People Nation and language should tremble and fear before their God and that his Kingdome shall never have an end Dan. 3.29.6.26 Moreover the Lord bringing his people out of the captivity of Babylon stirred up the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia to make Proclamation in all the Kingdomes of the earth that he was to build him the only true God a house at Jerusalem Ezek. 1.1 2. Besides all such kinds of preaching there was among them a continual Ministry of the holy Prophets whose words saith Paul went unto the ends of the world Rom. 10.18 by which means some of every Nation under heaven were proselyted devoutly worshiping the true God Acts 2.5.9 10 11. And as God was present with the house of Israel in power and might as aforesaid so also in giving great and wonderful wisdome so that the Queen of the South came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdome of Solomon Mat. 12.42 yea and all the Kings of the earth sought his presence to hear the wisdome that God had put in his heart 2 Chro. 9.23 By this cloud of witnesses 't is manifest that the Gospel was made known to all people in all Generations down to the Apostles in whose Generation Christ commanded the Gospel to be preached to every creature and saith the Apostle it was preached to every creature under Heaven Col. 1.23 And so it is evident that God set all men at all times in a way by the Gospel that they might come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved Object Though it be true that the Gospel was preached among the Nations yet we cannot judge that they all had or that all people now have a sufficiency of means whereby to believe Answ That all men had and have a sufficiency of means so as to beleeve and be saved is evident and to you will appear if you keep well in your minds the agreement of Gods Attributes so as that they may sweetly meet and kiss each other in all that you beleeve for you know the Scriptures holds forth That God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance yea and sweareth by himself that he desires not the death of the wicked but rather that he turn c. 2 Pet. 3.19 Ezek. 33.11 Now all the means of Repentance and Faith and the grace to keep men from perishing is from God as you also confess for him therefore to with-hold the means of Salvation from the poor creatures whereby 't is altogether impossible for them ever to miss eternally perishing yet nevertheless to say that he is long-suffering and not willing that Any should perish yea and to swear that he desires not the death of the wicked affectionately saying to them Turn yee turn yee for why will yee dye Whenas himself with-holds the means without which they cannot return and live I say for God thus to say and swear is altogether incredible being that which calls in question the Attributes of the Almighty and indeed is proper only to an unjust deceitful man and not to God so then 't is plain that as God desireth the Salvation of men and sweareth that he wills not their condemnation so he affordeth a sufficiency of means in order thereunto Secondly That there is a sufficiency of means for all appears because Christ charges persons not coming to him so as to beleeve in him upon the obstinacy of their wills and not upon the want of means as appeareth by these Scriptures Joh. 5.40 Yee will not come unto me that ye might have life Mat. 23.37 Oh Jerusalem How oft would I have gathered thy Children but ye would not Joh. 4.48 Except ye see signs and wonders ye will not beleeve Thirdly It appears also to be so because those who are said to perish shall be lest without excuse or claok for their sin Rom. 1.20 Joh. 15.22 Which cannot be in case they alwayes wanted means or ability to beleeve for of all cloaks or excuses that possibly can be what is a greater or safer excuse then an impossibility to do the thing required Yea surely it will be a fair plea before the Just and Righteous God but God will judge all men according to their works therefore no such excuse or piea Fourthly The Scriptures saith that Christ marvelled at the unbelief of some as hath been shewed and also pronounceth condemnation to the unbeleever because he beleeveth not c. Which may clearly prove to them that honour God in all his Attributes that he allowes a sufficiency of means to every man to do the thing which he requireth unless it may be safe to conceive that Christ the wisdome of God did marvel at known impossibilites and also that he will plunge men into hell for ever for not doing that which himself only worketh in the creature as you conceive but God forbid such horrible blindness Fifthly Christ commands men to beleeve in the Light while they have the Light that they may be the children of Light Joh. 12.36 Now for a man to be exhorted to beleeve in the Light that he may be a child of the Light and he in such darkness as was the Egyptians and as unable to help himself out of it as they were would be a most unwise vain and deceitful Exhortation unwise and vain it being known he could never beleeve deceitful in pretending that he might be the Child of Light it being altogether unpossible wherefore still I conclude that Christs words are pure and unfained and so men every way made able through grace to beleeve and do the things which they are exhored unto Christ the Lord whom we serve being no hard Master Sixtly while men are treating about what means God doth allow in order to the doing his will himself comes in and pleads What could I have done More that I have not done And yet will any man dare to say that he had done Nothing in order to their Salvation as he had not if he never made them able to beleeve Oh do not say so for in so doing you will grievously sin against God who allowed such a sufficiency of means as that in his wisdome he looked for that to be done which he commanded What did he look for that which could not be and also enter into judgment with them laying them wast and giving them up to blinded eyes and hardned hearts Isa 5.4 6 7. Isa 6.10 as a recompence unto them Rom. 11.9 From all which I conclude that Jesus Christ tasted death for every man and that All men Every Where may repent as they are commanded by him who is no hard Master and that All men might beleeve as in plain words is written Joh. 1.7 Moreover as 't is conceived that the one part of mankind have not a sufficiency of means to beleeve and so perish so also the other part of mankind have an irresistible means making them to beleeve and so they are saved The latter
There the Apostle sheweth that he would not have us ignorant of this Mystery least we should be wise in our own conceits that blindnesse in part is happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved as it is written Fourthly These Scriptures in the 11 of Isa 11. to the end and chap. 59.20 21. chap. 66.8 9 10. and Jer. 31. and Ezek. 37. and the Covenant in this place spoken of doth belong to the house of Israel and the house of Judah and that will plainly appear if you note well those Scriptures mentioned for Paul sheweth us in the 11. of the Romans All Israel shall be saved as it is written There shall come out of Sion the Delieverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob for this is my Covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins So the Apostle speaking of the 59 of Isai the .20 applying it only to the house of Israel and that the Covenant of the Lord is to them so as to take away their sins yea it is plain that he speaks of the house of Israel after the flesh because he saith as concerning the Gospel they are Enemies for your sakes but as touching the Election they are beloved for the fathers sake so you may see as concerning the Gospel they are Enemies but as touching the Election they are beloved for the Fathers sakes that is for Abraham Isaac and Jacob sakes for the Lords Covenant is with them and so they are chosen yea he speaks of them which should come of them which then were concluded in unbelief ver 32. which was the Jewes therefore he speaks not of the Converted Gentiles but of the house of Israel according to the flesh for the gifts and callings of God are without repentance vers 33. So I say the Lord God hath determined to call Israel and of this he will never repent Again this doth further appear that God will call again Israel after the flesh and teach them according to the new Covenant so they shall know him and worship him in spirit and in truth for Zechariah saith Thus saith the Lord of Hosts it shall yet come to pass that there shall come people and the Inhabitants of many Cityes and the Inhabitants of one City shall go to another saying let us go speedly to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of Hosts I will go also Yea many People and strong Nations shall come to seek the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem and to pray before the Lord Thus saith the Lord of Hosts in those dayes it shall come to pass that ten men shall take hold out of all Languages of the Nations even shall take hold of the the skirt of him that is a Jew saying we will go with you for we have heard that God is with you Zech. 8.20 21 22 23. And Micah faith in the last days it shall come to pass that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains and it shall be exalted above the hills and people shall flow unto it And many Nations shall come and say come and let us go up to the mountaine of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths for the Law shall go forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem Chap. 4.1 2. But now men say that these Scriptures were fulfilled when Judah retured from Babylon for the Jewes after their return from Babylon never enjoyed such things unto this day search and see and these Scriptures say that they shall be fulfilled in the last dayes and the Scriptures do not call them the last dayes that were before Christ came in the flesh therefore not fulfilled but before the house of Israel shall be called so as to believe the Gospel as it hath been shewed the Gospel of the king dome must be preached in all the world for a witness unto all Nations Mat. 24.14 according to Revel 14.6 And I saw another Angel flie in the middest of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every Nation and kindred and tongue and people And this must be a little before and in the time of the fall of the Whore of Babylon and the rising of the man of sin the Antichrist as appeareth in vers the 8 9. And to this agreeth Mark 13.10 The Gospel must first be preached among all Nations compared with Mat. 24.14 and then the end shall be So the Gospel a little before the end shall be preached in the pure way thereof to all Nations so the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in But it doth and will so come to pass that now in this last of the last dayes the Gospel that is and shall be preached in the pure way thereof and the Whore of Babylon falling that the spirit of Antichrist doth and will more and more appear and the Antichrist the Man of Sin will come forth whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders 2. Thes 2. for the Antichrist or Man of Sin is not the Whore of Babylon and for the right understanding of this truth mark well these seven Particulars 1. First Who is this great Whore of Babylon and where her chief seat hath been and is 2. Secondly Her fall and the means how and by whom 3. Thirdly What is the spirit of Antichrist and who hath that spirit 4. Fourthly That the Antichrist will be a single person 5. Fifthly The manner of his rising and when 6. Sixthly Some of the great things he will doe 7. Lastly His fall when and by whom Of these things in order But first I freely confess That many honest men fearing God in those latter times have been mistaken in saying that the Romish Whore of Babylon is the Antichrist that the Scripture speaks of but men may see in this latter part of the last time with a diligent and serious search of the Scriptures through grace that the great Whore of Babylon is not the Antichrist And it being so that God having shewed it me through the Scriptures I being not accounted of in the world knowing that God doth great things by them that are not esteemed among men that no flesh should glory c. And considering that this which I do in this work may be seasonable and for much profit to the People of God and for the praise and glory of God I shall shew in brief that the Whore is not the Antichrist And for the clearing up of this truth First you may see who this great Whore of Babylon is by noting her chief seat where it is and that is at Rome for John saith Rev. 17. That the great Whore of Babylon which sitteth upon many Waters is that City which reigneth over the Kings of the earth
of blasphemy which had seven heads and ten hornes Rev. 17.3 Now note that five of them heads or kings were fallen when John wrote the Revelation and the sixt was then in being vers 9 10. Now this Woman the Harlot was to sit upon the sixt head and hath so done a long time and so the beast that had seven Heads carrieth her beareth her up forthe Magistrates have supported her all along understand also that the fixt Head of the Beast hath reigned ever since the writing of the Revelation but now is partly strong and partly broken that the sixt Head is not fallen is plain if you note well for the seventh Head when he cometh he must continue a short space now that head of the Roman Monarthy which is in being hath continued long even from before the birth of Christ for Rome was governed by Emperours before the birth of Christ Lnke 2.1 and the imperial power standeth yet though it be translated into Germany therefore the Imperial Head cannot be the seventh Head because that hath continued long and that the seventh Head continueth but a short space note Rev. 17.10 Five are fallen and one is and another is not yet come and when he cometh he must continue a short space Also mark well that the power of the Pope and his Clergy cannot be the seventh Head for they have continued long Secondly the Whore cannot be any of the Heads of the Beast because she sits upon and is carried by the Beast that hath seven Heads and ten Horns so she causeth the Beast to serve her and maketh the Beasts and the Kings of the earth slaves to her to do her will so then the sixt Head of the Roman power is not fallen though it be in part and the seventh Head is now arising which will take away the sixth and doth will and must give some liberty to preach the Gospel and to administer the Ordinances in the old way thereof and so the Lord God will bring things to pass for not one jot or tittle of his word shall fail and so in the rising and reign of the seventh Head and the ten Hornes the Angel shall flie in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth and to every Nation and kindred and tongue and people saying with a loud voyce fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgment is come and worship him that made heaven and earth the Sea and the fountaines of waters Rev. 14.6 7. So the Gospel and the way thereof being preached the Nations will be enlightned and so God will put it into the hearts of the ten Hornes or Kings to hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire Rev. 17.12 16. So through the preaching of the Gospel in the pure way thereof the great Whore of Babylon falleth and so the hour of her judgment is come and to this agreeth that in Rev. 14.6 7 8. which sheweth that after the Gospel is preached to the Nations then shall follow another Angel saying it is fallen it is fallen Babylon the great City for she made all Nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication ver 8. Much more might be spoken to this but let this suffice as touching what the Whore is and her fall the manner how and by whome In the next place note diligently what the spirit of Antichrist is and who have that spirit now John in his first Epistle Chap. 4. And ver 3. doth declare what the spirit of Antichrist is namely every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of Antichrist whereof you have heard that he should come and even now already is in the world Also understand that John did not intend the heathen that never did beleeve nor the unbelieving Jewes which never did acknowledge Christ come in the flesh but those have the spirit of Antichrist that went out from the Church of Christ Chap. 2.18 19. John sheweth them that it is the last time and as you have heard that Antichrist shall come even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time They went out From us c. So that the spirit of Antichrist is that spirit that is found in them that have been enlightned and have known the truth and go out from the Church of Christ and in a mystery deny Christ come in the flesh and so Paul speaketh of the Antichrist or Man of Sin 2 Thes 2.7 saith The Mystery of iniquity doth already work c. and Peter speaking to the Saints saith in his 2 Epistle 2.1 there shall be false teachers among you who Privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that Bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction So the spirit of Antichrist denyes Christ come in the flesh secretly and they that have this spirit say Christ is come in their flesh and so say the light within them is Chuist when at the best it is but the light of nature and in many the spirit of errour their light being become darkness being delivered up to strong delusion to believe lyes thinking they have Christ in them when it is a spirit of errour and so pervert the sence of the Scriptures declaring the Annointing and the Annointed to be all one teaching up the spirit of Christ apart from the Body of Christ to be the Christ or rather the spirit of error in them to be the Christ come in their flesh so in a very deceivable secret way deny Christcome in the flesh in saying he is the Christ that is within them which is an evil spirit so applying the Scriptures that speak of the spirit of Christ dwelling in men to be that evil spirit in them so declaring that spirit of errour in them apart from the body or flesh of Christ to be the Christ so deny Christ come in the flesh but note well what the Scriptures of truth saith they declare that Jesus Christ was slain Act. 2.22 23. Chap. 3.15 Chap. 4.10 in Chap. 5.30 Peter who was full of the holy Ghost saith the God of our fathers hath Raised up Jesus whom ye flew and hanged on a tree Paul saith to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 15.3 4. First of all I delivered unto you that which I received how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and that he was Bursed that he Arose the third day according to the Scriptures So it is plain that the spirit apart from the body or flesh of Christ is not the Christ therefore again note what Paul saith 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one God one meditatour between God man which is the Man Christ Jesus and Heb. 10.10 sheweth that the Hebrewes were sanctified by the offering of the body of
of a furnace and the Sun and the air will be darkned by reason of the smoak of the Pit Rev. 11.7 Chap. 9.1 2. and neer the end of his raign when the sixt Vial is poured or pouring out then shall come three unclean spirits like frogs out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet for they are the spirits of Devils working miracles which go forth unto the Kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battel of that great day of God Almighty and he gathered them together to a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon Rev. 16.12 13 14 16. which is into the Land of Canaan according to Joel 3.9 10 11 12 13 14. Multitudes multtudes in the valley of decision and so I come to the seventh particular which is The fall of the Beast or Man of Sin and when and by whom Now Paul saith that the Lord will consume him with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy him with the brightness of his coming 2 Thes 2.8 So when the enemy shall come in as a flood the spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him Isa 59.19 and so when the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with ten thousand of his Saints to execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds and of their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Jude 15. Then the Sun and the Moon shall be be darkened and the Stars shall withdraw their shining the Lord also shall roar out of Sion and utter his voyce from Jerusalem and the heavens and the earth shall Shake but the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the Children of Israel Joel 3.15 16. And in that day will the Lord make Jerusalem a burthensome stone for all People all that burthen themselves with it shall be cut in peices though all the people of the Earth be gathered against it Zech. 12.1 2 3 4. Then the Lora Jesus that Died and Rose again himself shall descend from Heaven with a shont and with the voyce of the Arch-angel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remaine shall be caught up together with them in the Cloudes to meet the Lord in the ayre and so shall we ever be with the Lord 1 Thes 4.14 15 16 17. And so as Zechary hath it The Lord my God shall come and all the saints with him Chap. 14.5 And then the ten horns which received power as Kings in one hour with the Beast the Man of Sin These have one mind and shall give their Power and Strength unto the Beast These shall make war 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 so according to Rev. 19. The Lord Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords with his Armies which were in Heaven following him upon white Horses cloathed in fine Linnen white and clean descends from heaven against the Beast the Man of sin And the Kings of the earth and their Armies gathered together to make warr against him that sate on the Horse the Man Christ and against his Armies and the Beast was taken and with him the false Prophet that wrought miracles before him with which he deceived them that had received the marke of the Beast and them that worshiped his image These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sate upon the Horse Which sword proceeded out of his mouth and all fowls were filled with their flesh So the Beast the Antichrist the Man of Sin and the false Prophet which did work miracles before him shall be taken alive and cast into a lake of fire burning with brimstone and so Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared he hath made it deep and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it Isai 30.33 And so as men are threatned in Rev. 14.9 10. That if they worship the Beast or his image and receive his mark in their foreheads or in their hands The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with sire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb So it shall come to pass when the Lord Jesus shall appear and therefore take the 11 verse And the smoak of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever and they have no rest day nor night who worship the Beast and his image and whosoever receiveth the marke of his name For this purpose read Isai 14.18.19 and Chap. 66.24 Ezek. 38.22 23. Thus the Lord will magnifie himself and sanctifie himself and he will be known in the eyes of many Nations and they shall know that he is the Lord And then in that day shall his servants say This is the Lord we have waited for Him we will be Glad in his Salvation Isai 25.9 So then we may see that the Whore is not the Antichrist that the Scripture speaks of for the Whore is set out in Scripture thus as a Woman a false Church as a Queen The Mother of Harlots and ahominations of the earth The Antichrist is set out thus A Man of Sin The man that did shake kingdomes The Son of the Morning The Son of Perdition Secondly the sixth Head of the Roman Beast carrieth the Harlot but the Antichrist the Man of Sin is the eighth and last Beast as hath been shewed Thirdly The Whore confesseth Christ to be come in the flesh and hath a shew and a remembrance of his Ordinances though she have changed the subject and manner but the Antichrist denies Christ come into the flesh and his Ordinances that declare him come in the flesh as it hath been shewed Fourthly The Woman the Harlot and her members that do worship according to her Traditions and inventions have space given them to repent and many do repent but they that do worship the Beast the Antichrist or receive his mark in their right hand or in their fore-head they cannot repent they must drink of the wrath of God c. as it is Rev. 14.9 10. and in Chap. 16.11 They repented not of their deeds note that the first vial is poured out upon the earth and the men that had the mark of the Beast and worshipped his Image are plagued therefore none of the vials are poured out until the Antichrist raigneth vers 1 2. Fifthly The ten Horns hate the Whore and destroy her and make her desolate
Rev. 17.16 But the Antichrist is taken alive when the Lord cometh and punished with everlasting deflruction from the presence of the Lord in a lake of fire 2. Thes 1.9 and Rev. 19.20 And so to draw to a conclusion I do desire all men to take heed to the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles for they are able to make men wise unto Salvation and if men speak not according to the Law and Testament it is because they have no light in them Isa 8.20 O give heed to the most sure word of the Prophets as unto a light shining in a dark place until the day of Christ dawn and the day Star arise in your hearts noting diligently all things that are spoken of that must come to pass for when the signs concerning Christs coming are come to pass the day of Christs personal appearing will dawn Secondly is there such a spirit of delusion among men wherein is a mystery of iniquity Then let all take heed that they seek the Lord while he may be found and to kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish in the way O do not neglect to read and search the Scriptures and walk up in that you do know be not deceived God will not be mocked what a man soweth that he shall reap for he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Gal. 6.7 8. Thirdly is it so that God doth and will give up men to a Spirit of delusion that they should believe a lye that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness Then he exhorted from hence to forsake all unrighteous wayes in conversation and all whorish inventions of men in point of Worship for if Moses Law be abolished which was given to him by the Lord let no man think that he shall be excused if he worship according to mens inventions Fourthly let all the Saints consider and lay to heart what hath been spoken and search the Scriptures that they may be informed what is to come to pass and so according to Christs exhortation in Luke 21.36 Watch ye therefore and pray alwayes that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the son of man Moreover when the Lord thus overthrows Antichrist and his Armies and the Kings of the earth as it hath been shewed before and more plentiously appeareth in Scripture When the whirle wind of the Lord goeth forth with fury a cutting whirle-wind it shall remain with pain upon the head of the wicked the fearce anger of the Lord shall not return until he have performed the intents of his heart At the same time saith the Lord will I be the God of all the families of Israel and they shall be my people For God hath loved them with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness he will draw them Jer. 30.23 24. Chap. 31.1 2 3. And it shall come to pass in that day that the great Trumpet shall be blown and they shall come that are ready to perish in the land of Assyria and the out-casts in the land of Egypt and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jernsalem Is 27.13 So when the Enemies shall come in like a flood great enemies being gathered by the beast the Antichrist according to Rev. 16.13 14. being mâ—â— according to Joel 3.9 10 11 12 13 14. the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him then even then the redeemer shall come to Sion and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob saith the Lord Isa 59.19 20. compared with Rom. 11 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32. Then at that day the Lord himself which was dead and arose again and is alive for evermore Rev. 1.18 shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voyce of the Archangel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first 1 Thes 4.14 15 16. compared with Isa 27.13 and so as Zach. saith The Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee and his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives which is before Jerusalem Chap. 14.4 5. then the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of Hosts and Lord of Lords and King of Kings shall raign personally upon the earth in mount Sion and in Jerusalem and before his antients the house of Israel gloriously Isa 24.23 Rev. 17.14 Chap. 19.13 14 15 16. And for the further proof and clearing up of this truth That the Lord Christ shall raign personally on the earth more then a thousand years and all the Saints with him from Adam to his coming which dyed in the faith and are found in the faith at his coming are to raign with him upon earth First consider and mark well what the Scripture saith in the letter of it for the proof of the same the Prophet Jer. saith Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous branch and a King shall raign and prosper and execute Judgment and justice in the earth In his dayes Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his name the Lord our Righteousness Chap. 23.5 6. Ask of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Psal 2.8 In his dayes shall the righteous flowrish and abundance of peace shall be so long as the Moon endureth He shall have dominion also from Sea to Sea and from the river unto the end of the earth Yea all Kings shall fall down before him all nations shall serve him Pfal 72.7 8 9 10 11. verse 17. His name shall endure for ever his name shall be continued as long as the Sun and men shall be blessed in him All nations shall call him blessed and the Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day shall there be one Lord and his name one Zach. 14.9 Dan. 7.27 And the Kingdome and dominion and the greatness of the Kingdome under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high whose Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and all nations or dominions shall serve and obey him and Rev. 5.9 10. saith Thou hast made us unto our God Kings Priests we shall raign on the earth Chap. 11.15 And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voyces in heaven saying the Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall raign for ever and ever Rev. 20. sheweth at large That the Saints shall raign with Christ a thousand years which cannot be understood but to be on the earth So then the letter of the Scripture speaks much that the Lord Christ shall descend from heaven 1 Thes 4.16 Acts. 1.11 and his feet shall stand upon mount
Thirdly The nations that know the Lord shall be inferiour to the house of Israel serving them in that day Isa 60.12 14. Fourthly That there will be some of the nations in that day that will not come to worship the King the Lord of hosts and upon them shall come great judgments Zach. 14.17 18. Jer. 31.30 Isa 65.20 So there will be in the kingdome of Christ at least some of the time that he raigns on the earth before he delivers up the Kingdome to the father four sorts of people but the Saints that come with Christ shall raign most gloriously over them all So then things being so le ts look back to what hath been said concerning Christ coming to raign namely that the Saints must be in a troubled persecuted afflicted estate until Christ comes and the neerer his coming the more persecution and tribulations Luke 18.7 8. This serves to inform the fifth Monarchy men that the Saints shall not have dominion of the earth neither shall the fifth Monarchy be until Christ comes for the fourth Monarchy or Beast in his Heads and horns raigns until Christ comes and presecutes the Saints Dan. 7.25 26. as hath been shewed Secondly if there will be warr and rumors of warrs and overturning of powers until Christ comes that should teach the Saints not to deceive themselves so as to conclude they shall enjoy long rest and peace here on earth before Christ comes and so to seek great things for themselves I say with the Prophet Jer. Seek them not for that the Lord hath built he will break down and that which he hath planted will he pluck up Chap. 45.4 5. For the nations must drink Jeremies cup them that are wicked to the sword saith the Lord Chap. 25. from the 15. to the 34. Thirdly This should teach us to buy the truth and not to sell it and so to seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness in the first place and to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure redeeming the time that we be not found among those foolish Virgins that let their lamps go out but of those wise that stand with their Loyns girded about with truth and their lights burning as men that wait for their Lord when he shall return to the wedding Mat. 25. Luke 12.35 36 37. Furthermore take notice of some signes that go before Christs coming First observe that the Gospel being preached as it is now and shall be more fully hereafter and many falling away from the truth and the spirit of Antichrist appearing this is a sign of Christs coming 2 Thes 2.3.1 John 2.18 Secondly If we see and hear of warrs and rumors of warrs and false Prophets and false Christs appearing and many run to and fro and knowledge increase and the great Whore of Babylon fallen these things coming to pass are evident signs that the time of Christs coming is neer Mat. 24.5 11. Dan. 12.4 Rev. 14.6 7 8. Thirdly When we shall see false Prophets and false Christs saying loe hear is Christ or loe there working miracles and the Antichrist or man of sin arising or appearing then may we certainly conclude the coming of Christ to be at hand yea if we see the Whore of Babylon fallen and the man of sin arising we may certainly conclude that before that generation shall go down to dust the Lord will appear Mat. 24.23 24.2 Thes 2.9 Rev. 14.9 Luk. 21.32 Fourthly When there shall be famins and pestalence and earth-quakes in divers places and the Jewes return into their own land and the Antichrist or man of sin plant his tabernacle in the holy mount Dan. 11.45 Mat. 24.7 Fifthly When the Man of Sin and the false Prophet shall set up an Image and give the mark of the beast and cause fire to come down from heaven in the sight of men Rev. 13.13 14 15 16. and the sixth vial poured out and that false ministry of the beast go forth and gather the nations to the battel of the great day according to Chap. 16.12 13 14. Joel 3.9 10 11. and the Sun and Moon darkned and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity the Sea and waves roaring in an extraordinary manner Isa 13.10 Ioel 3.15 Luke 21.25 26 When these changes begin to come to pass especially the four last then let us lift up our heads with joy for our redemption draweth nigh verse 28. And when the last appeareth know that the Kingdome of God is neer even at the very doors Mat. 24 33. Now from all these things let every one be perswaded to walk up in all the commandments and Ordinances of the Lord improving all grace so as to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear yea let all the children of God work out their salvation with fear and trembling O let us give heed to the word of the Prophets as a light that shineth in a dark place until the day of Christ dawn and the day Star arise in our hearts that is until Christ who is the bright morning Star he by his spirit we giving heed to the word of the Prophet will cause us to understand the secrets of the Lord yea the signs of his coming as men that walk in the night know the day is neer when they see the day Star arising so the Lord will give us the morning Star that we may know in an excellent measure the time of his coming 2 Pet. â— 19 Rev. 22 16. Chap. 2 28 Psal 25 14. But let no man be deceived so as to account of the coming or receiving of the spirit in the most excellent manner to be the coming of Christ for the Corinths came behind in no gifts yet waited for the coming of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor 1.7 And the Apostle John sheweth that there are but three sorts of Christians the little ones young men and old men in Christ and old ought to wait and did wait for the coming of Christ 1 Iohn 2 28 Chap. 3 2. and then they and we shall be like him Phil. 3 31 O let all these things be laid to heart and let all the children of God receive council of the Lord Jesus so as to watch and pray alwayes that we may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before him acceptably Luke 21.36 FINIS
lively set it forth for the corn doth not bring forth except it die that is be changed for so the word die holds it forth so the natural body cannot be made a spiritual body except it die or be changed and so God giveth it another body as it pleaseth him for he maketh that natural body a spiritual body and so it puts on immortality at the resurrection day and so the same flesh and blood as it is a corruptible body cannot inherit the kingdome of God as the Apostle saith flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of God but that corruptible body of flesh shall be an incorruptible body of flesh for it shall be flesh and bones after the Resurrection for Christs body was so after he was risen Luke 24.39 So then it is the same body that dyeth that shall be raised only it shall be made incorruptible and in all perfection for this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality 1 Cor. 15.53 So it cannot dye nor go down to death any more and therefore when it riseth from the grave or the dead it triumpheth over death and the grave as it appeareth at large 1 Cor. 15. from vers 35. to 57. And to this agreeth very sweetly that in Hosea 13.14 I will ransome them from the power of the grave I will redeem them from death O death I will be thy death O grave I will be thy destruction repentance shall be hid from mine eyes God is not as man that he should repent he will make good his promise his name is Jehovah making good his promises note also I pray that in Isa 25.8 He will swallow up death in victory and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from all the earth for the Lord hath spoken it Thirdly regeneration or the knowledge of God in the highest degree that can be attained on this side the grave is no where in Scripture called a Resurrection therefore I conclude that that is no Resurrection and that this is good reasoning it appeareth plainly Heb. 1.8 and if we note the Scripture we may see this only is a resurrection which is the rising from the grave or from the dead after the breath is departed because Job saith that he shall See God in his flesh and them very eyes and no other shall behold him for him Job 19.25 26. Note that he saith he shall see God in his flesh which sheweth that the same flesh shall rise again and be made incorrupti ble yea immortall and then shall see Godface to face yea in his glory Rev. 22.4 Fourthly that the dead shall rise at the comming of Christ is shewn by many examples we read of in the Scriptures how the dead were raised 1 Kings 17. Elijah raised the widdowes Son and in 2 Kings 4. Elisha raised the Shunamites child from the dead and chap. 32.21 Math. 27.52 53. The graves were opened and bodies of the Saints which slept arose and came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy city appeared unto many note the bodies of the Saints arose therefore the bodies of the children of God shall rife from the dead and so the Lord Jesus raised Lazarus his body from the grave when he had been dead four dayes Jo. 11.39 44. Act. 9.37 41. Peter raised Tabitha so then the dead were raised in the time of the law and by Christ and his Apostles to the glory of God which teacheth us that it is not a thing incredible that God should raise again the dead yea seeing Christ the first fruits is raised afterward they that are Christs at his coming 1 Cor. 15.23 Fifthly Christ proves the resurrection by that which was written by Moses after Abraham Isaac and Jacob was dead that God was a God to them though they were dead yet God is not a God to the dead but to the living for all live unto him therefore Abraham Isaac and Jacob must rise again Luke 20.37 38. so many shall come from the East West North and South and sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdome of God Luk. 13.28 29. so if the Scriptures be true the dead must rise but heaven and earth must pass away but not one jot or tittle of his word shall not faile Mat. 5.18 Ch. 24.39 Therefore the resurrection is certaine and a blessed truth Sixtly that the just and unjust shall rise from the dead is plain in that Christ saith John the 5.28 29. Marvaile not at this for the hour shall come in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voyce and they shall come forth that have done good unto the resurrection of life but they that have done evil unto the resurrectiof condemnation And Paul makes it the great Article of his faith when he was accused of the Jewes Act. 24.14 freely confessing unto the Governour that after the way which they call heresie so worshiped he the God of his Fathers beleeving all things which are witten in the law and the Prophets and had hope towards God that the resurrection of the dead which they themselves look for also shall be both of just and unjust and so I conclude the just mans body shall be raised from the grave or be changed and the unjust also The next Principle of the Doctrine of Christ is the Eternal Judgment and that is this That every man shall be judged according to his works done in the flesh be they good or evil Math. 16.27 for the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then shall he give to every man according to his deeds Mat. 25.31 32. When the Son of man cometh in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his glory and before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall seperate them one from another as a shepheard seperateth the Sheep from the Goats For we must all appear before the judgment Seat of Christ that every man may receive the things which are done in his body according to that he hath done whether they be good or evil So that the Saints must give an account of all that they have done at the day of Judgment after they are raised from the dead or changed being made immortal For God will bring every work unto judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or evil Eccl. 12.14 And to this Christ speaks very fully Mat. 12.26 That of every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account at the day of judgment For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned So Paul saith We shall all appear before the judgment seat of Christ Rom. 14.10 so that God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to the Gospel Rom. 2.16 but Saints sins
to beget familiarity and love one with another it being done decently and in order Also as James saith Is any among you afflicted let him pray is any merry let him sing is any sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him and anoint him with oyl in the name of the Lord and the prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sin it shall be forgiven him Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed for the prayer of a righteous man availeth much if it be fervent James 5.13 14 15 16 17 18. Mar. 6.13 You may see there is faith required in the actors in this Ordinance and agreement and then the Lord will make good his promise for he is faithful and cannot deny himself Also Prayer with Fasting is a duty for the whole Church Isa 58. Luk. 5.33 35. Act. 14.23 especially for every Saint in private entering into the Closet or some secret place that he be not seen of men Mat. 6.5 6 16 17 18. Let every child of God be often in this duty 2 Cor. 6.5 he will profit very much thereby they that neglect this duty will not stand or very hardly stand in these last times the Lord put all his people upon this duty that we may be able through grace to stand before the Son of Man Luk. 21.36 Also the way to deal with Members of the Church if they sin against God is as followeth First if it be a private trespass he that trespasseth is to be told of it as in Mat. 18.15 And if he repent he is to be forgiven Luk. 17.3 for we ought to be like our heavenly Father and if he hear not he that is trespassed against is to call 〈◊〉 with him one or two more as in Mat. 〈◊〉 16. But if he hear not then tell it to the Church and if he hear the Church she is also to forgive him 2 Cor. 2.7 but if he refuse to hear the Church let him be unto the Church as a Heathen man and a Publican Also note he that sinneth privately is speedily to be brought to the Church the next Church meeting after he hath sinned if possible First because we are not to suffer sin upon our brother but plainly to rebuke him Levit. 19.17 Secondly because he may not pray that doth not confess his sin and be reconciled to his Brother for if he bring his gift to the Altar Christ and remember that his brother hath ought against him let him not offer it but first be reconciled to his Brother Math. 5.23 24. Heb. 13.10 Further I say he must be brought to the Church the next meeting for else the Church will have communion with him that lieth in his sin and he will be in fault that brings him not orderly to the Church Also they that sin openly are to be rebuked before all that others also may fear 1 Tim. 5.20 And so Paul blamed Peter before all men Gal. 2.11 14. And he that is admonished by the Church and doth not hear the Church is to be delivered to Satan and so to withdraw from him yea not to have so much company as to eat common food and so the Apostle exhorts and commandeth the Corinthians to deliver the Fornicator that had his Fathers wife And if any man that is called a Brother be a Fornicator or Covetous or Idolater or Railer or a Drunkard or an Extortioner with such a one eat not 1 Cor. 5.3 10 11. And so he commands the Thessalonians in the name of the Lord Jesus to withdraw from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the instructions which they received of him and if any man obey not their sayings that they should note him by letter and have no Company with him that he may be ashamed yet count him not as an enemy but admonish him as a Brother 2 Thes 3.6 14 15. So it is plain that they that sin and will not hear the Church when they are brought before them so as to confesse their sin and turn from it yea to make restitution if they be able if they hear not the Church is to deliver to Satan or to withdraw from him or them and then to admonish him two or three times solemnly and in the fear of God not counting him as an enemy but admonishing him as a brother with all long suffering and if he then neglect to hear the Church she is to reject him and to let him be as a Heathen man and a Publican and a man being so rejected or so cut off I do not see how he can repent yea I am very much perswaded that he will never repent I say the Church must admonish two or three times before she do reject or cut off because she ought to be like her heavenly father merciful as he is meriful and long suffering Again he that is an Heretick ought to have the first and second admonition before he is rejected therefore all other ought to have two or three admonitions before any are rejected or cut off Titus 3.10 Also I say that the man that is under dealing being three times wisely and seriously admonished by the Church and rejected I do not see how he can repent First because whatsoever the Church binds on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever they loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven now a man being once alive through believing and then through sin become as a heathen and a Publican or as a dead man and so bound how can he live again except a man twice dead may live again Jude 12. Secondly No man cutteth a naturall member from a natural body except it be rotten and so endanger the whole body even so also in the spirituall body the Church is to cut off them that will endanger the whole body so as to carry them to hell Mat. 18.8 9. So a member of a natural body being cut off cannot be set on again so when a Church hath rejected or cut off a member how can it be received in again Thirdly If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha had in execration yea excommunicate to death 1 Cor. 16.22 or as some translation reads it that the meaning of the word may be this let him be accurssed even to the coming of the Lord that is to say to his deaths day even for ever now he that loves not the Lord is he that keepeth not his commandments or his sayings John 14.15 23. and he that sinneth and will not hear the Church being so often admonished as the Lord hath appointed in his word doth not keep the saying of Christ and so loves not the Lord therefore is to be rejected or excommunicated unto death till the Lord come so according to that in Prov. 29.1 he that being often reproved hardneth his neck
Jesus Christ ver 19.20 Seeing therefore brethren that by the Blood of Jesus we may be bold to enter into the holiest by the new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is his Flesh So that Jesus that was Baptised of John in the River Jordan was anointed with the oyl of gladness above his fellowes Mat. 3.13 16. Psal 45.7 So Jesus the Saviour is the annointed of God for he gave him not his Spirit by measure John 3.34 and so the spirit of the Lord did rest and abide upon the Man Christ Jesus Isa 11.2 John 1.32 So then the spirit of God or of Christ apart from the Body of Christ is not the Christ Therefore most abominable is that which men say that that which is in them is Christ when it is a spirit of errour and so men may see how through this Mystery of iniquity men come to say they are Christ for consider if the spirit in some man be the Christ what hindreth him to say he is Christ and therefore some one presumes to say he is Christ Let no man mistake me for I say that the spirit of God doth dwell in the Saints that Christ doth dwell in their hearts by faith but note that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 So the just live by faith and look for the Son of God from heaven whom he raised from the dead even Jesus who delivereth us from the wrath to come But to return so as to shew yet further who hath the spirit of Antichrist they are such as race out the Ordinances of Christ which came in being when Christ came in the flesh which plainly declare Christ come in the flesh dead and risen again as baptisme of Water and Breaking of Bread which doth declare the Lords death till he come 1 Cor. 11.26 Rom. 6.34 Col. 2.12 Now there are a sort of men which say to know or acknowledge Christ in the practice of those Ordinances is formal and sleshly low and carnal and so reject the counsel of God and will not be Baptised and so not walking up in the Ordinances that did come in being when Christ came in the flesh and do so excellently declare him come in the flesh and are to continue untill Christ come from heaven and change our vile bodies and make them like his most glorious body Phil. 3.20 21. I say those that do slight and reject those Ordinances and say they are formal and will not practice them have the spirit of Antichrist do deny Christ come in the flesh because they will not practice those Ordinances that declare Christ come in the flesh yea more fully then the Whore for she hath a shew and so a remembrance of the Ordinances though she have changed the subject the manner as aforesaid but These root out the very being of them as much as in them lieth and so deny Christ come in the flesh so are discovered to have the spirit of Antichrist Also those that have been en lightened and have believed the Resurrection of the body and also the eternal Judgment and then come to question it and deny it and say the Judgment day is come have the spirit of Antichrist for Christ being put to death in the flesh and rising again from the dead so bringeth in the Resurrection of the Bodies of all men then cometh in the eternal Judgment according to that in Act. 17.30 31. He hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom he hath appointed whereof he hath given assurance to all men in that he hath raised him from the dead so as by man came death by man came also the Resurrection of the dead For as in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive but every man in his own order the first fruits is Christs afterward they that are of Christ at his coming 1 Cor. 15.21 22 23. So Christ being come in the flesh the Man Christ Saviour died and rose again and so comes in the Resurrection and no otherwise therefore they that have been enlightned in the Resurrection the eternal Judgment and come to say they are in the Resurrection or that it is past already and so deny the Resurrection of the body deny Christ come in the flesh and so have the spirit of Antichrist and therefore John writing to the Saints warning them that they take beed of the Antichristian spirit that they be not deceived exhorteth them thus Let that therefore abide in you which you have heard from the beginning if that which you have heard from the beginning shall remaine in you yea also shall continue in the Son and in the Father 1 John 2.24 read also for this purpose the whole Chapt. Now that which they heard from the beginning was the beginning word of Christ according to that of Paul 1 Cor. 15.3 4. which he delivered first of all to the Corinthians That Christ Died for our sins according to the Scriptures c. and the first Principles of the word of God which is the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ to wit Repentance from dead works and of Faith towards God the Doctrine of Baptismes and of Laying on of Hands and of the Resurrection of the dead and of eternal Judgment Heb. 5.12 Chap 6.1 2. Now these Principles of the teachings of Christ came in being by and through Christ being manifest in flesh his death and Resurrection as hath been shewed before therefore whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God for he denies Christ come in the flesh and so he hath the spirit of Antichrist 2 John 6.7 8 9 10 11. and so there was many that had the spirit of Antichrist in the Apostle Johns time and so many Antichrists they are said to be Antichrists because they have the spirit of the Man of Sin the Antichrist 1 John 2.18 Chap. 4.2 3. But the Antichrist the Man of Sin shall be possessed will the Spirit of the Devil above his fellows and so is said to be The Antichrist The Man of Sin And so having in part declared what is the Spirit of Antichrist and who hath that Spirit I come now to the fourth thing which is That Antichrist will be a single person And for the proof of this first consider how the Antichrist is set out in Scripture in the singular number not in the plural as the Man of Sin 2 Thes 2.3 not men and Isa 14.16 Is this the Man that made the earth to tremble and did shake the Kingdomes the Son of the morning and Son of perdition not sons the vile Person not Persons Dan. 11.21 Isa 24.12 there fell a great Star from Heaven not Stars Object This in Isa 14. was fulfilled in Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel of Chaldee Answ That cannot be for after this power that is there
spoken of is faln the whole world is at rest and is quiet they sing for joy yea the Furr-trees rejoyce at thee and the Cedars of Lebanon saying since thou art laid down no feller is come up against us vers 7.8 Now the world did not enjoy such a rest as is there spoken of so as that no Feller came up against the People of God no more for since the time of Nebuchadnezzar and that Monarchies fall there hath come up many fellers or destroyers of the Jewes and the believing Gentiles as is clear that Antiochus and the Romans against the Jewes and the Whore of Babylon against the Christians and again the Apostle in 2 Thes 2. takes up the same words in substance and applies them to the man of sin which is the Antichrist therefore that in Isa cannot be fulfilled in Nebuchadnezzar for this compare Isa 14.13 14. with 2 Thes 2 4. though he might be a type of Antichrist Secondly it appears that the Antichrist will be but one man though many have his spirit and so many Antichrists because it will sute best with his way of delusion for he will pretend he is the very Christ and will cause fire to come down from Heaven on earth in the sight of men Rev. 13.13 and so he will endeavour to imitate Christ in all things for as the Lord Christ shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that Obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ so the Antichrist will make fire come down from heaven in the sight of men he will endeavour to make all the Scriptures that speak of Christs coming and of his raign to meet upon him So his coming will be after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders and with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved 2 Thes 2.9 10. So as there is the Man Christ Jesus the Son of the living God which came in his Fathers name Mat. 16.16 John 5.4 3. without sin 1 Pet. 2.22 So there will be the Man of Sin the Antichrist which will come in his own name and profess to be the Christ but will be directly an enemy against Christ and his People And so I come to the fifth thing which is the manner of Antichrists rising and by what means for the clearing up of this First consider that the Gospel and the way thereof is to be purely preached and the Ordinances rightly administred and so the Angel is to fly in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and People Rev. 14.6 And so the Gospel being preached to the Nations and the Ordinances Administred in the good old way according to the Scriptures men come to be enlightened as many are in these nations where the Kingly power is fallen that did support the Whore and would not give liberty of conscience so I say as the Gospel comes to be ministred in the old way thereof men come to be enlightned the power of the Whore falleth and men slighting and rejecting the truth and also many of them that do receive and obey the truth fall and depart from the faith and so receiving not the love of the truth that they might be saved for this cause God doth and will send them strong delusions that they should believe a lye 2 Thes 2.10 11. And so are given up to the Spirit of Antichrist and so the Apostle Paul sheweth that the day of Christs coming shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition 2 Thes 1.7 8. Chap. 2.3 and so the Spirit speaking expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrine of Devils speaking lies in hypocrisie having their conscience seared with an hot Iron forbidding to marry c. as in 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. And the Apostle Peter writing to the Saints in his second Epistle Chap. 2.1 2. sheweth that there shall be false teachers among you who shall privily bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction and many shall follow their pernitious wicked wayes by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of and Chap. 3.3 4. he saith that there should be scoffers walking after their own lusts saying where is the promise of his coming c. and so men transgressing and abiding not in the Doctrine of Christ fall from the faith of the Gospel and so the spirit of God departs from them and an evil spirit is sent unto them which is the spirit of Antichrist so out from them that thus fall away and go out from the Church 1 John 2.19 and so seperate themselves sensual having not the spirit as Jude hath it vers 19. and also from them that have been enlightened and have neglected to walk up in truth and so reject the counsel of God as the Lawyers and Pharisees did Luke 7.30 so I say from them that so fall away and neglect to hear and obey the Gospel from them ariseth the Antichrist or man of sin Again the sixth Head of the Roman Monarchie which is the imperial or Kingly power hath alwayes and doth by the guidance of the Pope and the National Ministry which rides upon the Beast as hath been shewed persecute men for their Consciences and so hath let and hindered the Gospel from being preached and the Ordinances from being rightly administred and so the light of truth was exceedingly kept back and but few received it and them that did receive it she persecuted some she put to death others she banished or caused to fly into strange Countries and into howling wildernesses others imprisoned and fined and so she cometh to be drunken with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and so the Gospel could not be declared in the pure way thereof to every Nation kindred tongue and people Rev. 14.6 And so also if any did arise that had the spirit of Antichrist she took him off also and so she pluck'd up much wheat and tares also contrary to that of Mat. 13.29 30. Let both grow together until Harvest c. So the sixt Head of the Roman Monarchy being rid upon guided by the Whore did let the Gospel from being preached and the Antichrist from rising and so I think that the fixth Head did hinder the coming in of the man of Sin in the Apostles dayes for the Emperours being heathens then persecuted the Saints and so that sixth Head supporting and carrying the Whore also so as that it did let and will let until it be taken out of the way 2 Thes 2.6 7. but now the sixth
Head being in part taken away and the seventh Head arising he giving some liberty of conscience the Gospel is preached and truth appears and many receive the knowledg of it and obey it and many fall away from it and so the spirit of Antichrist ariseth and so the seventh Head of the Roman Beast shall take away the sixth Head and shall continue a short space Rev. 17.10 and so the ten Horns also shall arise in one hour with the beast that was and is not even he is the Eighth and is of the Seventh vers 11 12. and so is the little Horn that Daniel speaks of Dan. 7.11 24 25. and the last power or Beast the Antichrist the Man of Sin and so the seventh Head and ten Horns or Kings giving liberty the servants of God sends forth the truth as it is in Jesus ministring in the Gospel glad tidings of the Kingdome to the Nations men come to know the truth and so are enlightened with it and so many may come to shine as Stars and yet fall away as the Antichrist or man of sin himself will be some notable man shining as a Star for a time yet afterward falling from the truth according to that in Rev. 8.10 11. The third Angel sounded and there fell a great Star from Heaven burning as it were a lamp and it fell upon the third part of the rivers and upon the fountains of waters and the name of the Star is called Wormwood and the third part of the waters became Worm-wood and many men dyed of the waters because they were made bitter So the man of Sin falls from the truth or true Church as a great Star from Heaven burning like a Lamp through Satans transforming himself as into an Angel of light and so falls upon the rivers and fountains of waters so that he maketh them bitter so the sweet promises of the Gospel and the way of Christ in which men shall be made partakers of the waters of life and so made glad in the City of God are so made bitter like Wormwood changing the taste of them so that many men die of those waters according to that of Jude 12. Twice dead plucked up by the roots and thus he causeth men to fall so that the third part of the Sun is smitten and the third part of the Moon and the third part of the Stars so as the third part of them is darkned and the day shone not for a third part of it nor the night likewise Rev. 8.12 The Sun is hear compared to the Church because the Church or Saints through Christ are said to be the light of the world Mat. 5.14 and so Jacob who is called Israel according to Josephs dream is compared to the Sun Gen. 37.9 10. The Moon I take to be the world or the Whore the false Church which hath her light from the true Church as the Moon hath her light from the Sun the Stars are the eminent teachers in the Churches Rev. 1.20 and this in the eight chapter before spoken of is an allegory because the waters are said to become Wormwood and yet men drink of them which cannot be if they were made Wormwood therefore it is Allegorical that the word of the Gospel in the ministration of the Prophets is compared to water look Ezek. 34.18 19. Isa 55.1 Rev. 22.17 So then a many of the Church will fall from the faith and the Stars the Elders or chief teachers also and many of the World or false Church that shall be enlightened and will not obey shall be darkned and so shall lose that light they have and so shall be given up to gross darkness and so after a great falling away from the truth So the man of Sin the Antichrist is revealed and getteth the power and rule by flatteries after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders and with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness and So opposeth exalteth himself above all that is called God or is worshiped so that He as God sitteth in the temple of God shewing himself that he is God Dan. 11.21 2 Thes 2.3 4 9 10. And so I come to the sixth Particular which is Some of the great things that the man of Sin willdo with his false Prophet Which in the first place take what Daniel saith of him setting him out by a little Horne Chap. 7.8 11 24 25. he saith That he shall subdue three Kings and he shall speak Great words against the most high and shall wear out the Saints of the most high and think to change times and lawés and they shall be given into his hand untill a time and times and the deviding of times And so he shall reign in full power three years and a half for time is taken for one year times for two years and half a time for half a year as in Dan. 4.25 some translation reads for seven times seven years and so the woman Cloathed with the Sun that flies from him into the wilderness and is there three years and a half Rev. 12.1 14. so he shall presecute the Saints of the most high ver 11 17. and the false prophet causeh the first beast whose deadly wound was healed to be worshipped and he doth great wonders so that he maketh fire to come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by means of those miracles which he shall have power to do in the sight of the beast saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast which had the wound by a sword did live had power to give life or breath to the image of the beast that the image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed and he causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to give a mark in their right hands or in their foreheads and that no man might buy or sell save he that had the marke or the name of the beast or the number of his name Rev. 13.11 to 18. So the Beast that hath a wound with a sword that is the seventh Head is slain to death yet he having another which is of the seventh and is the eighth and so liveth and so it is the Beast that was and is not and yet is and so the false Prophet shall by miracles cause the world to worship the Beast the man of sin the Antichrist as God sitting in the temple of God shewing himself that he is God 2 Thes 2.4 and cause as many as will not worship the beast or his image to be killed and so the fallen Star before mentioned which is the Beast the Antichrist ascendeth out of the bottomless pit the key of the bottomless pit being given him he openeth the bottomless pit and then ariseth a smoak out of the pit as the smoak
Olives which is before Jerusalem Zach. 14.4 and that he shall raign on the earth with his Saints And that it may not appear a strange thing observe well how the Scriptures were taken in the letter that spake of Christ to come in the flesh and his sufferings as A virgin shall conceive and bear a son Isa 7.14 Christ the King of Jerusalem and Lord of Lords and King of Kings riding upon an Ass and upon a coult the foal of an Ass Zach. 9.9 Mat. 21.5 of their giving him vineger to drink Psal 69.21 Mat. 27.48 again the selling of Christ the Lord of life and glory for thirty pieces of silver Zach. 11.12.13 Mat. 27.9 Much more might be said to shew that strange things were fore-told by the Prophesies in the Scripture concerning the coming of Christ in the flesh and his suffering and rising from the dead plainly declared in the letter yea men hardly believed them until they were fulfilled So then the Scriptures speaking plainly also of the Lord Christ descending from heaven to the earth and to raign on the earth with his Saints as it hath been shewed before why should it be thought to be uncredible Again there is a stream of Scriptures that declareth that the Saints shall suffer persecution and be in tribulation until the coming of Christ John 16.33 2 Tim. 3.12 Luke 14.2 27. Acts. 14.22 Yea the neerer the coming of Christ the greater trouble to the Saints 2 Tim. 3.1 2 13 Dan. 7.25 Luke 18.7 8. Rev. 7.14 Also the Scriptures declare plentiously that the Saints shall raign on the earth and flourish exceedingly and that a long time Psal 72.7 Isai 65.21 22 23. Daniel 7.27 Psal 149. Mat. 5.5 Rev. 2.26 27. Chap. 5.10 Chap. 11.15 Now observe it well how can this stand or consist that the Saints must from Christ coming in the flesh to his coming to Judgment suffer persecution and tribulation and yet must have a long time to raign and flourish seeing reigning over the earth and flourishing is inconsistant for men cannot be at one time in a persecuted troubled afflicted condition and in a raigning flourishing state therefore I say that Christ must reign on the earth and appoint his people a kingdome Luke 22.29 30. and so they shall reign with him on the earth Again there is a stream of Scriptures that declareth that there should be warrs and rumors of warrs in the last dayes Mat. 24.6 7. Mark 13.7 8. Dan. 2.40 Chap. 8. Chap. 11. Rev. 13. Chap. 17. Yea the fourth Monarchy which is the Roman power which did begin to raign before Christ came in the flesh and hath raigned in the sixth Head and will raign in the seventh and eighth which is of the seventh of that Roman power untill Christ come as hath been shewed before hath all a long brought in warrs and doth and will to the coming of Christ for the Scriptures shew that this fourth power will break in peeces and subdue all and stamp the residue with the feet of it Dan. 2.40 Chap. 7.7 So there hath been no long peace but devision and warrs and is and will be more and more untill the coming of Christ Dan. 2.42 43. Chap. 7.24 25. Joel 3.9 10. Exek 38. Chap. 39. Revel 16.14 Chap. 19.17 18 19. So then by the Scripture it appeareth from the coming of Christ in the flesh to the coming of Christ from heaven to judge the quick and the dead there hath and will be warr and to this Histories agree also that there hath not been no long peace in the world since the Jewes captivity in Babylon but very much warr But the Scripture sheweth plentiously also that there shall be a long peace in the whole world Psal 72.7 8. in his dayes shall the righteous flourish and abundance of peace so long as the Moon endureth Zach. 9.10 Isai 14.7 The whole world is at rest and is quiet they break forth into singing Mich. 4.3 4. And he shall judge among many people and rebuke strong Nations after off and they shall beat there swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning hooks Nation shall not lift up a sword against Nation neither shall they learne Warr any More But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig-tree and none shall make them afraid for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it Isa 2.4 So then there hath been and will be warr untill Christ comes yet there must be a long time of peace and this peace never was nor cannot be untill Christ comes as the Scriptures of truth witnesse and then if the earth be utterly destroyed as some say then that peace cannot be But I say with the Prophet that that peace must be and it cannot be untill Christ comes therefore Christ will raign with all his Saints on the earth personally and then he will make warr to cease unto the ends of the earth he breaketh the bow and cutteth the spear asunder he burneth the Chariot in the fire saying Be still and know that Lam God I will be exalted among the heathen I will be exalted in the earth Psal 46.9 10. Again the whole house of Israel after the flesh shall be called as it hath been shewed before which cannot be untill the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and the appearing of Christ and this will appear evidently if you well observe what Isa saith 59.20 21. compared with Rom. 11.25 26 27. for the Apostle sheweth when the fulness of the Gentiles is come in then the deliverer shall come to Sion and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob For this is my Covenant unto them when I shall take away there sins And that you may see the Apostle speaks of the whole house of Israel that remains on the earth when the fulness of the Gentiles is come in note well the 25. verse and so to the 33. And also what hath been said before concerning this thing So then the whole house of Israel shall be called to a glorious state here on earth when the fulness of the Gentiles is come in and then the deliverer the Lord Jesus Christ shall come to Sion then shall they look upon him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his onely Son Zach. 12.10 So then from all this and much more might be said it clearlly followeth that the Lord shall reign personaly on the earth and so the Lord God shall give him the Throne of his Father David and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever and of his kingdome there shall be no end Luke 1.33.33 Now in the next place take notice further of some of the excellent things that the Lord will do in that day for the house of Israel In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel And it shall come to pass that