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.
ENGLAND'S DELIVERANCE From the Northern Presbytery COMPARED With its Deliverance from the Roman Papacy BY PETER STERRY Once Fellow of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge now Preacher to the Right Honorable the Councell of State sitting at WHITE-HALL Printed at Leith by Evan Tyler 1652. To the SUPREME AUTHORITY Of the COMMON-WEALTH of ENGLAND The High Court of PARLIAMENT RIGHT HONORABLE IT may seem strange that in the Thanksgiving on this Day I have exalted the praises of the present season above the head of this Ancient Mercy If I deceive not my self I have not done this to the disadvantage of those old loving kindnesses nor without great Examples Is not this the beaten way of JESUS CHRIST with his Church to make succeeding visits and loves by being a grave to those that have been already to become a Resurrection to them giving them a more Excellent Being in this Relative State and Subordination than they had in their absolutenesse Did John the Baptist encrease his glory by any thing more than by that sweet readinesse to decrease before JESUS CHRIST How do the holy Pen-men in all their Prophesies or Praises frequently make every present subject but as a sight to direct their eye while their spirits fly to this mark the Heavenly glory of CHRIST in this last Appearance which is now from the midst of its Thunders Lightning upon the Earth Right Honourable I hambly intreat your Patience a little further while I present you faithfully with my Sense in the Comparison which I make between the Papacy and Rigid Presbytery I shall do this in three words spoken to three things Forms Persons Principles 1. As to Forms I grant some to be purer than others I allow the Church-form of Presbytery to excell the Papacy as the fairnesse of the Moon doth the darknesse of the Night I allow it to be in the first Rank of the purest outward Forms although not the first of that Rank I believe it the duty of every Christian to follow after the best Forms Yet is there a more excellent way which is that of Love My Brethren our Joseph our Jesus chargeth us not to fall out on the way though we walk in different paths We are Brethren let no outward Forms divide us one from another if they divide us not from CHRIST if they have not in their own nature an enmity to the naturall Image of CHRIST which is Civility Morality or the Heavenly Image which is Spirituality Let us receive one another into the Glory of GOD as CHRIST receiveth us though that Cloathing of the outward Form be not of the same fashion upon all nor on some so well shap'd as on others to the Proportion of the Body which is CHRIST The Lord JESUS hath his Concubines his Queens his Virgins Saints in Remoter Forms Saints in Higher Forms Saints unmarried to any Form who keep themselves single for the immediate embraces of their Love But CHRISTS Dove in all these is One the New Creature in CHRIST the spirituall birth of the Spirit the only One of her Mother that Hierusalem above which is the City compact that Band of Peace that Unity of Saints the Holy Ghost 2. As to Persons Fathers and Brethren of the Presbytery You together with me desire after sit drwn under the shadow feed upon the sweet fruit of the same Apple-tree in the midst of the trees of the Forrest though not of the same Arm and Bough of that Tree I would not in any thing offend you who are in the number of the excellent Ones in which is all CHRIST'S Delight on earth If I grieve you what shall make me glad There are of you who are ready to answer this government of JESUS CHRIST as Peter did CHRIST Thou knowest that I love thee Feed then the sheep feed the Lambs in those fresh Pastures into which He now leads you You who are of another mind appear to me like good old Zachary Though an Angel from Heaven witnesse that the things now come to passe are the very answers to those prayers which your selves put up many years agone yet you cannot believe because the way is not in the ordinary track of your Principles and Expectations Therefore are you struck dumb for a season that you cannot make a good confession of these Appearances of GOD But when the Child shal be born the Glory perfectly brought forth then your selves shal name it John which being interpreted is Grace then shall even your tongues be loosed to praise this Day-spring from on high which hath visited us then shal you acknowledg that this was the gate of heaven though you were not aware of it Now the Lord himself bring it to pass that all you who in your pâ—…st dispensations have been fathers to these present discoveries may suddenly turn your hearts to your children lest he come and for your sakes smite the earth even all flesh with a curse 3. As to Principles The marriage between our Saviour and the Soul is a marriage of Spirits a marriage in one spirit No union with any form makes this Marriage or dissolvs it That which alone stands in enmity to these Heavenly Espousals is union with a strange spirit This strange spirit is the Great Whore Babylon Mother of fornications One of her names is Mystery because she puts her self into all forms from the lowest to the highest from the most outward to the most inward from the darksomest among men to the lightsomest amongst Angels This is the great work of a Saint to watch to watch the Spirit of CHRIST as be makes his removes out of one Appearance into another to watch the spirit of Antichrist as that also shifts its forms Right Honorable For this I have desired in my Preaching in my Prayers to work with GOD even for the opening of the eyes of men to see that the same spirit which lay in the polluted Bed of Papacy may meet them in the perfumed Bed of Presbytery that the fornications and sorceries of this Whore are then greatest when they are most Mysterious that she is able by her sorceries to bewitch those that have attained to a great degree of spirituality as the Galatians To this purpose have I in my Sermon represented the same spirit which dwels in the Papacy when it enters into the Purer form of Presbytery as fuller of mystery so fuller of despight of danger not to make the form or persons but that Principle that spirit unfit to be cherished by any Person in any foâ—…m The Highest Godlinesse and the Highest Wickeanesses are those which are most Spirituall Now O Christians you fight not with Flesh and Blood but Principalities and Powers spirituall wickednesses in Heavenly forms But this is your comfort spirituall wickednesses ascend as high as the Heavens even into Angelical forms but spiritual Godlinesse goes up above all Heavens together with CHRIST into the bosome of the Eternall Spirit from whence it looks down upon the Angels
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