also there shall be no cause for weeping or crying they shall not then lose their dear relations and other outward enjoyments to their grief as I shall shew by and by but shall comfortably enjoy them But the top-flower the crown of all their joys shall be spiritual even those spiritual enjoyments which they shall then be made partakers of And in that respect chiefly it is said Isai 35. 10. That the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away And therefore also is it said that God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 7. 17. They shall be no more afflicted and tossed with tempest and not comforted as they have been for want of spiritual enjoyments no but they shall have such full supplies of the Spirit in all cases and upon all occasions as they shall not have cause to bewail and mourn and sigh for the want of it No but the Spirit shall be as bread to strengthen them and they shall walk in the strength thereof and as new wine to refresh and make them cheerful Zech. 9. 17 For how great is his goodness and how great his beauty Corn shall make the young men cheerful and new wine the maids Thus with holy joy and gladness shall the hearts of Saints be then filled And everlasting joy shall be upon their heads And thus have I as briefly as I could declared what the spiritual and internal priviledges are which the Saints shall be made partakers of in this new Jerusalem But now here by the way let me adde this word That though I have all along spoken of those spiritual priviledges and perfections as prerogatives that shall be gloriously conferred upon Saints in those thousand yeers that I have spoken of yet let Saints know this also That though the heights of these spiritual glories are reserved for that time yet as the time is already come wherein Jesus Christ is beginning to take his kingdom and in a sense it may be already said That the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ so the time is already come wherein these spiritual promises are to be made good at least these are the beginnings of that time And we see * Those that are spiritual do see it and their souls rejoyce in it They see it in Saints of all ages and Sexes and degrees it very evidently for upon the Saints in general the Spirit is already more abundantly poured out then it hath been And this we may expect and duely look for That as Jesus Christ rises higher and higher in his other dispensations in subduing his enemies in this Nation and the Kingdoms abroad So he will rise higher and higher in his spiritual dispensations he will more and more pour out his Spirit upon his people And as the Spirit of Prayer upon some and the Spirit both of Prayer and Prophecy upon others and all the effects of the Spirit as knowledge humility love c. is already poured out upon Saints learned and unlearned male and female old and young very richly in comparison of what it was twenty yeers since So before twenty or ten or five yeers more pass we shall undoubtedly * They shall see it especially that look for it that long and wait for it see much more of this spiritual glory upon the Saints then now there is We shall see I more knowledge among the Saints and will be generally 2 in a more humble frame of Spirit laying themselves low before * We have now great cause to rejoyce â—o see so much of this frame as we do already see among the Saints God And 3 they shall have more inflam'd affections to God because of all his goodness to them And 4 they shall have upon their hearts a more holy son-like fear of God And 5 they shall worship him more purely more according to his will And 6 there shall be among all Saints a more firm union And 7 they shall be enabled to act more justly and righteously And 8 they shall be more meek And 9 those that are weak among them shall be more strong And 10 their language shall be more pure And 11 their minde shall be more high and noble I mean more heavenly less minding earthly vanities And 12 they shall be more fully swallowed up in the will of God And 13 singleness of heart more evidently appear in them And 14 corruptions of any kinde shall less appear And 15 their spiritual glory shall shine forth more fully And 16 they shall more purely use all outward injoyments all creature-comforts And finally they shall be filled with greater joy in God and more fully be joyful in their King his high praises being in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their hand to take vengeance upon the heathen c. I say these things we shall see more perspicuously and more emmently in Saints five yeers hence then now but ten yeers hence much more then then and twenty yeers hence far exceeding that For these are not ordinary times not such times as have been during the forty two months wherein the Church was appointed to be in a low condition but these are the Saints rising times wherein they shall rise higher and higher Therefore all ye that are Saints look for these things * Let all Saints both men and women and sons and daughters servants and handmaids expect these things expect them and labour after them for this is the time wherein ye shall indeed †Hos 6. 3. know if ye follow on to know the Lord. And therefore now let nothing satisfie you but this For it is not those of ye you well know that have most outwards but those that have most of this spiritual glory that shall be most happy and most in esteem with Jesus Christ and his Saints and such shall not want outwards as appears in what follows Of the Outward and external priviledges that Saints shall then injoy I come now to declare also what the external priviledges of the Saints shall then be But first I shall premise these three things First That though the external priviledges of the Saints shall then be very many and very great that yet these outward priviledges are no way to be compared with those spiritual priviledges I have already spoken of Neither can the heart of a true Saint suffer any comparison to be made between them And secondly That though these outward enjoyments are favours and blessings which may be lawfully desired yet are they not desired by Saints in comparison of that desire they have to injoy those spiritual priviledges already spoken of which they would think themselves happy if they might but now injoy though they had not those outward things any more then they have had in their lowest condition And thirdly That to the
THE LITTLE HORNS DOOM DOVVNFALL OR A Scripture-Prophesie OF King James and King Charles and of this present Parliament unfolded Wherein it appeares that the late Tragedies that have bin acted upon the Scene of these three Nations and particularly the late Kings doom and death was so long ago as by Daniel pred-eclared AND What the issue of all will be is also discovered which followes in the second Part. By M. Cary a servant of Jesus Christ AMOS 3. 7 8. Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he revealeth his secrets unto his servants the Prophets The Lion hath roared who will not feare the Lord God hath spoken who can but Prophesie London Printed for the Author and are to be sold at the sign of the Black-spread-Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1651. TO The Vertuous Heroicall and Honourable Ladies The Lady ELIZABETH CROMVVEL The Lady BRIDGET IRETON and The Lady MARGARET ROLE May it please your Ladiships BEing pressed in spirit to divulge this insuing discourse the maine scope whereof being to make this present age more sensible of the late past and present footsteps of God in the world in order to the setting up of the kingdom of our Lord Iesus and the making of all dominions to serve and obey him And observing how that among the many pious precious prudent and sage Matrons and holy women with which this Common-wealth is adorned as with so many precious jewels and choice gemmes which God having here and there placed in it doe set out the glory and lustre of the * This Nation so farre excels in glory and happinesse all other Nations because of of those numbers of precious Saints that are in it and for severall other respects As it made a Reverend * See Mr. Tho. Goodwins Sermon preached before the Parliament in Feb. 1645. which is in print and intituled The great Interest of States and Kingdomes Which in many other respects is worthy the serious view of the best saints Divine of this Nation thus to expresse himselfe concerning it That if wee had stood at Gods elbow when he bounded out the Nations and appointed the times and seasons that men should live in wee should not have known in what nation or kingdome or age wee should have chosen to have lived in rather then in this kingdom for whom God hath done such great things unlesse when Iesus Christ himselfe was alive and the Apostles in those primitive times unlesse in Iudea it self where all the Apostles were together Nation God hath selected and chosen out your Ladiships and placed you in some of the highest places of honour according to your present capacities in the three Nations wherein you have more then ordinary opportunities to honour him And observing withall how that as God hath placed you in the stations wherein you are so hee hath fitted you for them the tendency of your aimes studies and endeavours as it is well knowne being to the exaltation as far as lies in you of that great King of Saints the Lord Iesus whom you love in sincerity and for the setting up of whose glorious Kingdome in the perfection of it you longingly waite which frame of spirit in you hath not been of yesterday only but for many yeeres together hath shined conspicuously and gloriously in you all demonstrating to all Saints that indwelling presence of the holy spirit which is within you I have therefore chosen being of your own sex to dedicate these Treatises to your Ladiships whom I honour because God hath honoured and under your favourable aspects to publish them to the world being assured both First of your ingenuous and gracious acceptation hereof seeing that these treatises tend to the quickning and refreshing of the hearts of those which waite for and expect the comming and the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ Knowing that every thing of this nature from how weak an instrument soever it be so it bee with the plaine and cleer demonstrations of the holy Scripture and the holy spirit is very acceptable unto you who are in that waiting and expecting posture And also secondly of your owning and defending and maintaining all the truths which are therein laid down as far as they shall appear in the energie and evidence of the holy spirit unto you who have already so plenarily compared with many other Saints of these present times received of that spirit And now right honourable that as your God hath graciously loaded you both with internall and externall glory under which he keepes you in a sweet meek and humble frame which crownes all the favours which he hath conferred upon you so that you may more and more abound in every grace and blessing of the Lord enjoying yet more full spirituall and sweet communion and fellowship with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ through the spirit that as transplendent stars you may shine gloriously in the severall spheares wherein God hath set you or shall set you while in this world untill you are advanced unto that beatificke vision which is to bee injoyed among the glorified Saints and Angels with Iesus Christ in another world shall be the prayer of My Ladies Your Ladiships devoted unfeignedly to serve you in the Lord MARY RANDE To the READER Courteous Reader I Had written the first of these Treatises intituled The little Horns doom and downfall above seven yeeres since but have bin with-held from publishing of it untill now for ends best known unto divine Majesty but if may so guesse it may bee it was because that men would then generally have been more uncapable of receiving of such things then now they are because now these things are fulfilled and prophesies are then best understood when they are fulfilled But now am I so pressed to publish both this first Treatise and this other which I have but lately written upon this 27 verse of this seventh of Daniel * Having finished it but since the beginning of the moneth of August this present yeer 1651. as that I cannot I dare not with-hold neither of them from publike view any longer but by publishing of them in print I shall expose them to the publike view of all men as far as in me lies And having so done shall leave it to the eternall Jehovah to make it effectuall to those ends to which he hath appointed it which may bee First to convince those of their folly that persist in waies contradictory to or crossing of his present designes to the disturbing of their own soules though they cannot hinder his worke for who can let it for if hee do not convince them none can Or Secondly it may be to confirm others for there are some that are already so far inlightned in their understandings about the present proceedings of God in the world as they do in some competent measure already discerne the footsteps of God in these great present providences and doe discerne also what his designes are in
spring as the grasse and when all the workers of iniquity doe flourish It is that they may be destroyed for ever but thou Lord art most high for evermore A new AND MORE EXACT MAPPE OR DESCRIPTION OF New Ierusalems GLORY when Jesus Christ and his Saints with him shall reign on earth a Thousand years and possess all Kingdoms WHEREIN Is discovered the glorious estate into which the Church shall be then put both in respect of externall and internall glory and the time when And also What hath been done these eight yeares last past and what is now a doing and what shall be done within a few years now following in order to this great work Wherein also That great Question whether it be lawfull for Saints to make use of the materiall Sword in the ruining of the enemies of Christ and whether it be the mind of Christ to have it so is at large debated and resolved in the Affirmative from clear Scriptures and all others answered By M. Cary a servant of Jesus Christ Rev. 22 6 7. And he said unto me These sayings are faithfull and true and the Lord God of the holy Prophets sent his Angell to shew unto his Servants the thing which must shortly be done Behold I come quickly LONDON Printed by W. H. and are to be sold at the sign of the Black spread-Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1651. A description of new Jerusalems GLORY when Jesus Christ and his Saints with him shall reign on earth a thousand yeares and possesse all Kingdoms Dan. 7. 27. And the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given unto the people of the Saints of the most high whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and all Dominions shall serve and obey him THe Spirit of God in the former verses having declared the rise actions and end of the little Horne that was to afflict the Saints and shewing how that at last the Saints should overcome him Saies expresly They shall take away his Dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the end and then saies in this verse that the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high c. The assertion which is laid down in these words is plaine and cleare and needs no explanation at all which is this That not only this Kingdom of England and some few others but all the Kingdomes and Dominions in the whole world shall in a more peculiar and more eminent manner than yet they have been be subjected to the Lord Jesus Christ and by him given to his Saints to possess This same truth likewise is positively asserted in the 13 14 18 21 and 22 verses of this Chapter in the 13 and 14 verses where the Vision it self of which these verses are an interpretation is declared there it is thus exprest I saw in the night vision and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the Ancient of daies and they brought him neere before him and there was given him Dominion and glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdome that which shall not be destroyed So that this is clearly asserted here also that the Dominion not only of some but of all people Nations and Languages should be given to the Lord Jesus Christ who is here exprest by this appellation The Son of man by which he is often exprest in the New Testament and this is to be done after the Beast is destroyed as is here exprest And what is in these verses said to be given to the Lord Jesus Christ is in the 18 20 21 and 27 verses said to be given to his Saints for in the 18 verse it is said that the Saints of the most high should take the Kingdome and possesse the Kingdome for ever even for ever and ever and in the 21 22 verses that the Horne prevailed against the Saints untill the Ancient of daies came and Judgement was giuen to the Saints of the most high and the severall beasts having had the Kingdomes of the world for their appointed times the time then came that the Saints possessed the Kingdome and in this 27 ver that the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole heauen should be given unto the people of the Saints of the most High Thus what was in the 18 verse said to be given to the Lord Jesus there called the Son of man is in these severall verses said to be given to his Saints The truth is that which is given to the head is given to the members that which is given to the Husband the wife must partake of for there is nothing that he possesses which she hath not a right unto And the Saints of Christ are the members of Christ they are the Lambs wife and having given himselfe unto them he will not with-hold any thing that is his from them but when all the Kingdomes and Dominions under the whole heaven are given to him they shall possesse them with him Thus is this assertion that is laid downe in this verse confirmed in severall other passages in this very Chapter namely That all Kingdomes all the Nations and Languages and People under the whole heaven shall be in a more peculiar and a more eminent manner than yet they have been be subjected to the Lord Jesus and by him be given to his Saints to possesse And as it is cleare here so there are very many other Scriptures wherein it is as clearly asserted severall of which Scriptures I shall here produce that out of the mouth of many witnesses it may be confirmed against all contradictions which I shall the rather do because this Doctrine is so much despised by profane men who jeering at Saints say these are the meek that must inherit the earth But first let me premise That though it be unquestionably true that the riches of this world which hath been hitherto equally dispensed alike to all shall in a very short time be abundantly given to the Saints of the most High as Canaans Land was to Israel of old which was but a shadow of what shall come to passe in the latter daies that yet First they that are indeed the Saints of the most High and that walke most with God will be the least seekers of this worlds wealth and Secondly They that seeke it least and least desire it shall have more than they that seek it eagerly and also shall injoy it most comfortably and with greatest joy in God Thirdly that those saints that God will most honour though they shall have abundance of the world yet they shall not set their hearts upon it but shall prefer the least degree of the flowings of the spirit of God which
is an evil to come into a fashion after it hath been some time used if it be sober No I say not so for I know no Scripture that so says But I say that it becometh Saints to be more composed then others and not to be so forward as others in minding such vanities and not to put themselves into immodest habits but to do what in them lies to restrain the exorbitances of the times in such things And this I say That they do discover that they have very little of the Spirit that are not able to deny themselves not sometimes in very fooleries in this kinde Not but that rich apparel may be worn and comely ornaments may be used Holy women * Gen. 24. 22 30 47. have been and may be adorned with Bracelets and Rings and Jewels But fooleries and immodest apparel c. must be avoided and when the Spirit is more abundantly poured out it will be so And they will be very regardless of these vanities and be more grave composed and discreet in their carriages For then in all their clothing furniture and necessary utensils shall appear not vanity but Holiness to the Lord. They shall be so clothed and have such furniture as shall manifest that they are not a vain people but a holy people As appears Zech. 14. 20 21. For they shall make an holy use of all the blessings which God shall multiply upon them They shall no more abuse them but they shall be sanctified to their uses so as all shall have this inscription upon them in respect of their holy use of them HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD Thus Saints shall not minde vanity in these times But shall have their Spirits raised and lifted up into an heavenly and holy frame Again twelfthly Another effect of this more abundant pouring out of the Spirit upon the Saints will be this that they shall be more fully centred in the will of God and it shall be their resting place his * How Saints shall will the will of God Will will be their Will and be the satisfaction of their spirits This the Spirit always works in the hearts of the Saints where he comes and the more of the Spirit a Saint hath the more of this appears in him But in those times we are speaking of when the Spirit shall be thus gloriously seen upon the Saints then in a most eminent and full manner shall this appear in them all the will of God shall be sweet unto them And this is intimated in that excellent pattern of Prayer which our Lord and Saviour hath communicated unto his people in these words Thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven Where our Lord would have us to pray for the coming of this his Kingdom and for the doing of his will on earth as it is done in heaven which will be when that his Kingdom cometh For though now many know their Lords will and do it not yet it shall not be so then but knowing his will they shall do it and delight in the doing of it for his will is their will and theirs it is because it his so that they shall all pray and say Thy will be done and shall have strength to do it His will shall be done in earth as it is in heaven in that day Again in the thirteenth place The Saints in this time being filled with the Spirit shall * Saints shall then walk in the integriâ—y and singleness of heart all walk in the uprightness of their hearts Integrity and singleness of heart shall appear in them and hypocrisie and double-mindedness shall be loathsome to them and be utterly contrary to their natures They are children that will not lye and none but such shall be inheritors of this kingdom as appears Psal 24. 4. where the Psalmist says that none shall enter into this holy hill but he that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully And so also Psal 15. 2. the Psalmist again saith that he that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousnesses and speaketh the truth in his heart shall dwell in it So that such and none but such shall possess this Kingdom And Psal 37. 18. this is again confirmed The Lord knoweth saith the Psalmist the days of the upright and their inheritance shall be for ever they shall possess this inheritance And of the upright ones is it said Isai 33. 15. that they shall dwell on high and shall see the King in his beauty This is their Character They that walk in righteousnesses and speak uprightnesses v. 15. And in the fourteenth place The Spirit being thus abundantly poured out upon the Saints they shall thereby be enabled to mortifie all corruption so that it shall not at * Corruption shall not at all break out in the Saints then all break out in them for though it be true that all that is born of the flesh is flesh and those that are in the state of mortality shall carry flesh about them yet they being all new born shall be then so filled with the Spirit as that they shall mortifie all the deeds of the body and the Spirit alone shall live and act and sway and bear rule in them and they being born of God shall not sin but shall hate every false way and not suffer the least evil motion to take place for indeed it is not possible it should they being so full of the Spirit for Saints do experiment this now that when the Spirit in the power and life and glory of it doth abide in them as some tastes of it some Saints sometimes have O then not the least evil motion will take place in their hearts there is an utter antipathy in their spirits at that time to every thing that is not pure But when this is withdrawn then they are often foiled with temptations and vanity hath too much place with them until a fresh supply of the Spirit come and mortifie it But when the Spirit shall be so abundantly poured out upon the Saints as the Scripture declares What a wide difference will there be between their condition now and their estates then Then shall they always walk up and down in the strength and power of the Spirit and never want its presence and then it shall be their continual delight to walk in the paths of holiness and nothing will be more irksome and more loathsome to them then any sin or sinful thought And though by the first Adam sin came into the world so that all are born sinners yet being new born the second Adam shall save them from all sin and that not onely from the guilt of sin but sprinkle clean water upon them pour out the waters of the holy Spirit upon them and they shall be clean from all the filth of sin in a more eminent and glorious manner then ever they have been so that corruption
with the former part of this Chapter being observed the meaning of them will the more clearely appeare which is briefly thus The Prophet Daniel in the first yeare of Belshazzar had a Dream and Visions wherin the all-disposer of all things was pleased to reveale unto him not for his sake only but for ours also many things which were to come to passe in a very long time after some of which things are not yet but shall be fulfilled in their season The sum of the Vision is this The Prophet saw foure great beasts rise one after another being divers one from another and the first was like a Lion the second like a Beare the third like a Leopard and the fourth beast was such a Monster as he compares it to no beast being unlike any beast that could be named and it s said to be exceeding dreadful and terrible having ten hornes and among these hornes there came up another little horne before whom three were pluckt up and in this horne were eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking great things And at last the Prophet in his Vision saw a finall end of all these beasts and all their Power and Dominion taken from them and saw the Lord Jesus Christ there stiled The Son of man set up to be the only Monarch of all the World The Prophet having seen this Vision and it being dark and mysterious to him he was troubled and desired to know the truth of it whereupon the interpretation of the Vision was given to him as it is at the 16 verse and so on And it was declared to him that the foure great beasts were foure Kings that should arise out of the earth and when the Prophet desired more particularly to know what the meaning of the fourth beast was which was so different from the rest and so exceeding dreadfull and what was the meaning of the ten Hornes which were in his Head and of the other Horne which came up before whom three fell It was revealed to him that the fourth beast should be the fourth Kingdome upon earth which should be different from all Kingdomes and should devour the whole Earth and should tread it down and break it in peeces and that the ten Hornes should be ten Kings which should arise out of it and that the other Horne which came up before whom three fell was another King which should arise after the ten Kings which should be divers from the first and should subdue three Kings c. Now that this Prophesie hath been accomplished exactly clearly and fully in the former part of it viz. in the rising of the foure Universall Monarchs which have acted their parts in the world since the time that the Prophet Daniel saw this Vision The first being the Babylonian which was then in being The second the Persian which succeeded the Babylonian The third the Grecian which succeeded the Persian And The fourth which was the worst the most dreadfull and terrible and the last of the foure was the Roman which succeeded the Grecian I say that in these foure Monarchs this Prophesie hath been in that part of it fulfilled is very cleare and acknowledged by all that acknowledge any thing And moreover in that since the breaking of the great power of the Roman Monarchy there hath risen ten Kings out of it which have been the Hornes which the beast hath made use of to push the Saints those Kings being subject to the Roman Beast which was first Emperiall and afterward Papal that Roman Beast whether Emperiall or Papall having alwaies had when least the number of ten Kings subjected to it Spain France England Scotland Ireland and Denmark being a part of that number In this also is that part of this Prophesie fulfilled which saies that the fourth Monarch should have ten Hornes or ten Kings and this is very plaine and undeniable and confest by all that have explained this Prophesie And thus having observed the Coherence I shall by divine assistance proceed to explaine the remaining part of this Prophesie which is contained in these foure verses And another shall arise after them and he shall be divers from the first and he shall subdue three Kings Having observed how the former part of of this Prophesie hath been already clearly fulfilled and that the ten Hornes were ten Kings belonging to the Roman Monarch and this part of this verse telling us that another King should arise after the other ten Kings which should be divers from the rest and should subdue three Kings And comparing this with the eighth verse to which this verse hath reference where Daniel saies that he considered the ten Hornes and behold there came up among them another little Horne before whom there were three of the first hornes pluckt up by the roots 〈◊〉 before whom three fell as in the â—… verse The result of all will be this that this King mentioned in this verse is the late King that reigned over England Scotland and Ireland and that appeares thus The King mentioned in this verse is said to be among the ten horns or Kings or to be of them and have three hornes or Kings pluckt up by the roots before him ver 8. or to have three of the ten Kings fall before hee comes up and this one to succeed three verse 20. Now this directly was the condition of the late King he came up in the roome of three of the hornes and reigned over three of the Kingdoms * That Kingdom may be said to bee and is indeed subjected to the Roman Beast the Pope when the King or those in authority in the Kingdom gives liberty to Prelates or to any of the Clergy-men as they are called to exercise any unwarrantable power over the consciences of Saints and to binde Saints to worship God in that way and method which they presscribe and no other way but so which God abhors Esa 29. 13. Matth. 15. 9. Exercising Lordship over the consciences of Saints and this is that for which Rome is called Babylon because it proved in this respect a house of bondage to ehe Saints And thus England Scotland and Ireland were subjected to the Roman Beast the Pope untill the late Kings power was taken from him and even so was England as well as the other Kingdomes subjected to the Beast even in Queen Elizabeths daies for though shee was in many respects 〈◊〉 vertuous Queen yet herein shee failed in suffering Bishops to Lord it over the consciences of Saints and therein was England one of the hornes even then as it hath bin ever since untill of late yeers subjected to the Roman Beast and before him three Hornes were pluckt up by the roots For Elizabeth of England and * This was he that caused the combustions in Ireland in Queen Elizabeths time and was wholly overcome at that time Hugh Baron of Dungannon and Earle of Tir-Oen whose predecessors claimed the Kingdome of Ireland and James of
Scotland were all three fallen and the late King was he that came in the roome of these three and entirely possessed the Kingdomes of all three So that this part of this Prophesie is exactly fulfilled in that King and not in any other of the Kings nor in any other person can these things be said to be so exactly fulfilled as in him So that if the Spirit of God here had no further described this little horne it would have been evident that this Prophesie had been fulfilled in this King these three Kingdomes being thus subjected to one King or Prince that formerly were governed by three before whom three were plucked up c. But it is made more apparent that this Prophesie was fulfilled in him by that further description which the Spirit of God in this Scripture gives of the dispositions actions and end or death of this King which we have as it followes Vers 25. And hee shall speak great words against the most High and shall wear out the Saints of the most High c. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ John 15. tels his Disciples that whosoever despised them despised him and whosoever despised him despised him that sent him Whereby its clear that that person that speaks great words against the Saints of the most High doth therein speak great words against the most High That this King did speak great words against the Saints of the most High threatning the ruine and destruction of all Puritans and Round heads as hee termed the saints of God is so well known as there needs nothing to be further spoken to make it appear nor need I mention the the persons which long before the wars which meerely for their being servants of God were persecuted imprisoned fined banished and otherwise threatned and as he spake great words against the most High in his saints so hee spake great words against the Lawes and Ordinances of God prohibiting of them requiring godly and faithfull Ministers to refrain from the worshipping of God from publike praying and preaching of the Word of God upon the first day of the Week Whereas many a poor soul might have been converted to and confirmed in the waies of God in those ordinances but hee constraind as it were the people of the Kingdom to a prophane loose life to dishonour God by inviting and requiring of them to practice prophane and wicked sports upon that day which was appointed for a holy worshipping of God Whereas many poore soules needed rather to haue been encouraged and call'd upon to have more frequently attended upon the Ordinances of God for they perished for want of knowledge And as he thus spake great words against the ordinances of the most High so he nourished and supported many wicked and abominable Priests when many holy and faithfull Ministers of Christ were rejected who did most profanely abuse the Scriptures and despise the very spirit of God and that publikely of which sort there were many among those Centuries of scandalous Ministers that were in the beginning of this Parliament sequestred for their delinquencies Thus in that this King spake great words against the saints and ordinances and spirit of God and had pleasure in such as so did he therein did as here is said of him speake great words against the most high And shall wear out the Saints of the most High Was it not long before the sitting of this Parliament given out by this King that hee would not leave untill hee had left no more Puritans in England then there were Protestants in Rome and is it not generally known what meanes and waies were used to wear them out and to make them weary of living in the Kingdom insomuch as many godly and faithfull people being weary of the impositions upon their consciences of those things which were evill and the prohibitions of them from that which was good as their meetings to call upon the name of the Lord and to confer one with another of the things of God and the repetitions of Sermons did being thus wearied leave their native Kingdom though in all outward respects to their great disadvantage and those that remained how did they groan under their burthens and complain to heaven day and night against the insufferable and wearying proceedings of that unworthy King Thus did hee wear out the Saints of the most high And shall think to change times and lawes and they shall be given into his hand untill c. Therein also he is more exactly characterized and described for it is well known that hee did think and intend to change times and lawes he thought to have made sad times for all circumspect and holy Christians whom he called Puritans and times of joy and rejoycing for all popish and prophane persons And hee thought to have changed those Lawes which had been by preceeding Princes made for the priviledges of the people in civil and spirituall respects and to have imposed lawes destructive to the peoples freedom and liberty and to have ruled all by his own will and made the people slaves thereunto And they shall bee given into his hand untill c. As hee thought to change Lawes and times so he did they were given into his hand for a while he had times and lawes in his hand to change them at his pleasure and he thought to have done so alwaies And to this end consulted with wicked Bishops Popish Lords and profane Judges and to this end also he raised Armies first against the Scots and afterward against all well-affected people in Ireland and also in England Thus this Horn that came up in the room of three did in all things answer this description of him which is given in these 24 and 25 verses and hee comes in no tittle short of it There is but one thing more spoken of him in this Chapter whereby he is any further described then as in these three verses and that is in the 21 verse which I will here take in before I proceed to what followes It is in these words And I beheld and the same horne made war with the Saints and prevailed against them untill c. And herein also did this Horne or King most exactly act according to this which the Spirit of God by Daniel so long since predeclared of him For he did make War against the Saints and that in such a manner as no King Prince or Potentate ever yet did For no History can declare nor in any age or time can it be said that ever armies were raised more properly to fight against and to make war with the Saints as being Saints then these late Armies raised by him and by authority from him have been Many combustions have been in the World and many wars in this and severall other Kingdoms but was ever the quarrell so exactly against Saints and saintship in any War as in this For it was against Saints in a more especiall manner that this horn made War
and their deliverance as he gives them to overcome him and his complices that thought to overcome them And in this worke hee hath thousand thousands ministring unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand standing before him hee hath all his Saints all men else and all his holy Angels at his beck to execute his will and doe his pleasure And as once the stars in their courses fought against Sisera so God in doing this great work for his Saints deliverance and making way for the setting up of the Kingdom of his beloved Sonne hath multitudes multitudes both of Celestiall and terrestiall creatures to attend him And certainly such great things could never have been done if the Ancient of daies had not most gloriously and wonderfully appeared for the help and support of his people How could they which are so few in number and in the eies of the world despised and despicable creatures have carried on that work so effectually as to have cut off the late King though it was verily beleeved and it is very probable there was at that very time twenty to one in this Nation of England that were against it had not the Lord assisted them with thousands of Angels and evidently manifested himselfe to bee with them Thus it is evident that by the appearing of the Ancient of daies mentioned in this Chapter is meant his appearing in his people in that spirit of judgement and justice that he gives unto them and his appearing for his people to own and defend and deliver them and to lay their enemies in the dust while hee raises them up and makes them sit in high places Secondly whereas I said that this position was likewise the sense of this verse together with those other verses which I compared with it viz. That a certain number of Saints should be convened together and have a spirit of judgement given unto them by the most High together with power and authority whereby they should take away the dominion of the little horn to consume and to destroy it unto the end I shall illustrate that thus In the 10 verse its said that thousands thousands ministred unto the Ancient of daies and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him the judgement was set and the bookes were opened and because of the voice of the great words which the Horn spake the Beast was slaine Here it is evident that the beast or horne was slaine by some that did sit in judgement before whom the books of his evill deeds were opened because of which his evill deeds and sayings he was adjudged to be slaine And at the 22 verse it is plainely declared who they were that did sit in judgement That they were not Angels but Saints the Saints of the most High for there it s said that the horne made war with the Saints and prevailed against them untill the Ancient of daies came and judgement was given to the Saints of the most high and then was his power taken off for then the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdome And that those Saints that have judgement given to them and that are said to sit in judgement that they are the instruments by whom the beast was to be judged and slaine is further cleare in this 26 verse where it having been declared in the former verse how evilly the horne should deale with the Saints it s said But the judgement shall sit and THEY shall take away his Dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the end Thus it is also evidently the sense of these verses compared together that by the judgment sitting is meant a certaine number of Saints that by the wisdome providence and power of the most High were convened together and invested with power and authority and a Spirit of Judgement for this end to judge this little Horne and do justice upon him and to take away his Dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the end And this need not seem strange that the Saints should thus sit in judgement and do such things as these for do ye not know saies the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. 2. that the Saints shall judge the World And verse 3. Know ye not saies he that we shall judge Angels This being a known truth it is no wonder among those that know truth that God should put such power and authority and such a spirit of judgement upon Saints whereby they should be enabled to do these things And to this purpose that passage of the Psalmist is also very considerable Psa 149. 4 5 6 7 8. The Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will beautifie the meek with salvation Let the Saints be joyfull in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds Let the high praises of God be in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their hands to execute vengeance upon the heathen and punishment upon the people to bind their Kings with chaines and their Nobles with fetters of Iron to execute upon them the judgement written this honour have all his Saints praise yee the Lord. Now I say since it is certaine that the Saints shall one day judge not only the world but the wicked Angels the Devils also and it being most certaine that this Prophesie of the Psalmist wherein he speaks of a time when God will beautifie the meek of the earth with salvation and put his high praises in their mouths and a two edged sword into their hands to execute vengeance upon the heathen and punishment upon the people to bind their Kings and Nobles in Chaines and Fetters of Iron and to execute upon them the judgement written Marke it the judgement written these things being so it is no wonder that this written judgement should be thus executed upon this horne or King Thus it is cleare that a company of Saints convened together by the wise providence of the most high and invested with power and authority and a spirit of judgement were to do this work upon the horne And what particularly they are is by providence now made very conspicuous the things that are here spoken of being now in a great measure accomplished for all prophesies are best understood in the fulfilling of them Namely that they are those precious and gracious ones that by the wise and gracious disposall of the most high have been called to sit in Parliament and the high Court of Justice which they erected who have had a spirit of wisdome of judgement and faithfulnesse put upon them whereby they have acted faithfully and zealously for the glory of God and the peace and welfare of all their brethren I say it is the Parliament and those imployed by their Authority who have hazarded all that was deare unto them rather than to suffer the free people of this Kingdome and amongst them the Saints and people of God to be betrayed or given up to the power of those that would have ruled tyranically and cruelly over them But here let me not
they shall in these daies abundantly have above all the treasures of the whole world No their hearts shall not Zach. bee set upon the world but their 10. 7. hearts shall rejoyce in the Lord. Fourthly that the advanced saints of God shall not in these daies seeke the wealth of the Nations but the Nations themselves as Paul expresses himselfe 2 Cor. 11. 14. we seek not yours but you that is not their wealth but their weale not their treasure but their safety not their riches but their happinesse not their outward things but the salvation of their souls and they that seek not these things to wit the publike weale and safety and happinesse and salvation of all but that doe covet to treasure up most riches for themselves and to poll and rob and cheat the people to inhance their owne estates and make themselves great in the world and their children gay and splendid amongst men as doe Kings Princes and evill Governours not to mention some sorts of Committee-men these shall become the basest and the vilest among men and their children be despised and contemned for their sakes especially if they walk in their steps Fiftly and lastly it is heaven and not the earth It is the kingdom of God and Math. his righteousnesse that Saints will 6. 33. seek after and these things shall bee added unto them And now having thus premised I shall come to mention those Scriptures which do so cleerly demonstrate that which is here asserted and the truth is the Scripture is so pregnant and so full of such passages as it would be very tedious to mention them all and doubtlesse many saints are very well acquainted with them but for satisfaction to others I shall mention some of them and the first shall be that known place in the second Psalme where it is cleerly asserted that all the kingdomes of the world shall in a most eminent manner be subjected to the Lord Jesus Christ and that hee should rule over Kings Princes and Judges which would not obey him with a rod of Iron and break them in pieces like a potters vessell if they cast not their Crownes at his feet and kisse him with the kisse of faith and obedience In the three first verses of that Psalme the Prophet seemes to have in his eye the rage of the heathen and the fury and the madnesse of the Kings of the earth at that time when God shall set up the kingdom of Jesus Christ over the whole world as if that as soon as they see preparation unto such a thing that their spirits should be presently inraged and they their Kings and rulers especially should set their whole strength consultations and counsels against the effecting hereof as being being resolved not to suffer it and therefore when they see that God is setting up of his Christ or anointed they say among themselves Come let us break their bonds and cast away their cords from us But alas poore wormes what doe they He that sit in the heavens shall laugh saies the Psalmist * vers 4 5 6. The Lord shall have them in derision Yea he shall speake unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure when they shall so doe and notwithstanding hee will set his King upon his holy hill of Sion and shall give him the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession some of which being pertinacious and obstinate opposers he shall breake with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potters vessell And therefore the spirit exhorts all those Kings Rulers and Judges of the earth to bee wise and receive this instruction even to kisse the Sonne and and to serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling lest the Sonne bee angry and they perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little But for the comfort of others who long to see that day of the King the Lord Christ his exaltation hee addes Blessed are all they that wait for him Thus this Scripture fully concurres with the present Text in asserting this thing That all the Kingdomes of the world shall bee subjected to the Lord Jesus Christ and as it s said here that all dominions or as the word may be more rightly rendred all Rulers must serve and obey him so the same is cleerly declared in this Prophesie of the Psalmist also The next Scripture which I shall quote for the clearing of this point shall be that in the 110 Psalme which is also very full to this purpose for there the Psalmist speakes of a time when the Lord Jesus Christ there stiled a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedeck should be set up and exalted above all the Kings and Potentates of the world and when he should rule in the midst of his enemies and should have his enemies made his footstoole and should judge among the heathen and wound the heathen and wound the heads over many Countries and fill them with the dead bodies and his people should be willing in that day of his power so that hence it is cleare also that there is a time coming when Jesus Christ shall have the Kingdomes of the world subjected to him And because it is and will be so that when he comes thus to rule and raigne that many people but especially the great ones Kings Princes Rulers and Heads of Kingdomes shall endeavour to oppose the Lord Jesus in so doing therefore it is said here that he shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath and wound the heads over many Countries The third Scripture which I shall cite for the confirming of this truth shall be that in the 149 Psalme a place already mentioned upon another occasion where it is said That the Lord taketh pleasure in his people and he will beautifie the meek with salvation and that the high praises of God shall be in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their hands to execute vengeance upon the heathen and punishments upon the people to bind their Kings in Chaines and their Nobles in Fetters of Iron to execute upon them the Judgement written This honour have all his Saints Now true it is that almost hitherto since the Primitive times the Saints have been as it were trodden under feet of the Gentiles that is of heathen or profane men and they have trampled upon them and sorely afflicted them For they have both imprisoned them and chain'd fetter'd and whipt and cropt and mangled and rackt and burnt them what not For all the cruelties that wit sharpened with malice could either invent or inflict have the meek the precious ones of God undergone at the hands of their cruell raging enemies BUT here they have a promise that the Lord who taketh pleasure in his people will at last beautifie the meek with salvation And what shall the issue thereof be It shall be this That whereas for thus long time
a time when the saints must bee so lifted up out of the dust as they must be the top and the head of all Nations and whatsoever Kingdome and Nation will not serve them must perish which yet hath not been accomplished the Kings and Princes of the Nations bringing in their treasures to Sion the redeemed of the Lord. And as full to this purpose also is that passage Esa 65. 8 9 c. Thus saith the Lord As the new wine is found in the cluster and one saies destroy it not for a blessing is in it so will I doe for my servants sake that I may not destroy them all and I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountaines and mine elect shall inherit it and my servants shall dwel there and Sharon shall bee a fold of flockes and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie downe in for my people that have sought me But ye are they that forsake the Lord that forget my holy mountaine Therefore thus saith the Lord behold my servants shall eate but ye shall be hungry my servants shall drink but yee shall be thirsty Behold my servants shall rejoyce but yee shall bee ashamed behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart but yee shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howle for vexation of spirit and yee shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen For the Lord God shall slay thee and shall call his servants by another name that he who blesseth himselfe in the earth shall blesse himselfe in the God of truth and hee that sweareth in the earth shall sweare by the God of truth because the former troubles are forgotten and because they are hid from mine eyes For behold I create new heavens and a new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into minde but be you glad and rejoyce for ever in that which I create for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy and I will rejoyce in Jerusalem and joy in my people and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her nor the voice of crying There shall bee no more thence an infant of daies nor an old man that hath not filled his daies for the child shall die an hundred yeeres old but the sinner being an hundred yeeres old shall be accursed and they shall build houses and inhabite them and plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them They shall not build and another inhabit they shall not plant and another eate for as the daies of a tree are the daies of my people and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands They shall not labour in vaine nor bring forth for trouble for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their off-spring with them and it shall come to passe that before they call I will answer and whiles they are yet speaking I wil heare The Woolfe and the Lambe shall feed together and the Lion shall eate straw like the Bullock and dust shall bee the Serpents meate they shall not hurt nor destroie in all my holy Mountaine saith the Lord. This Scripture also fully concurres with the former in clearing this truth most sweetly holding forth that Christ who was to come of the seed of Jacob and of the tribe of Judah and his Saints here stil'd Gods elect shall inherit the Mountaines or Kingdomes of this world which are the Lords verse 12. And that when that time comes the saints former afflictions and sorrow shall be so done away as they shall be as forgotten and hid from their eyes verses 16. 19. And to make them joyfull yea full of joy they shall have all the good things that their hearts can wish for For first they shall be filled with the spirit and blesse themselves or see themselves blessed in the God of truth and the Lord will rejoyce in them and joy in his people verses 16 19. And secondly all their prayers shall bee speedily heard and answered ver 24. And thirdly as they shall bee the blessed of the Lord so shall their of-spring be also that so their joyes may be without mixtures of sorrow ver 23. And fourthly they shall inhabit the houses which they build and eate the fruite of the vineyards which they shall plant none shall take them from them but they shall long enjoy the work of their hands and they shall have abundance of flockes and herds and eate and drink and rejoyce in the Lord and sing for joy of heart verses 10 13 14 21 22. And fifthly they shall live till they come to a good old age and be blessed verses 20 22. And sixthly no ravenous or hurtfull or devouring creature shall then do any hurt to man or beast verse 25. And because the condition of the Saints shall be so happy and the Kingdomes of the world shall be put into such a new posture and be so changed from what they were therefore the spirit of God here calls them new heavens and a new earth ver 17. and the holy Mountaines of the Lord verses 9 25. for so they will bee when these things are accomplished and the confusions and combustions and oppressions and troubles that were in the old frame of the world shall be forgotten verses 16 17. Againe This is also cleared Jer. 30. 16 c. and 31. 1 2 c. in these words They that devoure thee shall be devoured and all thine adversaries every one of them shall go into Captivity and they that spoile thee shall be spoiled And ye shall be my people and I will be your God behold the whilewind of the Lord goeth forth with fury a continuing whirlewind it shall fall with paine upon the head of the wicked and the fierce anger of the Lord shall not returne untill he have done it and untill he have performed the intents of his heart in the latter daies ye shall consider it at the same time saith the Lord will I be the God of all the Families of Israel and they shall be my people Againe I will build thee and thou shalt be built a virgin of of Israel thou shalt againe be adorned with thy tabrets and go forth in the dances of them that make merry For thus saith the Lord sing with gladnesse for Jacob and shout among the chiefe of the Nations publish ye praise ye and say O Lord save thy people the remnant of Israel Heare the word of the Lord O ye Nations and declare it in the Isles afar off and say he that scattered Israel will gather him and keep him as a shepheard doth his flock therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Sion and shall flow together to the goodnesse of the Lord for wheat and for wine and for oyle and for the young of the flocke and their soule shall be as a watered garden and they shall not sorrow any more at all
glory which shall be revealed in us the inward glory of Saints consisteth only in such things as these in the presence and power of the spirit within them in subduing all corruption and in leading them into the paths of righteousnesse when they do no * Psal 119. 2. iniquitie but walk in his law and light c. Then are they all-glorious within and this is the glory which shall be revealed in them and in this most eminently shall they bee freed from the bondage of corruption Fourthly that condition wherein the saints shall then be shall bee such as wherein they shall be cleerly and visibly manifested to be the sonnes of God which is exprest in these words Waiting for the manifestation of the Sonnes of God The saints having all this while been as it were in obscurity and laine among the pots to use the Psalmists expression they shall then arise and bee as the wings of a Dove covered with silver and her feathers with yellow gold for then shall be the manifestation of the sonnes of God For then shall God so fully and so evidently owne them and appear in them and for them as that the heathen shall see it and acknowledge it to them and then to all shall they be manifested to be the sonnes of God This is exprest in these words also waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our bodies he cals this time the adoption because then the sonship of the saints of God as before he had said should be made manifest but that in the word the adoption hee might be understood hee addes this to wit the redemption of our bodies implying that the time of the redemption of our bodies will be the time of the manifestation of our sonship or adoption Fifthly this condition of the saints shall be a most glorious condition that 's exprest in these words the glory that shall be revealed in us and the glorious liberty of the children of God Thus in these five particulars doth the Apostle set out what the condition of the saints shall be at that time which is also further cleered in those six particulars in which hee speakes to the condition of the whole creation which are these First that the bondage of corruption is now universally spread over the whole creation as all mankind so all other creatures since man sin'd and corruption broke forth in him whereby hee violated the Law of a righteous Creator are exposed to misery and paine so grievous was the fall of man and so hainous is the sin as that there is none of the sons of men nor yet of the creatures which were appointed for the use of man but the weight and bondage of sin it lies upon Secondly that this bondage lies so heavy upon the whole Creation as it makes it groan under the burthen of it as being very irksome and painfull to it The whole Creation groaneth and travelleth together in pain Thirdly that it was not willingly but with reluctancy and paine that the creature became subject to vanity to wit to the bondage of corruption that is the misery that sinne and corruption brought upon it It is not willingly that any of them suffer pinching cold and pining hunger and killing stormes and many other judgements which sinne brought into the world though willingly and with delight some creatures doe and shall performe that service to man in which they were appointed to be usefull to man as man is Lord over all creatures as the horse rusheth into the battell and swiftly carries man in journies sometimes without whip or spur and the Ox willingly takes the yoak and other services severall creatures willingly performe when they are not abused by men that are unreasonable The good man is merciful to his beast But painefull sufferings and all the bondage that sinne brought upon the creature it was not willingly subjected to The Creature was made subject to vanity not willingly c. Fourthly that when it was subjected to vanity it had hope given it of deliverance not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope So that it was subjected in hope not that such hope can be in an unreasonable creature as there may be and is in reasonable man who hopes and hath a reason of his hope but it is with such a hope as its nature is capable of of which to give an exact definition I will not undertake But certain it is that it hath a hope such as it is and this hope it had when first it was made subject to vanity and in this hope it was subjected for though it was with reluctancy not willingly that it was subjected yet subjected it was by reason of him who subjected the same in hope Who for ends best knowne to himselfe both subjected it and subjected it in hope Fifthly as the whole creation was subjected in hope so doth it waite for and expect accordingly that liberty that it shall have at the time of the glorious manifestation of the sonnes of God Yea it earnestly expects and waits for it as it is exprest in these words The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sonnes of God But this expectation and waiting must be understood of such an expectation and waiting as the creature is capable of and not of any such expectations or waitings as are in reasonable man it being not capable of it But sixthly and lastly the creature that thus is as hath been said under the bondage of corruption under which it groanes and travels being not willingly but with reluctancy under it but yet hoping for and waiting for and expecting deliverance shall at that time when the saints by being set at liberty from the pressures of inward corruptions and outward enemies be gloriously manifested to be the sons of God bee also set at liberty from all its pressures and griefes under which it groanes and set into a condition of gladsomnesse and freedom Thus in this place of Paul is this great truth so much spoken of by the Prophets and saints confirmed by Paul wherein because he in some things speakes more particularly of the state of the creatures at that time I could not passe it by without this briefe observation of it wherein wee may see that the condition of the Saints must needs be exceeding glorious since the creatures over which man is Lord shall be then in such a state of freedome and liberty I shall not inlarge any further in producing any other of those many passages in Scripture which witnesse this truth but onely those two Rev. 5. 10. and Rev. 11. 15 16 17 18. Both which do also punctually speak in the language of the Prophet Daniel here in this Chapter to wit that the Kingdomes of this world must more visibly and more fully then yet they have been become the Kingdomes of the Lord Jesus and obey him So Dan. 7. 14 27. and Revel 11. 15.
And that when that time is the Saints must possesse the Kingdome and reigne on earth so Dan. 7. 22 27. and Rev. 5. 10. The first of these passages mentioned in the Revelation is that Chap. 5. 9 10. which runs thus Thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reigne on the earth These words are a part of a song sung by Saints wherein they praise the Lambe and herein they have in their eye as matter for which their hearts are ingaged to honour and glorifie Christ both that which he had already done for them and also that which he had not yet done but would doe for them That which hee had done for them in these words Thou wast slaine and thou hast redeemed us and thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and that which should bee done for them by Christ in these words and wee shall reigne on the earth this being that which they knew hee would doe hee having declared it by the mouth of all his Prophets therefore they sing it out we shall reigne on the earth The other passage which is Rev. 11. 15 16 17 18. runnes thus And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in Heaven saying the Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reigne for ever and ever and the four and twenty Elders which sate before God on their seates fell upon their faces and worshipped God saying We give thee thankes O Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned and the Nations were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be judged and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the Prophets and to the Saints and them that feare thy name small and great and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth And the Temple of God was opened in Heaven and there was seen in his Temple the Ark of his Testament and there were lightnings and voices and thunderings and an earthquake and great hail This Scripture being so pertinent unto the present purpose and having already in another Treatise opened the former part of this Chapter from the first to the 15 verse I shall therefore be the more copious in opening of this part which is from the 15 verse where I left unto the end of the chapter Verse 15. And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in Heaven saying the kingdoms of this world are become c. The declaration of this truth that the Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of the Lord Christ is here held forth unto us to bee that great and glorious part and portion of the providence and counsell of God that is to be manifested under the sounding of the seventh Trumpet which brings in the seventh and last and greatest judgement of God upon that wicked as the Apostle termes him or that man of sinne That great Saint opposer the Roman Papall Beast and his adherents For by the seven Angels which were to sound the seven Trumpets is to be understood 7 severall remarkeable and great judgements that in so many severall periods of time by so many severall passages of the providence and purpose of God should be brought upon that beast and his associates whereby they should bee gradually ruined The first of them being one degree of bringing them down and the second bringing them lower then the first had done and the third bringing them lower then the two former and the fourth breaking down another part of their greatnesse and glory which was not broken by the three former but the three latter are to bee more terrible and dreadfull unto them then any of the former and therefore they are said to be three great woes which were to come upon that crew Chap. 8. 13. which are there stil'd the inhabitants of the earth for all along in this Prophesie they are cal'd the earth to distinguish them from the Saints who are all along cal'd heaven and as these are said to be woes so they prove woes indeed unto that miserable crew but it is to them and them onely and not to any others As for the Saints all the seven Trumpets produce matter of joy to them because therein Christs enemies and their enemies are from time to time brought low And indeed these seven Trumpets or seven severall judgements of God upon the Beast and his adherents were obtained from God in a great measure by their prayers being offered up by the Lord Jesus their blessed Mediator who perfumed them with the incense of his own righteousnesse and worthinesse in which they are acceptable For upon the offering up of the prayers of Saints with that incense these Judgements were powred out upon the earth that is upon that crew and these angels prepared to sound as appeares Chap. 8. 2 3 4 5 6 c. So that the Saints had cause to rejoyce when these judgements came upon that faction and they indeed did rejoyce and their hearts have been made glad in all these severall Judgements which have come upon them As in that their Doctrines and Doctors Bishops Jesuits and Priests and much of their power and authority which they had over the people have been brought down and laid in the dust in those six severall Trumpres sounding or glorious dispensations already past wherein that party have been troubled perplexed and pained at the heart and now this great and glorious dispensation we are treating of is to bee the seventh and last which is of greatest terror to them and greatest joy to the saints as it followes And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in Heaven saying the kingdoms c. There were great voices in heaven that is there were many in heaven that is in the Church or among the Saints that in the Prophesies of this Book are stiled heaven that did trumpet forth sound forth or clearely hold forth and confidently speake out this truth that the Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever They were voyces it was not only the single voice of one but they are voices it is the voice of many in heaven many among the Saints And they are not the whimsicall notions of unsound and rotten men but they are voices in heaven voyces of reall Saints Great voyces in heaven Being great voices argues first that they are not some poore weak suppositions or may be 's Nor secondly are they some weake faint sayings but they are great that is effectuall convincing and unquestionable speakings such as shall be heard and be received and be beleeved among the Saints they shall be spoken with such
authority of Scripture and such demonstration of the spirit and power going along with them and these great voyces shall have a double effect first they shall minister joy and gladnesse to the Saints and secondly they shall minister terrour to the Popish party for it speakes and works their ruine and third woe that comes upon them The Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever The Kingdoms of this world are become so why were they not so before this seventh Angell sounded or this seventh dispensation Is not the earth the Lords and the fulnesse thereof whose were the Kingdomes of this world but our Lords and his Christs Answer Though it is true they were his yet they were not so visibly the Kingdoms of God and of Christ as they shall then be For they seemed rather to be the Kingdomes of the evill one they were so universally inslaved to the Devill among the Indians and Heathens that professed not Christ and they seemed rather to be inslaved to that man of sin that wicked one that sate in the Temple of God and blasphemed among such as professed Christianity But at this time they shall in a most visible and glorious manner become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ for he shall break down the power of other Kings even of all that will not stoope to him and cast their Crowns at his feet yea he will breake them in peeces as a Potters vessell and that great Papall Beast shall be destroyed with the fire of his wrath and his glory shall be manifested to all people and nations and languages who casting off all other Lords shall willingly be subjected to him and rejoyce in his glorious reign according to that of the Psalmist The Lord * Psal 97. 1. and 96. 10 11 12 13. reigneth and let the earth rejoyce and let the great “ England is one of the great Isles Isles be glad thereof Yea the Kingdomes of this world shall be universally so subjected to our Lord Jesus Christ as they shall all serve and obey him only and other Lords shall not have Dominion over them but they shall have one Lord and his name one in all the earth Thus in a most visible manner shall the Kingdomes of this world become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ * Zach. 14. 9. And he shall reign for ever and ever He having once subjected the Kingdomes of this world unto the obedience of himselfe it shall not be with him as it hath been with all the great and potent Monarchs that have formerly ruled the world that one of them have thrust out and destroyed another and one hath taken the Dominion from another No none shall take the Dominion from him But as Daniel saies His Kingdome shall be an everlasting Kingdom and all Rulers shall serve and obey him So John here saies He shall reigne for ever and ever And the foure and twenty Elders which sate before God on their seats fell upon their faces and worshipped God saying we give thee thanks O Lord God Almighty c. What those foure and twenty Elders are will appeare in the fourth and fifth Chapters of this Prophesie They are first mentioned Chap. 4. 4. where they are thus described And round about the throne were foure and twenty seats and upon the seats I saw foure and twenty Elders sitting cloathed in white rayment and upon their heads were Crownes of Gold Now that we may know what these be we must observe what the Angell saies to John in the first verse of that Chapter in these words Come and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter whence it appeares that these Elders as well as the other things which John saw were representatives of some things that were to be after that time Now Chapter 5. we may see what they were that were to be hereafter which these foure and twenty Elders did represent and that is that they were Saints that were redeemed to God by the bloud of the Lamb out of every kindred and Nation and people as appeares in the 8 9 10. verses of that Chapter Now here in this 11 Chapter these foure and twenty Elders that is these Saints and redeemed ones of Christ do upon the sounding of these voyces that the Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ fall upon their faces that is they lay themselves low before God and worship him being exceedingly affected with this great work of God and with his great grace toward them in bringing them out of their suffering condition to reign with Christ They fell upon their faces and worshipped God saying we give thee thanks O Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned The Saints whatever others do herein yet they if their eyes be open to see it they cannot but give thanks yea solemnly lay themselves low before God in thanksgiving for the great and signall manifestations of the Lord God Almighty and eternall his taking to him his great power in ruling and raigning and laying of such as are indeed his enemies in the dust and yet withall at the same time their hearts may be very much affected with this that any godly men should be so deeply engaged with Gods enemies and consequently do partake of their punishments Because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned Because thou hast not suffered thine enemies alwaies to boast and to triumph but hast begun to lay them low before thee and now hast taken to thee thy great power which thou seemedst to have laid aside when thou sufferedst so long the rod of the wicked to rest upon the lot of thy righteous ones but now dost thou take to thee and shew forth thy great power in punishing and bringing down the power of thine enemies for these things we give thee thanks and because that now more generally universally and evidently thou appearest to reign over men in thy just and righteous deciding of Controversies and in justifying them that in the integrity of their hearts give up themselves to glorifie thy great name and to do that which may be for the good of all thy Saints even of every one that feares thy name small and great laying aside all by and selfe respects yea we give thee thanks for that thou now so evidently appearest to reigne over men in condemning and blasting those that pretending other things force themselves against their judgements to contend for some things which are but a seeming ground of that quarrell against others which was primarily occasioned by their selfe ends which selfe-love hath so blinded them as they could not or would not see but shall see and be made to acknowledge them to thee and to thy Saints by thy righteous judgements This and
his and their enemies in these words Come out of her my people and reward her even as she hath rewarded you and double unto her double according to her workes in the cup which shee hath filled fill to her double how much she hath glorified her selfe and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her And thus much in answer to this objection Thus have I shewne that the Lambe having raised his Saints hath in part overcome and is going on to overcome the ten Kings in which he will make use of his saints as his instruments And now I am to go on to declare * How the ten Kings shall so imbrace Christ as they shall hate the whore that as the ten Kings or Kingdomes for it is not the Kings alone but the Kingdomes also that hee will overcome shall be subdued by the Lambe and his saints So will he so poure out his spirit upon the people of those Kingdomes as they shall not unwillingly I meane many of them or at least such a part as shall rule the rest in those Kingdomes but willingly yeeld obedience to him that hath subdued them and that in love to him And this appeares in the sixteenth verse * Rev. 17. And the ten hornes which thou sawest upon the Beast these shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and shall burne her with fire Thus those that were once one with the Beast when they are overcome by the Lambe shall have such cleer light given to them to discover truth and shall be so freed from the smoake of the bottomlesse pit which is in the Beasts Kingdome and shall have such cleere light given to them as they so cleerly see the delusions and the abominable filthy practises of the Babylonish crew as their hearts shall rise against them and they shall loath and hate them and then shall willingly and freely yeeld obedience to the Lamb that overcame them and ruine that cursed City Rome which is stil'd the Whore the Mother of Harlots and abominations of the Earth Of this destruction of Rome I shall speake more fully in its place But first I must declare what things must precede it for about these daies when the Kings or Kingdomes are thus overcome and also converted and enlightned and before the ruine of Rome the Gospel shall be preached universally unto all Nations and Kindreds and Tongues and People which doubtlesse will bee effectuall to the bringing in of multitudes both Jews and Gentiles the manner of which I should here proceed cleerly and particularly to describe but before I proceed any further therein I shall make a little necessary digression For first I must make it to appear * Jesus Christ in the yeare 1645. began to take his Kingdome that Jesus Christ in the yeare 1645. began to take his Kingdome and this I shall cleare to the end we may the more orderly proceed in describing what is to follow Now that it is so appeares Rev. 11. where it is said that when the witnesses are raised that then the seventh Trumpet was sounded and then it is expresly said that the kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Thus expresly is it said to be done upon the resurrection of the witnesses and before all his judgements are powred out upon his enemies some of which are mentioned in the following verses And so in this 27. verse of this seventh Chapter of Daniel it is said that when the time times and halfe a time are come to an end and the little Horn is overcome by the Saints that immediately upon this 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 Rulers shall serve and obey him But it may be objected how can this be said to be so seeing that we see the great Monarchs of the world or the toes of the 4 Monarchs mentioned Dan. 2. among whom the world is divided do yet possesse most of the severall Dominions under the whole heaven these only of England and Ireland excepted and they do not any of them stoope to the Scepter of Christ nor to his Government but they do exclude it wholly and rule according to their own tyranicall wils and pleasures To this I answer That although we see not yet those many Kingdomes and Dominions of the world subjected unto Christ yet this may be true notwithstanding and will appeare if we consider that the Kingdome of Christ in the beginning of it in the second of Daniel is said to be a stone cut out of the Mountaine without hands that should smite the Image upon his feet and breake them to peeces which stone was to become a glorious Kingdome and fill the whole earth by which it appeares that the beginning of this Kingdome should be so small as it should not appeare whence it came it should be a stone cut out of the Mountaine it should not appeare to be any Mountaine but to be a stone at first but afterwards to become a great Mountain and fill the whole earth Againe at first it should appeare as a stone cut out of the Mountaine without hands it should so miraculously appeare at first as it should seeme to be done without hands without the power or strength or help of the Kings Princes or Monarchs of the world and when the witnesses were first raised what help of the strength and power of the Kings and Monarchs of the world had they What hands assisted them Were they not a company of poore weake despised people in the eyes of the world that were indeed but as a little stone cut out of the Mountaine of the whole world without hands and yet this little stone cut out of the Mountaine without hands must and undoubtedly shall smite the Image upon his feet and break in peeces the Iron and the Clay and the Brass and the silver and the Gold together and not cease untill its selfe become a Mountaine filling the whole earth Jesus Christ having begun to take to him his great power and to reigne will not cease untill he have subjected every Dominion to his Royall Scepter and made them to serve and obey him which he is going on apace to do and will doubtlesse go on swifter yet and the neerer he is to the end of his worke the swifter is his motion like to be Thus have I digrest from what was in hand being to describe the manner of bringing in of multitudes to the obedience of Christ to this end that notice might be taken of this along as I go that what Christ doth herein is in order to the becomming a great mountaine according to the phrase of the Prophet but now to return I was shewing * When the Gospell must
people that were the natural Olive branches shall be saved and graffed in againe as it is written There shall come out of Sion a deliverer and he shall turne away ungodlinesse from Jacob for this is my Covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins this promise they had Isa 59. 20. which the Apostle applies particularly to them the naturall seed of Jacob and therefore of them he saies as concerning the Gospell they are now enemies for your sakes but as touching the Election they are beloved for the Fathers sake what more cleere For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance so that saies the Apostle they are an Elect people and they are beloved and the time shall come when they shall be called into the bosome of love for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance And in the 30. 31 32. verses the Apostle doth againe argue it out of all doubt that they shall againe obtaine mercy for saies he for as ye in times past have not beleeved yet have now obtained mercy through their unbeliefe even so have these also now not beleeved that through your mercy they also may obtaine mercy wherein the Apostle saies thus much as your former unbeliefe excluded you not from mercy but through their fall you which once did not beleeve have now obtained mercy so they now being in unbeleefe are in no worse condition than you once were and therefore they through your mercy shall also obtaine mercy and so the Apostle layeth down this conclusion That God hath concluded them all in unbeliefe that he might have mercy upon all and thereupon he breaks out into the admiration of God in these words O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his Judgements and his waies past finding out And thus I thinke is it sufficiently cleered by Paul that the Jewes in particular are to be called and that the fulness of the Gentiles must come in with them but I shall adde of many only two witnesses more to confirme it and the first shall be the Prophet Ezekiel who Chap. 37. under the figure of two stickes united into one clearely declares that the two Tribes and the ten Tribes which were divided in Rehoboams time Judah and Benjamin remaining under Rehoboam the Son of Solomon and the other ten Tribes being rent from them departing unto Jeroboam the Son of Nebat I say Ezekiel declares that the two Tribes and the ten Tribes that were thus divided under two Kings should be againe united under one King even one that should come of the seed of David and being united they should be one Nation in the Land upon the Mountaines of Israel and one King should be King to them all and they should never be divided into two Kingdomes any more at all neither should they defile themselves any more with their Idols and their detestable things nor with any of their transgressions But saies the Lord I will save them out of all their dwelling places where they have sinned and will cleanse them so shall they be my people and I will be their God and my servant David shall be a King unto them and they shall have one shepheard they shall also walke in my Judgements and observe my statntes and do them and they shall dwell in the Land that I have given unto Jacob my servant wherein your fathers have dwelt and they shall dwell therein even they and their children and their childrens children for ever and my servant David shall be their Prince for ever Now the Prophet Ezekiel we know prophesied in the time when the two Tribes were carried Captives into Babylon and began to prophesie in the fifth yeare of Jehotakims Captivity the ten Tribes being carried into Captivity above a hundred and ten yeares before by Shalmanezer the King of Assyria even in the sixth yeare of the reign of Hezekiah over Judah and at this time when they were thus in Captivity doth Ezekiel thus prophesie of their returning againe into their own Land but if it shall be said that so they did returne againe after they had been seventy yeares in Babylon I answer it is true the two Tribes which were carried into Babylon did return againe in Ezra's and Nehemiah's time but we never read of the returning againe of the ten Tribes which were carried into Captivity by the King of Assyria and scattered into far Countries so long before the two Tribes were captivated for there is nothing at all upon record that ever they returned into their own Land againe but here is a promise that the Lord will take the Children of Israel from among the Heathen whither they be gone and will gather them on every side and bring them into their own Land and not only so but they shall never any more be defiled with their Idols and with their detestable things nor with any of their transgressions but I will save them saith the Lord out of all places wherein they have sinned so shall they be my people and I will be their God c. Now though the two Tribes did then return yet was not these promises made good unto them being united with the ten Tribes under one King and so to be for ever nor were those promises that are in this and in the 36 Chapter of dwelling in all prosperity and peace in their own Land without ever being molested and troubled and those promises of a plentifull enjoyment of all spirituall and temporall blessings without being ever any more interrupted therein but we know that though they that were carried Captives to Babylon did returne yet they enjoyed not peace nor had those promises made good unto them in that their returne but were ever and anon interrupted in their peace by their enemies in Ezra and Nehemiah his time and besides we find that they were not so cleansed from their detestable things and their transgressions but the sins of strange wives of Sabbath-breaking and of oppression were found amongst them in that time and they were all the while they possest the land often exercised with much wars and at last were utterly rooted out of their owne Land and of Jerusalem by the Romans in the time of Vespasian the Emperour Therefore certainly these promises being never yet made good to them the time will come as surely as the word of God is true in which these promises shall be made good unto them to the uttermost jot of them Another cleer testimony to this truth is given by the Prophet Zachary Chap. 10. 6 7 8 c. In these words I will strengthen the house of Judah and will save the house of Joseph here the two Tribes and the ten Tribes are also particularly mentioned the house of Judah and the house of Joseph and I will bring them again to place them for I have mercy on them and they shall bee as though I had not cast them off for I am
and chosen and faithful ones those first-fruits whom he hath now called forth and engaged in his works shall having the Spirit of their Lord upon them do according to his ensample first * What course the Armies of the Saints under Jâ—sus Christ first will take with the Nations or ten Kingdoms offer peace and publish the cleer light of Gospel to them that if possible they might be that way won I say if any of the ten Kings shall this way be brought in they wil doubtless be very acceptable to Christ And who knows whether or no the Lamb may overcome some of them this way Whether Spain and other kingdoms may not be so gained to Christ and made to hate the whore But if not so then will he deal with those that are implacable of them in the way of his justice and overcome them I mean those of them that are implacable for some of them shall hate the whore when they are overcome in his wrath and sore displeasure as he hath already done with those that in maintenance of the beast stood it out against him making his people to execute upon them the judgement written for overcome them he will Of Romes ruine And thus having shewn how that the Lamb will overcome the ten Kings and that about that time when some or all the ten Kings or kingdoms are overcome and made to hate the whore the Gospel shall be universally preached all the world over I now come to shew that when the Lord Christ hath thus in larged his kingdom and diminished the kingdom of the beast he shall then go on to cause his people those especially of the ten kingdoms to go on in their work of breaking down the strength of the beast and bringing it to nothing that the Lord Christ may be all And in order thereunto they shall be the instruments of the utter ruining of Rome which is that whore mentioned Rev. 17. 1. As appears vers 18. The woman or the whore which thou sawest is that great city which raigneth over the kings of the earth which Rome then did I say the Saints of the ten kingdoms about this time when these things are done shall then be instruments of ruining this whore And this appears Rev. 17. 10. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast these shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire Where it is very cleer that the ten Kings being overcome by the Lamb they shall have such a cleer sight of the light of the Gospel as shall not onely cause them to forsake the principles of darkness that are imbraced by Rome but they shall hate those principles and hate Rome for her filthiness and cursed lewdness and shall manifest their hatred in disrobing her of her strength and glory and pomp with which the text says she is decked Rev. 17. 4. All which they shall take from her and make her naked And shall that be all they will do No for they will not onely make her naked but will eat her flesh will make her destitute not onely of her outward robes of pomp and glory but will eat her very flesh that is they will devour and consume that without which she can as little consist as a man can whose flesh is consumed So that they shall so far manifest their hatred to Rome as they shall reduce her to the greatest straights that can be imagined And shall they leave there No but they shall burn her with fire And that the Saints shall deal thus with her is again expressed in chap. 18. vers 6 7 8. Where the people of God are bid to reward Babylon that is Rome even as she hath rewarded them and double unto her double according to her works in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double how much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her For she saith in her heart I sit a Queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow therefore shall her plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her Thus it 's cleer that the Saints in the ten kingdoms shall so hate Rome as they shall plague her make her desolate expose her to great misery and utterly burn her with fire And when this City is thus burnt with fire * Rev. 18. 6. because she hath made her self drunk with the blood of the Saints and the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and because she hath made all Nations drunk with the wine of the wrath of her fornication * vers 2. and the Kings of the earth have committed fornication with her and because that when she comes to be destroyed * vers 24. in her will be found the blood of Prophets and of Saints and of all that were slain upon the earth therefore when she comes to be destroyed she shall be made a monument of vengeance as being the most cursed City in the world and therefore it is said that when Babylon is fallen she is become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird Rev. 18. 2. And the voice of harpers and musicians and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee no crafts men of whatsoever craft he be shall be found any more in thee And the sound of a milstone shall be heard no more at all in thee and the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee for thy merchants were all the great men of the earth for by thy sorceries were all Nations deceived Thus Rome when it is destroyed shall be no more inhabited by the sons of men it is such a cursed City but on the contrary it shall become the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird and the wild beasts of the desart shall lie therein and it shall be full of doleful creatures Owles and Satyrs and Dragons as it is at large exprest Isa 34. 9 10 11 c. And Isa 13. 19 20 c. Thus Rome shall be ruined and over it's ruines shall the Saints rejoyce as Rev. 18. 20. Rejoyce over her thou heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her But her confederates will greatly lament and bewail her As vers 9 10 c. Thus much for Romes ruine Of what is to follow Romes ruine But the enemies of Jesus Christ and his Saints are not wholly ruined when Rome is thus destroyed but many will be left to bewail it and amongst the rest it appears that the Beast viz. the Pope still remains undestroyed for he is one of the last that shall be
destroyed and the manner how it shall be is this When these things we have spoken of shall be thus done viz. When the ten Kings are overcome and do yield obedience to the Lamb and the Gospel is universally preached and Jews and Gentiles are abundantly converted to Christ and Rome is ruined the Pope being then turned out of Rome and he with his Cardinals Bishops and Jesuits being lurking in some other places up and down in the world shall still act like himself and shew himself to be the Beast still retaining his cursed nature continuing in enmity against Christ and his Saints and being so shall resolve not to give all for lost yet though he be thus far prevailed against but shall resolve to make one desperate attempt more against the Saints and to this end shall send abroad his Emissaries unto all the unconverted Kings and great men of the earth whom neither the Gospel of peace nor sword of war hath overcome and shall gather them all together which shall make a very great Army with which they shall think to destroy all the Saints who at this time will be increased to a very great number the Jews and multitudes of the Gentiles being brought in before this last battel but when they are brought in they will meet with opposition from this man of sin and from the rest of the wicked of the world who will not have Christ to raign over them And this Beast I say will gather together all the unconverted Kings of the earth and all their Armies thinking to destroy the Saints Jews and Gentiles but they shall not neither first nor last prevail upon them but they shall be overcome and foiled still so that now at last they shall grow desperate and say as some now do they will now fight for it and they will either win all or lose all for the Beast and the Kings of the earth are gathered together with their Armies of prophane wicked men for none else are with them to make war against Jesus Christ and his Armies of Saints In which last battel wherein the utmost strength of all the enemies of Christ and his Saints shall be united together shall the controversie between the one and the other be decided and the flesh of these Kings and Captains and mighty men of the earth and of all their Armies shall be given to the fowles of the aire and all this more largely appears Rev. 19. 11. 12 c. And I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse and he that sat upon him was called faithful and true and in righteousness he doth judge and make war his eys were as a flame of fire and on his head were many Crowns and he had a name written that no man knew but he himself And he was clothed with a vesture dipt in blood and his name is called the word of God and the Armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses clothed in fine linen white and clean And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he should smite the Nations and he shall rule them with a rod of Iron and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS And I saw an Angel standing in the Sun and he cryed with a lowd voice saying to all the fowls that flie in the midst of heaven Come and gather your selves together unto the supper of the great God that ye may eat the flesh of Kings and the flesh of Captains and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of them that sit on them and the flesh of all men both of free and bond both small and great And I saw the Beast and the Kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse and against his army And the beast was taken and with him the false Prophet that wrought miracles before him with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the Beast and them that worshipped his image These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sate upon the horse which sword proceeded out of his mouth and all the fowls were filled with their flesh In these words we see is a plain description of two Generals and their Armies and of a battel fought between them and of the success of the battel The description of the great Lord General of the Army of Saints The first General is described by his Name by his Frame and by his Aym. First by his Nanme And he is called faithful and true and his name is called the Word of God and he hath a Name written KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS And this is the Name and Title of the Lord Jesus Christ alone But secondly He is described also by his Frame and posture in which he is thus He sat upon a white horse Which manifests his purity And his eys were as a flame of fire Which shews the piercing discerning nature of them being the searcher of hearts and trier of the reins And on his head are many Crowns Which shews that all the Crowns of all Kingdomes must be put upon his head who is KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS And this is the Frame and posture in which he is But thirdly He is described also by his Aym thus that in righteousness he doth judge and make war He ayms at doing justice making war against the Beast and judging that other Army according to righteousness and that he may so do his Aym is to give them blood to drink and that in righteousness for they are worthy and therefore he is said to be clothed in a vesture dipt in blood and that out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he should smite the Nations Out of his mouth it goeth that is he commandeth with the word of his mouth a sharp sword to smite the Nations and this justly And his Aym is to rule the nations with a rod of Iron And this in righteousness and to tread the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God And in all this may it be said unto him Righteous art thou O Lord who hast judged thus The Description of his Army But in the next place we have his Army described thus And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses clothed in fine linen white and clean Where first we may observe the place where they were and that is heaven which shews that they are armies of the Church that they are Saints for the Church of God is all along the Prophecy of the Book of the Revelation called Heaven Now these Armies that follow this General are the Armies in Heaven the Armies in the Churches of Christ and out of heaven also
any more The like we have Ezek. 36. which is a Prophecie of this time where at vers 27. God promises to pour out his Spirit upon them and when he hath so done at the 31 verse he says That then they shall remember their evil ways and doings that were not good and loath themselves in their own sight for their iniquities and their abominations Though these be times in which Saints shall be advanced * The higher the Saints are the more humble higher then ever they were yet being filled with the Spirit they shall walk more humbly then ever and be more little in their own eyes then ever The truth is none but such as are humble shall be the Citizens of this New Jerusalem and therefore Mal. 4. 1. it is said that when that day cometh it shall burn as an oven and all the proud shall be burnt up no proud men must be left it shall be onely such as walk humbly before the Lord that shall live in this Kingdom But thirdly The Spirit being thus abundantly poured out upon the Saints they will be thereby filled * How Saints shall then be filled with Love with love and that in a most eminent manner so that as David being filled with the Spirit says I will love thee O Lord my strength so shall they also most truely and cordially say it with wonderfullyraised and inflamed affections For where much of the Spirit is there must needs be much Love for the Spirit of God is the spirit of Love it self And because of the great love that Saints shall have to God it 's said Psal 149. 3. that the children of Sion shall be joyful in their King he alone indeed shall be the joy of their hearts in him and in nothing else will they be satisfied It is not their corn and wine and oyl it is not all the outward enjoyments which they shall then abundantly have but it is the Lord alone that will be their greatest joy and pleasure and therefore Mal. 3. 1. it 's said The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple even the Messenger of the covenant in whom ye delight There Jesus Christ is set forth as the object of the Saints love and delight It 's true he is so now but in that day will most eminently be so And it 's evident it will be so for if we compare Rev. 19. 7 8. with Rev. 21. 2 3. we shall finde that then the Saints are solemnly taken to become the Bride the Lamb's wife which argues that ardent and entire affection shall then be in the Saints to Christ But then O what mutual exchanges of love will there be between Christ and his Saints And therefore the Lord thus highly and wonderfully expresses himself Zeph. 3. 16 17. which I can never read but with great admiration In that day shall it be said Fear thou not Sion for the Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save thee he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing What high and marvellous expressions are these that the most high and holy One should thus express his love to poor empty unworthy nothing creatures What that he will rejoyce over them Shall they be a joy to him Nay more that he will not onely love them but rest in his love as being that wherein he can acquiesce rest be satisfied And what be so well satisfied therein as to joy over his Sion with singing O wonderful what can be more said Who can sufficiently admire at the height and depth and breadth and length of this love of God which passeth knowledge And how great must the love of Saints be when they come more fully to apprehend this For this love begets their love His love to them is the spring of their love to him But fourthly Being filled with the Spirit they shall be thereby * What holy sweet filial fear shall be in the Saints then filled with a holy fear of the Lord Not that any distracting disquieting fear shall be upon them or any slavish fear but a holy filial fear shall abide upon them such a fear as will well become the sons and daughters of the Almighty whereby they shall be the better fitted to serve and honour their God and Father And of this the holy Ghost speaks Isa 60. 5. where speaking of these times wherein God will do such glorious things for his people he saith Their heart shall fear and be enlarged It shall not be a fear that shall disturb the Saints or make them walk heavily or straiten them in their services but an enlarging fear Their heart shall fear and be enlarged Such a holy fear the Spirit always puts into the hearts of the Saints to make them fit for the service of God And therefore the Psalmist hath this expression Psal 2. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling implying that such service and such joy is most acceptable is sweetest is best And so again the Prophet Hosea speaking of this glorious time Hos 3. 5. says he They shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the later days It is not that they shall fear the Lord and his wrath that they shall fear the indignation of the Lord no they shall have no cause so to fear his love shall be so visibly and gloriously manifested to them but they shall fear the Lord and his goodness a holy reverential fear under the sence of goodness shall be in their hearts And that such services as have most of this holy fear in them are most spiritual and most sweet is well known to the experience of Saints And that such a fear shall be in the hearts of Saints in that time we are speaking of is also exprest Jer. 33. 9. And they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto them The manifestation of goodness and love shall beget in them in whose heart the Spirit is a holy fear and trembling before the Lord. But fifthly Being thus filled with the Spirit they shall be enabled to worship the Lord acceptably * How Saints shall then purely worship God and purely The worship of God shall then be totally freed from mens inventions and they shall then worship God according to his own will For what his will about his Worship and service shall then be shall be clearly known among his people and be visible to all that truely desire to worship him as appears Isa 2. 2 3. and Mic. 4. 1 2. It shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the mountains and all nations shall flow unto it And many people shall go and say Come ye and let us go up unto the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of
people who are in this frame and to none but such whose hearts are thus spiritual and who so little regard these things in comparison of spiritual even to such will God in these times we are speaking of abundantly give not onely these spiritual injoyments and priviledges but all other things shall be added unto them that so their joy may be compleat and nothing may interrupt it And now I come to declare how comfortably and if I may so say how happily the Saints shall live in this new world in respect of outwards Concerning which hear how the Lord expresses himself Isa 60. 15. For I will make thee an eternal excellency the joy of many generations It is a short but a full word for speaking of the external glory that he will confer upon his Church he says that his Sion shall have as much outward glory as ever any people had nay he says not onely so but that they that excel others he will make them an external excellency The outward glory that was conferred upon Solomon the type of our King of peace was very great but this shall excel it and excel all kingdoms that ever were before it for outward things as well as spiritual It shall be an exâ—…rnal excellency and it shall be the joy of many generations such outward glory and such excellency above all others shall be conferred upon it as shall be the joy as shall glad the hearts of all that live in those generations or that shall be brought forth in those times while these thousand yeers shall last And what the outward glories of it shall be is in part exprest in the following words For brass I will bring gold and for iron I will bring silver and for wood brass and for stones iron These are the things wherein the external glory of a land consists and he says withal that they shall suck the milk of the Gentiles and suck the breasts of Kings Which imports that the treasures and outward glory of the Nations and of the Kings and great men of the world shall be all drain'd together and brought in to them they shall suck the sweetness of them and shall injoy them all And thus will the Lord make his Sion an eternal excellency in outward respects as well as in inward or spiritual respects But now more fully to declare what this external glory of this new world shall be thus There shall be no outward thing wanting to the Saints that may make their life outwardly comfortable for what is it that can be desired or that heart can think of that ever at any time maketh the lives of people comfortable but the Lord hath promised that his people shall enjoy it in these times And first * Saints shall then have that outward blessing of long life and a comfortable enjoyment of all their relations until they come to a good old age Doth the enjoyment of neer relations without losing of them make the life comfortable Are children outward blessings in which men take much outward content and delight And is it a very desirable thing to have our children the Lords children to be the blessed of the Lord And is it a bitter thing to lose an onely son a sad thing to lose children and neer relations and is the contrary a desirable mercy And is long life a blessing and an outward favour lawful to be desired According to that Psa 91. 16. With long life will I satisfie him and shew him my salvation Why all these things hath the Lord promised to his people in these days when these new Heavens and new Earth shall be as we finde in these Scriptures Isai 65. 17 18 c. Behold I create new heavens a new earth and then what follows I will rejoyce in Jerusalem and joy in my people and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her nor the voice of crying But if they should lose their children lose their relations before they come to a ful age there would be mourning and weeping for these things usually prove sad afflictions to the best Saints even to Jacobs and Davids But they shall not lose these then for vers 20. it is said There shall be no more thence an infant of days nor an old man that hath not filled his days for the childe shall die an hundred yeers old So that this is clear No infant of days shall die none shall die while they are young all shall come to a good old age They shall not be afflicted for the loss of their children for they shall live till they be an hundred yeers old and not an old man shall die that hath not filled his days Again Zech. 8. 3 4 c. Thus saith the Lord I am returned to Sion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and Jerusalem shall be called A city of truth and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain wherein the Lord will dwell And what follows Thus saith the Lord of hosts There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem and every man with his staff in his hand for multitude of days and the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof Thus shall the Saints in those days enjoy those desirable blessings of children and of long life they shall have a numerous issue The streets shall be full of boys and girls and old men and old women shall live till they come to a good old age till they walk with a staff in their hand for age But me thinks as I am speaking of these outward blessings I cannot too often insert this as a caution by the way That to a holy heart these things are but secondary comforts under-comforts their chief comfort consists in spirituals But I proceed In Jer. 33. the Lord speaks of the great things he will do for his people in that day and vers 9. he says They shall be for a name of joy and praise and honour before the nations which shall hear of the good that he will do unto them And vers 11. There shall be heard among them the voice of joy and the voice of gladness and the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride and the voice of them that shall say Praise the Lord of hosts c. Thus shall they comfortably enjoy children and all relations and praise the Lord. Nay and to make their children which they shall enjoy a complete blessing and mercy to them indeed it is said that they shall be all holy unto God Isa 65. 23. They shall not labour in vain nor bring forth for trouble for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their off-spring with them Their children being thus blessed with them shall be a joy unto them whereas otherwise they might be a grief and trouble to them Again to the same purpose is that Isa 54. 13. and Isa