people in these days should it also be marvellous in my eyes saith the Lord of Hosts Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Behold I will save my people from the East-Countrey and from the West-Countrey And I will bring them and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and they shall be my people and I will be their God in truth and righteousness Zech. 8.4 to 8. Nine Prophets have declared this great truth the Restauration of Israel and their testimony is true God that scattered the Children of Israel will gather them and bring them again into their own Land. How much more shall these which be the natural branches be graffed into their own Olive-tree Rom. 11.24 For God is able to graff them in again verse 23. But what shall the receiving of these Jews be but life from the dead they are dead in trespasses and sins and are under hardness of heart and blindness of mind full of envy and unbelief haters of Christ Jesus and despisers of that grace and truth that came by him Now when it shall please Almighty God to gather the dispersed Jews and bring them to their own Land as he hath spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets Then they will be converted and give glory to God by repentance There shall ye remember your ways and all your doings wherein ye have been defiled and ye shall loath your selves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed Ezek. 20.43 Now when shall they do this see verse 42. And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I shall bring you into the Land of Israel into the Countrey for which I lifted up mine head to give it to your Fathers See a farther proof of this Ezek. 36. For I will take you from among the Heathen and gather you out of all Countreys and will bring you into your own Land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean From all your filthiness and from all your Idols will I cleanse you A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them And ye shall dwell in the Land that I gave to your Fathers and ye shall be my people and I will be your God. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses and I will call for Corn and will increase it and lay no famine upon you And I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the increase of the fâ—eld that ye shall receive no more râ—proach of famine among the Heathen Then shall ye remember your own evil ways and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations verse 24. to 31. The Seed of Abraham became the Enemies of the Faith of Abraham that the blessings of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles Gal. 3.14 The many miseries of the Jews under the Gentiles have been long and great but the great troubles that will be upon the Nations of the Gentiles will bring the Jews forth from under that yoke Dan. 12.1 Zeph. 3.8 9. When the tongue of the Egyptian Sea is destroyed Isa 11.15 And the water of the River Euphrates dried up Rev. 16.12 Then the way of the Kings of the East will be prepared When great Babylon shâ—ll come in remembrance before God to give unto her the Cup of the Wine of the fierceness of his wrath Rev. 16.19 Then the Earth also shall disclose her blood and shall no more cover her slain Then will this Song be sung in the Land of Judah We have a strong City salvation will God appoint for Walls and Bulwarks Isa 26.1 When the face of the covering is destroyed that is cast over all people and the vail that is spread over all Nations then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together Isa 40.5 When the fulness of the Gentiles shall be come in the Jews that are afar off are made nigh by the Blood of Christ Rom. 11.25 then the way of Gods truth will be fully known upon Earth and his saving health among all Nations Psalm 67.2 Then there will be but one Sheep and one Sheepfold And I will set up one Shepherd over them and he shall feed them even my Servant David he shall feed them and he shall be their Shepherd And David my Servant shall be King over them and they shall have one Shepherd They shall also walk in my Judgments and observe my Statutes and do them my Tabernacle also shall be with them Yea I will be their God and they shall be my people I shall come now to the Chapter out of which my Text is taken and I have taken these Prophets in my way that by them I might light you along and open a way to this great Prophecy that I have here set before you Dan. 2.1 Nebuchadnezzar in the second year of his Reign dreamed Dreams wherewith his Spirit was troubled and his sleep brake from him God Almighty can trouble Great Persons by very little and small things as Dreams and Visions by thoughts that arise in their Hearts and by their own Consciences King Saul when he saw a form of something ascending out of the Earth like Samuel he was sore troubled 1 Sam. 28.20 A Hand-writing made Great Belshazzer change his countenance and his thoughts troubled him so that the joints of his loins were loosed and his knees smote one against another Dan. 5.6 A Dream so troubled Nebuchadnezzar's Spirit that his sleep brake from him Dan. 2.2 Then the King commanded to call the Magicians and Astrologers and the Sorcerers and the Chaldeans for to shew the King his Dreams so they came and stood before the King verse 3. And the King said unto them I have dreamed a Dream and my Spirit was troubled to know the Dream but this was without success for they answered not the Kings desires because they could not The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant Psalm 25.14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 Then spake the Chaldeans to the King in Syriack O King live for ever Tell thy servants the Dream and we will shew the Interpretation verse 4. Here they promised to do more than the King asked that which was required of them was to shew to the King his Dream but they promised to shew him the Dream and the Interpretation also but could do neither the King remembred that he had dreamed a Dream but the matter he had forgot The King answered and
110.1 Christ Jesus the Son of God expects this From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool Heb. 10.18 All the Saints of God live in the faith of this that all enemies will be made Christ Jesus's footstool let one then speak for all the rest the Apostle Paul For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15.25 The Prophet Isaiah hath spoken of good and great things to come And it shall come to pass in the last days that the Mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the Mountains and shall be exalted above the Hills and all Nations shall flow â—nto it Isa 2.2 See here five things 1. The true Church is the House of God 1 Tim. 3.15 Heb. 3.6 2. This House is a Mountain Jer. 31. v. 23. Isa 2.3 3. This Mountain of the Lord's House shall be established in the top of the Mountains and exalted above the Hills Micah 4.1 4. All Nations shall flow unto it They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward saying Come let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten Isa 50.5 5. Of the time when It shall be in the last days Isa 2.2 The Prophet Daniel that was after Isaiah spake of this glory And the Stone that smote the Image became a great Mountain and filled the whole Earth Dan. 2.35 And there was given unto him dominion and glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed Dan. 7.14 The holy Saint John that was long after Daniel saw this glory more clearly and hath shew'd it more fully And the seventh Angel sounded and there wâ—re great voices in Heaven saying The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Rev. 11.15 For all Nations shall come and worship before thee Rev. 5.4 1. Here is then all Nations not a part but all not some out of all Nations but 〈◊〉 Nations 2. They shall come to him that is the desire of all Nations Hag. 2.7 That which Gods mouth hath spoken his hanâ— will fulfil Behold the Nations are as a droâ— of the Bucket and are accounted as the smaâ— dust of the Ballance Isa 40.15 A droâ— that the Lord can dry up and dust that hâ— can blow away 3. The end of their coming To worship before the Lord. For all Nation shall come and worship before thee and manâ— Nations shall come and say Come and let uâ— go up to the Mountain of the Lord and tâ— the House of the God of Jacob Mic. 4.2 And many Nations shall be joined to thâ— Lord in that day and shall be my people Zach. 2.11 O who will not wait for thiâ— with the greatest patience and pray foâ— this with the greatest fervency that God ways may be known upon earth and his saviâ—â— health among all Nations Psal 67.2 The Prophet Jeremiah hath spoken 〈◊〉 glorious things to come But this is 〈◊〉 Covenant that I will make with the House Israel after those days saith the Lord will put my Law in their inward parts aâ— write it in their hearts and will be their Gâ—â— and they shall be my people And they shâ—â—â— teach no more every man his Neighbour 〈◊〉 every man his Brother saying Know â— Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord Jer. 31.33 34. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Isa 11.9 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Hab 2.14 Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased Dan. 12.4 This running will be from error to truth from the traditions of men to the holy Word of God from superstition to the power of godliness and from idolatry to worship the living God in spirit and truth This running will be from prophecies to providences and from precepts to promises from one part of God's Word to another and from lesser light to greater light till all men come to know and enjoy the true light of God the light of his countenance the light of his spirit the light of his providences and the light of his Word Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path Psa 119.105 This liâ—ht shines out of darkness and shines into the hearts of men to give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus â—hrist and in his light they shall see light To know God is mens greatest wisdom and to enjoy him for ever will be their greatest happiness Ezekiel the Prophet hath spoken of blessings of great blessings and of showers of blessings to come And I will make them and the places round about my Hill a blessing and I will cause the shower to come down in his season There shall be showers of blessings Ezek. 34.26 This Propheâ— hath spoken much concerning the Jew restauration and of the glory that shal follow and let the Reader consider theâ— these four things First how they went into the land oâ— Canaan and possest it in the days of Joshua they were as terrible as an Armâ— with Banners Cant. 6.4 The dread anâ— fear of them fell upon their enemie And she said unto the men I know that tâ— Lord hath given you the Land and that yoâ— terror is fallen upon us and that all the Iâ—habitants of the Land faint because of yoâ— For we have heard how the Lord dried up tâ— waters of the Red Sea for you when you caâ— out of Egypt and what you did to the tâ—â— Kings of the Amorites that were on the othâ— side Jordan Sihon and Og whom ye â—â—terly destroyed And as soon as we had heaâ—â— these things our hearts did melt neither iâ— there remain any more courage in any man because of you For the Lord your God he is God in Heaven above and in the Earth beneath Josh 2.9 10 11. They saw the glory of Gods miracles in their passing over Jordan the waters fled from them they stood up in heaps and were cut off Josh 3.13 They then had Gods glorious presence with them and he made his glorious Arm bare for them and the Angel of his presence went before them And it came to pass when Joshua was by Jericho that he lift up his eyes and looked and behold there stood a man over against him with his Sword drawn in his hand And Joshua went unto him and said unto him Art thou for us or for our adversaries And he said Nay but as Captain of the Host of the Lord am I now come And Joshua
The Name of the Lord And I looked and lo a Lamb stood on the Mount Sion and with him an Hundred forty and four thousand having his Fathers name written in their foreheads Rev. 14.1 Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out and I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the City which is New Jerusalem which cometh down out of Heaven from my God and I will write upon him a new name Rev. 3.12 The Name of God is upon his People and this shews to whom they do belong and whose they are 3. The comliness and glory of the Lord And thy renown went forth among the Heathen for thy beauty for it was perfect through my comliness which I had put upon thee saith the Lord Ezek. 16.14 And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion and upon her Assemblies a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence Isa 4.5 If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you 1 Pet. 4.14 These are the things that are upon the righteous And there are three things that God hath given to his People 1. Himself But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my People Jer. 31.33 They shall call on my Name and I will hear them I will say It is my People and they shall say The Lord is my God Zech. 13.9 For what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols for ye are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my People 2 Cor. 6.16 2. A Kingdom Fear not little flock for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom Luke 12.32 And I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me Luke 22.29 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5.3 3. Grace and Glory For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he with hold from them that walk uprightly Psal 84.11 And he said unto me My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.9 Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the World or Life or Death or things present or things to come all is yours 1 Cor. 3.22 O Christian how canst thou say thou hast nothing or that thou hast but little Here is thy Inventory see here what thy heavenly Father hath given thee count it and cast it up Thou hast all things God hath given thee himself and a Kingdom grace and glory things present and things to come the world life and death are all thine how great is thy happiness O! wait but a little and thou wilt be in the possession of all There be three things that God will never take from his people whiles they are in this life 1. His love and loving kindness I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee Jer. 31.3 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self to him John 14.21 Having loved his own which were in the World he loved them unto the end John 13.1 This the righteous are crown'd with in this life He crowneth them with loving kindness and tender mercies Psalm 103.4 2. His Spirit And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the spirit of truth John 14.16 17. but the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness saith meekness temperance Gal. 5.22 23. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 3.16 God will not leave his Children comfortless he will not leave them orphans the Spirit of God dwells in them and abides with them and resteth upon them and leads them into all truth it convinceth sinners and it comforteth Saints For the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered 3. His Presence which is the glory of his People and the glory in the midst of them God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved God shall help her and â—hat right early Psalm 46.5 Take counsel â—ogether and it shall come to nought speak â—he word and it shall not stand for God is with us Isa 8.10 Jesus answered and â—aid unto him If a man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and â—e will come unto him and make our abode with him John 14.23 The presence of God is the Saints Heaven on Earth They do sometimes in a duty enjoy so much of God's presence that it fills their eyes with tears and their hearts with joy they â—eel that they cannot express and enâ—oy that which cannot be fully uttered and tast that which they cannot declare to others I did know a young man in the City of Exon about thirty five years ago who lay under many temptations and fears because he wanted God's comforting presence but in a certain night when all the people in the family were in their beds and as he thought fast asleep except himself he rose up from his bed and went up into the Garret and there wrestl'd with God by prayer with fervency and many tears but was then so terrified by temptations and fears that he thought the Devil waâ— present with him in the room sometimeâ— before him and sometimes behind him which did so distract and interrupt him that he was forc'd often to break off foâ— a little time and this he continued to do for three nights together but on the third night as he was pouring out hiâ— Soul before the Lord in prayer his voicâ— was taken from him that he could noâ— utter a word but his understanding remained with him for about the space oâ— a quarter of an hour and in that time he thought himself to be in Heaven or the Joys of Heaven to be in him he then tasted and enjoyed so much of God that it was not possible for a man to utter nor to declare to others but when his speech returned to him that he could speak he then found that this extraordinary presence of God withdrew it selâ— from him then he blest and prais'd the God of Heaven that had seal'd his Love to him and given him the earnest of his Spirit and victory over the Devil God knows that what I have here
Head perish Luke 21.18 3. The Word of Threatning 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 1 Sam. 2.10 Associate your selves O ye people and ye shall be broken in pieces and give ear all ye of far Countreys Gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces Take counsel together and it shall come to nought speak the word and it shall not stand For God is with us Isa 8.9 10. And I will make drunk her Princes and her Wise men her Captains and her Rulers and her Mighty men And they shâ—ll sleep a perpetual sleep and not wakâ— saith the King whose name is the Lord oâ— Hosâ—s Jer. 51 5â— Wo unto you that desire the day of tâ—e Lord To what end is it for you the day of the Lord is darkness and not light As if a man did flee from a Lion and a Bear met him or went into the House and leaned his Hand on the Wall and a Serpent bit him Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness and not light even very dark and no brightnâ—ss in it Amos 5.18 19 20. Though they dâ—â— into Hell thence shall mine hand take them Though they climb up to Heaven thence will I bring them down And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel I will search and take them out thence And though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the Sea thence will I command the Serpent and he shall bite them And though they go into Captivity before their Enemies thence will I command the Sword and it shall slay them And I will set mine Eyes upon them for evil and not for good Amos 9.2 3 4. Therefore wait ye upon me saith the Lord until the day that I rise up to the prey for my determinâ—tion is to gather the Nations that I may assemble the Kingdoms to pour upon them mine indignation even all my fierce anger For all the Earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousie Zeph. 3.8 For behold thoâ—â—y cometh that shall burn as an Oven and all tâ—e Proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord of Hosts that it shall not leave them neither root nor branch Mal. 4.1 These shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her Flesh and burn her with fire For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will and to agree and give their Kingdom unto the Peast until the words of God shall be fulfilled Rev. 17.16 17. Therefore shaâ—l her Plagues come in one daâ— Death and Mourning and Famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire For strong is the Lord God who judgeth her Rev. 18 8. God hath given assurance to all men that his Church shall stand for ever Now he that runs may read and he that reads may see in these many Texts of Scripture I have set before you that the True Church shall stand for ever Secondly From the Providences of God. God brings forth Time. Time brings forth Providences Providence brings forth Things And things work together yea all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose Providence is that seal d Book sealed with seven Seals And I saw in the right Hand of him that sate on the Throne a Book written within and on the back side sealed with seven Seals Rev. 5.1 The Angels were to sound the seven Trumpets The Angels were to pour out the Vials of the wrath of God. But the Lamb was to open the seven Seals that had sealâ—d up the Book of Providence And as the Lamb opened the Seals Providence brought forth thâ— things that were to be as God had purposed and determined according to his own Counsel and Will and these things knoweth no man till Providence brings them forth But of that day and that hour knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in Heaven neither the Son but the Father Mark 13.32 And he said unto them It is not for you to know the Times and the Seasons which the Father hath put in his own power Acts 1.7 Surely the Angels that are in Heaven know more than men that are on the Earth and yet you see they did not know of that day nor hour nor the Son as he was man but the Father And after our Lord Jesus was risen from the dead the Apostles asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel He then soon answered them It is not for you to know the Times or Seasons which the Father hath put in his own power No man knoweth what shall be on the morrow what a day may bring forth Jam. 4.14 No man can say This shall be or that shall be in this time or at that time He can go no further than conjectures and imaginations which have led men into error and confusion and into great mistakes This is very plain that men do not know what shall befal them and others the next hour And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the Seals I heard as it were the noise of thunder and I saw and behold a white Horse and he that sate on him had a Bow and a Crown was given unto him and he went forth Conquering and to Conquer And when he had opened the second Seal there went out another Horse that was red And power was given to him that sate thereon to take peace from the Earth and that they should kill one another And there was given unto him a great Sword. And when he had opened the third Seal I beheld and lo a black Horse and he that sate on him had a pair of Ballances in his Hand And I heard a voice in the midst of the four Beasts saying A measure of Wheat for a penny and three measures of Barley for a penny and see thou hurt not the Oyl and the Wine And when he had opened the fourth Seal I looked and behold a pale Horse and his name that sate on him was Death and Hell followed with him And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the Earth to kill with Sword and with Hunger and with Death and with the Beasts of the Earth c. Rev. 6.1 to 8. By this you may see things did not appear until the Seals were opened but as soon as the Lamb had opened any of the Seals Providence brought forth the things that did appear to the sight and view of men Then that came to be known which before was unknown When he had opened the first Seal I saw and behold a white Horse and he that sate on him had a Bow