as the world have been astonied at him and despised him Kings shall shut their mouths at him as much as to say as men when in the presence of a Prince or great man hold their tongues and are silent out of respect and honour so Kings and Potentates shall be silent in his presence in the day of Christs glory though in Christs suffering day every one spake against him called him deceiver and Belzebub and trampled upon him O yet there 's a day saith God wherein my Son shall be exalted shall be very high and then the Kings shall shut their mouths at him the great men of the earth shall be dumb they shall not dare to speake a word in the presence of him there shall be such a dread in the day of his Glory and truly this too you shall see Phil 2.6 7 8 verses Because Christ when he was in the forme of God and thought it no robbery to be equall with God was willing to be vilified and to be trod upon was willing to be of no account that he might thereby glorifie his father and save sinners therefore saith the Lord I will highly exalt him Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow so exalted as every knee shall bow before him we are not to understand this of the Popish bowing of the knee at the name of Jesus for such creatures are said here to bow the knee that have no knees and then too as well every tongue shall confesse him as every knee bow to him But the meaning is this that as Jesus Christ had been dishonoured in the presence of men and Angells so a day shall come that Jesus Christ shall be so exalted by the Father and that in the presence of men and Angells that all men and Angells all creatures in heaven and earth and under the earth they shall all bow to Christ that is subject to him worship before him and every tongue shall acknowledge that this Jesus that was crucified and made a reproach at Jerusalem that he was the Lord Christ the glory of God the Father so that Jesus Christ is to have a kingdome wherein all his enemies are to be under his feete subjected to him and this as the reward of his sufferings This is the sum of that that hitherto I have been speaking of that it was a thing that was concluded upon between God and Christ even in Eternitie when the first foundation of the Covenant of Grace was laid that the Lord Jesus Christ in recompence of what he was to doe here on earth for the bringing about the salvation of sinners shall in reward of his worke have a glorious kingdome given to him by his Father so that this kingdome of Christ it s founded in the new Covenant in the very first striking of it up betwixt the Father and the Son But then Secondly It s cleare if we looke unto the Promulgation of it the first Promulgation of the new Covenant was to man immediatly upon the fall so soone as Adam was fallen the Lord comes to him and in the Lords first words of promise to him we have couched this thing that we are speaking of namely the kingdome of Christ yea it was one great part of it that Christ should have a visible kingdome I take it that that promise that we have in Gen 3.16 The seede of the woman shall breake the Serpents head that it doth very clearely hold forth this thing as will appeare if we doe but consider as Who is meant by the seede of the Woman so likewise What we are to understand by breaking the head of the Serpent It s not questioned but that the seed of the Woman is Jesus Christ who was borne of a woman in the Fathers due time Now about the breaking the head of the Serpent is the Question There may be a question Whether that the breaking of the Serpents head were onely a spirituall victory conquest obtained by Christ over the Serpent his seed or whether there be not something further in it Now indeed I conceive that though there is that in it namely Christs spirituall victory and conquest yet there is more in it viz. that this breaking the head of the Serpent doth
also hold forth an outward victory and an outward tryumph an outward glorious conquest that Christ and his should have over the Serpent and his seede And the reason is this That this punishment of the Serpent and his seede it s come upon them as a recompence of what the Serpent and his seede have done or should doe to the woman and her seede to breake the Serpents head it s brought upon him as a punishment as it were by the law of Retaliation like for like he had been bruising he had been doeing all the mischiefe he could and God foresaw he would doe all he could therefore saith the Lord the woman and her seede shall breake the Serpents head and his seede now this being so looke how the Serpent hath bruised the heele of the woman and her seede in like manner must the woman and her seede breake the head of the Serpent and his seede but now the Serpent hath not only bruised the heele of the woman and afflicted her seede in a spirituall way by spirituall Temptations he hath not done this onely but this Serpent hath afflicted the woman outwardly the Serpent hath been afflicting of the woman one while by causing of Rents and Divisions among the womans seede another while by raising up persecution against the woman and her seede he hath in an outward way afflicted the woman and her seede therefore there shall be a day wherein Jesus Christ and the faithfull of God his faithfull Children shall breake the head of the Serpent and his seede in an outward way there must be such a day because this comes in as a just recompence of what the Serpent had done to them Now if we should but looke whither or no there hath been such a day at any time as yet truly we cannot finde such a day for if so be we should looke into former times and run through the times of the old Testament we shall finde that the whole time was in a manner the Serpents day in the morning of the old Testament what blowes doth the Serpent give to the womans seede when he held them in that sore bondage in Egypt and in the evening of the old Testament what a fearefull blow doth he give againe to the womans seede in that great dispeircing of the Israel of God into all the quarters of the world Let us looke into the morning and evening of the old Testament and we shall finde that the Serpent had not his head broken but he was an affliction to the woman all that time and though its true indeede the middle of that day was somewhat more calme and pleasant the woman and her seede having some respite under some of the Judges and good Kings of Israel and was able to beare up her head against the Serpent and now and then to give him a blow yet it was not like the breaking of his head there was no such thing as the breaking of his head but now there shall a time come wherein the Serpent shall have his head broken that is he shall receive a more deadly blow from Jesus Christ and those that are his then ever he hath given to them for its a greater thing to have the head broken than to have the heele bruised And if we looke to the new Testament times this hath never been done yet for the first three hundred yeares that great red Dragon the Pagan Roman Empire did persecute with most bloody Rage the woman and her seede and was red with her blood Rev 12.3 4. and as soone as ever the Dragon the Pagan Power was off the Stage then comes the Beast and he follows that course the Dragon before him had done of persecuting the woman for 1260 yeares and she all that time is in the wildernesse in sackcloth and ashes which time is but now expiring so that if we looke to the new Testament even unto this day its cleare that the Dragon and the Beast have afflicted the woman therefore yet the woman hath not had her day upon the Serpent but there is a time wherein the woman must have a day upon the Serpent to breake his head therefore there is such a kingdome wherein the Saints of Jesus Christ shall crush all the enemies of Jesus Christ in the world The whole time of the world is held forth by two great dayes There is the day of the seede of the Serpent and there 's the day of the seede of the woman First the Serpents seede have the day and that day all their worke is to afflict the woman to persecute the Saints but all that ever they can doe is but to bruise her heele they cannot destroy her I but there 's a day which the woman and the seede of the woman is to have now that is after the Serpent hath had his day and in that day the seede of the woman breakes the head of the Serpent that is gives a deadly blow unto the Serpent and the seede of the Serpent that as the woman hath been afflicted by the Serpent so he shall receive a deadly blow from her so that in the first promise that was made to man after he was fallen truly there was this the visible kingdome of Christ and we may say that this notion of the fifth Monarchy as now it s called or of the visible kingdome of Christ truly it s not a new fond notion though things may be said to be new in respect of discovery and our looking into them yet it s as ancient as any truth in the whole word of God in the very first promise wherein was laid the foundation of our Salvation there was laid the foundation of Christs kingdome Gods glory and mans happines goe together as the glory of God ly's in our happinesse so the glory of Christ ly's in the glory of his kingdome Againe let us looke Thirdly unto the new Covenant in the Renovation of it as in the first making of it and in the first Promulgation of it to man we have this as I have shewed you as one great branch of it the kingdome of Christ so looke unto the Renovation of it God did renew this Covenant againe and againe and in the renewing of it he did alwayes include this thing as a maine branch of it namely Christs visible kingdome I doe speake this the more fully because I take it here ly's a maine foundation for our faith in this great thing that is controverted in this day namely the kingdome of Christ for we all looke for salvation by the new Covenant we all know the new Covenant is an Everlasting thing and what ever is in the new Covenant is like it selfe unchangeable and Everlasting and if therefore the visible kingdome be a peice or branch of that then such a thing there must be Now I say look into the renewing of this Covenant and we shall finde that there is likewise this kingdome held forth the new Covenant was twice more
especially renewed or with two persons more eminently namely with Abraham and with David The Covenant was renewed with Abraham and therefore it s oftentimes called the new Covenant made with Abraham Now if we looke into that we shall finde the great thing that was held forth in it is this of Christs visible kingdome wherein Christ shall bare Rule over all his enemies conquer all his enemies if we looke unto this Covenant as renewed to Abraham in the Galatians the Apostle speaking of this promise apply's it to Christ now looke upon the promises that were made to Abraham and we shall finde this truth that there was such a thing held forth as an outward visible kingdome Gen 22.16 17 18 ver And said by my selfe have I sworne saith the Lord for because thou hast done this thing and hast not withheld thy son thine onely son That in blessing I will blesse thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the starres of the heaven and as the sand which is upon the sea shore and thy seed shall possesse the gate of his enemies and in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast obeyed my voice Thy seed to Abraham and his seed were the promises made saith the Apostle He saith not to seeds as of many but unto seed as of one Christ and that here it must be understood not of seeds as many but of the seed as one the seed Christ is cleare because it s said thy seed shall possesse the gate of his Enemies not the gate of their Enemies which if it had been spoken of seeds as many it should have been but it s the gate of his Enemies and shew's that it s spoken of Christ now that which is promised is that Christ Abrahams seede shall possesse the gate of his Enemies there shall be a day wherein Christ shall possesse the Gate of his Enemies Quest What is the meaning of that Ans Why truly the meaning is this that a day shall come wherein Jesus Christ shall have power over all his Enemies in the world he shall have rule over his Enemies he that hath been trodden upon in his members we cannot say that he hath ruled over his Enemies yet but a day shall come wherein he shall have an absolute rule over his Enemies which is expressed here by the Gate as when a Conqueror comes against a City or Castle when he hath once possessed the gate he hath gotten the strength of it and they are all under him and at his mercy so there shall a day come wherein Christ shall possesse the gate of his Enemies they shall all be brought under him in such a manner as they shall be all subject unto Jesus Christ and his But now there hath never been such a day as yet indeed the Enemies of Christ they have hitherto possest his Gate if you looke from the first day to this day the Enemies of Christ have ever been in his Gate that is they have been treading the Church underfoote which is most properly his Gate But there is a day wherein Jesus Christ shall possesse their Gate and tread them underfoote therefore there is such a thing as a visible kingdome held forth in this promise made to Abraham Looke but to that promise made Rom. 4.13 where the Apostle speaks thus For the promise to Abraham was not to Abraham or to his seed through the Law but through the righteousnesse of faith The promise to Abraham that he should be heire of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the Law there was a promise expresly made to Abraham that he should be heire of the world we doe not finde this promise in Genesis in so many words therefore it seemes to me that the Apostle doth gather up the summe of all the promises made to Abraham and he doth sum up all in this God promises to Abraham that he should be heire of the world All the promises that Abraham should be a father of many nations all nations should be blessed in him his seede should possesse the gate of his Enemies what is that now that is the great thing held forth in all those promises why it was that he should be heire of the world and the promise therefore is of such a thing and indeed it was the substance of them all thâ— marrow of them that Abraham should be a great and an absolute heire and should have all the world given to him Now let us consider this it s the promise of God and he cannot lye Abraham himselfe never did possesse the whole world but was a stranger in it dwelling in Tents and Tabernacles Heb. 11.9 And if we looke to the naturall seed of Abraham namely the Jewes they never yet possest more than that little spot of land the land of Canaan and they have been cast out of that a long time and if we looke unto the beleiving Gentills the spirituall seed they have been to this day persecuted in the world its out-casts the of-scouring of it and cannot in any sence be said to have been made possessors of the world as an heire which is the Apostles word is made a possessor of his Inheritance where he beares rule as a Lord and all within the Compasse of his Inheritance are to him in no other capacity but of servants and Tenants Abraham was the heire of it but they never had the possession of it yet there is a time wherein they shall have the world for God who made the world and hath given it to whom he pleaseth was pleased of his own good will to give it to Abraham indeed what right had Abraham to the land of Canaan but God who hath right to all was pleased to give it to Abraham why so here Abrahams seed have the world given them there must be a time wherein the seed of Abraham shall possesse the world as truly as the seed of Abraham did possesse the land of Canaan which God gave to Abraham and his seed Now I say this hath not been and we cannot looke upon this as if so be the fulfilling of this promise were in giving them a part of it for God promises the world and therefore indeed there is a time wherein Abraham and his seed are to be possessed of the world and if so be there were not what were Abraham and his seed the better for the promise if so be they never possesse it And this promise is said to be made to Abraham not through the Law but through the righteousnesse of faith and that is upon the account of the new Covenant for in the Romans its said That the righteousnesse which is of faith speakes on this wise he doth oppose the old Covenant unto the righteousnesse of faith so that by the righteousnesse of faith we are here to understand the new Covenant and this promise made to Abraham as the heire of the world and that as of the
this is the new Covenant I but here 's one promise hath a speciall Oath to it its worthy observation what peice of the new Covenant the Lord especially sweares to and that is this promise of Christs kingdome Once have I sworne by my holines that God will not lye to David and what is that that God sweares to its this that his seede shall endure for ever and his Throne shall be as the Sun before him Now to this promise is added a speciall Oath and its observable that the Lord speakes of Christs kingdome severall times in Scripture there are foure times that the Lord speakes of this and he doth sweare to it When he made this Promise to Abraham that his seed Christ shall possesse the Gate of his Enemies Gen. 22.16 By my selfe have I sworne saith he when he comes to make this promise to David that Jesus Christ shall have a kingdome God sweares againe Once have I sworne by my holines that I will not lye unto David His seede shall endure for ever and his Throne as the Sun before me Againe if you looke into Isai 45.13 you have God swearing againe there I have sworne by my selfe the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and shall not returne that unto me every knee shall bow every tongue shall sweare Why what is the meaning of that why it s the very same with that in the Philippians every knee shall bow to Christ every tongue shall confesse that Christ is the Lord it is the exalting and setting up Christ Jesus as King So if we looke into Isai 54.9.11 Oh thou afflicted Tossed with Tempest and not comforted and in the 14 ver In righteousnesse shalt thou be established and thou shalt be far from oppression it s a description of Christs kingdome which he confirmes by his oath in the 9 â—h ver speaking of this very time of the kingdome of Christ For this is as the waters of Noah unto me for as I have sworne that the waters of Noah shall no more goe over the earth so have I sworne that I would not be wrath with thee nor rebuke thee that is he would not in that day be wrath with his people so as to put by the fulfilling this good word of his promise I will make good this peice of my Covenant Now if we consider it surely there is something in it that the Lord should confirme all the new Covenant by an Oath and should confirme one branch of it and that by an Oath swearing by himselfe and by his holines and by his righteousnesse and swearing that he would not lye and swearing that it should be as certain as the word to Noah that the world should never be drowned againe That the Lord should sweare over and over to it surely there is much in it now the Lord hath done thus as to Christs kingdome what ever the world say the Lord hath founded this upon the new Covenant and he hath confirmed this new Covenant with an Oath when the Lord saw what opposition there would be in the world what distrust in his peoples hearts lest any should doubt of it he comes over and over againe with this particular branch of it with an Oath I have sworne I have sworne I have sworne that my Son shall have a kingdome So that in the Covenant with David there was the promise of the kingdome of Christ Fourthly Let us come to the worke it selfe where the worke doth begin to rise in the world and you shall see that it doth begin to rise and that upon the account of the new Covenant The worke of Christs kingdome the glorious beginning of it it shall be about the time of the Jewes coming in and indeed the coming in of the Jewes shall be a very great advancement of this kingdome and where ever the Lord doth speake of the coming in of the Jewes he doth lay it upon the foundation of this new Covenant and indeed it s a very great argument to me against those that thinke there is no such thing as the kingdome of Christ because God hath so often laid it upon his new Covenant Looke into the 26 of Leviticus the Lord had spoken before of rejecting and of the casting of them off 42 ver he saith when they should be cast off then will I remember my Covenant with Jacob and also my Covenant with Isaac and also my Covenant with Abraham will I remember and I will remember the Land This doth not onely looke to the rejecting of the people of Israel for a time when they were carried Captive into Babylon for that was a rejecting onely of part of the seed of Abraham but it doth looke to their long Captivity of all the seed of Abraham for these many hundred yeares the Lord engages he will restore them and restore them upon the account of remembring his Covenant Then will I remember my Covenant with Jacob and also my Covenant with Isaac and also my Covenant with Abraham will I remember and I will remember the Land and I will bring them backe againe and I will gather them upon the account of my Covenant saith God Deut. 4.30 31. In the 27 verse Moses had been speaking The Lord shall scatter you among the nations and yee shall be left few in number among the heathen whither the Lord shall lead you then he tells them in the 30 verse When thou art in tribulation and all these things are come upon thee even in the latter dayes if thou turne to the Lord thy God and shalt be obedient unto his voice even in the latter dayes mind the expression in the latter dayes if thou turne to the Lord thy God and shalt be obedient unto his voice for the Lord thy God is a mercifull God he will not forsake thee neither destroy thee nor forget the Covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them When the Lord hath cast them off they shall be gathered and that upon the account of his Covenant and so in the 54 of Isai that Chapter is a prophesie of the Conversion of the Jewes and of that glory that shall follow thereupon and the Lord doth engage his Covenant for the bringing of it about The mountaines shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee So likewise in the 33 of Jere. the two last verses Thus saith the Lord if my Covenant be not with day and night and if I have not appointed the Ordinances of heaven and earth then will I cast away the seede of Jacob and David my servant so that I will not take any of his seede to be rulers over the seed of Abraham Isaac and Jacob for I will cause their Captivity to returne and have mercy on them This is spoken of their last restoration as I told you at first and the Lord doth
engage to restore them and for that he doth engage his Covenant if so be that my Covenant be not firme then saith he may I cast away Jacob and Israel my servant but if you beleive my Covenant doe not beleive I will cast them away Exod 19. When the Lord had cast them off in respect of the old Covenant he gathers them upon the account of the new Covenant his Everlasting Covenant So likewise Zach 9.11 which Chapter is a prophesie that lookes into the last times as is cleare from the first verse for it lookes to the time wherein all the eyes of Israel shall be toward the Lord so you have what is spoken in the 9th ver quoted by the Evangelist Matthew Thy king cometh riding upon an Asse and upon a Coalt the foale of an Asse its cleare it lookes unto the last times so if you looke into the 10 ver And I will cut off the Charret from Ephraim and the Horse from Jerusalem and the battell bow shall be cut off and he shall speake peace unto the Heathen and his Dominion shall be from Sea even to Sea and from the River even to the ends of the earth it lookes to the time of Christs kingdome now in that time God will gather together the Jewes in the 11 ver As for thee also by the blood of the Covenant I have sent forth thy Prisoners out of the Pitt wherein is no water The Lord will gather them in that day and that upon the account of the new Covenant by the blood of the Covenant they are gathered And as the Apostle Paul speakes of the conversion of the Jewes Rom. 11. He speaking of the naturall seede that were broken off that we might be graffed in and how that they should be graffed in againe as he tells us in the 26 ver For this is my Covenant unto them he lay's the foundation of all upon the Covenant they shall be gathered why its my Covenant with them Now observe this is a glorious peice of the worke that that shall be the most excellent peice of the worke in the rise of Christs kingdome in the calling of the Jewes its this that it stands upon the new Covenant The foote of Christs kingdome is bottomed upon the new Covenant it was founded upon the new Covenant in Eternitie it was lodg'd in the new Covenant in the first Promulgation of it to men it was a peice of the Covenant with Abraham and David and when he tells us the worke of his kingdome shall rise he tells us it shall arise upon the foote of the Covenant now lay all these together and what can be more cleare than this That the kingdome of Christ it s a glorious peice of the new Covenant it s a branch of the new Covenant it s such a peice as I told you before as the Lord hath been pleased in an especiall manner which he hath not done to any one branch of the new Covenant besides it to sweare to againe and againe and againe and againe that it shall be If it be so Vse 1 that the kingdome of Christ is lodg'd up in the new Covenant that it s founded there First Wee may learne this That let men or Satan doe what they can for the crushing and the keeping downe such a thing yet a day there is when it will come forth and that in the spite of all the power of men and hell for its a peice of Gods Covenant and its a peice God hath sworne to and if the God of Heaven be able to make good his Oath and performe his Covenant and if he will not let his new Covenant that he hath spoken so highly of his Everlasting Covenant that he hath laid the salvation of all his Children upon his own glory upon if he will not let that fall he must bring this thing to passe therefore let men doe what they can or let Satan do what he can yet when that all the Power of Hell and all the wisdome of men when it hath acted and put forth it selfe to the utmost for the hindering such a thing that God who made this Covenant and who keepes Covenant and hath sworne he will not alter the thing that is gone out of his lipps and sworne againe and againe that he will make Christ higher than the kings of the Earth this God will bring forth such a thing for his Covenant is a sure Covenant and an Everlasting Covenant and therefore indeed it s not for us to struggle against the will of God and the Covenant of God it good for us to waite upon God for his will in all things so for this the time for Gods bringing forth the kingdome of his Son but for men to struggle against this truth when God brings it forth men may undoe themselves because its striving against God and one great branch of the new Covenant Secondly Vse 2 If it be so that the kingdome of Christ is lodg'd up in the new Covenant we may hence learne That the unworthines of the Saints it cannot it shall not hinder or deprive them of this mercy for new Covenant-mercy's they come riding over the head of all things that stand in the way new Covenant Grace is a tryumphing Grace it s a Grace that rides in Triumph what ever it meets with it rides over it s such great Grace Now this kingdome of Christ comes on upon the account of the new Covenant and its the grace of the new Covenant that shall usher this kingdome into the world and as this grace will bring it through all the oppositions of men and Hell so will it even come over the sin and unworthines of the Saints if so be that it were upon the account of the old Covenant indeed we should have little hope Gods people in this day would have little hope When I have many times in serious thoughts lookt over the generation of the Saints all parties it hath been a greater discouragement as touching the worke than all the powers of the world for upon the account of the old Covenant we are gone to consider the unworthynes of the Saints it s a harder thing to get over this than to get over all other things but consider this is the ground of the worke the new Covenant if this kingdome were upon the old Covenant I have oftentimes thought wee should never have any hope that such a thing should rise up in the world and though God might use another Generation yet this Generation must dye because they have all broken Covenant with God yet now seeing its rising ground is upon the new Covenant though the people of God are exceeding unworthy yet notwithstanding they may have mercy and that soule that is most unworthy yet he may come to be partaker of that blessednes of the new kingdome When the Children of Israel were going through the wilderness and the Lord was dealing with them according to the old Covenant they murmured against
God and they all fell in the wildernesse and so it would be with us in this day if he dealt with us upon the account of the old Covenant but because God deales with us upon the account of the new Covenant as the people of God have cause to be humbled for all their sinnes yet consider this cannot hinder but the Lord can yet and the Lord indeed I hope of his grace will doe glorious things for his Children notwithstanding all their unworthines his grace shall come tryumphing over all these Davids kingdome grew out of the new Covenant therefore it was not the unworthynes of him nor his followers that could hinder it from rising If you looke upon Sauls kingdome it seemes to be glorious at first but afterwards because it was not founded on the new Covenant it grew worse and worse Saul at first seem'd to have much faith and selfe-deniall when the Lot fell upon him and they were commanded to bring him forth to crowne him King he hid himselfe that they were forc't to enquire of the Lord to know where he was and when the Children of Belial said How shall this man save us they despis'd him and brought him no presents but he held his peace in the 1 Sam 9.27 he seem'd to be so patient and so humble as if he tooke no notice of it so in the 1 Sam 11.12 13. there you shall finde after they had gotten a great victory over the Ammonites and some of the people said unto Samuel who is he that sayd shall Saul reigne over us bring the men that we may put them to death And Saul said There shall not a man be put to death this day for to day the Lord hath wrought Salvation in Israel As if Saul should have said I will never give way to passion and rage why the Lord hath wrought glorious Salvation in Israel this day the Lord with his Salvation hath been among us and by his mighty Salvation hath delivered us his heart seemes to be wonderfully taken with the deliverance but afterwards looke upon Sauls kingdome and it s still waneing and decaying more and more and why because it was founded upon the old Covenant But looke upon Davids kingdome and you shall see in the beginning of it it did arise through many faylings and infirmities that were both in David himselfe and his followers David he runs away from Saul goes to Ahimelech the Priest and tells a lye to get some bread and Goliahs sword afterward he runs to Achish king of Gath and fain's himselfe mad and when he had been invading the Countrey neere unto him where he dwelt at Zicklag and Achish asked him whether he had made his rode that day 1 Sam 27.10 David tells him a flat untruth that they had been against the South of Judah At another time he fail'd exceedingly when in a way of revengefull rage he would goe against Naball to cut him off and all his house for denying him provision these were stairing offences men no doubt did wonder what would become of David his case that was attended with so many weaknesses and offences And look upon his followers and see what a rabble-rout he had at first 1 Sam 22.1 When David was escaped to the Cave Adullam then every one that was in distresse and every one that was in debt and every one that was discontented gathered themselves unto him and he became a Captaine over them if one should seriously looke upon David and his followers would be thinke there should any good come of it many no doubt did thus looke upon David and his followers and therefore expected no good to come of his kingdome I bring it to this end to shew that though men may have never so many infirmities and weaknesses yet if the worke arise through the new Covenant it shall goe on with a notwithstanding Davids kingdome was founded upon the new Covenant and therefore it was carryed on through all difficulties and weaknesses and Sauls kingdome arose onely out of the Covenant of workes and therefore though it had a glorious beginning it did wast away Therefore let not the hearts of Gods people faint or be discouraged though there are grosse failings among the Saints and in those too that desire to be friends to Davids kingdome though there be much of passion and the infirmities of men in them Consider Christs visible kingdome in this world stands upon the foundation of the new Covenant it did help David to the kingdome though through many Infirmities I speake not this to Indulge any infirmities in Gods Children I desire that this glorious cause might be so mannaged as it deserves yet suppose it s mannaged with many infirmities so that many stumble at it saying Can this Monarchy ever prosper Let such consider that this glorious blessed cause is founded upon the new Covenant and though men cannot over-looke Infirmities yet God will and accomplish the thing notwithstanding them for the new Covenants sake I will be mercifull to their sins and remember their Iniquities no more Consider when Jesus Christ rid to Jerusalem as a King he did not choose the most glorious Beast to ride upon but he chose that Beast that was most weake contemptible and simple so now the Lord he chooseth weake things to confound the strong and foolish things to confound the wise Wee have a good cause and we are upon a good ground we are upon the new Testament ground and seeing it s founded upon the new Covenant the grace of the Covenant will tryumph over all the weaknesses and infirmities of the Saints that labour to carry it on the Lord makes use of the weaknesses of his people sometimes to make others blind and to stumble to be a rocke of offence but when the worke is done all their weaknesses saith the Lord shall be forgotten the Lord will come and swallow up all in the new Covenant as Davids weaknesses were a stumbling blocke to those that lived in his age and when the Lord had stumbled all in that age and generation then he makes his worke to arise higher and higher through the grace of the new Covenant and so it will be with the visible Kingdome of Jesus Christ because it s founded on the new Covenant which is a sure and an Everlasting Covenant he hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ordered and sure the Lord hath founded it so sure that all the Devills in Hell and all the rage of men in the world cannot hinder it Though my house saith David be not so with God yet he hath made an Everlasting Covenant with me which shall stand though the Saints doe not grow in grace yet this glorious worke of Christs kingdome which is founded upon the Everlasting Covenant must goe on the House that is builded upon the rocke though the winds blow and floods arise and beate upon the House it stands fast because it s built upon the rocke so Christs kingdome it hath
a rocky foundation it s founded upon the Covenant of God that is an Impregnable rocke it s such a foundation that all the world cannot hurt if any come and strike at it it will grind them to powder this is a sweet consideration and should provoke us to looke up to God for the accomplishing of this great mercy and to looke unto him for new mercy's Gods people stand for nothing concerning this kingdome but God will make the world one day know it was a peice of the new Covenant The unworthynes of the Saints shall not hinder them of this mercy for new Covenant Grace will ride Tryumphing over the head of all the Infirmities of the people of God Thirdly Vse 3 Another thing if it be a mercy lodged up in the new Covenant we may learne hence is That it is not strange or it ought not to be strange to us if we should see a death upon this worke if we should see this worke struck dead when it may be it seemes to be coming forth for indeed its Gods way in bringing forth mercy's of the new Covenant to strike the mercy dead Abraham had two sons the son of Hagar the old Covenant and the son of Sarah the new Covenant there 's no death comes upon Ishmael the old Covenant but there comes a death Abraham's body is dead and Sarah's wombe is dead upon Isaac the new Covenant the new Covenant mercy is struck dead so when the Lord will set up his Son as King he will doe it upon the account of the new Covenant therefore we must expect this new covenant mercy to passe through death so that God strikes the new Covenant mercy dead before he brings it forth When the Children of Israel came out of Egypt they come out upon the account of the new Covenant God remembers his Covenant and sends Moses to them thereupon they are full of expectation of deliverance but presently their burdens were encreased and their oppression encreased and thereupon all is struck dead and they are further from deliverance than ever they were and yet notwithstanding when God had tryed but a while their faith and patience for that is the end of all his bringing deaths upon a worke to try our faith and patience but so soone as ever that was tryed then the Lord brings them forth by his glorious hand So it was with David God had promised him the kingdome yet there was a wonderfull death came upon Davids kingdome David is made a king and some few come to him and David had some faith when Abiathar the Priest came to him when he fled from Saul saith David Abide with me and thou shalt be safe for with me there 's safety but when his kingdome is just ready to come to him there comes a great sentence of death upon the worke because its a new Covenant worke all is struck dead I shall certainly perish one day by the hand of Saul and I must leave the Country saith David so it s with all new Covenant mercy's that the Lord might try the faith of his Children which he will have tryed and that he might make the mercy the sweeter when it comes and that we might be more in crying to him God strikes the worke dead that we might exercise the more faith and prayer therefore let us not be discouraged when we see a sentence of death upon it it would be a great discouragement to me if there were not a Sentence of death upon it I should beleive then it were a greater way off than it is for if it be a new Covenant merâ—y there must be a Sentence of Death put upon it As in mercy's to a particular soule God will have the soule strucke dead before the Lord reveale the new Covenant mercy to him that the soule shall say I can see nothing I have nothing at all it can see no wisdome no righteousnesse nothing in it selfe and when all is strucke dead then the Lord comes with new Covenant mercy's to the soule so when the Lord intends to set up his Sonnes kingdome in the earth it must first be wholly struck dead Fourthly Vse 4 If this kingdome of Christ be a mercy lodged up in the new Covenant then wee should waite upon God patiently for the bringing of it forth New Covenant mercy's they are to be waited for Abraham lost himselfe greatly in murmuring while he was waiting for the fulfilling of the new Covenant promise he cryes out I goe Childlesse he had a promise and because he sees it not fulfilled he cry's I goe childlesse and this Eleazar of Damascus who is Steward of my house must be my heire and what doth this his repining bring forth why presently the very next thing we read is Abraham and Sahah distrusting God lay their heads together and upon advice he goe's in Hagar he turnes into the old Covenant and had fruit by her and there Abraham rests and settles himselfe some yeares he goes and turnes into the old Covenant by an Impatient waiting for the new Covenant we are not to waite as Idlers doe for helpe in a ditch and cry God helpe us but we are to wait as if we would have it in by our very striving strugling yet notwithstanding there must be a quiet waiting on God for his time so it should be with us for this new Covenant mercy waite for it patiently be content with it in Gods own time when he will bring it forth and the more our heart is brought to lye downe submissively before God it s a great argument that the mercy is so much the nearer the Lord doth ordinarily in giving forth the mercy's of the new Covenant though there may be striving and strugling for a time yet he brings the hearts of his Children to this Lord when thou wilt in thine owne time O that God would bring all the hearts of his Children to this that our hearts might not be engaged by our own thoughts but that we may be so free that God may have his own time that there may not be an Impatient spirit in waiting And is it a new Covenant mercy Vse 5 this will be a sweet mercy when it comes all the new Covenant mercy's are sweete things what ever the world thinke of Christs kingdome when it comes it will be a sweet thing that the Saints shall have glory hereafter doth that hinder the spirituall enjoyment of God here so the outward kingdome of Christ what will that hinder the spirituall enjoyment of Christ But the Devill play 's his game thus in the new Testament Times he made men to looke for an outward kingdome onely when Christ was about to set up a spirituall kingdome and now that Christ would set up an outward kingdome saith the Devill looke onely to the spirituall kingdome as if the ourward and spirituall kingdome could not stand together as if the glory of the body's and soules of the Saints could not stand together And
then againe Vse 6 If it be a new Covenant mercy it will be a spirituall thing though some may call it a carnall and a low thing yet it will be a spirituall thing the Lord teach us to waite upon him to looke up to him to trust in him to relye on him for there shall be a day of his kingdome our worke is to waite seeke pray and waite in these day's the Lord teach his people to goe along with him as the little Children at his entrance into Jerusalem cryed Hosanna Hesanna he rides upon a poore meane creature the foale of an Asse and the Children follow him crying Hosanna Hosanna so we should eye the Lord Jesus now in the meanest appearances and follow him crying Hosanna in the Highest this we should doe The Lord make us waite on him for his owne Time and that time is not farre off I cannot thinke its farre off because many thinke it a great way off it s an argument to me its neare for God comes upon his people when he finds not faith on Earth when Gods people say its farre off then its neare as when God sent Moses to tell the Children of Israel the Lord would deliver them but before deliverance thesentence of death comes and O say they to Moses Aaron what have you brought us to where is their faith now expecting deliverance at the hand of God Now it was worse with them than before and their bondage is encreased and their deliverance was thought further off O but then was the Lords time he Immediatly brought it to passe then was the Lords time come when their faith was gone So when David stood up first upon the account of his kingdome saith he to Abiathar Come with me and thou shalt be safe I am sure God will give me the kingdome though Saul be a Potent Enemy and mine Enemies many yet I am sure God will give me the kingdome but yet after that when Saul pursued him that he was forc't to fly out of one Hole into another Now saith he shall I perish one day by the hand of Saul then when he thought it thus farre off then the kingdome comes forth the hand of the Lord cutts off Saul and the kingdome Immediately comes to David As when the Children of Israel came out of Babylon they thought they should have all things then Jerusalem built and the Temple and all things but when they were about it building the Temple now a stop is put upon the worke and they cry The time is not for the Lords worke yet till that Haggai and Zachary tells them Now is the Time for building the Lords Temple As it is with private Christians in a doubting houre Saints usually conclude we are too forward for that time observe Then is Gods time they had faith at first and after their faith fayles from the worke and they said it was not time mark then was the time the Lord sends Haggai to tell them they liv'd in their Ceiled Houses and neglected Gods house O now was the time when they thought not of it And just so when Christ suffered on the Crosse We thought say the Disciples this was he that should have delivered us their hope was gone of any deliverance by him yet then was their Redemption at hand their Redemption comes forth Immediatly he finishes the worke of Redemption at that time so that to have faith struck dead is not an Evidence that the worke stands a great way off but that its neare and approaching surely the Lord will come forth in his Time and he is not farre from doing some great and glorious thing in the world Gods peoples faith is not grounded upon fancyes but they see and know that God is doing some glorious thing in the world he is overturning kingdomes and setting up the kingdome of his Son O that we could quietly looke up unto the Lord and waite upon the Lord Serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce with Trembling kisse the Son lest he be angry yee great ones of the Earth lest his wrath be kindled and you that follow the Lord O doe you rejoyce with feare and serve him with Trembling they that stand may fall O when was there such a falling as now shall be when the Lord saith I will arise to shake terribly the earth no History can paralel such shakings as have been in these last dayes therefore we had need take heed lest we fall and looke up to the Lord that we may stand Indeed it s a blessed truth what ever men may thinke of it so sure as my hand is upon this Bible so sure shall such a thing come forth in due time for as this is the true word of God of a true God that cannot lye so certainly it shall come to passe I have onely insisted on one particular the kingdome as a Branch of the new Covenant but to speake of the kingdome as it s held forth in the Word would take up a large time for there 's not any one truth hath more to be said from the Scripture for it than this of Christs kingdome for as the end of all is Gods glory so this is that concerns Christs glory there 's a vane of it running through the Scripture from the first promise made to Abraham to the last spoken of in the Revelation The Lord give us hearts to looke up to him for the accomplishing of it in his Time FINIS Signes of the Times MATHEVV 16.3 O yee Hypocrites yee can discerne the face of the skie but can yee not discerne the signes of the Times THese words are spoken by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ unto a generation of men which came to him tempting him desiring him to shew them a signe from heaven in the first verse The Pharisees also with the Sadduces came and tempting desired him that he would shew them a signe from heaven The Pharisees and Sadduces they were in their Principles contrary and opposite one unto another and yet they can either of them very well agree and comply against Christ and both joyne hands and heads in tempting our Lord and their Temptation it ly's in desiring a signe from heaven our Lord Jesus he takes occasion from this to mind them of the signes of the times Can yee not discerne the signes of the times and lest that they should reply that these signes were so darke that they could not be knowne therefore our Lord labours to convince them and that from things that were of a more outward nature you say in the evening it will be faire weather for the skie is red and in the morning it will be foule weather to day for the skie is red and lowring O yee hypocrites yee can discerne the face of the skie but can yee not discerne the signes of the times As if he should have said what are yee not as wise in spirituall things as you are in Temporall are you not as wise concerning the
shall not so properly worke but receive they shall in that kingdome the kingdome of the Mountaine be glorified with Christ and receive the reward of their workes The first of these its a kingdome wherein plow-shares are to be beaten into swords and if we consult the Prophets that speake of this time we shall find the command is Beate your plowshares into swords intimating that in the time of this kingdome there shal be wonderful use of swords weapons of warre But the Second the kingdome of the Mountaine is a kingdome wherein swords are to be beaten into plowshares noting the wonderfull peace of that kingdome that there shall be no need of nor no use for swords in that kingdome of the Mountaine This twofold state of Christs kingdome we have resembled and set forth by a double Type Davids kingdome was a Type of the first Solomons of the second Davids kingdome was an eminent Type of the kingdome of the Stone and therefore it rose by the hand of God alone in a wonderfull way a company of poore men come to him and all the world is against him and the worke is low at first it creepes up by little and little and Davids puts downe all his Enemies round about as the Midianites the Moabites the Ammonites the Philistims c. and makes them all stoope to him at last This was the warring kingdome a kingdome wherein there was blood Solomons kingdome was a Type of the kingdome of the Mountaine wherein was peace Therefore the 72 Psalme wherein is described the glory of this kingdome it s entitled a Psalme for Solomon so that Solomons kingdome was a Type of the second This distinction likewise is warranted by that distinction that we find in Daniel of his mysticall numbers looke into the last of Daniel and you shall find two sorts of numbers 1290 dayes and 1335 dayes Dan 12.12 13. And from the time that the dayly sacrifice shall be taken away and the Abomination that maketh desolate set up there shall be 1290 day's Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the 1335 dayes The first number 1290 dayes points us to that time where the kingdome of the Stone begins as it is the Stone of Israel Observe that for Daniel is now speaking of his owne people so it s the Stone of Israel as Jacob calls it in his blessing of Joseph there shall a blessed Stone rise among the Jewes now as its the Stone of Israel so the kingdome of the Stone among the Jewes begins at the end of the 1290 dayes The second number 1335 dayes points at the time wherein the kingdome of the Mountaine begins when the Stone shall have broken all and become a great Mountaine filling the whole earth This likewise Daniel holds forth in the 7 of Daniel where he doth make a manifest distinction puts a cleare difference betwixt the time of the taking away of the Beast's or little Horn's Dominion and the time of the end Wherein the kingdome Dominion and the greatness of the kingdome under the whole heaven is given to the Saints vers 26. First there is the time wherein the Dominion begins to be taken away then there 's a day of Consumption and then there comes the end and a turning of all worldly Powers into the hands of the Saints The kingdome and Dominion and the greatness of the kingdome under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high But I say there is a beginning of this worke where they take away his Dominion there begins the kingdome of the Stone When the kingdome and Dominion and the greatness of the kingdome under the whole heaven comes into the hands of the Saints there begins the kingdome of the Mountain Now this Truth I am speaking of or this twofold consideration of the fift kingdome indeed it s a thing of so great concernment that we cannot rightly apply the notion of the fift Monarchy without the knowledge of it it s not a phansie or a dreame but truly I looke upon it as being a maine and a principall part of that faith once delivered to the Saints as touching the fift kingdome and the rather I speake of it because I finde divers good men writing of this fift kingdome wholly passe over the kingdome of the Stone and insist wholly upon the kingdome of the Mountaine as if the kingdome of the Stone did not belong to the fift Monarchy Now that this kingdome of the Stone is a part and a principall part of the fift Monarchy is cleare and Evident from Dan 2.44 And in the dayes of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdome which shall never be destroyed and the kingdome shall not be left to other people but it shall breake in peices and consume all these kingdomes and it shall stand for ever In the dayes of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdome What is this Daniel calls a kingdome here and the God of heavens kingdome its no other but the little Stone Daniel had been Interpreting all the parts of the great Image and coming to interpret the Stone having not spoken of that yet he calls it a kingdome and a kingdome of the God of heaven therefore the Stone shall be a different kingdome from all the kingdomes of this world for it s call'd the kingdome of the God of heaven in opposition to all the kingdomes of this world of the great Image spoken of before and it s such a kingdome as shall never be destroyed nor left to other people but shall breake in peices and consume all the other kingdomes Now what is that breaking peice but the Stone now this Stone this kingdome is called a kingdome that shall never be destroyed now what is that that shall never be destroyed by any Enemie but the fift Monarchy therefore the kingdome of the Stone must of necessity be considered as the fift Monarchy or as one maine peice of it And though this Stone fundamentally is Christ himselfe yet considered as smiting the great Image it can be no other but Christ Mysticall Christ in his Members and the cutting out of this Stone cannot be meant as some would have it of Christs first Coming for these Reasons First Because the kingdome of the Stone it doth arise in the dayes of the ten Antichristian kings and in the dayes of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdome What kings are these these kings are not the foure Monarchy's for the kingdome of God was not set up in the time of those Monarchy's but in the fourth and last onely and here is spoken of kings in the plurall number In the dayes of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdome those kings therefore are the ten Antichristian kings which are set forth by ten toes where the worke begins and the first stroake is strucke and are called the ten Hornes in another place and in Dan
make both good looke the 21 22 verses of the 7 of Daniel I beheld and the same Horne made warre with the Saints and prevailed against them untill the Antient of dayes came and Judgement was given to the Saiats of the most high and the time came that the Saints possessed the kingdome And againe looke into the 25 26 27 verses And he shall speake great words against the most high and shall weare out the Saints of the most high and thinke to change times and Lawes and they shall be given into his hand untill a time and times and the deviding of time But the Judgement shall sit and they shall take away his Dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the end And the kingdome and Dominion and the greatness of the kingdome under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high whose kingdome is an Everlasting kingdome and all Dominions shall serve and obey him So that observe the very people that the little Horne warr 's against in the day of his raign that very people at the ending time of his Dominion shall take his Dominion from him but they are Saints I say Saints must be considered under that notion in taking the kingdome and Dominion of the little Horne as they are considered in the little Hornes warre against them why if we consider that in the time of the little Hornes warre against them he doth not war against them as they are nations but against Saints as Saints therefore when the ending time of his Dominion comes Saints as Saints not Saints as the body of nations for there was never yet a nation made up of Saints but Saints as Saints cul'd out shall execute the vengeance of God upon this little Horne that hath warr'd against them and troden them underfoote so long Thirdly Reason 3 That generation of men shall destroy the kingdome of the Beast in the time when his kingdome is to be destoyed that did beare witnes against the Beast for Christ all the time his kingdome stood this is grounded upon the cleare truth of the 11 Chapter of the Revelation which tells us that the witnesses for 1260 dayes prophesied in the end of this time they are kil'd by the Beast they rise up againe and rising up they knock the Beast downe for Immediatly thereupon the tenth part of the Citie fell and there was a great earthquake and there were slaine of men seven thousand and great feare fell upon all the rest and they gave glory to the God of heaven This is done by the rising witnesses therefore that generation of men that have borne Testimony against the Beast in the time of the Beast's kingdome that generation of men when his time runs out shall give the deadly stroake to the Beast and his kingdome but that generation of men that have borne their witnesse hath not been in the world it hath not been the nations of the earth for all the world saith John wondered after the Beast and all the Hornes and that with one mind and with one consent give up their power kingdome to the Beast and therefore not the powers of the world but they that have borne witnesse against the Beast all the time of his kingdome and they are the poore despised handfull of Saints that have been in the world that have borne their testimony against the Beast and therefore they are those who at the expiring time shall come forth and give the deadly Blow to the Beast Fourthly Reason 4 The Angel that enlightens the earth with the glory of the truth of the Lord that is that Angel or Instrument that shall ruine Babylon Revel 18.1 And after these things I saw another Angel come downe from heaven having great power and the earth was enlightened with his glory The Angel that enlightens the earth with the glory of God carry's on the worke against Babylon but the earth hath not been enlightened with the glory of God by the generation of the world but the world hath been enlightened by the generation of the faithfull that God hath revealed his truth to they have been the light enlightening the world with the glory of Gods truth and this Angel that enlighteneth the earth with the glory of God he gives the deadly blow unto the Beast there where light comes forth God will carry on the worke by those hands Fifthly Reason 5 Those which have had a Bloody Cup fil'd to them by the Beast all the time of his kingdome those shall give forth a bloody Cup double to the Beast when his kingdome doth expire that is grounded upon Revel 18.6 Reward her even as shee rewarded you and double unto her double according to her workes in the Cup which shee hath filled fill to her double Whence I reason thus the Generation of men that have had the bloody Cup fil'd to them by the Beast all the time of his kingdome they shall fill the bloody Cup to the Beast in the ending time of his kingdome for reward her as shee hath rewarded you and give her blood to drinke give her double according to her workes But they that have had blood from the Beast all the time of his kingdome have not been the nations of the earth as nations for the Beast sits upon the nations the waters upon which the whore sits are nations and peoples and multitudes and tongues The Beast is strengthened by the nations that oppose the Saints and tread underfoote the holy Citie but they have been the Saints that have had the bloody Cup from the Beast The Horne made warre with the Saints I saw the woman drunke with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus Now they that have had the bloody Cup shall give the bloody Cup they that have been thus dealt with by the Beast shall thus deale with the Beast they are the Saints and therefore the glorious worke is carryed on against the Beast it shall be done by Saints as the leading Instruments I shall speake yet a little more to this because many begin now to thinke that this worke must be carryed on thus and thus by States and Kingdomes Sixthly Reason 6 Another argument to prove this is The worke of God against Rome shall be so mannaged as there may be singing of Hallelujah's in the Churches for the carrying of it on this is cleare from Revel 19.1 After these things that is after the ruine of Rome spoken of in the foregoing Chapter I heard a great voice of much people in heaven saying Allelujah Salvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lordour God here 's singing of Hallelujah's upon the destruction of the Beast but now if this should be done onely by the clattering of a company of nations falling upon the Beast and ruining him what singing of Hallelujah's would there be in the Churches for this what would there be more in this than in the worke
of the beauty and riches of Christ in them that shall doe this worke so if we looke into Revel 14. where after the Beasts time is run out in the 13 Chapter we have the Beast tryumphing and the Beast's time running out in 42 moneths now after this we have another kinde of persons another party coming upon the stage Revel 14.1 2 3 4 5 verses And I looked and lo a Lamb stood on the mount Sion and with him an hundred fourty and foure thousand having his Fathers name written in their foreheads And I heard a voice from heaven as the voice of many waters and as the voice of a great thunder and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harpes And they sung as it it were a new song before the throne before the four beasts and the elders and no man could learne that song but the hundred and fourty and four thousand which were redeemed from the earth These are they which were not defiled with women for they are virgins these are they which follow the Lamb withersoever he goeth these were redeemed from among men being the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the throne of God What a generation of men come up upon the stage when the Beast's 42 moneths are run out for that had been spoken to in the foregoing Chapter when that time is run out up comes the Lamb with his company and they are a company not like to the world for they have their fathers name written in their foreheads there 's holines in their foreheads they are a party in whose mouth there is no guile they doe not act in subtill polliticke wayes as men doe and have done So that I say Consider those that shall carry on this worke where ever we have them spoken of in the old and new Testament they are still set forth as Saints for the principalls and leaders in this worke I have been somewhat large in this for if we cannot find a kinddome till Christ come all the signes will be nothing therefore I have spoken the more to this but it may be objected Object That its the ten Hornes that hate the whore if you looke into Revel 17.16 the ten Hornes are said to doe it Ans To that I answer Wee must so interpret this as not to set it against the generall current of Scripture Now whereas the ten Hornes are said to hate the whore and make her desolate and burne her with fire the meaning is this that the ten Hornes as being conquered to the Lamb and the power of them being gotten into the power of the Lamb so shall the Hornes be turned against the whore and indeed this well agrees to the scope of the place for it s said in the 14 verse These shall make warre with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them There was warre betwixt the Lamb and some of the Hornes for we are not here to understand all the ten Hornes and in this warre the Lamb becomes the victor and then the Hornes which before did fight for the Beast and support the Beast when the power of the Hornes comes into the hands of the Lamb they turne against the Beast and indeed seeing it s done by the Hornes as conquered to the Lamb its cleare that in that day such of the Hornes as shall doe it shall be ruled by the Lamb and if so why then there shall be such a thing as the kingdome of Christ even in the Hornes when this is done And truly we cannot see at present that yet this kingdome is in the Hornes that yet the Hornes are conquered to the Lamb so that the Lamb raignes in the Hornes the kingdome of the Lamb is a kingdome of Righteousnesse a kingdome wherein there shall be no injustice oppression and the like we cannot see that there is yet such a thing among the Hornes and though it is not yet yet when he comes to take the kingdome he will make the Hornes other manner of Hornes and when he comes to doe it he will doe it speedily Object But Christs kingdome is not of this world and therefore it cannot be expected any such thing should be as the beginning of the kingdome of Christ till the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ himselfe Ans It s worthy our Consideration Who the person was to whom that was spoken and the occasion those words were spoken by Christ The person to whom the words were spoken was Pilate the Roman Governour The occasion was when he was accused before Pilate as an Enemie to Caesar as one that would have tooke Caesar's kingdome from him Jesus Christ answers upon it My kingdome is not of this world that is of this Mornarchy for the whole world at that time was under the Roman Monarchy There went forth a decree from Caesar that all the world should be taxed for so indeed the whole world and Monarchy are tearmes Equivalent so that My kingdome is not of this world that is it s not of this Monarchy It was a very good answer to that that was objected against him Caesar feares I will take the kingdome from him no saith Christ my kingdome is not of this world it s not to be in this Monarchy I have a kingdome but it s not yet I will not take Caesar's Crowne off his head I shall have a kingdome hereafter but Caesar needs not feare me now this comes in about Pilats querying with him about his being aking There is such a thing therefore yet before the coming of Christ as the setting up the kingdome of Christ in the world as the same shall be the kingdome of the Stone breaking in peices and destroying all other kingdomes And having thus spoken unto this I shall now come to speake of the signes of the Times the signes that this kingdome is nigh at hand that Jesus Christ is neere to his worke seeing there is such a worke to be done in the latter end of the fourth Monarchy whether or no is this worke neere at hand or is it far off and remote I shall not speake any thing at all as to the Computation of the time from the numbers left us in Scripture though much may be learned from them for doubtlesse the Lord hath not left us numbers to the end there should be no use at all made of them for there 's nothing in the word of God but its of some use but that I shall not speake to but proceed to shew you some of the signes of The Times First Signe 1 One Signe that is a cleare signe and evidence of the time that this kingdome of the Lord Jeâ—â— Christ as its the kingdome of the Stone is neere at hand is this The wonderfull breaking forth of light as to this worke it s very observable that when the worke of God is to be carryed on against the Beast there doth forerun
to favour the dust thereof then the set time of building Syon is come Quest What are we to understand by Stones and Dust Ans Stones and dust are the beginnings of a Building the first thing a man doth that will build a house is to gather dust and stones and morter the meaning is this as if the Lord should say when you shall see some such thing visible in the world as that there seemes to be a prepation and provision for the beginning of this glorious worke of my kingdome and when you see the hearts of my people wonderfully taken with these preparations and beginnings and raised up to a very high expectation then know that the set time to favour Syon is come and truly when was there ever in the world if not at this day something that did looke as a preparation and provision for this glorious worke of the kingdome of Jesus Christ gathering stones and dust together cutting off the heads of Princes and pulling downe Thrones now the Children of Syon take pleasure in the stones and they favour the dust of it Thirdly A third signe of the time Signe 3 that this worke is approaching upon us is The great reproach that is upon the Remnant that expect this worke When Israel of old came out of Babylon they had a double worke they had a spirituall worke a Civill worke the worke of the Temple and the worke of the Citty Jerusalem and those who expected the carrying on the Civill worke of building the Citty Jerusalem and the walls thereof they were made a wonderfull reproach Nehem 1.3 And they said unto me The Remnant that are left of the Captivity there in the Province are in great affliction reproach the wall of Jerusalem also is broken downe and the gates thereof are burnt with fire Mark the Remnant are in great affliction what Remnant why the Remnant that are left of the Captivity the Remnant that did expect the Citty Jerusalem should be built they are become a reproach the worke of building of the wall of Jerusalem is delayed till the Remnant doe become a reproach the people of God had their Temple done they were set upon building their Citty for they were told by their Prophets that they should build their Temple and their Citty too and now the people cry unto them and laugh at them where is your Citty where is your Common-wealth that you talke of you would have the Citty built and you would have a Common-wealth set up and a kingdome but where is it never such reproach comes upon waiters as when the worke is ready to peepe forth then at that time when they were so reproached was the worke ready to come forth then Nehemiah is brought on his knees and spreads the thing before the Lord in the fourth verse and the Commission for building the wall of Jerusalem was given forth thereupon even that very yeare Babylon litterall was a type of the kingdome of Babylon mysticall their Babylon was a type of our Babylon and as it was then so it is now upon the coming out of Babylon we have a double worke a worke of the Temple and a worke of the Citty the Temple-worke is finished and that is suffered to stand but now the Saints looke for their Civill work for their Common-wealth and that is become a reproach for is not this the reproach at this day these are the fift Monarchy-men and where is now your fift kingdome your fift Monarchy never was that growne to such a reproach this ten yeares how have they been reproached even by some who are now compelled to acknowledge a truth in the principle Now observe when the worke was reproached then the worke went on and as that was the time then for the carrying on of the worke why so now the worke being reproached with us also it s a signe that this is the time for the carrying on of the worke now And truly its worthy our observation How after this worke was come to be a reproach it went on in a wonderfull way the worke of Jerusalem Nehem 6.16 So the wall was finished in the 25 day of the moneth Elul in 52 dayes In 52 dayes what a wonderfull thing is it that the wall of such a Citty as Jerusalem was should be built in 52 dayes and that by so few hands And this little handfull were many of them forc't to take their swords in their hands The Temple was abuilding a great while they needed no swords to that worke but now they come to their Citty-worke they have their swords in their hands to defend themselves because there were many Enemies of that worke and yet notwithstanding all their Enemies and all the opposition it was done as it were by a miracle in 52 dayes So the worke of the kingdome it shall come on apace suddenly in one houre shall this worke come on in 52 dayes was Jerusalem walled notwithstanding all the reproach which Immediatly before was cast upon them Fourthly A fourth signe is Signe 4 The present doubting that is in many godly spirits about this worke as being neere it s a cleare signe that the worke is at hand Two or three yeares since some express't a great deale of faith about this worke they preach't it up we shall goe on wonderfully we shall goe on to Rome we shall pull downe Tythes c. But now their spirits are sunke and they say it s not yet time this is so far from a discouragement as that its a great signe that the worke is neere for this is a cleare Rule that when ever Christ brings forth a worke in the world he will bring it forth so as that he shall not find faith on Earth hence you have it Luk 18.8 Neverthelesse when the Son of man cometh shall he find faith on Earth It hath been the usuall way of God even to strike dead the faith of his Children when the worke is at the birth so Exod. 5.20 21. after the death upon the worke there and their burdens are doubled they meete Moses and Aaron who stood in the way as they came forth from Pharaoh and they said unto them the Lord looke upon you and Judge because you have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants to put a sword in their hands to slay us Observe the People that just before beleived and said O the work is come and the day of our deliverance is at hand in the end of the former Chapter the text saith The people beleived when they heard that the Lord had visited the Children of Israel and that he had looked upon their affliction and they bowed their heads and worshipped Though they beleived in the former Chapter that their deliverance was now at hand yet they doubt in this Chapter as soone as ever the death comes upon the worke they murmur and doubt of it and blame Moses and Aaron telling them they
had made their savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh and of his servants to put a sword in their hands to slay us So it was with David when the worke of his kingdome first came forth when he first set out against Saul he had a great deale of confidence at first 1 Sam 22.22 David saith to Abiathar Abide thou with me feare not for he that seekes my life seeketh thy life but with me thou shalt be in safety But observe after this David lost his confidence and came to doubt of the going on of this worke of his kingdome in the 27 Chapter the first verse I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul he speakes quite contrary to what he said before yet now the worke is neere the kingdome is ready to rise So when the Children of Israel were to come out of Babylon and a death came upon the worke they cryed out The time is not come the time is not come that the Lords house should be built here they doubt as to the time their faith was downe yet then was the time at hand and the worke was carryed on in the second yeare of Darius So likewise looke to Christ himselfe when he was here the Disciples a little before his death they could say to him Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God they had much of faith at first but when Christ is in the grave they loose their faith We trusted that it was he that should have redeemed Israel their faith was gone and yet their Redemption was nearer than ever it was and Christs Resurrection at hand so that while they were Questioning and doubting the time of Christs rising approaches So abundance of good men that formerly have kept to Allhallow's-meeting and Blackfryers-meeting they have now of late withdrawne and cry the time is not come the time is not come for the carrying on of the worke of Christs kingdome but this is so far from making us beleive the time is not come that its a signe to us that the time is at hand when doubting comes after the spirit of faith for so it hath been with the worke of the Lord in all his Dispensations Here followeth six other Signes as they were found in his Notes Fifthly A fift signe is Signe 5 The wonderfull spirit of prayer that is upon Gods People when the decree of release from Babylon was ready to issue forth God puts a wonderfull spirit of prayer upon Daniel Chapter the 9th At the beginning of thy Supplications the Commandement came forth and I am come to shew thee So Nehemiah had a great spirit of prayer given to him when the time came that the Citty Jerusalem should be built And God hath promised Immediatly before he builds Jerusalem to give such a spirit of prayer Isai 62.1.6 7 verses For Zions sake will I not hold my peace and for Jerusalems sake I will not rest untill the righteousnesse thereof goe forth as brightnes and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth I have set watchmen upon thy walls O Jerusalem which shall never hold their peace day nor night Ye that make mention of the Lord keepe not silence and give him no rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth Now when an extraordinary spirit of prayer goes forth it s a cleare evidence the work is at hand What a spirit of prayer was there up in the Bishops times and what was the effect of it it brought their Ruine Afterwards when Presbytery was like to tread us downe as did the Bishops their predecessors a great spirit of prayer was in many by this they are ruined And truly I thinke I may say there was never a greater spirit of prayer up than is at this day And to encourage you the more to it I shall here put in two things First Consider That God gives his Children a larger Commission if I may so speake when they are to pray against Babylon than at other times Isai 45.11 Thus saith the Lord the Holy one of Israel and his maker Aske me of things to come concerning my sons and concerning the worke of my hands command ye me Secondly That God will be more quicke in answering Isai 65.24 And it shall come to passe that before they call I will answer and whiles they are yet speaking I will heare Sixthly A sixt signe is Signe 6 The Helples condition Gods people at present are in Before God makes his Arme bare in saving he brings his Children into that straight that they can see strength no were else but in him hence those that pray for Syons Restauration Psalme 102. pray as destitute ones and when they are destitute God answers them Never untill this day since some appearings of this worke have been have Gods people prayed as destitute ones we had A Parliament An Army A Generall that went along with us till of late but now Gods people are wholly destitute and indeed that they are brought into this condition is a mercy and an evidence the worke is neere which we might conclude to be farther off were it not thus A notable place we have Deut. 32.36 The Lord shall judge his people and repent himselfe for his servants when he seeth that their Power is gone and there is none shut up or left And indeed this hath ever been Gods way Abraham cannot have his Mercy till he is in so destitute a condition as that to an eye of Reason he is without hope David before the kingdome falls into his hands must be so destitute as that he is forced to fly the land The Helples condition of Gods people is a cleare signe the worke is at hand Seventhly A seventh signe is Signe 7 The Multiplication of the oppressed people who are the oppressed people in a more especiall manner at this day but those that appeare for this truth who are shut up in prisons and Holes but they and yet notwithstanding what a multiplying of them is there under this oppression It s Steven's observation concerning Israel Act. 7.17 That when the time of the promise drew nigh which God had sworne to Abraham the People grew and multiplyed in Egypt He makes the multiplication of the seede a signe of the Promise drawing nigh What a multiplication of this oppressed people there is all the nation over since some have been in prison is well knowne to many many Churches and Pastors of Churches who not twelve moneths since were averse to this way doe now owne it preach it I speake what I know Yea I dare say That if the present Powers of this Nation had set in counsell 12 months together to contrive a way to spread the notion of the fift Monarchy among the godly throughout this Nation they could not have thought upon a better than the casting of some Eminent leading Saints into Prison for there is nothing that men as men doe more affect than to looke into
that thing for which others suffer and specially Saints who it may be would never else have minded the notion are very Inquisitive into the thing which they see Brethren suffer for and hereby they attaine light thus God taketh the wise in their owne Craftiness It was said in the Primitive times The blood of Martyrs seede of Churches Did not Queene Mary by her cruelty make those who before were averse to it ready and willing to receive the Protestant Religion Did not the Bishops loose themselves this way and by driving some few out of the Land multiply the number of the oppressed people within it Saints suffering for truth are the loudest and most powerfull Sermons of all others See what Paul saith to this Phil 1.12 13. But I would ye should understand Brethren that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the Pallace and in all other places Eighthly The Eight signe is Signe 8 The Defection and Apostacy of Eminent leading men in the Churches from their first light and Principles Christ makes it one signe of his second coming the Starr's falling from Heaven Math. 24.29 that is Eminent men as Pastors and others in the Churches falling and saith Christ When you see this know it is neere even at the doore When you see Pastors and Officers of Churches casting off the Churches and running to Colledges when you see men that have pleaded and Apologized for the power of Churches in opposition to Lordlines over them when you see these become Tryers and usurp Authority over all the Churches and people of Christ in the Common-wealth know that it is neere even at the doore Ninthly The ninth signe is Signe 9 The great dread that is upon the spirits of all men that are Enemies of such a thing rising in the world as a fift Monarchy What a dread at the time of Israels coming out of Egypt was upon the Canaanites and this dread is at the end of the forty yeares we doe not reade of such a dread at their first coming out but when the worke was just coming forth of their taking possession of the promised Land then the feare and dread fall's upon them It s observable that from the time that David was anointed king a dread of him though Saul had all the forts and strength of the Nation was upon the spirit of Saul And what a dread is there upon the spirits of those that oppose the worke this kingdome of Christ at this day its visible enough a dread already from the Lord is fallen upon them Tenthly Signe 10 A Tenth signe is Gods wonderfull withdrawing himselfe from such as oppose this truth and worke in respect of those common graces and assistances he hath formerly afforded them in other worke How did God withdraw from Saul so soone as ever David was anointed Before he could deny himselfe and refuse a kingdome Afterwards before another shall come into his Throne he will slay innocent David be it right or wrong and all the Priests of God to boote Before though he had cause and was stirr'd up to it he will by no meanes persecute afterwards though he had no just cause all things considered he puts the Lords Priests to death Before he was a very meeke man in all his actings afterwards he acts like a Mad man And the very Reason is this Reason Davids kingdome was now rising and Saul being in heart an Enemie to it the Spirit of the Lord withdraws from him and this withdrawing was the Immediate forerunner of Davids kingdome the most Eminent type of Christ's pleaded for at this day Now let us Consider whether it be not thus at this day let us looke to men that sit upon the Throne and men that call themselves the Ministry is it not as evident as the Sun when it shines at noone day that the Spirit of the Lord is withdrawne from both I say in respect of those common gifts and assistances they have formerly had whil'st they stood in the cause of God Are there not men this day in England that persecute Saints for laying open their evills and Apostacy's who time was would not persecute them themselves nor suffer others who would have done it to doe it Are there not men who time was feared none they had their faith as their best guard who now are so far from their former faith that they are become Magor-mishabib feare round about Looke to men who call themselves the Ministry could not many some yeares since preach often with life and power now it s a great matter and truly they are not able to doe it to preach once in a fortnight and when they doe preach that life they once had is so gone that Christians that heare had they not the same names and faces would not know them to be the men once the time was that they were able to speake a seasonable word whensoever occasion was offered but truly now they are able to speake no more than they have written in their paper or got by heart as the Schoolboyes doe Is it not evident I say the Lord is withdrawne from them This is a manifest signe the worke is at hand When Davids kingdome was rising the Spirit of God departs from Saul and had not many Bishops in Queene Maries dayes much life and so the Presbyters in the beginning of these times But observe when the worke of God began to rise against the one and the other the Spirit of God went off from them and fell upon that party that bore witnes against them FINIS Christ the only Foundation 1 COR 3.11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ THe Time is but short and therefore I shall wave speaking any thing touching the context or the explication of the words there 's no difficulty in them but there 's a plaine usefull Truth ly's plainely in the words which I shall give you That is Doct That the Lord Jesus Christ is the onely foundation That I may the better open this truth to you for your edification I shall cast those things which are in my thoughts into this Method namely To shew First What I meane by Christ's being a foundation Secondly In what respect the Lord Jesus Christ may be called a foundation Thirdly What Jesus Christ is the foundation of Fourthly Who it is that lay's Jesus Christ as a foundation Fifthly How the Lord Jesus Christ is laid as a foundation And then Sixthly and lastly When Jesus Christ is laid as a foundation in the soule I shall give but a hint of the first 1. Quest What wee are to understand by Christs being a foundation Ans Wee well know the foundation it s the bottome of a building that upon which the weight and stresse of any building ly's in every building there 's the structure it selfe and the foundation the structure it selfe
this Eleventhly Christ is a foundation in opposition to flashes of Joy and comfort that a soule may find and sometimes doth find which yet are not upon the true foundation there may be a good disposition to a duty so there may be some flashes of Joy and comfort in the soule in the duty and men are apt to make high coÌ„clusions from these and yet not upon the right foundation as Herod he heard John and did many things and he heard him gladly there could not be but a Holy raising of heart and Joy when he heard him gladly and yet Herod cut off John's Head for all this so the Stony ground hath Joy in the hearing of the word they heard with Joy and yet was false ground in the Stony ground there was Joy in hearing the word and Joy in receiving the word O therefore looke to your selves sometimes when I heare a Sermon my heart is lifted up it may be with the man more than with the word or it may be with the manner of speaking more than with the word and so a soule may here lay a foundation there may be flashes of Joy in our duty 's and if we lay our foundation here we are under a very great mistake in the 28 of Isaiah those hypocrites at the second verse they did seeke God dayly and delighted to know Gods wayes as a nation that did righteousnes and forsooke not the ordinances of their God they ask't of me the ordinances of Justice they tooke delight in approaching to God yet notwithstanding this the Lord bids the Prophet goe and pronounce his wrath against them a man may have his heart rais'd it may be in speaking the word of the Lord and yet if he make this his foundation he is upon a false bottome Jesus Christ is a foundation in opposition to this foundation Twelfthly Jesus Christ is a foundation in opposition to some high acts wherein the soule puts forth seeming selfdeniall 1 Sam 10. Saul shews great selfedeniall when the people come to choose him King he hides himselfe the men of Belial despised him and brought him no presents but he held his peace he deny's himselfe he takes no notice of their opposition speaking against him and then afterward in the 11 Chapter when the people said who is he that said Shall Saul raigne over us bring the men that we may put them to death Saul said there shall not a man be put to death this day for to day the Lord hath wrought Salvation in Israel He doth not onely deny his owne spirit but the Temptation from others and this was not onely from a Politick ground but from a sudden worke that was upon him at present the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel a man may be carryed out in some good particular acts to deny himselfe thence conclude I am a childe of God and so happy its true none can truly and rightly deny himselfe but a Saint but there 's the same grace and worke as a counterfeite wrought in a hypocrite that is in the new Covenant in the true Children of God and if men lay their soundation upon these things they will be exceedingly mistaken Jesus Christ is the onely foundation in opposition to these Thirteenthly Jesus Christ is the foundation in opposition to all holy aymes it s a most blessed thing when a man comes to duty 's with holy aymes and holy end 's yet if he will lay his foundation here he may be deceived it s the hardest thing in the world for a man to Judge of his ends and aymes Come saith Jehu and see my zeale for the Lord he thought he had blessed ends and aymes but laying his foundation here what a false bottome had he I doe not say any hypocrite can ayme rightly at the glory of God but a man may ayme at Gods glory when it runs with his Interest he may looke asquint at it when Gods glory and his Interest ly's together this deceived Jehu he thought he had eyed Gods glory when he look't onely at his owne Interest the settling the kingdome upon himselfe and his Posterity and so deceived himselfe Jesus Christ is a foundatioÌ„ in opposition to this foundatioÌ„ Fourteenthly Jesus Christ is a foundation in opposition to giving in of particular words it s a great Trade that some drive of giving in of particular words and what a wonderfull confidence is oftentimes laid in this in the giving in of particular words And truly I doe acknowledge the Lord doth oftentimes make it a sweete dispensation to his Children when his Children are in great straights the Lord is pleased to come into their soules and reward them in this way and yet notwithstanding we are under a very great mistake in this if the Lord be not our light and our guide We may lay too much upon this as upon humiliation or any other duty some soules in distresse they will open their Bibles it may be doe light upon a place that doth suite their condition they thinke this is a giving in of a word I deny not but God doth sometimes speake a word in this way to his Children in great straights yet there 's a great mâ—stake in this the mistake ly's in this when that we doe lay more upon the providence in the giving of the word than upon the word it selfe when I beleive not so much the word for it selfe as for the providence the providence that I should open my booke thus and light upon such a word the providence that I should light upon such a word at such a time when we eye the providence giving in of the word more than the word now note no providence is the ground of our faith therefore if I lay my faith more upon the providence than upon the word then shall I presently be mistaken even in this way which if I had a right understanding of I may have use of and comfort in let Christians observe its ordinary with Christians when they are weak and young and when they begin to know the Lord God doth deale with them as with little Children he traines them up in such a way and gives them in particular words but when soules will alway's goe in this way they may quickly come to Tempt God and they may come to such a passe as not to care for the word of God in the Scripture unlesse it be given in in this way here we lay our foundation upon the giving in of a word lay as much as you can upon the word but take heed of laying too much upon the providence therefore Christians when they are come to more light and experience the Lord would not have them to continue in this way they must not stay till the word come to them but their faith must goe out to the word this way of God with Christians is not the ordinary way when they come to a greater standing I have a word saith one so given in in
such wayes wherein my interest lyes with Gods glory and is unwilling to run with God in the way wherein I have no interest at all I say if we put this to our hearts we shall bring them upon the Tryall if so then it 's a clear discovery whatever the heart may pretend how high soever it may seem to set up Gods glory yet that is not the end but it s owne interest for if so be I can run along with Gods glory onely when I can carry my interest with me it 's a signe I act not for Gods glory but for my owne interest 2 To consider whether or no I will goe along with Gods glory so far till I come to the end of my owne interest and then goe with God no further if so this is a clear evidence how great soever the zeale pretended might be for the glory of God yet Gods glory was not my end For if Gods glory had been the end then the soule when it had come at the Butt as I may say that its owne interest would advance no further yet it would have gone upon the pure account of Gods glory but now when I goe no further than the Butt where my owne interest is I goe not one part of the way upon the account of Gods glory It 's very remarkable that example of Jehu as to this Jehu pretended high for the glory of God but here was the tryall when he came to that which ran crosse to his own interest there he stuck be runs through the whole Commands of God concerning the house of Ahab he destroyes that utterly but when he came to the Calves of Dan and Bethell he could not destroy them for that was contrary to his interest And that very reason of state that moved Jeroboam to set up the Calves caused Jehu to keep them up to keep up his interest to ensure the Kingdome to himselfe therefore when he had gone just so far as he could with his owne interest destroyed the house of Ahab and all the friends of Ahab which conduc't to his settlement in the Kingdome was suitable to his interest he could goe no further but when he saw he was to make an advance and goe forth beyond his interest he must goe over the head of his interest or follow God no further he is at a stand he goes up to the utmost bounds of his interest to the Calves of Dan and Bethell but the Calves of Dan and Bethell must stand I will not meddle with them I will not destroy my interest this is a clear and evident Argument that all the steps he had made before was not for Gods glory but indeed for his own interest 7 Reason 7 Because a bad end is of such force as that it will make that action which in it selfe is good to be bad and instead of reward it will bring Judgement from God upon a man for doing of it That very word was spoken by the Prophet Hosea touching that man we have been speaking of Hos 1.4 saith the Lord Call his name Jezreel for yet a little while and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu It 's a very strange passage why what did Jehu doe more then God bid him Jehu destroyed Ahabs house God bid him doe it Jehu destroyed the house of Baal and that was Gods will he should doe it Jehn was found in the very Commands and will of God in what he did and yet saith God I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the head of Jehu The very blood he shed in the cause of God was charged upon him as if he had been a murderer What was the reason of it Why his end was not right it was not Gods end his end was to root out all Idolatry God commanded Jehu to destroy all the Idolls in the Land he bids Jehu goe stand forth in my name and tread downe in my name all the Idols and high places of Idolatrous worship and all the Tyrannies and wickednesses in the Land Jehu thinks well if I can doe it I shall get a Kingdome and I can settle my selfe fast he goes with another end he goes to destroy all to settle himselfe fast in his seat and surely this was the reason why the Lord would avenge the blood of Jezreel upon Jehu saith he I will bring it upon him because he had an evill end in the doing of it 8 Reason 8 Because a good end it will make that action which in the interpretation of others may be bad and may be others be accounted bad it will make that action good I would not be mistaken I doe not say a good end will make an action that in it selfe is bad good but a good end will make that action which in the Interpretation of another may be bad it will make that good doe but look upon Pauls actions and they will seem very strange when as Paul saith of himselfe in the Epistle to the Corinthians To the Jew I became a Jew that I might gaine the Jewes to them that are under the Law as under the Law that I might gaine them that are under the Law to them that are without Law as without Law being not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ that I might gaine them that are without Law To the weake became I as weake that I might gaine the weake I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some and this I doe for the Gospels sake And so in 1 Cor. 10.32 33. Giving none offence neither to the Jewes nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God even as I please all men in all things not seeking mine owne profit but the profit of many that they may be saved One would think that read over these passages that Paul was a meer Statist a politick man for a man to please all men in all things to come among the Jewes and there conforme to them to come among the weak and there stoop to them come among them that are without Law and there conforme to them One would think that here was a meer Hypocrite but here was a blessed end that made the action good here was his end that he might gaine some to Christ here was a holy end Paul did not doe it to please men that men might owne him and that men might cry him up but that carriage was to gaine men to Christ and the action becomes a blessed action through a holy end 9 Reason 9 We have need to look to our ends Because all a mans comfort in suffering it will be as his end is If a man doe appear for God in a way of action or speak for God why truly his comfort if he be called out to suffer will be as his end was what was it that made Paul he could run through all things evill reports and good reports that he did not care what came to him or
what men thought of him it was this he had a holy sincere end when the Corinthians iudged him saith he I care not to be judged of you or of mans judgement So in such a day as this when the people of God are under sufferingâ— and who may be under sufferings it 's onely knowne to the Lord O that the Lord would give us to have such ends in our actions as may be holy and sincere that we may have comfort joy and peace 10 Reas 10 We had need to look into our ends for If a man have false ends he will never be able to continue and hold out in a good worke It 's very remarkable that we have in these men here that ran after John What went yee out into the wildernesse to see They were very earnest and very hot and very zealous they had a great delight in Johns Preaching I but saith Christ What went ye ought to see What is your end it was bad He was a burning and a shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his light It held but for a season they make a very great profession and seem much to owne John and to owne the truth and seem much to be taken with the word but have a wrong end therefore they rejoycing but for a season they came to have their hearts hardned and they rejoyce no more Therefore what need have we to look into our owne hearts and observe our aimes and ends and indeed that we may know our ends 1 It 's good to be jealous of our owne hearts that there may be some end that lyes deeper than I am aware of or than I doe discern It s good to have a holy jealousie over our hearts in our acting that there may be some end that we see not 2 If we would know whether we have a right end It 's good to take a view of our owne hearts and ends at such a time as we have most light and have fairest opportunity and advantage When we have most light that is at such a time when the Lord doth most clearly shine upon the soule if there be any time wherein you have a more clear sight of the love of God then at another at that time look into your heart to see your ends 3 Looke into them at such time as we seem to have a helping opportunity There are two times which if we fall in with will give us great help to look into our ends First Look into our ends When we see others more eminent than we and that goe before us in graces and abilities when we see them drop for then the soule hath some stirring and working and I may come to get a sight into my ends the more by that opportunity Secondly Look into our ends at such time when others doe censure and judge us If a Christian be censured by another that is a good time for him to look into his end that will make him look more narrowly and pry into every corner of his heart 4 Beg of the Lord That he would be pleased to come search and try for after all our trialls if God doth not try us we may be at a losse and deceived and herein was the sincerity of Davids heart manifested Prove me and try me O Lord saith he And so it 's with every gratious heart he will say Prove me and try me O Lord. if there be any wickednesse if there be any corruption that I doe not see Prove me and try mâ— O Lord if there be any Hypocrisie that I havâ— not yet found Prove me and try me O Lord We are to be much in begging of the Lord thaâ— he would try us and prove us 5 If we would see fully into our ends Then as soone as ever thou doest find any false end presently deliver it as a Traytor to be executed Say Lord I have found out such a juggle I have found out such a bye way wherein my heart is gone good Lord come and destroy it Lastly Keep the love of Christ warm upon thy heart O labour so to goe to Christ as that the love of Christ may be warm upon thy heart that thou mayest live in the light of that love and the more thou seest of that love the more will thy soule desire to live according to it FINIS The Idolls Abolished ISAIAH 2.18 And the Idolls he shall utterly Abolish WOuld you know the time to which this Prophecy looks the second Verse tells us in generall The last dayes And it shall come to passe in the last dayes now because last dayes is taken sometimes largely for the whole of Gospel times sometimes strictly for the very last of the last times therefore in other expressions of this Prophecy it 's held forth that last dayes is to be taken strictly as 1 This relates to the time when the Mountain of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the Mountaines vers 2. The Mountaine of the Lords house is Christs Kingdome which is the Lords Mountaine it shall be established in the top of the Mountaines that is in the top of worldly Kingdomes when yet hath this ever been Indeed we have for many Generations had Antichrist lifting up his Scepter above worldly Princes but we are all clear enough that yet there hath been no fullfilling of this Prophecy But as the Devil when he sees any glorious work of Christ to come forth he will forestall it and set up something of his owne that shall be so like it that we are sometimes almost deceived so the subtill Dragon seeing that in time such a thing should be a Kingdome of Christ should over-top all the Kingdomes of the world he fore-runs it and sets up a thing like it viz. a Kingdome of his owne which himselfe sets up rules in such is Antichrist whose rise is not from God but from the Devil nor is Christ there served but the Dragon is worshipped Revel 13 14. And they worshipped the Dragon which gave power untothe Beast This Kingdome the blind of Christs by which the world hath been deceived and wondred after it before which the Kings of the earth have laid their Crownes hath been set up But all discerning soules know this to be the Divels Kingdome no Gods the very Throne of Iniquity not of Holinesse but when was there such a Kingdome of Christs over-topping others 2 This relates to a time when the Law shall goe forth out of Sion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem vers 3. By Law being distinguished from Word of the Lord I understand the Civill Law the Law of Civill Government as by the word of the Lord the spirituall Law This therefore relates to a time when Civil Government shall be in the hands of the Saints when the Law of the world shall goe forth from Sion and the Spirituall Law also the Preaching of the Gospel from Jerusalem that is from the Cities or Churches of the
the Lord of Hosts Sin shall be ashamed to appear When the Apostles Preached such a light there was of Gods glory that some sins were ashamed to appear in day time as Drunkennesse 1 Thess 5.7 They that be drunken are drunken in the night 2 He will so discover the glory of his owne greatnesse and Majesty that all other dignities shall be in a manner nothing As though you set up ten thousand Candles yet when the Sun ariseth the light of them all is nothing The Suns of the world shall have their light put out by the rising of the Sun of Righteousnesse 3 He will so discover the glory of his owne power as shall destroy the Idoll-strength his Arm shall appear to be all in all Men shall visibly see that not Creatures strength but Gods Arme is al See how they shall sing then Isa 12.1 2. And in that day thou shalt say O Lord I will praise thee though thou wastâ—angry with me thine anger is turned away and thou comfortest me Behold God is my Salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jebovah is my strength and my Song he also is become my Salvation God is my salvation Now men cry such a valiant man such valiant men have saved us but then the Song will be God alone is our Salvation 4 He will so discover his wisedome as shall wholly destroy Idoll Pollicy Men shall see Gods wisedome so visibly in discovering Plots c. as that they shall see all wisedome of man to be folly 5 He will so powre out of his Spirit as shall utterly abolish parts learning and all those things as they are an Idoll He will powre out of his Spirit upon the Sons and daughters of Sion that they shall thereby be more filled with truth and more able to utter the great things of God than all the Schollars of the world 2 By shaking all Idolls Vers 21. When he ariseth to shake terribly the earth He will terribly shake whatsoever hath been or is an Idoll whether honour or strength or parts or grace And how hath God been shaking all these amongst us How hath he shaken the honour of the world pluckt off Crownes from the heads of Princes and throwne Nobles out of their seats How hath he been shaking strength broken in a wonderfull way Armies by Land Navies by Sea How hath he shaken mens parts and wisedome brought wise men and learned men who made an Idoll of their learning and wisedome to so low an ebb in respect of esteem as they never were and just it is and they shall yet be brought lower till they learne to give God the glory Yea how hath he shaken grace and how many men of grace are fallen that we might learne indeed to cease from man whose breath is in his Nostrills Vse 〈◊〉 Is it so that God will abolish all â—dolls Then learne this That a day will be how much soever men now cry up their Idolls that they shall be ashamed to owne them Isa 1.29 For they shall be ashamed of the Oakes which yee have desired and ye shall be confounded for the gardens yee have chosen Men shall be in this day ashamed to cry up worldly greatnesse strength pollicy parts as now they doe They may have a love in their hearts to these things as Idolls still but shall be ashamed to owne them in the way they now doe Read vers 20. In that day a man shall cast his Idolls of silver and his Idolls of gold which they made each one for himselfe to worship to the Moles and to the Batts 2 Is it so Then let us take heed we doe not in this day set up Idolls To set up Idolls in this day God is pulling them downe makes the offence double We have seen the Lord powring contempt upon many Idolls already and he is now punishing us with the Idolls we have set up let us not goe about to set up more O let us take heed of spirituall Idolls the great Promise of the New Covenant is Cleansing from Idolls Ezek. 36.25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and yee shall be clean from all your filthinesse and from all your Idells will I cleanse you Plead it with God 3 Is it so Then learne this There shall be a day in which Saints shall have hearts to exalt God onely The wretched Idoll selfe shall be utterly abolished This is a good day 4 Is it so Then Saints seeing such a day shall come Let us labour for a spirit sit for this day when it comes Two things will work such a spirit in us 1 A Mortified heart to a mans owne things being dead to our honour wisedome parts c. 2 An enlivened heart to the things of God and his glory And O! that this Spirit were in us that the glory of our father could be more to us then all the world See those blessed ones Revel 5. they cry out with a loud voyce Worthy is the Lamb that was staine to receive power and riches and wisedome and strength and honour and glory and blessing We too often cry out our owne worthinesse with a loud voyce but they the Lambs power is the Lambs glory honour wisedome and blessing is the Lambs FINIS A TABLE OF The Chief Heads of the preceding SERMONS I. The Fifth Kingdome or Kingdome of Christ founded on the New Convenant In one Sermon on Jerem. 33.20 21. Preached at Ham. THE Text opened Page 1 2 Qu What that Covenant is that was made with David Answered Page 3 Doct That the Kingdome or visible Kingdome of Christ is founded on the New Covenant proved 1 From the first striking up of the Covenant betwixt the Father and the Son Page 4 5 6 Qu What are we to understand by Gods dividing to Christ a Portion with the great and the Spoyle with the strong Page 7 8 9 10 2 From the Promulgation of the Covenant Page 11 Who are the Seed of the Woman and what it is to break the head of the Serpent Page 11 12 3 From the Renovation of the Covneant Page 15 It was renewed with Abrâ—ham Page 16 What it is for Christ to possesse the Gate of his Enemies Page 17 It was renewed with David Page 21 Qu How doth it appear that this is the new Covenant Page 22 4 From the work it selfe where the work doth begin to rise in the world c. Page 25 Vse 1. Let men or Satan doe what they can for the crushing and keeping down such a thing yet a day there is when it will come forth and that in the spight of all the power of men and hell Page 29 2 The unworthinesse of the Saints it cannot it shall not hinder or deprive them of this mercy Page 30 3 It ought not to be strange to us if we should see a death upon this work when it seems to he coming forth Page 36 4 We should waite upon God patiently for the bringing of it forth
Page 38 5 This will be a sweet mercy when it comes Page 39 6 It will be a Spirituall thing ibid. II. Signes of the Times In two Sermons on Mat. 16.3 Preached at Great-Allhallowes THe Text opened Page 45 Obs That the Times of the Lords more glorious appearing and manifestation of himselfe they are such Times as have evident Signes set upon them proved Page 46 to 50 The Reasons of the Point First That God might thereby strengthen the faith of his Children Page 50 Secondly To leave his Enemies inexcusable Page 52 Qu What hinders men from seeing the Signes of the Times Answered Page 53 to 58 The Second Sermon Assertion THat the Kingdome of Christ his visible Kingdome or that thing called The Fifth Monarchy it 's two-fold or it doth consist of two parts namely The Kingdome of the Stone and The Kingdome of the Mountaine Opened and proved from Page 61 to 66 Three Reasons to prove That the cutting out of the Stone cannot be meant of Christs first coming Page 66. 77 Eight Reasons to prove That the Civill and Military Power is to be in the hands of the Saints with which they are to break the great Image to overturn the Thrones of Kings and that before the day of Christs appearance Page 68 to 79 Obj That it 's the ten Hornes that hate the Whore answered Page 79 Obj Christs Kingdome is not of this world answered Page 80 Ten Signes of the present Times from Page 82 to 98 III. Christ the Onely Foundation One Sermon on 1 Corinth 3.11 Preached at Pancras Soperlane Doct THat the Lord Jesus Christ is the onely foundation Page 99 1 Qu What are we to understand by Christs being a foundation Answered Page 100 2 Qu In what respect is Christ a foundation Answered Page 101 1 In respect of the fathers laying for a foundation ibid. 2 In respect of Gospel Revelation ibid. 3 In respect of his owne meetnesse Page 102 to 107 Where Jesus Christs meetnesse and fitnesse for a foundation is shewed in many particulars 4 In respect of Believers being built upon him Page 107 5 In opposition to all other foundations Page 108 to 127 Where we have seventeen false foundations mentioned in opposition to which Jesus Christ is a foundation The prosecution of the Point as it was found in his Notes 3 Qu What is Christ the foundation of Answered Page 129 to 135 4 Qu Who layes Christ as a foundation Answered Page 135 136 5 Qu How doth God lay Christ as a foundation Answered Page 137 to 141 6 Qu When doth God lay Christ as a foundation in the soule is it in the first work or change that is wrought upon the soule or afterwards Answered Page 141 to 158 IV. The Promise of the Father Two Sermons on Acts 1.4 Preached at Bishopsgate THe Text opened Page 159 160 Qu Why doth Christ call it the Promise of the father doth not Christ himselfe Promise the Spirit Answered Page 161 162 Qu Why doth Christ pitch the faith of his Disciples now at this time of his Ascension rather upon this Promise than upon any other Page 163 to 166 Obs That the Promise of the Spirit is the great New Testament Promise ibid. Proved by severall Considerations Page 167 to 182 Some Application of the Point Page 182 to 188 The Second Sermon THe Promise of the Spirit is the great Testament Promise 1 It 's a New Testament Promise Page 189 to 193 2 It 's the great New Testament Promise Page 194 Obj If it be the great New Testament Promise how comes it to passe that the Saints and people of God under the New Testament Administration have so little of the Spirit answered Page 195 to 198 Qu What is the way of the New Testament in which God will give out New Testament mercies Page 198 to 200 Why the Promise of the Spirit is the great Promise under the New Testament Severall Reasons for it Page 201 to 205 Vse 1. Hence we see what that thing is that all of us should have our eyes and our hearts fixed upon and taken up with Page 205 2 Then what spirituallnesse is there required of the Saints of the New Testament Page 206 to 209 3 Let every soule take heed of undervaluing the blessed Spirit of God Severall particulars shewing how men undervalue the Spirit Page 210 211 Lastly Let us learn the duty in the Text to wait upon God for the Spirit Page 212 213 V. The Evill of the Times One Sermon on Mal. 3.16 17. Preached at Great-Allhallowes THe Text opened Page 215 Obs That it 's the speciall worke and duty of Gods people when others and the generality of people cast off and Apostatize from the worke of God to speak often one to another Page 216 What those things are that Saints should be speaking one to another of 1 Of the speciall Sin and Evill of the Time Page 217 How shall we come to know the Evill of the Times Answered Page 218 to 222 2 Of the speciall work of God at that Time and what the speciall duty of a Christian is in such an Evill Time Page 222 to 227 3 Of the precious great and glorious Promises that God hath made of better times to come Page 227 VI. Looke to your Aimes and Ends. One Sermon on Mat. 11.7 THe Text opened 235 c. Doct That it 's a very good and a very profitable thing for soules to be very inquisitive into their owne ends in all spirituall actions Page 238 The Grounds and Reasons of the Point 1 Because our Ends and our Aimes are secret things Page 238 2 Because that a mans heart is where his End is Page 239 3 Because a mans heart is as his End is ibid. 4 Because God doth look at our Ends. ibid. 5 Because God will over-look many failings in our obedience if our End be right Page 240 6 Because there 's nothing our hearts doe so much deceive us in as our Ends. Page 241 7 Because a bad End is of such force as it will make that action which in it selfe is good to be bad and instead of reward it will bring judgement from God upon a man for doing of it Page 243 8 Because a good End will make that action which in the Interpretation of others may be bad good Page 244 9 Because all a mans comfort in suffering it will be as his End is Page 245 10 Because if a man have false Ends he will never be able to continue and hold out in a good work Page 246 How we may know our Ends. Page 246 to 248 VII The Idolls Abolished His Notes on Isaiah 2.18 THe Text opened shewing to what Time it relates Page 249 to 252 Doct There is a most glorious day a coming in which all Idolls shall be utterly abolished Page 252 Qu 1 What is meant by Idolls ibid. Qu 2 What Idolls will God abolish The Idoll of Prophanesse Page 253 The Idoll Pomp worldly glory and greatnesse ibid. The Idoll Strength ibid. The Idoll Pollicy Page 254 The Idoll Parts and Learning Page 255 The Idoll of Grace Page 256 Qu When is Grace made an Idoll Answered ibid. Qu 3 Why will God abolish Idolls Page 258 1 Because his designe is to exalt himselfe alone and this whilst Idolls stand cannot be ibid. 2 Because Gods soule hates Idolls above all ibid. Qu 4 How will God abolish Idolls ibid. 1 By the manifestation of his owne glory shewed in five particulars from Page 258 to 260 2 By shaking all Idolls ibid. Vse 1 Learn this That a day will be how much soever men now cry up their Idolls that they shall he ashamed to owne them ibid. 2 Let us take heed we doe not in this day set up Idolls Page 261 3 There shall be a day in which Saints shall have hearts to exalt God onely ibid. 4 Seeing such a day shall come let us labour for a spirit fit for this day when it comes ibid. Two things will work such a spirit in us 1 A mortified heart to a mans owne things ibid. 2 An enlivened heart to the things of God ibid. FINIS