is over this world We rule in Earthly things by an Earthly strength though not from an Earthly Title The Heavenly power of the Spirit is the Scepter in our Hand but the fleshly power of the Magistrate is the sword in the Hand of our Minister and Guard which is to be subordinate to our Scepter By this means they bring all manner of civil affairs within the compass of their Cognisance by vertue of their spiritual judicatories they dispose of Governments Nations Crowns by vertue of their Ecclesiastick censures As the Pope baited Queen Elizabeth with his Bul and gave away the Kingdom of England to the King of Spain so did the Presbytery in Scotland now judge condemn the Present Government set over us by the glorious might of Divine Power and give away this Nation to their Scots King I have done with the Agreements of these two I come now to compare them in their Differences and that onely those in which the later Enemy appears worse than the former that so the former Mercy may be made the sweeter to us in being exceeded and swallowed up by this later deliverance as a stream running into a greater river The Differences between these two Enemies are four 1. Difference Our first enemies pleased not GOD but yet were agreeable to men in their wayes Being false to a divine and spiritual interest they are true to principles of humane policy Being severe in the imposall of superstitious rites and those principles which descend immediatly into the practice of such rites they take and give a large scope to the understanding and affections in generous contemplations in mystical divinity Wanting that bread of heaven that new wine of the Kingdom the beauties and sweetnesses of GOD in the Spirit which should feast the inward man they entertain the fancy and senses with all objects sutable to them with a pretence of a subserviency to devotion as in the Temple of old On the other side our last enemies please not God and are contrary to all men These contemne the Spirit and its Impressions upon the heart when they are set up for Pillars of fire to go before us in this dark night of flesh as Enthusiasmes At the same time they condemne humane policy as profane They check the delights of sense and fancy as vain rejecting also the openings of the glory of Christ the mutuall enterviews walkes embraces kisses between God and the Soul in the Spirit as Whimsicall It is necessary for me here to professe that I have no meaning to justifie the sensualities of the Papacy in its religion while by pretending these things as Spirituall inlightnings Spirituall warmings they intend them for a vail upon the Spirit There is no such way to draw us up to the glory of Christ as by his Crosse to which the pleasing and heightning of the flesh for the most part carries a very great enmity Therefore do I not desire to cast any dif-esteem upon a severity towards the outward man even to the enslaving of it to the beating of it black and blew as Saint Paul used it so this be not to the puffing up of the fleshly mind But my Iustification or Condemnation of these things is as they stand in the comparison between these two parties and as they may stand upon the root of the same Principle or Spirit in each party Upon this account as Samuel was by Witchcraft raised out of his grave to appear before Saul with his mantle upon him So both these the Romish Papacy the Scotish-Presbytery as it hath been formerly stated by me appear like the Ghost of Iudaisme raised from the dead by that Witch of Endor the flâ—…shly principle dressed up in the forme of Christianity But there is this difference The former is the Ghost of Iudaisme cloathed with the Mantle which it wore in its life time appearing in the same outward pompe with the same delicious pleasures of pictures Musick Perfumes c. as of old But the later is Iudaism undrest like an apparition in chaines or Lazarus when he came forth from the grave with the grave cloathes bound about him 2. Difference Our Southern enemies are richer our Northern ones poorer Prov. 28. 3. A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food A Legall Spirit having not the seed of GOD which is CHRIST at the bottome of it is the poorest the proudest the cruellest of all Spirits Let not this at all discourage any poor soul which under a Legall dispensation waites for Christ It is spoken only of the proud poor ones not of the poor ones oppressed under a sense of divine wrath but oppressing with the fury of a carnal rage These poor ones when they prevail are even to those other poor and meek ones as a Hoâ—…slâ—…ech as a Barren womb as the grave ever devouring never satisfied The Legall Spirit standing in opposition to the Spirit of Christ is the barrennest of all wombes the cruellest grave 3. Difference The Scotch Presbyterie hath the purest form and in respect to the outward form is a good and great degree of reformation from the Papacy both in respect to discipline and doctrine as to the letter Now who knows not that the corruption of the best things is the worst of all corruptions Naturalists say that the Marrow of a man in which his strength lies the Brain of a man in which his wisedome is seated by Putrefaction in death generates oft times a Serpent In like manner the exactest Image of that Heavenly Man Iesus Christ if for want of the Quickning Spirit it corrupt converts its highest excellency the strength and wisedome of the letter to the enmity of the serpent against that Spirit which is the Heavenly man himself The most implacable hatred is in the nearest competition The falling out of brethren is as walls and barâ—…es The son of the Bond-woman is he who stirres up the most frequent and fiery persecutions against the son of the Free-woman It is the son of the Free-woman alone who darkneth the glory of his Brother Ishmael who puts in between him and the inheritance who carries away the love of the Father from him If the spirituall seed were out of the way the Iew in the letter the Legall Professour were the only Saint neither would there be any that could step into Heaven before him If therefore the spirituall seed be not sowne in the heart of this Iew he still cryes concerning him who is born after the Spirit Let us stay him When the single divel had left the house in the Parable he returned to it again finding it swept and garnished but empty of that heavenly Man that should inhabit it he re-enters into it and takes with him seven divels more The Scotch Presbytery is a house which the evill spirit of Papacy had left a house swept clean from the filth of profanenesse garnished with the beautifull things of the letter
them as Dust before the wind the Angel of the Lord driving them But these Two times he hath appeared to you as he did to Solomon he hath spoken Peace to you his chosen ones And what hath the LORD spoken to you when he hath spoken Peace even this that his chosen ones return no more to folly that you no more have any thoughts of Going down again into Egypt lest you go a-whoring from the living GOD the Eternall Spirit and forsakethe Guide of this your Youth Right Honourable Balaam was a Prophet he was the man whose eyes were opened who saw the visions of GOD But he prophesied for the hire of a fleshly Interest This Balaam hath assayed from several places to curse the Armies of Israel in the midst of you But no Inchantment hath been against you while you have walked as Iacob a Plain man in the simplicity of the spirit though a supplanter of his brother Edom. There hath been no Divination against you while as Israel Princes with GOD you have wrastled with GOD and so prevailed over your Enemies Right Honourable I do now with bowels tenderly Earning with a heart bleeding over your precious lives and this whole Common-wealth how the Knees of my spirit to the GOD of Israel for you I do earnestly warn and intreat every one of you that as this Balaam hath not been able to hurt you by his open curses so he may not by his close wiles and fair-tongued flatteries draw you to feast on the Moabitish Dainties look on the Moabitish Beauties bow down to the Moabitish Idols of fleshly Excellencies and enjoyments I speak to you as to wise Men Why should you fall for your fornications many thousands of you by the Plague in this wildernesse 3. Question What the Coming up out of the NORTH means Answer You have a full description of this in the Prophesie of Ezekiel As the severall Prophesies in the Revelation have prefixed to them severall Appearances of Iesus Christ as the Mark at which 〈◊〉 Prophesie aimes and as the Scene or Face of things which the predictions in each Prophesie are to usher into the world so Ezekiel in the Beginning of his Book presents us with a vision Dreadfully Glorious in which JESUS CHRIST is discovered as he comes with his people from the NORTH that this vision may be a Light to all the following Prophesies This first Chapter of Ezekiel hath many things to be said of it which are hard to be expressed and much more hard to be understood But I will not trouble you with any of those Mysteries which require senses well exercised on invisible things I shall only set before you severall particulars which offer themselves to every Eye and fall with ease upon every understanding 1. The whole Object which shewes it self to the Prophet is called the Glory of the Lord verse 28. This expression imports as much as the Court of a King where he is in state in Glory The Jewes call this vision the Chariot alluding to that in the Psalmist of GOD riding upon the Cherubim contrary to the figure in the most holy Place where GOD is said to dwell between the Cherubims in respect to the Ark and the Mercy seat which was under the Covering of the Wings of those Angelicall Creatures 2. He who rides in this Chariot is a Man upon a Throne This Man is our LORD JESUS in his Heavenly Man in the Person of a Mediatour The Word Amber is so interpreted by very learned Divines as to represent the Godhead in its Majesty together with the Humanity over-spread by the Bright Beams of the Divine Nature This Man appears also in the full Image of the Ever-Blessed Trinity The fire cloathing him from the Loins upward from the Loins downward shadows out the Father The Image it self the Appearance of a man in the fire represents the Son The Brightnes round about like a Rainbow typifies the Holy Ghost breathed forth from the Father and the Son the Union of both circling them in as in Mutuall Embraces verse 26. and 27. 3. This man hath a firmament under his Feet Behold here the Pavement of the Chariot if I may so speak This firmament is the third heavens where Iesus Christ is where Paradise is whither Saint Paul was rapt These are the Lords own Heavens which the Lord bowes and upon which He descends when he comes down according to the Prophet This is that Pavement which the Elders of Israel saw under the Feet of the God of Israel That was represented by Saphyre so is this here vers. 26. 4. Four living Creatures stand under this firmament and draw this Chariot verse 26. They sparkled like burnisht brasse verse 7. They were as burning coals of fire and as Lamps verse 13. See here the horses in the coach which are the Elect Angels the second heavens the holy Powers and high Principles or Principalities in the secret of the Invisible part of this Creation These have their Proper forms as Angels verse 4. They have all one common form of a Man verse 5. which is the Divine Image of our glorified Saviour in which everyone of them possesseth his own distinct-image to shew them to be the Angels of Iesus Christ Such is the Majesty of God riding upon the Cherubims as his horses who have the heavenly image of their glorious Rider himself as trappings cover them all over 5. The wheels to this Chariot are the visible Part of this Creation as it is restored and made new by Iesus Christ The word translated wheeles signifies very properly globes round globes such as the round world of these Heavens and Earth which our eyes behold 6. One Divine life acts this whole piece of Glory from the Man upon the Firmament to the wheeles which stand by the Living Creatures That fire which is a Robe of Glory upon the Man verse 27. That is the spirit of Life which goes up and down in the midst of the living Creatures verse 13. This Spirit of the Living Creatures is in the wheeles also enlivening and acting them ver. 20. 7. This flaming Chariot comes forth from the midst of a whirl-wind and a great cloud and a fire v. 4. 8. This sweeping Devouring Tempest comes from the NORTH v. 4. These are the Particular Notes upon this chapter which I have collected out of it unto this End to found upon these Notes three Observations 1. Observation When the Lord brings his People out of the NORTH he comes in a tempest of a whirle-wind a Great cloud and of fire He comes to bring Desolation upon the Holy city the Hierusalem which now is He comes as a whirl-wind to shake dreadfully the whole Earth He comes in a cloud to bring Darknesse Trouble Confusion upon the Spirits of all Mankinde He comes as a fire to burne upon all flesh till he have quite consumed it When He ariseth to raise
His Spouse from under the Power of his Death which is the scattering of his People among the Nations and under the rage of Anti-christ who sits in the sides of the NORTH driving his people into the wildernesse of the Nations then will our Lord Iesus after this manner take vengeance of all the Nations among which they have been scattered and bewildred 2. Observation Iesus Christ as He is the Glory of God comes riding in the midst of this whirle-wind cloud and fire He taketh up his Saints also whose Hearts are upright with the Father as his heart is into His Chariot They also though in their flesh they melt away with the servent heat of this fire yet in their Spirituall Man they come riding on upon the Third Heavens together with their King The Lord my God thus comes and all the Saints with thee While a cloud of darknesse covers the whole World you O ye Brethren of the Great King sit in the secret of this Darknesse upon a Thâ—…one of Light you lâ—…e in the midst of this cloud upon a Bed of Love in fellowship with your beloved Iesus Christ While the Tempest tears up this Creation from the very Roots of it you sit within it as above it as ruling it as flying upon the Wings of it you see a new Heaven and a New earth in the midst of it as in a womb from which they together with your selves are ready to spring forth Fear not you O ye meek ones when the storm rageth most violently they are the Swift motions of your Chariot-wheels which now make haste that raise this Storm Fear not you when the starry Roofe of the Kingdome of this World shall drop like melted Lead upon the Heads of the Inhabitants of it when the Foundations of it laid in the Dark parts of the Earth shall be devoured by fire While all this is working you have the firmamen of the third heavens the True Mercy-Seat for a Pavement under your feet 3. Observation When Iesus Christ shall have sufficiently avenged himself of his Enemies then shall the Whirl-wind cloud and fire altogether vanish in a moment as by a Divine Appointment The old heavens and the old earth shall vanish in the midst of this storme Then shall the Lord appear on his Chariot and fill All The bright Wheels with their high and dreadfull Rings full of eyes shall shine out as the New Earth of this visible frame made all of One Precious stone The Living Creatures which draw those wheeles shall sparkle forth as the New Heavens of the Elect and Holy Angels who are burnish'd Brasse in respect to their Naturall Angelicall Glory but flaming Lampes fill'd with the Oyle and fire of the Spirit in respect to their New State in the Kingdom of Christ But above the Heads of these in that Day shall discover themselves the Third heavens which are that firmament that expansion of Divine Glory These Heavens shall be seen onely as a floore or Ground for the Throne the New Ierusalem the city of the Great King Then shall the Heavenly man and the Glorious Trinity standing each in other God and Lamb appear as the Temple in this heavenly Ierusalem In the midst of this Temple are seen all thy Saints O GOD Here they have their Mansions as the Priests and Levits had their Chambers round about in the Temple of old Here they live continually with GOD as Kings and Priests never to go forth more From hence they extend the Line of their Divine Priesthood the Scepter of their Everlasting kingdom all over the New heavens and the New Earth From hence they sow themselves over all things as a seed they grow up out of all things as the fruit of joy glory and immortality O! who is there now among all the Saints that can forbear to cry Blow ye Whirl winds fly ye clouds thou fire make haste and bring my Beloved come thou come quickly Lord Iesus As surely as the Lord liveth and hath of old brought up the Children of Israel out of Egypt so surely will our Lord Iesus thus come and bring his Saints with Him out of the NORTH But why do I say that he shall come thus Ezekiel saith in the last verse of his first chapter that all this is but the Likenesse of the Appearance of the Glory of God As much as Earthly similitudes fall short of heavenly things as much as fleshly shadowes and Types fall short of Spirituall Substances and Truths so much doth all the Glory that can be now exprest or thought fall short of the Glory of the Appearance of our heavenly Bride-groom All former glories shall be remembred no more for ever A new a New glory shall fill thine Eyes thine Eares thy heart O thou the Lambes Bride even such a Glory as thine Eyes never saw any Image of thine Ears never heard any Tydings of thine Heart never took in any Degree of untill that Day Right Honourable I shall not conclude untill I have endeavoured to raise your joyes and your Praises yet higher by setting before you a Double interest which to say no more you seem to have in This comming of the Lord Iesus with his people out of the NORTH One is the interest of this Common-wealth The Other is the interest of this Age and time of the World in which you live 1. Interest Of this Common-wealth in the comming up of the People of GOD out of the NORTH I shall take the Boldnesse here to Propound to you severall considerations which may be all put together the Ground of a Modest Hope to a Sober Christian that the LORD JESUS intends that Honour to this Nation that it shall be said to it first of all the Nations concerning the heavenly Bride-groom that he was born here here he first of all appeared in an Eminent and signall Manner to bring his People up out of a fleshly servitude and Death into a Spirituall Glory and Immortality 1. Consider This is one of the Remotest Parts of the world to the NORTH whether the Rule of Hierusalem and Rome Christ and Anti-christ hath extended it self It is Master Brightmans observation in his Commentary upon the Revelations that Among the Seven Churches of Asia the Sun of Righteousnesse after his withdrawings began to return from that Church which stood most NORTH to make a Spring upon the Earth 2. Consid. I have heard it often observed by Judicious Christians who have travelled over Books Countreys and Spirits of men that no where upon the face of the Earth do there appear to be any Number of hearts Spiritually Acquainted Spiritually conversing with our Lord Iesus in any Degree of Heavenly Purity and Power save in this Poor small spot of Ground This looks as if Christianity and Spirituality were driven hither as to the Outmost Bound of the Habitable World here to make a Stand here to gather Head from hence to re-inforce it self upon
the Nations Let me add to this that the Power of our Dear Saviours Death so far as ever I could know or learn lyes with so much Sense of it with such Gaspings under it upon no Spirits which at this Day live in Flesh as upon the Spirits of English Christians though alas upon too too few of them Now our Lord foretels us that Where the Carkasse is thither will the Eagles be gathered together Matthow 24. 28. Where the most considerable Part of the Body of our Lord Iesus shall lye most eminently moulded into a fellowship with him in his most Precious Death there upon that flesh will the Heavenly Appearances the Divine powers the Immortall Glories of the Holy-Ghost who is represented by Seven Spirits for the variety of His Powers and Appearances first and most Eminently alight as Eagles upon the Carkasse 3 Consideration The Dispensations of God in Spirituall Priviledges have been Peculiar to this Nation in many things as to a Beloved a First-born Childe The First King that became Christian raigned in this Land The First Emperour by whom Jesus Christ with his Saints came up out of the fires of Heathenish Persecutions and appeared upon the Throne came from hence was born here Wickliffe that day-breake of Evangel call Light from whom the First Glympses of Truth and Christ appeared to the World lying in the deepest Night of Anti-christian Darknesse He dawned from this Quarter of the Heavens He was borne an Englishman lived fruitfully died Peaceably in London From him did the Gospel shine forth upon the Bohemians and so upon that Blessed pair of Martyrs Hierom and Huâ—… who prophesied of Luther the Morning starr I cannot passe over in silence that Darling of Iesus Christ's Edward the sixth a Childe a King a Saint all three in one He as a forward Plant though nipt in the Bud yet was a Declaration that Spring and Summer were coming But how in these last times have the People of God in the midst of this Land been as his Ioseph among the Nations Ioseph hath been despised by his brethren divided from his brethren as an Ambitious dreameâ—… Yet Ioseph hath been like a fruitfull bough by a well whose branches have run over the Wall for the Good-will of him who dwelt in the bush Ioseph is that bush which burnes with fire yet hath not been consumed The Archers sorely grieve him and shoot at him and hate him But his how abideth in strength his armes are made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Iacob From thence shall be the shepherd the stone of Israel the blessing upon his head unto the bounds of the Everlasting hils His Glory is as the firstling of his bullock his horns as the horns of an Unicorne with them he shall push the People together to the end of the Earth If the blessings on the Tribes be Types of the last dayes the dayes of the Messiah I hope I have not done amisse in transferring the things of Ioseph as a Figure to the Present state of the Church in this Land I formerly shewed you O my fellow-members whose Lot is fallen in this Age and Iland your face in the Glasse of Davids Story These two seem to me Paralel figures of your selves Both were drawn out of the Pit to be Princes Both ruled in the midst of Domestick Forrain Reproaches and Ruines Both were blessed with the Precious things of Heaven of Earth of Sun and Moon Grace and Nature Flesh and Spirit Yet both died in the Land of Egypt in a state of Trouble Both are happily succeeded by the Fulnesse of Peace and Glory David by Solomon Ioseph by Benjamin brought forth by the death of his mother the Hierusalem below but the Son of the right hand of his heavenly Fathers righteousnesse Power and Majesty of whom Moses sings The beloved of the Lord shal dwel in safety by him the Lord shal cover him all the day long he shal dwel between his shoulders 4. Consid. I have received from the Mouth of a Gentleman of understanding and integrity in his Testimony a Discourse which himself had from one of the most Learned among the Iews at Venice as I remember that A generall Tradition divides the Prophesies of the old Testament into unfixed fixed The fixed are such as be determined to some certain Place In the number of the fixed Prophesies is that of Isaiah chap. 24. and 13 14 15 16. When thus it shall be in the midst of the Land among the People there shall be as the shaking of an Olive Tree as the Gleaning of Grapes when the vintage is done They shall lift up their voice they shall sing for the Majesty of the Lord they shall cry aloud from the SEA Wherefore glorifie ye the Lord in the fires the Name of the Lord God of Israel in the ILES of the Sea From the UTTERMOST Parts of the Earth have we heard Songs Glory to the Righteous The place said he on which this Prophesie is fixed by the constant Reception of the Rabbins is this I le of Great Brittain I cannot but lay to these verses before cited another verse out of the same chapter verse 21. And it shall come to passe in that day that the Lord shall punish the Hoast of the High Ones on high and the Kings of the Earth on the earth Of a truth he that peruseth this whole chapter and compares it with the first of Ezekiel will finde Both to speak of the same season and affaire with this Difference Isay is full in Desoribing the storm Brief in the Glory Ezekiel spends one verse onely on the storm all the chapter besides on the Glory I appeal to those hearts who have a Spirituall Eye opened in them how farre they see the Letter in both those chapters answered by the life of the Letter acting it self forth on this land how much they discover of Glory wrapt up in a storm and ready to issue forth from it as lightning from a cloud 2. Interest of the Present times in the coming of the children of GOD out of the NORTH I shall here humbly offer to you three prophetick Scriptures which seem to be contemporary and joyntly to have their Proper influences on these dayes 1. The First Scripture is Dan. 7. ver. 9 10. and verse 22 and verse 26. The End of the Fourth Empire is here described in the vision and in the Interpretation 2. The second Scripture is Rev. 3. v. 14 c. The Epistle to the seventh Church 3. The last Scripture is Rev. 16. 10 13. The Opening of the fifth and sixth Seal These three Scriptures manifestly agree in Foure things 1. A Party Iudging 2. A Party Iudged 3. A Kingdom sinking 4. A Kingdom springing 1. A Party Iudging Laodicea the Name of the seventh Church made by Master Brightman a Type of England is compounded of two words {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which signifies the People
of God in Greek according to the most frequent use of it in the sacred Writings {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which signifies Iudgement Both together represent the Iudgement of the people of God or the people of God in Iudgement How is this Laodicea interpreted by the Angels that poure the fifth viall upon the Seat of the Beast the sixth viall upon the River Euphrates the Defence of the Great Babylon These Angels are described Rev. 15. ver. 6. The seven Angels came out of the temple having the seven plagues cloathed with white linnen and having their brests girded with golden girdles As the seven Churches had their severall Angels Rev. 1. v. 1. so have severall Dispensations of God to the Saints whether they be at once or in Different seasons Angels are the Ministers of the Divine dispensations as they descend from the Spiritual unto the natural man of a Saint These seven Angels powring forth these vials do upon this account denote seven dispensations or Appearances of JESUS CHRIST coming forth from the secret of the spirit into an outward manifestation through the flesh of the Members of Christ These poure forth the vials of Wrath upon the children of Wrath by the pouring forth of Grace upon their lips as the LORD consumes the Man of sin by the brightnesse of his coming But you have this Laodicea these Angels from the Temple plainly discovered by Daniel 7. 9. The Ancient of Dayes did sit whose garments was white as snow Behold One in the same Raiment with the Angels of the Vials ver. 22. Untill the Ancient of dayes came and judgment was given to the Saints of the most High v 26. The judgment shall sit and THEY shall take away c. Behold the Angels in white Behold the judgment and Judges in Laodicea The Ancient of Dayes coming forth appearing in his Beloved These are his judgment Seat his Iudges This is the sitting of the judgment 2. A Party judged The sixth vial falls upon the River Euphrates which encompasseth Babylon mystery the mother of fornications Waters hold forth a Spirit in which the flesh or letter stands lives and flourisheth as the Earth in the Waters A River is a Spirit either having the power or putting on the form of Light and Purity Under the same Vial is made mention of the false Prophet out of whose mouth an unclean spirit yet a spirit of miracles goes forth See the River which defends the spirituall Egypt and Sodome Is not this false Prophet he who would seem to be the River of Iordan making glad the City of Laodicea with his pleasant stream when he is as the dead Sea in the midst of her who saith I am rich and want nothing and knowes not that he is miserable poor blind and naked This is he who falls in to uphold the Dragon and the Beast who summons all the Kings of the Earth to battell in this common Quarrel against the Saints Is not this that very little horne of which Daniel speaks Dan. 7. vers. 8. There came up another little horne and behold in this horne eyes like the eyes of a man a show of divine Light a plain character of the River Euphrates the false Prophet and a mouth speaking great things that is I am rich and need nothing This little horne had a look more stout then his fellows vers. 20. He makes warre with the Saints vers. 21. He speaks great words against the most High GOD the Father and our LORD JESUS as he is in the most High the most holy place of Spirit and Truth above Flesh above Types he wears out the Saints untill this Iudgement sits ver. 25. This is the party judged 3. The Kingdom sinking is the Seat or Throne as it is in Greek of the Beast filled with Darknesse Revel. 16. vers. 10. The drying up of Euphrates by the Beams of a spirituall Glory vers. 12. The Battel of the great Day of God Almighty against all the Kings of the Earth v. 14. The spuing of the false Prophet out of the mouth of Christ Revel. 3. 16. The Thrones cast down Dan. 7. vers. 9. The Beast slain for the great words which the Horn spake vers. 11. The taking away of his Dominion consuming destroying it unto the end 4. The Kingdom springing is the everlosting dominion given to the Son of man by the Ancient of dayes Dan. 7. vers. 13 14. This everlasting Kingdom is given also to the Saints who must reign together with their Saviour vers. 27 Sweetly harmonious with this is that pleasant melody in the eares of Laodicea At the beginning of the Epistle our glorified Iesus is held forth to be the beginning the Head the Principle of the creation of God the New and Eternall Dominion Revel. 3. vers. 14. At the end of the Epistle He promiseth his Saints that they shall sit with Him in His Throne as He sits down with his Father in his Throne Thus the Ancient of dayes gives the Kingdom to the Son of man The Son of man gives it to his Brethren All Three raign each in other are Thrones and Kings each to other These are the Kings of the East for whom way is made by the drying up of Euphrates Revel. 16. vers. 12. These Kings from the East bring into my minde a place of Ezekiel to which St Iohn seems to relate as pointing at the same Time and Thing It is chap. 43. vers. 2 3. And behold the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the East and his voice was as the voice of many waters the Kings of the East which come with him and the Earth shined with his glory And it was according to the Vision which I saw when I came to destroy the City the vision that I saw by the River Chebar vers. 4. The glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose Prospect is to the East Ezekiel in his first chapter saw the glory of the Lord come from the North with a dreadful tempest He saw it come to destroy the City He saw it remove from the old temple and City of fleshly Administrations Here he sees it come from the East with a most blessed Serenity and Sunshine which cloathes the whole Earth he sees it enter into the New-built Temple to take up Its rest there for ever Remember O Christians to distinguish between these two commings of the LORD Iesus at the end of dayes 1. From the North 2. From the East 1. When your Saviour comes from the North he comes upon his chariot He comes in the glory of the Father with all his holy Angels Thus he comes unto your inward man But he comes flying upon the wings of a VVhirle-winde Ezek. 1. 4. He comes upon wheeles of Fires with a flame of fire issuing forth from him Dan. 7. 9. 10. He comes with rebukes and chastenings Rev. 3. 19. He comes as a thief in the Night covering himself with a
cloud and thick darknesse He comes as a VVarriour to the battell of that great day Revel. 16. v. 14 15. This comming from the North is that houre of temptation upon the Whole Earth which is threatned in the time of the Sixth Church Rev. 3. 10. but fals out in the times of the Seventh Church the fifth and Sixth vials Wo to you Ye Glorious Hypocrites who say you want nothing but indeed are Poor who wear your Garments loosly about you My Heart aketh for you The LORD commeth upon you as a Thief in the Nigh unawares unseen to steal your Party-Coloured coverings from you and dip them in Blood to uncover your Nakednesse and lay open your shame to every Eye Alas for you Ye daughters of Hierusalem You who live under the Sabbath of a Legall Dispensation you who are big with child of the Spirituall Seed but have not yet brought forth That Spirit which is born of the Spirit You who have that Spirituall Seed brought forth in you but still feed it as a Babe with the Milk of carnall Administrations you with whom it is winter whose Spiritual sappe is sunk down into its Root while you sleep My bowels earn and sound within mefor you Ye daughters of Hierusalem How hard will your flight be from before the whirlwind from the NORTH how great will your Amazement be when your Eyes shall behold the Glory of the LORD to depart from off the Temple of Outward Administations on which it hath long stood nay to destroy both this Temple and this Hierusalem As for you whether will you go for comfort when the fiery Wheels of my Saviours Chariot shal be brought over all your fleshly Excellencies and Enjoyments But be of Good cheer These throws this dissolution of the earthly mother shall bring forth a heavenly man-child into the World in which she shall live again and remember her Sorrow no more This comming of your GOD from the NORTH is as Iosephs Rule in the years of Famine as Davids Raign in Bloud It ushers in Benjamin's Glorious Rest Solomons Temple It prepares the way for the Kings of the East 2. I should now speak of the comming from the East But the time is not yet If Master Brightman do not erre in placing Laodicea on this Land I hope I have not done much amisse in fixing on these times that Church the fifth and sixth viall the sitting of the Iudgement in Daniel the comming from the North in Ezekiel in my Text For all these Scriptures seem to me to be manifestly Paralel and Contemporary Blessed are we who have lived to see this Comming of the Glory of God from the NORTH But blessed and happy are they who shall live then when this King of Kings with his Race of Kings shall come from the way of the East to go into the House of his Rest. In the mean time this is thy comfort O thou Sister-Spouse of the Lamb He comes Behold he comes to thee in this stormy night not as a Thief but a Guest a Bridegroom Behold he stands at thy door and knocks by all these loud noises Open the door let him in he will set up his chariot in thine heart he will come into thy spirit he will sup with thee feast with thee upon this glory and Iye with thee all this night Object Perhaps some will say changes and expectations were as great in Luthers time as now Yet what hath the issue of all those things been but desolation Answ. 1. What hath the issue of all those things been Desolations on the Earth but discoveries increases of light upon the Saints even unto this day Luther had this honour to live to see his Doctrine received publickly professed established by many populous Countreys and Cities many great Provinces and Princes in Peace for many years There was peace all his dayes Immediately after his death the saâ—…e or the very next year that fire of War brake forth which hath never been well quencht since that time Answ. 2. Noah was a Preacher of Righteousnesse He prophesied of the Flood 120 years before it came The like figure unto this doth Luther seemâ—… to be He was the Preacher of Iustification only by faith by Christ by the Righteousnesse of God in Christ He prophesied of a deludge of fire while he often witnessed to the World that Antichrist was to be destroyed by the brightnesse of Christs coming This was 1520 or 30 after Christ Compute from thence 120 years the summe will amount to 1640 or 50 which falls upon the present season The Flood came accordingly in the year from the Creation 1656. How near is that year 1656 from Christ Of what Eclipses what dreadfull signes in heaven above in earth below do we hear to come to passe in the years immediately preceding this Tremble O ye Inhabitants of the Earth a flood of fire is coming upon all the World The windows of heaven are already open and begin to rain down streams of fire The springs of the great deep are broken up and send forth their flames Ye meek Ones enter into the Ark which your Saviour and you have been long making ready in your spirits against this day when the flood should come What is this Ark Is it not the chariot of the Lord the appearance of the glory of God of your beloved Iesus in heavenly state within you Go in to this Ark the Lord shall shut you in till the storme be past Go up to this chariot sit quietly there by the side of your Saviour till that cloud break up and show you in glory But it is now time to conclude Is it so Is this then the Age Is this the Land in which our Lord Iesus ascends from the NORTH Doth he now call up the clouds and winds to minister to him Doth he now from hence begin as a Bridegroom to come forth from his Chamber as a Giant or Warriour refresht with wine to run his race unto the ends of the Earth Speak ye Virgins who are not falne asleep Is your Lord on his way Is this the noise Are these the fires flashes of his chariot-wheels You who have eyes exercised on spirituall sights who watch for the Morning tell us Have you seen your Beloved look forth like the morning a sweet light out of a black darknesse Faire as the Moon in his naturall Image the first Creation Pure as the Sun with the essentiall substantiall glory of his spiritual Image Terrible as an Army with Banners The horses and wheels of his chariot are his Army Angels Stars Elements nâ—…w made fighting for him in the newnesse of their courses Himself in his flaming person above the heads of these is the terrible Banner lifted up It is so The Lord is upon his white-horses of divine discoveries He rides on prosperously with his Sword girt upon his thigh Right Honourable Princes Prophets People remember now your dyivg Saviours charge Take heed of surfetting on the comforts or cares of this Life Watch and be sober As Elijah girt himself and run along with Ahabs chariot So gird up the loyns of your minde run along with the chariot of your King If through sloth or sleep you be cast behinde if the Bride-groom enter into his chamber and the door be shut upon him you will be left without in utter darknesse where is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth But woe to those who resist the progresse of his outgoings The wheels of his chariot shall be brought over these the feet of his horses shall tread them in pieces and dogs devour that which is left of them as it was with Iesabel But you which have heard the Lord Iesus plainly saying to you When you were under the figtree of outward dispensations and expectations I saw you run to him call him Master follow him still you shall see greater things then these you shall see the heavens opened Angels descending and ascending upon the heavenly person of Christ discovered as a ladder joyning heaven and earth in which ladder every Rowel is a spiritual a living glory FINIS 1. Cor. 12. 31. Rom. 15 7. Can. 6. 8 Can. 2. 2 Psa. 16. 3 Luke 1 Doctrine Reason 1. Part. 2. Part. 3. Part. Vse 1. Comparison of Scotch Presbytery and Romish Papacy Cautions 1. Agreem. 3. Agreem. 4. Agreem. 5. Agreem. 6. Agreem. 1. Differ 2. Differ 3. Differ Matth. 12. 44. 4. Differ Cant. 7. 11 1â—… Prov. 30. 19. 1 Cor. 11. 7. Psal. 8. 2. 2. Use 1. Question Answer 2. Question Answer 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason Rom. 11. 17 18 Rom. 11. 9. 2 Cor. 3. 13. c. Rom. 11. 12. 3. Question Answer Rev. 11. 8. 1. Anti 2. Antichrist Heb. 6. 4 5 6. Matt. 24. 15. Mark 13. 14. 1 King 11. 9. Pâ—… Num 24. 3 4. Mic. 3 11. Revel. 2. 14. 1 Cor. 10. 8. 3. Quest Ans. Ezek. 1. Rev. 11. 12. and 4. 2. 12. 1. Psal. 8. 10. 1 Sam. 4. 4. Exod. 25 17. Chashmal 2 Cor. 12. 2 Psal. 14â—… Exod. 24. 10. 1 Observat. Ezek. 43. 3. Isa. 14. 13. 2 Observat. Zach. 14. 5. 3 Observat. Ezek. 1. v. 7. v. 13. 2. Rev. 21. 22. 1. Interest 1. Consid. Pergamut hath the NEW name Rev. 2. 17. 2. Consid. 3 Consid. Luâ—…ius A. C. 170. Constantine he Great A. C. 270. born in Brittain of Constantius and Helene daughter to Coil Duke of Colchester Gen. 49. v. 22 23 24 25 26. Deut. 23 v. 13. 14 15 16 17. Gen. 49. v. 1. Deut. 13. 12. 4. Consid 2 Interest Rev. 3. 14. Mat. 24. 19. Object Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Cant. 6. 9.