righteousnesse lodened with the fruits of righteousnesse He beareth greater respect to our hearts than he doth to our works I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God Rom. 12.1 The Formalist he is all for outward action and for nothing of inward sincerity he is for a body without a soul and a shew without a substance but it is not a shew of outward piety that will excuse inward hypocrisie For he is not a Jew that is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh But he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Rom. 2.28 29. I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan Rev. 2.9 They are better in their outsides than they are in their insides but Believers are better in their insides than they are in their outsides The Kings daughter is all glorious within her cloathing is of wrought Gold Psalm 45.13 The one bowes his knee at the name of Jesus the other bowes his heart to the truth of Jesus the one signes with the Cross the other carryes the Cross Oh what would not superstitious men do for Heaven if they might have Heaven for their doing But they that sail in this rotten Bottom will surely sink in the Ocean Who hath required this at your hands to tread my Courts To what purpose is your sacrifices unto me saith the Lord I am ful of the burnt offerings of Rams and the fat of fed beasts and I delight not in the blood of Bullocks or of Lambs or of He-goates Isa 1 11. It was not the Clay Spittle that cured the blind man but Christs anointing his eyes It was not the troubling of the Waters in the Pool of Bethesda that made them whole but the comeing down of the Angel Alas the dish without the meat will not feed us Man may spread the Net of Duty but its God must take the Draught of Mercy Now by this Beloved you may know the Lambs followers from the Beasts followers And thus I have briefly and clearly shewed you these five things First What following the Lamb is Secondly Why gracious Souls follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth Thirdly The Excellency of following the Lamb. Fourthly The Misery of following the Beast Fifthly How the Lambs followers may be known from the Beasts followers I shall make some Use of this First For Examination and Selfe-tryal Oh friends for the Lords sake and for your souls sake examine your selves and try your selves by this that you may know whose you are and to whom you do belong Know you not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness Rom. 6. O who do you follow if men verily you have your reward if sin you shall have sins wages which is eternal death woe and misery in this life and Hell and destruction in the other life but if God then you shall have eternal life Therefore be not deceived mistake not your selves God is not mocked for whatsoever a man sowes that he shall reap O beloved Examine your selves and try your selves what is it you mind what is it you seek what is it you do do you follow the Lamb in his Commands in his teachings in his appointments and in his Examples through sufferings and reproaches have you forsaken all and followed him Matth. 10.29 Have you taken up his Crosse and denyed your selves Mat. 16.24 Have you learned of him to be meek and lowly Mat. 11.29 Have you visited and cloathed his Members Mat. 25.35 Have you kissed the Sun and made your peace with him O beloved are you new Creatures are you in Christ are you in faith Know ye not if Christ be not in you ye are reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 The second Vse is for Exhortation O Beloved Let me beseech you for your precious and immortal souls sake to come out of Babylon from the Beasts Image and from his Worship and from his Mark that you may not be defiled O come away to Jesus Christ Arise my Love and come away Cant. 2.10 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Mat. 11.28 Oh sinners he calls you to come to him will you not go we must forsake sin and embrace vertue put off the Old man and put on the New man we must have Repentance and Mortification a dying unto sin and a living unto righteousness from the love of earthly things to the desire of heavenly things Our bodies and souls must come away unto Christ our souls because they are the Spouse of Christ our bodies because they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost We must come away from the Eenticements of the flesh the allurements of the world and suggestions of the Divel and from the Whore of Babylon and from all the inventions and traditions of men Rev. 18.4 That ye may walk with God before God after God in the Name of God and in the Spirit of God And that we may live in Christ as Christ lives in the Father O what more happy then to live for ever and so to live for ever as Christ himself liveth Surely that is a blessed and glorious life This is a Believers life Secondly Labour more and more to be like those that follow the Lamb fully they are very holy and pure they are called Virgins First For their Chastity That I may present you as chast Virgins unto Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 These love Christ with a chast but not with an adulterous love Secondly For their purity They are Virgin-Saints they are not defiled with the Whore of Babylon but have kept themselves from her Idolatry and Superstition and from her sin and wickedness And in their mouth was found no guile Believers are stiled and titled Heaven Christs Members are glorious Members they are called Heaven for two Reasons First Because there is much of Heaven in them Secondly Because there is much of them in Heaven First There is much of Heaven in Believers much of God much of Christ and much of the Spirit Of his fulness have all we received grace for grac Joh. 1.16 The glory of God the knowledge of God the presence of God the love of God the holiness of God the joyes of God these are the things that make Heaven to be Heaven Now there is much of these in Believers therefore they are called Heaven We are taken into Communion with Angels and our Communion with the Angels in a great measure doth consist in bearing a part with them in praising God it is the action of Heaven Believers are holy Ones and they have glorious Titles First The Lords Portion Deut. 32.9 Secondly
is taken containeth six principal things First A Lovely Description of Jesus Christ and he is described by the similitude of a Lamb Lo a Lamb stood upon Mount Sion vers 1. And behold the Lamb of God Joh. 1.19 He is called a Lamb in a double respect First In respect of his innocency 1 Pet. 1.19 Secondly In respect of his meekness and patience Acts 8.32 Secondly A Lively Description of the Church the Lambs wife and that from vers 1. to vers 5. Thirdly A glorious Description of the Churches Ministers As the Church is in this book called Heaven so her Ministers are called Angels And I saw another Angel flying in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel ver 6. And there followed another Angel saying Babylon is fallen vers 8. And the third Angell followed him saying with a loud voyce c. Vers 9. Fourthly Here is set down the Doctrine which these Angels preach and publish The first Angell published the free Grace of God in Jesus Christ openly against all the inventions of men Saying with a loud voice fear God and give Glory to him and worship him that made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and the Fountains of waters vers 7. Namely That men should once fear God and worship him and give all glory to him none to Creatures none to Images none to Antichrist he that worshipeth the Beast worshipeth the Dragon and the Divel Chap. 13. The second Angell proclaimed the utter ruine of Babylon and the destruction thereof over the world saying Babylon is fallen is fallen that great City because she hath made all Nations drink of the wive of the wrath of her fornication vers 8. The third Angel doth seriously and solemnly give warning to all those who shall yet adhere to the Beast shewing the danger and misery of it If any man worship the heast and his Image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the Cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the Holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb vers 19.20 Fifthly A sweet word of heavenly consolation to the Saints and People of God And I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me write blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from henceforth they rest from their labours and their works do follow them vers 13. Sixthly The Judgments and vengeance which shall be executed upon the false Church the Spirit doth set it forth by a double similitude the one by rending the other by gathering and that from vers 15. to the end God will as it were rain Hell out of Heaven upon Babylon he hath fire and brimstone for this spirituall Sodome judgement without mercy and fury without compassion I shall now come to the words of my Text These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth This text is one of the Golden Characters of the hundred forty and four thousand which stood with the Lamb upon Mount Sion In these words are three things First the Subjects these Secondly the Act follow Thirdly the Object The Lamb whithersoever he goeth I shall gather this Observation from the words That it is the sweet temper and frame of soules truly gracious to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth In the handling of this point I shall shew you five things First What it is to follow the Lamb Secondly Why they follow the Lamb. Thirdly The Excellency of following the Lamb. Fourthly The Misery of them that follow not the Lamb. Fifthly How the Lambs followers may be known from the beasts followers First To follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth is to follow him in four things First In his Commandements If you love me keep my Commandements John 14.15 Ye are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you Chap. 15.14 Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life Rev. 22.4 Oh Beloved we cannot follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes unless we follow him in his commands Then shall I not be ashamed saith David when I have respect to all thy Commandments Psal 119.6 Christians should take as much delight in those precepts that enjoyne holinesse as in those promises that assure happiness Secondly In his teachings My Sheep hear my Voyce and I know them and they follow me John 10.27 A stranger they will not follow but will flee from him for they know not the voyce of strangers Vers 5. Thirdly In his Providences through all afflictions all straits all discouragements and sorrows whatsoever though it be a way of blood We must forsake all to follow a crucified Christ a condemned in bloody paths of sufferings if he call us to it Ye though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me Thy rod and thy staffe they comfort me Psal 23.4 For saith Paul I am ready not to be bound only but also to dye at Jerusalam for the name of the Lord Jesus We must be willing to venture the loss of all for him Liberty Estate Relations and Life it self We have forsaken all and followed thee Math. 19.27 Fourthly In his Example For I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you Joh. 13.5 that Because Christ hath suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 22. So that to follow Christs steps is to take him for an example We must walk in the same spirit in the same steps and in the same obedience VVe must not follow wicked mens Examples who walk in the broad way that leads to death and are of their father the Devil and his work they do John 8.11 But we must follow our Head Christ who went up and down doing good Acts 10.38 Now this is to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth In his Commands In his Teachings In his Providence In his Example Secondly To follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth is to follow him truly without hypocrisie and constantly without apostacy First Truly without hypocrisie Many follow the Lord as Beggars follow a man onely for an Almes they prize the wages of Religion above the work of Religion You seek me not because of the miracles but because you did eat of the loaves and were filled John 6.26 Oh Beloved God abhors an Hypocrite more then a Sodomite and Hell is provided on purpose for Hypocrites Mat. 24.51 My Beloved following the Lamb fully is to have the heart sixed and resolved for God My soul followes hard after thee said David Psalm 63.8 And as the Hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God All the faculties of his soule are working after God My soul and all that is within me praise the Lord saith holy David Secondly Constantly without Apostacy A
WILLIAM DYER Preacher of the Gospell Aetat 27 1663 A CABINET OF JEWELS OR A GLIMPS OF SIONS GLORY Written by WILLIAM DYER late Preacher of the Gospel at Chesham and Chouldsbury in the County of Bucks Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things that are written therein for the time is at hand Rev. 1.3 Printed in the Year 1663. TO Those of Chouldsbury Parish Together with all others who did attend constantly upon the Word of God there Preached Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplyed from God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ. DEarly Beloved They that love God dearly are dearly beloved of God dearly beloved of Christ dearly beloved of Angels dearly beloved of Saints they are beloved of all and have the love of all whose love is worth the having O my dear Friends I cannot think of you and your condition but it fills my eyes with water and my heart with griefe and with Jeremy I wish O that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountaine of Tears that I might weep day and night for the slain of the Daughter of my people Jeremiah 9.1 Oh that I am constrained to be from you whom I could live and dye with spend and be spent for so deare a people as you are I would chuse to be doing the work to which I was called amongst you rather then any where else if I might I should not count my Life dear to me so that I might have the liberty to preach Christ to you for your edification and salvation I hope your Consciences will bear me witnesse that whilest I was with you I Laboured as much as in me lay to be a helper of your joy not to Lord it over your faith and I bless God I can with a good conscience safely say I have coveted no mans Gold nor Silver as you your selves know I could do very much for you but I dare not sin against God and my own Conscience But my dear Brethren Though they have separated us one from the other they cannot separate our hearts I hope there will never be a separation of our loves but that will still continue if we do not see one another yet we may love one another and pray for one another And now my desire is that my pen may reach you though my voice cannot reach you That I may still approve the sincerity of my love to you I shall give you twenty Directions for the right ordering of your Lives and conversations in these dangerous and sinful times that you may live in Heaven whilest you are on the Earth and come to Heaven when you shall leave the Earth I. First Loath sin and leave sin He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but whosoever Confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Prov. 28.13 If we confess our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 John 1.9 There must be falling out with our sins before there be falling off from our sins there must be a loathing of sin in our affections before there be a leaving of sin in our conversations Oh is it not a thousand times better to part with sinne though never so sweet than to part with God and Christ and Heaven one of them you must do One sin will damn a Soul out of Christ but no sin can damn a Soul in Christ Sin is the evill of evils it is worse then the Devill for its that that made the Devil to be a Devil O the love of sin and the lack of grace will ruin and destroy your souls for ever It is better not to be than to be a sinner better to be no people than not to be the Lords people Oh therefore kill sin that sin may not kill you mourn for sin and flye from sin do not commit new sins but repent of old sins Ezek. 36.31 You shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities O poor soul hast thou not served the flesh and the Devil long enough Yea hast thou not had enough of sin is it so good to thee or so profitable for thee Oh what a place will you be shortly in of joy or torment Oh what a sight will you shortly see in Heaven or Hell Oh what thoughts will shortly fill your hearts with unspeakable delights or horror what work will you be imployed in to praise the Lord with Saints and Angels or to cry out in fire unquenchable with Divels Oh therefore dye unto sin confess it mourn for it and be ashamed of it hate it and loath it and flye from it as from a Serpent and though your sins are more then you can number yet they are not more then God can pardon II. Secondly Put off the old man and put on the new Eye not one to another seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him Col. 3.9 10. And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in Righteousness and Holinesse Ephes 1.14 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature Gal. 6.15 As new born Babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that they may grow thereby 1 Pet 2.2 Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are past away behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 A new understanding a new will new desires new love new delights new thoughts new words new company and a new conversation he is not what he was before O dear friends be new Creatures that you may be glorious Creatures We can call nothing in Heaven ours till Christ be ours Without regeneration there is no salvation Verily I say unto you except yea be converted and become as little children ye cannot enter into the Kingdone of Heaven John 3.3 Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdome of God You have heard much of God Christ and Heaven with your ears but this will not bring you to Heaven unlesse you have much of God Christ Heaven in your hearts you must be able to say I was once a slave but now a son once I was dead but now I am alive once I was in darknesse but now I am light in the Lord once I was a child of wrath an Heir of Hell but now I am an Heir of Heaven once I was under the spirit of bondage but now I am under the spirit of adoption A true Believer lives in the Lord 1 Thes 1.1 On the Lord Rom. 1.17 Luke 20.38 From the Lord Joh. 6.57 To the Lord Romans 1â— 8 With the Lord 2 Corinth 13.4 III. Thirdly Make your peace with the Prince of peace Isa 9.6 Psal 2.12 Kiss the Son least he be angry and ye perish from the way
when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him O do not lift up your hand against the Son but kisse the Son Let his Will be your Rule His Spirit your Guide His precepts your practices His decrees your delights His chosen ones your choicest companions Submit to his Gospel and Government Oh Sirs make your peace with God There is a fourfold Peace First There is a peace external this peace is with men Secondly There is peace supernal that is peace with God Thirdly There is peace internall that is peace with Conscience Fourthly There is peace eternall and this is peace in Heaven Psal 37.37 Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace If you have peace with God the world and the Devil cannot hurt you And upon the glory shall be a defence Isa 4.5 Believers have God for their Guide and Guard he that meddles with the Saints of God assaults God himself Zech. 2.8 He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of mine eye He that lifts up his hand against them lifts up his hand against God though they have many enemies yet they have one friend that hath more strength then all their enemies A ragged Saint is dearer to God then a glittering Emperour that wants grace O make your peace with the Prince of peace that in this life you may have assurance of eternal life that eternal death may not be your portion in the other life IV. Fourthly Make Religion your main business and not a by business Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure for if ye doe these things ye shall never fall 2 Peter 1.10 Work out your salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 But seek ye first the Kingdome of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you Math. 6.23 Oh why is the glory of this world so much regarded but because the Glory of Heaven is so little minded Oh what is an Earthly Kingdome in comparison of the Heavenly Kingdome the Angels themselves though they are glorious Spirits yet they are Ministring Spirits Do not most men in the world make light of God and Christ and the Spirit and Heaven and their precious souls And he sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding and they would not come Again he sent forth other servants saying tell them that are bidden Behold I have prepared my Dinner my Oxen and my Fatlings are killed and all things are ready Come unto the Marriage But they made light of it and went their way one to his Farm another to his Merchandize Math. 22.3 4 5. Wretched Wordlings make Religion a by-business they will hear read and pray when they have nothing else to doe Oh that such men did but know what everlasting Glory and everlasting torments are would they then do as they do Oh that they did but know the worth of their Souls and the want of a Saviour the shortnesse of their time and the greatness of their work would they then neglect God and their own souls as they do Oh Friends Let me beseech you to whom I write to make Religion your main businesse hearing reading praying believing and doing your maine businesse Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life which the Son of man shall give unto you for him hath God the father sealed Joh. 6.27 V. Fifthly Doe nothing in this World but what you can answer in another World For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Rom. 2.16 He hath appointed a day in which he will judg the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath ordained Acts 17.31 For God shall bring every work to judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil Eccles 12.14 Oh for the Lords sake my Dear Brethren Let nothing be done by you in this world but what may be answered in another world Many men doe that in this world which they cannot in another world Now they contemne God blaspheme God rebel against God go a whoring from God and persecute the Beloved of God Instead of protecting the Saints imprison the Saints and are more for crushing them than comforting them instead of visiting them vilifie them and instead of affecting them afflict them and eat them up as they eat bread Psal 14.4 And will not suffer them to worship the true God in Spirit and in truth but Mock them Heb. 11 36. Threaten them Acts 4.29 Accuse them Acts 24.5 Slander them Math. 1.11 Curse them Math. 5.44 Beat them Acts 5.40 Imprison them Acts 4.3 Plunder them Heb. 10.34 Banish them Heb. 11. And Murder them Rom. 8.36 All this the poor innocent suffer whilst swearing cursing whoring robbing blaspheming drunkenness and gluttoning and all manner of debauchery yea murder it self walks unpunished in the streets and only he that departs from evill makes himself a prey What wonder then if such as these shall one day hide themselves in Dens and Holes and cry to the Rocks and Mountains to fall on them and hide them from the face of him that sits on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb Rev. 6.15.36 Oh what will Persecutors do when Jesus Christ shall appear in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that knew him not and obeyed not his Gospel 2 Thes 1 8. Will they not then be dumb and speechlesse and have never a word to say for themselves as that man that had not on his Wedding garment Math. 22.12 But Oh Beloved Let that grace that hath appeared to all men teach us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts that we may live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Tit. 2.11.12 following the Lamb resisting Satan shuning sin and separating from the world VI. Sixthly Make the Word of God your Rule and the Spirit of God your Guide To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 We have also a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto ye doe well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-starre arise in your hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in righteousnesse 2 Tim 3.16 Howbeit when the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come John 16.13 The
with him A Believers dying day is his Crowning day And I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me write blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them Rev. 14.13 Oh I beseech you my dear Brethren every day spend some time in preparation for and meditation of Death Judgement Hell Heaven and Eternity Eternity is a sum that can never be numbred a line that can never be measured Eternity is a condition of everlasting sorrow or everlasting joy Oh think of this and prepare for this every day before the night of death comes And thus my beloved I have given you these Twenty precious directions for your souls I shall leave this Book with you as a Legacy of my dearest Love my desire in all this is your happiness here and your blessedness hereafter My earnest and humble desire of you is That you would mind this Book and my former Treatise not only read them but reform your lives by them O do your Duty love your Duty and live your Duty that you may be made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Which is and shall be the earnest and constant Prayer of one that esteems it a most glorious priviledge to be of the number of those who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth William Dyer REVEL 14.6 These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth THE Title of this Book tells us it is The Revelation of John and John tells us Chap. 1.1 it is the Revelation of Jesus Christ Christs Revelation to John and John's Revelation to us The Comma of this Book is set forth Chap. 1.19 VVrite the things that are and the things that shall be hereafter And into these two parts this book is divided First a Relation of the things that are referring to the seven Churches of Asia Secondly A Revelation of the general state of the Church to come and that from John's time unto the second coming of the Lord. The words of this Book are the true sayings of the true God they are therefore true and faithful Chap. 22.6 The matter of this Book so much concerns the good of the Church that Jesus Christ commandeth every one that hath an ear to heare to hearken what the Spirit of God saith unto the Church and to shew how earnest Christ Jesus is to have all his Members and Servants acquainted with the things revealed in this Book this charge he repeated eight times over as this Book shewes Chap. 2.7 11 17 29. And Chap. 3.6 13 22. And Chap. 13.9 A blessing is pronounced upon the Reader Hearer and Doer of the things written in this Book Chap. 1.3 O what can be said more or more effectually to stir us up to hear and read than blessedness And blessed is he that keepeth the words of the Prophesie of this Book Chap. 22.7 But how shall we keep them except we know them and how shall we know them except we read them The excellency of this Book is such as neither Man nor Angel none in Heaven or Earth or under the Earth was found worthy so much as to look into it till Jesus Christ went took out of his Fathers hand to open it unto us Chap. 5.3 The blessed St. John could not but weep for fear least this book should have been kept close from him and the Church so earnest was he to know those things which we neglect to know Chap. 5.4 This book is a most precious Jewel which Christ hath bestowed upon his Church in the latter dayes and it is our great duty to look into it and read it study it open it and expound it that all the people may thorowly be acquainted with it especially in these times for now in this Age is and shall be the very heat of the war and brunt of the battle betwixt God and Beliall betwixt Christ and Antichrist betwixt the Lambs followers and the Beasts followers Now this book lyeth all open and plainly telleth us what shall be the issue and successe in the day of battel which side shall have the victory and which side shall go down Chap. 17.19 And certainly the sons of Belial shall not long prevail the date of their Reigne is almost out and the time draweth on apace wherein both they and their Beast shall be laid in the dust This book sheweth us the rising of the Beast the declining of the Beast and the ruine of the Beast Chap. 18 Our Lord Jesus hath shewed us in this book the sorrowes and sufferings and afflictions and tribulations which the Church was to meet withal in the latter times Chap. 11.7 and Chap. 12.14 15. and Chap. 13.7 And her deadly and cruel Enemies the Whore of Babylon the Mother of Harlots the Beast the false Prophet and the great red Dragon which maketh War against her and casteth out floods after her Chap. 12 17 This book sheweth us likewise the true State of the true Church upon Earth what she is where she is how she is and what she shall be hereafter and that before the slaying under the slaying and after the slaying 1. Before the slaying time the true Church is in the Wilderness where she hath a place prepared her of God that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes Chap. 12.2 Before the slaying of the Witnesses the true Worshippers of God are in a low condition in heavinesse and sadnesse in sack-cloth and ashes in a mourning and suffering State being scattered and dispersed here and there as Israell was of old But though this be the condition of the poor Woman in the Wilderness yet she is not without comfort she may take comfort in three things 1. That God prepared a place for her 2. That God nourished her locked her up in his chamber of Providence 3. That God numbered her dayes of suffering The Tribulation of the Saints of the Old Testament is reckoned up still by years as the bondage of Egypt four hundred and thirty years and the Captivity of Babylon seventy years But under the New Testament by Dayes Ye shall have tribulation ten dayes Chap. 2.10 And the two witnesses shall lye dead three dayes and a half Chap Chap. 11.9 So the Woman was to be in the wilderness a thousand two hundred and threescore days The Church is compared to a woman for four Reasons First As as woman is weak and feeble so is the Church and can doe nothing without Christ John 15.5 Secondly As a woman is useful and fruitful so is the Church John 15.2 Thirdly As a woman is faire and beautiful so is the Church Ezek. 16.13 Fourthly As a woman is full of love affection so is the Church Cant. 2.5 2 Under the slaying time the true worshippers of God and witnesses of Jesus Christ lie dead in the Street of the great City which is spiritually called
His Pleasant Portion Jer. 12.10 Thirdly His Inheritance Isa 19.25 Fourthly The Dearly beloved of my soul Jer. 12.7 Fifthly Gods Treasure and peculiar Treasure Exod. 19.5 Sixthly His Glory Isa 46.13 Seventhly The House of Gods glory Isa 60.7 Eighthly A Crown of Glory Isa 62.3 Ninthly A Royal Diadem in the same place Tenthly The Glory of God Jer. 3.17 Eleventhly Golden Candlesticks Rev. 1.12 Twelfthly Kings Rev. 5.10 And in my Text Heaven There is as much difference between the Church of God and other men as there is betwixt Gold and Dirt as betwixt Diamonds and Pebbles in the Lords esteem they are to God above all people The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Pro. 12.26 O how precious how happy how blessed and glorious are Believers they are called Heaven Secondly Believers are called Heaven because there is much of them in Heaven First Their Thoughts are in Heaven Psal 139.18 Secondly Their Desires are ie Heaven Psal 73.25 Thirdly Their Affections are in Heaven Col. 3 2. Fourthly Their Hopes are in Heaven Tit. 2.13 Fifthly Their Conversations are in Heaven Phil. 3.20 Sixthly Their Hearts are in Heaven Mat. 6.21 Seventhly Their Aims are in Heaven Luke 10.20 O there is much of Believers in heaven their souls are in heaven when their bodies are walking upon the Earth they live in heaven whil'st they are on the earth and they come to heaven when they leave the earth Eph. 2.6 And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus The Saints are set in heavenly places heavenly Dignities heavenly priviledges heavenly Prerogatives The Saints of the High God are set in high places The true Church is that Spouse that is fair and beautiful Cant. 2.14 O the Church of Christ is lovely and glorious First Glorious in her Head Secondly Glorious in her Titles Thirdly Glorious in her Gifts and Graces Fourthly Glorious in her Offices Fifthly Glorious in her Priviledges Sixthly Glorious in her Members O the Church of Christ is a holy Church and a glorious Church That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinke or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Ephes 5.27 They are not defiled they are Virgins and in their mouthes is found no guile Now he that hath an ear to hear let him hear I shall exhort you that are members of this heavenly Church First To seek Heavenly things before and above all things else Let your hearts be filled with Heavenly knowledge and heavenly riches Secondly Delight in heavenly things let it be your heaven upon Earth to serve the God of heaven Thirdly Act by Heavenly Principles Fourthly Have a holy dependance upon God For Direction For Protection For Assistance For a blessing Fifthly Eye Heavenly objects God Christ and the Spirit Sixthly Imitate Heavenly Ones follow them that follow Christ Seventhly Walk by a Heavenly Rule walk according to the Laws of heaven Eighthly and lastly Live much in heaven Your Father is in heaven Your Head is in Heaven Your Husband is in heaven Your King is in heaven Your Treasure is in heaven Your Crown is in heaven Your Wages are in heaven And where should you be but in heaven Knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance Heb. 10.34 For we know that if our Earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God and a house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 Oh these are blessed and holy ones And they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful Rev. 17.14 Oh labour to be like these in purity and piety in holiness and humbleness in meekness and patience in faithfulness and uprightness in spiritualness and in all Godliness Thirdly Follow the Lamb out of Babylon And they cryed with a loud voice saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth Revel 6.10 And another Angel came out of the Temple crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the Cloud Thrust in thy Sicle and reap for the time is come for thee to reap for the harvest of the Earth is ripe And he that sat on the Cloud thrust in his Sicle on the earth and the earth was reaped And another Angel came out of the Temple which is in heaven he also having a sharp Sicle Rev. 14.15 16 17. The Whore of Babylon shall be destroyed with a double destruction Her walls shall fall down Her wall of Power Her wall of Policy Her wall of Superstition Her wall of Maintenance And that for these Reasons First Because she hath corrupted Religion and that both in Doctrine and Worship Babylon is fallen is fallen that great City because she made all Nations drink of the Wine of the wrath of her fornication Rev. 14.8 Chap. 18.3 Secondly Because she hath poysoned the Kings of the Earth The Whore of Babylon hath been the great corrupter of Kings And I saw three unclean spirits like Frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet for they are the spirits of Devils working miracles which go forth unto the Kings of the Earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty Rev. 16.13.14 Chap. 17.2 Thirdly For her cruelty In her was found the blood of the Prophets and all the Saints that were slain upon the Earth Chap. 18.24 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and when I saw her I wondred with great admiration Chap. 17.6 Fourthly Because her ruine and destruction is published and proclaimed over the world And he cryed mightily with a strong voice saying Babylon the great is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of Devils Chap. 18.2 Chap. 14.8 Fifthly It is the great design that Christ hath in the latter dayes of the world to destroy Antichrist The Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings Cha. 17.14 His eyes were as a flame of fire and on his head were many Crowns and he was cleathed with a Vesture dipt in blood and his name is called The Word of God And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he should smite the Nations Chap. 19.12 13 15. Sixthly Because she hath greatly insulted and triumpht over the Lords people in their miseries and calamities And they that dwell upon the Earth shall rejoyce over them and make merry and send gifts one to another Rev. 11.10 Seventhly Because of all the Churches enemies that ever were this is the cruellest enemy The fourth Beast is worse than any of the former Beasts And behold a fourth Beast dreadfull and terrible and strong exceedingly and it had great Iron teeth and it was divers from all the Beasts that were before it Dan. 7.7 Rev. 18.24 Eightly It is the expectation of all the Saints that Babylon should be destroyed and thrown like a Mil-stone Chap. 18.21 Now God that hath raised this expectation in the hearts of his people he will not frustrate their expectation he will fulfill their Petions Ninthly God hath promised to destroy the scarlet Whore because she hath destroyed his Saints and she is to be rewarded as she hath rewarded others Chap. 15.5 6. Chap. 18.8 Tenthly The Whore of Babylon shall be destroyed because she trusteth in the arm of flesh and glorieth in her strength and riches How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her for she saith in her heart I sit a Queen I am no Widdow and shall see no sorrow therefore shall her plagues come Chap. 18.7 Now Beloved consider of this and think of this and keep your selves from Babylon that ye do not partake of her sins least ye receive of her plagues O poor sinners if you have any love to your Souls if you have any mind to be saved follow the Lamb that you may be saved by the Lamb. He leads poor souls from darkness to light From death to life From vice to vertue From Satan to God From poverty to plenty From sorrow to joy From misery to glory From an earthly Kingdom to a heavenly Kingdom Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom Mat. 25.34 O the Kingdom which Christ leads poor souls to is First A Rich Kingdom Secondly A peaceable Kingdom Thirdly A Righteous Kingdom Fourdily A blessed Kingdom Fifthly A Glorious Kingdom Sixthly A satisfying Kingdom Seventhly A Universal Kingdom Eighthly An Everlasting Kingdom Oh follow the Lamb follow the Lamb that you may be for ever glorified with the Lamb and by the Lamb. FINIS