upon the Nations i.e. they should lay aside war and strife at least in a great measure in comparison of what was in the days immediately before For a time of tempest and war when every man sees his interest going to wrack is not a time of rejoycing and feasting especially with the dwellers on the Earth who serve no other God nor mind nothing else but their lusts and interests but a time of howling and mourning Withall the boast of the proud Whore Revel 18.7 Of which I have spoken before seems somewhat to countenance this for grant her to have killed the Witnesses yet if when this is done her followers were killing one another and her outward strength tearing it self it peeces she should have but little cause to boast But she boasts and that in such manner as seems to me to argue that she hath her enemies that before she feared under her feet and her own strength also which before was broken and divided united which two things do wonderously lift her up and make her conceit her self as indeed she is in an outward way stronger and more fast in her seat than ever And as her boasting seems to argue this general peace should not be till towards the end of the three days and a half for this boasting of hers is the immediate fore-runner of her ruin which comes in upon her inevitably upon the witnesses rise And to this it s not improper to add the opinion of that eminent Servant of Christ Mr. Archer in his Personal Reign Printed A.D. 1642. who speaking of the ten horns giving up their power to the Beast Rev. 17.12 13 17. saith thus Here is a double giving up of their power to the Beast spoken of though yet they may seem both one but will be found of him who ponders them at two diverse and several times For in the former its onely said they had one mind to give their power to the Beast i.e. saith he they were at that time all alike ignorant and superstitious and so the Papacy easily devoured them But in the latter place it s said God put it into their minds to agree and do it i.e. at this time they were not all alike some of the Kingdoms had light and reformation and had withdrawn from Rome yet by some special over-ruling Providence in respect of which its said God put it into their hearts they who had departed from Popery shall revolt and by some agreement or Covenant with the rest all joyntly shal again give up their power to the Beast So that saith he this act differs much from the former and seems to be a second act of the ten Kings that is of so many of them as were revolted from the Papacy and it also appears to be so because it is made the fore-runner and the immediate fore-goer of Romes ruin but the former giving up was at the beginning of the Papacy Hitherto the very words of Mr. Archer that eminent Witness of Christ who for the testimony of Jesus dyed in Exile fourteen or fifteen years ago Pers Reign p. 50 51. Now this testimony is the more remarkable as to us at this day by how much the giving-up vers 17. which he comments upon followes that remarkable war betwixt the Lamb and the Kings of the Earth which our eies have seen but the worthy Author lived not to see it Yet let me add this that I do not conceive with the Author that this giving up of power to the Beast shall be a revolting of all the ten Horns to Popish Religion for the power here spoken of that is given up to the Beast is civil power only that being properly the power of the horns which by way of League or Covenant with the Beast or those who are consederate with him may be given up to him and yet no receiving nor embracing Romish Religion From these grounds it is a thing conjectural that a general peace shall be in that part of the world commonly called Christendom within the time of the three days and an half My first thoughts hereof were whilst I considered this 11 Chapter onely that this peace should be so general as to take in all those Nations that were formerly under the power of the Beast but since the time I weighed and compared with the truth of this Chapter the truth laid down in the 12 and 14 Chapt. it hath been a Question with me whether that people whom the Holy Ghost sets forth by that Title of the remnant of the womans seed Revel 12.17 shall not be excluded from this agreement One of these two I suppose we may conclude upon that either they shall be excluded or shall renounce this Covenant with Hell before the three days and a half are compleatly expired for the Dragon at the end of the three days and a half makes war upon them Which of these two will be time will determine but being more and more perswaded every day that Christ is coming on upon his people apace I shall not cause this little Book to wait to see the issue SECT X. THe three days and a half fully expired the dead Witnesses rise again The thing that sets them upon their feet is said to be a Spirit of Life from God entering into them vers 11. And after three days and an half the Spirit of Life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet i.e. a Spirit of boldness and courage zeal and undaunted resolution to appear for Christ against Antichrist whatsoever it cost them shall now fall upon them so that live or dye having so good a Cause they will no longer be Cowards and lurch their Coulours but in the name of the Lord into the field they will go and see whether the Beast dare appear against them Quest It will be here worth our inquiry Whether this Noble Heroick Spirit shall come upon them from God immediately or whether it shall be wrought in them mediately by some means Answ I conceive that look as the killing of the Witnesses is partly mediate being caused by the Beast partly immediate being deserted by God so shall their resurrection also that it may answer to their death be i.e. this Spirit of Life which sets them upon their feet shall be wrought in them partly mediately by some means that shall be used to that end and partly immediately by Gods accompanying those means with a more than ordinary power and efficacy for the effecting this glorious work So that Gods hand shall be much more visible in the thing than the means it self though yet means shall be used Now as for the means I apprehend it shall be some loud call that shall be given to the Witnesses from some Saints from out of some other place who shal be very sensible of their condition and shall have it strongly set home upon their hearts that the time is comein which they are to arise This Call seems to me to be that great voyce
made so darkly that Daniel hears but understands not n therfore although in words far different yet as by the following answer appears aiming still at the same thing he puts the Question again What shall be the end of these things Answer then is made v. 11 12. And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be tak n away and the abomination that maketh desolate be set up there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety daies Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand three hundred five and thirty days The meaning whereof seems to be this that the beginning of the delivery of Daniels people viz. the Jews should fall out a thousand three hundred and ninety days i.e. so many years a day for a year being the Scripture account as Numb 14.34 Ezek. 4.4 5 6. after the taking away of the daily sacrifice and the setting up the abomination that maketh desolate and forty five years after that for so many days hath the second number more than the first that the great trouble which the Scripture not onely here but elsewhere plentifully reveals as Ezek 37.38 39. Joel 3.1 2. Zach. 12. 14.1 2. will attend that people in their beginning to seek the Lord and David their King shall they be delivered from by the standing of Michael their Prince as vers 1. Which because till that day their deliverance though began before shall not be compleated therefore is the blessing annexed not to the first but to the latter time Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the 1335 days The great knot here is for the untying of which more light would be welcome When the taking away of the daily sacrifice and the setting up the abomination that maketh desolate which is to be the head of our account had its accomplishment and here the variety of mens judgements hath brought forth various conjectures which not in this place to scan I shall pitch on that which seems to carry greatest probability of truth with it which is the opinion of those that bring it down to Julians time fixing upon as the mark they begin their account at that particular act of his of endeavoring by setting the Jews thereabouts the re-edifying the Temple at Jerusalem and so thereby in malice and opposition to Christ and Christian-Worship to restore Judaism and Jewish Worship at which time a fearful Earth-quake in the night did overturn all they had built in the day yea threw the very foundation stones of the Temple out of their places which before had never been removed Now the reasons why a fixation here is rather to be chosen than any where else are 1 Because if we make any other act since Christ before this the Head of our account the time is already expired and yet the Jews not delivered 2 Because No act whatsoever could more patly agree to the words themselves than this of Julians which was an abomination of the highest to endeaver the setting up of the Jewish worship when God had thrown it down and that out of a design to throw down Christian worship which God had set up and such an abomination as brought a desolation and an utter removal of the daily sacrifice the Temple-ground the only place of sacrifice being at this time lost For although the daily sacrifice did cease before from Titus time by whom the Temple was ruined as it also did all the time that Israel was in Babylon whilst the first Temple lay waste yet properly could it not either then or now nor no more now than then be said to be taken away because the Temple-ground to which as the onely holy place the Jewish worship was tyed whereon a new Temple might be built was still remaining But at this time not onely the foundation stones being thrown up but the very Temple-ground being lost in the Earthquake it is not improper to say the daily sacrifice was taken away 3 This likewise seems best to agree to the words of Christ himself concerning the destruction of the Temple Mat. 24.2 There shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down For although the Temple was demolished by Titus yet the foundation stones did still lie one upon the other but now this act of Julians brought such a desolation that as the building was ruined formerly so the very foundation now had not a stone left upon a stone which punctually agrees to Christs own words And it is observable that Christ himself makes this setting up of the abomination of desolation foretold by Daniel the immediate fore runner hereof ver 3. compared with 15. which according to what hath been said was both immediate fore-runner and cause also Now for the precise time of this Hellish exploit there are among Historians four how many more I know not different accounts of the particular year in which the same was acted though all I have hitherto seen or heard of conclude it to be within the year of our Lord 360. or 367. yet whether or no through some mistake of Chronology the difference may not be somewhat wider I cannot determine though judge it very unlikely that it can or should be much Accounting therefore that we may draw to a head from the year 366. and the rather because the very year Daniels first number of days will from thence fall in with is already made famous by general expectations of some remarkable thing to be done therein and the beginning of the Jews delivery is likely to be either in the year it self or thereabouts of our Lord 1656. for adding 366. the supposed year of Christ wherein Julian did this to Daniels 1290. and there is made up the full sum neither over nor under of 1656. which if when that time shall come we see accomplished we need not then make it a question whether forty five years after their deliverance shall be compleated or not Daniel having foretold that in his last number of 1335. which he that shall take but ten from the 300 and add the same to the 35. will find that made up 45. and the foregoing number of 1290. to remain And because this reckoning is but of latter times it is not therefore to be rejected but rather to be received because Daniel himself tells us that the truth of this Prophesie was to be sealed up till the time of the end as vers 4.9 which is also a manifest argument that this cannot relate unless in a typical way to the times and story of Antiochus Epiphanes as some godly and learned men would carry it If any by calling in doubt the thing it self viz. Whether ever such a thing as the Jews conversion shall be question the whole My answer to such is That could I with that clearness demonstrate the time of it as through the Lords assistance it is easie to do the thing it self were this the place for the doing thereof I should have suspected my self to have injured
Gadarens send Christ away because they were loth to lose their swine Private interest of gain was the root of that great opposition made against the Gospel in Thratira Act 16.19 20. and after that at Ephesus Act. 19.23 24 25 c. And private interest of honor and preeminence set Diotrephes on work to oppose John and the work of Christ in his Churches Epist 3. vers 9.10 Private interest is an enemy to the work of the Generation and every work of God about it 5 Favour and own the Saints of the Generation and here by Saints I do not mean this or that party of men but such men of whatsoever party they may be as have the image of God upon them Christ and the Spirit of Christ in them To disown any such one though men call it disowning a Presbyter disowning an Independant disowning an Anabaptist c. yet Christ accounts it disowning his little ones In Zech. 12.5 We have a glorious Prophecy relating unto the last ages of the-world but more particularly to that age in which the Jews shall be converted and it chiefly concerns great ones States-men the Governors of Judah who in this day looking upon and beholding Gods wonderful appearances in behalf of his Saints under their Government owning of them shattering all that do but lifâ— up a hand against them to peeces bringing all Plots and Counsels against them to nothing they shall from hence be so powerfully convinced that they shall say in their hearts The Inhabitants of Jerusalem my strength or is our strength in the Lord of Hosts their God And observe it no sooner do they say thus Surely these are Gods people here lies our strength wee 'l stick to these but presently the work in their hands go on in despight of the most powerful opposition God making of them the terror of all the Nations round about them yea of the whole world which shall be but as stubble to the fire before them as vers 6. In that day viz. the day in which the Governours of Judah shall thus speak will I make the Governors of Judah like a hearth of fire among the wood and like a torch of fire in a sheaf and they shall devoure all the people round about on the right hand and on the left A sad example of the contrary we have in David who though he were a man after Gods own heart and one that had faithfully served God for many years in his Generation yet by one injury offered to godly Uriah his hands were so weakned that as I have formerly said comparing after acts with what he did before we hardly find any remarkable thing performed by him in his Generation afterwards As nothing doth more strengthen a mans hand in Generation-work then countenancing the Saints so contrariwise nothing doth more enfeeble them than to injure these 6 Keep Justice alive against wilful offenders in the work Achan put a stop to the work of the Generation in his time but Justice having free passage upon Achan presently the work of the Generation goes on 7 Commit the managing of publique Affairs into the hands of faithful and holy men It is observable and but that I spare to run over again the list of Generations I could for proof thereof produce many instances that Generation-work hath never thriven but have bin always done by halves or peece-meal when it hath bin in the hands of such men who not being faithful to God have more pursued their own particular interests of honor profit and the advancement of relations and alliances than the good and welfare of the cause and the furtherance of the work of the Generation But that which is enough for our present purpose is how that in the last days particularly in that age in which Christ will pitch a field with those Kings of the Earth which stand in the way of his Kingdom he will pick and cull out as the only instruments that under him shall carry on this work such as are called and chosen and faithful as Rev. 17.14 These shall make waâ— with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them For he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful And also in that fatal blow which suddenly after shall be given to the Romish power and the powers of the world conjoyned his followers shall not be such as either rowle in the pollutions of the world or have stained their garments with the Idolatries and Superstitions of Antichrist but onely such as shall be cloathed in fine linnen clean and white as Rev. 19.8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linnen clean and white For the fine linnen is the righteousness of the Saints And vers 14. The Armies which were in Heaven followed him upon white Horses cloathed in fine linnen white and clean Though men may imploy others yet Christ will by degrees lay them by in the doing of this work before the same shall be perfected 8 Take heed of divers things which if not prudently foreseen and shunned may any one of them slugg even a good man in the work of his Generation as 1 Take heed of being offended Christs Countreymen could not receive him for the Messiah because they were offended at his meanness and poverty Matth. 13.57 Many a man stumbles at the work of his Generation by an aptness to be offended at this and the other thing as First At the nâ—w light of the Generation As in the times before Christs coming and immediately after so long as God was opening his will to his people by a written word every generation almost did beam forth new light in regard of being Abrahams Generation producing somewhat that was not revealed in Adams nor to the old World Mosesses somewhat which was not revealed in Abrahams Davids somewhat which was not revealed in Mosesses Isaiahs somewhat which was not revealed in Davids Daniels somewhat which was not revealed in Isays John Baptists somewhat which was not revealed in in Daniels and Peter and Pauls somewhat which was not revealed in John Baptists time So in the Generations since God hath closed up his word truth having brought forth its last in regard of being and especially since the man of Sin who creeping in in the first ages corrupted and darkned the light of those times for many Generations together hath been going off the Stage every Generation almost hath afforded its new light in regard of discovery of that light which in the word had being before but obscured by the fogs of Antichristianism So Wickleff and John Hus in their ages made discovery of some light Luther in his Generation of more Calvin in his of more in respect of some things wherein Luther was in the dark and the ages since of more in respect of some things wherein all the foregoing Worthies were in the dark And this to say is no disparagement to them who did worthily in their
and crouch to her by which she is grown rich and gallant having by whoring and jugling got the riches the gold the precious stones and pearls of the first Beast to her self and to shew what an aspiring spirit she is of instead now of exercising the power of the first Beast i. e. of the Civil State by leave any longer she is now like Lord and King got upon the back of the first Beast who dares not cross her humor for she rides him and rules him at pleasure And indeed the first Beast is justly recompenced for setting up and countenancing such a Beast at first who according to the Proverb give an inch of power he will take an ell for whilst the first Beast remains a Beast still this second Beast is from a Beast advanced to be a Woman which not onely had robbed and plundered the coffers of the Beast and got all his riches from him but also knows how to ride the Beast master him and rule him as she list And certainly had not the first Beast been a very Beast I mean had not the Civil State at first so far degenerated as instead of acting rationally as a man to act sensually and bruitishly as a Beast this great inconvenience would have been foreseen in the beginning at least remedied in time before the second Beast was grown to such a height that he was now past taming and able to ride and master the first Beast that set him up Now whereas the Woman verse last is said to be the Great City it is as I suppose rather lain down as a Mark or character to know the Woman by and that from the place she was to sit in then a description of the Woman which verse 9. confirms me in by giving us to understand that the woman sits upon the seven Mountains i.e. the City Rome anciently built upon seven Mountains therefore the seven Mountains i. e. the City Rome is not to speak properly the Woman but the Seat of the Woman What I have said of the two Beasts the Beast and the Woman I may also say of the Beast and the false Prophet spoken of in the words I am opening The Beast here is the Civil State or the first Beast that ariseth out of the Sea the false Prophet the Ecclesiastical or second Beast whose rise is from the Earth And indeed he that shall but parallel the second Beast spoken of chap. 13. with what is spoken of the false Prophet chap. 19. will find them to be one and the same The false Prophet is a worker of Miracles chap. 19.20 so is the second Beast chap. 13.17 The false Prophet by his miracles deceives the Beasts followers chap. 19.20 so doth the second Beast chap. 13.14 The Beast and the false Prophet are helpful the one to the other for the Beast defends the false Prophet by his strength for chap. 19.19 no force at all is mentioned that this false Prophet had at that great Randezvouze who yet was presonally present with the Beast for he is taken prisoner vers 20. therefore the Beast defends him and the false Prophet by working miracles encourageth the Beast and his multitude with hope of good success God is of their side In like manner the two Beasts chap. 13. are as before hath been shewed helpful to each other The conclusion is that by false Prophet we are to understand the second Beast spoken of chap. 13. and by Beast and false Prophet to understand the same here as of the two Beasts there viz. the Civil and Ecclesiastical State onely with this difference that Beast which in his first rise was but a Beast afterwards when more grown a Woman riding upon and over-topping the Civil power or first Beast which gave him his rise is now in his declining condition a false Prophet For the loss of Rome where was his Magazine of Treasure together with the seizing and intercepting his Rents and Tributes by the Conqueror hath so pulled down the Beast so plucked the plumes of the Romish Ecclesiastical State i.e. brought the Pope and his Clergy to so low an ebb that it is now but little that they can contribute either to the assistance of the first Beast the Romish Civil power or towards the upholding of their own sinking Kingdom yet because having been a proud Whore this Beast is loath to be of little repute and to come back again to his first original of a poor earthly Beast yea would fain have the first Beast the Civil power still to dote upon him and reckon him a considerable party he will therefore seem now to make up by his fained piety and devotion what is wanting in his former outward strength and glory and now he can be nothing else he will needs be a Prophet to foretell good to his cause and Kingdom though none he can do it But observe as when he was a Beast he was an earthly Beast as when a Woman a Whore so now when a Prophet a false Prophet Though Antichrist may change shapes and formes he can never make himself better than he is but Antichrist he will be an Enemy to Christ an Imposter a Deceiver a Lyar still Having thus seen the meaning of the words and names which I have purposely insisted the larger upon because the right understanding hereof doth if I mistake not open the door into the very mystery of this Book I come to apply them to the business in hand thus The Dragon Beast and false Prophet who from the beginning were Partners going hand in hand and venturing States together seeing by the fall of the City Rome such a terrible shaking blow giving to their Kingdom as that the next blow if not prevented is like unavoidably to be fatal and to prove their utter ruin they therefore now all of them convene in some General Councel where they lay their heads together what thing is best for them to do to prevent another blow or if possible to recover their own again And upon debate two things being laid before them as matter of deep and serious consultation viz. The late loss they have received by the fall of Rome and that by causing some of the Kings of the Earth who were friends to their cause before now for fear of her torment lest the like should befall themselves to with-draw and stand a loof off 2 The great provocation since given to the Turk by those very Instruments their Enemies which is like to make him joyn in with the utmost strength hee can make out of desire to revenge himself and recover his own again to ruin if it may bee this growing party The vote or result of the meeting from the foregoing premises is that as the thing which doth most conduce to the upholding of their cause Agents and Ambassadors of the fittest they can find for such imployment be speeded away to such Kings of the earth as for the present seem backward in the cause to put life into
by a glorious restauration bringing it into the liberty of the Sons of God For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God And also because in those very new Heavens and Earth that Isay speaks of and Peter quotes from him the Wolfe and the Lamb shall feed together that is good and bad shall be in the world together Neither let it be said that this will be any hinderance to the Saints glory and spirituality to bring them from Heaven the place of glory and that about a work so mean and low to rule over men upon earth for as Angels lose not their glory by attending upon the work of God here on earth nor their spirituliaty because the works they attend upon of ministring to the Saints destroying the Enemies of God c. are in themselves mean and low yea in a manner servile for so glorious Creatures as Angels to attend upon so shall not Saints at this day by being occupied in the Affairs of this Fifth Monarchy which shall be their work for Christ to act as Officers under him in his Kingdom lose any thing of their glory especially considering Christ himself whose presence is their glory shall be with them all this time nor of their Spirituality which never suffers decay in any through a being occupied in the will and work of the Lord. And what if the Lord who in the Legal Administration thought it good to have his peoples work a burden in the Gospel Administration work but no burden will in this administration have work and glory go together who will or hath cause to find fault with it Nay let me say what sometimes hath been in my thought with refreshing that the spirituality of Saints at this day shall be such as that from thence an awe shall be upon the surviving Sinners of the world who shall tremblingly come and how themselves down at the soles of their feet Isa 60.14 and subject themselves to them for this day as the Apostle saith Rom. 8.20 shall be the day of the manifestation of the Sons of God Gods people are Sons now therefore saith John 1 Epist 3.2 Beloved now are we the Sons of God but saith he though true we are so yet the world knoweth us not i.e. the transcendent glory and excellency of our state is now a thing veiled from the world but the day I am speaking of shal be the manifestation of the Sons of God wherein that noble and super-excellent Spirit that now under a veil it in the Sons of God shall be manifested before all men when all in general shall come to see the difference that is betwixt the spiritual man and the man that is meerly rational to be as vast yea far more vast than that which now is betwixt the rational creature and sensitive And as the sensitive creature now doth tremble before the rational from beholding through a secret instinct of nature a kind of Majesty and a more noble spirit in the rational creature than is in himself so shall at this day the meer rational man tremble before the spiritual when the manifestation of that super-excellent Spirit that is in the one above the other shall be open and naked before all and therefore Cant. 6.10 we have several degrees of the Churches light and glory 1 Looking forth as the morning with a little light so in the legal administration 2 Fair as the Moon more light So in the Gospel 3 Clear as the Sun that is come up to a high degree of spiritual light and life both for both are from the Sun which is giver of the one maintainer of the other so in the administration at this day And what then why terrible as an Army with banners the Saints and people of God through this high advance in spirituality grow terrible to the mean men of the world who now tremble before them By what hath been before said it may appear that notwithstanding the thousand years is a distinct time from the Day of Judgement being that time to speak properly in which Saints shall judge the world and reign on the earth yet in a large sense the time of the thousand years and the General Judgement both may bee called one great Day of Judgement And indeed that Saints shall one day judge the world is a thing so clear in Scripture that good men not making a distinction betwixt the judging in the time of the thousand years and the General Judgement do bring the Saints at the last day instead of standing upon Christs right hand even to fit with him upon the Bench and then and there to judge the world which opinion is not only repugnant to those other Scriptures wherein we have the manner of Saints reigning over and judging the world set forth which without a manifest forcing of them cannot be applied to this time but also hath not the least countenance for it self from any one Scripture that I know of where express mention is made of the last and General Judgement but the contrary rather as from that I have said before may bee gathered which is enough to put us upon a further search and not to receive this principle upon trust any longer And truly to me it appears that the Apostle himself 1 Cor. 15.23 24 25. makes a manifest difference betwixt these two times of judging calling one the time of Christs Reign to put his enemies under his feet the other the time of the end and both these after his coming Christ the first fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming Then cometh the end plainly intimating a distance of time betwixt his coming and the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father when he shall have put down all Rule and Authority and Bower For hee must Reign shewing what his work shall be betwixt the time of his coming and the end till he hath put all enemies under his feet Why both these different judgings may not be expressed in that of the Apostle 2 Tim. 4.1 Shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdome the quick first in such manner as hath been shewed and then the dead at the last and General Judgement which both are called his Appearing and Kingdome because he is but once to appear to do both and both taken together do but make up this Kingdome of Christ in which as King of Kings Christ will glorifie himself in the eyes of all creatures I see no convincing reason to the contrary Having thus spoken of the coming of our Lord according to that light I have received from the word I only now desire that none of Gods people who shall read this may be of the number of those who are troubled in mind and shaken that the day of the
be ensnared and polluted by any through the least compliance with or liking of the great Whore that hath deceived and defiled so many with her abeminations We are afraid because we have neglected it so much and so long lest you should forget to study and enquire into the great and marvellous things that God is doing for exaltation of his own name and Son And what the Saints ought to do for God at such a time as this Vnlike to the Children of Issachar which were men that had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do We are afraid because we are so carnal and walk so much by sense our selves that there should not be such a living by faith amongst you as the word and dispensations of God require especially when we hear so many of those who formerly hoped and quietly waited for the Redemption of Gods chosen now being fearful and unbeleeving speak like Mary How shall this thing be seeing we know not how it should be brought to pass We are afraid likewise because our own hands are so heavy and we unable of our selves to keep them steady lest your hands of prayer should be let down at this time and Amaleck should prevail against Israel And if these things should be found amongst you of which we must confess our selves to be very guilty how ought you and we to fear and tremble and lye low before the Lord being very unworthy of and unthankful for all those great and terrible things which his hand hath wrought for us And if we have not had nor yet have hearts holy and heavenly and spiritual enough to walk before him with under his former and present dispensations towards us how shall we be able to stand before the Son of Man when he shall appear in far greater power and glory And to follow him in those strange and untrodden Paths that he hath yet to lead his people in and thorow Surely it is now time for us having been hitherto so much wanting in it to consider our hearts and ways and those wayes that the Lord calls us to wait upon him in Surely it is now time for us who have left our first Iove to the Lord Jesus for which we have cause to be ashamed before the Lord not onely to remember from whence we are fallen and to do our first works to love him as much we have done formerly but having tasted more of his goodness and seen more of his glory and hoping to behold much more of it to love him more than ever we did and oh that we had hearts to do it at this time Surely it is now time for those Saints that have had and have their hearts espoused to carnal and worldly interests as outward glory honor riches c. to look up to the Lord and to get their hearts dis-ingaged and set loose from the world and the things of the world and to be for ever hereafter without so much as a thought of seeking great things for themselves as becommeth Saints Surely it is now time for the Spouse and all the professed friends of Christ to cast off and abandon all acquaintance and compliance with Antichrist and to keep themselves so pure and to approve themselves so true to Christ that if the Devil should tempt them as he did their Lord by profering them all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them yet never to fall down and any way worship that Beast It argued a very chaste and faithful heart in that worthy Man Master John Knox unto Jesus Christ that when Edward the Sixth King of England offered him a Bishopricke he refused it as having Aliquid commune cum Antichristo something of Antichristianism in it Surely it is now time for us not onely to beleeve in Christ which many think is all they need to do but also to own him in this hour of his patience wherein he looks to beowned by his Saints lest he frown upon us in the day of his great power and glory which draweth near And Brethren let us make it our chief even our onely Design and count it our greatest Priviledge though we shall be men wondered at for it to follow and serve the Lord Christ in faithfulness and like Luther in the cause of Christ be content though our low and carnal hearts may tremble at the very thoughts of it to undergo the hatred and violence of the whole world Neither let us be too much troubled nor offended at those changes alterations and desolations which do and may and as Christ hath said will attend the going on and advancement of his Kingdom in the world which was that which some may be wel-meaning people objected to Luther That that doctrin could not be of God that was attended with such troubles and desolations who replyed thus Ego nisrtumultus istos viderem Christum in mundo esse non crederem Vnless I should see those troubles and tumults I should not beleeve Christ to be in the world So Brethren if we should hear of Wars and Commotions and upon the earth distress of Nations with perplexity mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth let us not be terrified nor offended but as our Savior hath bidden us look up and lift up our heads for our redemption draweth nigh And because it is high time awake Awake oh Saints lift up your hearts and cry mightily unto the Lord and never hold your peace day nor night and give him no rest for it will not be long till he establish and make Jerusalem a praise in the Earth Stand therefore with your loyns girded about and your lights burning And ye your selves like men that wait for their Lord who cometh as he hath said as a Thief in the night who may be upon you before you are aware in an hour that you think not of And however you may be hardly used and beaten of your Fellow-servants and Brethren too who say their Lord delayeth his coming Yet be not wearied nor faint in your minds because of these things but be ye patient Brethren unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the Husband-man waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it untill he receive the early and latter rain Be ye also patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Grudge not one against another Brethren lest ye be condemned behold the Judge standeth before the door For he cometh he cometh to judge the earth He shall judge the world with righteousness and the people with his truth And you that are of a fearful heart be strong and fear not behold your God will come with vengeance even God with a recompence he will come and save you and will perform all his good word towards you and give you an expected end Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompence of reward For
given them from their work because their work is to bear witness for Christ against the Beast and that each in his place all the Forty two months that the Beast doth Tyrannize and the Holy City is trodden underfoot The Magistrate as a Magistrate bearing publick witness against the unjust oppressions of the Beast and his lawless Tyranny over the Estates and bodies of men yea and consciences too The Minister as a Minister against the cursed institutions of Antichrist either in Doctrine or Discipline Here its necessary we distinguish betwixt that general witness-bearing that is common to all ages and that special witness-bearing which is peculiar to these Witnesses and to this time viz. of the one thousand two hundred and sixty days There is a general Testimony which the people of God in all ages give for Christ against the World Sin Satan Oppression Error c. But that testimony barely doth not bring him who bears it within the number of these two Witnesses A Magistrate in his place may oppose Tyranny Oppression c. a Minister in his error and false Doctrine and yet neither of them Christs two Witnesses if there be not in both an opposing themselves to that special evill whether it be in things Civill or Ecclesiastical that was at first brought in or being brought in is upheld by the Beast for the peculiar work of these witnesses and the thing wherein lies the specifical difference betwixt these witnesses and others is That these bear witness for Christ against the Beast Which is most evident 1 Because Christ hath paired his Witnesses in the same manner as the Beast hath his The Beast as but now I observed stands up with two witnesses viz an Antichristian Magistracy and Ministry to maintain his cause On the contrary Christ stands up with two witnesse or a pair of Witnesses viz. a true Magistracy and Ministry to oppose the Beast and maintain his cause 2 Because It s for this Reason Christ entitles them my Witnesses because in Christs behalf they shall stand up against Antichrist as those are said to be such a mans witnesses that bear witness for him against his Adversary All that time the Beast stands up and would perswade the world that he is in the truth and his cause the right these two Witnesses on the contrary stand up and profess before the world that he is the Beast and his cause the cause of Antichrist and not of Christ 3 Which is the principal Reason because the time that these Witnesses bear their witness is the very time of the Beasts reign The time of the Beasts reign and treading under foot the Holy City is Forty two months Rev. 13.5 Chap. 11.2 The time of these two Witnesses is One thousand two hundred and sixty days Vers 3. And I will give power to my two Witnesses and they shall Prophecy one thousand two hundred and sixty days Now that the Forty two months and the One thousand two hundred and sixty days are one and the same I prove not onely from the general consent of Expositors who acknowledge the thing giving this reason for it Because say they forty two mouths reduced into days and reckoning thirty days to each month which is the Grecian account which John writing to the Church of GOD then resident among the Greeks did observe make up the full sum of One thousand two hundred and sixty days not a day over or under But I prove it hence that indeed this thing must needs be so for let it be considered what is the very cause that these two Witnesses wear sackcloth this long term of one thousand two hundred and sixty years the cause is not the sufferings of the Saints thoughout this time for had that been the cause then should these Witnesses have put on their sackeloth more early viz. with the time of the ten first Persecutions which was a day of as sore sufferings as ever any hath been since but then these two Witnesses here mentioned were not in their sackcloth but contrariwise the Woman all that time was cloathed with the Sun Chap. 12.1 the two Witnesses in Sackcloth therefore were not then up But the cause yea the very cause why the Witnesses wear mourning attire is because they hear the continual Blasphemies of the Beast against God his name and Tabernacle and them that dwel in Heaven They see the Holy City the Truths and Worship of Christ trodden under foot by the Beast and they not able to rescue them out of his hands this makes them put on sackcloth and mourn before the Lord. Now consider the term of time that is given to the Beast to continue to do these things is forty two months this being so it will follow that in case this forty two months were a time either longer or shorter than the one thousand two hundred and sixty days then must also the witnesses wearing sackcloth be by so much longer or shorter then 1260 days for continue the cause and we continue the effect also and contrariwise take away the cause and the effect ceaseth Upon this Principle it being a thing manifestly clear that the 42 months the 1260 days make up but one and the same number of years which also must of necessity begin and end together Hence it is evident that that very act which I may call the constitutive act i. e. the act which makes these Witnesses to be such is bearing witness against the Beast take this away though they may stand up against all the evill that is in the world besides yet are they not Christs Witnesses if they do not in particular appear against the evil of the Beast for if this be not the meaning what reason is or can be given why their witness-Bearing should be thus restrained onely to the time of the Beast seeing in the other sense it s a duty in all ages to bear witness and those Instruments the Lord hath raised up in all ages have done it 1 Hence a man may be a godly man and in a more general way bear witness for Christ and yet none of Christs Two Witnesses 2 Hence it s of more concernment than many are aware of to be inquiring into and publickly appearing against whatsoever is of the Beast though the thing be never so small A man in publick place may cease to be a witness of Christ if publickly he do not bear witness against these things 3 Hence such Laws Principles and Practices as tend to suppress this witness-bearing against the Beast are themselves expressely Antichristian and of the Beast SECT III. THese Witnesses are called two because of the fewness of them say some Because two is a number sufficient to bear a witness and without two a witness is invalid say others I no way disapprove these conjectures but I must confess I judge it most agreeable to the Text to say they are therefore called two because they consist of two sorts or two ranks of men viz. Christs
this day seem to have lost that noble spirit that was in their Ancestors who for Christs sake loved not their lives unto death yet surely this consideration That they are the Children and Off-spring of those famous blessed Witnesses who with undaunted resolution appeared for Christ when our Fore-fathers yea and the whole world wondered after the Beast should not a little draw out the Bowels of our compassion towards them Notwithstanding what I have said of Germany as the place yet let me add this in the conclusion that I conceive withall that the condition of the people of God in other places will not be so prosperous but a cloud will be upon them their comforts and expectations a great part if not the greatest of this time for though the thickness and blackness of this cloud is to hang over Germany yet may it not be thought but that so great a cloud will cast a shadow further and thereby afflict at the same time though not in the same measure the people of God elsewhere And indeed it is very reasonable to think it should be so for if when but a member suffers in the natural body all the members suffer with it then surely when not a member onely but a principal part of the mystical Body lies under so fore a pressure as the body of Christ never before lay under cannot we think the other members should at that time have such cause of rejoycing as those who feel no smart at all How could there then be a sympathy in the mystical body Nay it is not onely reasonable but a thing of great concernment and special use it should be so to the end the other members by feeling smart and anguish from a few onely of the scattered drops lighting upon them might hereby be made the more sensible of the condition of their fellow brethren who lie under the furious rage of the tempest and also might from hence be stirred up to cry aloud to the Father of Mercies for their poor Brethren who now being thunder-struck have for the present neither sense nor life in a manner and so cannot cry for themselves SECT IX TWo things we have in an especiall manner noted by the Holy Ghost both which concern the Witnesses and are to have their fulfilling within the three days and a half of their lying dead First They of the People Kindreds Nations and Tongues see their dead bodies three days and a half and will not suffer their dead bodies to be put into graves vers 9. The putting of the dead bodies of the Witnesses into graves notes a corporal death it being Scripture phrase to put the grave for bodily death 1 Cor. 15.55 1 King 14.13 2 King 22.20 This would the Beast do but he is hindred Here a Controversie ariseth Who those People Kindreds Nations and Tongues should be Some will have them to be the Popish party some a reformed people if the one the act is an act of dis-favor if the other of favor Both these opinions you may see with the reasons of either laid down by Mr. Woodcock in his Treatise of the Two Witnesses who himself is for the first that they are the Popish party To bring here the Arguments on both hands to the Touchstone would be more tedious than profitable in regard the thing it self is not a matter of so great moment but that without any prejudice to all my other Principles there may be an allowance of different conjectures and therefore to make a great contention for a little gain I shall not do it for it will not quit time and cost I shall therefore onely offer to consideration my own thoughts hereof viz. That neither the Popish party nor a reformed people properly so called or so esteemed by Christ are here meant but indeed a third party a party that cannot properly be said to worship the Beast because him they disown Nor a party that may properly be called a reformed people because Reformation is a thing they have little regard unto But if you would see them in their proper Character They shall be persons of a worldly interest or to speak plainly pure Statists who walking by the rules of State-policy shall neither professedly own the Cause of Antichrist nor Christ beyond these principles And therefore very emphatically hath the Scripture as seems to me set them forth by people and Kindreds and Nations and Tongues which as it is a middle name neither so odious as the name of the worshippers of the Beast nor so honorable as that of the Witnesses so doth it excellently agree to such persons whose main design is a meer worldly interest for of such the great thing in their eye is the good of Common-wealths the regulating and ordering the affairs of People and Nations and Kindreds and Tongues and though they may own and favor the cause of Christ yet will they not appear for it a step farther than will stand with National interests the good of People and Nations and Kindreds and Tongues Now such there shall bee in the world in the time the Witnesses lie dead who shall take notice of the Witnesses slaughter and have a cast of their eye that way and by their power so far awe the Beast as that he shall not satisfie his lusts upon the Witnesses Secondly Besides these we have another sort of people spoken of who formerly being such as were tormented by the Witnesses in the time of their prophecy shall now upon their death be jovial make merry send gifts one to another as hoping they are now delivered from that danger they feared they should sustain by these Witnesses These are called the dwellers on the Earth ver 10. 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 The phrase needs no other interpretation than what we have Chap. 13.8 And all that dwel upon the Earth shall worship him i.e. the Beast Ver. 14. And deceiveth them that dwel on the Earth clearly shewing that the dwellers on the Earth are the Popish party such as worship the Beast and are deceived by him These as well as the other see the Witnesses lie dead The difference is the other see them with an eie of care and some kind of pitty these with an eie of scorn and triumph Hence it is said that at the Witnesses rise great fear fell on them that saw them vers 11. which words relate to these latter sort of beholders who therefore vers 12. are called enemies these at the Witnesses rise shall fear Why Because having been tormented by them before they shall now expect the same again The demeanor and carriage of this latter sort of beholders set forth by their rejoycing making merry sending gifts one to another c. hath sometimes made me conceive that there should be within these three days and a half a great calm
Natural and Spiritual Jews too to the Spiritual Jews about the time that Antichrist came into the World to the Natural upon the time of his going out which latter though their coming in unto Christ be long after the other yet because they are the elder Sister are chiefly spoken of and their Tribes mentioned by name and the other comprehended under them it would be a thing very desirable The doing of this may seem a thing impossible but yet possibly it is not so Something looking this way I have very lately had in mine eye that it will do the thing I cannot say if it would I conceive it not meet here to insert it Yet for truths sake to the end the thing in hand may be the more clear and free from all exception let us notwithstanding our former Arguments suppose at present the one hundred forty four thousand sealed ones to be onely the Jewes the sealing to note a conversion of that people yet to come yet will it not therefore follow that the one hundred forty four thousand standing with the Lamb upon Mount Sion should be the Jews also for there seems to be good reason for it why in case the other should be the Jews yet that the Gentiles here should be set forth by the very same number 1 The 144000 of the Jews are so called because the picked and sealed ones of that people but these being the picked and sealed ones of the Gentiles may well be set forth by the very same number of 144000. 2 The day in which the 144000 of the sealed Jews are so numbred is the first day that that People as a Nation shall be delivered from their bondage and enter into Christs rest This Rendezvouz we read of Chap. 11. is the very first day of the Gentile Saints deliverance from Antichristian bondage and entring the Spiritual Canaan of rest after that long Wilderness-condition and therefore well may these be set forth by the same number of 144000 with the other 3 The Jews in the day of that Nations coming in unto Christ shall come in a great multitude in which respect it is said of them Isa 66.8 Shall a Nation be born at once therefore set forth by a greas number of sealed ones viz. 144000 so likewise the Gentiles at the time of the Witnesses rise shall stand up a great multitude set forth therefore vers 2. by the voyce of many waters and at the time of Romes ruine which shall be suddenly upon their rise John heats a voyce of much people Rev. 19 1. Of a great multitude of many waters and mighty thundrings arguing abundance of Gentiles now come in singing Hallelujah praises for Romes ruine vers 6. therefore well may these also be set forth by a great number yea the same of 144000. 4 The Jews and Gentiles two Nations whereof one only had the priviledge to be Gods people under the Law the other hath this priviledge under the Gospel being now both by this great confluence of either to Christ to bee united under him as Head and King and thence forward to have equal Priviledges may therefore either of them being but as two several Bands marching to Christ one from one corner of the world the other from the other be both set forth by the very same number of 144000. To say no more the sum of all is That the 144000 here spoken of are the Gentile Saints SECT IV. OUr second Particular is to inquire into the cause and manner of this Rendezvouz and the condition this 144000 shall be in thereupon 1 For the Cause the accidental cause shall be the Dragons attempt upon the remnant of the Womans seed who by making war upon them to do them a mischief shall do them the greatest good and himself the greatest mischief that can be But the efficient cause shall be the Lambs standing upon Mount Sion vers 1. And I looked and lo a Lamb stood upon the Mount Sion and with him 144000 This standing upon Mount Sion we are to understand of Christs more glorious manifestation of himself in his meekness grace and love the precious vertue of his Death and Sacrifice in which respect he is called a Lamb to his Churches and People where this remnâ—nt shall be and that more generally at this time He shall make his people generally and wondrously sensible of the greatness of his pardoning love and how he hath ingaged so far as to become himself a Sacrifice for them withal assuring their hearts That the day is come that he is to take his Kingdom and now all they can do for him in way of requital is to gather about him and help him to stand by him in his great work of taking vengeance on the Beast overturning the Thrones of Kingdomes and therefore he calls upon them now to quit all earthly respects and interests and straight-way to arise list under his Banner and if they will but stand to him though they may have their failings and haltings yet will not he use martial Law but lead them and march before them with meekness gentleness and love Here is the principal efficient cause 2 The manner of their Rendezvouz we have vers 2. And I heard a voyce from Heaven as the voyce of many waters the phrase seems to intimate as if the thing should be by some general tumult a mighty rushing of waters a voyce and cry amongst the waters Now Waters in Apocalyptical phrase and elsewhere as I have observed in opening the subject of the third Vial denote the common people and in this place it is necessary we so interpret it because the voyce of Waters is distinguished from the voyce of Thunder which John hears afterwards And further observe these waters are not the common waters but they are the waters of Heaven i.e. of the true Church and its members therefore the voyce of waters is heard from Heaven Yea further observe the voice of waters from Heaven is a great voyce for it is a voyce not of a few but many waters noting that the Spirit now acting shall be general the cry to arise general There had been a little rushing of waters before a cry of one here another there but now what was before set home upon some particular hearts is upon the hearts of Gods people in general and the voyce of waters is a great and general voyce the cry runs on the sudden throughout the Churches and Saints and all are instantly upon their legs 3 The state and condition they shall be in upon this their Rendezvouz is set forth in two things 1 They shall be owned by some eminent Head whom God will either raise up among them or make to appear for them This Head is noted by the voyce of the great Thunder it being the phrase of the Holy Ghost in this Book to call the common people Waters the Heads and great ones Thundrings Rev. 19.6 I heard the voyce of many Waters and the voyce of
that it can be no other coming but Christs Personal Now because at the time of Christs personal coming the dead Saints are so to be raised up as that they may be ready to come with Christ 1 Thess 3.13 1 Thess 4.14 Zech. 14.5 Therefore we have the resurrection of the dead intimated in the verse before Christs coming vers 13. And I heard a voyce from heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them The Emphasis of the Text lyes in those words from henceforth about which I find Expositors not applying this to the time of Christs coming and the resurrection but to a time past to be much puzled And indeed there is cause for as it is a forced Translation and besides the Etymologie of the word to translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 otherwise than from henceforth or from this time so cannot any solid reason be given for it without a supposal of the resurrection to be here intimated why the dead from this time should be pronounced Blessed more than from any other time why from this time they should rest from their labours and have their works following them more than from any other time To say they go to Heaven by Death and there rest from their labours Answ But why from this time rather than any other are they blessed seeing all that dye in the Lord throughout all Ages are equally made partakers of the blessing in this sense To say the reason of the special blessing ariseth from the Cause they dye in they dye in Christs Cause and suffer as Martyrs Ans But why is the speciality of the Blessing annexed to this time seeing as Martyrs many had suffered for Christ long before To say as do some others because the Gospel began now to be preached in the world which only makes men dye happily Answ But why from this time seeing a Soul cannot dye happily or in the Lord at any time without some knowledge of Christ and the Gospel To restrain this as do some others to the pains of Purgatory which they say till about this time did cause fear even in good people at their deaths but now the Gospel being preached clearly and the vanity of that opinion laid open the people of God dye comfortably with assurance of going straight-way into Paradise will not help us with an interpretation for who can think otherwise but that the vanity of this most grose opinion was laid open before even when the everlasting Gospel was preached vers 6.7 and if so why then are they said to be blessed from this time and not rather from that time when the everlasting Gospel began to be preached To say yet as do others because great Persecutions were now to arise so that it was a blessing to be dead before they came Ans 1. Whether is it a greater blessing to die in the Lord a Martyr or to die of a mans natural death 2. Let it be considered Whether the time of the Waldenses Albigenses which time Expositors place higher making application of the thing spoken of vers 6 7. to them were not a time of as sore yea sorer Persecutions than the time to which they make application of these words and if so that this be the onely reason why then should not the blessing be placed there rather than here or as well there as here For my own part I do conceive that the thing here intimated is the Resurrection which opinion as it cuts off a multitude of uncertainties so doth it agree most fitly to the circumstance of time according to the method I have observed and is clear also from the Context consent of other Scriptures and the words themselves taken in their natural sense without straining or forcing of them being in effect thus much as if the Holy Ghost should say The children of God untill this day have been ever accounted the worlds Fools who have counted their life a burden and toyl their death a loss of their expectations but now at this day of the Resurrection when the fruit of Gods peoples patience their faith and obedience of which was spoken in the foregoing verse which hath a necessary dependance on this and had we conjoyned them in our exposition as they are in the Text it might possibly have been better shall be manifested before all men it shall then be seen that those who in former ages from the very beginning of the world did live to the Lord and dye in the Lord are the onely blessed men who from this day in Soul and Body both are made partakers and that in recompence of their former toyl and labours of the glorious rest of Christ having now their good works following them i. e. the reward of all their former good works which the world looked upon as things lost and cast away given to them Hence which serves to expound these words the time of the seventh Angels sounding which is contemporary with this both looking to the time of Christs coming is called the time of Gods giving a reward unto his Servants the Prophets and to the Saints and to them that fear his name smal and great Rev. 11.18 which answers punctually to this of their works i.e. the reward of their works following them By these two Scriptures I am further confirmed in what I have writen upon the Vials viz. That not Martyrs onely but all the Saints shall rise in the first Resurrection and come with Christ for the blessing here pronounced is common to all that dye in the Lord yea to all that have kept the patience faith and commandements of Christ and not peculiar to Martyrs onely the rewarding Saints in the time of the new Jerusalem is not a rewarding Martyrs onely but all that fear Gods Name a qualification common to Saints smal and great As for the double similitude in the following words 1. Of a Harvest vers 15 16. 2. Of a Vintage vers 18 19 20. whether the Harvest signifie Christs gathering his Elect in the world which are his Corn together to him 1 Thes 4 17. 2 Thes 2.1 Mat. 24.31 And the Vintage Christs destruction of those of his Enemies that he finds gathered together upon his appearing or whether one thing viz. The ruin of his enemies be intended in both which seems best to agree to Joel 3.13 Put ye in the Sickle for the Harvest is ripe come get you down for the Press is full the Fat 's over-flow which Prophecy as it is the same for time with this so this seems to be taken thence I shall not undertake possitively to determine Further whether the Angel with a Sickle who gathers the Vintage ver 19. be any Angel that Christ makes use of at his coming to destroy his enemies as God by an Angel destroyed the Host of Senacherib or whether this Angel be Christ himself who before
is called the Son of Man here an Angel which name is also given him Rev. 10.1 2 3 5 6. Rev. 20.1 Chap. 16.17 which in my discourse on the seventh Vial I have shewed is to be understood of Christ I shall not much insist on onely adding that I rather incline to the latter that it is Christ himself 1 Because this work is done by the pouring out of the seventh Vial and the seventh Vial is poured out by Christ alone 2 Because this work is the treading of the Wine-press and the treading of the Wine-press is Christs work alone Isa 63.3 Rev. 19.15 3 Because it carrying greatest probability with it that the Harvest and Vintage should be but one and the same thing set forth for ampleness sake under two Similitudes it should also seem most probable to conclude the Angel of either to be the same Now the work of the Harvest is in express terms appropriated to Christ the Son of Man therefore the Vintage is his work too 4 Because supplication seems to be made in the same manner to this Angel as is to Christ himself An Angel coming out of the Temple cryes with a loud voyce to him that fate on the Cloud i.e. Christ the Son of Man to thrust in his Sickle and reap vers 15. In like manner an Angel coming from the Altar cryes with a loud voyce to this Angel to thrust in his Sickle and gather the clusters of the earth vers 18. therefore they seem to be one and the same and Christ himself the person pointed at in both If here I may add my conjecture concerning these two Angels that cry with a loud voyce to have this work of the Harvest and Vintage performed I have a conceit that the first may signifie the Gentile Churches the second the Jews who both about the instant time of Christs appearance are provoked by seeing the whole world gathering together to swallow them up to cry mightily to the Lord to manifest his power for their preservation for which cause either are said to cry with a loud voyce and both by seeing the rage and height of the enemy have saith to beleeve their destruction to be at hand therefore either are brought in pleading great words of faith The first pleads Reap O Lord for the time is come to reap the Harvest of the Earth is ripe vers 15. The second pleads Gather the clusters of the Vine for her Grapes are fully ripe vers 18. and for this reason also may as I conceive the same thing be set forth under two Parables that so hereby a clear way might be made for either of these two first Gentiles than Jews to be brought in pleading with Christ to shew forth his power and greatness at this day Now of these two the Angel of the Gentile Churches is said to come out of the Temple yet not the Temple of Heaven which the Angel of the Vintage i.e. Christ comes forth of ver 17. because the Gentile-Saints had long before this time even from the first day the Vials began to be poured forth had a Temple among them Rev. 15.5 6. this being the most remarkable thing concerning them that they had a Temple therefore are they described as coming thence The Angel of the Jews comes from the Altar vers 18. Quest Why is he so described Answ To note the wonderful sufferings that people shall be in and that in that very nick of time wherein Christ shall appear which is spoken of Daniel 12.1 Zoch 14.1 2 3. and of which we have discoursed before this being the most remarkable thing concerning them and that which makes them to cry so loud therefore are they described as coming from the Altar yet as touching this Angel it is added that he hath power over fire vers 18. noting the great prevalency that the cry of this Angel from the Altar should have to bring down the Wrath of God upon the Heads of the enemies as Elijah commanded fire from Heaven and the Witnesses in the time of their Prophecy are said to devoure their enemies by fire Rev. 11.5 so the cry of these poor Jews who at this present are to be exercised under an hour of such sharp trouble as never was until this day since there was a Nation shall be so prevalent with Christ that it shall in a manner constrain him out of Heaven and command down his sore and heaviest wrath upon the heads of their enemies which is here set forth by this Angels having power over fire As touching the 1600 Furlongs vers 20. conjectures are divers Napiers opinion is That it respects the date of this terrible day who reads the words thus Blood came out of the Wine-press unto the Horse Bridles by the space of 1600 stades of courses as if saith he appearingly he should mean Metaphorically as Wine may be thought to flow from the Press or the blood of slain men in a Field to ascend to the Horse Bridles so eternally shall the torment of the wicked ascend after that 1600 years be accomplished for saith our Author these stades agree well to mean years seeing a stade is that race or course that one may be thought to run with one breath before he begin to renew his breath again as one year is that race or course that the Sun makes in a Circuit before he begin to renew his Circuit again Now counting 1600 years from the time that this was written which was about the 97 year of Christ as Eusebius in his Chronicle saith or in the end of the reign of Domitian as Irenaeus saith which was An. Dom. 99. the end of the account shall fall out about the year of Christ 1697. or 1699. Thus Napier This agrees well to the time of Christs coming as the same is held forth in other Scriptures onely falls two or three years sooner Now whether Christ who tels us that for the Elects sake the days shall be shortned Matth. 24.22 may not by reason of that sharp trouble that precedes his coming shorten by so much as this comes to that determined time of his coming which we have in Daniel I will not say yet a seeming probability of some such thing there is in our Saviours words Mayer hath an opinion that this may relate to the place quoting Rabbi Menahen upon Gen. fol. 60. who affirmeth that the Land of Canaan was 1600. Furlongs in length Now saith our Author for so much as all things are carried here on in an Allegory to the Temple the Altar and the Holy City which were of the Jews I doubt not but in this space without the City it is also alluded unto that Country such an innumerable multitude are destroyed as if such a slaughter of men were made as would overflow in this depth all the whole land of Canaan This opinion the Prophets favor in that general concurrence that is amongst them that the battle of Armageddon which is that treading of the Wine-press here mentioned
likewise it is said vers 26. after 62 weeks that is 62 added to the other seven spoken of vers 25. which make 69 shall the Messiah be cut off and not after 70 weeks shall the Messiah be cut off because indeed Christs sufferings came before the 70 week was fully and compleatly expired These four deducted there remains to be accounted upon only 486 years which passed from the 20 of Artaxerxes Mnemon until Christs Passion THESIS LVIII Our third part or period comprehends the number of years from the year of Christs Passion until the end of the year 1655 or which is all one the beginning of that noted year 1656. THESIS LIX Within this Period we are to account upon 1622 years thus Christ was thirty years old when he began to preach Luke 3.23 from the time he began to preach until his Passion the common opinion holds three years and a half but we are to account three years only as is clear from Christs own words Luke 13.32 Go ye and tell that Fox Behold I cast out Devils and I do cures to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected vers 33. Nevertheless I must walk to day and to morrow and the day following Shewing us that Christ in preaching spent three full years and yet but three for as he is baptised at the very beginning of the seventieth week i.e. at the beginning of the first day or year of that week so he is perfected at the end of the third day of that week or the third year from the time he began to preach Christ then at the day of his Passion was three and thirty years old which three and thirty years because our common account begins from the year of Christs Nativity we are to deduct these deducted of 1655 there remains only 1622 which we are to account upon THESIS LX. Let us now reckon up the three last periods that wee have gone through and see what number of years of the 2300 we have already gained those yet behind will fall in of themselves The first period from the first of Cyrus to the twentieth of Artaxerxes Mnemon contains 147 years The second from thence to Christs Passion 486 years Both together makes up 633 The third period from Christs Passion to the year 1656 contains 1622 The total Sum is 2255 It follows then that with the beginning of the year 1656 there are 2255 of Daniels 2300 years expired the remaining years are only 45 which will expire A.D. 1701 the very year in which Daniels 1335 dayes doth also expire THESIS LXI The 2300 dayes of Daniel are the best and surest Chronologie of the Number of the worlds years that have passed since the first of Cyrus or the beginning of the Persian Monarchy until this present day THESIS LXII The 2300 years ending according to our former Computation at the same point with the 1335 is a good Argument to prove that our course by a good hand of Providence hath been steered aright both as to the beginning of either number and also the carrying on of this great number for should we seek after any other beginning of the 1335 dayes then what we have before stated the 1335 dayes could never be brought to end with the 2300. Or in case the head of the 2300 dayes were to be placed either higher or lower or the Computation to be made otherwise than what hath been laid down then would not the 2300 dayes concur in their end with the 1335. And such a Computation it is necessary should bee made as may bring both these to end together THESIS LXIII The Harmony that is betwixt all those Mystical Numbers we have passed through is a thing very glorious and admirable to behold for there is not any one of them but affords a beam of light to the other The 1290 dayes affords a great beam of light to the 1260 and contrariwise the 1260 to that again The 1335 dayes affords a glorious beam of light to the 2300 and contrariwise the 2300 to that again Finally as the beginning of the 1260 proves our beginning of the 1335 to be true so our beginning of the 1335 proves the beginning of the 2300 to be true And contrariwise as the beginning of the 2300 proves the beginning of the 1335 to be true so the beginning of the 1335 the beginning of the 1260 to be true So that which is glorious to consider the Mystical Numbers of Daniel and the Revelations though diverse and having diverse beginnings yet have within themselves such an universal Harmony that each one serves to inlighten the other and the other him again THESIS LXIV The final Conclusion is That the rise of the Witnesses the end of the Beasts reign and treading underfoot the Holy City and the first stirring of the Jews will in greatest likelihood be in the year 1656 with which year ends the 1290 dayes the 1260 the 42 months The Personal coming of Christ the final destruction of the four Beasts or Monarchy and the compleat deliverance of the Jews in the year 1701 with which year ends Daniels 2300 dayes and his 1335. Matth. 24.48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart My Lord delayeth his coming 49. And shall begin to smite his fellow-servants and to eat and drink with the Drunken 50. The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of 51. And shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the Hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth A Concluding Word WHen Daniel understood by Books the number of the years whereof the Lord had said He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem he set himself to seek the Lord by fasting weeping and mourning When Moses understood the time of the delivery of Gods people out of Egypt to be at hand he not only strengthned his Brethren but took courage and went in unto Pharaoh Though it is far from entring into my thoughts to compare my self with these yet is it my duty and desire to imitate them in their grace As to the first my hearts desire and prayer to the Father of mercies is That a Daniels praying Spirit might abound in my self and all the people of God at this day As for the second my intents and purposes were to have closed up this discovery with a solemn Exhortation First To the Higher Powers of this Commonwealth Secondly To all those who have fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ within it But considering how poor and vain a thing the words of the Creature are and how little where much is spoken reacheth the heart if the Holy Spirit apply it not in my after thoughts I judged it better to leave it to the Spirit of God to set home these truths than to undertake to do it my self and therefore resting in these thoughts I shall only in a word or two deliver a Message and I hope not my own First To the Higher Powers the Message is this THIS PEOPLE SAY THE TIME IS NOT COME the time that the Lords work should be carried on Is it time for you O yee to dwell in your cieled houses and this work of Christ lye waste Now therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts Consider your wayes Yea thus saith the Lord Consider your wayes For if at this time you lay aside that work wherein the cause and glory of our dear and blessed Redeemer is so neerly and immediately concerned and attend to work of another nature which comparatively he calls you not to he will assuredly in sore displeasure with shame and contempt lay you aside ruine shall come to Babylon salvation and deliverance unto Mount Sion another way Secondly To the people of God in this Common-wealth the Message is this That although you are verily as unworthy a generation of Saints considering how formal the profession of some is how loose the Principles of others how unlike Saints of old yea Saints but of yesterday we are all of this so great Grace now ready to be revealed as ever the earth bore Yet that the whole world may see and know the exceeding riches of his grace and that by the sheddings abroad of his love which is a way more suitable to Gospel administrations your over-grown corruptions may be rooted out and the breaches of Sion made up and you made to remember your own evill wayes and doings that were not good and to loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and abominations his grace shall with a notwithstanding triumph over all this your unworthiness and he will yet redeem his cause from the Grave carry on his work among you before you and by you as Instruments gloriously and speedily yea with a high hand for his Name sake Thirdly in particular to the Imprisoned Saints together with all those who in this day suffer the reproaches of men the scorn and censures of Brethren for the testimony of Jesus and upon the account of his Kingdom my Message is Your Brethren that hated you and cast you out for Christs name sake said LET THE LORD BE GLORIFIED but he shall appear unto your joy and they shall be ashamed Lastly To all Sions Children wheresoever they may be that take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof let me say Lift up your heads with joy for your redemption draweth nigh For yet a little while and behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the Inhabitants of the earth for their Iniquity when as he hath purposed he will stain the pride of all glory and bring into contempt the honorable of the earth For it is the day of the Lords vengeance and the year of recompences for the controversie of Sion And though the scarlet Whore begins now to say in her heart I sit as a Queen am no Widow and shall see no sorrow yet shall her plagues come upon her in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord our God that judgeth her FINIS
stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion Rev. 14.1 2 3 4. are differenced from others not in this that they were Saints and others not nor in this that they followed the Lamb which others did not but the difference is made to lye in these two things 1 They were Virgin-Saints which had not defiled themselves with women i.e. were not espoused to any worldly interest the desire of which is as natural to the hearts of men as the desire of women and particularly they had never any thing to do with the interest of that Whorish woman spoken of Chap. 17. And this to be the meaning of the phrase the foregoing words do give it which by a parallel phrase setting forth the same thing cals them the Redeemed from the earth i. e. from earthly interests as outward glory honor riches c. 2 They were such who follow the Lamb whethersoever he goes Vers 4. If the Lamb will go in strange untrodden paths making his way over the necks of the Kings and Princes of this world they will follow him there If in unpleasing paths turning about in a manner upon themselves and treading under feet their beloved interests dear and near Relations taking from them their outward glory and ornaments yet they will make a turn with him and follow him there for they are such as will follow the Lamb whethersoever he goes Now although there may be many besides these at this day who may come under the more general Character of Saint-ship and followers of the Lamb i.e. for some time yet shall they be found short of these particular Characters viz. of being Virgin-Saints un-espoused to worldly interests and followers of the Lamb not onely here and there but whithersoever he goes Hence we have it specially noted of these that they sing as it wert a new Song before the Throne which no man could learn but onely the one hundred forty four thousand which were redeemed from the earth vers 3. Why doth the Holy Ghost say As it were a new Song and not rather a new Song The reason I take to be this because the Song for the matter of it in general is the old Song i.e. the same Song still that all the children of Sion sung together upon their first coming out of Babylon But now the Lamb their Leader having upon his march towards Mount Sion taken some strange rough untroden unexpected paths which they upon their coming out did not so much as dream of many of those who upon his first march set forth with him with as loud a cry as the rest begin now some to draw backwards again to Babylon some to lag behind their Colours and now they can sing with the rest no longer i.e. they cannot now any longer own his Appearances and workings praise him or magnifie his name for them yet for all this even at this time when many fall off offended the One hundred forty four thousand redeemed from the Earth they march on with the Lamb singing still owning approving his works resolving to keep him company whethersoever he goes Now in this respect the Holy Ghost doth not term it a new Song but as it were a new Song because it puzzles most of the old Singers seeming akogether new and another to them though yet indeed it is the same the change being more in them than in the Song and the One hundred forty four thousand can sing it still Hence likewise this One hundred forty four thousand are spoken of as being a select and picked party called therefore vers 4. The redeemed from among men being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb i. e. they are if I may so say for the choyceness of their spirits above others in adhering to the Lamb their Leader the very cream of men such as the Lamb accounts his first fruits i.e. makes more store of than of others who yet may bee of his Corn and a part of his Harvest too And as that which is not here impertinent we may observe that as the coming out of Egypt was in Old Testament times one eminent type of the Saints deliverance from Spiritual Antichristian bondage for which cause the Antichristian State is spiritually called Egypt Revel 11.8 and the comming out of Babylon afterwards another for which cause Rome in the Apocalyps takes denomination from Babylon So is it a thing worthy to be noted as touching both these Types that that Generation which by stirring set the work first on foot did afterwards prove the greatest I may say the onely retarders of it For as touching the first WHO hankered after the Flesh pots of Egypt but that Generation WHO though come out yet had been brought up there WHO moved the returning back again but that Generation that came thence WHO made light of the great things God did in the Wilderness but that very Generation who from the first had seen his mighty Wonders in Egypt As touching the Second WHO are they that cry out The time is not come the time that the Lords house should be built Hag. 1.2 But that very Generation who came out of Babylon with great hearts at first to do the work but were afterwards engaged in particular concernments and private interests building seiled houses for themselves vers 4. hereby letting the work of their Generation lie waste And truly it is that which I have verily thought with my self and that some time namely That it would befall us in this Age coming out of Antichristian Babylon even as it did them coming out of Egypt and Babylon of old i.e. we should see those very persons who leading us out of Babylon at first did cry Christs Kingdom Christs Kingdom either by hankering after the Egyptian Flesh-pots of Honor Profit c. which once having tasted they cannot lose the rellish of wholly to quit their first principles and affections and so set their faces back again to return into Egypt or if not so yet at leastwise as the commers out of Babylon did who were somewhat the better of the two finding difficulty in going on make a stand on the way there building seiled houses for themselves i.e. advancing their own particular interests instead of helping forward the work of Christs Kingdom What shall I any further enlarge upon this uncouth Theam harp any longer upon this unpleasing string It was without doubt an ill Omen to Barnabas when he chose Marke to go with him to the work who had before deserted it that he should do but little in it And indeed the Event proved it for as by that act he lost the hearts of the Church who recommended Paul and Silas to the Grace of God but take no notice of Barnabas and Mark So also is it observable that from that very day he who was so active before we hear no more of him True he had this to plead Mark was a good man but Paul whose eyes were more open saw that notwithstanding his goodness yet
having once at a pinch deserted Christs Cause he was not a man likely afterwards to thrive with in carrying it on and therefore wife wary Paul if there be no other way to clear his hands of him for the works sake rather than he will run the hazzard he will bid farewell even to his old beloved preaching suffering Companion Barnabas himself And now as for you dearly Beloved to whom I dedicate these Lines I onely say The Book it self is yours and whatsoever of the mind of Christ is discovered in it is yours I shall therefore close up this my Epistle with the words of the Holy Ghost Isa 2.12 13 c. For the day of the Lord of Hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low And upon all the Cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up and upon all the Oakes of Bashan And upon all the high Mountains and upon all the Hills that are lifted up And upon every high Tower and upon every fenced Wall And upon all the ships of Tarshish and upon all pleasant Pictures And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down and the herghtiness of men shall be made low and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day And the Idols he shall utterly abolish Ezek. 17.24 Then all the Trees of the field shall know that it is the Lord that hath brought down the high Tree and hath exalted the low Tree hath dried up the green Tree and made the drie Tree to flourish Isa 9.3 The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this So beleeves he who is A poor unprofitable Servant in his Masters Work JOHN TILLINGHAST The Epistle to the Reader Christian Reader IT was not in my thoughts when I put forth my former peece which I was moved to do partly for the encouragement of some who had ventured far in the work of their Generation and partly for the provocation of others that I should have appeared again upon the publick Stage whence few that climb up come down any better than losers if not from men yet through that corruption that lodgeth in their own hearts But being by more than one or two upon the coming forth thereof desired to speak my thoughts more clearly and particularly as touching the Design or Designs of God in the Age we live in And to that end some proposing this Prophecy of the Vials as a subject most suitable for such a discovery which opened they conceived would further unfold the Werk of this Generation and being added as an Appendix to the other might be of use Although considering how great the Task was how mystical that Prophecy in particular upon which the thoughts of good men were so various and how unskilful I my self was in the general knowledge of the Prophets which was a thing most necessary to such an undertaking I did for a while lay aside wholly the thoughts of satisfying their desires yet finding desires renewed after I had given them over I knew not but that it might be some call unto me seeing nothing but my own discouragements lying in the way to hinder Whereupon I resolved to make a trial and as the Lord should come in with light so to proceed or give over being incouraged hereto from that of Daniel Chap. 12.4 That the Book was to be sealed up but to the time of the end when by the running too and fro of many which implies a kind of duty knowledge shall be increased And also considering that a special blessing surely to quicken our dull hearts to this Work is annexed to the Book of the Revelations both at the beginning and ending whereas no Book besides it in Scripture hath the like Chap. 1.3 Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophecy and keep those things which are written therein Chap. 22.7 Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the Prophecy of this Book These things were at first some encouragement to me and are still refreshment to my spirit as touching what I have done for though I will not say I have in all things found the truth which yet I perswade my self is through Grace in some things here done yet do I judge a liberty left for me as well as others to croud into the number of that many who run too and fro to finde it and also do beleeve it is a thing may be done without prejudice to a mans grace comfort or communion with God yea as a help to all these seeing that a special blessing from Heaven is pronounced to such as read hear and keep these things And as to the Treatise it self I may give this account of it That when I began my thoughts were not upon a second Part but onely to have added this as a brief Appendix to my first But after I had taken a serious view of the Prophets and the Revelations comparing one with the other I saw so many precious ears of Corn lye scattered every where that an eager desire of gleaning made me forget my first resolutions and this little Peece which I had in my thoughts laid out but for two or three sheets at most upon the sudden to swell into a second Part more large than the former And truly in doing of it I have been so far from moulding things according to any pre-conceived opinion which I find a thing most apt to deceive as that setting aside some general perswasions which I had before as touching Christs coming I have upon deliberate consideration seen real cause to forsake some things formerly taken up by me and to alter those general conceptions which before I had of the Vials almost in every thing And notwithstanding I had some thoughts at first positively to lay down my own opinion in things referring to the Vials without mentioning the opinion of others yet did I afterwards judge it convenient for the satisfaction of such who delight to turn over Expositors not only to lay down my own but also briefly to insert those reasons which pondered in my thoughts made me see a necessity to forsake the old beaten paths and seek a new wherein I can speak it truly I have not desired to besingular though oft necessitated so to be nor forsaken any man so far as by right reason I have been able in my most serious thoughts to bring his opinion and the truth together and where I could not though I highly reverence the men as inestimable of more worth for grace and abilities both then a hundred such as my self yet have I not durst to follow them because I have taken it up as my resolution in this day which through the grace of God assisting I shall hold unto not to follow any man or men living though I honor their holiness and love their parts any farther then I can see the truth and them to follow that nor for any respect whatsoever
King with acclamations which is all that such poor creatures as we are can do for him Nay if it be a duty to expect from God returns of our prayers then it is also a duty to have inspection even into publick affairs so far as the managing of these may have a tendency to the furtherance or hinderance of those good things which we hope we have been graciously holpen by the Lord and also had some favorable smiles of his acceptance in seeking his face for Nay if it be a duty to observe and follow God in the way of his visible dispensations or on the contrary a sin to be of a sluggish temper not regarding the works of the Lord nor considering the operation of his hands then of necessity must there be a reflection upon the publick actings of instruments either in a way of owning or disowning without which no observation can be made of Gods dispensations or our duty in this respect Nay lastly If it be a duty to mourn for the sins of Rulers to mourn when Christs cause lies bleeding then certainly it cannot be evill to have inspection into the one and the other And notwithstanding it is a more precious thing in a Christian to be found watching in his own heart and ways than to be prying into the waies and actings of others for which cause so far as this is neglected the common accusation laid to the charge of those who contend for the Kingdom of Christ without as if they did neglect the Kingdom of Christ within is a thing most just Yet let it withall be considered that the doing of the one layes no necessity upon a man of a neglect of the other for if there be but any thing of truth in that opinion it will be hard to say God hath laid a necessity upon us to neglect our hearts whilst which yet is a thing he wills us to do we are seeking after his truth And if through that corruption that is within any man should so do doth not this evill attend him as well in other studies as this by consequence therefore from this principle no truth must be inquired into But I have observed in this day a close design of the Devil driven on under this vizard and no wonder for Satan himself is now transformed into an Angel of light and I can the better speak it having felt when time was this temptation and thereby learned these who Lessons 1 To discern somewhat of the depths of Satan viz. That he perceiving the work that God is about to do in the world and knowing full well how acceptable a thing iâ— is to God as well as advantagious to the work it self to have his Children following him in his great designs and how provoking the thing will be if by any sleight he can but make them like Peter cross the Lord in his way and thwart God in his work God as a man in like case would do resenting one error of this nature worse than forty of another kind and knowing also that to say to them in plain language neglect this or oppose that without some very specious and glorious pretence would be no boot he therefore now comes forth as the most glorious Saint that ever came into the world and tels them that they must look to their own hearts for this is a blessed thing and therefore they must beware of such and such things for if they once meddle with them then farewel their hearts and to set a better face upon the business whilst he disswades these he sets on work some that are marked in their fore-heads for his children giddily and furiously to broach and set on foot those very things and designs he disswades the other from and then saith he now see whether this generation of men go and where you had been had you followed them 2 I have learned likewise to discern somewhat of the depths of the heart which would exercise the highest pride under a pretext of great holiness and humility for it being indeed a most blessed thing to attend to inward purity and mortification wherein lies the glory of a Christian now saith the heart how strangely do such and such contend for this outward thing and the other well I will follow none of them but I will attend to the mortification of the inward man I am sure in that I shall be right Now with this conceit the man goeth on secretly blessing and lifting up himself and he turns him and looks him round and loe all are out of the way but he Pride as it quickly grows upon such a root so is it more abominable to God by how much it is more spiritual then that which may yee discover it self more outwardly Yet let me say thus doth the Devil and mans heart at this day marvellously deceive many precious Saints in this thing who are apt to think that they cannot mind these things and as they should study and look to their hearts too Whereas indeed it argues a Childish temper in a man to think that he cannot learn the things of his heart or keep the same up for God any longer then it is exercised in those truths which more immediately concern the heart and life and have their foundation in Christian experience as if those truths which lie out of the reach of my experience as a Christian and more imediately concern Gods Cause and Glory without had not in them as natural a tendency to give a soul a sight of God and as great an efficacy to cause the heart to cleave to God and walk humbly with him as truths that lye within the râ—ach of my experience Nay I will here be bold to say that that soul who faithfully followeth God in those things wherein his glory is more immediately concerned shall learn more of his heart as it were by the by and have the same better ordered then shall that man who neglecting this makes that his continual study for it is not by our poring that we come to know our hearts nor by our struggling to mend them so much as indeed by laying them in that path where Christ in this or that day more commonly goes and waiting there to receive life and strength from him And farther My Lord as for contenting themselves with their own liberty which is the great thing objected to us our injoyment whereof as yet is indeed a mercy beyond what the people of God far more deserving in former ages have had the people of God could at this day do it were it not but that the sufferings of Christs cause their prayers having been long going forth and their hopes raised are now more unto them than any sufferings of their own And as Daniel first and Nehemiah afterwards though they for their own particulars were well in the Court of the King of Persia yet could not be well because it went not well with Gods cause at that day so notwithstanding Gods
people have their liâ—erty and in that respect as to their particulars are well yet if they see the work of the time at a stand let it not be grievous or be imputed to discontent in case they mourn as did Daniel look sad as did Nehemiah groan and complain they are sick And sometimes I have thought that when Daniel did mourn and afflict himself before God the second time three full weeks Chap. 10.2 upon the account that the work of God in that age was put to a stand by the power as is by good men judged of Cambyses Cyrus Son reigning while his Father was abroad in the wars that had Cambyses been a good man or a man likely to have been prevailed with Daniel undoubtedty would as did the Prophets before him frequently to the good Kings of Israel have made other applications in that case and accounted the doing thereof his duty than barely to the Lord alone Nay it is a mercy to Governours themselves to have applications in things of this nature made unto them for Woe be to those Governors to whom Gods people fearing or being without hopes in making address when they soâ—esee sufferings coming upon his cause retire themselves and spread the affliction of their souls before the Lord alone Yet let me also say it is a thing most certain and that which is a prejudice to the very cause in the hearts of many and ought to be matter of grief to all that Saints in most places at this day whilst they are crying that their Fathers work might go on do act too much like men and shew too much of their own spirits yea are very consused as to the making out the things themselves would have and moreover have many falling into their party that injure the very cause they stand up in But I earnestly wish it might be considered that although the child when it cries cannot alwayes give a rational account of the cause of its so doing yea possibly may oftentimes discover much peevishness and passion in crying yet doth it not ever cry without a cause and the wisdome of the Father is not so intent upon the weaknesses of the child in crying as to find out the cause why it cries And farther should not many and great weaknesses appear in those who stand up for Christs Kingdome how should his Kingdome come without observation no greater observation than of holiness if so be the appearance of that in them were to be eminently visible John came with much outward Holinesse and hee came with great observation Yea whether when the strife rose first betwixt the Brethren of the Presbyterian and Congregational way in England did not many who yet had truth and Christ did afterwards own before the world strive in many things like foolish peevish Children and whether in the times of the Apostles throughout the Primitive ages and almost ever since have not the croud of errors alwayes run into that side where truth hath been the reason is because the grand enemies design is to sow his tares in his enemies filed his own where as yet his title is not questioned nor shaken he will not meddle with These things therefore with others of a like nature are not to be made definitive Conclusions as to a cause which oftentimes God permits for the trial of Rulers patience his peoples faith and the carrying on of his own cause in a cloud which is the way he goes in in most of his works of wonder Governors because of these miscarriages may inflict civil penalties if they will yet let it bee considered that the great King is now coming to his Throne and there is not a Ruler in the world but hath his standing only protempore to whom as all must give an account so must they shortly surrender their Crowns or they shall be taken from them and if any of the subjects of this mighty King whilst they see their King upon his march and are followed with hourly intelligence that he is neer and such and such things must be done in order to his entertainment by speaking some words for their King that things may be in a readiness and by giving abroad what intelligence they have to that end shall offend and suffer any thing for it let it be remembred that when the righteous King is sate upon his Throne these things will not be husht up but it shall then be known whether such as shall so do exceeded their Commission or not did their own or the Lord Christs will My Lord That through multitude of words I may neither tire your patience nor incur the censure of being one that loves to hear himself speak I shall wave some things which otherwise I would yet have added and draw to a Conclusion only leaving with your Highness three or four plain sober and in my opinion necessary words 1 Let your Highness oft remember and set before you the example of that good man Asa who though he were a man of much zeal for God and his Worship destroying the Altars of the strange gods and the High places breaking down the Images cutting down the Groves c. a man of a tender conscience therefore removed his Mother from being Queen because she made an Idol in a Grove a man of much faith in the field by which faith of his he vanquished the huge host of Zerah the Ethiopian yet having made one eminent turn from God as one turn from God makes way for another he is afterwards in a rage at reproof and casts the Prophet into prison that reproved him and at the very same time oppresseth the people of the LAND and after all what will Sin bring even a good man to When Gods hand is upon him for this he seems as a man stubborn and seeks not to the Lord but to the Physicians which that it may never be your Highness case is my prayer 2 Let your hand be no way lifted up against any of the Saints in this Nation It was a good Position laid down by Dr. Goodwin in a Sermon preached upon Psal 105 14 15. before the Parliament that was at the time when the Brethren of the Presbyterian way had the turning of the Wheel and as well proved viz. That the dealing well or ill with the Saints is and hath ever been the great interest of States and Kingdoms that on which their welfare or ruine depends All Sodome made not the hands of those four Kings Abraham routed Gen. 14. so weak as their fingring one Lot 3 Pursue not too hotly every righteous principle It is an Observation of Dr. Owens worthy never to be forgotten preached when time was in a Sermon of his upon Ezek. 17.24 to the aforesaid powers concerning principles that men take up his words are these page 21.22 The most tremendous judgement of God in this world is the hardning the hearts of men Now saith he first Look on Pharaoh of whom it is most signally spoken that God