against me And seeing the Lord hath given me an opportunity to testifie the truth for the Cause sake wherein I suffer and which the Author of these Sermons did own to his death I hope no inconvenience can arise from this brief Apology thus briefly represented to the little Remnant of the Womans Seed who in these dayes of Hypocrisie and Apostacy keep the Commandements of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ One word to my Fellow-prisoners in this glorious Cause from the Word of the Lord and it is a part of those glad tydings which they through Grace may bee abundantly refreshed in the remembrance of as I have been in this long time of Oppression THERE REMAINETH A REST FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD. A Sabbatisme so the Word is an holy solemn Rest and it hath reference to the World to come even the state of the Saints in the Thousand years This hath been in all Ages good news to so many as being pilgrims and strangers for the Lords sake in this present evil world have been alwayes hated reproached oppressed persecuted tormented slaughtered by the four great cruel wild Beasts Dan. 7. Oh what a voluminous Martyrology would that be which can comprehend all the cruelties bloody Massacres and despiteful dealings with the Saints of the most High which have been perpetrated upon this earth since Cain slew his brother Abel which can exemplifie in punctual narrations of truth all the Methods Stratagems Pretences and Policies which Persecutors have and will make use of for the suppressing of that spirit which with boldness doth justly contradict them in their wickedness and Abominations It s not a work for a finite creature to undertake none are sufficient Historiographers of these things but the Three who bear Record in Heaven where there is a Book of Remembrance written for those which feared Jehovah and thought upon his Name in their Generations Blessed be the Name of the Lord our God and our Father how sweet is his presence in a prison to his suffering servants Moses esteemed the reproaches of Christ greater Riches than the treasures of Egypt And wee from the overflowings of Divine Love have such glorious Incombs that we would not exchange the least of them for all the gold and silver which is coming from the West-Indies to the New Court. As the noble Marquess Galeacius Caracciolus when Golden Temptations were presented Let their money perish with them saith he who account all the gold in the world worth one dayes communion with Jesus Christ in the holy Spirit Dear Brethren in Bonds for the Lords sake How is it with you Have you cheerful lively spirits Do you live in the sense of the love of God shed abroad in your hearts by the holy Spirit which is given to you Doth your faith grow exceedingly Doth your love and zeal abound more and more for the Lord Jesus and his Interest What ripeness and readiness of spirit soul and body do you find to arise to come forth and to march in the honorable Expeditions of the Lamb against the Beast Are you prepared to follow the Lord fully Oh let us for I desire to be of that number let us never give the Lord rest till he burn with fire that Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth together with all her Daughters and until Jerusalem the New Jerusalem be established the praise of all the Earth We cannot but wait and hope till the Spirit cloath 〈◊〉 as it did Amazia 1 Chron. 12.18 that we may speak saying in a mystery Thine are we David and on thy side thou Root of Jessai peace peace be unto thee and peace be unto thine Helpers for thy God helpeth thee And I make no Question but â—re it be long there will be a coming to our David day by day to help him untill it become a great Host like the Host of God and so to turn the Kingdom of Saul unto him whose right it is according to the word of the Lord. For do the Kings of the Earth at home or abroad think of setling and establishment at this time of the day Alas poor creatures their glass is almost run out The God of Heaven is numbring their Kingdoms and finishing them The God of Heaven is weighing the new and old Tyranical Monarchies and will find them too light The God of Heaven will work Divisions in their Kingdomes and will give them all to his Son and his Saints It is true their ghostly Fathers and their Court-Chaplines do put this evil day afar off and perswade their Majesties their Highnesses and their Excellencies c. that we are possessed with on evil spirit of Sedition and Emnity against Government but we dare say to our Father who sees in secret and tryes the reins that they Lye and speak not the truth for he knows who knows all things that the desire of our souls is to be under the best Government that ever was or will bee in the world We confess we groan to be delivered from that Bondage which we are in under the Tyrants of the world we would not have the Beast nor any of his Horns to exercise such cruel domination over us as in time past because we had a little reviving from our former yokes by the out-stretched Arm of the Almighty and it was sweet unto us and we long for a full possession wherefore let us oh let us beleeve and the Lord increase our faith that we shall take them captives whose captives we are and we shal rule over our oppressors We shall meet and magnifie the Lord together and those followers of the Lamb who have prayed and wrestled in prayer for us and for the present it will be of use to look into those good works and comfortable words which this servant of the Lord who lived and dyed in the testimony of this truth doth spread before you who purposed to visit you and to incourage your hearts and to strengthen your hands in God yea and to be refreshed by you I mean you who are removed far off and thrust into holes and corners contrary to All Rules of Righteousness But though he purposed Jehovah preverted who doth all things according to the counsel of his own will and it becomes us who remain alive and have through grace received a Kingdom which cannot be shaken to serve the Lord in our Generation acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire And now oh that those precious truths handled by him might through the blessing of the Almighty become spiritual nourishment to us in our captivity The first Kingdom is founded upon the New Covenant Christ Jesus is the onely foundation c. It is good we shouldbe put in remembrance of these things though we do know them and are through the rich supply of the spirit in some measure established in the present truth I might inlarge but I shall not detain you nor the other Readers any longer but
recommend you and all those who worship not the Beast nor his Image who will not receive his Mark in their Foreheads or in their right hands to the special Protection and Benediction of him who sits upon the Throne to whom and to the Lamb who was and is worthy to take the Book and to open the seals thereof be blessing glory and power for ever and ever AMEN I am Brethren honored and beloved in the Lord by the good hand of God upon me Your Fellow Prisoner in the most glorious cause upon earth CHR. FEAK From my Watch-Tower in Winsor Castle this second day of the sixth moneth 1655. Upon the Author and these his posthume Papers NOw if I could set forth aright And give a view to clearer fight Of that sweet grace which in his Breast Had taken up its quiet rest How would poor souls come in to him Who fram'd his heart and did begin To beautifie with rarest art That inner man his hidden part But here I fail for suddenly His light 'gan shine and by and by It was not his nor ours and we Left in the dark how can we see London thou had'st him last in thee He came to die and do'st thou see What pearls of price he left behind O have them have them still in mind His Books thou had'st before and here His Pulpit-Breathings just so near As broken pen could take them From smiling lips that spake them Go little Book and give a taste To all that love thy Tillinghast Of sweetest Truths And blest let be To Sions Sons his Memory H. F. A Funeral or Elegiack Verse Breath'd at our Friends Interment on his Herse I t is the Father Will that now is done O ur hopes when set on Creatures are soon gone H enceforth let 's learn to set our hope in God N ote well this providence and hear the Rod. T he Lord can comfort us as by our Brothers I n doubling his sweet Gospel-spirit on others L ike precious Faith Light Self-denial Love L et Saints surviving seek for from above I oy 't was to him to do his Masters Will N ow of his Masters Joy he hath his fill G reat testimony to the Truth he bore H e minded Sion till he spake no more A nd spent himself in seeking to allure S aints that divided were to peace and sure T o peace he 's gone that ever shall indure R. D. Errata PAge 2. line 20. for hold thus much read hold forth thus much p. 4. l. 15. r. wrapt p. 7. l. 23. r. equivalent p. 23. l. 17. r. Priest of the new Covenant he is made with an oath p. 72. l. 5. r. of the world p. 115. l. 15. r. this is not c. p. 13â— l. 5. r. could not be THE FIFT KINGDOME OR Kingdome of Christ founded upon the New COVENANT JEREMIAH 33.20 21. Thus saith the Lord If you can breake my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night and that there should not be day and night in their season Then may also my Covenant be broken with David my servant that he should not have a son to reign upon his Throne and with the Levites the Priests my Ministers THe three foregoing Chapters and this they have a looke unto the last times and they doe more particularly relate unto the times in which God will gather together Israel and Judah as in the 14 vers Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will performe that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah I say the Prophesie lookes to the time when the Lord will unite the ten Tribes which are called the house of Israel and the two Tribes which are called the house of Judah and will performe all those good things that he hath promised to them in that day when they shall againe be united together Now among the many blessed things the Lord hath promised unto his people in that day this indeed is the chiefe and the great mercy God hath promised A KINGDOME for thus saith the Lord David shall never want a man in the 17 vers to sit upon the Throne of the house of Israel We have a kingdome promised unto the people of God a Throne at this day and that is shadowed forth under the kingdome of David Davids kingdome was a Type of Christs kingdome and indeed whereas this kingdome here promised is shadowed forth by that of David it doth hold thus much That the kingdome is not onely a spirituall kingdome but an outward visible kingdome for such a Throne and kingdome Davids was Now in the words that I read to you the Lord gives assurance unto his people that he would make good this promise and the assurance that the Lord gives unto his people is grounded on the Covenant made with David and lest there should be any doubt about the Covenant made with David the certainty of it the Lord tells us that the Covenant made with David was as certain as the Covenant of the day and night If you can breake my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night that there shall not be day and night in their season then may also my Covenant be broken with David my servant Why now the Covenant of the day and night hath been unalterable from the first Creation unto this day there hath been day and night in their season why so saith the Lord my Covenant with David it s an unalterable an unchangeable Covenant and upon this Covenant this Throne and Kingdome I now promise to you is founded Quest If so be you aske What that Covenant is that was made with David Answ It s Answered If we doe but say it was an unchangeable Covenant that Covenant is the new Covenant where it s spoken of it s spoken of as an Everlasting and an unalterable Covenant and indeed this Covenant that the Lord doth here speake of is no other but that new Covenant as is cleare from other Scriptures 2 Sam 23. David when he was ready to dye in his last words he doth make this his Comfort Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire although he make it not to grow So that the Covenant made with David it was an Everlasting Covenant it was a sure Covenant it was a Covenant that David had founded his very Salvation upon therefore it could be no other but the new Covenant the Covenant of grace And so likewise the Prophet Isai 55.3 ver he saith there I will make an Everlasting Covenant with you even the sure Mercy 's of David The Covenant of David it was an Everlasting Covenant Now this Throne and kingdome which is here promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah and also to all the seede of Abraham as well the
consists of many parts oftentimes first second third and fourth lofts and yet these are so united and compact together as that they make but one building and there 's but one foundation so I may say In the spirituall building that glorious blessed building of our salvation it s a building that consists of many parts there 's the Eternall love of the Father free pardon and remission of sins comfort new obedience and the like and yet notwithstanding all these they are so compact as that indeed all make up but one glorious blessed building and there 's but one foundation to all and that is Jesus Christ the Lord of glory Other foundation can no man lay And as in building the foundation it s that which ly's at the bottome so in this blessed building of Salvation Christ as a foundation ly's at the bottome of all he ly's at the bottome of the fathers love and the fathers love built up upon him he ly's at the bottome of our Justification he ly's at the bottome of all our Comforts he ly's at the bottome of all our obedience and holines so that we are to understand by Christs being a foundation his being laid at the bottome of all that ever we have not onely at the bottome of our Justification that men will easily acknowledge but Christ is at the bottome of every dram of Comfort Christ at the bottome of every duty Christ at the bottome of every affection Christ at the bottome of every grace at the bottome of all we have so he is the foundation that what our soules would enjoy be it comfort be it holines be it Justification be it what it will Christ lying at the bottome of all is Christ's being the foundation 2. Quest In what respect is Christ said to be a foundation Ans I answer first Christ is a foundation in respect of the fathers having laid him for a foundation Behold I lay in Syon for a foundation Isai 28.16 I lay in Syon The father he lay's Jesus Christ as a foundation God knows no other foundation to erect that blessed glorious building that heavenly structure of our Everlasting Salvation upon but onely Christ that glorious building of grace and glory could stand upon no other bottome but Christ and therefore when the Lord comes to raise up this building saith he I lay in Syon for a foundation for a foundation I lay my Son as the foundation as the bottome of all he is the foundation God the father hath laid the father knows no other if we would have that foundation for our soules that the father judges to be the sure foundation and would have our comfort built upon that it must be laid upon Jesus Christ this is that foundation that the father hath laid Secondly Jesus Christ may be called a foundation in Respect to Gospel Revelation The Gospel reveales no other foundation but Christ looke over the whole Gospel of God from first to last and you shall find no other Corner Stone no other bottome stone but the Lord Jesus Christ onely Christ is the corner stone as the Apostle tells us upon which the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles is built Eph 2.20 And are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himselfe being the cheife Corner stone the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets its here by the Apostle called a foundation but it s such a foundation as hath another foundation lying at the bottome of that Jesus Christ the Corner stone is laid at the bottome of this foundation Truth it s the foundation of our faith but the Lord Jesus Christ he is the foundation of truth that foundation that truth stands upon he is still the bottome foundation Thirdly Jesus Christ may be called a foundation In respect of his owne meetnes and fitnes every way to be a foundation Christ he is the most meete and fit of all others to be a foundation First He is a Stone as the Prophet saith I will lay in Syon for a foundation a stone you know if men goe to lay a foundation they doe not goe and gather up dust and rubbish that is no fit matter for a foundation but they goe and gather up Stones and lay them for a foundation so our Lord Jesus Christ he is a stone I lay in Syon for a foundation a stone so there 's a fitnes and meetnes in him for a foundation he is most meete for a foundation Secondly As he is a Stone so he is an Elect Choice Stone he is a fit chosen stone and therefore he saith I lay in Syon for a foundation a cheife corner stone Elect and precious he is a fit stone Men picke out of their best Stones for a foundation so he is a Stone pickt out by God himselfe when the Lord was to lay the foundation of this blessed glorious building of our Everlasting Happines God tooke a view as I may so say of men and Angells and he could not find such another Stone so fit for a foundation as the Lord Jesus Christ was he is a fit Stone But againe Thirdly The Lord Jesus Christ He is a Rockie Stone so he is called in Scripture the rocke the rocke stone 1 Cor 10.4 And that rocke was Christ and they that are offended at Christ they are offended at the rocke Rom. 9.33 He is a rocke of offence they that smite against Christ smite against the rocke and therefore are broken to peices And on whomsoever it shall fall it will grind them to powder Math 21.44 Now the rocke stone is the greatest firmest and hardest Stone and therefore the fittest for a foundation And Christ being a Rocke he is most fit for a foundation Fourthly The Lord Jesus Christ He is a Tryed Stone so saith the Prophet I lay in Syon for a foundation a stone a tryed stone that is a stone that there hath been proofe made of every way whether it would be fit for a foundation or no there 's great difference between stones there are some stones if you put them under the hammer they will breake to peices and there are some if you put them into the furnace they will melt or moulder But our Lord Jesus Christ he is a tryed stone a stone that hath been under the Hammer of the worlds rage and under the Hammer of Satans Temptations and under the Hammer of our sins and corruptions And he hath been in the furnâ—ce of his fathers wrath and yet he is a solid stone still he is a tryed stone and therefore fit for a foundation he hath been so tryed that the Lord saith of him he is a sure foundation I am sure saith God whatsoever is built upon my Son shall stand I am sure what ever soule what ever comfort what ever obedience stands there shall stand Fifthly The Lord Jesus Christ he is a Pretious Stone 1 Pet 2.6 Behold I lay in Syon for a foundation a stone Elect and pretious he is not
us up to himselfe in that day when he makes up his Jewells O saith God to his Angels goe and gather up that soul for that soule is mine he is one of my Jewells O God will then shew what it is to owne him God will make it appear plainly then what we are and who we are And I will saith God spare him as a man spareth his owne Son that serveth him I will spare them and pity them O they have many weaknesses and infirmities what though yet saith God I will spare them 't is true saith God they have many weaknesses and have much frowardnesse O but yet I will pardon all and overlook all I will spare them notwithstanding all that I see what they drive at and what they aime at I see what their ends are they aime at my glory at my honour and they aime to be serviceable to me and would very gladly doe something forme well I will overlook and passe by all their weaknesses and infirmities and I will spare them as a man spares his Son that serves him though their brethren and friends will not pardon nor forgive their passions and their frowardnesse their weaknesses and infirmities yet saith God I will I will spare them O Saints here is our glory and our comfort that our father our God will spare us he will over-look our infirmities it 's true Saints we have many weaknesses much frowardnesse of spirit much passion many failings and many out-goings from God and we cannot manage that blessed cause we have in our hands with that wisdome and with that meeknesse and with that humility of spirit as we should O but here 's our comfort we have a sparing God an over-looking and forgetting God O Saints our father will spare us the father will overlook our infirmities he sees we aime at his glory and would doe service for him and that delights his heart and certainly this will appear to be the great sin of Saints one day that they cannot forgive and forget and over-look one anothers weaknesses and one anothers infirmities O but here 's the great comfort of the Saints in such a time that though they have many weaknesses and infirmities yet they have a God and father will spare them and pardon them Saints there 's sparing mercy in God there 's forgiving mercy in God there 's forgetting mercy in God there 's over-looking mercy in God O the good Lord keep our hearts close to him and help us to keep our white Robes about us and to walk in his feare alwayes O let us cast and venture our selves upon the rich grace of God in the New Covenant and love in Jesus Christ FINIS Looke to your Aimes and Ends. MATHEVV 11.7 And as they departed Jesus began to say unto the Multitude concerning John what went ye out into the wildernesse to see A Reede shaken with the winde IN the foregoing Verses we have John who is now in Prison sending some of his Disciples to Christ to propound a Question that he might receive satisfaction therein from the mouth of Christ himselfe The Question is Art thou he which should come or doe we looke for another In effect Whether art thou the Christ or not Or are we to look for some other yet to come that is the Messiah whom God hath promised by his holy Prophets to send unto his People It seems John though he had Preacht Christ and was his Harbinger his Fore-runner and had all the time of his Liberty spoken gloriously of Christ yet now when he is brought into a Prison into a state of temptation he is doubting As it doth befall the dear Children of God when they come into that state when they are under Temptation they doe then question those things which they believed in the day of their Prosperity and Joy So John when he was Preaching in his Prosperity and at Liberty he then held forth Christ but when John is cast into Prison John's faith is not strong now though it was very strong once yet it had need of confirmation from Christ himselfe therefore he sends to Christ Art thou he which should come or doe we looke for another Our Lord answers John's Disciples that came to him that they should Goe and tell John what they heard and saw And what things are those The blind receive their sight and the lame walke The Leapers are cleansed and the deafe hear the dead are raised up and the poor have the Gospel Preached to them Goe tell John of my works saith Christ Christ endeavours to convince him by his works and then he concludes And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me As if he should have said it will be a hard thing not to be offended in me it 's a very hard thing for a poor Creature not to be offended in Christ John himselfe that had Preacht Christ so much is upon the very brink of an offence and had much adoe to keep himselfe from being offended therefore Christ saith Blessed is he that is not offended in me I doe not wonder at John it 's a very blessed thing not to be offended in me my people shall meet with such Tryalls and Temptations in owning â—â—e that it 's a very hard thing not to be offended Having this opportunity put into his hands by John's Disciples putting this Question unto him Christ turnes unto the multitude As they departed Jesus began to say unto the multitude concerning John what went ye out into the willdernesse to see what were yee taken with A Reed shaken with the winde The multitude were much taken with John they cry'd up John as a great Prophet and indeed Christ saith that among all that were borne of women there was not a greater that then had risen then John the Baptist yet this great John John that had so much light John that had so much grace John that had Preached Christ so clearly John that the whole multitude followed this John when he comes into Temptation is but a Reed shaken with the winde What went yee out for to see a Reed shaken with the winde The strongest Christian that hath the strongest grace and most experience and most strength yet let him but enter into Temptation and he is but as a Reed shaken with the wind What went ye out for to see a Reed shaken with the winde But this is not that I intend to stand upon The word that I intend to speak to is grounded upon Christs Querie What went yee out into the wildernesse to see The multitude followed after John but alas they did not know him nor wherefore they went after after him So it 's with poore sinners they are apt to be taken with any thing a while but we doe not know our owne hearts our owne designes What went ye out into the wildernesse to see As if he should have said What was your end He put them upon their end to look unto their aymes in spirituall