glory to him for the hour of his judgement is come Chap. 12.12 Therefore rejoyce ye heavens and ye that dwel in them Wo to the Inhabiters of the Earth and of the Sea for the Devil is come down unto you having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time Chap. 11.18 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 c. LONDON Printed by R. Ibbitson for Livewell Chapman at the Crown in Popes-head-Alley 1655. The Epistle Dedicatory To all those who love and patiently wait for the Appearing and Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ Grace and Peace be multiplied Dearly beloved in our Lord IT is reported of the Primitive Saints that these words the KINGDOM OF CHRIST the KINGDOM OF CHRIST were so frequent in their mouths that their malicious Adversaries willing to mistake the simplicity of their meaning and intention did make the words matter of Fact charging them hereupon with Treason as if they had driven on some design to get for themselves the Kingdom Whether the simplicity of the Saints in the age we live in who being come to the very dawning of the day and beholding the Lord going up to his Kingdom cannot hold their peace but must cry out HOSANNA TO THE SON OF DAVID HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST may through the subtlety of the old Serpent have any such abuse put upon it or no I wave at present But this I am sure of the first ages had not the Kingdom of Christ so much in their mouths but after ages had it as little their hearts were not so warm to it but the generations since have been as cold And indeed it was necessary it should so be for the Beast Antichrist being to rise in the world who after his rise must continue to reign two and forty months Rev. 13.5 it was needful therefore to the end he might be revealed that there should be as the Apostle tels us 2 Thes 2.3 a falling away which falling away above all things was necessary that it should be in the Truths of Christs Kingdom no Truths being so diametrically opposite to Antichrist as these others shake off his leaves these pluck him up by the roots If therefore the policy of the Dragon had not found out a way to brand these Truths and by making them odious to hold them down his Kingdom must have fallen many ages since for he should have had no Beast to resign his Power Seat and great Authority to It stood him greatly in hand therefore by some means to cloud these which by continuing to shine would have nipped Antichrist in the bud and this the wisdom of God permitting to accomplish thereby in the end a more glorious design which he effectually did Hence within the fourth Century at the end of which the Beast arose the Truths of Christs Kingdom before generally received began to be condemned and to go under the odious name of Heresie Hence also we finde not in the Revelations any mention made of Christs Kingdom nor any noyse of such a thing in the world all the time of the Beasts reign but the great cry of the dwellers on the Earth is The Beast the Beast who is like unto the Beast yea the whole world wondereth after the Beast Rev. 13.3 4. But now in the latter days as the Beast begins to go down so do the precious Truths of Christs Kingdom again begin to revive and have a resurrection Hence we finde that as the world by degrees gets rid of the Beast so is the cry in it still louder and louder of Christs Kingdom First Amongst the Saints in the world who no sooner have got so much footing as to stand and face the Beast which before trod them down and trampled upon them but presently they make the world ring again with the noise of Christs Kingdom Rev. 15.2 3 4. And I saw them that had gotten the victory over the Beast and over his Image and over his Mark and over the number of his Name stand on the Sea of glass having the Harps of God And they sing the Song of Moses the servant of the Lord and the Song of the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy ways thou King of Saints Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy name for thou onely art holy for all Nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgements are made manifest Secondly After this the Beast having received a more fatal blow the cry of Christs Kingdom that was before among some Saints onely is now more general and runs among the multitudes yea the great ones too of whom till this day we hear little as Rev. 19.6 And I heard as it were the voyce of a great multitude and as the voyce of many waters and as the voyce of mighty Thunderings saying Allelujah for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth Thirdly and lastly Yet after this upon the sounding of the seventh Angel when Christ comes to take his Kingdom it is then openly proclaimed with a great voyce Rev. 11.15 The Kingdoms of this world are beâ—ome the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and â—e shall reign for ever And as an echo to this voyce â—he hearts of Gods faithful ones reply v. 17. We give thee â—hanks O Lord God Almighty which art and wert and â—rt to come because thou hast taken to thee this great â—ower and hast reigned Thus the noyse and cry in the world towards the latter end of Antichrists reign is very different to that which was in the time of his reign then the cry was The Beast The Beast now the old cry is up again The Kingdom of Christ The Kingdom of Christ Yet notwithstanding the cry of Christs Kingdom shall at this day be so loud shall not the ears of all no not of the Saints themselves be open to hear it but some of them as well as others shall be so deeply wedded to the sweetness of Antichristian wordly interests that to maintain these they shall rather choose to sit by the waters of Babylon than with the loss of them to stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion else what need would there be of any such Proclamation to be made as we read is immediately before Romes ruin Rev. 18.4 Come out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sins and that yee receive not of her plagues And these who thus shall do are not to be reckoned among those who in this great business followed not the Lamb at all but among those who followed the Lamb some part of the way towards Mount Sion but upon some turn or falling in with some worldly pleasing interest by the way did quit his company before they came thither For this cause the hundred forty and four thousand which
sate upon them and judgement was given unto them Isa 31.1 A King shall rule in righteousness and Princes shall rule in judgement and we may read Luke 19.15 16 17 18 19. that at the time when Christ receives his Kingdome the faithful servant who hath improved his ten Talents well is then made ruler over ten Cities hee that well improved five over five Cities expounding that 1 Cor. 6.2 Do yee not know that the Saints shall judge the world 2 The sentence passed at the last day shall concern eternal life or death Mat. 25.46 the result of the General Judgement is the wicked go into everlasting punishment the righteous into life eternal but now the judgement in the time of the one thousand years shal be a judging of the world that is those wicked ones that shall bee suffered to live in this day as to outward punishments and servility in way of requital of what Christs people in all Ages have suffered from the world which is expressed Psal 140.6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their hands vers 7. To execute vengeance upon the heathen and punishments upon the people vers 8. To bind their Kings with chains and their Nobles with fetters of Iron vers 9. To execute upon them the judgement written This honour have all his Saints Halelujah So Isa 61.5 6. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks and the sons of the Alien shall be your Plow-men and your Vine-dressers expressions which note a servility But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord men shall call you the Ministers of our God Chap. 14.2 They shall take them captive whose captives they were and they shall rule over their oppressors All which places as is most clear to him that views the context and compares them with other Scriptures have respect to the glory of the last times as the day where in they are to have their accomplishment and a type of this I conceive the Gibeonites might be who as a remnant of those Canaanites destined to destruction were yet spared by Joshna who in entring Canaan was a notable type of Christ taking possession of his Kingdome to be hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of God and this is as I also conceive one reason of it why Daniel Chap. 7. after the destruction of the fourth Beast i. e. the Roman Monarchy as under Antichrist and casting him into the burning flame vers 11. yet addeth vers 12. that the rest of the Beasts i.e. those powers of the world whose dependance was not upon Antichrist had their Dominion taken away but their lives were prolonged for a season and time Why so namely That Saints to whom now the Kingdome was to be given vers 27. might rule over them And here as I judge are to be brought in those Scriptures which speak of the Saints Ruling and Reigning Rev. 5.10 And hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the earth Chap. 20.6 they shall be Priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years agreeing exactly to that of Isa Chap. 61.5 6. which was named but now strangers shall stand and feed your flocks but ye shall be named Priests of the Lord 2 Tim. 2.12 If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him which cannot bee meant of a Spiritual Reigning on earth because in that fense Timothy and other Saints Reigned then but this is a promise of a thing for future nor can it be a Reigning with Christ in Heaven because where is no Rule nor Authority there can be no Reigning but the Apostle tells us plainly speaking of heavenly glory 1 Cor. 15.24 that there all Rule and Authority and Power shall be put down it must be therefore at some other time which is this I am speaking of And what dangerous consequences will follow hereupon in case we say that as Christ himself after his resurrection continued some time on earth doing his fathers work before he entred into his rest so the Saints that herein also they might be like him shall after their resurrection continue here on earth doing the work of their Redeemer and that some time before they enter into their rest doth not as yet appear to me Object In case it be said How can these things be seeing upon Christs second coming the world that now is shall perish by fire as did the old by water that yet after this a seed of wicked men should remain for Saints to rule over Ans True the Scriptures which speak of this coming mention a coming with fire Isa 66.15 The Lord shall come with fire to render his rebuke with flames of fire Mal. 4.1 The day cometh that shall burn as an Oven 2 Thes 1.8 In flaming fire rendring vengeance and Rev. 19.20 immediately upon the battel of Armageddon before the thousand years begin we read of a Lake of fire into which the Beast and false Prophet are cast which fire that it shall be material fire Peter implys plainly 2 Epist 3. in saying that as the old world was drowned with water viz. material water so is this reserved to fire against the day of Christs coming Yet that this fire which whether it shall be general in all places at once or onely in that place where Christ shall appear and his enemies be gathered together whither the dross of the world shall be gathered as into one Lake is a question too nice to dispute shall not destroy the being of the World is clear First Because it is a fire for another end viz. refining not destroying Mal. 3.2 Who may abide the day of his coming for he shall he as are finers fire Secondly The New Heavens and New Earth that Isay and John speak of wherein shall dwel Righteousness and in which the Saints shall regin with Christ Peter makes mention of as a thing to be after this fire which as I have said he therefore brings in with a nevertheless 2 Pet. 3.13 Now what if we should say that as when the old world was destroyed by water not onely righteous Noah and godly Shem and Japhet but also cursed Cham yea the kinds of all the creatures were spared from that deluge to replenish the new world so at this day not onely the Saints in the world shall be preserved but even some of the wicked yea of all the creatures to serve the glorious ends and designs of God and that in the new Heavens and Earth which seems not without all ground because the Apostle Paul tels us plainly Rom. 8.20 21 22. That the creatures earnest expectation waits for that day in which the Sons of God shall be manifest when the creature Devils and wicked men on whom the curse shall still remain excepted shall be delivered from that bondage of corruption that now it groans under and that not by a total dissolution or annihilation of it but
door was set open to the Jews to recover their own land yet because Constantinople his chief City was not thereby destroyed therefore in respect of the wrath of God poured out upon that at this day it is here said Great Babylon came now in remembrance before God which words very fitly agree to the ruine of Constantinople but are not appliable either to the ruine of Rome or the Kingdome of the Beast in general both which came up into remembrance and had been actually punished before this day 2 The Inevitableness of this Ruine Vers 20. And every Island fled away and the Mountains were not found Islands and Mountains are places of refuge Men in times of commotion flye to these for shelter as being safer in them than they can be elswhere Now that which tome is a notable confirmation that the words are in this sense to be understood I find the Prophets in other places which relating to this very time serve as a Comment upon the Text intimating that men should at this day either be secure by reason of such shelters or flye to such places for shelter Ezek. 39.6 speaking of the Effects of the Battel of Gog and Magog saith I will send a fire in Magog and among them that dwell carelesly in the Isles as noting that some should at this day think themselves secure by being in Isles places of refuge and shelter The Prophet Isaiah Chap. 2.21 speaking of the day wherein God will arise to shake terribly the earth the same with that shaking Joel 3.16 Hag. 2.6 7. 21 22. tells us that some at that day for fear of the Lord shall flye to the clefts of the Rocks and to the tops of the ragged Rocks noting men shall seek shelter from such places of refuge as the Rocks of Mountains are But so inevitable shall their ruine be that notwithstanding men may flye for shelter to their outward Refuges thinking themselves secure by reason of them yet shall all their refuges and shelters prove no shelter against this storm for every Island shall flye away and the Mountains shall not be found 3 The Greatness of it Vers 21. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven every stone about the weight of a Talent The Hail from Heaven denotes the more immediate judgements of God which shall fall on his enemies at this day and there may be an allusion to the destruction of the Canaanites by great Hailstones from Heaven Josh 10.11 The greatness of the Hailstones each being about the weight of a Talent notes the judgements God will inflict at this day to be the heaviest and most dreadful that can be a Talent of all weights being the greatest 3 Effect Blaspheming of God And men blasphemed God because of the plague of the Hail for the plague thereof was exceeding great The Eeast lived a Blasphemer now he dyes a Blasphemer and goes blaspheming to the Lake of fire burning with brimstone whither the just judgements of God which when they cannot reform sinners on earth cast them to Hell have now brought him And this is the conclusion of this great day as it respects Gods Enemies which to their woe they shall find and feel to be a black dismal and fatal day though but the beginning of it as it respects the Saints and people of God to whom it shall be the most glorious joyful and lightsome day that ever they beheld When God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more curse but the Throne of God and the Lamb and his Servants shall serve him And they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads And this is that New Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven the hope of which let it purifie our hearts even as he is pure Let us alwayes have our loyns girded about our lamps burning and we our selves like unto men that wait for the Lord looking earnestly unto and breathing after that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who once was offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him will he appear the second time without sin to salvation When be that now overcometh shall be made a Pillar in the Temple of his God and he shall go no more out And Christ will write upon him the Name of his God and the Name of the City of his God which is New Jerusalem which cometh down out of Heaven from his God and he will write upon him his new name And those that do his Commandements shall have right to the Tree of Life and enter in through the Gates into the City when without shall be Dogs and Sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murderers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie Which things he hath sent his Angel to testifie in the Churches who is the Root and Off-spring of David and the bright and morning Star Who also himself saith Surely I come quickly Amen Even so Come Lord Jesus The Reason of the Order observed in pouring forth the VIALS THe Beast having now for a long time trampled under foot the holy City blasphemed God his Name and Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven and exercised his utmost rage and cruelties against all those who holding the testimony of Jesus could not be brought to worship him his Image or receive his Mark in their fore-heads or in their hands and being in all these his insolent and outragious practces animated yea assisted by the Kings of the earth subjecting themselves to him and giving their strength power and Kingdome to the Beast Christ as able no longer to hear the Blasphemies and behold the rage and cruelties of the Beast with all the determined time of redeeming Sion avenging the blood of his Elect on those that dwell on the earth judging the Beast casting down his Thrones and taking the Kingdome to himself being come without delay now rouseth up himself and in his wondrous zeal his power and greatness marcheth forth to judge the great Whore destroy the Thrones of Kingdoms take possession of the Kingdoms of this world and subject them to his own righteous Scepter But finding upon his first Rise that two of his ancient and principal Rights had been long invaded and laid waste by the Enemy namely The glory of his Priesthood upon earth and the exercise of his Kingly Power and Prerogative in his Churches the first by the putrified and filthy stinking puddle of Romish Doctrine which instead of exalting that Righteousness alone in Justification which is pure perfect heavenly did establish a righteousness which was earthly impure full of filthy dregs out of which one poysonous root were grown up innumerable Idolatries viz. the Mass Purgatory Indulgences Invocation of Saints Penance Pilgrimages Monkish life c. by which the glory of Christs Priestly Office was veyled the precious truth of the Gospel perverted and Souls instead of bread of
will discern and first condemn Jerusalem of old expected and waited for the coming of their Messiaâ— or Christ their King yet no sooner news abroad of his being born into the world but upon the account of a meer worldly interest viz. fear of tumults and commotions which might hereupon arise betwixt Herod the usurper and this King to the imbroiling of them in wars who now were in quiet enjoying their wealth in peace they are troubled at it Matth. 2.3 I wish a worldly interest may have no such effect now as to beget trouble in the spirits of any at the coming forth of that mercy which time was they both prayed and waited for Surely as it savors of great ingratitude towards our most gracious Father to call mercies given in as an answer of former prayers by the name of Judgements so also of no less sloath and negligence when the glorious arm of God hath been made bare in working wonders for his people for them to sit still doing little or nothing for him That nothing done of late years comes as an answer of these prayers put up whilst we were in the house of bondage none of you will or can deny If any thing else be wrought which then we prayed not for it is either a superabounding of mercy beyond what then we were able to aske or think or a trial of our faith If a superabounding of mercy shall we quarrel with God and one another for that and if a trial of our faith shall we think that strange which hath been the ordinary way of Gods dispensations towards his in all ages when he gives forth mercy then to try their faith and like a company of sullen Children shall we wrangle with our Father and in a humersom fit throw away our bread because the crust is on it O let it not be told in Neighbor Nations that the God of England hath been so kind to his people and Saints in England so unkind to their Father and one unto another Why O ye Saints should you not all in this day go hand in hand about your Fathers work What hinders unless the corruption of your hearts your being as active for the Lord and as holy as you will Why should the great work of the Generation wherein the cause and honor of your Father and Redeemer is so deeply engaged be at a stand whilst each of you are driving on particular designs parties and interests It is from you alone that God expects this service it is work the world cannot do nor will God own them in the doing of it he calls for this from the hands of you his houshold Servants neglect it and he can raise up others even out of holes and corners which shall do the work when you shall be thrown by When the Jews once the visible people of God neglected Generation-work God threw them by and brought in the Gentiles if Gentile-Churches now grafted in prove fruitless in this work God may cut them off and graft in the Jews again If those that are visibly the children of Abraham put off Gods work God can of stones great and hard hearted sinners raâ—se up children to Abraham which shall do the same When the learned and righteous Scriles and Pharisees will not own Christ he can raise up poor illiterate Fishermen yea Publicans the worst of sinners sitting at the receipt of custom for to do the thing If Jerusalem the chief City will not furnish Christ with instruments to carry his work on by he can find men for the same where they were least expected in the dark waste carâ—ers of Galilee and the little hole of Bethsaida Joh. 1.44 Christ is never at a loss for instruments when he hath work to do That any of you are imployed it is more his free grace towards you than from any need that he hath of you he is not beholding to you for doing his work but t is you are beholding to him that he will honor you in it O therefore Saints awake awake put on your beautiful Garments shake your selves from your dust the Sun of rightâ—ousness is rising upon you the whole earth begins to be enlightned with his glory it is now high time to rouze up your spirits awake out of sleep to be up and doing Christ your Captain General is abroad in the field upon his march in the way to his Kingdom he will make no halts if you sleep loyter straggle or sit still you will be left behind and lose the sight of your Leader he will bear no delaies if you will not now come and kiss him subject your selves to him he will make a riddance of you and throw you by as he goes up to his Kingdom The times of former neglect God winked at but now he cals upon all that make mention of his Name not to sit still not to keep silence nor give him rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth That you may do this work and the same in your hands may prosper I shall as an additional word unto the last general Head in the following Discourse leave with you these few particulars 1 Endeavor union with your selves Divisions will obstruct the work Union will further it The great work in the Apostles time never went on so gloriously and successfully as when the number of those that beleeved were of one heart and of one soul 2 Strive after purity The seven Angels that go out of the Temple with the seven Vials their cloathing is pure and white linnen Rev. 15.6 3 Desire God to lay you in with principles suitable to his work neither below it nor above it As a mans principles are so will his actions be principle being the rule of action Some mens principles are above generation-work these vilifie and trample it as a low and carnal thing and instead of laying themselves out therein they slumber and sleep doing nothing at all Others principles are below the work and instead of acting in it they are offended at it He whose principles are above the work will not do it for the thing is low and base in his eies and he whose principles are below the work in case they continue so to be shall not do it for this is an evident sign that God will lay him by it being the way of God when he will use a man in a work to give him principles as high as that work and when he will laie a man by to blind him first to that work in which he will laie him by 4 Carry a meek spirit along with you in the work When Christ rode as King into Jerusalem he rode meek meek those that would accompany Christ to his Kingdom must be of that spirit their King is of Moses never failed but once in the work of his Generation and it was then when he lost his meek spirit Num. 20.10 Eapounded Psa 106.32 They angered him at the waters of stâ—ife so
manner affirm all their suppositions in saying It is not for you to know the times and seasons as to say true Israel shall have a Kingdom restored I am to do it and that as you now conceive personally appearing onely it is not for you at present to know the time And this will more clearly appear if we carry these words to Act. 3.21 where we have that set forth by the word Restitution which here is called a Restoring Whom the Heavens must receive untill the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began yet with this difference Act. 1. speaks of the Kingdom in reference to Israel onely who shall be chief in it Mich. 4.8 Thou O Tower of the Flock the strong hold of the Daughter of Sion unto thee shall it come even the first Dominion the Kingdom shall come to the Daughter of Jerusalem but Acts 3. in reference to the whole Creation which in the day the Kingdom shall be restored to Israel shall also have a Restitution which is expressed Rom. 8.19 20 21 22. Now in these words we have a coming clearly discovered he shall send Jesus which before was preached unto you whom the Heavens must receive Which that it is Personal and not Spiritual onely is clear because such as the receiving of Christ in the Heavens at the time when these things were spokrn was and hath been since such shall his coming at this day be but the receiving of Christ in the Heavens then and since cannot be understood in a spiritual way because in that sense he had said before Lo I am with you to the end of the world Mat. 28.20 but must be in respect of his Personal and Corporal presence therefore such shall his presence Verse 19. be with his people at this time viz Personal and Corporal Now that this time of the restitution of all things should be the Day of the General Judgement which hath been the common opinion I cannot incline to for these Reasons 1 Because I find not the General Judgement spoken of in the plural number as times daies as this is the times of refreshing vers 19. times of restitution vers 21. these daies vers 24. 2 Because this is such a time as all the Prophets have spoken of Which God hath spoken of by the mouth of all bis holy Prophets Now not all Nay hardly any have spoken expresly of the General Judgement but of the time of Christs Kingdom all have spoken as will appear to him that shall but take a view of the Prophets severally in doing which though we might begin with Enoch the seventh from Adam who according to Jude Vers 14. prophesied of Christs coming and Kingdom and after him Jacob in his blessing of Judah Gen. 49.9 10. and Balaam afterward though a wicked man yet a Prophet Numb 24.17 18 19. Yet I rather choose to begin after Samuels daies for there the Holy Ghost seems to point out our beginning Vers 24. yea and all the Prophets from Samuel have likewise foretold of these daies Now beginning from Samuel setting Jonah aside which is but a History not one but have spoken of these times as to give instance David did it Psal 62. The whole Psalm is a Prophecie of Christs Kingdom and not Solomons any otherwise than in the Type as is clear 1. From the continuance of this Kingdom vers 7. as long as the Moon indureth 2. The extent of it vers 8. From Sea to Sea from the Rivers to the ends of the Earth 3. The Subjects of it all Kings and all Nations vers 11. neither of which either did or could agree to Solomons Kingdom Psal 102.16 When the Lord shall build up Sion he i.e. Christ shall appear in his glory And that the fulfilling of this relates to the last times is evident Vers 18. This shall be written for the Generation to come when as verse 22. the people are gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. Isaiah likewise Chap. 2.2 3 4. It shall come to pass in the last dayes the mountain of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the Hills and all Nations shall flow unto it And he i.e. Christ shall judge among the Nations and rebuke many people Chap. 9.7 Of the increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdom whose Throne and Kingdom was outward to order it and establish it with Judgement and Justice Chap. 32.1 2. Behold a King shall reign in Righteousness and Princes shall rule in Judgement Christ and his Saints reigning together And a man noting a corporal presence as well as spiritual at this day shall be a hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest Chap. 35.4 Your God will come with vengeance even God with a recompence he will come and save you The whole Chapter speaks of Christs Kingdom and the coming here agrees to that chap. 63.1 2. c. which I have proved to be Personal Jeremiah also who throughout chap. 30 31 32 33. treats of Christs Kingdom and that too in the last days when Ephraim Head of the Ten Tribes never gathered as yet since their Captivity shall come in Ezekiel Chap. 34 11. to the end Chap. 37. throughout So Daniel Chap. 2 44.45 In the dayes of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdome shall not be left to other people but it shall break in peeces and consume all these Kingdomes and it shall stand for ever This Kingdome must bee outward because it breaks in peeces the four Monarchies which were outward and takes the place of them and it is improper to say a meer Spiritual Kingdome can take place of an outward and why as the four former Monarchies had alwayes some visible Head the same should not be in this fifth I see no reason Chap. 7.27 And the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdome under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High whose Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and all Dominions shall serve and obey him i.e. Christ who in this Kingdome shall rule as Head and the Saints under him And this Kingdome must be outward for the Kingdome of the little Horn which was an outward Kingdome is the Kingdome here given to the Saints that Christ and his Saints rule in So Hosea Chap. 1.10 11. Chap. 3 4 5. both places agreeing punctually to that of Ezek. 37. which I have opened Joel Chap. 2.28 to the end Chap. 3. opened also before Amos Chap. 9.11 to the end Obadiah vers 21. And Saviours shall come upon mount Sion and shall judge the mount of Esau and the Kingdome shall be the Lords Micha Chap. 4.6 7. In that day will I assemble her that halteth and
particular States and Kingdomes with their Heads and Rulers The fourth upon the German Empire or House of Austria The fifth upon the City Rome The sixth upon the Turk or Ottoman Family But this seventh and last is general reaching all things whatsoever that stand in the way of Christs Kingdome And this the change of speech used in this Vial different from all the other noteth also as it seems to me for whereas the other Vials are poured out upon such and such things the first upon the Earth the second upon the Sea the third upon the Rivers and Fountains of waters c. This seventh and last is said to be poured out into the Air noting hereby the spreading and dilating of it self as far as the Air spreads in such manner as that thereby all and every part is filled with the effects of it Now a Vial might be poured out upon the Air yet not dâ—late it self into every part to fill the whole with it as the first Vial poured out upon the earth did not so dilate it self as to destroy those earthly dregs of Popery in every part of the Papal Kingdome neither did the second upon the Sea destroy the Antichristian Hierarchy but in some Kingdoms only the third upon the Rivers and Fountains of waters not the ten Horns in general but some of them only did as to the overturning of their present Government and Constitution feel it yet each of these Vials are truly said to be poured out upon these subjects because they had effects to destroy some part that which they fell upon though they did not dilate themselves into every part but now this seventh is poured out INTO THE AIR noting a dilating and diffusing of it self as far as the Air goes which I have said before is general filling all things and places accordingly this Vial reacheth 1 The whole Kingdome of the Dragon or Devil who is called the Prince of the power of the Air Eph. 2.2 who upon the pouring out of this Vial with all his Host shall be bound and shut up in the bottomless pit for a thousand years as Rev. 20.1 2 3. And here indeed it had been more orderly to have placed our fore-going Discourse of the thousand years but because truth is to be preferred before order which when it tends to the obscuring of the truth is but curiosity and to be shunned I have therefore because in my judgement it stands more for the advantage of truth where it is than it would do here chosen to be a trespasser in points of nicety 2 The whole Kingdome of Antichrist or the Papacy 3 The remaining Powers of the Great Turk which were not destroyed by the sixth Vial. 4 The Kingdomes of this world i.e. such as neither have dependance upon the Papacy nor the Great Turk all shall come under this Vial and be utterly ruined and broken in peeces by it 3 The Adjunct A great Voyce And there came a great voyce out of the Temple of Heaven from the Throne saying It is done This Voyce is Christs Rev. 21.5 6. Hee that is Christ that sate upon the Throne said unto mee It is done The meaning of the words It is done I have formerly shewed to be only this NOW is the New Jerusalem established now is my Kingdome set up the work now is done and compleated for this work had its beginning before under the former Vials and that from the first day that the little stone began to smite the great Image and therefore Daniel Chap. 2.44 speaking of this Kingdome of Christ saith In the dayes of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom i.e. Christs Kingdome shall have its beginning as the same is a stone in the dayes of the Fourth Monarchy before yet the same is destroyed and it shall grow up by little and little smiting the great Image and still as it smites be increasing in strength and greatness but yet the same is not a Mountain filling the whole Earth till it hath broken in peeces the Great Image in such sort as that the place thereof is no more found vers 34 35. i.e. this Kingdome of Christ shall not be compleatly set up it shall not be the Fifth Monarchy though yet it shall be in a rising way until the seventh Vial be poured out which breaks in peeces and wholly removes the Fourth Monarchy and all worldly powers And this is clear Dan. 7.12 who there tells us that the rest of the Beasts had not their Dominion taken away i.e. the Kingdoms of this world are not compleatly the Lords and his Christs as Rev. 11.15 until such time as the Thrones of the Fourth Beast i.e. the Roman Monarchy as under Antichrist are cast down vers 9. the Beast himself slain his body destroyed and given to the burning flame vers 11. Then shall it be said as here with a great voyce It is done Then shall be verified what is said Rev. 10.7 The mystery of God is finished as he hath declared to his servants the Prophets that is now all things spoken of by the Prophets as touching my Kingdome and the setting of it up are finished for it is done the New Jerusalem is established And truly here let me adde that although some godly men whose thoughts I have an esteem of look every day for the setting up of this Fifth Monarchy and that by having the Powers of the world laid down and let fall out of the present hands they are in who hold them as they judge by right of the Fourth Monarchy and left free for Saints to come take up and execute yet must I needs say being convinced of the contrary in this I am not of their mind conceiving their mistake to lye in this viz. a not considering which too comes from a non-acknowledgement of Christs Personal coming before it by whom how and when this Fifth Monarchy is to be set up And for my own part as I greatly rejoyce to see so much power in Saints hands already and beleeve more will be every day as the Stone by rolling grows greater so do I also wait for that which some presently expect till that day wherein our Lord shall appear who himself will do this work viz. Destroy the Beast cast him into the burning flame and then give the Kingdome and Dominion and greatness of the Kingdome under the whole heaven unto the people of the Saints of the most High When that which but now is rising and shall rise every day growing still greater and greater as an augmenting stone shall become a huge and great Mountain filling the whole Earth And of this Kingdome as to the first rise of it which is little in an unlikely way in the midst of many difficulties I take it Davids Kingdome was a Type But as to the glory of it when the same shall be a Mountain filling the earth the Kingdome of Solomon was rather a Type for which reason Psal 62. which is a
until seventy years should be accomplished God did not give any such positive commands unto other Generations After this in Ezra's Nehemiah's and Daniels time these Worthies and the Saints of that age had the proper work of their Generation which was to go forth of Babylon and rebuild the Temple of God at Jerusalem which Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed Thus all along in the times of the Old Testament Gods Church and people in their several Generations have had their several works Let us look to the New Testament which dawned in John the Baptist had not John the proper work of his Generation which was to be the Fore-runner and Harbinger of the Messiah to declare to the Nation of the Jews that the Messiah whom they expected and waited for was now approaching and that the glorious Kingdom of God in the pure administration of the Gospel was at hand and that therefore it did behove every one now to have their eyes and hearts turned from Moses towards him and his administration which was now approaching After him the Apostles in their time had the proper work of their Generation which was to go forth and publish the glad tydings of salvation which before were cooped up within the narrow compass of Judea to all the world beginning at Jerusalem to gather Saints together so fast as they were converted into Churches and to appoint over these Pastors and Teachers and also to give Rules and Directions for the right ordering and governing of the Churches unto the end of the world Let us come to the Saints of following Generations had not they likewise their proper works which was in some to bear witness before the wicked world and the Heathen Tyrants and Infidels of those ages wherein they lived to the truth of that Doctrine they had received from the Apostles before them by sealing the same with their blood and willingly giving themselves up as sheep to the slaughter to the cruelties tortures massacres of the Paganish world in bearing testimony to the truth of Jesus Afterwards the work of the next Generation was to bear witness by writing preaching and all sound Doctrine against the damnable Heresies of Arrius and his complices and others which through that little tranquility which the Church injoyed under Constantine crept in and overspread the Christian world In after ages for some hundreds of years together the work of Saints in their Generation was to bear witness by speaking and suffering unto the truth and worship of Jesus against the pernicious errors and false worship of Antichrist and the boundless and swelling pride and pomp of that man of sin In Generations since the work hath been to recover the truth and worship of Christ which was well nigh buried under Antichrists reign to its ancient purity lustre and beauty And so Luther and the Saints and Worthies of his Generation as their principal work did recover out of the jaws of the Beast the precious truths of Christs Priestly Office the glorious Doctrine of our justification by Christ alone which was well nigh swallowed up by the Antichristian innovations of Masses Crosses Pardons Pennance Purgatory Vowes Pilgrimages solitary and single life with other inventions of humane wisdom for the procuring a righteousness of our own And since him the great work of Saints in their Generations hath been to recover the Kingly Office of Christ which the Lordly pomp and tyranny of the man of sin and his followers had cast a mist upon to set up Christ as sole King and Governor in his Churches as well as the onely and alone High Priest of his Saints Thus Saints all along from the beginning of the world in their several Generations have had their several works proper and peculiar to the Generations they have lived in so as that what hath been the work of one Generation hath not been the work of another and what hath been the work of that other hath not been the work of that unless at such time as it fell out in the Generations of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and also the several Generations of the Saints under the Roman and Antichristian persecutions wherein the dispensations of God towards his people hath continued the same and for substance alike for divers Generations together there the work hath been the same for no substantial change in dispensation there is none in the work of out Generation it being variation of dispensation that causeth the work of our Generation for to vary Third General Head That it is a thing of very great concernment for a Saint to attend unto and be active in the work of his Generation Generation-work is the most neglected work of all others with the generality of Professors who either consider not that such a work there is or if they do yet they think that it belongs to others not to them to mind it but in case they be industrious in those common duties which lye upon them as Saints and those special duties which attend their Callings Stations Relations or present condition it is enough for them and matters not whether they be active in the business of their Generation yea or no. Yea many that are imployed therein do not sufficiently weigh the greatness of the work they have in hand I shall therefore here endeavour to shew of how great concernment it is for a Saint to attend unto and be active in this work which I shall lay before you in some particulars 1 God by his dispensations calls aloud for it The dispensations of God have a voyce and God oft by these bespeaks a duty or duties of his people Mic. 6.9 The Lords voyce cryeth unto the City What voyce is this why meerly the voyce of a dispensation Gods dispensations being commands Hear the Rod and who hath appointed it To disobey then the visible call of a dispensation is to disobey a command of God The hazarding our lives is a weighty matter and if done carelesly a great sin yet Hester upon the visible call of a dispensation viz. Gods cause and people of God lying at the stake ready to suffer runs this sore hazard to which though she was stirred up by Mordecai as one Christian friend now may stir up another in such a capacity as Hester was to befriend Gods cause were it now dying as then it was yet were not Mordecayes words her warrant he being not indued with a Prophetical Spirit norspeaking as such as his doubtful speech she weth Who knows whether thou art come to the Kingdome for such a time as this but the call of the dispensation Meroz was called by Gods dispensations to help the Lord against the mighty We read not of any particular command Merez had to do it only the call of a dispensation Gods people were under oppressors and God was up to deliver them which call Meroz neglecting Meroz is doubly and bitterly cursed by the Angel of the Lord for it Judg. 5.23 Curse ye Meroz said the Angel of the
after this the Gospel is by special command to be preached to them as Luke 24.47 but for not beleeving in Christ and receiving him for the true Messiah which was the work of their Generation they are rejected as Rom. 11.20 because of unbeleef they are broken off and so remain unto this day To all which let me further add that not in these only but many examples more it seems to be Gods usual way in the execution of his wrath against sinners to write the sentence of their condemnation upon the forehead of this sin rather than any other Saul sinned in offering sacrifice and was then threatned with the loss of the Kingdome 1 Sam. 13.13 14. But the execution of this threatning and the unkinging of him comes in upon his miscarriage in that of Amalek a sin against the work of his Generation Aaron sinned most foulâ—ly in the business of the Golden Calf and at another time in murmuring against Moses but the sentence passed upon him that he should dye in the Wilderness is for his not beleeving at the waters of Meribah a sin against the work of his Generation Num. 20.12 13. God usually writing the sentence of his displeasure upon the forehead of the most provoking sin From what hath been spoken my Assertion stands firm viz. That the obligation whereby I stand bound unto the work of my Generation is a greater obligation than that whereby I stand bound to any other duty and my fault or error herein is a greater error than any other of my errors From which principle before I leave it I shal draw another which naturally flows out of it viz. That it is the duty of a Christian man imployed in Generation-work when other works and this do stand in competition to choose neglect in any duty rather than in that wherein the work of his Generation lyes yeatâ— break through all that he may follow this his obligation hereto being the greatest obligation his neglect herein the most provoking sin Which thing though for the truth thereof it need not blush carrying its evidence with its self yet in receiving of it use Christian wisdom and much more in the practice And here as a Conclusion to all the rest let me take the boldness for to add what hath been sometimes the issue of retired thoughts that for this reason hath God so gloriously and eminently owned beyond belief and to admiration the never to be forgotten proceedings of the Army of England because though they have seemed at least been charged by slanderous Tongues and Pens with violating the bonds of relation they yet have in all pressed on and followed after though through a cloud of dismaid difficulties and dangers the work of their Generation 3 In doing the work of our Generation we are most serviceable to the design of God that is on foot in the age we live in As there never yet was an age in the world wherein God was not driving on one great design or other although the manifestation of his most glorious designs and works of wonder have ever been limited to some particular Generations so hath God in all ages declared himself exceedingly well pleased with such of his children whose obedience hath more directly fallen in with his design on foot in their age Daniel whilst he is praying and mourning hath the Angel Gabriel sent unto him with this redoubled testimony from Heaven concerning him that he was a man greatly beloved Chap. 9.21 22 23. Chap. 10.11 19. Isay Jeremy and other godly men prayed yet do not we read of any such testimony given concerning them praying as here is concerning Daniel Why so the reason may be this Daniels prayer fell in with Gods design God was upon a great design to deliver his people out of Babylon this Daniel prays for Gods design and Daniels obedience meet together and therefore doth God set a special stamp upon Daniels prayer Now in doing the work of our Generation we are more serviceable to Gods design than we can be any other way for there being onely a respective difference betwixt these two the same work which respecting God is his design respecting us is the work of our Generation Israels deliverance from Babylon was in respect of Gods design but in respect of Daniel the praying for this was the work of his Generation we cannot be active in the one but in so doing we become serviceable to the other as Daniel by prayer became instrumentally serviceable to Israels delivery Which by plentiful ordinary instance might be illustrated but enough having been said for the understanding of the Reader in these few words I shall not multiply 4 God hath choyce distinguishing mercy for that man that follows him in the work of his Generation as 1 God will overlook many failings in that man Caleb and Joshua were men and therefore had their failings as other men yet because Caleb and Joshua did cleave to God in that special work they were imployed in Num 14.6 7 c. which was the work of their Generation therefore God overlooking all their other failings as though they had none at all pronounceth of them that they wholly followed the Lord Numb 32.12 2 God will stand by that man and never leave him that sticks close to him in the work of his Generation Abraham left his Country to attend to the work of his Generation and how did God in all perils stand by Abraham Abraham was put to it in Egypt and like to loose his wife God stood by him there Gen. 12. Abraham was ingaged with four Kings Gen. 14. God stood by him there Abraham was in a great strait at Gerar Gen. 20. God stood by him there Abraham stood to the work of his Generation and God for ever stood by Abraham 3 God will own that man in case he live thereto in the work of the next Generation that abides faithful in the work of the present Generation he lives in It is said of Noah Gen. 6.9 Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations and Noah walked with God teaching us thus much by speaking in the plurall number that Noah was just walking with God in the generations he lived in before the flood came and when the flood was coming this Noah was the onely man that God did own in the work of that Generation So Joshua was faithful in the work of that Generation whilst Israel journeyed in the wilderness and how eminently did God own Joshua in the work of the next Generation when Israel entered into Canaan 4 God will provide a hiding place for that man against those storms which may fall upon the Generation he lives in that is active in the work of his generation Noah had an Arke provided for him when a flood came upon the world of ungodly men In Ezekiels time chap. 9. when the destroying Angels were to pass through Jerusalem a mark of deliverance was first to be set upon the foreheads of all
other the West and East Indies both should be enlightned with the Gospell which never heard it before verifying that Mal. 1.11 For from the rising of the Sun even unto the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure offering for my Name shall be great among the heathen saith the Lord of Hosts 3 As for the uniting of Saints that differ although here with grief we must confess the breach is yet too wide yet with joy and comfort we may also truly say it is not so wide as lately it was many closing and loving one another in most parts of the Nation who five nay two years ago could not do it and if so little time have made such a blessed beginning what may we expect from more 4 And as for the pulling down of high and lofty things if our age bear not witness of this it doth of nothing for doth not the whole world ring again with the noyse that hath been made through the late fall of Regal and Episcoral powers in England 5 For the establishment of Justice and righteousness tho we want in respect of what we would have yet all unprejudiced persons must nakedly confess a good foundation to be already laid in order to the same and as some hopeful beginnings thereupon so our selves to be in a fairer way by far for more than we were sixteen or twenty years ago which a little time we hope will ripen to perfection 6 And for the powring out of the Spirit though it ought to be our grief wee have so little of it yet cannot Gods people in this age without great ingratitude to the Father of mercies but acknowledge that he hath herein also been more bountiful unto them than unto others of his dear Children and their fellow-servants in the foregoing age thought these then with that little they had better and more obedient to their Father than we now and as we have ground for hope so is it our duty to beleeve for yet more 7 And as for increase of light without transgressing the rules of modesty or exalting our selves in this present age in testification of our thankfulness to him from whom our light is we may truly and humbly say that this present age hath brought forth some truths especially those which concern Christs Kingdom which till now have not with that clearness been revealed in any since the Apostles times 8 And lastly For the exaltation of Christ as King when ever was there a time since the Apostles that could shew half so many Churches as at this day are to be seen in England and elsewhere yea when since the beginning was Christ ever in so fair a way to be King over the world and when so much worldly power in the hands of godly men as at this day So that in Gods dispensations to this age we may already begin to read those very things he hath foretold shall be in that age in which the Jews shall be converted which as hath been before proved is this age wee live in And the more is this to be considered because dispensation being that which giveth call to the work of the Generation it is enough supposing we had no other proof in case we behold present dispensations pointing to such and such things to know there lyes the work of this age Yet in regard light burdens no man and the lovers of truth are never offended with truth for its clearness therefore this Rule which alone gives so much light into the work as that it will be as hath been before cleared sin in that man who wilfully shutting his eyes to the same neglects the work is here brought in hand in hand with others of no less evidence and demonstration than it self 4 Our fourth Rule formerly laid down is to observe what work that is which is most raged against by the Devil and wicked men for ordinarily there as was then proved doth lye the work of the Generation Now here consider what are those things the Devil rageth against and the World would fain hinder in this age To omit the first because the work not appearing as yet though we hope God is making a way thereto the Devil doth not as yet appear openly in this age more than formerly for to oppose the same But to come to the next Is not the Conversion of Sinners one thing raged against witness the many obstructions in the way of propagating the Gospel The opposition to the Doctrine of glad tydings to Sinners therein revealed and also to godly men because Mechanicks whom God in many places with happy success is pleased in this day to make use of for declaring of them Is not the prevention of union among Saints another by fomenting divisions through Jesuitical practices and thereby drawing them into parties and then setting one party against the other And is not this another the pulling down of high and lofty ones doth not the world generally storm to see Kings and Bishops plucked from their seats As one of their party saith Had he had a hand in the pulling down of Regal or Episcopal Power he should think himselfe to have committed the sin against the Holy Ghost And who knows not the opposition that the establishment of Justice and Righteousness meets with at this day in the world Yea farther is not the Spirit a thing mocked at you have the Spirit these are men of the Spirit c. And the very term of new Light is not onely distasteful but reproachful To conclude What ways have been of late years to prevent and root out if possible Christs Kingly Government in his Churches and are at this day to obstruct the same which is hoped to be now rising over the world is apparent to all men Thus we see that the very things Satan rageth against are the same that the Prophecies of old have foretold and the dispensations of God call for in this age 5 We have but one Rule of discovery more prayer excepted which is Closet-work and that is to observe what spiritual inlightned Saints have upon their hearts as the work of their Generation And although here I cannot enter into mens hearts yet this I may say so far as my own acquaintance leads me I have ever observed the pulses of the most spiritual enlightned Saints beating this way And the publique desires of many for things of this nature shews how others stand inclined towards the doing of them Thus you may easily perceive whitherto all these Rules tend each of which standing upon firm ground as hath been before declared The conclusion then putting all together is this That the work of the present Generation which Saints are bound to attend unto and to be active in lies principally in these things The conversion of the Jews propagation of the Gospel in order to a greater Harvest of Gentiles Joynting Saints Christ
mystical body into one Pulling down of all high and lofty things and persons that oppose Christ The establishment of Justice and Righteousness in the world Striving with God in a more especial manner for a greater degree of his Spirit more light and grace than Saints in former Generations have had together with the exaltation of Christ as King both in his Churches and also over the world Which last considering how that all the rest are in a way of subserviency thereunto and do as it were centre therein for therefore are Jews and Gentiles at this time to meet together as Subjects under one Prince that this Kingdom of his might be great and full of Subjects therefore shall divisions amongst his people cease that his Kingdom might be quiet and peaceable therefore shall high and lofty ones be pulled down that Christ might have no Competitor or Check mate as I may say in this his Kingdom therefore shall Justice and Righteousness be established that so the glory of his Kingdom in this respect might surpass the glory of all Kingdoms before it therefore shall there be more of the Spirit more light and grace given forth to the Saints that so they might yeeld obedience to their King not so much from a Law without as a principle of light and love within I say all centering in this last my utmost conclusion is that the master-peece of work in this Generation is the advancement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ 5 But how may I come to know or find out that particular part or parcel of work which is more properly to be my work in my Generation and which God requires me to be active in seeing it cannot be supposed that any one man can be active in the whole work neither undoubtedly is it required of him In answer to this I shall in general lay down this seeming contrary Proposition viz. That there is no part or piece of Generation-work but every Christian man or woman may in some way be helpful thereunto so far as he is called to act and consequently becomes guilty of neglect of Generation-work in not acting As 1 By prayer to God for the prospering and carrying on of the work Those who can do nothing else are commanded to pray for the peace of Jerusalem Psal 122.6 yea all that make mention of the Lord in the day of Gods building Sion are bound not to keep silence nor give God rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth Is 62.6 7. 2 By humbling our selves before God for that whatsoever it be whether found in the people of God or instruments imployed in the work or any other that proves obstructive and a hindrance to the work When the sin of Achan became an obstruction to the work of Joshua's age Joshuah and the Elders of Israel rent their cloaths fell to the earth on their faces put dust on their heads humbling themselves before God for it Josh 7.6 Now although acting in this manner in case we can do nothing else may seem little in our eyes yet in the eyes of God it doth not so who takes it exceeding well at the hands of his people when they can serve their Generation no other way that they do in this When Israel had so provoked God that God was upon the point of destroying of them as Deut. 12.13 14. Moses then falls down before God forty dayes and forty nights and by prayer and fasting prevails with God not only to spare them but also by the manifestation of his presence and glorious power still to go along with them as Exod. 33.14 15. And how pleasing Moses prayer to God in this business was appears in that the glorious discovery of Gods back-parts to Moses and proclamation of his Name before him such a discovery as never Moses himself at any other time nor any man besides him ever had comes in as the fruit of this his interceding for the people and in behalf of the cause of God as Exod. 33.19 compared with Chap. 34.5 6 7. Moses did many glorious works in his Generation which others could not follow yet God chooseth to make his glory pass before him not in doing them but that which every Saint may imitate him in Daniel in like manner when as yet there was no visible way for publick actings in that which now began to be the business of the Generation makes it his private work to strive with God by humiliation and prayer for the same as Chap. 9. and how well God did like hereof you have heard before and the success of Daniels prayer vers 20 21 22 23. is sufficient testimony So also Nehemiah when the work of his Age lay out of his power to act any thing therein save only in this way of prayer and humiliation he as the other this being the common way of Gods people in such cases betakes himself unto this work of praying and mourning before God in reference to the same Nehem. 1.4 5 c. And how wonderfully God was pleased herewith the sequel of the story shews for within four months after his praying and mourning being in the month Chisleu vers 1. the ninth month according to the Jewish account as Zach. 7.1 in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes and the return thereof in the month Nisan Chap. 6.1 the first month after their account as Ester 3.7 and all in one year as by comparing Chap. 1.1 with Chap. 2.1 is evident God in an extraordinary way doth so bring things about that this Nehemiah the praying and mourning man for Jerusalems desolations is furnished with commission and authority from the King to go to Jerusalem and there to re-edifie the City and build up the wall thereof the very work of that Generation In case therefore Generation-work lie at such a plunge as thou canst act no other way in it or in case thou beest one who wantest both opportunity and imployment wherein thou mayest be helpful in any particular way unto thy Generation then serve the same in this general way which service from the hands of such a one is accepted of God and the party doing the same in Gods account faithful in his Generation Yet because many there be who besides the general way of acting which is a duty common to all may in other more special wayes be serviceable to their Generation who yet neither their call nor opportunity reaching to the whole work but some part of it will be further inquisitive how they shall know that particular part of Generation-work which is more properly theirs To the end that such may receive satisfaction in this thing I shall desire them to go along with me through these following Rules 1 Observe what part of Generation-work that is that thou art in a capacity to do Every man is not in a capacity to do the same peece of Generation-work but one man is in a capacity to do one peece of the work another
Gadarens send Christ away because they were loth to lose their swine Private interest of gain was the root of that great opposition made against the Gospel in Thratira Act 16.19 20. and after that at Ephesus Act. 19.23 24 25 c. And private interest of honor and preeminence set Diotrephes on work to oppose John and the work of Christ in his Churches Epist 3. vers 9.10 Private interest is an enemy to the work of the Generation and every work of God about it 5 Favour and own the Saints of the Generation and here by Saints I do not mean this or that party of men but such men of whatsoever party they may be as have the image of God upon them Christ and the Spirit of Christ in them To disown any such one though men call it disowning a Presbyter disowning an Independant disowning an Anabaptist c. yet Christ accounts it disowning his little ones In Zech. 12.5 We have a glorious Prophecy relating unto the last ages of the-world but more particularly to that age in which the Jews shall be converted and it chiefly concerns great ones States-men the Governors of Judah who in this day looking upon and beholding Gods wonderful appearances in behalf of his Saints under their Government owning of them shattering all that do but lifâ— up a hand against them to peeces bringing all Plots and Counsels against them to nothing they shall from hence be so powerfully convinced that they shall say in their hearts The Inhabitants of Jerusalem my strength or is our strength in the Lord of Hosts their God And observe it no sooner do they say thus Surely these are Gods people here lies our strength wee 'l stick to these but presently the work in their hands go on in despight of the most powerful opposition God making of them the terror of all the Nations round about them yea of the whole world which shall be but as stubble to the fire before them as vers 6. In that day viz. the day in which the Governours of Judah shall thus speak will I make the Governors of Judah like a hearth of fire among the wood and like a torch of fire in a sheaf and they shall devoure all the people round about on the right hand and on the left A sad example of the contrary we have in David who though he were a man after Gods own heart and one that had faithfully served God for many years in his Generation yet by one injury offered to godly Uriah his hands were so weakned that as I have formerly said comparing after acts with what he did before we hardly find any remarkable thing performed by him in his Generation afterwards As nothing doth more strengthen a mans hand in Generation-work then countenancing the Saints so contrariwise nothing doth more enfeeble them than to injure these 6 Keep Justice alive against wilful offenders in the work Achan put a stop to the work of the Generation in his time but Justice having free passage upon Achan presently the work of the Generation goes on 7 Commit the managing of publique Affairs into the hands of faithful and holy men It is observable and but that I spare to run over again the list of Generations I could for proof thereof produce many instances that Generation-work hath never thriven but have bin always done by halves or peece-meal when it hath bin in the hands of such men who not being faithful to God have more pursued their own particular interests of honor profit and the advancement of relations and alliances than the good and welfare of the cause and the furtherance of the work of the Generation But that which is enough for our present purpose is how that in the last days particularly in that age in which Christ will pitch a field with those Kings of the Earth which stand in the way of his Kingdom he will pick and cull out as the only instruments that under him shall carry on this work such as are called and chosen and faithful as Rev. 17.14 These shall make waâ— with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them For he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful And also in that fatal blow which suddenly after shall be given to the Romish power and the powers of the world conjoyned his followers shall not be such as either rowle in the pollutions of the world or have stained their garments with the Idolatries and Superstitions of Antichrist but onely such as shall be cloathed in fine linnen clean and white as Rev. 19.8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linnen clean and white For the fine linnen is the righteousness of the Saints And vers 14. The Armies which were in Heaven followed him upon white Horses cloathed in fine linnen white and clean Though men may imploy others yet Christ will by degrees lay them by in the doing of this work before the same shall be perfected 8 Take heed of divers things which if not prudently foreseen and shunned may any one of them slugg even a good man in the work of his Generation as 1 Take heed of being offended Christs Countreymen could not receive him for the Messiah because they were offended at his meanness and poverty Matth. 13.57 Many a man stumbles at the work of his Generation by an aptness to be offended at this and the other thing as First At the nâ—w light of the Generation As in the times before Christs coming and immediately after so long as God was opening his will to his people by a written word every generation almost did beam forth new light in regard of being Abrahams Generation producing somewhat that was not revealed in Adams nor to the old World Mosesses somewhat which was not revealed in Abrahams Davids somewhat which was not revealed in Mosesses Isaiahs somewhat which was not revealed in Davids Daniels somewhat which was not revealed in Isays John Baptists somewhat which was not revealed in in Daniels and Peter and Pauls somewhat which was not revealed in John Baptists time So in the Generations since God hath closed up his word truth having brought forth its last in regard of being and especially since the man of Sin who creeping in in the first ages corrupted and darkned the light of those times for many Generations together hath been going off the Stage every Generation almost hath afforded its new light in regard of discovery of that light which in the word had being before but obscured by the fogs of Antichristianism So Wickleff and John Hus in their ages made discovery of some light Luther in his Generation of more Calvin in his of more in respect of some things wherein Luther was in the dark and the ages since of more in respect of some things wherein all the foregoing Worthies were in the dark And this to say is no disparagement to them who did worthily in their
opposition hath been so great an offence that not onely the common multitude but right honest hearts have from hence stood a loof from and been shy of the work of their Generation Christ could not be received of the Jews for their Messiah because the religious party of the Priests and Pharisee did oppose him And how great an offence was this to the poor simple meaning people who but a little before seeing his works cryed out Hosanna being now by these men of credit possest that he was a Deluder they change their note and cry crucifie him crucifie him as the story tells us 4 At the after-miscarriages and errors of those who have been the onely active instruments and lights at first in the work of the Generation T is matter of offence to not a few to see men active at first in the work of their Generation prove afterwards retarders of the work and darkness thence to spring whence the first light of the Generation did arise Hence most are apt to call in question the righteousness of that cause and purity of that light which the first owners by future miscarriages have cast a blemish upon Now though there seemeth in it to be just matter of jealousie yet if seriously weighed and compared with foregoing Presidents it is not so for who knows not that Solomon was the first King of Israel that ever built a house for the true worship of God and yet the first that ever built High places for Idolatry Peter was the first Disciple that publickly confessed Christ and yet the first that openly denyed him Judea was the first place where Gospel-light did shine and from whence the world was enlightned and yet the first place where error sprung up and the light of the Gospel darkned Act. 15.1 Certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren except yee be circumcised after the manner of Moses yee cannot be saved 5 At the gastly look and untrodden footsteps of some particular dispensations and actings attending the work of the Generation In all Generations almost there have been in managing the work of the Generation some particular actings which outwardly have had so foul an aspect that if not be held with an eye seeing God his will and design therein might justly breed offence dislike in the beholders With how offensive a eye did that act look how may we think in reason might it tend to the hardning the Egyptians that Israel going out of Egypt pretending to worship God should by a cheat as setting Gods will aside mans reason would account it plunder the Egyptians of all their Jewels and riches a thing which if done without Gods special command had been contrary to morality And whether or no had not Gods command authorized Joshua thereunto could that act of his in entring Canaan and not onely taking their Land from them but also putting all the Inhabitants both young and old to the sword been termed any other than an act of inhumane and barbarous cruelty Yea further let reason be judge of that act of Jaels in murdering Sisera at a time when his Master was in league with her Husband and when as he too as a man flying for life committed himself to her for shelter and what will it call the same but treacherous dealing an act of perfidiousness and highest injustice What need I multiply let reason not seeing Gods will be judge of Jehues action in putting the King his Master to death and extirpating the Royal Family and will it not brand the same with the odious names of Disloyalty Usurpation and Treachery to his Prince which yet was an act commanded by God God having so ordered it that in all ages there should stand in the work of the Generation some such facing and staring actions as should not onely amuse men but also offend the eyes of the obstinate weak or ignorant beholders 2 Take heed of being discouraged As offences on one hand hath put many a man by the work of his Generation so have discouragements on the other hand put some by and weakned the hands of others in the work Now there are several things at the which men are discouraged whereof I shall particularize a few As 1 At the littleness and lowness of beginnings It is Gods way in the carrying on of his great and glorious works of wonder ever to begin very low and rise high by degrees I shall instance onely in two things both appertaining to Christs Kingdom and the rather because as hath been shewed that it is the great work of this age 1 The Kingdom of Christ in his Churches it is a most glorious work yet low in the beginning The building of the second Temple which as hath been said was the type of this had first a day of smal things which lookers on were ready to despise Zach. 4.10 Who hath despised the day of smal things before a day of great things First a foundation stone is laid and then Zerubbabel the builder hath his hands holden forty years before he can lay a top-stone or bring the work to perfection The planting of Churches in the Primitive times what a low beginning had it one Paul and a few poor Fisher-men acting in this work and that against all the world This is lively set forth in that Parable Matth. 13.31 The Kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard-seed It begins as a grain of mustard-seed which is the least of all seeds and of this but one grain not many yet in the end it grows a Tree that the Fowls of the Heaven câ—me to lodge in the branches of it 2 The Kingdom of Christ over the world the glory of this work is such that when it shall be the whole earth shall be full of the glory of it yet how little and low shall this work be in the beginning It is at first a stone cut out of the mountains without hands little and weak yet after a great mountain filling the whole earth Dan. 2.34 35. It is first a little one after that a thousand Isa 60. ult A little one shall become a thousand It first begins in Sion i.e. in the Churches amongst a company of poor despised worshippers of Christ whereof Sion was a type Psa 2.6 Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion Afterwards it spread it self over all the world Vers 8 9. Aske of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron thou shalt break them in peeces like a potters vessel Davids Kingdom the most lively type of Christs Kingdom over the world how low and seemingly unlikely ever to rise was it in the beginning One David a poor mans Son a keeper of sheep to be a King and yet his Kingdom at present in the hands of another a powerful King Saul one chosen and annoynted by God to whom the
whole Nation had subjected themselves and under whom they had obtained glorious Victories Who would ever have thought this Kingdom could have risen and yet it did Christs riding into Jerusalem as King which I take it did shadow out both these it was upon an Ass one of the most despicable of all the creatures and yet not upon a grown Ass neither an Ass in his full strength but upon a Colt the Foal of an Ass the weakest and most despicable of the most despicable Matth. 21.5 Thus it is Gods way in great works especially in Generation-work to begin low and rise by steps Now we shall find that low beginnings in the work of the Generation have sometimes been a discouragement to persons acting therein So in Ezra's time when the foundation of the second Temple was laid the low and little beginnings did so discourage the ancient men who had seen the glory of the former house that it is said they wept with a loud voyce chap. 3.12 2 At the powerfulness and succesfulness of opposition against the work As Generation-work hath never wanted powerful opposition so sometimes opposition for a while hath been successful against the same What powerful opposition shall be made against the work of God in the last times viz. The â—etting up Christ as King in Sion or his Churches you have foretold Psal 2. where we have opposers of a higher note Kings Rulers Opposers of a lower rank Heathen people Yet all Prince and Beggar can joyn hand in hand to oppose Christs Kingdom And how successful that opposition made by the adversaries of Judah was to the work of the Generation in the days of Ezra whereby a stop was put to the work for many years together is there recorded And which is to be noted the very opposition made by Judah's Enemys to the work was that which did exceedingly discourage and weaken the hands of them that wrought therein Ezra 4.4 Then the people of the Land weakned the hands of the people of Judah and troubled them in the building 3 At Great ones holding off and withdrawing their hands from the work Generation-work hath seldom found the friendship of great ones Have any of the chief Rulers or Pharisees beleeved in him In Nehemiah's time the onely men that would not put their necks to the work of that age were the Noble men ch 3.5 Their Nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord. Now what a discouragement it is to the meaner sort to see the great ones stand off or with-draw who knows not It is observable which I would not here pass over that in that age in which the Jews shall be brought in Gods first glorious appearing shall be amongst a middle sort of people Zech. 12.7 The Lord shall save the Tents of Judah first i.e. God shall first begin to discover his glorious power and make bare his arm of Salvation not amongst the poorest of all who have no Tents no place of habitation but are Vagrant and Beggars nor the richest who have their sumptuous Palaces and royal Houses but a middle sort of people living in a plain but an honorable and comely way such as the way of living in Tents of old was and the reason hereof is given that the glory of the house of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnifie themselves against Judah i.e. that men of Princely and noble blood dwelling in Courts or sumptuous Palaces or depending upon such places may not as hath been the manner from the beginning magnifie themselves against others because in a rank or ranks below them If this shall be the way of Gods dispensations towards that age be not discouraged in case we now who are fallen into the same see many great ones withdrawing their hands from the work 4 At the perfidious and treacherous dealing of some particular persons imployed in the work It is no new thing in Generation-work as to meet with opposition abroad so treachery nearer home David in his work had a treacherous son Absolom a treacherous Counsellor Achâ—tophel Nehemiah in the carrying on of his work had a treacherous Shemaiah yea treacherous Nobles acting with him as chap 6.10 17. Christ in his work had a treacherous Judas for one of his followers And what a discouragement treachery in some is to others that one instance of Absoloms treachery is proof enough which did so sinke the heart of David himself and the hearts of all his mighty men of valour yea of the whole Country that they fled weeping with a loud voyce from Absolom 2 Sam. 15.23.30 5 At the meeting with disappointments Disappointments of expectations prove oft times discouragements at best disquietments to those that meet with them in their work A disappointment did so dis-hearten bold spirited Jeremy that he took up a hasty resolution to quit his hands of Gods work chap. 20.7 8 9. Yea Paul himself though a man so watchful active and having such command over his Spirit as none more was so disquieted by a disappointment and one would think it a smal one too onely missing of Titus that he lost a very fair opportunity of doing Christ service at Troas 2 Cor. 2.12 13. 6 At unkindnesses received from those whose good and welfare we have ever closely pursued in the work It is a remarkable example and pertinent to the thing in hand that of Moses Exo. 17. who having as an instrument under God brought Israel out of Aegypt carried them through the Red Sea yea made it his business from first to last above any thing of his own to seek their good and welfare meeting with so unkind a return for all his tender care of them as that no sooner did they want a little water but presently they fall to chide with and upbraid him as men ready to stone him vers 2 3 4. He is so discouraged hereby as that this very discouragement pusheth him into that sin against the work of his Generation for which and no other he is shut out of Canaan as compare vers 7. with Num. 20.12 13. 7 At multiplyed sentences of death put upon the work This though it will take in some of the foregoing discouragements which are but as so many sentences of death put upon the work Yet because it may be extended farther I shall here allow it a particular place by it self The more grace and mercy is wrapped up in any of Gods dispensations towards his people the more and greater sentences of death are usually put upon that work which those dispensations call for and by which this mercy is to be ushered in The dispensation of God towards Israel in bringing them out of Aegypt was a dispensation full of mercy and nothing more verified in the story of it then this that multiplied sentences of death did attend the work Before deliverance comes they are in hard bondage when deliverance was neer their bondage grows higher and their tale of bricks is doubled No sooner are
time in which God was leading them into Canaan he and and all his people perish by it Take heed of doing all that thou conceits thou hast a principle will bear thee out in doing 9 Take heed of lending an ear unto such friendly respectful offers which carry in the bowels of them though guilded over with outward respect and friendship a crafty design against the work of the Generation As Generation-work hath never wanted a party who have by open force opposed the same So likewise there hath mostly been a party attending of it who by secret fraud and pretences of Friendship have sought to undermine it which latter have oft-times prospered in their designs through the over-much credulity of persons imployed in Generation-work when and where the first have failed Was it not a very fair offer of Moab when otherwise they could not have their wills upon Israel then to come and in a friendly way to call and invite the people to their houses and to grant to them though strangers and men of different principles liberty to worship with them What a large shew of respect and curtesie was here And yet no other but a meer crafty design to draw Isracl to sin by which when no other way they could do it they drew the wrath of God upon Israel Numb 25. So was it not a very fair Petition of Adonijah 1 Kings 2.16 17. to ask Abishag the Shunamite to wife a thing one would think to man could have blamed yet Solomon spies out a crafty design laid in this smooth Petition which was to get the Kingdome and consequently to put by the great work of that Generation viz. the building of the Temple which Solomon was appointed unto So likewise what a friendly motion and seemingly full of dutiful respect and obedience was that of Shemajah to Nehemiah Chap. 6.10 wherein no other thing is pretended but the discovery of a dangerous plot in the hatching and tender respect to the safeguard of his person and yet this no other but a crafty design to draw Nehemiah to sin and to bring a slurre upon him in managing the work of his Generation vers 13. To say no more What could be in outward appearance a more friendly offer then that of Judahs Adversaries Ezra 4.2 to come and freely proffer their help and to joyn with Judah in the carrying on that great work of Temple-building which was the work of that Age Yea and to do this at such a time when the work was despised and had lien dead many years the instruments imployed in it few and weak so that laying all things together one would judge that there could be nothing in their hearts more than good will to the work and desire the same should prosper when as yet there was no thing in all this fair shew but a crafty design lying at the bottome of it to obstruct this work of God as vers 4 5 6. 10 Take heed of making reason of State the rule of publick actings Jeroboams reason of State made Johu perform by halves the work of his Generation destroying the house and image of Baal but winking at the Calves in Dan and Bethel This reason of State was that which led a grave wise Counsel into a most cursed practice viz. the voting the Son of God to death John 11.47 to the 54. The results of pure reason of State are oft-times dangerous most times contrary to the work of the Generation 11 Take heed of setting up humane Laws above the work of the Generation My meaning is in case these two come in competition rather to choose neglect in the work of the Generation than in any way to be offensive to humane Laws If the Commands of God himself and the special acts of his worship are to give place as hath been before proved to the work of the Generation then surely without any want of that due respect that is and ought to be given to mans Law it may be said and also without offence that humane Laws are much more to stoop and fall down to it the Authority of God being above that of man In Esters time there was a Law in the Kingdome of Ahasuerus and the foundation of it was no other but the priviledge and honour of the supreme Magistrate that whosoever man or woman should come in unto the King in the inner Court except such to whom the King should hold out the golden Scepter he should be put to death Chap. 4.11 Which Law in it self was not evill as it was meerly Politick respecting only the Honour State and Priviledge of the King Yet when the Cause and People of God lay at such a plunge that without intrenching upon this Law Gods Cause in that Age must have fell to the ground Esther though uncalled by the King yea more having no other Command from God as formerly hath been shewed but only the visible Call of a Dispensation pusheth upon the Pikes of the Law and runs the hazard of the perill of death and how wonderfully God did stand by her and preserve her in so doing the issue of this her dangerous attempt recorded in the History may sufficiently inform us 12 And lastly Take heed of conjunction with such who are not reall hearted to the Cause of God and the work of the Generation When Israel went up out of Egypt a mixed multitude of Egyptians and others that were not Israelites went up with them Exod. 12.38 Which mixed multitude did afterwards prove a snare to them even in the very work of the Generation by drawing the Congregation to murmure against the Lord Numb 11.4 And the mixed multitude that was amongst them fell a lusting and the Children of Israel also wept again and said Who shall give us flesh to eat What need I relate that which every one knows how godly Asa lost himself by his League with Benhadad King of Syria and good Jehoshaphat by his compliance with Ahab and Ahaziah And although it be true that the examples of the Kings of Judah are not in all things patterns for States and Kingdomes in Gospel-dayes to walk by yet the reason upon which the Seer reproves Asa because he relied upon the King of Assyria and not on the Lord fals as strongly upon professing States under the Gospel as it did on him who shall I hope be kept both from his sin and so from his reproof Which he shall continue to pray for who is a friend to Sions prosperity and also Englands welfare and interest which is and will be found solely depending on it They shall prosper that love thee Psal 122.6 Amen FINIS Generation-work The Second Part. Wherein is shewed what the Designs of God abroad in the World may in all likelyhood be at this present day and in the days approaching Being an Exposition of the Seven VIALS Rev. 16. And other Apocalyptical Mysteries By John Tillinghast the meanest and unworthiest of Christs Laborers Rev. 14.7 Fear God and give
which either our natural or corrupt desires or our conceived fancies incline us to or lest through a pinning our faith too much upon the authority of others or on the contrary a desire to be singular from all or through prâ—ingagements to this or that particular party or interest or straining some notion which hath a truth in it too far or any other such like way or end by which Saints lose their guide we should unawares be drawn into mistakes So on the other side to be very humble and sober much in waiting upon the Father of lights for light as also circumspect in observing wary in judging those several hints which may be offered or may offer themselves for truth to the end if possible and so fat as is the good pleasure of the Father that truth shall be made known mistakes may be avoyded Which that my self may not swerve from in the following work let the merciful Lord be the light and strength of his poor servant VIAL IV. 1 The Subject of it The SUN Vers 8. AND the fourth Angel poured out his Vial upon the Sun By Sun here cannot be meant as some Christ the Son of Righteousness nor as others the Scripture revealing Christ for the manifest truth of our fourth Proposition as also because according to either of these opinions the Subject of this Vial is made singular from all the rest for the Subjects of every of the other Vials are things evill and peeces of Antichrists and Satans Kingdome and confessed so to be but according to these interpretations the Subject of this Vial should be good either Christ himself or one of the principal things and of greatest value pertaining to his Kingdom A late worthy Writer who interprets this Sun to be some high eminent Head of State who like a Sun in the Popish world upholds all and by his splendor and government giveth strength and lustre to all Like as the Sun in the created world by its light and motion guides and moves the forces of nature he that hit the mark in genearl but not having pointed who or what this Head is hath yet left room for a more particular inquiry By Sun therefore as some others more fitly and rightly judge we are in this place to understand the German Empire or House of Austria but these also in the application fall under a mistake whilst looking upon the late German War to be the Effect of this Vial they bring us down to the fifth or sixth Vials which opinion for our two first reasons laid down to disprove the very same opinion urged by another Author and to another end in opening the Subject of the second Vial cannot stand with truth And here by the way I cannot but give the Reader a hint how easie a thing it is to be deceived by likelihoods The German War having in it the likelihood of a Vial hath given occasion to some to bring it under the second to others under the fourth whereas indeed it properly belongs to none Spiritual prudence and direction from above is wanting in nothing more than this to judge aright of likelihoods Yet although in respect of the time they step aside that yet they have judged aright concerning the Subject is clear because the Sun here being to be understood of no other Sun than that which shines in the Antichristian world or Popish Horizon for it is upon that world and that alone all the Vials the two last excepted are to be poured forth it cannot to any be so properly and parly applyed as to the German Empire or the House of Austria which although for present through the late War it hath suffered an ecclipse in respect of its former lustre and beauty yet was it when Antichrists Kingdome was in its highest altitude and the top of its glory the very Sun and glory of that Kingdome And that which doth yet more strongly confirm me in this conjecture is the consideration how exactly the same according to this interpretation doth agree both to the time and place of the Witnesses killing and rising for that they about this time lye dead in that street of the Great City the very and only place they are to be slain in and shall shortly there arise some weighty grounds for proof hereof are laid down by the worthy Author of Clavis Apocalyptica of whom mention was made in the foregoing Vial to which it were not impossible to adde some farther proof though here to do it would be to make this word by the by swell into a Tract of it self and therefore I forbear not without some hopes and expectations that instead of verbal the thing by real Arguments may prove it self ere long Onely adding that it may more concern the higher powers of this Nation than possibly many are aware of to cast an eye that way And what the design of God may be or whether or no tending to any such thing in the present War with Holland we shall know hereafter 2 The ADJUNCT A power given to the Angel to scorch with fire And power was given unto him to scorch men with fire The Relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him may be referred either to the Angel pouring out this Vial or to the Sun upon which the same iâ— poured out and I take it it is to be referred to the first viz. the Angel for this Reason because it it said to be a power given to wit by special dispensation of God to scorch men with fire Now God doth not in this manner give a power to Antichrist to destroy himself which must necessarily follow in case the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him be referred to the latter viz. the Sun Neither may it be said that by the pouring out of this Vial the chief Head or Heads of the Austrian Family shall be converted which done that house shall destroy the Roman Whote for how can a Vial of pure and full wrath poured on for destruction prove the convertion of that thing it should destroy The meaning therefore is referring it to the Angel That thâ—s Angeâ— who pours out his Vial upon the Sun shall do somewhat over and above the bare pouring out of his Vial by which the hearts of the Antichristian faction shall be extremely moved and they filled with wrath envy vexation the which as fire and great heat shall inwardly scorch and torment them and this being added to the pouring forth of his Vial shews it is a thing peculiar to this Angel all the rest do only pour out their Vials this doth that and besides as a thing over and above hath a power given unto him to scorch men with fire Obâ— You will ask me But what is that which by special dispensation is given to this Angel to do besides the pouring out of his Vial which shall so scorch the Popish party To that I answer I do humbly conceive it may be this This Angel having poured out his Vial upon
City Rome as judgeth the worthy Author were not to be till the seventh Vial the order of the Holy Ghost in Chapters the 18 19. which relates the ruin of the City Rome before yet preparation is made to that battle would be manifestly broken 3 Because no interpretation can better-sute the words themselves for what may more properly be called Antichrists Soat then Rome the place where the Chair he sits in stands or what thing can befall the Beast which is more likely to fill his whole Kingdom with darkness yea make the Papals gnaw their tongues for pain than the destruction of Rome the Metropolis of that Kingdom 4 To these I may adde a fourth Argument urged by a learned Writer to our purpose Where the purpled Woman sits there is Antichrists Seat because she sits on the Beast that is Antichrist the purpled Woman sits at Rome because she sits on the seven Head of the Beast which are the seven Mountains of Rome Chap. 17.9 The seven Heads are seven Mountains on which the Woman sitteth Rome therefore is yea must be the Seat of Antichrist Now as to the Objection That this City Rome comes under the seventh Vial where mention is made of Great Babylon coming into remembrance before God and that therefore it cannot be the Subject of this I shall to that say nothing here onely refer the Reader to our opening of that place for his answer Neither let any say as some object that this interpretation is literal contrary to the scope of the Vials which carry things in a mystery for it is easie to reply That did we by Seat understand the Seat or Chair it self that Antichrist fits in it would so be but whilst as here Seat is put for the place in which his Seat or Chair doth stand it is manifest enough that there is a figure and a mystery in the words 2. The EFFECTS 1 EFFECT The Kingdom of the Beast is full of Darkness And his Kingdom was full of Darkness By the fall of Rome the head City the whole Papal Kingdom shall suffer a great eclipse of its former esteem and glory for now shall the Kings of the Earth who have been formerly supports to this Kingdom and those Merchants of the Earth who have formerly traded with the Beast stand afar off as men afraid either to own or traffick with the Beast any longer for fear of her torment as is more fully set forth in the description of Romes ruin which we have at large Chap. 18. v. 9. to 20. 2 EFFECT Gnawing their tongues for pain And they gnawed their tongues for pain Noting the extremity of rage the Papals shall be in when they shall behold Rome the glory of their Kingdom made a ruinous heap and they no way able to revenge their own quarrel they shall act the parts of mad men who gnash their teeth bite their lips gnaw their tongues c. which also in suitable and emphatical expressions we have ch 18. v. 15 16 17 18 19. 3 EFFECT Blaspheming the God of Heaven because of their pains and sores Vers 11. And blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their pains and their sores and repented not of their deeds The marked sons of the Beast shall now yet more evidently see that their pain viz. their inward torments and vexation of mind by which they are in a manner distracted and their sores viz. the ecclipse of their outward glory causing their friends and adherents to desert their cause and interest proceed only and alone from the hand of the God of Heaven who now is remembring their in quities and judging of them yet as before they shall now again harden themselves and blaspheme the God of Heaven to their own destruction instead of repenting of their deeds to give him glory Concerning the time when this Vial shall be poured forth my thoughts are these That the Jews delivery being to begin as in my first part hath been proved in or about the year 56 and that being the Effect of the sixth or following Vial it therefore necessarily follows that the Vials upon the Sun and the Seat of the Beast must be poured forth sometime in the interim betwixt this and the yeer of our Lord 1656. or thereabouts and therefore although for so much as concerns the particular time I shall wave it yet may I safely conclude thus much in the general that the time is at hand Now the Reasons why so little time is allowed to these two Vials when as every of the former hath taken up much more are as I conceive 1 Because God is slow in beginning to pour out his wrath upon sinners waiting their repentance but when wrath hath been poured out upon them and they by the same grow hardened then his proceedings are more quick Hence in the first Vial a long breathing time to consider their wayes is allowed to these enemies of God which they not regarding but being more hardned under it God in pouring out the second cuts the time much shorter yet because under that they are hardned also therefore in the third time is cut shorter yet and because after God had smitten them three times they still are hardned and persist to oppose the Lord Jesus instead of submitting to give him glory therefore in the fourth and fifth Vials time is brought to a little scantling God doing that in a few dayes which before took up many yeers 2 Because with the pouring forth of this Vial the suffering of the Gentile-Churches as I conceive draws to an end though after this the Jews in that interval of time betwixt the sixt and seventh Vials are to have a day of suffering Now the nearer the end comes the faster will Christ go the finishing of the work shall be cut short in righteousness And therefore observable it is concerning both these Vials that the Scripture hath set a mark upon each to shew that their continuance is not to be long The fourth Vial under which the Witnesses rise hath this to note the suddenness of it The same hour there was a great Earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell Chap. 11.13 it is done in an hour i.e. in a very short time and of the fifth Vial poured out upon the City Rome it is said Her plagues shall come upon her in one day Chap. 18.8 and in one hour is her judgement come vers 10. in one hour so great riches is come to nought vers 17. in one hour she is made desolate vers 19. The oft repetition of so short a time plainly teaching thus much That the work shall bee done in an instant ere the Papals themselves or it may bee the instruments God will imploy in doing it are aware Thus much as touching the fifth VIAL VIAL VI. 1 The SUBJECT of it The great River Euphrates AND the sixth Angel poured out his Vial upon the great River Euphrates Vers 12 Those who understand the drying up of Euphrates in a
the Lord two parts therein shall be cut off and dye but the third shall be left therein And I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as silver is refined and will try them as gold is tryed they shall call on my Name and I will hear them I will say It is my people and they shall say The Lord is my God Isa 10.20 21 22. It shall come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob shall no more again stay upon him that smote them but shall stay upon the Lord the Holy One of Israel in truth The Remnant shall return even the Remnant of Jacob unto the mighty God For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the Sea yet a Remnant of them shall return the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness Chap. 4.2.3.4 In that day shall the Branch of the lord be beautiful and glorious for them that are escaped of Israel And hee that is left in Sion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called Holy even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the Daughter of Sion and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the Spirit of Judgement and by the Spirit of Burning Zepha 3.12 13. I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord. This is the day of purging out the Rebels Ezek. 20.38 And I will purge out from among you the Rebels and them that transgresse against mee Of judging between Cattel and Cattel Chap. 34.17 Thus saith the Lord God Behold I judge between Cattel and Caâ—tel between the Rams and the Hee Goats All which places as will be evident to him that shall but understandingly peruse them and compare them with other Scriptures speak of the last times when the Iews are to come in To this Remnant shall Christ at the great day of the battel of Armageddon which shall put an end to this day of trouble appear who shall from that day bee advanced to reign with him in his Kingdome But of this more hereafter Thus much as touching the sixth VIAL The Interval of time betwixt the pouring out of the Sixth and Seventh VIALS Verse 13. AND I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet Vers 14. For they are the spirits of Devils working miracles which go forth unto the Kings of the Earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battel of that great day of God Almighty These words to vers 17. do not properly belong either to the Sixth or Seventh Vials but contain an Interval of time betwixt both in which some remarkable things in order to the pouring forth the seventh and last Vial are to be transacted which are 1 The sending forth of Ambassadors or Agents from the Dragon Beast and false Prophet to the Kings of the Earth By Dragon We are to understand that Old Serpent the Devil and Satan yet principally as acting in the Roman Monarchy the seven Heads and ten Horus of the Dragon chap. 12.3 being the Armes of Rome for so the Holy Ghost interprets it chap. 12 9. And the Dragon was cast out that Old Serpent called the Devil and Satan chap. 20.2 And he laid hold on the Dragon that Old Serpent which is the Devill and Satan Now where the Holy Ghost hath given a manifest interpretation it is certainly curiosity to seek another As for the other two the Beast and the false Prophet the two Companions of the Dragon or Devil we shall the better discern these two Monsters if we consider how that Beast in the Revelation is sometimes spoken of without any distinction made as being but one Sometimes with distinction as though he were two as Beast and Beast Chap 13. Beast and Woman Chap. 17. Beast and false Prophet as here When Beast is spoken of without distinction it denotes the Political and Ecclesiastical State both of the Roman Empire as the same now is Antichristian As in Vial 2. Beast there used alone denotes both States as is clear because the Image of the Beast was of the first Beast Rev 13.14 compared with ver 3. The mark of the Beast was of the second Beast spoken of chap. 13. the first Beast having no mark and the two Beasts Chap. 13. which both are comprehended in the word Beast Vial 2. are as shall appear anon the Civil and the Ecclesiastical State of the Roman Empire as the same now is under Antichrist So in Vial 5. Rome is called the Seat of the Beast that is the Seat of the Political State for the Seat of the Roman Empire as the same was Pagan which State was Political onely is given to the first Beast Rev. 13.2 that is the Civil or Political State of Antichrist And also the Seat of the Ecclesiastical for it is upon the seven Mountains of Rome the Woman sits Rev. 17 9. i.e. the Ecclesiastical State So that Rome is the Seat both of the Political and Ecclesiastical State and therefore the Beast Vial 2. whose Seat is in Rome must be understood of both States Civil and Ecclesiastical both which make up but one Beast or Antichrist So Rev. 14.9 11. Chap. 15.2 Chap. 20.4 in all which places we have but one Beast spoken of but the same as having a Mark and an Image which for what I said but now must be interpreted of both States the Civil and Ecclesiastical The like we have Chap. 11.7 The Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them i.e. against the two Witnesses Now this Beast ascending out of the bottomless pit is meant of both States not onely for this reason that both joyn in slaying the Witnesses but because Chap. 17.8 we have it so interpreted for John being shewn first either State distinct vers 3 4. 5 6. the one represented by a Beast the other by a Woman riding upon this Beast in vers 7 8. hath the mystery of both together shewed him and both together are the Beast ascending out of the bottomless Pit which Beast there spoken of in such various and seeming contrary phrases was is not yet is shall ascend out of the bottomless Pit can be understood of no other but Antichrist in all because it is said The dwellers on the Earth shall wonder when they behold the Beast that was is not and yet is noting thus much that the dwellers on Earth as yet saw not this Beast for indeed his rise was not yet John seeing the rise of this Beast Chap. 13.1.11 as a thing to be after his time Yet is he called the Beast that was because in respect of that Civil Power this Beast should exercise and
be Popes and most of their exalted Clergy-men rise out of the dung 2 He looks like a Lamb as the Pope calls himself Christs Vicar the Servant of the Servants of Christ and his retinue pretend humility and their power to be from and for Christ and hold their station successively from the Apostles as he doth his from Peter 3 He speaks like a Dragon The Pope and all they who derive their power from him though he and they look ever so like Saints yet the absoluteness of their Decrees Injunctions and Impositions enforcing and compelling the Consciences of all declare them to be the Dragon that is the persecutor of the Woman or Christs flock as the Dragon is Rev. 12. 4 He exerciseth all the power of the first Beast Vers 12. As the Pope hath a double sword a temporal and a spiritual and his inferior Clergy make use of a Civil Power to uphold their own cause as well as a spiritual Now whereas some conceive the first Beast here to be the whole body of the Roman Empire as the same is the fourth Monarchy whereof the Antichrist is but a part and the second Beast to be the Antichrist and his Kingdome alone it cannot so be partly for the Reasons before given and further because according to this the Beast should continue to make war against the Saints and to kill them above two and forty months for reckoning the time of the ten Persecutions and all the time since in which war hath been made upon the Saints and they killed it amounts to much more than two and forty months which yet is the limited time of this Beasts persecution Vers 5. And power was given unto him to continue two and forty months Yea then how comes it to pass that this first Beast differs from the Dragon who yet did represent the former Empire for whereas the Dragon as one well observes hath but seven Crowns and those seven upon his Head Chap. 12.3 this Beast hath ten Crowns and those upon his Horns vers 1. which difference according to this Principle should not bee for they should be one and the same Therefore the first Beast is the Empire only as under Antichrist and of that as I have said the Civil state onely as the second the Eccelesiastical Furthermore as concerning these two Beasts we are not to conceive as though they sprung up at a distance one a good while after the other for the continuance of the first Beast I have said already is to be but two and forty months and so much time is allowed to both the Beasts Chap. 11.12 the holy City shall they i e. both the Beasts tread underfoot two and forty months And indeed the treading the Holy City underfoot two and forty months can be no other act but the act of the Beast it agreeing so punctually to be the precise time of his Reign And of what Beast I answer That very Beast mentioned vers 7. which ariseth out of the bottomless Pit and towards the end of this time kills the Witnesses which Beast I have already shewed to be spoken of both the Beasts viz. the Civil and Ecclesiastical state whose rise therefore must be together the time of eithers Reign being two and forty months For indeed so soon as the Roman Empire which before was Pagan but now Christian began to be so corrupt as to be the first Beast i. e. of Christian an Antichristian state persecuting the true members of Christ instantly with this corrupted state did the second Beast arise that is the sword and power of the Civil Magistrate which before was used by none but himself came now to be in the hands or at the will and disposal of Ecclesiastical persons Church-men as they are called that these thereby might become fit instruments to set up and establish their own Idolatries and persecute the Saints And by this arose a second Beast exercising by permission all the Power of the first and is therefore said to exercise it before him vers 12. in his sight vers 14. i.e. by leave or permission of the first Beast for which cause the making war with the Saints vers 7. the compelling all Nations that dwell upon the earth to worship the Beast vers 8. is appropriated to the first Beast as though it were his act whereas indeed it is properly the second Beast doth this as is clear vers 15 16 17. but hee doth it by exercising the power of the first without which he could not do it and therefore the same thing is recorded in describing either Beast because in this business the second Beast is the first mover but the effecting of it is done by the power of the first And indeed the second Beast may well be called another Beast distinct from the first notwithstanding the power he exerciseth by the power of the first because the hands this power is now put into or is at the disposal of are such as not only are without right to this power but also never had until this day any such power intrusted in them or at their disposal Yet that these Beasts though two are indeed one and make up but one Antichrist is clear because both the Beasts rise together as before both are alike in nature actions and conditions for both are filthy Beasts and cruel Tyrants both Patrons of Idolatry both bloody Persecutors of the Saints both are helpful one to another the first Beast communicates of his power to the second Beast vers 12. the second Beast gives life to the image of the first Beast vers 15. yea vers 18. one and the same number is assigned to both the Beasts and the number of bâ—th the Beasts in conclusion of the Vision is but the number of the Beast i.e. of one Beast Here is wisdome let him that hath understanding count the number of the Beast Which also addes a beam of further light for the clearing of what I have said before that Beast when spoken of without distinction is to be understood of the Civil and Ecclesiastical state both So that in fine the result is They are two Beasts as a Political and an Ecclesiastical state and yet but one Beast as Antichrist What I have said of these two Beasts I may say the same of the Beast and the Woman Chap. 17. The Beast the Woman rides upon is the Civil state the Woman riding upon this Beast is the Ecclesiastical only with this difference the second Beast Chap. 13. who upon his first rise was a Beast aspiring to no higher degree and exercising the power of the first Beast i. e. of the Civil state by leave as it were through permission of the first Beast is now through a long standing risen from a Beast to a Woman as disdaining to be in so low a degree as a Beast any longer Yea such a Woman as like a notorious Strumpet knows how to make the Kings of the Earth yea the whole world follow her dance
seen heard touched by John 3 He is cloathed with a Vesture dipped in blood v. 13. he treads the Wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God ver 15. the same with that Isa 63.2 3. of which anon By these the other expressions of fitting upon a white horse judging and making War vers 11. having eyes as a flame of fire many Crowns on his head ver 12. answering to that chap. 11.15 The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord the Armies of Heaven following him ver 14. â—uling the Nations with a rod of iron answering to Psal 2.9 the sharp sword going out of his mouth vers 15. the name on his Vesture and Thigh King of Kings and Lord of Lords ver 16. Which of themselves look this way will more clearly appear to be spoken of Christ as personally coming yet because Christs personal coming at this time would hardly be received for a truth it is as I conceive therefore added ver 9 These are the true sayings of God The conclusion then of all is this Christ shall personally appear at the battel of Armageddon That battel for time exactly agrees with the Text therefore the coming here spoken of Behold I come as a Theef is a personal coming 2 ARGUMENT Christ shall personally appear at the time of the Kingdoms restoring to Israel But that shall be about this time The minor Proposition I have proved before in shewing that the coming in of the Jews must of necessity be betwixt the sixt and seventh Vials The major That Christ at this time shall appear I prove 1 From that of Paul Rom. 11.26 27. where the Apostle speaking of the Jews conversion mentions a coming of Christ The deliverer shalcome out of Sion Which words are to be taken in a litteral and spiritual sence both as are many Scriptures else as appears from Isa 59.20 whence they are quoted where to evidence the spiritual sence of them the Prophet saith expresly in the next verse My Spirit that is upon thee shall not depart out of thy mouth nor but of the mouth of thy seed c. noting that as their sins shall be pardoned so also more of the Spirit shall be given forth upon the Jews conversion than ever formerly which more fully we have Joel 2.28 29. Zech. 12.10 and this is the coming of the Deliverer to them in the spiritual sence Yet that besides this there is a litteral coming in these words appears if you compare the foregoing verses 16 17 18. upon which these have a dependance with the very same expressions almost only a little more full chap. 63.1 2 3 4 5 6. where also as here mention is made of a coming Ver. 1. Who is this that cometh from Edom which cannot be a spiritual coming i.e. a destroying of his Enemies by a glorious manifestation of himself and his power with and amongst his people because then the doing of the work should be by instruments whereas Christs arm alone without any instrument doth this work as verse 3. I have trodden the Wine-press alone and of the people there was none with me Vers 5. I looked and there was none to help and I wondered that there was none to uphold therefore my own Arm brought salvation to me and my fury it upheld me Neither could the litteral meaning of the words have their fulfilling in his first coming in which he was not glorious in his apparrel but without form and comeliness Chap. 53.2 neither was that a day of vengeance to tread down the people in anger as this is Vers 4 6. This comming therefore must be some other and is indeed that we spake of but now Rev. 19. where we have Christ coming forth upon a white horse as will appear by comparing Vers 3. I have trodden the Wine-press alone and of the people there was none with me for I will tread them in mine anger and trample them in my fury and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my Garments and I will stain all my raiment and that with Rev. 19.13 He was cloathed with a vesture dipped in blood Vers 15. And he treadeth the Wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God And this coming I proved but now by the circumstances of the Text is and must be the same with that I am opening Behold I come as a Theef 2 This appears Ezek. 37.24 25. where speaking of the Jews restauration and the Kingdom they shall have thereupon and this too with a principal relation to the last daies for the Chapter speaks of that time in which the sticks of Judah and Ephraim shall be one stick Vers 19. i.e. The two Tribes and ten Tribes one people shall have one King and that too in their own Land upon the Mountains of Israel which never yet hath been since the rent in the daies of Rehoboam it is said Vers 24. My servant David shall be King over them Now David was not a Type of Christ as King in a spiritual sense so much as in a visible way sitting upon an outward and visible Throne if therefore a spiritual reign onely were here intended the Antitype should not answer the Type Vers 27. My Tabernacle also shall be with them yea I will be their God and they shall be my people which is expounded Rev. 21.3 Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God shewing that these words have a special relation to the time of the New Jerusalem when Christ as he hath already his Prophetical and Priestly Offices shall visibly and Personally execute his Kingly Office 3 This appears farther Act. 1.6 from the Question propounded to Christ by his Disciples Wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel In which Question three things are taken for granted by the Querists As 1. That the Nation of the Jews should one day be restored and have a Kingdom 2 That this Restauration should be wrought by Christ Wilt thou 3 That it should be wrought by him in an outward visible way for such a way is by them supposed as Christ did at that time appear to them in which was an outward way with his bodily presence These three things by them beleeved are ground for a fourth which is the thing they question namely the time when this should be Wilt thou at this time Now observe it the grounds of this question which includes the substance of what is pleaded for viz. That the Kingdom should be restored to Israel and that by Christs personal appearance are neither of them denied by Christ who undoubtedly had their question been grounded upon a mistake would yea it had behoved him to have shewn them their error only their greediness of a Kingdom at present whilst he had other work for them to do first is the thing reproved Nay let me say Christ doth in a
I will gather her that is driven out and her that I have afflicted And I will make her that halted a remnant and her that was cast off a strong Nation and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Sion from henceforth even for ever Chap. 5.4 And he i.e. Christ as vers 2. shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord in the Majesty of the Name of the Lord his God and they shall abide for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth vers 5. And this man shall be the peace it is proper to Christ alone to be called the Peace when the Assyrian shall come into our land and shall tread in his Palaces Nahum Chap. 1.15 Behold upon the Mountain the feet of him that bringeth good tydings that publisheth peace O Judah keep thy solemn Feast perform thy vows for the wicked shall no more pass through thee he is utterly cut off explained Zech. 14.4 His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives vers 21. And in that day there shall be no more Canaanite i.e. the house of the Lord of Hosts Habakkuk Chap. 2.14 For the Earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea To what time this relates see by comparing with Isa 11.9 where wee have the same words Zephaniah Chap. 3.8 to the end Haggai Chap. 2.6 7 21 22 23. before opened Zechariah Chap. 6.12.13 Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts saying Behold the Man whose name is the Branch and he shall grow up out of his place and he shall build the Temple of the Lord Even he shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule upon his Throne and he shall be a Priest upon his Throne This Prophecie relates to Christ who is the Branch who is to bear the glory and not any creature yea who and no other is King and Priest both upon his Throne Chap. 9.9 Rejoyce greatly O Daughter of Sion shout O Daughter of Jerusalem Behold thy King cometh unto thee he is just and having salvation lowly and riding upon an Asse and upon a Colt the foal of an Asse And I will cut off the Chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem and the battel bow shall be cut off and he shall speak peace unto the heathen and his Dominion shall bee from Sea even to Sea and from the River to the ends of the earth Which latter words are an evidence the Prophecie is yet to be fulfilled and this coming of Christ as a King is the same which as under a type was represented by Christs riding into Jerusalem Mat. 21.4 5. and that was in a Personal way There is but one Prophet more and that is Malachy who also speaks of this Chap. 3.2 Who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like a Refiners fire and like Fullers sope Chap. 4.1 2 3. Behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be as stuble and the day that cometh shall burn them up that it shall leave them neither root nor branch But unto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of righteousness arise Thus I have lead you through all the Prophets naming but a few Texts out of each more especially the Psalms Isaiah and Zechary which every where are full of this instead of many that might be shewing you what a harmony there is amongst them all as to the time of Christs Kingdome which if any one can shew so full a harmony as to that of the General Judgement I shall for time to come lay by this Scripture as not of weight to prove the thing in hand but till this is done I shall hold my own conclusion viz. That the time of the Restitution of all things when Christ is Personally to appear being that which all the Prophets have spoken of is not the General Judgement which few or none have spoken of but the time of restoring the Kingdome of Israel that being the thing that all the Prophets are full of having treated of no one Subject more nay not half so much And indeed the 20. verse suits this Interpretation well And he shall send Jesus which before was preached unto you the latter words unto you having reference as well to sending as preaching and the meaning is That Christ shall at this time as verily be sent of the Father to the Jews as then he was preached to them by Peter and therefore Tremelius in his Translation out of the Syriack reads the Vobis to you twice after either Verb. The Argument then lyes thus If that Christ shall personally appear at the time of the Kingdoms restoring to Israel as hath been at large proved and if this shal be in the Interval of time betwixt the sixth and seventh Vials as also hath been formerly proved then doth it follow that Christs personal appearance or coming shall be betwixt the sixth and seventh Vials and so is the very coming here spoken of Behold I come as a Thief Two Arguments more to prove our Position are in the words themselves which are 3 ARGUMENT The phrase of coming as a Thief is most frequently used in Scripture to express Christs personal coming which therefore is the coming here intended 1 Thess 5.2 For your selves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a Thief in the night 2 Pet. 3.10 But the day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the night in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noyse So Mat. 24.42 43 44. Luk. 12 39 40. 4 ARGUMENT The duty here spoken of to which a special blessing is annexed is that very duty which beleevers are with much earnestness exhorted unto whensoever Christs personal coming is spoken of Mat. 24.42 Watch therefore for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come Chap. 25.13 So Mark 13.32 33 34 35 36 37. 1 Thess 5.2 compared with 6. all which places speak of no other coming but his Personal Yea the blessing annexed to this duty of watchfulness we do not read of but thrice more in all the Scripture and that is ever in such places where mention is made of his personal coming Luke 12.37 38. we have the blessing twice pronounced Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching And if he come in the second watch or in the third watch and find them so blessed are those servants Mat. 14.46 Blessed is that servant whom the Lord when hee cometh shall finde so doing what doing why watching and being ready against his coming as vers 42.44 These two last Arguments taken from the words I must confess do not of themselves conclude the thing because the same expression of coming as a Thief with the duty of watching annexed thereto I find once used in a spiritual
Saints Matth. 24.31 He shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather together his Elect from the four winds of heaven that is all that are his Elect from all parts and quarters of the World and we read not of two gatherings together the Elect but of one only to which agrees 2 Thess 2.1 I beseech you by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together to him 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but to all them that love his appearing A Crown of righteousness is to be given in that very day that suffering Paul should receive his Crown to all that love Christs appearing which is a qualification common to Saints not peculiar to Martyrs or sufferers only In Rev. Chap. 2.3 The Promises made to the several Churches which for their accomplishment have reference to the time of the New Jerusalem run to overcommers He that overcommeth to him will I give power over the Nations And he shall rule them with a Rod of Iron as the vessels of a Potter shall they be broken to shivers even as I received of my Father Chap. 2.26 27. Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out and I will write upon him the Name of my God and the Name of the City of my God which is New Jerusalem which cometh down out of heaven from my God and I will write upon him my new name Chap 3.12 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne vers 21. which Texts as they clearly prove that not Martyrs alone but all Saints shall have their share of glory in the New Jerusalem because a man may be an overcomer who notwithstanding may not be a Martyr or an actual sufferer so also do they as strongly prove that the Saints now dead shall certainly rise again and be inhabitants in this New Jerusalem because otherwise these Promises made to that time had been of no use nor could have administred any comfort to the Saints in those Churches to whom these were firstly made they being dead many hundreds of yeers ago if so be they were not riss at the beginning of the thousand yeers Rev. 20. when the New Jerusalem is to be set up Object Whereas it is said Rev. 20.4 5. that the souls of those who had been beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God and which had not worshipped the Beast neither his Image neither had received his mark upon their fore-heads or in their hands they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand yeers But as for the rest of the dead i.e. say some such as were not Martyrs they lived not again until the thousand yeers were finished I answer If rest of the dead exclude any of the Saints from the first Resurrection then doth it include them in the second Death for the promise of being freed from the second Death runs to those only who have part in the first Resurrection vers 6. Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second Death hath no power therefore I take it that the Dead here opposed to the Living are the wicked dead to the godly living whose Resurrection is not to be till the General Judgement vers 13. who as they shall then arise to be judged so being judged they are streightway sent to Hell for as Death and Hell deliver up their dead vers 13. so Death and Hell i.e. the persons of those Death and Hell delivers up are cast into the lake of fire vers 14. and as the first Resurrection hath this golden Note set upon it Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the socond Death shall have no power So the second this black mark This is the second Death vers 14. Now the reason why suffering Saints are principally mentioned in the first I take to be this because this Book of the Revelations being a doleful Tragedy in the greatest part of which we have little acted but the sufferings of the Saints Christ therefore to sweeten this bitter cup at the bottome and conclude this Tragedy as I may so say with a glorious Comedy speaks of those chiefly now though not excluding others as reigning with him who throughout the book before had been spoken of as suffering for him As to those Texts Mat. 19.29 2 Tim. 2.12 with other such like which may seem to favour this opinion I onely say that heither those nor any other that hitherto I have met with do positively exclude any Saints from that glory the Martyrs shall have in Christs Kingdome though true it is some Texts where the Argument insisted upon is suffering specifie not to exclude others but for the comfort of the Sufferers Martyrs or Sufferers only Yet if the Question be stated thus whether Martyrs or Sufferers shall not have a greater degree of glory in this Kingdome than many others I shall not oppose it For as I conceive the degrees of glory intimated 1 Cor. 15.40 41. which place as I have shewed speaks of the first Resurrection are more proper to be referred to this time than to heaven hereafter when God shall be all in all So do I conceive that the more any man here hath laid out himself either in a way of doing or suffering for Christ the greater glory and honour shall be put upon him at this day which as it is incouragement now to do for Christ so doth it give yet a farther answer and that which I conceive may reconcile the difference to such Scriptures as seem to intitle Martyrs only to the glory of this day Now taking this coming of Christ as hath been laid down for that second coming we all wait for I see as yet no inconvenience following upon it in case we say that Christs second coming shall be at this time betwixt the pouring out of the sixth and seventh Vials and what things are to be done in the world afterwards are such things only as Christ will dispatch betwixt his coming and the time of the end And thus to conceive of Christs second coming as it no wayes tends to loosness but rather the neerness of this day calls aloud upon all to watch yea may cause all those who have hope in a day of Redemption to lift up their heads with joy because their Redemption draweth nigh so doth it seem more agreeable to the current of Scriptures and also to that which but a few years ago was the faith of Gods people in general to wit that Christs second coming could not bee far off than the contrary opinion doth which makes this coming not to be till the General Judgement which cannot be so little as
by a glorious restauration bringing it into the liberty of the Sons of God For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God And also because in those very new Heavens and Earth that Isay speaks of and Peter quotes from him the Wolfe and the Lamb shall feed together that is good and bad shall be in the world together Neither let it be said that this will be any hinderance to the Saints glory and spirituality to bring them from Heaven the place of glory and that about a work so mean and low to rule over men upon earth for as Angels lose not their glory by attending upon the work of God here on earth nor their spirituliaty because the works they attend upon of ministring to the Saints destroying the Enemies of God c. are in themselves mean and low yea in a manner servile for so glorious Creatures as Angels to attend upon so shall not Saints at this day by being occupied in the Affairs of this Fifth Monarchy which shall be their work for Christ to act as Officers under him in his Kingdom lose any thing of their glory especially considering Christ himself whose presence is their glory shall be with them all this time nor of their Spirituality which never suffers decay in any through a being occupied in the will and work of the Lord. And what if the Lord who in the Legal Administration thought it good to have his peoples work a burden in the Gospel Administration work but no burden will in this administration have work and glory go together who will or hath cause to find fault with it Nay let me say what sometimes hath been in my thought with refreshing that the spirituality of Saints at this day shall be such as that from thence an awe shall be upon the surviving Sinners of the world who shall tremblingly come and how themselves down at the soles of their feet Isa 60.14 and subject themselves to them for this day as the Apostle saith Rom. 8.20 shall be the day of the manifestation of the Sons of God Gods people are Sons now therefore saith John 1 Epist 3.2 Beloved now are we the Sons of God but saith he though true we are so yet the world knoweth us not i.e. the transcendent glory and excellency of our state is now a thing veiled from the world but the day I am speaking of shal be the manifestation of the Sons of God wherein that noble and super-excellent Spirit that now under a veil it in the Sons of God shall be manifested before all men when all in general shall come to see the difference that is betwixt the spiritual man and the man that is meerly rational to be as vast yea far more vast than that which now is betwixt the rational creature and sensitive And as the sensitive creature now doth tremble before the rational from beholding through a secret instinct of nature a kind of Majesty and a more noble spirit in the rational creature than is in himself so shall at this day the meer rational man tremble before the spiritual when the manifestation of that super-excellent Spirit that is in the one above the other shall be open and naked before all and therefore Cant. 6.10 we have several degrees of the Churches light and glory 1 Looking forth as the morning with a little light so in the legal administration 2 Fair as the Moon more light So in the Gospel 3 Clear as the Sun that is come up to a high degree of spiritual light and life both for both are from the Sun which is giver of the one maintainer of the other so in the administration at this day And what then why terrible as an Army with banners the Saints and people of God through this high advance in spirituality grow terrible to the mean men of the world who now tremble before them By what hath been before said it may appear that notwithstanding the thousand years is a distinct time from the Day of Judgement being that time to speak properly in which Saints shall judge the world and reign on the earth yet in a large sense the time of the thousand years and the General Judgement both may bee called one great Day of Judgement And indeed that Saints shall one day judge the world is a thing so clear in Scripture that good men not making a distinction betwixt the judging in the time of the thousand years and the General Judgement do bring the Saints at the last day instead of standing upon Christs right hand even to fit with him upon the Bench and then and there to judge the world which opinion is not only repugnant to those other Scriptures wherein we have the manner of Saints reigning over and judging the world set forth which without a manifest forcing of them cannot be applied to this time but also hath not the least countenance for it self from any one Scripture that I know of where express mention is made of the last and General Judgement but the contrary rather as from that I have said before may bee gathered which is enough to put us upon a further search and not to receive this principle upon trust any longer And truly to me it appears that the Apostle himself 1 Cor. 15.23 24 25. makes a manifest difference betwixt these two times of judging calling one the time of Christs Reign to put his enemies under his feet the other the time of the end and both these after his coming Christ the first fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming Then cometh the end plainly intimating a distance of time betwixt his coming and the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father when he shall have put down all Rule and Authority and Bower For hee must Reign shewing what his work shall be betwixt the time of his coming and the end till he hath put all enemies under his feet Why both these different judgings may not be expressed in that of the Apostle 2 Tim. 4.1 Shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdome the quick first in such manner as hath been shewed and then the dead at the last and General Judgement which both are called his Appearing and Kingdome because he is but once to appear to do both and both taken together do but make up this Kingdome of Christ in which as King of Kings Christ will glorifie himself in the eyes of all creatures I see no convincing reason to the contrary Having thus spoken of the coming of our Lord according to that light I have received from the word I only now desire that none of Gods people who shall read this may be of the number of those who are troubled in mind and shaken that the day of the
opinions with a kind of disdain and contempt of Christian fife and conversation Men that have been formerly much for Prayer much for reading hearing Christian society strict and holy walking shall now look upon all these as low and childish things speaking after this manner We are now expecting the Bridegroom looking for the glorious appearance of the Morning-star the Sun of Righteousness great and high discoveries of God and therefore away with these low camal duties and Ordinances what shall we who expect such glorious appearances exercise our selves in these mean and childish things which indeed were fit for those who lived under former dispensations and more dark administrations but do not become us upon whom the morning-star is tisen And here if I may so say though with submission to others I conceive the thing I am speaking of to bee the very sleep before mentioned of the Ten Virgins for as by the scope of the Parable appears these were in the Kingdome of Heaven i. e. Members of the visible Church Now the coming of the Bridegroom being a thing expected and looked for though some look for it in one way some in another in the Kingdome of Heaven i. e. by the Members of the visible Church as near at hand these Virgins will needs hereupon presently in all haste be going forth before the set time to meet him They went forth to meet the Bridegroom vers 1. that is as I conceive they reject all communion holy duties and Ordinances c. things once they did exercise in as things now no longer in use but out of date and bidding farewel to these go forth with high expectations of great and glorious things at the appearance of the Bridegroom now at hand as if they should say The Bridegroom is coming he is coming whose appearance puts an end to all these things and therefore why shall we any longer exercise our selves in them away therefore with these Duties and Ordinances it behoves us to go forth and meet the Bridegroom we will walk no longer in this way but come let us go forth to that higher and more glorious administration that the Bridegroom brings with him Now they going thus before the time I say and mark it well before the time for afterwards vers 6. we read of a command given at the Bridegrooms coming to go forth and meet him till which command had come had they stayed and continued in that station the Bridegroom left them in upon his departure yeelding cheerful obedience to all those his wayes and commands which he bid them to mind and be conversant in till his coming they had done well but going out before the time leaving the Laws of Christ before Christ the great Law-giver had abolished them casting off their former practice and the Bridegroom not coming so soon as they expected to direct them into a new they slumber and sleep i.e. do even nothing at all as a sleepy man stirs not acts not in any way or duty for Gods glory or his Neighbours good so it now fares with them which so sad an effect of their going forth to meet the Bridegroom hath made me to think that although the thing it self were very good had they but waited till the coming forth of the Royal Edict for the abrogation of the old Law and the establishment of a new yet for them to go forth to meet the Bridegroom before the time to run before they were called to abrogate Christs Laws before himself had done it was sinful and very evil and that for which God by way of correction of so great arrogancy and presumption gives them up to this spiritual slumber and sleep here spoken of Now whereas I said at first this sleep should be of many I spake it to this end that none might imagine this sleep to be general upon all the Vâ—rgins in the world at this time for though it is said v. 5. Whilst the Bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept yet is not the ALL so to be understood as if so be all the Virgins and Professors in the world should at this time be asleep for though I conceive all here is to be taken universally i.e. all excepting none yet the universality of the word doth not reach all Virgins and Professors but those onely who went forth to meet the Bridegroom for to them alone the scope of the Parable runs the meaning then is this That all those who casting off Duties and Ordinances did go forth before the time to meet the Bridegroom did slumber and sleep not one of them was so happy as to keep his eies open but that all Virgins cannot be here meant is clear from the following Parable which seems to be as it were an exception from this former where mention is made of some Servants improving their Talents therefore not all sleeping and likewise from vers 46. of the precedent Chapter which tells us that some at Christs coming should be found doing their Masters work Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall finde so doing therefore not all asleep Yet I say all takes in every of those Virgins who went forth before the time to meet the Bridegroom the number of which shall not be a few for they are not set forth by a smaller number as two but by a greater as ten Two things here are very observable which I cannot omit seeming to intimate the way or manner how this sleep shall creep on upon the Virgins at this day 1 From a false Principle commonly received among the Virgins as touching the coming of Christ namely that the same shall be spiritual onely and not personal this to me appears from the attempt they make and that before his coming to go forth and meet him for taking this for granted which is indeed a certain truth that the Administration that now is is to be in force but till his coming and they conceiving this coming of Christ to be no other but a more glorious man festation of himself in a spiritual way to the souls of his people judging withall some beginnings of this to be already both in themselves and others they hence conclude the time now to be come in which these things are to cease the Day-star which will suddenly inlighten the whole world begâ—nning already to glimmer in their hearts Hereupon they pluck up stakes quit their old station sound a march with a mighty cry The Bridegroom is coming the Bridegroom is coming let us speedily go forth to meet him whereas had they in their judgement as well as beleeved the coming to be near so retained in the love of it that good old Principle that it is onely Christs Personal coming which puts an end to these things they would have had certain ground to have stood upon and have known the time when these things were to cease and not before the time headily run forth but rather patiently waited for that day submitting themselves in
clear Prophesie of the glory riches duration vast extent of this Kingdome agreeing in many things with that glorious Prophesie Isa 60. is intituled A Psalm for Solomon yet in respect of Christ the King or Monarch in this Kingdome David in Scripture is ever the Type and not Solomon because Solomon after he was sate upon the Throne did foulely back-slide to Idolatry but David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. This voyce coming from the Throne intimates what I have been speaking that now Christs Throne shall be set up and himself sit upon it as Chap. 21.5 which also we have Chap. 3.21 To him that overcommeth will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne The Throne Christ here speaks of is a distinct Throne from his Fathers Throne such a Throne as he was not to sit on till he should come from his Fathers Throne for saith he the Throne I am upon at present is my Fathers Throne which I overcoming am priviledged to sit upon but I have a Throne of my own which I shall one day sit upon when he that overcometh shall sit down with me on this my Throne as I now by overcoming am set down with my Father on his Throne which as it proves Christ shall have a Throne distinct from that on which he now sits so also it confirms what I said even now that the Dominion or the Throne is not to be given to the Saints untill such time as Christ himself comes and sits him down upon his Throne according to that Matth. 19.28 Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the Throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel and it is for this reason because the Apostles shall be advanced as chief in this New Jerusalem that Chap. 21.14 tells us that the foundations of this City shall have in it the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. And this Throne because not onely Christ himself sits upon it but also his Saints with him is therefore called Thrones in the plural number Rev. 20.4 And I saw Thrones and they sate upon them and judgement was given unto them which words exactly agree for time as before I have shewed with this of the seventh Vial. Now whereas this Throne upon which Christ sits and utters his voyce is said to be in the Temple of Heaven it clearly denotes Heaven in the Revelation being always understood of the Church on Earth the erecting of this Throne here below And indeed if we compare with Chap. 21. where we have the same Throne spoken of together with the voyce from it It is done Verse 5 6. it will evidently appear that the New Jerusalem there described is to be understood of a glorious state of the Church here on earth and not as some of Heaven hereafter First Because John sees a New Earth as well as a New Heaven Secondly Because the New Jerusalem is said to come down from God out of Heaven Verse 2. therefore not a description of the Church in Heaven which coming down out of Heaven left we should imagine it as some to be Visional onely namely that John in way of Vision saw it come down but really it is above we have therefore to free us from such a mistake a great voyce added Verse 3. Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men i.e. on earth the place of mens habitation whereas were the New Jerusalem to be understood of Heavenly glory the contrary should be viz. The Tabernacle of men with God Thirdly Because the glory of the Kings of the Earth which glory is outward and of the Nations shall be brought into it Verse 24. The Kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it Verse 26. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the Nations into it Neither of which can agree to Heaven hereafter but do most excellently agree to what is spoken at large in the Prophets of the glorious state of the Church on Earth in the last daies To say as is commonly such of the Kings of the Earth and those of the Nations who shall be converted here shall be there glorified and this to be the bringing of the glory of the Kings and Nations thither To that I answer 1. How can this be said to be their glory which is rather Gods put upon them than theirs 2 How is this brought thither is the glory of Heaven fetched thither from Earth 3 How can they be said to bring it thither who never receive this glory till they come there Fourthly Because it is evident from the 12. and 14. Verses that the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel and the twelve Apostles of the Lamb shall be first or chief in this New Jerusalem but let it be proved from any other Scripture that they shall be so in Heaven hereafter Fifthly Because Chap. 22. which to Verse 6. is a continued description of the New Jerusalem tells us ver 2. of a Tree in this New Jerusalem whose leaves are for the healing of the Nations Now let it be shewn how the Nations shall bee healed in Heaven hereafter Sixthly Because in this New Jerusalem we have express mention made as of the Throne of God so also of the Lamb Chap. 22.1 proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb Verse 3. There shall be no more curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it But now in Heaven hereafter though Christ as God coequal and coeternal with the Father shall reign for ever yet not as the Lamb which is clear 1 Cor. 15.28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be all in all i.e. the humane nature of Christ which dyed for our sins rose again as the Apostle in the foregoing verses speaketh was 〈◊〉 above all the Creatures all the time of the thousand years and the General Judgement according to which nature Christ is said to be the Lamb slain shall now be subjected after the end to the Godhead or Divine nature which in Heaven shall be all in all so that Christ as the Lamb shall not have a Throne there And this Interpretation is not so much mine as Augustines long ago and Calvins since who both speak the same thing confessing a subjection of the humanity of Christ to be here intimated whom I think good here to name not that their Authority nor my saying so proves the thing to be truth but that I might hereby stop the mouths of such who otherwise possibly would be ready to condemn the truth it self for error Yet let none hence conclude as some now adays fancy a cessation of the Humane Nature by being turned
Life fed continually with nothing but poyson The second by that Tyrannical power of Antichristian Discipline which to satisfâ—â— the pride and accomplish the designs of an ambitious aspiring Hierarchy and Clergy is established in such a way that all both small and great must submit to â—t its Decrees and Impositions and in token of subjection â—eceive some mark in their right hand or in their foreheads which in case of refusal they are thereupon Exâ—ommunicates who must neither buy nor sell hereby â—rampling under foot the Kingly power of Christ snatching his Scepter of love and meekness out of his hands and instead thereof lifting up a rod of Iron Christ seeing this that through the rage and insolency of the Enemy the ancient bounds were broken down and Sion lay plowed as a field he makes it his first attempt being risen to recover his own again and because it was of greatest concernment being that Salvation depended upon to pluck off the veil from his Priestly Office and to confound that Doctrine which had set up an Idol-god for a Saviour and an Idol-worship instead of the worship of the true God Christ therefore as his first work shakes to peeces that rotten earthly Doctrine with the several Idolatries growing upon it which had justed him out of his Priestly Office openly hereupon proclaiming himself to be only High Priest and Mediator and salvation to be had in him alone and this is done by the first Vial which is poured out upon the Antichristian earth i.e. the groffer parts of Popery Yet because the Kingly Office of Christ was still invaded by an Antichristian Lording Discipline who under pretence of ruling for Christ and exercising his Kingly power did in all places make havock of the Saints persecuting them as evil doers Christ therefore makes it his next work to recover his abused Scepter into his own hands again which to do the second Vial is poured out upon the Sea namely the Antichristian Discipline Christ having now regained his own as a puissant and noble Conqueror who being first unjustly invaded contents not himself to recover his Rights but takes this opportunity to invade his enemies makes an invasion upon the Dominions of his enemies and because the Kings of the earth had lent their aid and assistance to the Feast by whose power and strength given up to the Beast the blood of his Saints had been spilt in every place therefore to avenge the blood of his Saints he begins the Quarrel with them and so the third Vial is poured out upon the Rivers and Fountains of Waters that is upon some particular States and Kingdomes and upon the Heads of these namely Kings and Statesmen And here with the pouring forth of this third Vial the Stone cut out of the Mountain spoken of Dan. 2. which breaks in peeces the Great Image begins to smite the design of Christ in the two first Vials being not so much to break the great Image as first to recover his own in order thereunto Here also the Ancient of dayes Dan. 7. begins to sit and to cast down the Thrones of the fourth Beast Christ having now won the Out-shifts and Suburbs of his grand Enemy he next that the blow might come closer and fall yet heavier invades him in his principal street which for many Ages together was the strength and glory of the Beasts Kingdom this is the work of the fourth Vial which therefore is poured out upon the Sun that is the German Empire or House of Austria The Thrones of the Beast being cast down his Sun darkned and Christ going onward upon his march his heart filled with Vengeance for the sake of his people the remembrance of the blood of his Saints poured out like water in every place through the continual Instigations Commissions and authority of the Roman Beast comes now so fresh into his mind and the cry thereof is so loud in his ears that he can no longer forbear giving her in requital blood to drink who hath made it her delight to drink her self drunken with the blood of his Saints and Martyrs he therefore next with a swift and high hand bends his march to the Seat of the Beast the City Rome upon which the Fifth Vial is poured out Rome being destroyed and made a ruinous heap and the appointed time being now come in which Gods ancient people the Jews are to come up to their own Land which being at the present in the hands of the Great Turk who with all his power will oppose their claim and endeavour to keep them out of possession that therefore a door might be set open for them the Sixth Vial is poured out upon the great River Euphrates i.e. the power and multitude of the Turk Christ having hitherto been breaking his enemies by parts and nothing being wanting but the crowning victory to make him absolute King and Monarch of the world in order therefore unto the pouring forth of the Seventh and last Vial when Christ is to take possession of the Kingdome given to him by his Father and to bee exalted as the great and only Potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords we have two things as principal First A General Rendezvouz of all the enemies of Christ into one Body fit to be cut off Secondly The Personal coming and appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ to make dispatch of his enemies and to set up his own Kingdome Things being thus in a readiness we have the pouring forth of the Seventh and last Vial into the Air a universal subject which ushers in with it the subversion of all Christs enemies the Beast Antichrist being hereupon slain his body destroyed and given to the burning flame The rest of the Beast i.e. all other worldly powers have their Dominion taken away and the Great Dragon the Devil is bound and cast into the bottomless Pit and there shut up for a thousand years And now are the Kingdoms of this world become the Kingdome of the Lord and of his Christ who shall reign for ever and ever Amen A Table of the chief things contained in this TREATISE The First Part. THe Coherence of the words with the explication of the Text P. 1. to 4 Doct. It is an especial duty lying upon the Saints to attend unto and be active in the work or works of their Generation Page 4 Shewed 1 What Generation-work is and how the same is different from those common duties which lye upon Saints as Saints and the special duties of a Saints calling station relation or present condition p. 5 6 7 8 2 That Saints in their several Generations have ever had their peculiar works as is proved by a line drawn through the several generations from the beginning downwards unto our times p. 9 to 14 3 That it is a matter of great concernment for a Saint to attend to the work of his Generation as appears 1 God by his dispensations calls aloud for it p. 14 2 Generation
generation ib. 12 And lastly Take heed of conjunction with such who are not real-hearted to the cause of God and the work of the generation p. 89 The Table of the Second Part. The Introduction containing six general Propositions in order to the whole Proposition 1. THat we are there to begin the pouring forth of the Vials where Antichrist first began to go off the Stage p. 1 2 Prop. 2. That the Vials are all to be poured forth by such Angels only as come out of the Temple p. 2 Prop. 3. That Gods call to the Angels to pour out their Vials is to be looked for out of the Temple p. 3 Prop. 4. That the subjects of each Vial are things standing in ppsition to Christs Kingdome chiefly things pertaining to Antichrist p. 4 Prop. 5. That the effects of one Vial do oft-times run into another Vial p. 5 Prop. 6. That the Terms and Phrases relating to the Vials are to be understood not in a litteral but a metaphorical sense p. 6 VIAL 1. 1 The subject of it the Popish earth or the corrupt Doctrine of Antichrist p. 7 2 The effect An infectious stinking sore causing in others a loathing and withdrawing upon the Assertors of Popish principles p. 8 It began to be poured out about Luthers time ib. VIAL 2. 1. The subject of it the Sea 1. Not meant of Nations in general p. 9 2 Nor of the corrupt Doctrines of Antichrist concluded upon in the Council of Trent ib. 3 Nor of the Political State of the Roman Empire p. 10 But The Romish Discipline or the Hierarchy and Clergy of Rome upon whom this Vial was poured out in England Anno Dom. 1641. p. 10 11 12 Two Objections answered 1 Obj. The Hierarchy and Clergy of England but an inferior part of the Romish Hierarchy and Clergy answered ibid. 2 Obj England but one of the ten Horus answered ib. 2 The Effects 1 Effect The Antichristian Discipline appears cruel corrupt and becomes loathsom p. 13. 2 Effect All those that live and breath in this corrupted sea die a civil death ibid. Some remaining drops of this Vial yet to come p. 14 VIAL 3. 1. The Subject of it the Rivers and Fountains of waters 1. Not to be understood of the Romish Bishops and Doctors p. 14 2 Nor particularly of the Jesuits ib. But of Some particular States and Kingdoms subjected to the Beast with their heads and Rulers p. 15 16 2 The Effect Bloody Wars arise in those Nations by which their Heads and chief Rulers are cut off ib. 3 An Adjunct A justification of God in the execution of his wrath upon those Nations and their Heads 1 By the instruments used to do the work p. 17 2 By suffering Saints from some more remote place p. 18 A reason given why this Vial hath a double testimony of the righteousness of it which none of the other Vials have p. 19 A reason also given why only the Instruments Christ useth and suffering Saints give this testimony ib. Two reasons given why Saints that have suffered in Scotland do at present in Holland do not with their fellow Brethren joyn in this testimony p. 20 The particular Nations this Vial falls upon are England the Low-Countries and France and the reason why ibid. An Objection answered How it can be just with God to punish these Nations and their present Heads for what was done formerly seeing they cannot help what their Forefathers did yea are reformed and do disclaim it p. 21 This third Vial is the Vial we stand under it hath for the greatest part passed over England already is now passing upon Holland and will shortly upon France p. 22 23 VIAL 4. 1. The Subject of it the Sun 1. Not Christ 2 Nor the Scriptures p. 23 But the German Empire yet not the war past wrath suddenly to come p. 24 25 2. An Adjunct A power given to the Angels to scorch with fire interpreted of the Call the Angels of this Vial shall give to the Witnesses now lying dead in Germany to arise p. 26 27 28 3 The Effects 1. Rage and vexation upon the Popish party ibid. 2. Blaspheming God ib. VIAL 5. 1 The subject the seat of the Beast 1 Not Antichrists Kingdom in general p. 29 2. Not the Popes Supremacy ibid. 3. Not Episcopacy p. 30 But the City of Rome p. 30 31 Two Objections answered ibid. 2 The Effects 1. Effect An eclipse of the glory of the Papal Kingdom p. 32 2 Effect Rage and madness upon the Papals ib. 3. Effect Blaspheming God p. 33 3 The time when this Vial shall be poured forth about the year 1656 ib. Two Reasons given why the Fourth and Fifth Vials have so little time allowed them for pouring forth when the former have taken up much more p. ib. 34 VIAL 6. 1 The Subject The great River Euphrates first not litterally to be understood p. 35 2 Not meant of the riches and revenues of Antichrist ib. 3 Not of the streams of Popish corruption p. 36 But The Turkish Empire p. 37 Here is shewed why the Turkish Empire is called the Great River and why the Great River Euphrates 2 The effect a wasting the Turks power and multitude p. 38 3 The moving cause To prepare a way for the Jews both to their possession of their Land again and also their receiving of Christ p. 38 39 Here is shewed why the Jews are called Kings why Kings of the East That the Jews con version shall be before the pouring out of the seventh Vial proved p. 40 41 Three Objections answered Obj. 1. The words speak not of conversion but preparing a way thereto answered p. 42 Obj. 2. The Jews cannot be converted till after all the Vials because no man could enter into the Temple till all the Vials were poured forth answered ib. Obj 3. The 21 and 22 Chapters of the Revelation which follow upon the seventh Vial hold forth the Jews conversion answered p. 43 4 The Angel of this Vial. 1 Not the Jews themselves p 44 2 Not the Turk performing it 1. Either by civil broyles ibid. 2. Nor by a diversion of his forces to some other place making way thereby for the Jews to rise p. 45 3 Not Christ by any immediate hand from heaven ib. But The Gentile Churches Proved p. 45. to 52. where also is shewed the cause of this attempt made by the Gentile Saints upon the Turk and the manner how they shall carry it on Here also the Prophecies of the Stone Dan. 2. and of the four Carpenters Zach. 1. are opened in doing which both are shewed to be one both are applyed to the Gentile-Saints the Reason given why the Gentile-Saints are by Daniel called a Stone by Zacharie four Carpenters Quest Who among the Gentile-Saints shall undertake this enterprise Answ 1. The same Instruments that shall ruin Rome p. 52 53. Here is shewed who they are that in all likelihood shall ruin Rome 2 Four Characters taken out of the Prophets
and applyed to that people who shall have the principal hand in this great work p. 53 54 The Question propounded Whether the Jewes first stirring shall be upon a bare Civil account or not Resolved at large p. 54. to 62 The Interval betwixt the sixth and seventh VIALS Four remarkable things falling within this Interval 1 Agents and Ambassadors are sent forth from the Dragon Beast and false Prophet unto the Kings of the earth p. 63 Here 1 The terms are opened and it is shewed 1. Who meant by Dragon ibid. 2. What we are to understand by Beast and false Prophet Explained 1 Beast in the Revelation is sometimes spoken of without distinction as though he were but one When so Beast denotes Antichrists twofold power Civil and Ecclesiastical p. 64. to 68. Here is shewed what is meant by Beast ascending out of the bottomless pit Chap. 11.7 why called Chap. 17.8 the Beast that was is not yet is shall ascend out of the bottomless pit What meant by the seven Heads of the Beast In what sense this Beast is called the Eighth yet said to be of the Seven 2 Beast is sometimes spoken of with distinction as though he were two when so one part denotes Antichrists Civil power the other his Ecclesiastical p. 68 to 69. 1 In this sense we read of two Beasts Chap. 13. One Beast arising out of the Sea this shewed to be Antichrist in his pure Civil State why the seven Heads of the Beast are interpreted first of the seven Mountains of Rome and secondly of the seven distinct Governments in the Roman Empire Another Beast arising out of the Earth this shewed to be Antichrist in his Ecclesiastical State That the first Beast cannot be the whole body of the Roman Empire p. 69 These two Beasts did both rise together p. 72 And how ib. These Beasts though two are really one and make up but one Antichrist ib. 2 In this sense we also read of a Beast and a Woman Chap. 17. What meant by Beast and Woman Why the second Beast is here called a Woman In what sense the Woman is interpreted the Great City p. 72 3 In this sense we have in the Text a Beast and a false Prophet mentioned The false Prophets shewed to be the same with the second Beast p. 110 Why the second Beast in his third estate is called a false Prophet p. 73 74 2 The manner of the Dragon Beast and false Prophets sending forth their Agents namely by a general Convention of the Popish party Two things debated in this General Assembly from whence this result of sending forth Agents and Ambassadors all over the world doth arise p. 75 3 Their grand design in this Ambassy p. 76 4 The Agents imployed in this Ambassy why said to be three Why said to come out of the mouth of the Dragon Beast and false Prophet Five Characters given of them p. 77 78 The second thing within this Interval viz. The Personal coming of Christ 1 Proved to be within the Interval betwixt the sixth and and seventh Vials 1 Argument Christ shall Personally come at the battle of Armageddon grounded upon eight Prophecies which are opened p. 79 to 88 2 Argument Christs Personal coming shall be at the time of the Kingdoms restoring to Israel proved from sundry Scriptures Here is shewed that the time of restitution of all things Act. 3.21 cannot be the General Judgement p. 88 to 97 Two Arguments to prove the former Position urged from the words themselves p. 97 98 Two Arguments more laid down in the General tending to prove Christs Personal coming cannot be far off ib. This coming we speak of is shewed to be the same â—th that coming commonâ—â— called a coming to Judgeâ—ent p. 101 to 111. Where 〈◊〉 shewed that there are but â—o Personal comings â—ut not Martyrs onely but â—l the Saints shall come â—ith Christ at this day The â—ace Rev. 20.4 5. answeâ—d The difference of this â—inciple from the common â—ceived opinion is shewed 〈◊〉 be onely this that afâ—ms the General Judgeâ—ent to be instantly upon â—hrists coming this mainâ—ins that the thousand â—ars Revel 20. are to â—sue first and after that â—e General Judgement Here is discussed the â—ousand years concernâ—g which it is assertâ—â— 1 That the thousand â—ars six times repeated â—ap 20. are one and the â—ins thousand years in all p. 111 2 That the thousand years are a definite time p. 111 112 3 That they are yet to come and to take their beginning from the Battel of Armageddon p. 112 113 114 1 Proved by three Arguments 2 Answer is given to their Arguments who reckon them past and the grounds of them shewed to be mistakes p. 114 to 119 The whole time from Christs appearing to the end of the world may be called in a large sense a day of Judgement p. 119 Two special differences betwixt the Judgement passed in the time of the thousand years and that which shall be at the last day p. 119 to 122. Where the manner of Saints ruling and reigning and judging the world is opened Two Objections answered 1 Objection How can this be seeing the world is to be destroyed by fire at Christs coming Answered p. 122 to 124 2 Objection How can this agree to the state of glorified souls or how will it stand with Saints glory and spirituality answered p. 124 to 127 The whole concluded with three Rules laid down to judge of such Scriptures as speak of Christs Second coming p. 127 to 129 3 Christs Watel word to his people Five Reasons given of it why the duty of watchfulness is by Christ annexed to the Dictrine of his second coming p. 129 to 138. Inhandling these the steep of the ten Virgins spoken of Mat 25. is opened 4 Christs providential disposing of his enemies p. 139 to 142. Here is shewed what is meant by Armageddon VIAL 7. 1 The Angel pouring it forth Christ himself p 142 2 The Subject of it the Air nothing the pouring forth of this Vial to be universal upon 1 The whole Kingdom of the Dragon 2 The whole Kingdom of Antichrist 3 The Kingdom of the Great Turk 4 The Kingdoms of this world p. 142 143 144. Here is shewed why a change of speech is used in this Vial different from all the rest 3 The Adjunct A great voyce shewed 1 Whose voyce this is p. 144 2 The meaning of the voyce p. 145 3 Why said to come from the Throne p. 146 4 Why the Throne the voyce comes from is said to be in the Temple of Heaven p. 148 Here is shewed that the New Jerusalem spoken of Rev. 21. Chap. 22. cannot be meant of Heavenly glory but must be a glorious state of the Church on Earth proved by seven Arguments p. 148 to 152 No outward Ordinances to be in the New Jerusalem p. 152 to 157 An Objection answered where is shewed what is meant by the going up to Jerusalem Zach. 14. to keep the Feast of Tabernacles
p. 157 The reason given why a particular description of New Jerusalems glory is forborn p. 158 Three Rules laid down to judge of such Prophecies as concern the New Jerusalem p. 160 to 166. Here is shewed under our first Rule That Ezekiel in his eight last Chapters treats of the same thing that John doth in his two last and that Ezekiels Temple is no other but that Throne of God and of the Lamb spoken of by John 4 The Effects 1 Effect Terror p. 166 2 Effect Ruin wherein we have 1 A particular List of the things ruined which are 1 The Great City which cannot be meant of the City Rome but of the whole power of the Beast p. 170 2 The Cities of the Nations shewed what meant by them p. 171 3 Great Babylon ib. 1 Not the City Rome ib. 2 Not Antichrists Kingdom in general ib. But The Turkish power or Constantinople his Royal Seat p. 172 A reason given for this Interpretation ibid. A reason also given why at this time the Furkish Seat should be called Great Babylon together with some Scriptures that carry in them a probability of the thing esserted p. 173 In order to the discussing the things spoken of in opening this second Effect it is premised and proved That the Turk shall be one principal Enemy in the battel of Armageddon p. 167 to 169. Here Gog and Magog is treated of and the gathering together of Gog and Magog mentioned Rev. 20. shewed to be not that gathering together of Gog and Magog spoken of by Ezekiel but another Here also is shewed that many of those places in the Prophets where mention is made of the Assyrians rage have reference to the Great Turk and are to be understood of him 2 The inevitableness of this ruin p. 173 What meant by Mountains and Islands and by their flying away 3 The greatness of this ruin p. 174 Why hailstones said to weigh a talent ib. 3 Effect Blaspheming God p. 175 The Conclusion of the whole The Reason added of the Order observed in pouring forth the VIALS p. 176 The end of the second Table THE CONTENTS OF The Third Part. CHAP. I. WHerein is set forth the state or condition of the two Witnesses within their Prophecying time and the time of their being killed from Rev. 11. Divided into ten Sections SECT 1. That the two Witnesses are the Magistracy and the Ministry Where is shewed why Zachery sees two Olive-trees and but one Candlestick John two Olive-trees and two Candlesticks Page 1 2 SECT 2. Why they are called Witnesses p. 3 A distinction made betwixt that general witness bearing common to Saints in all ages and that special witness-bearing peculiar to these two Witnesses and this time of 1260 years Here is also shewed that the peculiar work of these two Witnesses is to bear witness against the Beast in clearing whereof the 42 months of the Beast and the 1260 days of the Witnesses are proved to be one and the same p. 3 4 5 6 SECT 3. Why these Witnesses are said to be two why clothed in sâ—ckcloth what is meant by their destroying their enemies by fire shutting Heaven that it rain not turning waters into blood smitting the earth with plagues p. 6 7 SECT 4. That the three daies and a half of the Witnesses lying â—ead are to be understood not of 1260 years but of three years and a half onely and these to be the last three years and a half of the 1260 p. 8 9 10 11 SECT 5. The time of the Witnesses slaughter discussed in the general onely Three Conclusions concerning it laid down 1 Concl. That the killing of the Witnesses shall be within that very three years and a half which shall precede the Jews first stirring proved p. 12 2 Concl That the killing of the Witnesses shall be but a little before the downfal of Rome proved p. 13 3 Concl That the killing of the Witnesses shall be at the latter end of the third Vial. In order to the proving whereof is shewed That some Vials are poured forth before the slaughter of the Witnesses p. 15 16 Here is shewed that the Angel Chap. 17 1. that shews John the judgement of the great Whore was the Angel of the third Vial Also why the Holy Ghost in the explication of the Vials begins with the thirds leaving out the two first A ground to expect great discoveries under the third Vial and a reason given why God makes such discoveries under that Vial. The thing it self that the killing of the Witnesses is to be under the third Vial at the latter and thereof proved by three Arguments p. 16 to 20. Here is opened the war between the Lamb and the Kings of the earth Rev. 17.14 which is proved to be a Civil War or a war by a civil sword and for the time of it to fall within the Vials and in particular under the third Vial at the beginning of it immediately before the slaughter of the Witnesses Object All the Vials come under the seventh Trumpet answered p. 20 21. where is shewed that the seventh Trumpet is contemporary with the seventh Vial onely A Conclusion from the whole That the day of the Witnesses killing is in all likelihood already begun and not much more than begun ib. SECT 6. The Beast killing the Witnesses is the Antichristian Magistracy and Ministry p. 32. Why the Antichristian Magistracy and Ministery are spoken of as but one Beast when the Witnesses viz. Christs Magistracy and Ministry are ever spoken of as two p. 23 SECT 7. The nature of the witnesses death proved 1 Not to be a corporal death ib. But a death partly civil partly spiritual p. 24 25 Here is shewed wherein the blackness of this day will lye SECT 8. The place in which the witnesses lye dead 1 Not the whole Papal Kingdom but onely one of the ten Horns p. 25 2 Particularly to be Germany p. 26 27 28 Yet Christs Witnesses in other places must expect a cloud in some measure upon them and Gods work within this day ibid. SECT 9. How things shall be agitated in the world in the time the Witnesses lye dead 1 They of the People Kindreds Nations and Tongues shall see their dead bodies and not suffer them to be put into graves Here is shewed 1 What this putting their dead bodies into graves notes p. 29 2 Who are meant by those of the People and Kindreds and Nations and Tongues ib. 2 The dwellers on earth shall rejoyce make merry Here is shewed also who these are p. 31 3 There shall be in all likelihood within this time a general peace betwixt those Nations which are the horns of the Beast yet so as that this peace shall not be wholly effected till towards the end of this time p. 34 SECT 10. The Witnesses rise after three dayes and a half The thing setting them upon their feet is a spirit of boldness courage and noble resolution put into them by God Quest VVhether
behalf of that cause which my heart is inwardly perswaded is Jesus Christs to whom I could not be faithful should I now be silent having this hope that that heart which once had in it such a flame of love to the cause of Christ and was so zealous of the work of God in the world and against the Beast as that thereby many were provoked cannot but yet have some sparks of this holy fire alive in it and that there is yet in your Highness an ear to hear what the Holy Spirit saith in the word if so be the sound be certain and distinct tho but a Child blow the Trumpet Or if not yet that herein I shall discharge a duty in my own apprehension incumbent upon me and every of Gods people so far as they have light namely to inform your Highness what Christ at this day expects from you according to which he will account with you and if what is written be truth it is you duty to hear it yea where is but an appearance of truth if you shall without diligent trial either neglect or reject it though the grounds upon which you may perhaps so do may serve to answer Conscience a while yet will they not answer the Lord another day who will account with you not as with others but according to that Talent of light you have had and is held forth unto you the professions you have made before many of his people and the opportunities you have And therefore my Lord as it is now no time for those who either love the Lord Jesus or your Highness to flatter you or speak their fears mincingly So let me here say what not long fince I told your Highness in a more private way That I do verily beleeve the thing is already manifest to the Lord and the day is not far off in which it shall be to your Highness also who are your most faithful Friends whether those that now hang up their Harps though they may be but as one Micaiah to 400 false Prophets or those that are singing their Songs of which latter sort I mean for the greater part of them I may for the truth of the thing I am sure without offence say in the Apostles phrase onely adding a word They who never yet loved you truly now zealously affect you but not well yea they would exclude you that you might affect them and serve their designs I would to God I could speak otherwise and that private cryes might have prevented this publick bearing witness which though I had no other motive yet ingenuity did I not consider that when it tends to hinder in the Lords work it is no longer a vertue but a vice to be mortified would have disswaded me from The love of the meanest Saint is precious to me the favor of your Highness much more but in these divided times offering many temptations of this nature I have often remembred the case as it stood betwixt Christ and Peter Matâ—h 16.21 22 23. who when Peter by his love and affection would have put him by his Fathers work Christ grew offended even at Peters love and did abandon it My Lord if ever the Mystery of Iniquity wrought spiritually it doth at this day And no wonder for a fear and dread of the Witnesses is fallen upon the Beast whose blow that he may escape he would now if that will do it enter into a high form of Saintship and indeed who looks for Antichrist take him either as he is the whole Body or as he is this oâ— that part in his last state in any other Garbe than the form of a gloribus â—aint though he may have read the Book of the Revelations yet is he still to learn the Mystery of the Beast there revealed Now is the man of sin struggling for his Kingdom which he will uphold as long as he can but though the Dragon Beast and False Prophet joyn heads and hands together yet shall they not bee able to keep it up long no not half so many years as some dream of Ages for God hath numbered Babylons Kingdom and in a manner finished it the Beast and the Whoreâ—s or the Beast and the False Prophet are already weighed in the Ballances and found wanting the Kingdom shall as most certainly so suddenly be divided broken and given to another And as a clear evâ—dence hereof we have the signs of the times grounded upon the woâ—d which Christ did refer the Generation of the Pharisees and Sadduces to when they would know of him a sign Matth. 16.3 O yee Hypocrites can yee not discern the signs of the times What signs of the times had they Answ Two evident signs founded upon Scripture 1. The departure of the Scepter from Judah in Herods then swaying it who was an Idumean 2. The expirations of Daniels seventy weeks the limited time of the Messiahs appearance By either of these they might have concluded that truth they opposed and received him for their Messiah whom they rejected but this they did not but must have farther signâ— yet for which cause Christ calls them Hypocrites a wicked and an adulterous Generation My Lord Let me here say The Lord in his Word hath left signs of this time I am now speaking of no less clear and demonstrative than were the signs of thaâ— and although I am of all the most unworthy to be acquainted with them or any thing of the mind of the Lord yet is it my perswasion that some of them are discovered in the following discourse and he that shall without prejudice read what in the close is written of the time and compare it with the things themselves specified throughout the Book may possibly be of my mind at least not censure me for thinking so And if now My Lord as persons willing to be blinded we shall shut our eyes to those signs of the times God hath left us in the word and ask for other signs to know his work by and when we are called to do it it is an evident token even from our Saviors own words of an Adulterous and Apostatizing generation I had almost said and if I had his words would have born me out of an hypocritical heart My Lord Let me not be made an offender for this plain dealing if I am so long as the Lord shall keep my feet in the way of my duty it shall not trouble me and I have hope that in this I have had his merciful guidance and have not as yet stepped out of that way For if in the day when Christ is going up to his Kingdom the stones would not hold their peace should not the Children cry Hosanna then surely it is a duty very incumbent upon the Saints at this day there being nothing more obvious than that Christ is well onwards upon his march to his Kingdom not to be silent but although they may be rebuked yea dealt worse by for so doing yet to follow their
of Christ at Northwalsham in Norfolk walking in fellowship with the Churches of Christ in this Country sendeth Greeting Dearly beloved in the Lord AS the Lord the mighty God hath done great things and unsearchable marvelous things without number for his great Name and peoples sake within the space of a few years so certainly there shall not be an end of Wonders until his peoples full Redemption be accomplished And although the wicked of the earth regard not the works of the Lord neither consider what he hath already done or shall do hereafter yet they are observed and diligently sought out of the Saints that have pleasure therein And they shall speak of the might of his terrible Acts and shall declare his greatness they shall abundantly utter the memory of his goodness and sing of his righteousness they shall speak of the glory of his Kingdom and talk of his Power and make known to the sons of men his mighty Acts and the glorious Majesty of his Kingdom When we consider what a company of poor weak and unprofitable creatures we are having such dead dark and unsuitable hearts and spirits to the extraordinary appearances and dispensations of God towards us we might think it most meet that we above all others should sit down in silence and shame at such a time as this but while we are musing of the former wayes and dealings of God with his people and of those glorious things which must shortly come to pass our hearts do burn within us and having this opportunity we cannot but speak and declare a few things which are upon our spirits As touching our dear and worthy Brother the Author it may be expected something by us should be spoken but his desire as concerning himself hath laid silence upon us Yet this we shall say As we conceive him to be one who hath received much light from the Lord and esteems it a choice and special mercy to be taught of God the things of Christs Kingdom so we are his witnesses how holily and justly and unblameably he hath and doth behave himself amongst us and many others that beleeve As for the Treatise it self it needs not mans commendation because Truth commends it self Yet this we say It hath been a great refreshment to our spirits and we hope will be to the spirits of Gods people elswhere It is the Authors desire that things may not be received on your parts without trial yet in case any who fear the Lord be in this matter otherwise minded it is our desire they would not rashly condemn that which was neither rashly undertaken nor published But to come to what we have further to say It is an undeniable truth confirmed by long experience that the Devil hath ever had a great design against the Kingdom of Christ that holy City and hath so far prevailed as by his instruments to tread it underfoot for a long time though not able to destroy it So that those that have appeared and witnessed for Christ have been forced to do it in sackcleath in a very mean and low condition yet however they do it they will do it though in sackcloath And this hath been such a trouble and torment to the Beast and the dwellers on the earth that like men or rather Devils full of rage and fury against them they make War against them overcome them pull off even their sackcloath strip them kill them And whether this hath been already done or is yet to do is the great Question which this Treatise will give some light into and a little time will more fully determine And that those that dwell upon the earth Christs enemies should rejoyce and make merry when they see Christs Witnesses who tormented them by witnessing lye dead is not to be thought strange But that the Lord should be so tender and mindful of those that appear and witness for him as after a little while to give life unto them and not only to set them upon their feet but to raise them up to an high and glorious condition and that in the sight of their enemies greatly fearing and trembling to behold it is very affecting and comfortable to our hearts to consider And Dear Brethren having had some serious thoughts both of the spirits and wayes of Gods professing people at this time we cannot apprehend that the LORD hath yet performed his whole work upon Mount Sion but that he hath yet much to do yea though the Lord hath been a long time purging his people and hath cut off two parts and left onely a third yet there is so much filth and dross in that that surely he will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as Silver is refined and will try them as Gold is tried And what condition the Lord hath yet to bring his people into to take away their dross in is best known to himself And may not the people of the Lord even after he hath done much for them in them yet polluted with several abominations expect some hour of temptation to be tried and purged in which may also be at hand And seeing we are speaking and speaking to Brethren that know how to bear with our weaknesses though we be poor stammering creatures we shall take liberty and boldness to speak a few things to you as plainly as we can it being now high time to deal faithfully and plainly with one another and to tell you more particularly what we fear And indeed Brethren we are afraid from a sad experience of the coldness and remisness of our own hearts that the charge of Christ against Ephesus will not fall upon us onely but upon other of the Churches and Saints of Christ that they have left their first Love We are afraid because we are so earthly minded our selves that some of you may be tempted also to seek other things before the Kingdom of God and to take too much thought what you shall eat and what you shall put on what profits preferments and incouragements you shall have in the world which are the things the men of the world seek after for the obtaining of which you may be prone to seek to please and serve men rather than Christ We are afraid because we have so little our selves that a spirit of self-denial should be wanting among you and that you should not have hearts to rejoyce when Christ doth increase if you should decrease and so lie open to that great and common evill of neglecting at least Christs interest to uphold and maintain your own We are afraid because of the drowsiness of our own bearts lest a spirit of slumber should fall upon you and you become mindless and regardless in comparison of what you formerly were and now ought to be of the voyce and works and coming of Christ We are afraid because we our selves are not Virgins chast and faithful to the person and interest of the Lord Christ lest your hearts should
But I say now they shall want this courage choosing rather cowardly to lye down though stript of Liberty and Religion both as men quite bereaved of spirit and life then boldly as did their famous Predecessors stand up for Christ and protest against the Beast And such a day as this is by far a worse day then to see Saints killed with the sword for whilst it is thus with them they are honouring their Lord and Master by bearing testimony though with their bloods but now they are shaming of him yea Religion it self by deserting their Colours And the Reasons why I conceive of the thing after this manner are 1 Because they cannot in any other way be said to lye dead as witnesses which must be because otherwise as I have said there is no distinction at all betwixt their Prophecying and their Killing 2 Because their resurrection at the end of the three dayes and a half is by a spirit of life from God entring into them vers 11. i.e. a spirit of courage and boldness now to stand up for Christ and Protest against the Beast put into them by God which before was wanting Therefore I say the death here spoken of is not a corporal but another manner of death and the wee of the day shall lye more in being forsaken of God within this time then in being tormented or martyred by man SECT VIII THe place in which the Witnesses lye dead is not the whole Papal Kingdom but some particular Nation or some one of the ten Horns The Reasons are 1 Because as our German Author in his Cl. p. 73. hath well observed they are said to lye dead not in the streets of the Great City in the plural number but in the street in the singular Rev. 11.8 And their dead bodies shall lye in the street 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Great City Noting that their killing shall be in one street not in all the Papal Kingdom 2 Because upon their resurrection the whole City i.e. all the Papal Kingdom is not overthrown but only a tenth part vers 13 And the same hour the tenth part of the City fell Now observe There where the witnesses lye dead three dayes and a half there this time expired they arise where they rise in that place doth the Papal power fall before them upon their rise or otherwise they could not rise for that power would keep them down so that look how far we extend the killing and rising again of the witnesses so far must we extend the ruine of the Papal power and that in the very same hour they rise But now the Great City or Papal power is not wholly destroyed upon the witnesses rise but a tenth part only falls therefore the rise of the witnesses and so consequently their lying dead which goeth before it is not to be looked for all over the Papal Kingdom but in a tenth part only Or thus we are not to conceive that all the witnesses Christ hath within any of the ten Horns shall at this time lye dead But Christs witnesses only in one of the ten Horns the death of a part being here put for the death of the whole and well may it considering how remarkable this death shall be for the nature of it It would therefore be inquired into seeing that this is to be but in one tenth part what part or place that is Answ I have in my Discourse upon the Vials Vial 4. affirmed the place to be Germany and I may truly say that what I then affirmed more doubtfully I am by looking more intently upon this subject of the witnesses much perswaded of and confirmed in One reason which swayes with me is because the Holy Ghost seems to speak of the place by way of eminency as being the most noted place of the whole Papal Kingdom vers 8. The street of the great City i.e. the noted street the Market-street or as I may say the Thorow-fare so vers 10. The tenth part of the City fell the Original reads the words with an Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That tenth part of the City i.e. the most eminent noted part of all the Ten. Now the place being spoken of by way of eminency it must be understood either in relation to the witnesses or the Beast that kills them that is it must be either the most eminent place for witnesses or the most eminent Kingdom belonging to the beast one of the two Now take either of these and it doth not so properly agree to any place in all Europe as Germany for 1 In respect of Witnesses Our Question now is not where at this present day are most Witnesses but the thing we must look after is what place that is which through all the time of the Beasts reign hath been the most noted place for Witnesses and there must we fix our Standard Now that is Germany which in this respect until at this present day hath ever excelled all the Nations in Europe The Witnesses there began to appear for Christ openly against the Beast before the year 900 against whom suddenly after was raised a most bloody persecution by the Beast which per secution is the highest I can find in any History that was made to speak properly by the Beast Notwithstanding this persecution the witnesses as Ecclesiastical Writers affirm grew and increased and like fire in a thatch spread themselves over Germany and neighbouring Countries Yea from that day to this there ever have been more or less witnesses standing up and sacrificing their lives for the cause of Christ against the Beast in Germany so that Germany it hath been in a manner the Seed-plot of truth and the very Nursery of witnesses throughout all ages 2 Look upon it in respect of the Beast and it is also the most noted place and above all deserves to be called the street that tenth part by way of eminency being indeed the principal street of the great City the first horn of the Beast the chief Kingdom of the fourth Monarchy as under Antichrist as saith my worthy German Author in his Cl. p. 78. giving these three Reasons for it 1 Because It is called the Roman Empire 2 Because It is as it were a figure and Image of the old Roman Empire having seven Heads in regard of the seven Princes Electors and ten Provinces in respect of the ten Circles into which it is distributed 3 Because The Head of the German Empire hath still the name of a Roman Emperor and hath the preeminence above all other Kings adhering to the Papal State And truly when I cast mine eie upon what hath about half a year or three quarters of a year ago been done in Germany and also how the Saints there seem at present bereaved of life lying down and couching under their burden it appears to me the time place and thing compared together to be more than an ordinary dispensation And farther let me say Though the Saints there at
from Heaven which bids the witnesses come up hither ver 12. Now the reasons why this voyce from Heaven is brought in after their standing upon their feet and not before may be these 1 Because the immediate hand of God in putting life and courage into the witnesses to answer their Call shall be a thing as I have said much more remarkable and visible than the Call and therefore is that named first and the whole of their resurrection seemingly attributed therunto Or 2 Because which I rather judge it is very likely that the call given them shall be a continued call not a call to rise onely but a call to some higher work which work is here set forth by the phrase of ascending up to Heaven which notes thus much to me that the instruments who shall give the Witnesses this call being themselves a more refined people in which respect their voyce is called a voyce from Heaven they shall not onely call upon the Witnesses to arise but when they are up follow them still with their call to come up higher into that state they themselves are in therefore they say Come up higher i.e. shake off all Antichristian defilements worldly interests as you have seen us do and now let us be no longer two but joyn as one to ruin the Where and carry on the work of Christ in the world Now because this Call shall be a continued Call therefore mention is made of it onely in the last and more glorious act which indeed follows the witnesses standing upon their feet and the first is omitted If you ask me Who these Instruments shall be I answer The same with the Angel of the fourth Vial for what I have said in opening that Vial. And farther they shall be that Remnant of the Womans Seed that the Holy Ghost hath characterized chap. 12.17 Of whom I shall discourse more fully in the two following Chapters CHAP. II. Setting forth yet further the state of the Two Witnesses within their Prophecying time and the time of their being Killed from Rev. 12. SECT I. HAving in the fore-going Chapter treated briefly of the Two Witnesses by way of opening part of the 11 Chap. of the Revelations it will not be impertinent in this for the farther clearing up of this great truth to add my own thoughts concerning the 12. Chapter likewise This 12. Chapter is on all hands interpreted to be a Prophecy of the state of the Church within the time of the Dragons rule or the time before the rise of the Beast and accordingly the things here fore-told are judged to have their compleat accomplishment within the first 400 years after Christ I must confess when I consider how handsomely following this opinion we have the whole Prophecy of the Revelations from the time John wrote even unto the time of Christs second coming consisting of three distinct periods comprized within three Chapters viz. 1 The state of the Church within the first period under the Dragons rule Chap. 12. 2 The state of the Church within the second period under the Government of the Beast Chap. 13. 3 The state of the Church under the witnesses risen from the end of the Beasts reign untill the time of Christs Second coming where begins a fourth Period viz. of the 1000 years Chap. 14. I am by this single consideration more inclined to be of the common opinion as to this 12 Chapter then by any thing that hitherto I have found laid down for the same by the Authors and Assertors of it who urge not this as an Argument not indeed can they because as I shall hereafter shew they make application of the 14 Chapter not to the third Period but another time and as for what is commonly urged there is nothing in it that I can observe that has the force of an Argument but what is founded upon begged principles Yet must I also acknowledge that although this consideration I have now hinted could I make it out to my self would sway very much with me yet hath it the less weight by how much I cannot satisfie my self that such a Tripartite dovision of this Prophecy should be here intended And my reason is because I find something in this 12 Chapter which is the Prophecy of the Dragon running down even into the time of the Beast for the time of the Beast doth yea must begin with the beginning of the 1260 dayes as hath been before proved Cha. 1. Sect. 2. Now supposing the time times and a half to be equivalent to the 1260 dayes yet it is clear from the Prophecie it self that some attempts are made by the Dragon after the time times and a half are begun As 1 The casting water out of his mouth as a flood after the Woman vers 15. 2 The attempting a war after this upon the remnant of her seed vers 17. Both these things I say are done after the Beast was come into the world and therefore may not be applied to the time of the Dragons rule which ceased upon the Beasts coming in he then resigning his power seat and great Authority to the Beast Chap. 13.2 If therefore we may extend this Prophecy a little time downwards into the Beasts Kingdom after the Dragon had surrendred to him I see no reason why we may not as well extend it quite through the Beasts Kingdome for the former order yea and the common method too is as much broken by the one as by the other Nor indeed can I see unless we come downwards to the expiring time of the Beasts Kingdom where a people after the 1260 dayes were begun will be found that had rightly interpreted these two Characters upon them that the remnant of the Womans seed which the Dragon makes war upon are described by And as these Considerations have gravelled me as to that opinion which makes application of the things here foretold to the time of the Dragons rule So by other Considerations I am induced to think that the Prophecy of this Chapter doth bring us down to the very end of the Beasts Kingdom the expiring time of the 42 months and that indeed the last verse of this Chapter being joyned to the first of the fourteeenth and so descending we have in these two Chapters alone the thirteenth being cut off all the aforesaid three Periods 1 That of the Dragon and the state of the Church within that Period set forth in the five first verses of this 12 Chap. 2 That of the Beasts 42 months or 1260 dayes and the state of the Church within that time from vers 6. to the end 3 That of the Witnesses risen or the state of the Gentile Churches from about the time of the Witnesses rise until Christs second coming Chap. 14. And according to this method as this 12 Chapter and the 14 linked together do run parallel with the whole of the 11 which treats of the Witnesses so this 12 Chapter alone runs parallel with so much of the
lower into the time of the Beasts Kingdom Now that the time times and a half should be a number distinct from the 1260 days appears to me upon these Reasons 1 Because the different expressions used of the womans abode in the wilderness the first and the second time argue them not to be one and the same but two distinct numbers for 1 Of her first going into the wilderness the 1260 days it is said v. 6. The woman fled into the wilderness where she hath a place prepared of God Of the second the time times and a half it is said She fled into her place v. 14. as seeming to intimate her having been there before 2 Of the first it is said They should feed her ver 6. noting a feeding by instruments and means she should have the enjoyment of Instruments Means and Ordinances though in a low and mournful condition all this time Of the second it is said She is nourished ver 14. noting that God by some immediate way of working would all this time keep a principle of grace alive in his though they should lye as dead taking little or no food outwardly by Instruments Means or Ordinances 2 Because the Dragon by the war in Heaven being cast down to the earth is said to have great rage ver 12. because he knoweth he hath but a short time But if this war in Heaven were at the beginning of the 1260 days as holds the common opinion which makes application of this to Constantines war he should then have a long time if after they were begun then must the time times and a half which are the consequent of this war be a distinct number from the 1260 days which is the thing I am proving And certainly the calling of the time times and an half a short time must be with respect to the fore-mentioned time of 1260 years which was a long time and if so then will it follow they cannot be one and the same number 3 Because the first going into the Wilderness is leisurely by degrees as the Beast by little and little crept in being not so much a forced act by outward violence offered to her as a voluntary act the woman retiring her self into a corner that so by a separation she might be kept pure and free from the defilements of that Beast she saw now rising But the second is on the sudden and she is forced to it by the exasperated rage of the Dragon and therefore she hath given to her two wings of a great Eagle v. 14. to note her quick and speedy slight lest she should be destroyed by the serpent 4 Because upon the womans first going into the wilderness the earth was no friend to the woman but rather the Barbarous Nations invading the Roman Empire did prove her Enemy by aiding the Beast and giving their strength to him But now upon this second going into the wilderness the turth is the womans friend and swallows up the flood the Serpent casts out of his mouth to cause the woman to be carried away therewith vers 15.16 agreeing to that chap. 11.9 These things added to the former grounds and method perswade me to think that the time times and an half ver 14. are not the same with the 1260 days ver 6. but a distinct number and in a word the very same with the three days and a half Chap. 11.9 signifying three years and a half a time notes one year times in the plural number two years half a time half a year in all three years and a half and to put a time for a year is as well Scripture phrase as a day for a year as Dan. 4.25 it is said of Nebuchadnezzar he should eat grass like Oxen till seven times should pass over him i.e. seven years SECT III. AGainst this it may be objected This cannot be because the war spoken of here which precedes the time times and a half and that war Chap. 11. which precedes the three days and a half are vastly different 1 That war against the Saints is headed by the Beast but this by the Dragon Answ This difference will be none at all let but this be considered that Chap. 11. speaks of the state or power acted by the Devil but Chap. 12. of the Devil as acting that state or power If this Answer be not sufficient he that shall observe our future discourse may find a farther and more full 2 Iâ— that war chap. 11. the Beast evercomes but in this is overcome and the Dragon cast down Answ True the immediate success and issue of the war chap. 12. is the vanquishing of the Dragon and casting of him out but yet the conclusion of the day is the subtil Dragon though cast out to the Earth finds a way and means to persecute the Woman and to drive her into the wilderness notwithstanding immediately before she had vanquished him and cast him out vers 13 And when the Dragon saw that he was cast unto the Earth he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man-child Vers 14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great Eagle that she might flee into the wilderness In conclusion therefore the Dragon or the Beast acted by the Dragon overcomes and so as to drive the woman upon this War into the wilderness and that for a time times and a half which is no contradiction at all but rather a more full opening of that war which is hinted chap. 11.7 as the immediate forerunner of the three days and a half Onely the Witnesses victory at first over the Beast is passed over in silence chap. 11. and the Beasts overcoming and killing them the thing expressed but chap. 12. their victory over the Beast is recorded first and yet afterwards his persecuting of them and driving them into the wilderness for a time times and a half or three days and a half If now the Question be put What war I conceive this to be Ans I judge it to be the war made by Gustavus Adolphus in Germany which war for the remarkableness of it hath been by many accounted the pouring forth of a Vial but though for some Reasons I have given in opening the Subject of the Second Vial it could not be so yet was it as remarkable under another consideration namely as it was a forerunner of the Witnesses being killed The Reasons of this my conjecture are 1 Because the time of this War agrees exactly to the time of that War which is the forerunner of the death of the Witnesses that War is a war in the finishing time of their testimony that is in the last 60 dayes or years of the 1260. which properly is the concluding time of their testimony Accordingly this War made by Gustavus Adolphus fell out within that time 2 Because this War must be supposed to be such a War as shall be headed by some eminent Christian Head on the one side raised up and acted by Christ which Head
to that people more especially as never was upon earth Chap. 1â— 1 At that time that is when this raging King of the North spoken of in the close of the former Chapter shall have so distressed the Jews shall Michael stand up and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation by which trouble they shall be scattered and in a manner broken to peeces as appears by Zacharies description of this day Zach. 14.1 2 3. In a word therefore as the time times and a half which sets forth the most black day of the Gentiles is ordered by God so to fall out as that it is here laid down in the more dark answer as a mark of the first viz. 1290 dayes which notes the beginning time so the scattering the power of the holy people or the Jews black day is laid down as a mark of the second viz. the 1335 dayes or the compleating time of Wonders when as saith the Text all these things shall be fulfilled Now besides that reason that the thing it self carries with it as I have opened it that what hath been said viz. That the intent of the Holy Ghost in the first answer is not to lay down any way or rule for us to calculate the times by but rather to give us evident marks and signs of either time appears to me for these Reasons 1 Because as to the first branch of the Answer namely the time times and a half we have no head of account laid down where to begin them if we begin them with the beginning of Johns 1260 they fall as we have said thirty years too short if from the time Daniel saw the Vision above a thousand years too short where therefore shall we begin them or how shall we account if we cannot find a Head to begin our account upon The Holy Ghost wheresoever he intends an account of times should be made up by us doth either lay down some express Head for us to begin upon as in the following verses And also Dan. 9.24 25. or else leaves us to begin from the time of the Vision but here we have not the one nor may we do the other 2 Because the second branch viz. the scattering of the power of the holy people is no number and therefore can be no other thing but a mark ergo must the first likewise 3 Because if the intent of the first answer be to give us any account of the time how long then considering that this is the main drift of the second answer it will follow that either we have two diverse accounts laid down in the two several answers or but one if two diverse how then are the answers the same which we have before proved if one and the same then is there Tautologie in the Text. 4 And lastly This seems to me to be the very reason why the answer was so dark to Daniel that he heard but understood not because the force of the answer lay in signs which being not as then things visible or in being Daniel is confounded within himself and knows not what to make of the answer This being so that the time times and a half are here laid down only by way of mark it will much better agree to our sense to take the time times and a half for three years and a half than to the other which interprets them 1260 years for that which is laid down purely as a mark must not be drawn out at length for then it ceaseth to be a mark and becomes a rule to measure by but must ever be held and accounted for some noted point some remarkable action by observing which we may learn something else This Text being opened there needs not much to be said to that other Chap. 7.25 save only that as the time times and a half are here laid down by way of mark so likewise are the time times and dividing of time there The thing they point at is not the duration of the little Horns Kingdom how long it should continue from the time of its first rise but rather to shew which who observes it shall find to be the very scope of the place when this blasphemous raging little Horn who for a long time together had worn out the Saints changed times and Laws should have a period put to his boundless rage and tyranny which I say is set forth not by measuring the time of his Kingdom but by hinting as a mark a most remarkable action which should be in the very concluding time of it and indeed prove the break-neck of his Kingdom and that is the black day of the witnesses killing the end of which day should put a period to his Kingdom the time of his rage and tyranny which thing though a great mystery in Daniel therefore when Daniel heard this the second time Chap. 12. he confesseth that he understood it not yet it is a thing cleerly revealed in John as we have formerly noted viz. that the end of Antichrists Kingdom and the end of the three dayes and a half the limited time of the Witnesses lying dead shall fall at one and the same point and therefore well may the time time and dividing of time he laid down as a mark to shew when a Period should be put to the Kingdom of the little Horn. Thus we see that Daniels time times and a half is so far from being repugnant to that Exposition I have given of Johns time times and a half that indeed rightly opened we have hence a strong confirmation of it yea of our whole methâ—d for as I said at first if Johns time times and a half be not to be understood of 1260 years but of three years and a half only then of necessity must the method of this 12 Chapter be as I have stated it If notwithstanding all any should yet say That surely it cannot be without something of the mind of God that a time times and a half that is three years and a half reduced into dayes and these dayes into years again should make the very sum of 1260 dayes or years Ans Yes I am verily perswaded that there is much of the mind and wisdome of God in it but if I may nakedly speak what I think is the mind of God herein I take it to be this That men when they will be curious which is a thing the best are prone unto and as soon taken with as any one snare I know shall even in the word it self find something to feed their curiosity whereby the simplicity of truth shall be hidden to them And indeed whether to go from a certain Prophetical stile a time for a year to a new stile no where clearly found in all the Word namely a time or year put for a year of years only upon this account because a time times and a half i. e. three years and a half will by this reduction amount to 1260 years I
without fault before the Throne of God 5 Because the Characterising this 144000 by this these follow the Lamb whither soever he goes is to me a cleer intimation that the Lamb was now upon his march to his Kingdom in the time of their standing up yea had gone a good step so far as many of his first followers had left him and these only clave to him which is not appliable to the state of the Church in the Wilderness and that many hundreds of yeers ago 6 Because that preaching of the Gospel which immediately succeeds their standing up cannot without a manifest forcing of the Text be applied to the time of Waldus Wickliffe or any time already past as will plainly appear when I come to open those words 7 Because their standing up is not until the very hour of Gods judgement upon Babylon is come vers 7. Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgement is come What hour is this Ans The hour of Babylons downfal whose judgement comes upon her in an hour Rev. 18.10 For in one hour is thy judgement come and therefore to shew this to be the meaning we have a Herauld in the next verse proclaiming the news of it vers 8. And there followed another Angel saying Babylon is fallen is fallen For these Reasons and some others I could urge I cannot look upon this Prophecie as contemporising with the 42 months of the Beast the 1260 dayes of the Witnesses and Woman but rather as a Prophecie there to take beginning where the 12 Chapter leaves us which is about the end of the time times and a half with the attempt of the Dragon against the remnant of the Womans Seed And so in an orderly manner things succeed thus The Dragon having killed the Witnesses endeavours to rid the world of that remnant of the Womans seed that stand up for Christ in some other place Now the Lord Jesus seeing this that the Dragons rage is such that he cannot content himself with that unparaâ—eld injury offered to him namely to kill his Witnesses hereby indeavouring to leave him without witness in the world but because there is yet a little remnant in a corner of the world that stand up for him to bear forth his name and glory in the world therefore the malicious raging Dragon must design upon them and labour to root them out Christ hereupon is so mightily provoked and full of wrath and fury and so jealous for his name and his bowels do so work for his remnant that he cannot now any longer forbear to behold the cruel rage and insolency of the enemy but instantly appears by a more glorious manifestation of himself than ever before upon Mount Sion i. e. in the midst of his people now come thither calling together his remnant about him by his presence incouraging them not to fear this great and dismal attempt and assuring them that the Dragon ere he shall have his will upon them shall beat him out of the field And here will be the first glorious Rendezvouz in Canaan all done before this day is to be reckoned but the War on the other side Jordan that War was with a part the Lamb with his followers encountring such only as stood in his way and hindred his march towards the borders of the Promised Land but this will be with the whole body of the Canaanites under conduct of the Dragon who shall fall before the Lamb and his 144000. So that I say we are to begin the Prophecie of the 14 Chapter with the Dragons attempt against the remnant of the Womans seed in the very concluding time of the 1260 dayes Should I say That we we are to begin this Prophecy of the 14 Chapter from about the end of the Beasts 42 months Chap. 13. and that John after he had seen the Beast acting his part upon the Stage and now going off beheld presently the Lamb coming up with his 14400 it amounts to the same with the other so that whether we begin from the end of the 12 Chapter or of the 13. the beginning is stated aright either falling to be in the very concluding time of the 42 months the 1260 dayes But I rather choose to begin from the Dragons attempt 1 Because by that beginning we have as before wee have shewed in the 12 and 14 Chapters the Prophecie of the Woman compleat 2 Because that attempt seems to be the reason of the Lambs appearance 3 Because as I have also said the 13 Chapter comes in by way of digression and the Prophecie as to the point of time and order is compleat without it Object Babylons downfal is spoken of after this Rendezvouz vers 8. And the Beasts followers are afterwards threatned for worshipping the Beast his Image receiving his Marks vers 9 10 11. Therefore this Prophecie must contemporise with the time of the Beast Answ This stands upon a supposition which I deny viz. That 42 months is the utmost term of the Beasts continuance and therefore Romes downfal must bee within that time whereas I affirm but shall here wave the proof of it that the 42 months is only the time allotted the Beast to continue a Tyrant raging and tyrannizing over the holy City the Saints and the Nations and not the time of his continuance which shall be for some time after this term is run out within which time Rome shall be ruined and therefore is its destruction mentioned after this Rendezvouz of the 144000 and also the Beast still even within this time to his last shall have many cleaving and adhering to him who are the persons here warned I know not any other Objection against this our method that deserves a particular Answer Something else there is by some said for the common method but he that shall observe our following Discourse will find that either it falls of it self as I have stated the thing or if not may if he please gather up that which will be a particular Answer to the thing possibly where his scruple lyes SECT II. TWo things from our Discourse in the former Section are evident First That the Head of this Propheey is to be placed above a hundred years lower than the Head of the Vials And indeed were there nothing else to be urged yet he that shall but compare the persons and time when the Vials began to be poured forth with the persons here spoken of and this time will find that to be the more early this the latter for 1 Those that pour out the Vials have a mixture of fire with their Sea of glass vers 3. And I saw as it were a Sea of glass mingled with fire noting as Mr. Brightman observes that though they had attained some degrees of purity yet was it not such but still there was a mixture of fire hot jars contentions divisions making of parties even amongst the Reformers themselves But these here have all their Fathers name written in their
of whom we read a little before Chap. 13.16 That they have a mark written in their forebeads i.e. they make up a judgement of persons by some mark given to them one hath this mark another that mark and men as well good men as others all the time of the Beasts Kingdome know one another by marks and such marks as are of the Beasts devising But now when the Beast goes off the Stage and the Lamb comes up all marks that formerly men were known by are laid aside and now there is no mark to know Saints by but only this The Fathers Name written in their fore-heads There shall be no knowledge of Persons as Presbyters as Independents as Anabaptists c. any longer but the mark the only mark that Saints shall know one another by shall be the Image of the Father The Fathers Name written in their foreheads This shall be the mark by which Saints in the time of the New Jerusalem when the Lord shall be one and his Name one shall know one another by Rev. 22.4 His Name shall be in their fore-heads i.e. Grace and Holiness the Image of the Father shall be so visible in them that there shall be no need of any other mark to know one another by but all shall be known unto each other by this The beginnings of this shall be very eminent in this One hundred forty four thousand and therefore we have this laid down as the great Character of them II CHARACTER They sing a new Song which none can learn but only this One hundred forty four thousand ver 3. The meaning is This One hundred forty four thousand shall go a strain higher in their actings and praises then the Saints before them did and for this reason many of the old Singers that sung the first Song Rev. 15.3 shall not be able to sing this it shall go in a note too high and spiritual for them III CHARACTER They are such as are redeemed from the Farth i.e. as I conceive such only as have obtained to stand loose from earthly interest being persons dâ—ad and delivered from the evil of the honors preferments pleasures profits of this present evill world which not the Sons of Adam onely but too many of the Sons of Sion are plunged in and overtaken with IV. CHARACTER They are Virgin-Saints not defiled with women vers 4. I take this Character to be a Character distinct from the former though not long since I judged either the same And yet withall the difference is no great matter the former noting redemption from earthly interests and engagements in the general i.e. earthly interests of all sorts by which men yea Saints themselves are oftentimes mis-lead and drawn aside from following Christ but this latter denotes redemption in a more special kind viz. from Antichristian interests the particular defilements of the whorish Woman the meaning is this One hundred forty four thousand shall be a select number of such persons who notwithstanding for a great part of their time they lived within the verge of that Idolatrous superstitious age in which the whole world went a whoring after the Beast yet did in that adulterous generation keep themselves Virgins not committing fornication with the Whore of Babylon by having any hand in her Superstitions and Idolatries V. CHARACTER They follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth i.e. They shall be such who from the day they began to follow the Lamb have ever kept him company in his most difficult paths through rockie craggie thorny wayes In dangerous paths where they have been necessitated to put their lives in their hands to follow him in desolate wilderness-paths where they have been in a manner stripped bare of all outward comforts and injoyments yet willing to quit all rather than leave his company in paths contrary to reason flesh and blood to their own preferments interests c. such shall these be And this Character I take it is given to them in opposition to those who did follow the Lamb sometime so long as it stood with their safety pleasure honor preferment profits c. but when in following him they could have these no longer they will follow him no further the Lamb may march alone for them VI. CHARACTER They are redeemed from among men i.e. as before I have noted a picked party not so much from the Antichristian crow of Idolaters as the more pure party of the Reformers themselves they shall be as I have said the very cream the flower of the Reformed party VII CHARACTER They are the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb i.e. Either those that God makes more account of as being more precious in his sight than of other of his people for the first fruits under the Law were accounted the most precious and therefore were set apart and consecrated to God or else which I rather incline to these shall be the beginnings of that large Harvest to Christ among the Gentiles which he is to have after the Beasts time is out For the first fruits were the beginnings of the Jewish Harvest Or they shall bee in a manner the beginnings of that glorious Kingdom of Christ in the world which shall break in peeces all other Kingdoms and stand for ever VIII CHARACTER In their mouth is found no guile vers 5. that is as I conceive They shall in a very naked and plain-hearted way manage their whole work without driving on self-designs under a vizzard and pretence of serving and setting up Christ or without acting by the RVLES OF STATE-POLICY which exposeth men to falshood dissimulation and guile no such thing shall be found in this One hundred forty four thousand or their actings but they shall without fear or favor let the world know what they intend and design they are for Christs Kingdom and that the Crown may be set upon his Head if the Kings of the earth will submit to it and lay down their Crowns and Scepters at his feet so it is if not they will endeavor to make them And this I take to be the very meaning of the words for the reason given in those that follow For they are without fault before the Throne of God i.e. they shall not dissemble in the business of Christs Throne and Kingdom or they shall not seek themselves in the setting up of this Kingdom SECT VI. THe fourth and last thing comes now to be handled viz. How things shall go on or what shall be done in the world from the time that this One hundred forty four thousand stand up untill the beginning of the Thousand years There are but two clear Prophecies in all the Revelations that afford us matter for an answer to this Question 1. That of the Vials Chap. 16. taking in also its explication in the following Chapters 2. That of the Witnesses risen hinted Chap. 11. vers 11 12 13. enlarged in this 14 Chapter As for so much as concerns our Question comprised in the first
I have handled that in opening the Vials and shall not here repeat it What may be collected from Chap. 11. I have given some general hints of it likewise in our first Chapter All therefore I intend to do at present shall be to take up some few Observations as lie couched in this Chapter and will add some little further light than what hath been already brought forth to the Question in hand 1 More generally The work shall go on with a more swift and irresistable hand than ever formerly Now shall not all the means and endeavors that can by the world or hell it self be used be able to hinder but the wrath of God as a mighty over-flowing deluge shall irresistably come in upon the Antichristian ungodly world This seems to me to be noted in that running and posting of Angels one after another so soon as ever the work is set upon this Basis vers 6. I saw another Angel flie in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel ver 8. And there followed another Angel saying Babylon is fallen is fallen Vers 9. And the third Angel followed them saying with a loud voyce If any man worship the Beast and his Image or receive his mark in his fore-head or in his hand The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God Vers 15. And another Angel came out of the Temple Vers 17. And another Angel came out of the Temple Vers 18. And another Angel came out from the Altar which had power over fire The posting of Angels argues the work now to be hot it runs like fire in a Thatch every Angel or Instrument makes a quick and speedy dispatch of his work 2 More particularly we have these things noted in the following part of this Chapter First The everlasting Gospell is preached vers 6 7. And I saw another Angel flye in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the Earth and to every Nation and Kindred and Tongue and People saying with a loud voyce Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgement is come and worship him that made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and the Fountains of waters Five things we have here observable concerning this preaching of the Gospel which shall be at this day 1 The wonderful purity and simplicity of the Doctrine of the Gospel as now held forth it shall be purged from those Antichristian mixtures and devices of man which tend to nothing else but to corrupt and darken the pure word of the Gospel and lead souls from the simplicity of the Gospel Hence it is called the everlasting Gospel because it shall be now preached as it was at first or all that dross that hath been and is in the Doctrine of the best Preachers hitherto shall now be purged out and that onely which will abide the fire and shall be everlasting shall remain 2 The matter it self that shall be held forth as one principal part of this everlasting Gospel shall be those things which concern Christ judging the great Whore and all his enemies and the setting up of his own Kingdonâ— calling upon the Rulers of this world to worship the Lamb throw down their Crowns and Scepter at his feet and therefore observe the matter of the Sermon is Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgement is come and worship him that made Heaven Earth c. as to say the time is come that the Lamb will judge the Whore destroy the Beast tremble all ye Nations before him ye Kings and Princes of the earth be wise give glory to him Kiss the Son worship before him who made Heaven Earth the Sea and the Fountains of waters lest he be angry and ye perish in the way as he is in his march to his Kingdom 3 The universal spreading of this Doctrine abroad and that as it were in a moment therefore the Angel to note the swiftness of carrying it is said to flye and to shew the universal spreading of it it is said to be preached to every Nation and Kindred and Tongue and People 4 The publick and boldholding of it forth such a spirit shall be upon the Preachers that they shall not whisper these things and speak them in private corners but openly and boldly in the Market-street yea in the very faces of the Kings and Princes of the Earth Hence to note the publickness of it the Angel is said to flie in the midst of Heaven i.e. openly in the view of all and to note the publickness and boldness both is said to proclaim it with a loud voyce 5 The great measure of faith that shall be upon the Preachers as to this particular business that the very time is come in which God will judge the Whore therefore they cry out The hour of his judgement is come As to say Flatter your selves no longer O ye Papists sit still no longer O ye Protestants with this in your mouths the time is not come the time is not come for assure your selves Christ will now delay no longer The hour of his judgement is come Secondly Romes destruction now comes unavoidably upon her vers 8. And there followed another Angel saying Babylon is fallen is fallen The words Babylon is fallen is fallen are not as I conceive to be looked upon as words of faith concerning a work to be done but rather a Proclamation of a work already done This Angel is but the Messenger and Herauld of those glad tydings who spreads this news over the Churches and Nations which what with the greatness of it the suddenness and unexpectedness of it begets such wonderment and joy that the whole World in a manner is filled with Hallelujah's Rev. 19. Thirdly A serious and solemn warning to all those who shall yet adhere to the Beast Vers 9. And the third Angel followed them saying with a loud voyce If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receive his mark in his fore-head and in his hand Vers 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb. Vers 11. And the smock of their torment ascendeth up for ever and over And they have no rest day nor night who worship the Beast and his Image and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name But why are the Papals warned by pronouncing against them so dreadful a threatning at this day Answ The reason hereof I take to be this because the day of Christs coming and the fatal ruin of the Beast and his followers is now at hand therefore the coming of Christ and the treading of the Wine-press follows immediately upon this Now Gods way is ever before his fatal blow to give his enemies such a warning as may both
litteral sense to make way hereby for the Jews more speedy return out of the Eastern Countries to Jerusalem their native Country mistake for the grounds of our last Proposition and also because as saith a godly man in answer to this opinion the sixth Vial according to this should have no plague at all for saith he either in these words of drying up Euphrates the plague is pointed at or in none for the following words mention no plague but only the endeavour of Gods enemies to defend themselves against it By the River Euphrates some others understand the Riches and Revenues of Antichristian Babylon which Riches and Revenues of theirs are the strength of Babylon mystical as Euphrates of old was of litteral Babylon the drying up of Euphrates the taking of these their Revenues from them which Rents and holy Tribute of theirs being denied their Chests and Coffers will by degrees grow empty Now although the Patrons of this opinion are men of worth and to be esteemed yet cannot I herein subseribe unto them 1 Because as is by some of them confessed the drying up of Euphrates in this sense hath been begun this hundred years nay some say three hundred whereas the pouring forth of this Vial is a thing yet to come 2 Because every of the Vials hitherto hath done this by degrees already and the Vials yet to come will more for observe it throughout all the Vials whatsoever it is that Antichrist loseth by any Vial he together with the loss of that loseth a considerable part of his Revenues coming in thereby and therefore every Vial clipping his Tribute and cutting him short here there needs not a particular Vial to be poured out upon that which every of the Vials till the same is wholly destroyed will have an influence upon Neither thirdly Can I see how this will further at most but very little the Jews return which is that great thing to prepare a way for the doing whereof this Vial is poured forth An eminent late Writer interprets this River Euphrates to be the streams of Popish corruption namely their Idolatries by their Mass Invocation of Saints c. their murders of the souls of men as well as the bodies of Christs servants their Sorceries of which many of the Popes themselves were guilty their Whoredomes namely in their Stews their Thefts by their Indulgences and Pardons for money c. But these things are no other but that Popish Earth the first Vial fell upon by the fall whereof these though not throughout Antichrists Kingdom yet in some parts which is enough to evidence a Vial to have been already poured out upon them were destroyed And it is well known that Luther who began to pour out the first Vial was the very hammer of the Papists as to the beating down and knocking in peeces these things And although the Popish party are severely punished for these things upon the sounding of the sixth Trumpet Chap. 9.18 19 20 21. Yet as these gross enormities came not then in upon the sounding of that Trumpet but were in before though then they are punished for them so each Vial casting out as the same Author hath observed that very corruption which the same Trumpet brought in it follows the bringing of these things in being before so must their casting out also and therefore it is more agreeable to the Authors own Position to place the casting of these things out under the first Vial as I have done they coâ—ing in in all likelihood under the first Trumpet than that their casting out should not be until this Sixth But more rightly as some others we are to understand the Ottoman Family or Turkish Empire called the Great River because of the multitude of People and Nations therein Rivers signifying People and Nations as I have proved under the third Vial and the Great River Euphrates either to signifie as some think that people to be here meant who inhabit about Euphrates which are the Turks or as I conceive to give us to understand that that very people are here intended who shall about this time be looked upon and accounted the greatest people of all others for of all Rivers that we read of in the Old Testament Euphrates is called the Great River Gen. 15.18 Deut. 1.7 Josh 1.4 or the River by way of emphasis Deut. 11.24 Now the people who at this present time are of all others accounted the greatest are the Turks who therefore and no other are here to be understood And which serves us for a strong confirmation hereof the River Euphrates is but once more in all the Revelation mentioned Chap. 9.14 and there by the general consent of Expositors it hath reference to the Turkish power To which let me further add that it being a thing also granted that in the last war to which preparation is made under this Vial as well the Turkish Power shall be engaged against the Saints as the Power of the Beast it therefore seems a thing very probable that the Turk shall by the pouring out of this Vial have some great provocation which shall induce him to joyn hands with the Beast in his so desperate a quarrel 2 EFFECT Drying up of the waters of Euphrates And the waters thereof were dryed up The Turks power and multitude through the pouring out of this Vial shall be wasted and destroyed for waters set forth multitudes of people as before the drying up of the waters imports a wasting and consuming of these multitudeâ— 3 The moving Cause Preparing a way for the Kings of the East That the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared These words render a reason of the drying up of Euphrates which is to prepare a way for the Kings of the East By Kings of the East We are here to understand the Jews who upon the pouring forth of this Vial shall return to their own Land and be converted to Christ And I take it that the pouring out of this Vial prepares a way for both viz. Their possession of their own land again and their conversion to the Faith of the Gospel For as the latter shall not go without the former I mean conversion to Christ without possession of their land The Scripture being full and clear in this that when that Nation shall be converted they shall be in possession of their Land again Isa 61.7 Jer. 31.17 and 32.41 Ezek. 37.21 22 25. Amos 9.14 15. Zech. 2 12. so the former alone without the latter would be a thing indeed too low and carnal to be accounted the sole moving cause of pouring out this Vial which this preparing a way for the Kings of the East is Now the Jewes are here called Kings either for that abundance of riches they shall bring along with them at their return Isa 60.9 To bring thy Sons from far their silver and their gold with them Or rather for that great honour and dignity that God will put upon his people setting them
uppermost in his Kingdom upon it Mich. 4.8 And thou O Tower of the flock the strong hold of the Daughters of Sion unto thee shall it come even the first Dominion the Kingdom shall come to the Daughter of Jerusalem Isa 61.9 Their seed shall be known among the Gentiles and their off-spring among the people all that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed Zech. 8.23 In those daies ten men shall take hold out of all the languages of the Nations even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew saying We will goe with you for we have heard that God is with you And they are called Kings of the East the Greek reads it from the rising of the Sun because as some think their coming shall be from the Eastern Countries which though I do not altogether deny yet cannot I here subscribe to it as the reason why they are so called because as this interpretation adheres too much to the letter so it is evident that the Scriptures which speak of their return do as well mention their coming from other quarters as from the East and not one Scripture speaks of their coming from the East alone Isa 43 5. I will bring thy seed from the East and gather them from the West I will say to the North give up and to the South keep not back bring my Sons from far and my Daughters from the ends of the Earth Chap. 49.12 Behold these shall come from far and loe these from the North and from the West and these from the Land of Sinim Jer. 31.8 Behold I will bring them from the North Country gather them from the coasts of the earth Zech. 8.7 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts behold I will save my people from the East Country and from the West Country and I will bring them and they shall dwel in the midst of Jerusalem But rather following the Greek Kings from the rising of the Sun I take it they may be so called because then they shall come to this great preferment honor and dignity when Christ the Sun of righteousness shall arise whose rising that it shall be upon the pouring forth of this Vial before the last is poured forth shall appear hereafter Now God in his wonderful and unsearchable Providence will so order it as that at the appointed time of the Jews return the power and multitude of the Grand Signeur who is now the greatest Monarch in the world and holds their Land in possession shall be much wasted and consumed and that in such a way by such means and instruments that as the one viz. The wasting of the Great Turks Power shall set open a door for the Jews to possess their own Land so the other viz. the way means or instruments by which this shall be done shall be a special help and furtherance to their receiving of the Gospel and Christ for their true Messiah and so indeed the pouring out of this Vial upon the Great River Euphrates shall prepare a way as hath been said both for their possession of their own Land and their conversion to Christ both which to take in here is much better I conceive and more agreeable to the mind of the Holy Ghost than to limit and straiten the same to any one onely Now that the Jews are spoken of under this Vial whose conversion we are to expect before the pouring out of the seventh is clear 1 Because the Jews conversion being a thing so remarkable as nothing more and this to be in the very last ages of the world it cannot be thought that in the Vials which is a Prophetical History in short of things to be transacted in the last times the same should be wholly omitted which yet in case it be not here spoken of is 2 Because in Rev. 19. which Chapter is but a Commentary upon the two last Vials the Marriage of the Lamb to his Bride which Bride can be no other than the General Assembly of the faithful ones both of Jews and Gentiles converted to Christ among which the Jews as elder Sister are chief and therefore particularly spoken of Isa 62.4 5. and 54.4.5 6. Hos 2.19 20. is made an immediate forerunner of the battel of Armageddon as compare ver 7 8 9. with 19.20.21 with which battel the seventh Vial beginning for what is done before the pouring out of the seventh is onely a preparation to it the Conversion of the Jews or the Marriage of the Bride must necessarily be before the seventh Vial is poured forth He who desireth further light as to this Argument may at his leasure read over the 37 38 39 Chapters of Ezekiel the third of Joel and the 12 13 14 th Chapters of Zachary and by comparing Chapter with Chapter and the whole with this Prophecie may finde it 3 Because upon the pouring out of the seventh Vial a great voyce comes out of the Temple of Heaven from the Throne saying It is done What is the meaning hereof Why the phrase is but once more used in all the Revelations and that is chap 21.5 6. He that sate upon the Throne said Behold I make all things new And he said unto me it is done here it is applied to the setting up of the New Jerusalem noting the meaning of the phrase to be this Now is the New Jerusalem established and how should this be in case the Jews the primary and principal Inhabitants of this new City were yet to be converted Object If it be said the words speak not of their Conversion but onely preparing a way thereto I grant it the pouring out of this Vial doth onely prepare the way as to their Conversion to Christ which Conversion of theirs is to be for the fore-mentioned reasons in the Interval of time betwixt the sixt and seventh Vials Object Whereas it is further objected That the Conversion of the Jews cannot be until such time as the seventh Vial is poured forth because Chap 15.8 it is expresly said No man could enter into the Temple till the seven plagues of the seven Angels were fulfilled To that I answer That this doth as well exclude the Conversion of Gentiles and Pagans all the time the Vials are pouring forth as Jews and who will affirm that so long as daily experience hath and blessed be the Lord doth prove the contrary Some other interpretation must therefore be given of this Scripture to free it from such an assertion and whether doth not this suite the place well which also serves to forward the work of pouring out the Vials by putting life and courage into the Angels which are to do it to wit That the glorious and powerful presence of God in his Temple all the time the Vials should be in pouring forth which is here set forth by smoak alluding to that cloud covering the Tabernacle of old Exod. 40.34 and filling Solomons Temple 1 King 8.10 which was a sign
the first Vial is the Popish Earth the effect an infectious sore accordingly the Witnesses are said to smite the Earth and that with plagues or infectious sores as often as they will 2 The subject of the second Vial is the Popish Sea i.e. the Romish Ecclesiastical or Church-State The effect of it a discovery of the same to be corrupt and mortal accordingly the witnesses have a power to shut Heaven that it rain not that is they shall make it appear that the Antichristian Heaven or Church-State so much boasted of as being the only Church is a dry barren Heaven affording no rain to give life or nourishment to those that live under it 3 The subject of the third Vial is the Rivers and fountains of waters the effect they become blood accordingly the witnesses have a power to turn waters into blood Now these acts performed by the witnesses immediately before their killing agreeing so fully to the three first Vials in their subjects and effects both undoubtedly we are not to look upon this admirable Harmony to be a thing falling by accident especially considering too that by these acts the witnesses are said to torment the Papals ver 10. which to do by Saints and Witnesses is the proper work of the Vials but rather to have its rise in the all-wise Counsel of God who hereby would give his to understand that the three first Vials are to be poured out before the fourth then the death of the Witnesses to be expected This Observation confirms me in two things 1 That in stating our selves in my discourse on the Vials to be at this persent time under the third Vial I was led to state the thing aright 2 That the judgement there made of the subjects and effects of the three first Vials is truth by reason of the answerableness of the Vials according to that interpretation to the acts of the witnesses immediately preceding the time of their slaughter 3 Reason Because the slaughter of the witnesses is to fall in the interval betwixt the War of the Lamb with the Kings of the Earth Rev. 17.14 and the ruin of Rome This war of the Lamb is a Civil war a war made by a Civil sword because it is a war made with the Beasts civil Power namely his horns And secondly It is a Civil Power namely some of the ten Kings that are vanquished by this war He shall overcome them that is such of the ten horns or Kings as shall war against him the whole or all the ten horns being here put for a part and for this reason I conceive doth the Lamb at this day go under that Title King of Kings and Lord of Lords because in this war he shall vanquish and tread under foot Kings Lords c. Now this war must by all circumstances be a war within the Vials 1 Because Its the Angel of one of the Vials that shews it unto John ver 1. 2 Because Christ hath so many chosen ones accompanying him in this war which is an Argument that Christ had many in the world at this day who had got the victory over the Beast and could stand and face him in a warlike way which was not till the work of the Vials was begun 3 Because Its the immediate forerunner of Romes ruin the story of which therefore comes in in the next Chapter It being so this war can belong to no other but the Third Vial the subject of which I have shewed upon the Vials is some particular States and Kingdoms subjected to the Beast i.e. some of the ten horns whose Heads Rulers c fall by the pouring forth of that Vial. Nay it must be so because as I have said before this is the first thing revealed to John as touching the judgement of the Beast whose judgement in the explication of the Vials begins with the Third Vial. Now observe in the interval betwixt this war and Romes destruction we have the proud Whore brought in glorying Chap. 18.7 I sit as a Queen c. and what 's the cause hereof but onely the Victory obtained now in the concluding time of her Kingdom over the witnesses as we have already noted I therefore conclude the slaughter of the witnesses must fall in this interval If in this interval then must it be in the latter end of the Third Vial for upon the pouring out of the Fourth they rise yea the Fourth Vial being to fall upon Germany as in opening the Vials I have shewed and Germany being as shall appear the place in which the witnesses lie dead it cannot be thought that the death of the witnesses should or can come under the fourth Vial for how improper yea absurd would it be to say Christs witnesses by the power of the Beast lye dead in Germany even whilst Christ by his people is pouring out a Vial of wrath upon it It must therefore of necessity be seeing we are to place their killing betwivt the war of the Lamb with the Kings of the Earth and Romes ruin that we should place it towards the end of the third Vial. Obj. But it may be said That the Vials are all to come under the seventh Trumpet for upon the sounding of the seventh Trumpet it is said Thy wrath is come Rev. 11.18 and what wrath should this be but the Vials of wrath if so then must the killing of the Witnesses which appertains to the woe of the sixth Trumpet be past and over and that before any one of the Vials are poured forth Ans 1. For the matter of the Objection it cannot be that all the Vâ—als should come under the seventh Trumpet 1 Because Its expesly said of the seventh Trumpet that in the days when the seventh Angel should begin to sound time should be no longer Chap. 10.7 But if after his sounding all the Vials were to be poured forth which already in pouring forth have taken up above 100 years time even after his sounding should be a great while 2 Because It s also said in the same verse That when the seventh Angel should begin to sound the mystery of God should be finished but if all the Vialls which comprehend within them the whole mystery of judging the Beast conversion of the Jews c. were to be poured out afterwards then could not the time of the seventh Angels sounding be the finishing time of mysteries but rather the beginning time It cannot therefore be that the seventh Trumpet should comprehend within it all the Vials it is therefore better to say that the seventh Trumpet is contemporary with the seventh and last Vial only and indeed they very patly answer the one to the other for 1 Upon the seventh Trumpets sounding it s said The mystery of God is finished So upon the seventh Angels pouring out his Vial It is done What is that but the same with the other it is finished 2 Upon the seventh Angels sounding the Kingdome of this world are all subject to Christ Rev.
11.15 now the doing of this is the proper and peculiar work of the seventh Vial as our discourse on that Vial proveth 3 The seventh Angels sounding is the time of rewarding Saints not some onely but all of them small and great ver 18. this comes under none of the Vials but the seventh onely which comprehends within it the time of the New Jerusalem the time of rewarding the dead and living Saints 4 Upon the seventh Angels sounding there are lightnings and voyces and thundrings and an earthquake and great hail ver 19. This is peculiar to the seventh and last Vial and answers to the plague of it almost verbatim Revel 16.18 21. Therefore I say the seventh Trumpet is contemporary with the seventh Vial and no other The matter of the Objection is therefore a mistake 2 For the ground of it which lyes in these words Thy wrath is come Ans This wrath is not to be understood of the wrath of all the Vials but onely of the last which because it shall be the greatest wrath hath an emphasis put upon it Thy wrath as if Christ had never been angry till now that is comparatively the former wrath was but a Flea-bite to this Hence which confirms our sense the day of the seventh Vial which is all one with the Battel of Armageddon is called the day of Christs wrath Psal 110.5 The fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God Revel 19.15 The day of vengeance Isa 63.4 Of indignation chap. 66.14 The great and terrible day of the Lord Joel 2.31 Mal. 4.5 all confirming this that this dreadful time of the Lambs wrath doth more properly relate to the last Vial onely than to all the Vials in general From all the three former Conclusions put together I make up this viz. That the day of the Witnesses killing must in all likelihood be already begun and not much more than begun For sith from our first Conclusion their rise must be concurrent with the end of Daniels 1290 days which beginning from Julians time expire A.D. 1656. as see Generation work part 1. p. 51 52 53 54. And sith from our second Conclusion their killing must be a little before Romes ruin which for what I have said under our first doth in a manner contemporise with the other And sith from our third Conclusion their killing must be under the Third Vial which is manifest from our discourse upon the Vials to be the Vial we stand under at present I therefore from the whole conclude That this black day is in all probability begun and the Witnesses do at this present time lye dead Hence it is a thing we must expect that yet a little while until this cloud is toward blowing over the work of Christ in the world wil go on but heavily for there is reason for it as I shall shew anon that within the day the Witnesses lye dead though their killing be a particular act an act restrained to one place onely yet that the work and cause of Christ in general should the greatest part of that day labour under a Cloud SECT VI. THe Beast killing the Witnesses the Text tells us is the Beast ascending out of the bottomless pit ver 7. of which Beast I have discoursed upon the Vials p. 97 98 99 100. where this Beast is proved to be the Roman Civil and Ecclesiastical State or the Antichristian Magistracy and Ministry both laying heads together and joyning hands to kill the two Witnesses of Christ viz. The true Magistracy and Ministry And here it is observable that Antichrists Magistracy and Ministry though two yet are called but one Beast as also Rev. 13. last One number is assigned to both the Beasts whereas the Magistracy and Ministry of Christ take them in the time of their Prophecie when they are killed or when they rise they are still two and spoken of in the plural number What may be the reason hereof Ans Christs Magistracy and Ministry keep their powers distinct and therefore they are two Antichrists mix their powers and therefore they are one That Magistracy and Ministry therefore which weave and intermixe their powers making and using in a manner but one sword whereas they should do two are neither of them Christs but both the Limbs of Antichrist nor are they in the account of the Holy Ghost witnesses but beasts who calls them so Rev. 13. yea layes down this as the principal character of the two Beasts that notwithstanding they were two yet did the one exercise the others power for the second Beast exerciseth all the power of the first vers 12. Now though the power of a Beast is ordinarily stronger then the power of a rational witness yet by how much the rational creature is more honorable then the sensitive by so much are those in whom the witnessing power remains more honorable then those whose power is only the power of Beasts SECT VII AS touching the Nature of the Witnesses death we are not to conceive thereof as though the same were to be a corporal killing which no way agrees with this Prophecy for 1 Such as is their resurrection and ascension such their death but their resurrection and ascension is not corporal therefore not their death 2 This Killing must be such a Killing as that they may in the time of their being Killed lye dead as witnesses for otherwise we cannot distinguish their killing from their Prophecying if we suppose them in both to give testimony and bear witness for Christ against the Beast But a corporal killing of witnesses doth not make them cease to bear witness but rather to bear witness in a more eminent manner as hath been before observed It is not a corporal killing therefore which is here meant Quest What manner of Death then is it Answ A Death as I conceive partly Civil and partly Spiritual 1 Partly Civil which shall be a deprival of the witnesses in a very great measure if not totally of their Civil Liberties and the free exercise of their Religion The godly Magistracy shall be put out of office and so be in no capacity as Magistrates to bear witness the godly Ministry by penal Laws have their mouths stopped and not suffered as Ministers of Christ to bear witness This shall be their death as to the Civil part of it 2 This death shall be partly spiritual and herein as I conceive the blackness of the day shall principally lye and not in Bloodshedding for observe though the Beast hath a will to this latter viz. to kill the witnesses outright yet is he not permitted to do it vers 9. Now this spiritual death shall consist chiefly in this viz. That the witnesses shall all this three yeers and a half be so left of God as that they shall not have that courage that was in the people of God al the time of the witnesses Prophecie who then did not love their lives to the death but mantained the truth and opposed the Beast with their blood
is therefore represented by Michael i. e. Christ himself who acts him and the principal Head of the Beast on the other set on and acted by the Devil and therefore represented by the Dragon Now this can be applied to no other War so aptly as to the German War for where hath there ever been since the first rise of the Beast the like viz. of a War betwixt him and the Professors of the true Religion headed by the Beast himself of the one side and a religious godly Prince of the other 3 Because this War which precedes the killing of the Witnesses must be such a War as shall have great acclamations of Saints going along with it and great expectations founded upon it and that both as touching their deliverance from Antichristian bondage and also concerning the setting up of Christs Kingdom by it Therefore they cry vers 10. Now is come salvation and strength and the Kingdom of our God and the power of Christ i.e. Now the day of our deliverance of Babylons downfal is come Now the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus shall bee exalted in the world O now is the power of Christ manifested indeed Such was the Swedish War in Germany It is not yet out of the memory of many of Gods people what high expectations were raised upon that War in all the Protestant Churches How did every eye almost then look for the downfal of Rome presently conceiving no other than that that most worthy Prince would be the ruine of the Antichristian Where What wonderful triumphs and rejoycings were there upon the reports of his Victories by all the godly party within our Gates And how heavy a load did the news of his being cut off lay upon the hearts of Gods people every where Though the Author cannot testifie these things of his own knowledge his age not serving him to remember things of this nature beyond the sadding news of his death yet from what he hath read of this good Prince and the reports he hath had from persons aged and faithful he supposeth he may assert the thing and doubts not but many this day alive will witness it 4 Because the effect and issue of this War in Heaven is the casting down of the Dragon from Heaven to Earth who yet by this and partly for rage to see himself cast down finds out a way to persecute the Woman anew Accordingly the issue of the Swedish War was this The proud German Emperor who before in his pride was lifted up to Heaven would stoop and buckle to none is now glad by means of this War to come down from his greatness to condescend and stoop to such terms as he can for himself make with the Swede by which agreement notwithstanding and partly for madness to see himself made to creep on the earth i.e. condescend to terms who thought ever to have sate in Heaven i. e. rule as absolute Lord over Christs heritage doing to them what he list he finds out a way to persecute the Woman drive her into the Wilderness for a time times and a half i.e. kill the Witnesses for three dayes and a half So that the Swedish War agrees exactly and fully to this War here mentioned as the forerunner of the killing of the Witnesses And because the Witnesses were by this War to be killed and every death hath some struglings and girdings that attend it answerable to that life and strength in the thing killed that therefore the Beast might feel what life and strength is in the Witnesses he himself is almost broken to peeces at first by this War i.e. by the very struglings and girdings of the Witnesses whilst he is going about to kil them Object But it may be said more likely our late War in England should be this War Answ I have sometimes thought that this War in Heaven might comprehend the whole War within the last 60 years of the Beast and so take in the Swedish War and our English War too And this I confess that in most things this War doth carry a likelihood as well to the English as the Swedish War And farther I find my self much inclining to make this War and the War betwixt the Lamb and the Kings of the Earth Chap. 17.14 which War as I conceive points at our English War and no other one and the same but this I must also say that I am more satisfied to look upon them as two Wars both within the 60 years and the one following the other And so this War to be the German War only and the other betwixt the Lamb and the Kings of the Earth to be the English War yet both to fall within the last 60 years and to be forerunners of the killing of the Witnesses And the Reasons why I conceive this War to be the German War only and not the English also are 1 Because the English War hath been betwixt Protestants only but this War is a War betwixt some eminent Protestant Head on the one side and some eminent and professed Popish Head on the other as hath been before observed 2 Because this War being made by the Dragon is not so fitly appliable to any one Nation under Heaven as the German Empire which is as I may say the very Picture of the Old Dragon for the Dragon is set forth as having seven heads ten horns v. 3. And there appeared another wonder in heaven and behold a great red Dragon having seven heads and ten horns Accordingly the German Empire as upon another occasion hath been before observed consists of seven Electoral heads and ten horns i.e. so many Provinces The Prophecy therefore of this Chapter may without any forcing be applied in part to the Old Roman Empire and also in part to the present German Empire both of them bearing and giving the arms of the Dragon So that by the ruine of the old Roman Empire the Dragon only changed his Seat forsook Rome his old Seat leaving that to the Beast and betakes himself to Germany where the Beast for his willingness to surrender his old Seat to him provides him a new And indeed there may be these two Reasons given of it why the Dragon who governs the whole Papal Kingdom doth yet betake himself to Germany rather then any other place choosing that for his Seat 1 Because of all the Nations subjected to the Beast none was found so like his old Seat the Pagan Empire as the new erected German Empire 2 Because the Woman had in a manner for many ages together taken up her dwelling there bringing forth children and sending them abroad from thence into other parts therefore this old Persecutor of the Woman that he might the more trouble her peace placeth his Throne there What I have said is a good confirmation of our method before laid down that this Chapter brings us to the end of the Beasts Kingdom and is not to be limited within the first four hundred yeers after Christ for
having spoken of the Old Dragon or Roman Empire in the beginning of the Chapter and the attempts that he made against the Woman vers 3.4 and then gliding over almost all the time of the one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes because that time as in reference to the Witnesses or Woman had been spoken to already Ch. 11. in reference to the Beast was to be spoken to Chap. 13. the Holy Ghost comes to speak of the new Dragon or German Empire and the attempts that he in the end of this time should make against the Woman and also what should follow thereupon and so indeed this second attempt against the Woman specially relates to him as the first did to the old Dragon And further observe as the old Dragon about the beginning of the 1260 days is vanquished by the Woman and yet afterwards politickly surrendring to the Beast is too hard for the Woman and makes her flie for the Wilderness for 1260 days So in like manner the New Dragon about the end of the 1260 daies is vanquished by the Woman and yet afterwards by policy like the old Dragon finds a way to get the mastery of the Woman and make her flie for the Wilderness for a time times and a half or three years and a half Now according to this interpretation of this Prophecy referring this second attempt of the Dragon to the German Empire we see already the whole of this Prophecy fulfilled to two things 1 The Dragons attempt to swallow up the Woman by casting a flood out of his mouth and the earth preventing him vers 15 16. being the same with that endeavor Chap. 11.9 to put the dead bodies of the Witnesses into graves and the Peoples Kindreds Nations and Tongues preventing him This attempt is clear from each place to be within the three years and a half Whether some attempts that have been made against the Protestants in Germany not long since to extirpate them and the applications that in their behalf have been made by some to the ruling powers of Germany be a fulfilling of this Prophecy or whether we are yet to expect some more eminent and noted action than any we have hitherto seen I cannot determine 2 Another attempt which shall be after this and most probably towards the end of the three days and a half viz. to make war with a remnant of the Womans seed that shall within this time stand up for Christ in some other corner of the world But of this more anon SECT IV. OBjection 2. Against our former method it may be objected That this our opinion supposeth the Woman to be come out of the Wilderness and afterwards to go in again and if so then must the Womans continuance in the Wilderness the first and the second time be upwards of one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes for so long she was the first time onely vers 6. and if so then must the time of the Beasts reign his treading underfoot the Holy City the Witnesses wearing sackcloth which for time are the same with this be likewise upwards of One thousand two hundred and sixty dayes Answ The first Supposition granted the other indeed will necessarily follow but that we deny affirming that the Woman is here spoken of as if come out of the Wilderness at this time of the War in Heaven though indeed in it and that for one or both these reasons either First Because by her great victories and successes against her enemy the Dragon under the noble Swedish King she seemed in a manner to be got out of the Wilderness and to have put off her sackcloth and therefore is spoken of as if come out because in appearance for a while she was so giving check to the proud Dragon Secondly Because the time of her being in the Wilderness after this though short yet was to be a more black and dismal time than all the time before and she was to meet with sufferings of another kind than ever yet she had and therefore it is spoken of as though it were another and a new time though yet indeed but a part of the other SECT V. OBjection 3. But it may be further objected That the former Position and method makes the Apocalyptical time times and a half repugnant to and irreconcilable with Daniels time times and a half Answ 1. It is a known maxim that Scriptures more dark are to be interpreted by Scriptures more clear Now it being confessed on all hands that Johns light is the more clear we are therefore to make John interpretative of Daniel and not Daniel of John Secondly Compare Daniel with Daniel and follow this rule to â—nterpret that which is more dark by that which is more clear and Daniel himself speaks positively to our Assertion Thrice in Daniel we have the word time or times used in a mystical sense Dan. 4.32 Seven times shall pass over thee Chap. 7.25 Vntill a time times and the dividing of time Chap. 12.7 It shall be for a time times and a half In the first of these we have little mystery but the two last have in them much mystery Now consider whether it is most likely that we should interpret the two last places in a sense different from the first or whether are we to interpret them by the first surely it is most safe to say that we are to interpret them by the first not only because the first is the more clear but also because the first seems to me to be therefore laid down before the other that it might be a Standard of light to guide us into the mind of the Holy Ghost in the other If so then the seven times that were to pass over Nebuchadnezzar whilst he was to eat grass like Oxen being no other but seven years must we also understand the time times and a half or the time times and dividing of time of three years and a half onely as I have formerly noted But thirdly To come to the places themselves where the bottom of this scruple lies which are Dan. 7.25 chap. 12.7 I suppose let them be throughly weighed and it will appear that the time times and a half will as well if not better bear our sense of three years and a half then the other which interprets them one thousand two hundred and sixty years I shall begin with Chap. 12.7 and the rather because the words there opened will help us to the mind of the Holy Ghost in the other Now the Question is Whether are we to understand the time times and a half in that place of one thousand two hundred and sixty years or onely of three years and a half I answer of three years and a half and that appears upon this account In vers 6. we have a Question put in Daniels hearing How long it should be unto the end of Wonders To this Question we have a two-fold answer given First A more dark Answer vers 7. Secondly A more