Jacob and his seed shall be in many waters and his King shall be higher then Agag and his Kingdom shall be exalted Jesus Christ shall be higher then all the Agags and Nimrods and Potentates of the Earth For he is the great and onely Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6.15 Moses also did by faith perceive what God would do for his Israel in the last dayes as you may see in Deut. 33.26 27 28 29. Hannah in her sweet song of deliverance prophesies of Christ and of his Kingdom 1 Sam. 2.10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces out of heaven shall he thunder upon them the Lord shall judge the ends of the Earth and he shall give strength unto his King and exalt the horn of his anointed Mark friends the Exaltation of Christ it lieth in the destruction of his implacable enemies Ps. 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine Enemies thy footstool he shall give strength unto his King Jesus Christ is the King of Gods own appointment a King that God hath given unto his subjects Isa. 9.6 7. For unto us a Childe is born unto us a Son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his Nme shall be called Wonderful Counseller The mighty God The everlasting Father The Prince of peace Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdom to order it and to stablish it with Judgement and Justice from henceforth even for ever The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this That same Jesus that is the King of his Saints and people that Jesus shall also be the King over all the Nations Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me on my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father on his Throne So that here you may see that Jesus Christ hath a Throne which he calls more properly his Throne Now what this overcomer shall do you may see in Rev. 2.26 27. To him will I give power over the Nations agreeing with that Parable that Christ spake of concerning the Lord and his servants to him that had gained ten Talents his Lord saith Be thou ruler over ten Cities and to him that had gained five over five But let us a little consider this sweet Prophecie of the ninth of Isaiah Some Expositors have much reasoned whether they should call Isaiah a Prophet or an Evangelist And truly though all these names that are given unto Christ be sulfilled in respect unto his people in the state of Grace for he is the wonderful Counsellour of his people in all straits and difficulties and he is the mighty God for his own arm hath brought salvation and he is the everlasting Father and he is the Prince of peace for Christ onely is a believers peace but it is said He shall be King upon the Throne of David Now ye know that the Throne of David it was in the Land of Judea over the people of the Jews this is the Throne which Jesus Christ shall have Object How can that be for Jerusalem is destroyed Answ. Though it be yet we have the promise of God for it that it shall be again inhabited Zech. 12.6 And Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place even in Jerusalem Yea we finde that at Christs second personal appearance it is said that his feet shall stand upon the Mount of Olives which is before Jerusalem Zech. 14.4 and in the same day you finde that he shall be King over all the earth and there shall be one Lord and his name one in the 9. verse We know also that as Solomon in his succession to the Crown was a sweet Type of Christ so likewise in respect of his peaceable Kingdom and therein Christ shall well be called the Prince of Peace Now it is very much to our purpose to consider with what difficulty Solomon did attain unto the Crown you have the story in the 1. of Kings chap. 1. the whole Chapter is very remarkable you finde that Solomons mother in the 17. verse comes unto King David and she said unto him My Lord thou swarest by the Lord thy God unto thine handmaid saying Assuredly Solomon thy Son shall reign after me and he shall sit upon my Throne the 18. verse and now behold Adonijah reigneth Observe it is the woman that prevailes with David and surely it must be the woman even the Church that must prevail with God for the exaltation of Jesus Christ for she is said to travel with the man-childe in the twelfth of the Revelation and she brings him forth at last in verse 10. Now is come salvation and strength and the Kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ no more accusings then of Satan no no the accuser of the brethren is cast down Now observe how the woman and the Churches and Saints of Christ may agree together in their Petition for as she said My Lord thou swarest that thy Son Solomon should reign so may the Church say Lord thou hast sworn that thy Son Jesus Christ shall reign in the 89th Psalm verse 3 4. Well what follows And now saith she behold Adonijah reigneth This word Behold it is an expression of admiration Behold my servant whom I have chosen speaking of Christ Truely it should be matter of admiration unto the Sons and daughters of Zov that the Lord should have so much patience as to afford the Kings of the earth that time which is allotted unto them but the Lamb shall at last overcome them we finde that when Bathsheba had done then came in also Nathan the Prophet and he comes with the same story certainly the true Prophets of God they will in all generations joyn with the Church in that which concerns the glory of God and hereby we may come to know who are the false Prophets and who are the true The false Prophets they cry up the beast and wonder after the beast but the true Prophets they cry up Jesus Christ and admire at his excellency and are forced to cry out Who would not fear thee O thou King of Nations Jer. 10.7 and as you read in the following Chapters of the miserable end that did follow them that helped to Crown Adonijah so be assured that nothing but misery and destruction will be the end of them that are enemies to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ But as for those mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them bring them hither and slay them before me This will be Christs sentence unto such his enemies at his appearance It is my desire to run through the whole current of Scripture that the Reader may be surnished against all Gainsayers The next Scripture that hints unto this truth is in Job 19 25. For I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he
Prophet Isaiah Thy people also shall be all righteous Isa. 60.21 It is further apparent if we consider Isa. 35. the 10th verse by the ransomed of the Lord I understand either the people of the Jews in general or else every true believer in particular These shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladnesse and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Why Gods bringing of his people now unto Zion it is with weeping and with supplication but in this day when Zion the Mountain of the house of the Lord shall be exalted in the top of the Mountains it shall be with everlasting joy agreeing to that in Jer. 31.12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion But in the 9th verse there is weeping and supplication and in the latter end of the 12th verse they shall not sorrow any more at all Certainly then this will be a time of extraordinary spiritual joy which we expect and wait for and not an outward glorious Jewish Kingdom which some speaking against it say that we look for but let such see their portion it they have a portion in Christ and how gracious Christ will be unto them in this his kingdom in that sweet Prophesie of his reign in Isa. 32.4 The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge I am perswaded that many a gracious heart in the corsideration of that glorious truth of Christs spiritual reign in the hearts of his people over sin Satan and the world hath cried down this his personal reign upon the Throne of his father David as error and Heresie I might cite much in the behalf of this truth from Isa. 65.17 to the end but I shall passe over to Jer. 30.9 And they shall serve the Lord their God and David their King whom I will raise up unto them Now observe the time when they shall serve this King it is when God shall give them to pessesse the land which he gave unto their fathers as you may see plainly in the third verse and before they do thus serve him they shall return and seek him even the Jews that are called the children of Israel Hosea 3.5 O ye Gentile Saints of the most high what room hath God made in your hearts for the poor Jews did they think upon us when we were not a people and shall not we think upon them Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence for he hath said that the Nation and kingdome that will not serve them shall perish yea those Nations shall be utterly destroyed Isa. 60.12 certainly then there is little hopes for England that would not suffer you to dwell amongst us but faithfull is God that hath promised and will accomplish even to set over them that great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls the Lord Jesus Christ Ezek 34 23. The next plain Scripture is Dan. 7.27 And the kingdom and dominion and the greatnesse of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and all dominions shall serve and obey him This is a plain Prophesie of Christs personal appearing to rule and reign with his Saints if ye consider the 22th verse there ye have him mentioned Untill the ancient of dayes came agreeing with that his title in the Revelation I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last This is a kingdom and dominion under the whole heaven certainly then it must be on earth and then shall that promise be made good which saith The meek shall inherit the earth We do not doubt as a worthy Preacher lately said of a kingdom in the heavens in that celestial place of glory prepared for us but our God hath promised us a kingdom under the whole heaven wherein Christ shall be King that one Lord both over believing Jews and believing Gentiles This kingdom it is given him by God the Father who is also called the ancient of dayes for as Christ saith I and my father are one you have it in the 13. and 14. verses of Dan. 7. I saw in the night Visions and behold one like the Son of Man came with the Clouds of Heaven agreeing unto Christs words Then shall ye see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great glory I shall plainly lay down my Meditations concerning it and leave it to the judgement of the Christian Reader which were this Christ coming and the Saints bringing of him unto God their father for it is said in the 13th verse They brought him near before him agreeing to that in Isa. 8.18 Behold I and the children which thou hast given me And now being before their father as Christ said I go to my father and to your father to my God and to your God the subject matter of their plea is for a kingdome founded in the sufferings of Christ and so a branch of the new Covenant Isa. 53.12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoyl with the strong because he hath poured out his Soul unto death Now God the father being faithful that promised he gives the kingdom unto the Son agreeing to that in Ps. 72.1 Give the King thy judgements O God and thy righteousnesse unto the Kings Son which is fulfilled in Dan. 7.14 And there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people nations and languages should serve him even him that was despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief unto whom the Nations have said We will not have this man to reign over us even unto him shall this glory and dominion be given that so that which is written may be fulfilled At the name of Jefus every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confesse that he is the Lord for he will be King alone in that day Hosea 13.10 The Prophet Joel is very large in declaring the signs and wonders that shall be before this great day of the Lord agreeing with those in Matth. 24. The Prophet Amos is in the latter end of his Prophesie treating of the restauration of the children of Israel which take in many special circumstances concerning this truth and will require a larger Treatise then this is for there is both heighth and depth and length and breadth in the truths of God But I passe them over and shall onely take notice of Mich. 4.3 And he shall judge among many people and rebuke strong nations afar off vers. 4. They shall sit every man under his Vine and under his Fig-tree and none shall make them afraid It shall be a Solomons kingdom in respect of peace so that in this sense he will come as the desired one of all Nations and this kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem as you may see in vers 8. but more especially in
ground for this see Isa. 61.1 Paul the chiefest of the Apostles glorieth in this that he was the servant of Jesus Christ Rom. 1.1 and when once thou art the servant of Jesus Christ it will no longer then be thy complement unto men Your Servant Sir for Saints are bought with a price that they might not be the servants of men 1 Cor. 7.23 Another it may be will say I have been an Enemie unto Christ and to his Wayes and to his People truly this is a very bad condition yet Christ makes Friends of Enemies all sinners are Enemies but God commended his love unto us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us therefore it is high time for thee to see that thou lovest aright and hatest aright if thou lovest rightly thou lovest God if thou hatest rightly thou hatest the world See what James saith Jam. 4.4 Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity to God whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God And John saith Love not the world nor the things of the world If any man love the world either the lusts of the flesh or the pride of life or the lust of the eyes the love of the Father is not in him Saints do not thus learn Christ who hath said If any man will be my Disciple let him take up his Cross and follow me Of a vagabond stranger thou mayst be an adopted Son of a Begger a King and therefore seek not after the Kingdoms of this world but rather profess as once the Captain of our Salvation did before Pilat My Kingdom is not of this world I shall conclude all that I have to say with that good word of the Apostle Peter in Act. 2.36 Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ Peter so preached Christ that he got three thousand souls at that time in the Net of the Gospel a good example for the Ministers of the Word to take pattern by And we shall finde that he preached unto them of the visible Kingdom of Christ as you may see vers. 30. Knowing that God had sworn with an Oath to him that of the fruit of his loynes according to the flâ—sh he would raise up Christ to sit on his Throne A Scripture it is so full to the truth that neither all the Sathan-like transformed Angelical light on the one side or all Political Philosophical light on the other side shall be able to deceive the truly-enlightened Soul Now therefore I intreat you unto whom this shall come that ye receive it in the love of it and marvail noâ— that ye cannot hear these things from the Great Doctors and Rabbies and Clergy men of this our age for it is the Fathers good pleasure to hide these things from the wife and from the prudent But wo unto them for their judgment is at band as it is written The wisdom of their wise men shall perish And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid Isa. 29 14. The Lord give thee an understanding heart to try whether these things be so or no AMEN I would now willingly also commend something unto such as are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints even unto as many as are preserved in Christ Jesus which have received the White Stone which none knowes but he that receiveth it That you would shew forth the Vertues of Him that hath called you and hath translâ—â—ed you out of the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of his marvellous light I cannot but cry out with the Apostle What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy câ—nversations and Godliness O it becomes us that look for Christ from heaven to have our conversation in heaven certainly the knowledg of this truth should makeus to trample upon the world the glory thereof as base contemptible and to content our selves in the worst of conditions in the quiet hope patient waiting of our Lord from heaven Surely the coming of Christ cannot but yield very much comfort unto the soul that is assured of its interest in Christ Are Saints the Stewards of Christ then let them know that their Lord and Master will return and call them to an account and blessed is the servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall finde so doing Are Saints the Spouse of Christ the Bride of that blessed Bridegroom then let them know that whatever their afflictions may be in this world yet their loving husband will return from his long journey and put an end to all and let not the Saints expect their full deliverance until he come but rather persecution and suffering while the world stands for he hath said In the world re shall have trouble and through many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom and therefore it is our duty to arm our selves with the same minde For if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him Christ Himself hath shewn us the way and we are called by His Name O let u follow his footsteps And surely it doth highly concern us to look to it that as Christ fore warn'd us we be not overtaken with surseiting and druâ—kenness and cares of this life and so that day come upon us unawares we shall hardly win the race if our hearts be loaded with the things of this world and they will so lull us asleep that we shall endanger our selves to be found sleeping at Christs coming and therefore how doth it become the Saints at this day to be provoking one another to love and to good works exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching O let us consider that our Lord is a Person of such Highness and Excellency that he deserves our waiting for Him for he is the King of kings and Lord of lords It is but bring faithful unto the death and enduring unto the end the battel is but once to be sought and the race is but once to be run but yet the Lord knows that without his sufficient grace we shall not overcome and therefore how doth it concern us to take the oyl of the grace and spirit of God into out Lamps lest when the bridegroom cometh we should be found wanting but rather to shine as lights set upon an hill and as Bees sucking Honey from this precious flowery Truth from which so many spiders have suck'd poison as if History may be believed some out of a notion of this Kingdom to be but meer earthly and for sensual delights have run out into all manner of licentiousness and the devil hath made great use of it against the truth and no doubt but he will do still but what faith the Apostle We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth but truly with shame let it be confessed we do much in these dayes against the truth
bare use and practise of them without the enjoyment of God in them or above the enjoyment of God without them He gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists for the perfecting of the Saints and this should be the great aime and end of Saints in the use of Ordinances to presse forwards after perfection if that by any means they may attain unto the Resurrection of the dead which Paul pressed after but yet did not leave nor forsake any of the least of Gods Ordinances wherefore Return Return O Shulamite unto the stock of thy Companions Return O back-slidden Israel for God will heal thy back slidings for the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come unto Zion Isa. 35. ult. O hasten into the way of righteousnesse and get thee out of all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit before that word come out He that is filthy let him be filthy still vers. 29 He which testifieth these things saith Sâ—â—ely I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Jesus I had thought here to have concluded all but my thoughts being altered I have desired to speak a word unto all whether Saints or sinners And first unto the poor sinner Alas what is all this unto thee I will tell thee what it may be likened unto it may be likened unto a man that tells a poor Captive bondslive of a glorious Kingdom with the Liberties and Priviledges of the Subjects and the goodnesse of the Prince but all this while this poor man is in his Chains and Fetters and may cry out What is all this to me Why it may be that thou wilt say that thou doest believe all this and thou doest believe that Christ shall have a Kingdom this thou mayest believe and believe no more then the History of the Gospel and what will it profit thee to know the History of Christs reigning without thee and not be acquainted with the mystery of Christs reigning within thee it is only such as have followed Christ in the regeneration such onely as have here been made partakers of the spirit and grace of this Kingdom that shall hereafter be taken into the fruition of it Wherefore well it is to be noted that Christ said Straight is the way and narrow is the gate that leadeth unto life and few there are that finde it Truely we may say few there are â—hat seek it and of the a few many shall strive to enter in which shall not be able Should we then make this Atheistical conclusion To what purpose should we strive God forbid but as Christ saith strive therefore There are many that will bid fairly for the Kingdom but will not come to the set rare some there are that bid too little and others there are that bid too much and the last are worse then the first They that bid too little are they that would give Christ a part of their hearts but would keep the other part for the world they would cut off a left hand sin but not a right hand sin but let such know that Christ will either have all or none at all The second sort which bid too much not that any can either bid or give too much upon a right account are they that when the Gospel saith He every one that thirsteth let him come without money and without price yet these will bring something of their own and so from some qualifications within themselves would set up a Saviour of their own which is directly opposite to the minde of God in his revealed word and Oh that such would consider these two â—criptures Act. 4.12 1 Cor. 3.11 Alas were we but made sensible with the Church in Isaiah that all our Righteousness were but filthy Rags we would never willingly appear so before The King of Glory Truly poor sinners may be likened unto a company of strangers unto whom a Prince resorting makes Proclamation of a precious Pearl that is to be had onely for coming receiving it Now these strangers not believing the proclamation either first neglect to come or else further questioning his faithfulness bring with them their Country Coin which is but stones and rubbish Truly the comparison is rather too short to hold forth the free-Grace of God in Jesus Christ who hath made Proclamation Let him that will come and take of the water of Life freely Christ Jesus is both Prince and Pearl who hath made Proclamation by himself and by his Saints of himself unto poor sinners they are the strangers for so are all sinners that questioning his faithfulness will not come as Christ himself saith Ye would not come unto me that ye may have life and this is that when the Spirit of God comes it will convince the sinner of this great sin of not believing in Christ The second sort are they that undervaluing the worth of this Pearl will bring something of their own to purchase it If God the Father had set a price upon Christ for every one to pay before he should receive him ah wo had been to all poor sinners but now Christ is to be given he is not to be bought Object In Mat. 13.45 46. it is said The Merchant BOUGHT the Pearl The Parable is very significant but doth no way contradict what hath been affirmed First if we consider the Merchant in his seeking condition he is seeking goodly Pearls the young man in the Gospel comes to Christ saying Good Master What good thing shall I do to inherit eternal life and being directed but not carryed forth thereunto by the power of the love of Christ he uttrely failed but now this Merchant being directed to seek for Christ and finding of him is enlightened from above to see him to be the Pearl of great price so sells hates forsaketh all for Christ Now in his finding of him it is plain that Christ first found him as he saith Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you Mat. 4.18 32. Lord saith Peter We have left all and followed thee and Paul counted all things dung and dross and was willing to suffer the loss of all things that he might gain Christ which was onely the working of the love of Christ dwelling in him O poor sinner what is it that stands in thy way is it hills or mountains all the opposition that either sin or Satan can make against thee why behold He comes leaping over the mountains and skipping over the hills even He whom thou hast made thine Enemy first seeks for a Treaty O give Him entertainment while He knocks at the door of thy heart and say Welcom Jesus Rule and Reign in the midst of thine Enemies and let all thine Enemies be made thy Foot-stool But thou wilt say I am a very bond-slave unto my sins and corruptions why of a captive slive Christ will redeem thee and make thee his servant and canst thou desire a greater dignity then to be a servant of Jesus Christ and that Faith may have a