THE Near Aproach of CHRIST's KINGDOM Clearly proved by Scripture With a certain Account of the Signs of the present Times relating thereto As also That the Conversion and Restauration of Israel will be after the Lord's coming That after the Lord 's coming most of the great Plagues mentioned in the Revelations will be poured out upon the Earth and the Wicked That the Beast and the False Prophet will be then taken alive That all the Christians that came in by Christ of the Gentile Race were termed Heathens in the Old Testament And that the Law and Gospel speaks but to them that are under it That after the Fiery Tempest the Heavens and Earth will be renew'd and all things restored as in the beginning LONDON Printed for M. M. and are to be sold by Tho. Fabian at the lower end of Cheapside in Mercers Chapel And divers other Booksellers about London 1696. Advertisement The most material points that we are in controversie about are already answered which Books are to be sold at the same Booksellers and of a small price that thereby they may be the easier had by all There will other Books come forth in a short time so as by Gods assistance all the disputable places and most of the figurative speeches will be by the word it self fully and clearly explained ERRATA Page 48. l. 27. from the top r. 1 Pet. 4.12 TO THE KING AND Parliament THIS Treatise giving an Account of the Certain Signs of the Times and the near approach of the coming of the Lord is humbly presented That they may know what God is going about to do so as to prepare for the coming of Christ 'T is therefore most humbly hoped our most Gracious King with the Great Council of the Nation who have so wonderfully appeared for the Defence of the Protestant Religion may be further instrumental to the Glory of God in encouraging the knowledge of the Truths herein contained God grant His Majesty to be a Blessing to the Nations till the Lord comes TO THE READER Christian Reader WHEN I heard of those often repeated Earthquakes the like whereof the World never produced and that it is according to the Word of the Lord that there should be Earthquakes in divers places with distress of Nations c. when these things come to pass the Lord hath bidden such as have an Interest in him then to look up and to lift up their heads for their Redemption draweth nigh Luke 21 28. The thoughts of which set me on a fervent longing desire for the coming of the Lord and drew out my heart in more ardent desires after him whereupon I took to the Lord's direction resolving to search the Scriptures with more diligence than ever I had done the which I no sooner had performed but I found the certainty of the coming of the Lord and that it was very nigh at hand but still I was to seek how and in what manner for I could then no ways make the Old and New Testament agree neither did I then rightly understand any of the figurative speeches and finding it too hard for me I was much troubled thereat but as I had taken to the Lords direction in the search of the Scripture whereby I came to the assured knowledge of his coming so I also would according to the advice therein seek to the Lord for knowledge to understand the secrets therein contained as Prov. 2.3 4 5 6. for he is the wonderful Counsellor and the mighty God Isa 9.6 The which when I so did the Lord more and more inlightened my understanding in his Word So as I do wholly acknowledge the discovery of these great and hidden Mysteries was from the Lord and attained according to the way directed in his Word which is by prayer and diligence This small Treatise being an Essay containeth the plain Heads easie to the apprehension of any that thereby all these great things might the better be registred in their memory so as to sink down upon the heart The other Book being somewhat more difficult for them to understand that are not well vers'd in the Word and understand not the way of Scripture speaking For therein is most of the figurative speeches opened by the Key of the Word that is by joyning Scripture to Scripture and in not leaving any other Scriptures to contradict what is said whereby the true meaning of the Word is clearly explained But these great Mysteries were to remain a secret to the time of the end according to the Word of the Lord in Daniel chap. 12.4 And in Zech. 14.7 It is said It shall come to pass that at evening time it shall be light And in that God has made choice of so weak an Instrument it is that his power might the more eminently appear therein and that the Infinite God hath now at this evening time caused the true meaning of his Word to be discovered it is an infallible Sign of the certain near approach of the coming of the Lord for whose coming if we prepare we shall be certainly happy but if you will put the day far off it will then come on you as a snare Luke ch 21. v. 34 35. in which you will be destroyed but if you will be as earnest with God for your selves and so continue as I have been earnest with the Almighty for the generality of you all I make no question but you will be for ever blessed for if we will not be wanting to our selves God will not be wanting to us Now that we and the generality of the Christian World would seek the Lord whilst he is to be found and that the Warnings he gives us to prepare for his coming might so awaken us as that we may be found with our Lamps trimmed and our Lights burning is the earnest prayer of Your Friend and Servant in Christ Jesus M. M. A certain Account of the Signs of the Last Times The Coming of the Lord. The Destruction of Babylon With the Christians that remain in their Wickedness Also the Calling in of the Jews And the Restoration of all things Chap. I. A necessity of being ready prepared for the Lord 's Coming lest that Day should come upon us unawares which is very near at hand NOW we not apprehending the dangerous condition that we stand in by reason we falsly imagine that the New Everlasting Covenant is made with us when now the Believers are but Heirs with Israel of the same Promise but because Christ said of them that were given him of his Father to be his standing Witnesses thro' the World that none should pluck them out of his hand And the Apostle speaking of the Churches that first trusted in Christ which had the abundant pourings forth of the Spirit upon them to secure their standing and thereby they generally stood which in Scripture the major part is reckoned for the whole And the Spirit was also given to confirm the Gospel to the World and the
would have watched and not have suffered his house to have been broken through Luke 12.39 For as the Thief comes to destroy so the Lord will come to the destruction of them that profess they know him yet will not make preparation for him Chap. V. The Signs of the Times NOW as concerning the Time and the Signs of the Time that is that the time of the Signs and Wonders to the time of Christ's coming and afterwards till such time as the Wicked are taken off from the Earth it doth clearly appear will be forty five years according to which time Israel lay in the Wilderness and were Conquering their Enemies in the Land of Canaan before they were peaceably setled there for in numbers it is said According to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel what hath God wrought Numb 23.23 The like is said in Micah According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt I will shew unto him marvellous things the nations shall be confounded at all their might Mich 7.15 16. And it is said in Zechary 14.3 Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations as when he fought in the day of battel And in Daniel there is just forty five days difference in the number of the days and he is said to be blessed that comes to the last number Dan. 12.12 And that we are now far gone in this forty five days of years is certain by the Signs of the Times and if they began in 1663. when the great Blazing Star appeared which the Astronomers said was a Rod to whip the Earth withal And since we have had Signs in the Sun and in the Moon and oft repeated Blazing Stars according to the Word of the Lord Luke 21.25 or whether the beginning of the limited time was when the Evil Spirits mentioned in the Revelations Chap. 16. 13 14 came out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet which has gathered together the Kings of the earth to the battel of the great day of God Almighty And by these the World is now in an uproar as in 2 Esdras 9.3 4. and also the Lord saith in Luke Chap. 21.25 26 27. There shall be distress of nations with perplexity the sea and the waves thereof roaring mens hearts failing them for fear and looking after those things which are coming on the earth for the powers of heaven shall be shaken By which is meant the ruling powers of the earth which in Scripture is also called the Heavens And then it is the Lord will come as in ver 27. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory And it is also given us as a Sign of the Lord 's coming the often breakin gs forth of fire out of the earth altho' History gives us an account that the Mountains were fired before Christ came The Romans being formerly the afflicters of the natural Seed of Jacob as since they have also been of the adopted Seed of Jacob for which with their other abominable sins the anger of the Lord has been kindled against them yet before the coming of the Lord it is declared by the Angel to Esdras There shall be confusion in many places and fire shall be oft sent out again 2 Esd 5.8 which hath lately in a wonderful manner been fulfilled Now all along in the Scripture the Afflictions of the Natural and of the Adopted Seed are joyned together so here in Isaiah 5. from the beginning to the 14. verse in a particular manner treats of the miscarriage and punishment of the natural Seed of Jacob. And beginning at the 14th verse to the 24th treats of the punishment of the adopted Seed of Jacob. For in the 16th verse he saith The Lord of Hosts shall be exalted in Judgment At which time the Lambs shall feed after their manner Therefore this is to be fulfilled when the Lord again comes Against which time it is said Isa 5.14 Hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth wide without measure and their glory and their multitude and their pomp and he that rejoyceth shall descend into it This doth evidently appear that Hell hath enlarged her self by these often torrents and rivers of Fire Pitch and Bitumen which God hath lately sent out thence According to the Word of God in Deuteronomy Chap. 32. 22. For a fire is kindled in mine anger and shall burn to the lowest Hell and shall consume the Earth with her increase and set on fire the foundations of the Mountains By these words we are to understand that the fire of Hell and the fire in the Foundations of these Mountains extendeth it self from the one to the other This is further treated of in a Book that is to come forth And it is also said in Isaiah 30. v. 30. For 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 This Tophet here spoken of is Hell the King for whom it was prepared is the Devil but Man that is insnared by him does also fall into it For the Lord saith Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Matth. 25.41 But all Hell will not be fired till the last and final Judgment when all the dead will be judged Rev. 20.14 And whereas it is said The pile thereof is fire and much wood That is much combustible matter fit for fuel as Brimstone Pitch Sulpher Bitumen Coperas and the like These things the Lord hath so placed and by his breath and command he hath kindled it And it is said of the Beast and false Prophet that after the Lord comes they were both taken and cast alive into a Lake of fire burning with Brimstone Rev 19.20 which Lake is already kindled into which they shall be cast which reacheth to the lowest Hell Chap. VI. Whirlwinds from the Lord. NOW are the Whirlwinds of the Lord gone forth according to the Word of the Lord Behold the Whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury a continual Whirlwind it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return until he hath done it and until he have performed the intents of his heart in the latter days ye shall consider Jer. 30.23 24. These Whirlwinds are the continual afflictions wars and commotions which are upon the Earth which will not cease till the Lord hath performed the intents of his heart These things also are set down for them that have the Scripture to consider of that thereby they may know what the Lord is going about to do as to understand the time of their visitation And again it is said Come near ye Nations to hear and hearken
ye my people let the Earth hear and all that is therein the World and all things that come forth of it For the indignation of the Lord is upon all Nations and his fury upon all their Armies Isa 34.1 2. And of this time the Lord saith in Esdras For the Lord knoweth all them that sin against him and therefore delivereth he them unto death and destruction For now are the Plagues come upon the whole Earth and ye shall remain in them for God shall not deliver you because ye have sinned against him 2 Esd 15.26 27. This being according to that in Jeremiah That these Whirlwinds of trouble shall not cease in the world until the Lord have performed the intents of his heart Which is in making his Enemies his Footstool and in coming to take his own great Power and Reign and to restore his People And the Lord saith to his people concerning this present time 2 Esd 16.39 40 41. Even so shall not the Plagues be slack to come upon the earth and the world shall mourn and sorrow shall come upon it on every side O my people hear my word make ye ready to the battel And in those evils be even as Pilgrims upon the Earth He that selleth let him be as one that fleeth away And he that buyeth as one that will lose He that occupieth Merchandice as he that hath no profit by it And he that buildeth as he that shall not dwell therein c. And it is said in the 47. v. And those that occupy their Merchandice with Robbery the more they deck their Cities their Houses their own possessions and their own persons the more I will be angry with them for their sins saith the Lord. By this robbery is meant all unjust gain and unlawful dealing with one another And the Lord saith Isa 2.11 12. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day For the day of the Lord of Hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low And the like the Lord saith in Malachy Chap. 4.1 2. For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord of Hosts that it shall leave them neither Root nor Branch But unto them that fear my Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings and ye shall go forth and grow up as Calves of the stall And the Lord saith Mat 7.19 21. Every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire And he also saith Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven But he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven For when the Lord comes it will not serve our turns to say that we believed in his Righteousness for Salvation But how we have obeyed him in doing the will of his Father which is in Heaven that thereby his Righteousness may be imputed to us Who is become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Heb. 5 9. For now it is not with us as it was with the Gentiles at their first Calling in who had never heard of Christ nor what he required of them But it is with us as it was with Israel from whom God expected an improvement of their day and season of Grace the which for their not doing they were cast off Therefore St. Paul saith Rom. 11.20 21. If God spared not the Natural branches take heed lest he also spare not thee Thereby shewing that we stand no surer than Israel did Therefore he saith ver 20. Be not high minded but fear Therefore let all that desire to have an interest in him humble themselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt them in due time And the Lord speaking of his second coming saith 2 Esd 6.23 24. The Trumpet shall give a sound which when every man heareth they shall suddenly be afraid This every man here doth but signifie the greater part for it will be a time of rejoycing to Saints 24 v. At that time shall Friends fight one against another like Enemies and the Earth shall stand in fear with those that dwell therein the springs of the Fountains shall stand still and in three hours they shall not run Which accordingly has been fulfilled concerning the Fountains of Waters they have already stood still when the great Earthquakes were in Cisily And also it was given as a Sign of the Lord 's coming that there should be monstrous Children brought forth 2 Esd 5.8 Which accordingly in these last years hath been in several Nations fulfilled CHAP. VII Signs in England AS God hath at this time shewed forth part of his wrathful indignation in those Nations that worship the Beast and false Prophet So in this limited time God hath shewed to us marvelous things in Token of mercy and kindness thereby to awaken us that his coming is just at hand Whereby we might improve our Day and Season of Grace so as to make preparation for his coming that by so doing we might not be condemned with them that will not And God in a wonderful manner has given us time and space of Repentance in that he hath given us a King who hath continued to us our liberty opportunities of seeking God which had it been otherwise we might have been cut off before these awakening Judgments came by which the Lord calls to the Inhabitants of the Earth to learn Righteousness Isa 26.9 So that thereby many might be awakened and come out of their gross darkness And also all of us from a vain and wicked and loose Coversation Now as the other Nations have had awakning providences of God's displeasure by the Earthquakes and Fires that have broken out of the earth amongst them so God in a wonderful manner hath appeared amongst us in the miraculous Cure of four women which the like was never heard of since Christ's time Who in thinking and being persuaded the Lord was able to Heal them became healed Two of an extraordinary lameness one of eighteen years continuance using Crutches the other having her thigh and ancle-bone out of joint from her childhood And another of a Leprosie and one of a withered hand from her childhood These things being publickly known and attefted in the City of London And the Lord having wrought these miraculous Cures upon these women it ought to be considered of by us For as the Lord came by a Woman so after he arose he appeared first to the Women And now at the time of his second coming he hath miraculously appeared in working of miracles on Women And also another great and evident Sign the Lord hath given us