two moneths p. 206. l. 2. r. this creation p. 234. l. 18. r. their owne p. 240. l. 24. r. while p. 267. l. 29. for Spirit r. sixt p. 282. l. 18. for bouble r. double THE REIGNE OF GOD. PSALME 97.1 2. The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce let the multitude of Isles be glad thereof Clouds and darknesse are round about him righteousnesse and judgement are the habitation of his Throne HEre 's good newes glad tidings The Lord reigneth It cannot be published without praise without rejoycing without singing without blessing We should dishonour this truth if we should not publish it if we should with silence suppresse it if we should not speak well of it It is so sweet and comfortable that it fils the whole world with joy and cals in every eare and every tongue and every heart to be glad to rejoyce and to praise God Let the Earth rejoyce and the multitude of the Isles be glad As though he should say Let nothing fear but hell let nothing be disquieted but devils Let the lowest the poorest of the People of God though but Earth yet let them rejoyce in this The Lord Reigneth First Here is the thing affirmed The Lord reigneth Secondly Here is the use of it or the inference that is made from it Let the Earth rejoyce and the multitude of Isles be glad Thirdly Here is the means by which he ascends into the Throne Clouds and darkness are round about him First Here is a plain and certain Proposition affirmed The Lord Reigneh The Lord saith it and the Lord is it What ever the Lord saith it is a Kingdome what ever he is he is a Kingdome Men have Reigned and when men Reign God Reigns to by men and it was alwaies true That all the Kingdomes of the Earth were the Lords and his Christs and so all the Kings of the Earth have been the Reign of God in figure God hath Reigned in them as in types but that which we must now affirm which the Lord affirms is the immediate Reign of God such as that is which is expressed Rev. 11. Thou who wast art and art to come hast taken to thee thy great power and hast Reigned God did Reign invisibly while men Reigned visibly or God Reigned because he gave Reign to others but as there is his Reigne in giving so there is his Reign in taking Thou hast taken to thee thy great power The Lord takes Reign and Kingdome and Power into himself he takes off the Crown from the heads of Princes and sets it on his own head It was adminstred before by instruments now God administers power immediately by himself The other Reign was a lesse this the great Reign Hast taken to thee thy great power The greatest Power that ever the Lord gave to men is nothing to that power which Christ will put forth when he Reigns himself And observe the companion of this power When thou reignest the Nations are angry When God Reigns the devill rages when God comes to set up his power there is wrath and violence in the mindes of the men of the world and when you see this violence and rage in the mindes of the men of the world it is a sure sign that God hath taken the Kingdome Power and strength from them Here 's two things of very sweet consideration 1. The Reign of the Lord and 2. The Reign of the Lord in the Saints First This Kingdome that God is now setting up is his everlasting Kingdome It will not be administred by the weaknesse of man but by the power of God not by the folly of man but by the judgement of God God will in this Kingdome nakedly manifest his own righteousnesse his own compassion and pitie his own love his own peace Hee will doe all things immediately by his owne self And therefore all the pride and ambition all the oppression and tyranny and miscarriages that hath been in the government of men shall be wholly taken away Pure righteousnesse and judgement and equity shall be infallibly dispensed and infinite power strength holinesse goodnesse and authority shall shine forth nakedly in the face of God and that shall be the Judge of all men Wee shall no longer be abused and oppressed by the will of men by the lusts of men The poor people shall no longer groan under the burden of mens lusts nor sweat for the pleasure and contents of men nor their faces any longer be ground by the hardnesse of the spirit of men but they shall be under the protection of God The great cry now of the people is Let 's have a King Ye shall have one one that will reign in righteousnesse the LORD himself Secondly And this Reign of the Lord shall be in his Saints according to that in Dan. 7.27 And the kingdome and dominion and the greatnesse 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 kingdom and all dominions shall serve obey him As this kingdom shal be administred in the glory of God so also in the sweetnesse and gentlenesse of man by brethren by friends by the Saints of the most High God lifting up himself in the Saints will administer this Reign and as he will do it by the Saints so he will doe it by the softnesse and tendernesse of the Saints The kingdome and dominion under the whole earth shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High Itâ— now doing that ye shall obey none but the Lord ye shall know no other laws but the Law of God ye shall know no other Master but Jehovah He hath made us Priests and Kings and we shall reign with him on earth This nature of ours this body of ours shall reign with Christ with God and that upon earth The Lord reignes The Lord hath served hath been hitherto much yea mostly in the forme of a servant It hath been as it were the businesse of the Lord whilst this world stood to give supplies to men to serve men to give men strength and wisdome and riches and authority and power that men might be great and happy with the goodnesse of God and in this God hath been King too but in an under way As saith the Lord I have served with your sinnes and lusts now he will no longer serve but Reigne God will take all the Power and Authority into his own hands Hee will not be any longer under men but above all men It s time He should be so Its reason Hee should be so It s just He should be so Every thing now must bowe stoop submit to the Law and rule and will of God No man shall any longer say it shall be so because it is my will to have it so there shall not be found an heart or tongue that shall move against the Dominion of the Lord. Satan hath been a Prince hee hath made Lawes
of your captivity and misery Hee hath kept you to his task to doe him service He hath said Be angry and then you have been full of rage He hath said Be covetous and then you have been full of covetousnesse He hath said Bee Dark and then you have beene full of blindnesse Hee hath said Be proud and then yee have been full of haughtinesse And so he hath but by Divine will tormented the world The sting of Satans whips are in your consciences I know His errors mistakes have beene in the kingdome of darknesse in you that you do not know God the holy will of God You would come into the enjoyment of God Satan will not let you you would know God hee will not suffer you You would be wise unto Salvation hee will not permit you Hee hath fettered you with his chains of darknesse hee hath captivated your judgements he hath made you to grinde at his mill and to drudge in his service and hath made you to cry-out O when will the Lord come But now his wicked Reigne is at an end what yee had yee shall want and what yee want ye shall have what hath been shall not be that which shall be must bee and cannot chuse but be ye shall have Love because the Law of God is Love and ye shall have peace because the Kingdome of God is peace and yee shall have light because this Inheritance is Marvelous light yee shal have righteousnesse because this state is true holinesse ye shall have liberty setlednesse stability and every good thing in this Kingdome of God It s alwaies ill with us while Satan reigns It s alwaies wel with us while God Reignes when our Husband is King we shall have Preferment and honour and riches and greatnesse and power and authority because our God Reignes The Lord Reignes for us the Lord takes his Kingdome and it is for us the Lord hath Reigned in himself all this while now hee Reignes by us the Lord counts himselfe not to have a Kingdome till Wee have it with him The Lord thinks himself meane and despised till We are exalted He is poore without US He is weake while absent from US Hee is not himself unlesse hee enjoyes US Thou art my Excellency my First-borne The power of God is in weaknesse till We become almighty The Kingdome of God is in darknesse till Wee shine it forth The treasures of God were of no worth to Him if We were not his richest jewels The Lord doth Reign This is not to be passed by it s in the present tense This is the Song that wee heare and see Angels sing The Elders and Saints in Heaven sing it perpetually we daily hear it Hallelujah Hallelujah The Lord Reigneth There is administered into our hearts and eares An Hallelujah The Lord Reignes indeed every creature speaks it all in Heaven and Earth All these powers and darknesses on the face of the Earth speak out this aloud The Lord Reignes Your King hath taken power to himself and from every thing else The Lord doth Reign and saith I AM UPON MY THRONE I AM GREAT NONE IS GREAT BUT MY SELFE I AM KING I HAVE THE SCEPTER IN MY HAND I AM POWERFUL NONE IS POWERFUL BUT I. All the power of men is broken All the Thrones of men are shattered into dust All the wisdome of men is turned into folly All the strength of men is melted into weaknesse and water The meltings and moulderings away of the powers and dignities of the world speaks it aloud The LORD Reigns Let the Earth rejoyce and the multitude of the Isles be glad This Reign torments none but wickednes and wicked men The devil and his children may be dismaied but let Heaven and Earth rejoyce The Heavens they doe rejoyce All Saints all Angels Christ and all his members they sing in this Kingdome But that 's not enough that Heaven shall rejoyce but Earth too Poor Adam That 's his name Earth Poor man poor earthy man low Earth The lowest of the creation the basest and meanest of the whole world Poor dark Earth Let this creation which is Earth let it rejoyce Let men and women and children relations and comforts estates all the things of this World Religion worship gifts trading dealing eating drinking let all these things rejoyce Object Why must not all these things be done away that God may Reign The evill of them shall be done away the sinfulnesse the basenesse and filthinesse of them shall be done away the corruption the vanity the infirmity of them shall be done away but this Earth must not be lost The Kingdome of God must be established in this Earth but the waies of men and men so far as they are acted by the devil so far they shall be done away and destroyed by the breath of the Lord be burnt up by the fire and Spirit of the Lord. As they are in emnity with God as they shut out God as they are below God as they doe not own and acknowledge God so they shall be done away And they shall all be taken up into fellowship with God purified and sanctified and restored Every thing shall be brought up into the holinesse of God the nature of God the being of God the Spirit of God Therefore let the Earth rejoyce It s good newes for the poorest creature that dwels in darknesse that lives below that are strangers from Heaven that dwell at a great distance from God You that live below in the world in the meanest or lowest condition rejoyce God is come to dwell amongst you God is come to restore you to make you all new A new Heaven and a new Earth and nothing shall be troubled but the Sea The confusion of the devil that shall roar be vexed and tormented but the low poor simple Earth The mean Earth whatsoever is pure Earth those whose hearts are not set against God and Christ so far as there is submission to the Lord and subjection to God If ye are not fierce violent and mad against the appearing of a holy God rejoyce though ye be never so low But if yee quarrell with God or are angry with him ye cannot rejoyce That the Lord should Reign Let the multitude of the Isles rejoyce There is a continent of Earth and there are Isles that are naturally divided from the firme land by water They are in a lower a weaker condition then firme Land And so here is a fuller discovery of the poor people of God that be as the multitude of Isles separated by the Sea from the firm land As Isles are divided from fellowship with the firm land by Sea and cannot passe to it without danger so there are people that are at a distance from God that are cut off from that firmnes and stability that others have in the Lord the Land of the living There are divisions between them and God and they are broken one from another by the Sea of darknesse that is
clouds and darknes you approach the throne Righteousnesse and judgement are there That is it you look for Righteousnesse Shall put an end to sin Dan. 9.24 Righteousnesse and holinesse shall dwell so stabilly with us as it shall blot out all iniquity and make an end of sinne That wretched thing that hath been the reason of all plagues the root of all mischief the ground of vexation in all families he shall make an end of all this of all sinne God will be revenged of it by putting an end to it Ye shall not finde a sinne out of hell nor a sinner out of hell Sin shall be in its own place ye shall see wickednesse no where but in the devil and wicked men and them ye shall see in hell for their sin shall carry hell apparently with it But the Saints shall be free The LORD reigns Not so long as sinne is amongst US and abides with US so long as sin is there is a Traitour to his Kingdome and he hath no quiet reign But the LORD will have a constant habitation of holinesse that sinne shall appear no where but in the devil and hell And where ever you shall see sin you shall be able to say There is hell sinne and its torment together Sin shall carry hell in its bowels The very face of hell and devil in every sin The light of God shall break forth so clearly that it will judge and manifest all the works of darknesse Are the Habitation of his Throne All these waies of God that he is now dispensing come from the throne of God All these Clouds and judgements against King Parliament Cavaleers Army they al flow from the throne and are all dispensed in most exact righteousnesse and judgement there 's no fear of ruine of those that are the Lords All is in judgement and righteousnesse to destroy the wicked but to save his own people and to bring them out of the powers of darkenesse unto the throne of God There is no reason to be offended at that which comes from the throne of God these dispensations are confusions to men to the reason and wisdome of men but they are the wisdome and judgement of God and God doth dispense them with an exact hand with a watchfull eye with a tender care towards his own people not a hair of their head shall fall to the ground Nothing shall suffer in any of you but unrighteousnesse and sinne so farre as you are unrighteous worldly and wicked so farre yea shall suffer and no more God is in every sparke of this Fire in every corner of this Flame in every inch of these clouds in every jot of this darknesse therefore rejoyce and be glad all ye Saints the weakest the poorest the lowest the meanest of Saints Rejoyce for the Lord Reigneth The end of the first Sermon Psalm 97. 1 2 3 4 5 6. verses The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce let the multitude of Isles be glad thereof Clouds and darknesse are round about him righteousnesse and judgement are the habitation of his throne A fire goeth before him and burneth up his enemies round about His lightnings enlightned the world the earth saw and trembled The hils melted like waxe at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth The heavens declare his righteousnesse and all the people see his glory THe great point wee have in hand is The Reign of God Which is first asserted The Lord doth Reign And then made good In the Second verse Clouds and darknesse are round about him testifying that hee is come and hee doth Reign Wee have a Cloud of witnesses testifying this truth The Lord doth Reign And darknesse it self speaks him That which is farthest from him that declares him and if wee come within him and come nearer to him we shall finde a consent of righteousnesse and judgement as the habitation of his Throne Righteousnes The righteousnesse of God the Father in whom all things are righteous and to whom all things in righteousnesse doth belong all things in righteousnesse are in him all things in righteousnesse are due to him here 's judgment too that is the excellency of Christ Psalm 94.15 Judgement shall returne to righteousnesse the Son returnes to the Father All things are in the Father in righteousnesse all things are in the Son in wisdome in judgement all things are in the Father as in their proper center all things are brought forth in Christ in their right order in Judgement Righteousnesse and judgment are the habitation of his Throne These two are the Foundation of his Throne The Spirit of God or God exalted and lifted up in these two Righteousnesse and Judgement is a Throne or the Righteousness of the Father and the Judgement of the Son exalted and triumphing in the Spirit is the Throne The Righteousness of the Father and the Wisdome of the Son Reignes in the Spirit is in-thron'd in the Spirit is exalted and lifted up and establisht eternally in truth in the Spirit And wee are made saith the Apostle Eph. 2.22 ver through the Spirit the habitation of God the words are In whom yee also are builded an habitation of God through the Spirit The Spirit building up man in its owne holy forme and enlarging of him into himself is this habitation of God Righteousnesse and Judgement In-thron'd in US In man this is the inward and spirituall view and sight of God if you stand without in the world there is darknesse if yee come higher into the clouds there is no cleare view sight and injoyment of him If yee are in any thing that is about him there is nothing but darknesse round about him but come within him into his Throne into his presence and there you will see righteousnesse and judgement set up exalted In-throu'd Righteousnesse in the Reigne of God is In-thron'd Iniquity and transgression is done away in the holinesse of God and he makes us by his own Reign in us holy as he is holy Hee doth wholly blot out Iniquity and makes US the seate and habitation of Righteousnesse and gives us righteous judgements righteous understandings a cleare and sound judgement in all things These two righteousnesse and judgement raised and exalted are the greatest glory and purity of the Kingdome of God in the holy Spirit But here are yet further testimonies that it may bee will bee more effectuall to most Christians most men being without those proofs of the Reigne of God that are without are foonest and easiest accepted fleshly signes much take fleshly Christians A Fire goeth before him and burneth up his enemies round about him The forerunner of God Now is fire not John the Baptist that went before the flesh of Christ and ushered him in but an Elias in a Fierie Chariot The messengers that goe before God now are all fierie he makes his Angels spirits and his ministers flames of fire And therefore it s said hee comes in flames of
in their world Broken in their understandings broken in their apprehensions broken in their peace broken in their strength broken in their joyes broken in their waies and they float in the Sea and waters of fears cares disquietnesses are round about them and beat upon them that know not how to have fellowship with God in a setled state Yet Let the multitude of the Isles be glad Indeed all the states of the Earth are broken in peeces by flouds and inundations And therefore let the multitude of the Isles be glad It is the Kingdome of the Lord that makes you to be Isles It is the floud of the Spirit of God that divides you from that stability and firmnesse that ye had The Isles shall hear the Word of the LORD The divided and broken state and condition of men shall hear the word of the LORD Those persons that are at the greatest distance from God from constant trading and dealing with God let them be glad and rejoyce It is the LORD hath broken US off from the Earth from that stability and firmnes that we had in our selves that we might have it in himself that so he might make US a new Kingdome He hath divided US from the Land that He might plant himself a Kingdome in US that He might make many Kingdomes for his own glory and righteousnesse to dwell in Neither is this without respect to a litterall sense This Reign of God first begins in Isles it rises up in little Isles before it appears in the great Empires of the world God will appear first in these lowest parts of the Earth Let the multitude of the Isles rejoyce Let the whole bundle of Isles England Scotland and Ireland rejoyce Let the multitude of Isles be glad It is visibly and sensibly a time of the greatest sadnesse that ever was but really and truly and in a spiritual sense it is a time of the greatest joy and gladnesse that ever was To see things in the Lord is the time of the greatest rejoycing and truest gladnesse This is the time of the LORDS Reigne and the time of Englands rejoycing If England knew her own time but we know noâ— our seasons and this is it that makes us uncomfortable and unsutable to our conditions The Lord Reigns and this is the greatest cause of mirth and joy that ever the earth had Let the earth rejoyce Poor earth hath been in bondage and captivity but now let the earth rejoyce We have been under the protection of men yea under the government of Satan for so long as wee are governed by any thing at a distance from God there is a mixture of Satan in it now we are under the protection of God The Lord hath broken the rod of the oppressour And now we shall have the end of our hopes and expectations the end of our praiers now wee shall have peace now we shall have settlement and stability now we shall have Reformation indeed now we shall have every thing that we have desired and our hearts have longed for freedome from oppression love quietnesse righteousnesse justice propriety full trade all in an heavenly holy glorious righteous spirituall eternall sure everlasting way for this kingdome of God hath in it all greatnesse fulnesse freenesse riches pomp state goodnesse and to this end it is said Hee shall come that is the desire of all Nations Therefore sit down and say what you will have If you will have it in God in an heavenly way ye shall but if in a way of flesh and darknesse and fear out of the pure light of God ye shall not Clouds and darknesse are round about him God that is the greatest light dwels in thick darknesse God is surrounded with darknesse And this is your joy now that in that darknesse that ye see upon the face of the Earth ye see God dwelling in it and your selves with him While you are without it its sad Doe but come in thorow this darknesse and there is light within it The light of God And these Clouds of darknesse are clouds of Witnesses that manifest and testifie the presence of the Lord. Christ comes in the clouds O how visible these clouds are now to the eye of reason What a thick cloud hangs over the City What a grosse thick cloud hangs over the Parliament What a black dark cloud hangs over the Army There 's none of them can see where they are what they doe or one another The clouds are so thick that one neighbour or friend knows not another can not trust one another What a cloud is there in the Countrey How these clouds doe gather every where If you will not see you may be ignorant but if ye will see the Lord is in these clouds What darknesses and clouds of opinions are there in the spirits of men What strange darknes there is in the minds of men Most men grope and feel after God and truely there are none can set a right step towards him What dark affections are there in man Dark fear darke anger darke disquietnesse and confusion Clouds and darknesse are round about him Every where where God is not you will finde clouds and darknes but in the face of God there you shall see glory and brightnesse There is nothing to be seen but clouds in all things save in the face of God and there it is bright and clear day God gathering in all fair weather light and brightnesse into himself So that indeed if you will live any where but in God you must live in clouds and darknes Every where else there is not a beam of light but every thing grows thicker and darker till it come to a very hell an eternall night only there is light in the face of God Yet now rejoyce These clouds are round about God and though you doe not see him because ye are in the dark yet he is neer you and he dwels secretly and sweetly in the midst of these clouds that shade and darken all the earth and you shall finde that God will suddenly step up into his throne and reign in light and brightnesse Will you not receive God in a cloud Are ye not contented with a cloud of darknes that so ye may meet with God there God comes cloathed in this darknesse God comes in a cloudy day with fire wasting and consuming all the world yet O who would not leap into those flames to meet God Be not startled at these dark clouds because God is in them but rejoyce Let these clouds come into your estates houses means and enjoyments Let them come in for God is there Welcome them rejoyce in them and be comforted for God rides upon them He rides in triumph upon them These clouds are his Gharriot and all the powers of the Kings of the Earth hee beats into dust and it flies about him therfore goe and meet the Lord in these clouds and dusts Righteousnesse and judgement are the Habitation of his Throne Thorow
God which have been the safety peace and comfort of the World these hils will melt like waxe Those glorious Angelicall Excellencies those Excellent good things that Angels have produced in the world and which are nearer to God then Poor base man WISDOME KNOWLEDGE UNDERSTANDING JUSTICE ORDER GOVERNMENT these Hils melt like waxe There is not an Angel in Heaven able to maintain any of his works Those excellent hils before spoken of melt downe before the brightnesse of the LORD And though man will not see yet the mountains and hils upon which they live sinke under them Secretly and unsensibly doe the mountains of all humane confidence melt under them There is a fearfull desolation of all the Powers and strength of the world And those High exaltations of them how they melt away How low doth the high spirits of men fall How doth our strength and confidence and that staff which we leaned upon waste and consume away And in what a deep consumption are all the good things of the world Melted like wax The glory of man or man refined as we may say is like wax The LORD makes poor earth fine Images of Himselfe in wax He doth set up and drawes poor Earth in some likenesse to Himselfe Gives him His own Image Wisdome Justice Holinesse But when he comes Himselfe He then melts this picture melts these Images And therefore where humane strength is in its greatest power exalting it self in it greatest height It now appears what it is to be Earth to be wax and when God in his glory and brightnes appears it gives place to the heat of God to the fire of God That which as yet ye have seen of God is but waxen Images of God and God hath hitherto upheld them by his absence but now because he comes they go they give place Like waxe at the presence of the LORD Man would be if God were not present You would injoy whatsoever you injoy if the presence of the LORD did not melt it away if the light of God did not come if a greater light did not out-shine this Creation The Sun would not be turned into darknes nor the Moon into bloud If the presence of the LORD the Son of righteousnesse did not rise it would be still the day of man nothing would destroy the glory of the world Satan hath bin at the worke a great while hee hath been hacking at it to bring the world to confusion and the men of the world have been digging at the root of the world and would fain over-turn it though they would fain keep it for themselves but it hath stood till now and now it melts now the presence of the LORD shall cause it to melt away Rev. 20.11 At whose face the Earth and Heavens fled away and there was no place found for them Kingdoms Powers Governments Dignities Righteousnesse Justice and all at this appearance of the LORD say Come le ts goe into confusion and darknesse for here is a light come that confumes us our work is done we were to give a representation of God till He came and now Hee is come there is no more place for us There is no place for Images and Pictures where God is Where the brightnesse and majesty of God comes no place for man no place for creatures no place for worldly and earthly things The majesty brightness and glory of the LORD cannot endure them nor they it but GOD sits them flying and they themselves hasten away At the presence of the LORD of the whole Earth It is the presence of the LORD nothing but the presence of the LORD it is the LORD Himselfe the LORD Himselfe in His owne presence It is My own Face saies the LORD of the whole Earth the Earth I made My foot-stool it hath had some print of My feet and as it hath served Me in its being till I came so now it serves Mee in its departing The earth is Mine I made it it s Mine I disolve it I am LORD of all these things by My presence I gave them a being by a greater presence I dissolve them They obeyed Me in their being they obey Me in their not being I by My Word brought them out of confusion out of nothing and now they obey My Word in returning to that emptines and confusion againe They served Mee when I brought them forth they serve Me at their return Satan hath had the Earth hee shall have it no longer Men have had the Earth they shall possesse it no longer saies the Lord I will possesse it My self I will enjoy it My self I will redeem it from that bondage it hath bin in by wicked and ungodly men and Satan I am LORD of the whole earth Here are quick short dark low remote hints of God of the presence of God but if yee are not yet sensible of it come up higher and further and you shall have a clear Discovery The Heavens declare the righteousnes of God and all people see his glory Come to the open heavens creep out of the earth of worldly affairs and businesses and come into the open state of Heaven and you shall see the righteousnesse of God declared the heavenly discovery of God the Spirit of the LORD and the true presence of the LORD are so visible that al the people that are therin do see the glory of God For truly if you be men you are there in this heaven otherwise you are not worthy the name of men but beasts In heaven the righteousnesse of God is so fully declared that there 's no question to be made of it it s so openly so fully discovered so largely declared that there is nothing else done nothing else spoken of but the Kingdome righteousnesse and glory of God and all the people and all the spirituall people that have got out of their fetters their banishments that are got home to their owne places See this glory of God The most earthly craatures have some heart-meltings breakings shakings terrours troubles upon their spirits by the appearing of God by the lightnings and enlightnings of God this fire of God but those who are heavened into the spirit of God who are awaked into the true life of God where the righteousnesse and glory of God are openly discovered where there 's a full declaration of things as they are in themselves they clearly and manifestly see the glory of God Beholding with open face the glory of God and are changed into the same image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the LORD The end of the second Sermon THE COMMING OF THE KING of ZION Zechariah 9.9 Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem Behold thy King commeth unto thee he is just and having salvation lowly and riding upon an Asse and upon a colt the fole of an Asse ZION hath long suffered but must be delivered Zion hath long mourn'd but we have here a Voice that turns our mournings
salvation where ever he is Saith Antichrist I 'le give you a cleare discovery of all things I 'le give you peace No saith the Elect I am already with Christ I am nothing but what He is Hee is nothing but what I am I am with Him and in Him He is with me and in me why should I goe out after another For as the lightning c. Jesus Christ is the lowest state and condition in which you can be and he comes quick as lightning and then as lightning wil give you and is giving you the ful discovery of all things When he is in you at the depth the lowest point the centre of hell the bottom of the grave it is that hee might give you a full Restoration of all things The lightning from east to west makes east and west meet together so this appearing of the Son of God darkens flesh confounds man and makes the highest glory of God to be in the lowest pit and takes the lowest state of darknesse into the highest pich of light By these flashes flesh shal be blasted and destroied and consumed These blasts of the Spirit of the Lord doth open US and enlarge US to a large comprehension of all things of all in the East of all in the West of all above and all below Til wee be low we can't be high til we be the worst we cannot be the best and we are best when we are worst in the greatest darknesse He is present in the bottom and heart of such tribulations that all before it is nothing to it and nothing is like it that comes after it In this tribulation not to see and know Jesus Christ in this tribulation to have longing desires and then to have peace and deliverance seemingly tendered to us by a tempter we cannot but obhor it to have joy and gladnesse sounded in our eares and not be able to touch it What an extreamity is here The absence of the highest good the presence of the greatest evill our desires not answered by God and answered by Satan Out of this darknesse wil Christ arise out of the extreamity of deaths and confusions doth the Son nf God arise it is as nesesary ye should bee brought into this state as it is that the Night should go before the Day But first must hee suffer many things and be rejected of this generation The Desciples of God shal not injoy Christ til they have rejected him Ye must forsake him and leave him and bee Pharisees and persecute him before ye can be Coroned with Him That which is in a high degree malignity in the Pharisees is in a lesse degree and qualified in the Disciples the Pharisees killing the Disciples departing it s all flesh man weaknesse and ignorance Before any man see The Kingdome of GOD he must first reject it Doe ye long to see the Kingdome of GOD Do ye say When wil it come How shal I see it Where is it Ye shal not see it til He suffers by you Ye shal do him many injuries before ye know him Ye shal be offended at him ye shal stumble and fall and reject him before ye finde him Ye shal never be acquainted with Christ til ye know that ye have Murthered Him til ye have killed Him and beheaded Him and hanged Him He must suffer many things of YOV He must be rejected of the best of you and the best in you and the best of the best of you Ye shal reject hate and persecute Him before the kingdome of GOD can come in you Object I know you wil say Must wee be guilty of this wickednesse Is there such wretchednes in the heart of man to doe thus Why have you such hard thoughts of us Thus speaks the flesh But thus saith the LORD The Son of man must suffer many things from this generation Christ must suffer from some and be rejected by others some are so wicked as to kill him others so unbelieving as to forsake him some so cruel as to slay him some so faint as to leave him and not to own him some revile him others shake their heads and cannot tel what to think of him some cry out violently against him others are not able to speak a word for him Ye shal never see the LORD til ye can say this is he whom we have peirced this is he that I reviled that I hated Thus speaks Christ If ye stand upon termes and say What we crucifie Christ O God forbid that we should crucifie our Saviour the LORD of glory What we that are Gods own People Jews and Disciples we that are his own deare Children and shall be saved by him To whom Christ wil say If I suffer not by you I will not be deliverance to you If ye are so nice and curious that ye wil not make me a sacrifice ye shal never feed upon me If ever you see me you wil see you have pierced and murthered me I will save none but those that kill me If ye wil not owne that ye have slaine me ye shall not injoy me ye shal never eat my flesh and drinke my bloud unlesse ye slay my flesh and spill my bloud Jesus Christ suffers by all men which is clear in this That in all ye have in al that ye doe in all that ye are and in al that ye speak nothing is free from the bloud of Jesus nothing that ye doe speak live or act in the highest devoutest and most glorious way ye wil finde is nothing but Murther Murther and Bloud killing the LORD of life Yea It is necessary he must suffer by you hee wil not finde a throne in you til he hath found a grave in you heâ— wil not be raised in you til he hath been dead and buried in you ye shal never see him in the resurrection til ye see him kil'd and then he wil rise againe in your hearts this Son of righteousnesse wil arise with healing in his wings to your everlasting joy peace and comfort The end of the fifth Sermon THE EXCELLENCY OF THE LOVE of GOD. PSALM 36.7 8. How Excellent is thy loving kindnesse O God! therfore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings They shall be aboundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house and thou shalt make them drinke of the river of thy pleasure THis Psalm doth fitly set forth unto us the estate and condition of these times wherin wickednes increaseth and so in the former part of the Psalm is a discovery of wickednesse ver 3. the words of his mouth are iniquity and deseit he hath left of to be wise and to doe good Men now speak nothing but wickednesse and deceit and have left off to be wise they have left off to doe good and set themselves in a way which is not good abhorre not evil And what should we do when there is such wickednesse in the earth In the fift verse Thy mercy O Lord is in
he that hath the least acquaintance with God though a babe and childe yet he shal be able to puff at them to despise all the glory and strength and power of the creature The children of men The new man is the LORD from Heaven children and men and the children of men all believe the great God of Heaven and Earth children with Christ the holy childe Jesus The children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings Grown men shal come into the light of thy countenance but Children shall trust under the shadow of thy wings The LORDS wings take the near unto himself but the shadow of his winds takes in the most poorest and weakest the shadow of his wings reaches very far The excellency of the loving kindnesse of God makes every one glad to gather near unto him and glad to get under shelter of the name of the LORD glad that they can in the least manner be shadowed and kept by the goodnesse of God it is that which the LORD saith How often would I have gathered you together as a hen gathereth her chicken under her wings c. It is an expression often used in Scripture covering with wings the wings of God I will carry you upon Eagles wings As birds flying so will the LORD defend Jerusalem It shewes the excellency of the goodnes of God his spirit his power is to his in the worst times soft and tender as feathered wings when God is the hardest and ruffest to the world then is he gentlest as feathered wings to his people or that great darknesse that is upon the world and upon the enemies of God is but shadowes of Gods wings to his own people and we seeing these troubles that are abroad in the world we know they are but the shadowes of Gods wings with which he doth cover his people and when God opens and spreads forth his wings and causeth that darknes and confusion to be upon the people its cause of joy and comfort to his people for they see them to be the wings of God in which they have peace and rest and therefore that which is the worlds trouble is our safety that which is the worlds grief is our joy and that which is the worlds and the men of the earths disquietnesse is our comfort and consolation When wee see these motions and commotions wars and tumults in and upon the earth then God is risen from his seat and he is flying he is upon his wings and therefore as the world the flesh the earth dreads these things and runs from them the children of God shal run to them and put their trust in them what though wee doe not see the face of God in brightnes and clearnesse yet I see this is the shadow of his wings though I doe not triumpt with him upon the Throne yet I see this is the shadow of himself Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings The weakest and poorest Saints of God shall be able ney are able to put confidence and trust in God in trouble and that which darkens the joy and comfort of others is a comfort and shelter to the Saints and that which they so much complaine of That the Sunne is turned into darknesse all our ligts created comforts and peace appears to be nothing but darknesse yet this is a shadow a shelter unto them and they shall see that this is the wing of God by which he will carry us up into himself And though God doth not walke with us in the setled way of creatures as he hath done yet wee see him flying about us with the wings of his own Spirit with the wings of his own favour and love so there is a shelter and safety for us but that is not enough though this be good for children for the children of men but they shall also be aboundantly satisfied with the fatnes of thy house They shall be abundantly satisfiid with the fatnesse of thy house I shal rejoyce a little to speake of these words Protection is very sweet to lie down in the shadow of God the hollow of GODS hand is very comfortable but not onely so But they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house heer 's not onely protection and safety but food and plenty satisfaction abundance of satisfaction and that of the richest and chiefest of all Fatnesse and that in the house of God wee shal be alwaies full we shal alwaies feast we shal alwaies have our table richly furnished we shal continually have bread enough and our waters shal not faile wee shal want nothing we shal not say of any thing I would we had this or if we had this or that it would be wel with us wee shal see compleatnesse not a desire unsatisfied not a longing expression unles longing it selfe may have its satisfaction in it self not a desire but shall be satisfied and then the desire shal be satisfaction it selfe and this is the greatest happines that is satisfaction and dissatisfaction is the root of unquietnesse to look for and long for that which you dave not is restlesnesse but in this enjoyment of God wee have alwaies what wee would have the LORD wil so manifest himself that wee shal not say of any thing wee would have this wee shal never be baging and craving but alwaies enjoying never be hungering unlesse hunger sets an appetite to heavenly things and so makes them more delightful to us wee have nothing present that shall be absent there shal bee no corner of our heart unfill'd but every thing shal be compleated every thing shal have enough so we shal be satisfied And abundantly satisfied Not a little but very large satisfaction abundant of satisfaction we have enough and shal have enough and to spare we shal have overflowings of light peace joy power strength and of every good thing The LORD our GOD feeds us not in a nigerdly way but gives us abundance enough to spare we have more then wee are able to receive more then we are able to carry or makes us know such abundance that if it were not a abundance it would be a burthen to us so thronged with joy comfort peace wisdome power and strength that if it were not GOD we might complain we had too much it doth superabound all nessessaries all wants it 's even more then we desire onely we have a desire created in it if there be any difficulty it is because it 's too much too great too large if we have any reason to complain it is because it 's excessive and if any desires come from us it is that God would withhold and if any paine it 's because we cannot stand under the weight of glory But this is goodnesse to be overcome with this fulnesse drowned with mercy We are even laden with blessings and because they are blessings they are no loads else it would be a huge load indeed if
in the anointed ones or the anointing of the Spirit in the flesh of the Saints are the two Olive trees and the two golden candlesticks standing by the Lord of the whole Earth Emanuel God with us God with man God in flesh And they have mighty power If any man hurt them fire proceeds out of their mouths to devoure their enemies If any thing within or without riseth up against Christ and the Spirit against these two Olive trees against these two witnesses prophesying fire proceeds out of their mouths and devoureth it If any man hurt them he must in this manner be killed They have great power though but prophesying and in sackcloth Fire proceeds out of their mouths c. Not materiall fire but spirituall fire The fire of God in the Iowest â—state of the two witnesses though but prophesying in sackcloth is very firce and terrible If any man rise up against the Test mony of Christ in Spirit against these two Olive trees they have power to destroy it fire proceeds from the Spirit torments consumes and destroyes it whatsoever riseth up against these two witnesses in this our age this fire it hath it doth constantly destroy and devour it up And I am sure of it the cause of all the devouring plagues that are upon the world in this age at this time the distractions and confusions that are upon all powers ecclesiasticall and civell is for the hurting and opposing the low poor and mean beginnings and appearances of the Lord in his witnesses And this be ye assured of if any man will hurt or oppose them be he never so great be he never so wise be he never so strong and powerfull be he never so rich wealthy be he never so devout and religious if he or they shall oppose the Spirit of the LORD Christ in his People in their prophesying either as they leave out the outward Court and holy City or as they are measuring the inward Temple and Alier as they are worshipping God in the Temple sacrificing and offering up their flesh and fleshlinesse I say whosoever shall make opposition against the Spirit and spirituall actings of the Lord Christ and his People must in this manner be killed Fire puoceedeth out of their mouths c. Fire shall destroy the whole world and all that which is of the world I have found that whatsoever in me hath risen up in opposition against these two witnesses the fire of the LORD hath fallen upon it and destroyed it and I have found that the two witnesses have power to shut heaven that it raine not These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the daies of their Prophesie When these two witnesses testify against any thing any man any creature any way any ordinances any judgement saying This is hethenisme this is gentileisme this is carnall this is fleshly this is the creature this is man and not God or of God presently it is destroyed consumed blasted and brought to nothing And in this they shall shut Heaven through men have formerly been sweetly affected by the power of grace yet when any thing in them hath risen up against these witnesses they have power to shut Heaven against them As they have power to open Heaven upon some so they hove power to shut Heaven upon others that is effectually to exclude all carnal fleshly earthly man from the showers and dewes of the grace of God Though they have made never so great a shew of holines religiousnes and godlines though they have been able to say much and execute what they say yet when the two witnesses have declared that it is not God it is not Christ it is not the holy one of God but it 's man it 's the flesh it 's the outward Court that is excluded not the inward Temple Therefore measure it not leave it out meddle not with it exclude it from having the dewes and showers of Heaven fall upon it let not the sweet distilling strerms of God fall upon it for it is not God nor off God Presently Heaven hath been shut and they have had no rain This we have experience of in their ministration This me have found with a bundance of justnesse When any man or any thing hath risen up against these witnesses these Prophets and so it hath been frequently seen though they have been never so glorious in the Word and under never so glorious professions of Gospel Christ free-grace the light of the knowledge of God Church felowships and such like notions as these yet When ever they have risen up against the Spirit of Christ so soon as the same Spirit hath declared and witnessed what they are presently they have deen blasted withered scattered and broken They have had no more Raine from Heaven and have withered as a plant that God hath not planted as a branch that hath had no showers And have power to turne water into Bloud This we have seen to for we speak nothing else but what wee have seen that whereas professors have formerly had many pleasant streames many sweet waters many refreshing comforts and joyes Immediately upon the Witnesses Prophesying all their sweet waters have been turned into bloud ordinances duties gifts when they are not spirituall and spiritually exercised the Witnesses Prophesying have turned them into-bloud into contention strife debate distraction and confusion And to smite the earth with all Plagues The Earth is Thy creation the subject on which these Plagues are inflicted Whenfoever the Spirit of the Lord appeares either on the right hand or on the left that is as Christ in flesh and Christ in Spirit whensoever these Two witnesses these two Anointed ones that stand by the LORD of the whole Earth shall testify and beare witnesse of flesh to be crucified killed and slain presently their testimony smite the Earth and all earthly things with Plagues These Prophets have the Power of God and all the Power of GOD and can smite the Earth with what Plagues they will I have found them Smiting the Earth with sicknesses spirituall sicknesses weaknesses consumptions leprosies plague-sores running-sores famine death warres feares frightings amazments wild-beasts with all these Plagues The Earth is now full of Plagues sent forth from the mouthes of these two witnesses And when they shall have finished their testimony the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit shall make warre against them and shall oversome them and kill them There is a time to Witnesse and a time to Finish their work and you have it here Prophesied that they must first Finish their Testimony and that they shall bee overcome and killed but not before they have finished their Testimony But How must they be killed The beast that ascends out of the bottomlesse pit shall made warre against them and kill them This Beast which ascends out of the bottomlesse pit is Antichrist Many speake of the slaying of the Witnesses and it is in many peoples mouthes now which
of the Lord to owne and confesse God amongst men and with confidence to looke men in the face Hell in the face Devils in the face To out-look out-speak out-act all our adversaries To say We live and God lives in us We dare owne our selves what we are We dare go up and down and act and speak in the Name of our God And they stood upon their feet Time was that the glory of God was carried about upon the shoulders of men The Prophets did testifie and witnes in the strength and by the strength of the creature and in and by the meanes and use of some creature gifts parts Scriptures experiences and such like things wherein God stood upon the shoulders of man upon the feet of man was upheld and borne up by the strength power and authority of the creature by reason by judgement by opinion by strength of argument c. but this they are now dead unto and now there appears in them a high a more excellent way the witnesses Christ in flesh and Spirit stand now upon their own feet upon their own strength simply and immediatly upon their own strength and power not leaning upon cratckes of man the wisdome of man the strength of man the parts of man not borrowing ought from any creature but standing barely upon their strength their own power their own authority And because they are the Saints of God therefor they stand and require not helpe from creatures Now they can say This authority God gives us this power doth God administer to us and this we dare challenge and claim being the holy ones of God being the anointed ones of God We need no strength from others wee care for no crartches wee lean upon none wee stand barely and simply upon the strength and power of our God We need no arguments to confirme us no reasons to parswade us no authority of men to strengthen us wee stand upon our own feet we dare say Heer we are in the Name of our God Because we are we are because we llve wee live And because we are the anointed of God therefore we act therefore we speak therefore we live and upon no other account at all And they stood upon their feet They yet are upon the Earth and have not wholly put off their earthlines though they are able to live to act to speak in the Name of the Lord yet they goe upon the ground Though they need not cratches yet they stand upon the Earth Afterwards they ascended up into Heaven into a higher and more spirituall life then this when they hear that great voyce from Heaven Come up hither The Feet the lower and inferiour part of the body are alwaies subject to defilement by dirt and filth of the Earth for they have continually fellowship with the Earth But these two witnesses though living in the earth though standing upon the Earth yet have some fellowship with the Lord of Heaven And great fear fell upon them that saw them Earthly men and they that dwell onely on the Earth when the witnesses are slaine they looke and expect that that state of death and darknes wherein they lie should utterly swallow them up O say they what a dark what a sad condition are they in While the witnesses prophesied and testified against the flesh against the strength and wisdome of man earthly men were troubled and cast down but when the witnesses are slain and lie dead in the streets without the actings of the life of God in them presently they conclude they are wholly destroyed O say they see what a sad state they are in they are quite undone they have lost their life their strength their joy their peace their comfort they are dead they are gone there is an end of them Thus they speak thinking they shall never revive again These are the thoughts and this is the language of earthly men but when they see them stand up upon their feet revive and live again O this strikes them to the very heart to see the Lord standing upon the Earth owning himself in his People is terrible and dreadfull to earthly men the glorious appearance of God strikes man to the very heart O I shall dye I have seen the Lord. So Daniel when he saw the Lord he fell upon his face So Job when his eyes had seen the Lord he repented in sack-coth and ashes And know this that the reviving grace the reviving Spirit of the Lord bringing up his holy ones from the depths of temptations and troubles to a state of life and joy is terrour to the world a terrour to them that see it When any thing of the appearance of God of the clear brightnes of the Lord breaks forth and speaks thus I am the Lord the holy one of God man cannot stand he fears he trembles he fals down as dead when men live onely in the light and strength of God then great feare fals on them that see them Great fear fell upon them It fals irresistably they cannot avoid it every creature that is earthly within or without Fear fals upon them Fear surprizeth them at the reviving of the witnesses I know palenesse and sadnesse fears and astonishments and great troubles fall upon the flesh of man It hath upon me and it doth upon the flesh of man and upon al that hear any thing of the tidings of the appearing of Jesus Christ I say The reviving of the witnesses the enterance of the life of God into them the quickning the appearing of Jesus Christ in the Spirit God being in man and man being in God this life of God strikes horrour terrour and amazment into the hearts of earthly and carnall men It fals upon them like a Milstone it breaks them to peeces it grinds them to powder Men are weak things poore things base things fearfull things guilty things and therefore fearfull things full of bondage and slavish fear The least appearance of the high power and glory of God doth affright startle and confound rhe strongest the nost stout-harted amongst men No man no earthly man no fleshly man Dares Dares look upon God when he appears While man is able to say it is not God while he is able as he thinks to shut his eyes against him and not see him he may please himself at least a while in having a little peace and perswade himselfe that he shall doe well but this appearance of God is so sharpe so bright that he cannot must not shall not be able to shut his eyes possibly he may doe as a man that shuts his eyes against the Sun the man that lies in the Sun though he doth shut his eyes as fast as close as he is able yet the bright beames of the Sun doe so pierce and work into his eyes that he doth see do what he can So when men say This is not Christ this is not the Spirit yet the bright beames of the Sun of righteousnesse do so pierce
to serve the Lord this tenth part in the Earth quake falls al to the ground the tenth part c. And in the earth-quake were slain of men seven thousand As the tenth part of the City fell the chiefest part the best part the excellentest part of the holy City so the best part of men or an excellent number of men and both understood by this number seven thousand one thousand is a great number and an excellent number as wel as a great number ten hath an excellency in it therefore the tenth part was given to GOD one hundred is ten times ten one thousand is ten times an hundred which in the Law is multiplied to hundreds and thousands Seven thousand is the perfection of the creature as it is able to be numbered or it is the multiplying of al the perfections of man or man numbered into the highest perfection or largest number that may be multiplied that is not Infinite which is God Seven thousand Seven is a Holy number and therefore the seventh day was sanctified and made holy A blessed number therefore GOD blessed the seventh day It s also a number of rest GOD rested the seventh day and appointed the seventh day to be observed as an holy rest Here is humane perfection in the greatest number in the blessedest number in the quietest estate wherein men have thought themselves to be holy men blessed men men at rest wherein they have thought themselves truly blessed truly holy truly happy When men have numbered up themselves to such a state to seven thousand a holy number a blessed number a number of perfection to such a state wherein they have thought themselves holier then others more blessed and happy then others when they have thought themselves at rest and indeed in humane account have had abundance of blessedness thousands of blessednesses thousands of blessed hopes blessed believings blessed joyes and comforts such a state wherein they have rested and been satisfied yet now in this Earthquake in the same houre that the Lord leaves the Earth that the Witnesses ascend up to Heaven when the LORD wil no longer converse with Earth but with Heaven when he wil no longer converse with his People in an earthly but in an heavenly way and manner he and they walking together and enjoying each other in Heaven Then those thousands those seven thousands all those holy happy blessed resting men shall be slain And the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the GOD of heaven The chiefest and choisest part of men are gon and that which remaines now is but a Remnant a small part so mean and poor a part as is not worth the numbering or to be gathered up into order and beauty or into the account of holiness and blessedness as other men are they are onely a poor remnant This Remnant was affrighted and gave glory to the GOD of heaven Nothing is more frequent in the Prophets where mension is made of the judgements of God through which he brings his people to salvation then this That a remnant shall be saved a remnant shall be brought through the fire Here one and there another as the gleanings of the vintage like small bunches of grapes upon the uppermost boughs a smal company and them not regarded a remnant They are but little and exceeding little a Remnant shal come to happiness The bulk and body the head the crown and glory of man falleth and are slain and a Remnant only escapes The LORD wil take off the head of man according to that saying And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus Rev. 20. I say the LORD wil take off the head the glory the top the crown the wisdome the excellency of man the maine the chiefe the principle part wil th e LORD slay al these in man shal be taken away and only a remnant shal remain The LORD wil waste and consume flesh to a very low state He wil bring down man to a fragment to a very small Remnant til ther 's almost nothing left to a state and condition that shal not be considerable that shal scarce be fit for any use The thousands the seven thousand the excellentest the greatest the richest the most numerous the most religious and devoted part shal be slain a remnant only shal be left and those affrighted too And great fear fell upon them that saw them When they saw the LORD ascending out of Earth leaving the Earth desolate leaving Religion Society Common-wealthes to wasting and destruction when they saw stability goodness wisdome righteousnes and holyness forsaking the earth and ascending up into the holiness of God this affrights men and it affrights them almost out of their wits to see that there is no living amongst such men that there is nothing to be seen amongst them but death horrour and confusion in the whole creation And to see that if we do not submit to the Lord live in the Spirit of the Lord and follow the guidance and conduct of the Spirit of the Lord we are for ever ruin'd If we are not able to ascend with these Witnesses go up with them to Heaven and live with Christ and the Spirit of God an heavenly life we are utterly undone for ever we shal see hel opening her mouth to devour us miseries feares and wrath ready to cease upon us and swallow us up therefore if we cannot ascend to Heaven with these witnesses Wo be unto us for we shal see there is no possible way of subsistence out of heaven We shal see much hellish wrath and darknes and confusion fall upon men that they cannot live in that state and condition wherein they have lived And they gave glory to the GOD of Heaven Strange language that a Remnant a poor affrighted remnant should be able to give glory to God Yet thither we must be brought before we can give glory to the God of Heaven Whil'st we have any glory left we give glory to our selves and not to God but when we are become a Remnant Affrighted and dasht in peeces then shal we glorify God We think that men of excellent wisdome and strength should glorify GOD O no they take from the glory of God and give it to themselves We think that Assemblies and Parliaments and Synods and Councels of great Men should give glory to God no none at all they give glory to themselves None but an affrighted remnant gives glory to God God neither hath nor wil have any glory til man be brought to an affrighted Remnant they that were affrighted gave glory to God Mark it if you are able to mark it that such a poor and affrighted remnant should give glory to the God of Heaven that the God of Heaven should receive glory from so poor an affrighted remnant a poor fag-end of the world wasted and consumed by sword plagues and judgements that they that have nothing should yet give to God When men are wasted and
seventh Angel sounds when there is freedome and liberty in the hearts of the Saints they all now say The Kingdomes of the LORD There were great voyces in Heaven They talk aloud of God in Heaven Below in the Earth people whisper and speak as it were in a corner of God they speak low and in private therefore saith Christ What you speak in a cornes shall be published on the house top Al the appearances of God have been but as in a corner Though the sending out of the Apostles into the World did typify that universal free abundant declaration of GOD this Name of God in the World Yet al that which hath been made known of God hitherto hath been but a speaking in a corner in comparison of that which is now breaking forth God hath been spoken of in a corner heer a little and there a little But now there comes a great Voyce that throwes downe State Kings Kingdomes and al the powers of the Earth to make way for the glory of God God wil whisper it no longer nor speak with a faint Voyce with a cold language but wil speak so and come so That every Eye shall see him every Eare shall heare him every Tongue shal speak him and every heart shal acknowledge and confesse him This is the LORD Now doth GOD REIGNE Now is Christ exalted This Voyce may be heard in Hel and spoken in wrath but when ever it is spoken freely and aloud with joy then it is in Heaven to the Saints And this is the close of the great Voyce The Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ The Kingdomes of this world are become c. God heretofore hath had the meanest of this World A sort of poor low mean People only have testified a little for God and Christ heer a little and there an handful but doe you think it or can it be thought That God wil alwaies be contented with this Or doe you thinke the GREAT things of the World were made eternally for the Devil and wicked men Or can it be imagined that God should fil a World with men and furnish them with parts and abilities Greatnesse Wisdome Riches Majesty Authority c. that wicked men should alwaies abuse them and devils alwaies have the command of them and God forever be excluded and shut out No no such matter No the Kingdomes of this World al the Riches al the Strength al the Authority al the Power al the Righteousnesse Justice Judgement and Excellency of this World both in respect of Civel and Ecclesiastical Government Al the Kingdomes of this World shall become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ We dare in the power of the Lord speak it The Voyce wil be No man hath to doe with any Power Authority Wisdome Riches or any thing in the World No creature hath any power or priviledge to dispose of any thing on the Earth Al Power Strength Riches c. are taken from men or if any thing be left that which remaines is consuming and blasting and shal wast away til al greatnes and excellency whatsoever resolves it selfe into the Kingdome of OUR Lord and of his Christ The Kingdome of Our Lord they are become OUR Lord now must Reign Al things now are become his They were Our Lords from the beginning and of right al did belong to him If he did intrust them to other Kings Nobles Great ones c. it was but onely as they were his Servants they were but intrusted and committed to them as Talents they are but his Stewards and woe be his Stewards when he turnes them out of their Sewardship they must be Stewards no longer but must give an account of their Stewardship of their Talents And these Kingdomes of the World must immediately become the Kingdomes of Our Lord and of his Christ Wee have a Lord that is a Lord indeed The great Lord of Heaven and Earth The Lord af Lords and King of Kings others are but Images and Pictures of this OVR LORD they are but his Substitutes and now OVR Lord comes and throwes out al other Lords He casts these Stewards out of their places and the Kingdomes of the World return again to Him whose they are They were of old thine only they were let out to use for a while The original right is in OVR Lord he hath it and wil maintain it and he himself wil Reigne The Spirit of God hath prophesied of this in al Ages and now he is performing it The next Age nay at this time this dominion is Our Lords Now for Our LORD now for the great GOD. Now for Our King Now all the Kingdomes of the World are become the Kingdomes of OVR Lord. OUR Lord wil take al and leave nothing un-possessed He must have al and we must have all in him He must Reign and we must Reign with him He that upholds us and comforts us He that is in us and with us He that speakes this language in us and puts forth this expression by us is OUR Lord God with us or Emanuel This LORD shall have all the Kingdomes of the Earth and he will put us in possesson of al that is good excellent rich beautiful all that is Kingly and Noble all that excels al the Kingdomes of the World And out of the Lord and from the Lord shal be nothing but desolation and confusion yea desolation and confusion it selfe is our Lords prison into which our Lord wil cast his enemies They are al become Our Lords and his Christs OUR Lords and his Anointeds It is Christ in the glory of the Father that is Our happinesse and Our life The Son in the glory and power of the Father God exalting the Son into himselfe The Kingdomes of the World are the LORDS yet so the LORDS as that Christ is King epual with the Father Christ laies down his Kingdome that he might ascend into the Kingdome of the Father And we lay down our Kingdomes of the World and creatures that we might live in the Kingdome of Christ that so the Father Christ and Wee might Reigne together The Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ or his Anointed There are many Anointed that pretend to be THE Anointed of God And many there be that have some Anointing But none shal Reign but His Anointed The holy one of God the Anointed of God Hee that is filled with the Spirit of God Hee that is Anointed with the Oyle the Oyle of GGD He shal Reign for ever no other None but the ANOINTED of GOD. OUR God Anoints US and We are the Anointed of GOD the Christ of GOD the holy one of God all gathered up into one Anointing one Anointed one God and in this unity all in one we shal Reign with him for ever and ever And so it s said Revelations 5. He hath made us Kings and Priests to our God and we shall reign on the earth The
fire rendring vengeance to al that know him not And this fire of God is not a materiall but an Angelical fire Those grosse conceits of a materiall fire are chaffe and must themselves be burnt up The fire that Ushers in the holy God and goes before God is like himself Spirituall Heavenly The 〈◊〉 that men dreame of is like unto themselves earthly grosse fleshly but the fire of God is like himself spirituall heavenly Now this testimony doth the Lord send before him abundance of fire this fire of God and indignation of God is kindled and burns hot amongst us wee see there is no earthly thing is able to stand against it and although we see yet but the feet of God wee know hee hath not yet let downe his face into your view yet yee may see as Habakkuk saith Coales of fire kindled at his feet The LORD is walking amongst you trampling with fierie indignation upon all the excellency beauty and strength of this Creation filling all things under his feet with wrath burning up the Order the peace the comfort and joy of the whole creation into ashes And the fire of hell which is Confusion Wrath Death torment horrour breakes forth exceeding thick and fast upon the World and it burns up Nations Kingdomes Cities Governments Religions Ordinances Knowledge Peace Love and every thing here below It s more then bâ—ndled it flames-out and you wil see very suddenly this whole Creation nothing else but one flame burning up that which goes before it These burnings these everlasting burnings speak the presence of the LORD the face of God and tels the World If they will hear and understand the LORD is come they doe eminently publish and proclaim the LORD of glory to those that are awake they that are asleep in security and darknesse they hear it not These are the fires that God allarmes the World with all and burnes up his enemies round about wheresoever there appeares emnity against God there appeares fire that indeed being the greatest part of Hell Wrath against God and Gods wrath against men emnity and hatred against God and God hating wicked men and devils So that indeed there is no emnity but did we understand it we should see plainly that its hel it is fire and the discovery and breaking forth of it will consume and burn up the World Ther 's not a mouth belching out Oaths or blasphemies against God but it is kindled by this fire of hel There 's no man expressing rage envy and cruelty against another but it is from this fire of hel in them His tongue is set one fire of hel passion infirmity weaknesse doe for a while hide cloath and mask hel and wrath but hel is too hot and too big to be kept any longer in such bounds God loosens the bounds of hel and saies to them Now goe forth shew your selves God bring forth his own wrath in his own enemies as well as his love in his friends There is not an enemy of God but the fire of God hath already kindled upon him There 's not a devil in hel nor a wickednes in the minde of man which is hellish but begins to gnaw their tongues and to fret and vex and feel their torments And though people are not fully sensible of it yet those who are quicker sighted then others may see and easily smell the brimstone taste the saltnesse of hel breaking forth in the rage and violence of man And this fire burneth up the wicked into the fire of Gods wrath even as fire burneth up all that 's in it untill it hath made it to be fire And this fire of God that is already kindled upon US will never leave burning till it hath burnt US all up into it self into Heaven into the pure divine Love of God so that there shall remain no drosse at all but all pure gold no rag of infirmity weaknesse or earthinesse shall be left in us And the same God in wrath will so burn up all his enemies that they shall be nothing at all but pure wrath nothing at all but perfect misery nothing at all but utter destruction There shall not remain upon the Saints of God any thing on Earth to molest them All their enemies shall be burnt up sin Satan and flesh shall be cast into the Lake of fire and there shall be nothing to molest or hinder their joy And so much of the wrath of God shall fall upon wicked men that there shall not be The least drop of water to coole their tongues the least refreshment the least mitigation but all they shall have or enjoy shal be in the fire of Gods wrath burnt up Burneth up his enemies round about him This wall of fire is called in Scripture Our defence it compasseth US about on every side The holy pure being of God the Holy Ghost and fire compasseth US round about and burns up all things into it self that whatsoever hath been our enemies or adversaries sin Satan flesh man we see this fire of the Spirit of God feeds upon them is in them and keeps them at a distance from US and they cannot approach and come neer US We living in the LORD our God but this fire of God laies hold on them and destroies them Nay they cannot approach in any malice against US but its clear it is in Gods wrath We doe not hear a word of Anger nor a word of distaste that 's uttered against the appearance of God in US but it 's this fire of Gods wrath this We are sure of and We delight and rejoyce in it We delight to declare it abroad That there shall not be left a heart thinking a hand moving a tongue speaking but it is in the fire of God in the wrath and displeasure of the LORD This fire doth grow and increase and burns up round about and all that are not in God that doe not dwell with this everlasting burnings that live not in and with God shall be consumed and burnt up for this fire of God burns round about him and whosoever is not within Him shall be consumed and burnt up by Him Therefore there is no rest no peace no safety any where else but in this everlasting burnings in this fire of God in the LORD in the presence of the LORD This is a bright and hot testimony of the Reign of God His lightenings enlightned the world the earth saw it and trembled Here 's another testimony manifest to the world the lightenings of the LORD our God there is in the face of God in the day of the LORD a most constant bright shining light But besides this there is a distance from him and in the world lightenings certaine quick flashings sudden motions of the Spirit of God upon the world in the world and upon the mindes of worldly men and as it is said of Christ speaking concerning his coming That it is like the lightening that shineth from the East to the
West so should the comming of the Sonne of man be The first and the remotest and the furthest appearances of God are like lightenings this the Lord hath testified abundantly amongst Us What strange flashings of God have been upon men and upon the spirits of men There are few that have slept so soundly these times but this lightening hath broken in upon them into their beds betwixt their curtains There 's none have shut up themselves so close in the world locked up themselves so close in the earth and in the love of earthly things but I know these lightenings of God have flasht in their consciences and have in small quick blasts and discoveries of God told their hearts it is the day of the Lord. I say if men could see or would see the most worldly men have had some flashings of these lightnings upon them Many sudden quick throws pangs hot meltings breakings soul-terrifyings telling them clearly It is the LORD And though they recover againe out of them and the world heales it selfe again and makes haste to forget them because these lightenings are sudden and quick suddenly opening themselves and suddenly again inclosing themselves for God hath suddenly flasht Himself forth and suddenly extinguished Himself again yet God hath to all men more or lesse given enlightnings into their spirits telling them plainly they must give an account that Hee is come to judge them that He is come to exalt lift up Himself that the end of their world their profits pleasure is come That all their earthly comforts and contents are a dying That there is no rest or peace to be had here below These and such like motions have been in the minds of many men But especially these have bin in the hearts and spirits of Gods own people though they are in the world and though in a worldly state and at a great distance from God yet they have had some glances of the light of God I know your owne spirits are able to lead you to those flashings and lightenings And if yee are not quite drunk with the world and have not lost your reason and memory you must acknowledge that the lightenings of God have shined upon you and enlightened the world And the earth saw it and trembled So visible so manifest are the lightnings of the Lord that poor earthly man exceedingly trembles and quakes poore man Adam earth the poore earthy frame of man hath seen and trembled The earth saw and trembled you have seen the Lord though I know ther 's that in you that saies yee have not you doe not I know you have seen the Lord the earth hath seen God hath set His feete upon the earth all the earth have had a view of God ther 's never a doore at which God hath not knocked every eye shall see Him although when they see him they turn away from him and would forget him for so soon as ever the door is opened and they see the Lord they runne away from him and cannot endure the sight of him Amongst all the things of the world its most dreadfull and and terrible to see the lightnings of God I know yee had rather runne into the hottest fire then into the fire of God and though yee have seen yee say ye have not because yee have no minde to see him but the whole earth hath seen the Lord though they have been suddaine startings and quick motions and flashings yet the earth saw it And that it hath seen here 's the effect it trembles And trembled It s a constant universal effect of the sight of God this quaking this trembling there is no man hath the least view of God but it strikes death to him Oh man earthly man must die This sight kils man Oh now I must seace to bee Now all is going Now all is lost Now every thing is drawing into the sad pit of destruction Now every thing is swallowed up into the horrible pit of nothingnesse I have saith the earthly man seene and known and been but now I shall know and see and bee no more Wee know how dreadfull and fearfull the view and sight of God is and though nothing more joyfull to the spiritual man yet nothing more joyfull to the earthly man What shal we doe wee have seen the Lord said they that saw an Angel The Lord cloathing himselfe with an Angel was very terrible for they said we shal dye The appearance of the Lord is terrible to the flesh of man The mountains leape and fly away the waters roule back the foundations of the deep are discovered The whole Earth shakes A general Earth-quake seizes upon the Nations What ail you yee mountains to bee removed What ail you yee waters to divide asunder What all you yee Son and Moon that your lights are put out What ail you yee Stars great and small that yee drop down from Heaven like untimely Figgs What ail you all yee People and Languages that your Faces gather palenesse and blackness What ail you that yee are afraid and do tremble What 's the reason you so shiver and quake The reason is ye are before the God of the whole Earth The presence of the LORD is present Death to all but Himself when the LORD comes every thing retires and as he comes neare so all things Fly packing before Him The Rod of God is shaking over the hearts of men which makes them exceedingly to tremble and quake and if yee wil not yet bee sensible here 's that which is more visible more sensible hee that hath an eare must Heare and doth Heare what this Rod speakes The Hils melted Suppose there should bee that stoutnesse in the spirits of men that they are become like mountains and hils suppose that there should bee that hardnesse and brauninesse of hell and death upon the spirits of men that they will not see yet the hils do melt The hils melted like waxe If any Creature be upheld and strengthned it is by Satan like Pharaoh's heart that was hardened by the wrath of God that he might bee destroyed I know no man ignorant of this but it is through his suffering the Devil to seduce him but though a man be seduced by Satan hardned by hell and do not see yet the mountains doe see and feels and melt before the LORD Hils Mountains What are these Not materiall mountains or materiall hils the mountains of the Earth are Great-ones Strong-ones Kingdomes Nations Governments these are Great mountains which the men of the Earth yee may call them the beasts of the Earth have continually lived upon fed upon and been nourished by And those Churches that have called themselves the hils and mountains of the LORD mount Sinay and mount Sion these everlasting hils that have stood so long time shall melt That Justice Wisdome Power Strength Order Religion Ordinances Obedience and Love which hath been set up by God and by the Ministers and Angels of
the primitive times a childe of it a daughter of it amongst the Saints of God now Ye have not Zion but a daughter of it and ye are not Zion but a daughter a generation descended from Zion or Zion descended a daughter of a Church in weaknes and in infirmity in captivity and this message unto you is Rejoyce greatly To the poor low weak infirme Saints of God in bondage and captivity they are the daughter of Zion the beloved of God owned to be the seed of Zion the children of Zion and when yee shall be nourished and fed with the bread of life and the milke of the Word ye will grow up to be Zion but as yet ye are tender weake feeble weak vessels subject to be spoild tempted carried away by the deceits of Satan by the vanities of the world yet tenderly beloved and much affected by God owned and acknowledged by Him to be His owne seed His own children bearing the Image of the heavenly Zion and having the nature of the mountaine of God in You and are indeed though in extream weaknesse and infirmity the seat and habitation and the rest of God Therefore Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion and ye are not only called to rejoycing but also to shouting Shout Your language you know is poor weak broken feeble the most that is heard amongst you is vaine disputes Genealogies boastings and gloryings in the spirit of Antichrist humane and fleshly wisdome exalting and glorying in it selfe but a savoury sound and spiritual voice is much in fears doubts demands in asking questions by people in the wildernesse Which is the way to Zion How shall we doe to know God Just like one that 's blinde asks which is my friend which is God How shall I know God from Satan Christ from Antichrist How shall wee doe to understand the voice of the LORD Here 's a low poor mean voice How is it What shall we doe How shall we live And what shall we doe to get this and that And what 's the matter These and such kinde of questions demands complaints are the voice that is here amongst you but yee are called to shouting shout shout let 's hear the voice of God amongst you the voice of a King Israel shouted Balaam prophesied That the shout of a King was in the midst of them The King is in you the King is with you and in you in victory triumphing in the meanest and lowest state and condition Ye may see by the Spirit of the LORD and faith the mighty power of God there is with us and in us the fulnesse of God all wisdome all righteousnesse all certainty all good conquering all evil all joy removing all sadnesse all sinne taken away therefore shout Turn your complaints into triumphs turn your demands and questions into liftings up the heart and spirit rejoyce in such acclamations as these I have found I am I enjoy Kingdome glory life Christ and every thing that is good Shout speak out speak aloud in the name of the LORD and say Yee are the children of the living God say God lives in you Let 's hear it aloud speak boldly confidently open your hearts largely and say Christ is in you I have Him I am with Him He is in me I am in Him here He is He dwels in me I am His Temple I see Him now I see the LORD my Saviour I have heard of Him with the hearing of the ear but now mine eyes see Him I have Him I enjoy Him Shout O daughter of Jerusalem Though the daughter of Zion and in weaknes and lownes yet the mountain of God begotten by God and though as yet in infirmity descended from heaven yet the daughter of Jerusalem and the City of God though very poor and very weak yet this is the state and condition of the daughter of Jerusalem that is the Jerusalem that is descended from above Come downe from heaven The glorious state of the Church in which are twelve foundations of the twelve Apostles twelve gates and twelve Angels all of precious stones all of pearls all of pure gold transparent as glasse all righteousnesse beauty glory all this is in us and We are the daughter of it all the glory and all the excellency of Jesus Christ and all his Apostles and Prophets are borne and brought forth in us all the beauty glory and excellency of Jesus Christ of all the Saints Prophets Apostles and Angels are brought forth in us thou art the daughter of it the daughter of Jerusalem a little Epitome of the heavenly Jerusalem a low and little childe and a babe of the heavenly Jerusalem and when thou growest up to know thy self and what thou art thou shalt be the mother of us all and the mother of all the riches of God thou art as I may say Christened and in this day of the LORD called by this name the habitation and riches of all the fulnes of the LORD the place where the infinite Deity the divine excellency delights to fix to settle to live this is thy state thou art that building that is not made with hands that is eternall in the heavens the daughter of it and when thou shalt grow up in the name and strength of the LORD then wilt thou appeare to be the Zion and Jerusalem of God O what need thou hast now of great joy How should thy heart be inlarged when thou art the seat and habitation of all the glory and excellency of God that ever shin'd forth in all the Saints Prophets and Apostles and Angels All this joy glory and excellencies must come forth from thee must be Produced from thee must be inlarg'd in thee O then what cause hast thou to rejoyce and to shout greatly Behold thy King cometh unto thee This Scripture hath been fulfilled once in the first appearing of the Lord Christ when there was great joy in Jerusalem at his triumphant riding through Jerusalem upon an Asse the multitude of people spread their garments in the way and others cut downe branches of trees and strewed in the way crying and saying Hosannah to the Sonne of David Blessed is hee that commeth in the Name of the LORD Hosannah in the Highest And it s now fullfiling the Second time by the Second appearing of the Lord by the Second and GREAT appearing of our Jesus by the coming of the Son of God not in infirmity and weaknesse but in the Majestie and Power of the Father in the Kingdome and Power of God and therefore Behold it Look out for it Look out of your bondage and captivity Looke forth of your feares and darke and troubled thoughts See who is here Open your Everlasting doores stand open yee Everlasting gates Open your everlasting eyes Open your spirituall eyes Look up Look up O yee lights of God Behold the KING of eternal glory Arise Awake and stand up out of your carnal humane and fleshly state into your heavenly and spiritual light
the meeknesse and lowlinesse of our King our Lord our Saviour This high and lofty One this King is very lowly very meek very mean very poor though a King though Lord of all And these two cannot consist in the thoughts of man that he should be a King and yet very lowly The narrow heart of man cannot match these two together the highest of glory in the lowest of man but though man cannot reach this God can He dwels with poore low broken man The greatest glory in the highest Majesty lives in the brokenest spirits and you will finde and see the LORD breaking forth shining forth in those that are the lowest of people those whose wisdome is dasht in pieces those who have lost their strength and confidence their Religion their forme of knowledge and worship that are fallen as some maliciously say from grace they had thought they had had some knowledge and acquaintance of God but now they see they know nothing they thought they were in a safe state and condition but now they see they are in a wildernesse in a desolate barren estate they had something but now they are nothing Thy King cometh to thee in this low estate in this darknesse in this nothingnes Thy King comes and hath humbled Himselfe in that state and condition and delights to take up His residence in thee Hee comes to thee as a thief having stolen away the riches and treasures in the house goes and lives in a poor cottage So the LORD hath stolen away the glory and greatnesse of the creature and then chooses it for his Habitation and then lives in lownesse in meannesse a lowly Lord hears the King I see the LORD saith the Soul in emptinesse in nothingnesse in weaknesse and infirmity Behold What 's here A Mighty GOD a Mighty KING cloathed in raggs One that hath all things and yet yee hear nothing but complaints Possessing all things and yet poor and begging His bread The LORD of Glory and yet in pitifull infirmitie in a meane low estate and none regards Him This is the pleasure of the LORD This is Thy good will Oh LORD Riding upon an Asse It was once fulfilled in a grosser way in a more literall way now wee finde the Lord in His Second Coming fulfilling of it in a more Spirituall way An Asse is the dullest of all the creatures the slowest dullest basest creature and that by which we expresse fooles a creature of scorn and contempt and it was that creature which in and under the Law was refused it might not bee Sacrificed the Law would not bee satisfied with it the Law was so choise so wise as I may say as it would not accept of an Asse yet this the LORD Chooses of all other Creatures This is the lowlinesse of My LORD to come in such a Meane state and condition upon a dull heavie poor scorned and contemptible Beast Riding upon exalting Himselfe upon a Poor despicable creature the worst of Creatures dull heavie slow beastly poor mean and low Creatures These the KING OF GLORY makes use of and not of the High Stout Lofty Horses You shal have some that are very quick nimble and light of foot highly carried up in the excellencies of the letter knowledge professions and formes and now they are as lofty as Horses and can be leaping from text to text from truth to truth and out-runne and runne round a poor dul and heavie Christian and knowledge hath so puffed them up that a poore mean low Christian is refused despised and scorn'd at But these are not they which the LORD Chooses but it is such as are in a low mean and dull way The wisdome of the LORD is condemned rejected and refused by the wisdome of the World and it s counted foolishnesse But the Lord wil Ride wil bee Exalted in the poor mean low despicable things of the world Riding upon an Asse Me thinks Christ should choose a better beast saith the Law wee will not accept of him and saith the letter we wil not accept of an Asse Doth not the Scripture say plainly wee wil not have an Asse But the Lord Christ chuses to come to such as are despised and in such a way as the Law rejects and as the letter disownes and as men contemnes And upon a Colt the foale of an Asse An Asse an ignoble Beast and upon a Colt too The foal of an Asse the weakest of that poor creature the foal the Colt sets forth the weaknesse insufficiency indiscretion and foolishnesse The foal of an Asse is simpler then the Asse it self The poor creature that hath no discretion no judgement no understanding of things so simple that hee knows nothing understands nothing is not acquainted with any thing to these Christ comes We looked for Christ to come in another way then so mean so low wee now a dayes look for great things Signes Myracles Wonders Professions Ordinances Ravishments Astonishments such as may take up our affections wisdomes and judgements This was the manner of the Jewes they refused Christs in lownesse and would not accept of him in such a mean estate even so the Jewish estate in our dayes is not forwarn'd by their fall to lye down and bee humbled but this Jew doth in a more mystery of iniquity oppose refuse and reject Christ Reioyce greatly O Daughter of Zion shout O Daughter of Jerusalem for Behold thy King thy Lord thy Saviour cometh to Thee is with Thee in Thee Riding upon an Asse Hee hath the Highest of Severity and Justice Glory and Power in the lowest state in the meanest condition He comes Riding upon an Asse His way though disallowed disapproved of by legal perfection and looked upon by humane wisdome to bee simple and foolish yet Behold thy King cometh having justice and salvation Come rejoyce greatly Hee that wil not take Christ upon an Asse shal never receive him Thou that wilt not let him in coming in a low mean estate shal never injoy him This is the way My Lord chuses to come I choose this state I Ride in a simple foolish way disregarded disesteemed despised by the wisdome of the world and by the strength of man yet I am thy King thy Lord thy God thy Saviour and having Justice and Salvation The end of the third Sermon THE COMMING OF THE KINGDOM of GOD. LUKE 17.20 21 22. And when he was demanded of the Pharisees when the kingdome of God should come he answered them and said The kingdome of God commeth not with observation Neither shall they say Loe here or loe there for behold the kingdom of God is within you c. THis Scripture is proposed to be opened wherin we finde the Pharisees and Disciples all enquiring concerning The kingdome of God A parallel Scripture with this is that in Mat. 24.3 A little of the appearing of God in Jesus Christ makes both Disciples and Pharisees enquire after the Kingdome of God and you may observe how the Pharisees as wel
intemperance While ye would be knowing men ye are tempted to erre While ye would be honest men ye are tempted to deceit but when ye would live the life of Christ then ye are tempted with Antichrist and have false Christs presenting themselves to you When ye come to thirst after the day of the LORD then will be the triall of these false Christs Then ye shall have false Christs presenting themselves unto you ye shal have Christ come upon you more then you would have If ye goe into the desert ther 's Christ if into the City ther 's Christ Some shall say Loe here others Loe there Ye shall have false Christs every where a false spirit a false resurrection a false glory a false God continually offering themselves unto you Loe here loe there Such excellent glorious high ravishing delightful comfortable wonderful admirable discoveries of spiritual things that they shal say plainly to you I am Christ Such things so farre excelling al that ever you have knowne so heavenly so glorious as thereby ye shal be able to judge al men to judge al Angels and to say with open face Here 's Christ Ye shal have a light above men and Angels and al and yet al this shal be but a delusion I know you are not acquainted with this as yet but you shal have such glorious discoveries in such illustrious brightnesse Majesty and authority that shal absolutely say in you I am the Christ I am the LORD I am the Sonne of the living God It is that which I have been acquainted withal In Ezek. 28.2 there is a type of the wicked appearance of the God of this world Thine heart is lifted up and thou hast said I am God and I sit in the seat of God yet thou art a man and not God though thou set thine heart as the heart of God Behold thou art wiser then Daniel there is no secret that they can hide from thee c. Ye shall be so transported and carried up out of the world that al men shal be as dwarfs to you as beasts to you such heavenly mighty inlargements shal be in you such a spirit as shal say I am the LORD such a majestie as now ye dare not aproach to that shal say I sit in the seat of GOD but though thou set thy heart as GOD yet thou art a man and not GOD c. Ye shal be so enlarged in understanding that ye shal be wiser then Daniel that ye shal see through al the mysterie of Daniel through al the dark Prophesies of Daniel as a cleare thing yet there wil be a false christ an Antichrist under al this It is that man of sin we have not yet been acquainted with al we have not yet known that man of sin we have a long time known the woman of sin sin in that sex sâ—in in its weaknesse but we have not known the man of sin Goe not after them follow them not Such appearances wil present themselves unto you and invite you to the discovery and clear understanding of the dark places of Scriptures but saith GOD folow them not They are such that if it were possible they should deceive the very elect so glorious and so beautiful as for a while so far as ye are men ye shal be deceived That wisdome and knowledge in which you live that experience you have of the way of God in your hearts the utmost light and understanding that ye have attain'd unto by reading and searching and knowing the Scriptures is no more able to keep you from falling down before and worshipping these false christs then a little Childe is able to withstand a mighty giant Al you that seem to be knowing men shal be deceived only there is an elect a secret seed of the blessed GOD that wil keep you from being utterly deceived nothing but the seed of God nothing but the chosen elect one can preserve you and secure you from being beguilded by them The Son himself saith Goe not after them for as the lightning shines from one part of heaven unto the other c. Here is a greiveous condition Evil daies such as never were before nor ever shall be earnest desires after Christ and yet no sight of him seeking and hunting after the true Christ and beautiful and glorious false Christs coming and saying I AM HE This is he whom ye seeke Hungry to death and excellent meat in appearance offered and no daring to meddle with it thirsty and panting for refreshment and a river of pleasures presented and yet not daring to venture on it A sad state much darknesse great troubles an earnest seeking after deliverance a voice from one that stands by speaking thus here is one will save thee and shew thee light shal I follow him saith the soul No saith Christ Shal I lye in this darknesse and trouble and torment Yea. Why For as the lightning lightneth from one part under heaven to the other so shall the coming of the Son of man be Here 's the reason why we must waite in these unheard of tribulations because Christ wil come on a suddain as lightning and then Hea will Shew US the truth of ALL. Christ wil immediately come as quick as lightning though he doth with-draw himself and deny our desires yet he wil come suddenly and no flesh in its fleshly condition shall be saved and except those daies should be shortened no flesh should bee saved it shal be intolenable for flesh This coming of Christ or this day of Christ it is beyond al the patience and hope and comfort and strength of all flesh He wil come as quick as lightning and though hee doth delay to come at many disires yet now he wil come at the first desire even then when ye are in the depth under heaven below heaven under the earth in the depths of the earth even then the light of the brightnes of the Lord Jesus Christ shines from one end under heaven to another and ye shal see and know then that ye are in Christ When yee most desire to see and your desires are unsatisfied and perplexed for want of it even then The light of Jesus Christ shines into the bottom of that yee are in the darkest night of that Sunne set that West even in the most unsatisfied condition that ye can pobssile come unto shal Jesus Christ break forth and shine in that dark pit Goe not gaping after another yee are in it already The kingdome of heaven is within you All this is but himself His light shines from East to West He is as glorious in the Setting as in the Rising Yee cannot be any where out of him He saith When you think I am farthest off then I will bee nearest when yee are hungry I will give you bread when ye are thirsty I will give you water when ye are in darknesse I will be you light and this only shal be your rest and satisfaction the Lord is
the heavens and thy faithfulnesse reacheth to the clouds God is gathering up al goodnesse mercy and peace from man to himself and though there is cruelty mischief and wickednesse in the world in the earth yet there is mercy truth and faithfulness in the clouds and its good that wisdome goodnesse truth and righteousnesse leave the world and cleaves to God that so we may follow it and what goodness mercy truth and faithfulness we formerly injoyed in man we may injoy it in God And when wickedness increaseth righteousnesse increaseth likewise Thy righteousnesse is like a great mountain When the world teares and breakes it self in peeses then is the righteousnesse of God a great mountain Thy judgements are a great deepe when the whole world is become one Sea of confusion then are the judgements of the Lord a great deep where not only man but beasts may rest safly Thou preservest man and beast And though this time is a time of growing and spreading of wickednesse in man yet it is a time of sweetest admiration and love in God and when men that sin doe cry out O wofull man they that injoy God cry out O happy man And though men that live in the earth cry out O miserable What times are here Men that live in heaven cry out How excellent is thy loving kindnes O God! The LORD makes al things naked and bare that we only may have him to be our safety In the first part of this verse our God sets up a standard and proclaims the excellency of his own name in these troubleous times O how excellent is thy loving kindnesse and he doth it to this purpose only that the children of God should put their trust under the shaddow of his wings and when they are abundantly troubled They shall bee abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house How excellent is thy loving kindnesse O God Wee have thought men and creatures have bin excellent and we have bin much taken up with them but now we see al creatures fallen and nothing but GOD exalted Thou O GOD dost exalt all things thou dost exalt all treatures The Lord our GOD sets forth the vanity emptinesse and weaknes of the creature that so he may set forth his own excellency The Lord our God is not only good but exceeding good not only gracious but exceeding gracious O the loving kindnesse of God! and the grace of God is most sweet it is most satisfying most precious How excellent How great How good it is Come tel us you that have large hearts how excellent and good he is come tel us the glory and riches of our God you that have the liveliest quickest inversion set your hearts on work in setting forth the loving kindness of God it is so ful so glorious so compleat that instead of murmurring it sets us on rejoycing Loving kindnesse That thou shouldest impart all thy selfe to us make us so hppy as thy selfe O here is a kind heart indeed doth all for us suffers all for us we doe not suffer thou sufferest we are not reproacht the world reproacheth thee in us we are not hated no thou art hated thou takest all upon thy self only we are greived to see thy sufferings so kind art thou that thou doest empty thy self into us and doest un-heaven thy self unglory thy self that thou maiest make us heavenly and glorious It s thy kindness to dwel with us and to dwel with us these evil times and to dwel in afflictions themselves to make them speak kindly to us to come down into a shaddow of death that we might receive no hurt there to come and dwel in a tempest of stormes and earthquakes that they might be kinde and gentle to us Thy loving kindnesse Thou doest not only shew us kindnesse but loving kindnesse not only kindness to such who are in distress but the loving kindnesse of a Father to a childe a Husband to a wife not only kindnesse to us as strangers but loving kindnesse as a Father and Husband Thou doest not only shew us kindnesse but love that bindes thee to be kidnesse to us The fountaine of love the cause of thy kindnesse Yee are my Children I love you my love begat you yee are descended from me I must needs use you kindly ye came out of my loines yee were once in me yea yee were alwaies in my loines ye are my spouse my wife ye were taken out of me ye are my companions my friends My Felowship is with you I am solitary when I injoy you not ye are my House and habitation I must preserve you ye are my self and when I hurt you I hurt my self when ye are wronged I am wronged O GOD This is excellency of love because its O GOD It would not excel if it were not GOD if it were not Divine it were not excellent Thou givest us thy self O GOD to give us thy love in thy self to be as kinde to us as to thy selfe to binde us upon thee and to write thy self upon us O GOD We speak the same thing with joy comfort confidence and triumph that once we spake with fear sorrow and doubtfullnesse O God! When shall wee come unto thee O God! when shal we see thy face and injoy thy loving kindnesse When shal we be filled with thy beauty O GOD Now How excellent is thy face O GOD How excellent is thy loving kindnesse O GOD Wee beg that thou wouldest love us O God! Now thou shewest us that thy loving kindnesse is excellent O GOD now wee can doe nothing but admire the goodnesse and loving kindnesse of our God wee delight in nothing else We fix here we live here wee wil sit down here wee wil rest here This song wee wil sing O GOD the Excellency of our GOD This shall bee our safety our Castle our protection The loving kindnesse and goodnesse of our God Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings God is so excellent that he preserves man and beast and yet men are but the children of men and the devil Thy loving kindnes is so excellent so sweet that all the children of men wil put their trust under the shadow of thy wings There wil not be found a man that shal be groping and looking after any Idol any creature to be saved by it It is and would be found inhumane to trust in any thing but in the LORD for the LORD wil write so visibly and manifestly Folly Vanity and Fashood upon all creatures that it shall not onely be man-like but devil-like to look for any good from man The LORD doth so visibly appear in judging and condemning the creature that children the lowest and weakest shall trust in nothing but in God the veriest babes in knowledge shall trust in the LORD a man shal scorn to look after any creature a man shal scorn to owne any creature in the world every babe every childe shal scorn the glory of the creature
carry us to God Christ comes down to us we come down into the world to trade traffick and deal for God So in all this the favour that God gives to us is to give US a Propriety with Himself over Himself Neverthelesse Neither is the Man without the Woman nor the Woman without the Man in the LORD For as the Woman is of the Man even so is the Man also by the Woman These two are unseperable Man and Woman In the LORD they are unpartable It 's Sin and Satan the accuser of the breathren that makes a breach between these two The Man is not without the Woman nor the Woman without the Man Yee never see God but with Christ in his bosome you never hear of a God but you hear of a Christ too GOD will never speak or act any thing but with Christ And yee never see Christ without his Church Ye never see the Son of God but ye see the Spouse in his bosome If ever Christ be torne ffo from God it is by violence of Death of Satan and of Sin If ever wee bee rent from the bosome of Christ it s by the Devil Death and Sin Yet then when wee are rent from him are we with him When Christ was in the lowest estate in hel hee was in Heaven also Noe one is descended from Heaven but he which is in Heaven Ye never finde God without Christ nor Christ without the Church nor Man without Woman Yee never finde the Church without Christ nor Christ without God nor Woman without the Man If ye finde a Church without Christ t is a Harlot if you finde a Christ without a God 't is an Antichrist The true Church is alwayes as the Woman never without the Man you never finde her but in banishment in sin without the Man you never finde Cirist without God nor the Woman without the Man in the LORD In the LORD If these two are partable it 's not in the LORD it 's without the LORD but if they are reconciled in the LORD they are never parted Neither is the Man without the Woman Neither is the Woman without the Man Therefore give us leave to disclaim a God without a Christ or a Christ without a People Ye do not see God except ye see Christ ye see not Christ but ye see GOD also yee see not Christ but you see your selfe It is not true Christ only Christ THE Christ except thou seest him in thy owne person except thou seest thy self with him If thou seest him one and thy self another it s a Sad sight an Ill sight it s no true fight you cannot see the Son but you must see your self with him see him in the highest glory that you can you see him not right except you see your self there Man is not without the Woman If you would give God an exaltation above your self hee will not God saith I will not be exalted except my Son be there God will not exalt his Son where you are not And the Son saith I will not be where you are not I cannot be where you are not I cannot bee without you The Man is not without the Woman Neither the Woman without the Man You cannot be without Christ you cannot possibly bee The wife and spouse without Christ And if thou art sick he is sick with thee if thou art tempted he is tempted with thee if thou art afflicted hee is afflicted also Christ cannot be any where but the Father is with him I am not alone the Father is with me when he was in the lowest condition that could bee when God seemed to leave him yâ—t he was really with him and when he was in death then he was in death too when Christ suffered and dyed God suffered and dyed it was the bloud of GOD If I go down to hel thou art there And when thou knowest thy selfe to bee the wife and spouse of Christ then thou canst say I am in hel indeed but my Lord is with me I am in hel in death and sorrow but Christ is with mee The Woman is not without the Man All the violence of Satan cannot take the Son from the Father If he doth take him any whither the Father will go with him yea though the Son doth go away the Father goes along with him into that humiliation Neither can any thing rend us from the bosome of the Father but if we be or hereafter may bee by temptation rended from him yet wee shall see our Lord in temptation Where the one is the other is where one is both are The Man is not without the Woman He saith I have no glory but what thou hast wee say wee have no weaknesse but what thou hast Thus doth the LORD our GOD enterchange with us He makes US High and great with Him and makes Himself Low and Nean with US And this is another reason that secures that power which is given to us And though she rule over me yet I rule because she is my self And though I give her my power I give her my will too Fo 't is what I please And saith Christ though I give it you yet t is mine and there is nothing in you but my will yea for my good And as I give you my will so I give you my power and you cannot abuse me be cause you are my self No one hateth his own flesh but loves and cherisheth it And when you exercise this power over me it is my self The Woman is not without the Man In communion you are now the Man and I the Woman as I was the man and you the woman as I was mighty in you and you weak in me as I was weak in you and you mighty in me If the Husband should reserve any thing from the Wife then the Husband would be without the Wife If God should reserve any thing from Christ and did not communicate his uncommunicablenes And with all things his power then God would be some where where Christ is not or Christ some where where God is not Or if Christ had power without the Father then he would be some thing that the Father is not If the Father were not in subjection with the Son the Son would be some thing that the Father is not If I did not give you that power that I have by my spirit I should still be something without you And if you should be the subjector and I not servant then would you be some thing without me which I cannot indure I be nothing but what you are and you shall be nothing but what I am There would still be some jarres between us if there wrre any thing un-made-over ungiven If thou did est not take every thing that we have into Thee and set it on high we could not be exalted And if thou did'st not take our meannes and subjection upon Thee and walk in the flesh we could not enjoy Thee Heer 's another reason As the woman is
Revelation in general John saith It was The Revelation of Jesus Christ which was given to him of the knowledge of things that should shortly come to passe The state and condition of the Church of God from the Apostles time to the end or the discovery of that wickednesse and apostasie which was to come in upon the Church and we see is come into the Church since the powring forth of the Spirit of God after the Ascension of Jesus Christ with the nature kindes and effects of this Apostasie And saith he there was given me a reed like unto a rod and the Angel said Arise and measure the Temple of God and the Alter and they that worship therein It s that which every one would bee at the measuring of Heavenly things the Temple of God but before ye are able to give the measure of Divine things ye must have a Rule given into your hand Every one presumes to have this faculty to judge all things to try all things and yet have not that Standard or Rule given them where by they should Judge and Trye This Reed or Rod is the standard of the Spirit of GOD It is the Rod of Gods mouth And until ye have this standard this Rule to try and measure things by all ye doe is vaine and yee shall in measuring measure only the outward court and neglect and leave out the inward Temple of God and Alter and they that are the True Worshippers And as we must have a Reed or Rule given us wherwith to measure Divine things so it must be an Angel I say an Angel at least or the Spirit of an Angell that must measure for that is the lowest estate that can bee admitted to measure Divine things And he call's Arise Arise out of flesh Arise out of the world Arise out of your owne reason Arise far above the traditions of men Arise from that you have known from that you have heard of men come up far Higher and far above that dark deceitfull lying world in which ye have lived And what must be measured There are three things to bee measured The Temple the Alter and they that Worship therein The Lord hath afforded his presence in the mid'st of that generall Anti-christian Apostacie that hath befallen the Church The Temple is the presence of God the indwelling of God with his People or such a measure of the Spirit of the Lord in his People as makes them a fit Temple for the Lord to dwell in An Alter is such a presence of God as makes us kill and slay and shed the bloud of those beasts that are in the Church And they that worship therein That is Al that inwardly spiritually do worshid in the Temple and Sacrifice upon the Alter that have an assurance of the presence of God dwelling with them GOD dwelling in flesh and crucifying flesh God dwelling in flesh is the Temple GOD killing slaying and offering up flesh is the Alter and God in these is known and worshipped They in whom GOD dwels in whom God kils and crucifies flesh They are the Temple They are the Alter They are the true Worshippers of GOD. This is that which must be measured the Temple the Alter and they that worship therein But the Court that is without the Temple leave out and measure it not All your outward visible prophessions wisdome arts knowledge gifts Churches ordinances all that is without the Temple of GOD all that is without the Spirit of GOD saith He leave it out measure it not It s that which the Gentils are exercised in It s given to the Gentiles Worldly christians Gentile christians for they will be called christians Gentile Saints for they will be called Saints and wee will give it them Its their businesse to measure the outward court for it 's given to idem Ordinances Scriptures gifts Churches Governments all these things are the outward courtâ— they are given to the world therfore leave them out measure them not They are the outward Court therefore take no pains about it cast it off owne it not acknowledge it not measure it not for it is not worth the measuring There is indeed an inward secret Temple of God and Alter of GOD God in the flesh God offering up flesh These are to be measured but as for all visible outward earthly things have nothing to doe with them they are the Gentils portion the Heathens the Nations portion Those only that are Spiritual that know the in-dwellings of God with them the dwelling of God in flesh and the offering up of the flesh unto God These are the Temple and Alter that are to be measured But The outward Court leave out measure it not Object But these are holy things you will say holy Ordinances holy Scriptures holy Praiers holy Faith These are the holy City of God Ans True and yet all these are given to the Gentiles to be trampled upon and trodden under foot And all that which worldly Saints Gentile Saints worldly professors do with these things is only to tread upon and trample them under their feet this is the use they make of them and of all the holy things of God that are outward holy ordinances Scriptures Churches c. they shall tread them under foot and use them like beasts and swine And how long Fourty and two moneths It 's the time of the Reign of Antichrist the time of slaying the witnesses It 's exprest in the 11. verse by three daies and an halfe and here by Fourty and two moneths which is a season or time that is measured by the Moon and shews that in all these things there is only a Moon light a coole weake light a light borrowed from the Sun not the immediate light of the LORD and ye know the Moon is alwaies changable increasing or decreasing in the wane full or at the change it 's alwaies up and down never at one stay so is the state of the World of the Worldly Church uncertain unconstant and variable And you shall have them in twenty four moneths in severall moones in severall states and called by them severall dispensations one while in Episcopacy another while in Presbytery then in Independency then in Annabaptisme every one have their severall moneths measured out in which are various operations of that moon light but all these Ordinances Scriptures Churches Prayers c. are the Gentiles portion And let them take them and use them all their moneths And I will give unto my two witnesses I will give GOD gives that which the witnesses have It 's said of the holy City It 's given God gives to the witnesses to Prophesie by daies not by moneths but it 's given to the Gentiles to Antichrist to trample under foot the holy City the outward Court by moneths not by daies by a coole weake moon-light not by the light of the Sun not by day light Though the witnesses prophesying in sack-cloth be a sad and dark time yet it
if any man wil hurt them it is death they must in this manner be killed These have power to shut heaven that it raine not in the daies of their Prophesie c. To deny the blessing grace and favour of God to any man any creature or to any thing And they have power over waters to turne them into bloud c. To kill and slay and to mingle strifes contentions debates envie malice and wrath in the minds of men because they are disobeyed And to smite the earth with ALL plagues c. Plagues both inward and outward The Plague of Sword Pestilence Famine Blindness Barrenness Nakedness c. as often as they will And when they have finished their testimony c. Wee have seen their death when their testimony was finished but not before When the Sonne of Man had finished his testimony when his houre was come then must he suffer and not before So when the Witnesses have finished their Testimony they must be killed and not before Then there ascends a beast out of the bottomlesse pit out of the lowest hel the nethermost hell A new and undiscovered wickednesse and uncleannesse of Spirit riseth out of this Bottomlesse pit against the two Witnesses And makes warre against them overcomes them and kills them And then their dead bodies lye in the streets of the great City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt This whole World is this great City as it 's governed and ruled by the God of this World and in this great City of the World is the filthines of Sodom and the Idolatry of Egypt Where also our Lord was Crucified It was a spirituall wickedness that Crucified the Lord Jesus and it shal be a more spirituall wickedness that shal kill and slay these two Witnesses And they of the People and Kinreds and Tongues and Nations c. Humane Carnal Fleshly Gentile Christians the Nations of this world shal see these witnesses lie dead and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves When the Spirit is with-drawn kil'd and slain by the Beast or cloud of darknesse that riseth out of the bottomless pit these Gentiles People worldly Christans shall not suffer their dead bodies outward formes to be buried the natural man upholds the body or form without the spirit a bare humane carnall remembrance to keep up the forme and flesh of Christ left spiritless and life-lesse this is the nature of the men of the world or earthly and fleshly men to live upon the dead carcasse of Christ but they cannot indure the spirit and life of Christ they can live no longer then they have the body dead and slain if that revive they dye And they that dwell on the Earth shall rejoyce over them and make merry And shall send gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the Earth An expression of joy and rejoycing and this is the wickednesse of earthly People that dwell in the Earth that dwell in the World they have no peace no joy longer then they get the mastery of the Spirit of God and when they can by the strngth of that wickednes that ariseth out of the bottomlesse pit trample upon the Spirit of God and of Christ then they are well then they can goe rejoycing from one to another blessing themselves and comforting one another telling vain and foolish stories of their victory that they have killed and slain the Lord and denied him to reigne over them In these three verses following is the reviving of the two witnesses After three daies and an half When these two witnesses shall appear in any shall finish their Testimony bee killed and slain they shall ly dead three daies and an halfe or as it is exprest in the next chapter of the Womans being in the wildernesse for a time times and half a time The time of the killing of the witnesses shall be a time of great joy and rejoycing to them that dwell one the Earth eartly Christians carnall Christians Yet there shall be in it a day Jesus Christ makes the grave a day There is a quiet rest and a sweet day in the death of Christ in the killing of the witnesses and though in it self it be very grievious and terrible yet you shal see brightnesse and glory shinings and twinklings forth of light so that ye shall be able to call it a day But there is a day and two daies and half a day or a time times and half a time First a day and season in which there shall be a comfortable expectation of a seasonable and speedy deliverance where-we are able to say These witnesses are now slain but they shall speedily revive and rise again After that comes times or two daies wherein there will be lesse expectation and more trouble multiplied evils time devided and then there shall not be such an expectation of a speedy deliverance as was before The Soul shall be able to say I shall be delivered but I know not when for ought that appears I may lie long in this state but I will waite with patience I will submit to the will of the Lord. Then after this there 's half a day or a season wherein there shall be a sudden reviving an unexpected deliverance A short work will the Lord make on the Earth The Spirit of life from God entred into them They had before but the Spirit of prophesie The Spirit of Prophesie is the testimony of Jesus wherein though they live'd yet their life was but a saying they should live but a fore-telling of a higher and further state of life to come but now they have a Spirit of life The Spirit of life from God entred into them Not the Spirit of prophesie only but the Spirit of life not only to bee able to fore-tel what they should be but what they are That they are righteous holy happy that they live Yea not only to be able to say they live but to be life it self Not only to Prophesie in sack-cloth to be under a vaile but by the re-entry of the Spirit of life into them to see GOD opening and un-vailing his face These Witnesses must and wil Prophesie before they live First wear sack-cloth Prophesie darkly that they shal live then live First be in expectation and Prophesie of live then live first beleive hope and expect then live We never lose any thing but we gain by it If we lose the Spirit of prophesie we gaine the Spirit of life for it we gaine by sufferings we gaine by losing If a spirit of darkneses ascend out of the bottomlesse pit clouding our comfort we receive a better Spirit for it The Spirit of life from God and so are gainers This we may be assured of for the LORD saith it He will not leave my soul in hell nor suffer his holy one to see corruption We may be brought to the death we may bee killed and slain wee may be dead carcasses But
where the carcasse is thither will the Eagles bee gathered together Thither this Eagle the Divine Spirit of GOD doth resort to this Carcasse I say to Revive it This heavenly Eagle or Spirit of GOD comes and eats up all the deadliness all the corruption all the Carcass that he in us might live in the Spirit There is no true life but the Spirit of life Then may we say we live when we live in the Spirit of GOD this is called the quickning Spirit The first Man was made a living soul the Second was made a quickning Spirit Man is a living soul a living creature and it is the Spirit of GOD that makes him to live a Spiritual life but when that life is killed and slain then he hath a second life for it a better life The Spirit of life life it selfe true life indeed And we know no life no true life but in the LORD our life When HE who is OVR life shall appear c. While the Witnesses prophesie they cannot say that they live but when they have received the Spirit of life then they can truly say they live Now they can claime that title I was dead but am alive I am the resurrection and the life There is no true life til there be a Resurrection til then it 's but a state of mortallity It is not yet life But when we revive and rise again mortallity is swallowed up of life now we live indeed That 's true life that is not subject to death that is true life that cannot be killed That life that is under the Power of death that is under the Command of death that can be extinguished by death is no true life It s life to be set free from death to be dis-engaged and dis-obliged from the command of this King of fears when we can say O death Where is thy sting O grave Where is thy victory When wee can trample upon death that is life true Life indeed The Spirit of life from God True life consists in a continual flowing forth from God a daily powring out of the Divine life the Divine nature into us enlivening and quickning all our actions and services Those are not living actions living services living performances that flow not from the life of GOD in us We live when every thing we act or speak flows from the life of God in us Then wee live when al we do comes from GOD when God sends it forth God speakes it God doth it then they are living words living actions In thy presence is life The absence of the soul from the body is the shadow and but the shadow of death but the absence of GOD from a thing or person that 's death Spiritual death You cannot say a man lives except you see his soul act move speak c. If yee were Christians indeed ye would not say you live until yee hear the voice of GOD saying to you This is the way of God these are the words and works of God There is life true life indeed The reviving and life of these two witnesses is the resurrection and the life the life of the Sonne of God God comes forth in these two in the Son and in the Spirit the fulnes of God shewing it self in the flesh of Christ and the Spirit of Christ this is life These three are all in union together the Father the Son and Spirit in one conjunction and unity The Father puting forth himself in the Son by the Spirit The Father acting quickning and inlivening the Son by the Spirit these mutually imbracing each other is our life Concerning this resurrection of the witnesses observe that it is graduall The Spirit of life from God first entred into them after that they live there was a kinde of absence before but now a presence of the Spirit of God The holy God suffers a kinde of parting to be between himself and his Son ney betwixt himself and his own Spirit which is himself and after this again there is a reuniting First There must be an entrance The Spirit of God first enters into them then they live The Resurrection though it be quick though it be in a moment in the twinkling of an eye yet it is graduall First There is an entrance of the Spirit The Spirit of life from God entered into them Secondly There is a double effect of this entering of the Spirit 1. They stood upon their feet 2. They heard a great voiyce saying Come up hither First The Spirit of the Lord entered into them while they are dead while their dead bodies were lying in the streets of the great City the breath of life from God entered into them And this is very certain we shall not lose any thing that we have had Though the Lord withdraw himselfe from us a little while yet he will returne to us again and then he wil gather up al that is scattered and enter into all that 's dead And they stood upon their feet This is the second gradation or the second degree of their Resurrection which is two-fold 1. They could own the Lord they could say The Lord is with us our God is with us and in us Life is come to us We are the holy ones of God We are the golden candlesticks upon whom the light of God doth shine This is the Spirit of life from our God And then secondly they are raised from the earth and so raised as that they can stand upon their feet an expression of the dry bones Ezek. 37. into whom when the breath of the Lord came they lived they stood upon their feet an exceeding great Army So the Prophet Ezekel when he was overcome by the glory of God in the great vision he saw chapter 2. it 's said The Spirit of the Lord entred into him and he stood upon his feet And so Daniel was raised chapter 10.10 11. O Daniel a man greatly beloved understand the words that I speak unto thee and stand upright Which is the same with this The Spirit of the Lord intring into us standing up in us manifesting and shewing what wee are making us visibly to appear the anointed ones of God inabling us to stand up and own a heavenly and spiritual life and light to appear to arise to shew our selves that we are the holy ones of God And though whilest wee were slain and dead we could not owne the Lord or acknowledge him we could not confesse the Lord who he was and what he was because we were in death and darknesse yet now having the Spirit of the Lord entred into us we now being raised from the dead we stand up and are able to say Wee are the Lords wee are the holy anointed ones of God There is life and strength and confidence appearing in the witnesses standing upon their feet so that they can say We by this life or in this life of God are able to live amonst men to walk about in the Name
RESURRECTION REVEL 11.13 And the same houre was there a great earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell and in this earth-quake were slain of men seven thousand and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of Heaven WE are unfolding the mystery of the two witnesses which are the witnesses of God in which and by which every word of God is confirmed they are two in their prophesie in sackcloth but their is a third conjoyned with them in their resurrection as they are in Heaven Ascended and Risen There are thee that bear witnes in heaven and by these three is every word establisht The Father the Son and the Spirit each of them having a sufficiency to confirm each other and together to put an end to all controversies You heard in the morning that there were severall degrees of the reviving of the witnesses the first degree is the entering of the Spirit of life from God into them which caused them to stand upon their feet Secondly They heard a great Voyce from Heaven calling them up Come up hither And thirdly There is their Ascention into Heaven They were taken up in a cloud and their enemies beheld them And in the 13 verse there is the effect of al this In the same hour there was a great earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell These works of God are not yet pure though they are very excellent Though there be a Resurrestion and Ascention into heaven yet it is in a cloud covered with some infirmity and darknesse and yet in this there is the greatest glory And the same hour was an Earthquake Or to speak the language of God elsewhere A rejoycing with trembling In the greatest appearance and manifestation of God so long as there is any Earth it Trembleth and indeed the more glorious the discoveries of God are the greater the Earthquake No Earth can be without moving and trouble that bears the weight of the glory of God upon it In this hour of ascention there is a mixture of some secret rejoycing and some trouble occasioned by the Earthquake or else take the Earth heer as distinct from the witnesses and then their ascending up from the Earth makes the Earth to shake Christ and the Spirit of God those two witnesses are the streneth and stability of the Earth yea the strength of the Pillars of the Earth I uphold the Pillars of the Earth saith the Lord He it is that strengthens the very foundations of the Earth And therefore when these witnesses the strength and Pillars of the Earth ascend and remove from it the Earth must needs quake and tremble The witnesses are the corner stone of the World It was by the word of the Lord that Eternall word that the Worlds were made that the Worlds are supported therefore when this Word of the Lord Ascends out of the World the World must needs shake The whole World hath lived and leaned upon Christ and the Spirit of Christ and now his arising and removall out of the World must needs prove the ruine and downfall of the World All your strength peace and comfort hath been borrowed of Christ and now his leaving the World and carrying the Pillars of the World with him as Sampson the Gates of the City makes all the World fall to confusion A great Earthquake The naturall cause of an Earthquake is the wind pent up in the bowels of the Earth which seeking vent breakes forth and so shakes the Earth So the Spirit or breath or wind of the Lord pent up in the bowels of the Earth shut up amongst earthly men as the Son a Man was three daies and three nights in the heart or bowels of of the Earth when it breaks forth it shakes and rends the World And this is the cause of the Earthquake and commotions that are now abroad in the World The breaking forth or ascending of the Spirit of God out of the World An Earthquake is one of the greatest perplexities and evils that can befall the world the Earth being the Center and stay of man The very bottome and foundation upon which all the camfort and good of the life of man stands When this center this rest or stay this foundation shakes nothing more affrightens and astonishes man These Witnesses ascending out of the world the Bottom and Foundation of peoples strength and comfort trembles and quakes the root of al humane life is cut insunder at once the bottom of al humane joy is taken away The foundation of Ecclesiastical and Civil power is shaken the ground-worke of all earthly stability and comfort of Church and Comon-wealth quakes and trembles I say the world is losing the foundation and ground-work upon which Religion and Civil-government stands and this makes the Earth to shake And the tenth part of the City fell This City is Babylon called the holy City This holy City is trampled under foot as you may read in the second verse of this Chapter This holy City or the outward Court is left to bee possessed by the men of the world by the Gentiles by men uncircumcised in heart and spirit by fleshly and carnal men This is the fate of this City The tenth part The tenth part you know was the Levits part which was holy to the LORD or dedicated to the LORD it was offered up to the Priests under the Law it was the chiefe maintenance of the legal priesthood And here the tenth part of the City the chiefest part the devoted part as you say Gods inheritance the lot and portion of the Priest-hood this part of the City fell in summe the holyest the chiefest the excellentest part of the City fell The waies of worldly Prophessors and Christians are somthing that is holy somthing that is offered up to God but in the hands of the world trampled under foot by the world There is an excellency in this this is that that 's called the tenth part that part wherein men have thought themselves most sacred and holy that which they have offered up to God that which they have seperated from the world and their owne proper use and given to God some of their wisdome some of their estates some of their time some of their strength c. the tenth part This tenth part of the City fell this chiefest and most excellent part This tenth part when they have reserved nine parts to themselves and dedicated the tenth to God That which hath bin mens Religion and that wherein they have placed their confidence and comfort and by which they have thought to be saved this excellent part this tenth part of the City fell in this earth-quake I tel you againe When these two Witnesses ascend and leave the earth then the highest formes of religion the most excellent seperated things of men those holy things wherein they have most devoted themselves to GOD and the Temple of God their hours of Praier their Sabbaths their Fastings their Engagements and Covenants
who had the infirmity and flesh of man to Judas That thou doest doe quickly Lasting woes are the worst woes Then commeth the third woe which shall last but half a day And as it is short so it is that which shall let us into the third state of the glory of God As there is the day of man the day of Christ and the day of God so their is the glory of Man the glory of Christ and the glory of God This Heaven into which the witnesses ascended is not the highest Heaven the highest glory There must come a third woe that will carry them thither And it comes quickly It is an happy state the witnesses are in when they are raised from the dead yet it 's not lasting though their condition be glorious yet it hath a woe stealing upon it yea though it be a very blessed state a Resurrection from a sinfull Earth yet it is such a blessed state as is subject to warre for immediately succeeds the third woe This clear bright Sun of righteousnesse is subject to an eclips The tenth part falls and 7000. are slaine yet all earth is not cleared away There were sweet enjoyments of the glory of GOD yet it was mingled with some weaknesse and this is our happinesse that our God wil never cease refining us til all Earth till all flesh bee quite removed from us til he hath perfected us into himself The Third woe is a tolerable woe though it hath its sting yet it comes quickly and goes quickly It 's such a one as we are wel able to endure And then cometh the seventh Angell Sounding and hee saith aloud The Kingdomes of this world are become The Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ The two Witnesses their prophesying their slaying resurrection and ascension is in the Mysterie of the Spirit Angels sounding It comes neere to perfection but yet is not absolute perfection the highest Reign and Kingdome of the Lord and of his Christ breakes forth at the sounding of the seventh Angel The seven Trumpets are all but one Trumpet The last Trump shall sound The Spirit of the LORD being able either to contract all into one or to enlarge one into seven when and as he pleaseth He can give all to one call it one make it one discover it and open it into one or enlarge it into seven Seven dayes make but one with him Seven Angels and seven Trumpets make but one Angel and one Trumpet with him Seven is a number of rest and blessedness and here is the seventh Angel or the ange licall nature in et's perfection Christ the Head of Angels or the Perfection of Angels Angels are ministring spirits sent forth from God Ministers and Trumpets sounding forth the Kingdome of glory The exellency or perfection of Angels is to trumpet out the last and greatest glory of God Yet Christ the Arch-angel the head and chiefest Angel takes pleasure to sound forth the glory of God before the breaking forth of the Highest and Last glory Trumpeting is a proclaiming or declaring of the glory of GOD. Jesus Christ the Arch-angel the head or chiefest Angel sounds and sends forth a proclaimation or declaration of the Kingdome of GOD. And when we hear the sound of this great Trump we enter into glory or the sounding of the last Trump by Jesus Christ the great Archangel goes before the approach of the highest glory of God And it s said There were great voices in heaven After the sounding of the Trumpet comes forth the voices which is a more distinct and excellent note in musick then the sound of the Trumpet No Organ or Instrument sends forth so sweet a note as the tongue of man It s said There were great voyces in heaven and as it s exprest afterwards these voyces are uttered by the four and twenty Elders that sate before the Throne worshipping God Twelve you know was the number of the Apostles who had only the first fruits of the Spirit We saith the Apostle have the first fruits of the Spirit They had as it were a single harmony of musick publishing and declaring the glory of God But here is not onely twelve but twenty and four Elders The Spirit of God appearing in a double measure twice as much as in the Apostles having the full harvest of the Spirit a greater company of Saints and the Apostolicall Spirit or the gifts and graces of the Spirit in the Apostles doubled upon the heads of the Saints or Jesus Christ appering in the Saints in a double measure of the Spirit of God And they are all Elders too al taken up into the Ancient of daies living in the eternall and everlasting Spirit He is an Elder indeed who was before the World was made he is but an Novice and of yesterday that can speak but from the begining of the World These are the great voyces in heaven by the four and twenty Elders In this dispensation you have that measure of the Spirit of God that was given to the twelve Apostles and Church in the primative time doubled raised up to the Ancient of daies And there were GREAT voyces in heaven Some times our God speaks in a low still voice and indeed His very whisperings are pleasant Here is not only one voyce or a low whispering voyce but many and Great voyces Audible and Mighty declarations Great and various discoveries of our God When the witnesses Prophesied in sack-cloth Thousands were sufficient but now here are Thousands of Thousands Now here 's Christ in the flesh and Christ in the Spirit joyned together Now they are multiplied to Thousands of Thousands in heaven Many voices tuned multitudes of hearts enlarged in heaven they are four and twenty In the former dispensations they were shut up in Earth they were cloathed in sack-cloth they were but twelve Here they are increased to twenty four All the voices crying out Now in one Great voice and that so clear so shril that it shal spread thorrow the whole Earth The Kingdomes of this world c. It may be those people that are of the earth that are of the world question and doubt what these voyces say and they cannot say after them or with them The LORD lives the LORD reignes they think it they dare not speake it or if they do speak it it is but poorly and weakly from a bare letter not from the Spirit of God But hear when Heaven is opened the glory of God manifested and the Spirit of God doubled There are great Voyces thousands of voices concenting and concentering together al speaking aloud al singing that heavenly Halelujah saying The Kingdom of the LORD The Kingdom of of the LORD The Kingdome of the LORD Now heer 's ful Language ful speech bold and loud speech in Heaven saying The Kingdome of the LORD The Kingdome of the LORD There are many and great Voyces in Heaven saying The Kingdomes of this World are become the Kingdomes of OVR Lord. When the
World shal become ours Al worldly things are taken into Heavenly they have bin devided and distinguished you know some things are carnal some things are spiritual some things are of God some things are of the World-But now al things shal be taken up into the glory of God into the glory of Christ Which is the redemption of the body the deliverance of the creatures out of bondage wherein they have been held The whole Earth the whole Creation shal be taken up and filled with the righteousnesse and glory of the Lord. And he shall Reign for ever and ever Satan and wicked men have Reigned long but they shall Reign no longer So long as Satan can Reign over us we are subject to many evills but now he is cast down and now none can Reign over us but the Lord we shall now receive no good from man so also we shall receive no evill from man no good from good Angels no evil from evil Angels No man no creature hath any power over us none but the LORD We are the Lords the Holy ones of God and none but the HOLY ONE of God Reignes over us Wee give thee thanks O LORD GOD ALMIGHTY which ART and WAST and art to GOME because thou hast taken to thee thy GREAT Power and hast Reigned The LORD the LORD Reigns he hath taken to him his Kingdome that is it for which wee give Thanks His Kingdome and Our Thanks-giving And wee thank not man but God Thanks are due to none but GOD. Because the Lord Reigns and wee shall Reign Therefore we give thanks The Reign of Christ is an Eternall Reign For ever But the Reign of GOD is for ever and ever two Eternals The Reign of Christ is an Everlasting Reign yet he gives it up into the hands of the Father and God becomes all in all and Reignes for ever and ever There are two Eternities in this Reign the Lords and his Christs The LORD delights to double his excellencies to multiply Eternities and there is no minute wherein it can be said our LORD doth not Reign no season or time wherein it can bee said our LORD doth not Reign Whilest the LORD doth give forth favour and grace by man and man gives thanks to man it s not the Eternal Reign of God and Christ The Reign of God is without intermission it 's for ever It is in all things and at all times It is in height and depth in day and night in summer and winter It 's Eternal for ever and ever Which art and wast and art to come Here are three Eternals First The Eternal that was before the world This Kingdome was before all times and shall bee after all times when times shall be no more Which ART It is present it 's no longer absent yet it is to come but not so to come as that we want it but it is so to come that we shal enjoy it everlastingly It takes in all times past present and to come It is that Circle of Eternity that comprehends al beginning and ending And HE shall Reign for ever and ever Now there is a bouble use made of this by the Spirit of God Thanks be to God by them that dwell in Heaven Down with al your glory lay down al your excellency that is the excellency of al that are heavenly to give thanks to God In the 16. verse its said They fell upon their faces and worshipped God They lie down in the dust are base and worth-less in their own eyes that they may give glory to GOD. Now they say nothing is excellent righteous or good but God Worship God fear none acknowledge none but God speak nothing love nothing be nothing do nothing but God Wee give THEE thanks Here is thanks here 's praises here 's rejoycing LORD GOD ALMIGHTY We blesse THEE wee rejoyce in THEE wee are exceeding glad of THEE we never expected good from men if wee did they fail'd us There is nothing but oppression in man But in THEE is deliverance Certainly God wil Reign in righteousnesse in justice and truth Men are in tumults wars plots mischiefs But GOD Reignes in truth and righteousnesse And the GREAT Kingdome of the LORD is our joy Therefore Wee give THEE thanks O LORD GOD ALMIGHTY The Nations were angry and thy wrath is come The World and the powers of the World are angry they fret they vex they cry-out this is Blasphemy And we expect nothing but wrath from the world and it 's proper for them that they should be wrath our joy is their wrath See how angry man is freting and vexing at Gods pulling down the Kingdoms of the Earth This is the reason of that bitternesse and malice that fury and madnesse that is amongst men What makes them so unquiet killing and destroying one another but because God is over-turning the glory of the world What makes men so full of wrath but because Thy wrath O LORD is come And the time of the dead that they should be judged All the dead shal de judged Dead Ordinances dead Authorities c. all that live not in the life of God shall be judged Nothing is life and light but the LORD nothing lives but the LORD and those that live in the Spirit of the Lord as for others they are dead and shal be judged as the dead But those who live in the Spirit of life which is in God they triumph over death and that destruction that comes upon the Kingdomes of the world They with joy can speak on this manner Their Wrath is our Love their Griefe is our Comfort their Anger is our Peace their Trouble is our Reward their Ruine is our Life This is the application the Spirit of the Lord makes to the Nations which none can with stand God dvides the world into love and wrath blessings and cursings hee wraps the world up in wrath and cursings and the Saints in thanks givings and blessings To the Saints he saith Let them say The Lord our Reward our Comfort our Love our Joy our Strength our Heaven our Life our Father our Head our Prince our King is Come But to the world he saith Let them say our Doome our Judgement our Darknes our Confusion our Dreadful day and the Dreadfull day of the Lord is Come FINIS