in his reviving Power and their Fellowship with him which no local distance can possibly obstruct in such an Hour when their Release must either come out of Heaven or utterly fail These are indeed great things which cannot be believed and not admired that have thus the nearest Influence on the Joy and Peace of Believing such as are no abstract Notions but the greatest Realities within time 4. There is the comfort of such Divine Promises which by some special Application of that Seal of the Spirit of Promise hath been formerly known will in a dark and sad Hour afford a most singular Assistance But it 's no Contemplation can speak the Power of that Evidence which hath accompanied the same when in an obsignatory way this is given unto the Soul or the great Improvement that hath been made hereof when all visible Refuges are failed 5. There is likewise the Support of Sanctuary Strength that 's in a most peculiar way design'd of the Lord for a Supply in the most overwhelming case when by the publick Ordinances of the Gospel where such a Door is kept open and under the Blessing of that Institution such hid and immediate Conveyances of Power have been then experienced as hath made them return with Admiration upon the directing of Truths to their present case when nothing could be more seasonable yea hath been so evident a return oft to some humble Reference and Enquiry in the Temple herein as if it had been by a Voice from Heaven both in the Light and Power thereof 6. There is the Improvement of former Experience of ancient Friendship and Love betwixt God and their Soul which in the sadest Hour is of a singular use as also of Providences which have been more extraordinary in their Life past since it 's thus Experience worketh Hope not only upon our reasoning from the same but in the way of an establish'd Mean and Ordinance for this end by that indissoluble Connexion which God hath fixed betwixt them 7. Nor is it personal Experience only though that takes the deepest Impression on Mens Soul but the Improvement of such eminent Acts of Providence as have been most discernable in the case of others under their greatest Exigencies and under some observable Seal of Gods immediate Appearance therein since there is a publick Interest that the residue of the Saints have in the same for strengthening of their Faith as well as these who are most immediately concerned herein to make some new Accession to the Churches Treasure when the Issue of some resolute and great Adventures of Trust and Reliance on God hath been made clear and conspicuous to the World 8. There is likewise that rare Assistance to a Christians Faith and its comforting Work in the saddest Hour which is ever then found in the actings of Love and fervent Emotions thereof to him who is the Determiner of their Lot since it 's proper to Love that it thinks no Evil but hath still Honourable Thoughts of God even under the most dismal Appearances of Providence and is thus watchful that nothing should estrange or separate betwixt them and the Love of Christ whose severest Act of Smiting is to heal and is ever saving And where this Love is in Exercise it hath such a piercing Intelligence with its Blessed Head as to discern his Heart and the sounding of his Bowels towards them even when his Hand would seem to destroy which renders the way of Trust so sweet and delightful that if this way could fail they should make no other Choice 9. Yea There is to be known then how the comfort of Hope does work upon their being in the Issue made Overcomers when the Triumph shall be proportioned to the Measure and Greatness of these Conflicts which have been in their way and that it 's so near when this shall be made the Object of their Sense which is now such a Wonder to their Faith and that even in this Militant State on the Earth they stand in Right as a Part of the Church Triumphano who are insert as Members thereof on the Records of Heaven and tho' they be not yet in Possession yet have a proper Room secured them in these Regions of Glory who may have no Title or comforting Interest now in this World And how short a View are we to take of the things of Time whilst that other World in both the States thereof is each day filling up with a growing and new Increase Let me add this further that as each observing Christian should have some Record and History of himself both as to what hath been most remarkable in the ways of God towards them and of their Designs and Improvements of Grace which in any measure they have attained So is it not expressible what an Interest this makes as a helper to their Joy when there may be a surrounding of them otherwise with matter of Heaviness under manifold Temptations It is by this short View which is now offered of Assistance that have the most immediate and prevalent Influence on a comforting Reliance and Adventuring on God though Tryals should be at the greatest height may let us see what an Advantage such have above these who seem to have the most Support and Security from visible things yea we know little how near such a day may be to these who now are at ease when no Comfort or Relief shall be found in another way And oh that Men would in the way of Reason inquire more deeply about the Truth hereof and what they will do when Humane Confidences are blasted if they have no Interest in such a Support I should have entred on a 5th Enquiry about the present Appearances of the time we are in but having both in the foregoing Discourse and another Piece lately Published spoke at some Length thereto as to what may be just Grounds of Fear and for Confidence and Hopes I shall forbear to add further on that Head but whatever Regard may be to the same which I must say hath a directing Call in a special way to these who are in the highest Station and Power this day in Britain I can with humble Confidence speak that what is there offered to be awakening to us as matter of Fear when such unusual Grounds are for the same was under the Dread and Fear of that God to whom I must e're long give an Account of the Commission I have received as a Watchman to his Church yea with such inward Quiet and Assurance of Mind hereIn as if the Close of this Discourse should be the last of my Work and Service within time though something may possibly seem strange of what hath been offered on such an Account But I hope therein will be found nothing which may not be convincing to any of a serious and considerate Spirit in the way of solid Reason and was for this Intent designed that by our answering to the Call and Warnings of God which have been very extraordinary and evident in our day there might be yet a meeting him whilst he is in the way to prevent threatned Judgment which tarrieth not for Man nor is dependent on visible things when the time thereof is once come Only I must shut up this with Two serious Reflections on the present Juncture of things as may be too Obvious 1. That it 's now some Years past since an unusual and conspicuous Signal of Judgment hath been given not only to these Nations but to the whole Reformed Churches in that astonishing Stroak and Devastation of the Church of France where hath been a plucking up of what was so eminently planted there and casting down of what was built so as for a time the Candlestick is removed thence This I must confess hath had to me a more sad and affrighting Aspect that the Correspondence which is this day in the Publick State of the Reformed Churches does so evidently in as high a Prevalence of Sin and of wasting Distempers if not in a higher Degree than could be than charged on that Church 2. That when the Holy God sets up so great and eminent a Beacon as such a Ruin is this day in our sight he does usually for some time allow it to be Warning and Awakening to other Places for whom it is design'd and herein as to this Instance hath he graciously held his Hand that the Out-cast of his People there might have both a Retreat and Relief in other Churches but oh when the Intent of such an astonishing Beacon is not answered and ceaseth to be affecting to our Spirits as at the first I must refer it to the Thoughts and Enquiry of others whether the Design of such a Rod as hath been there raised and made use of for Judgment and breaking down as well as Tryal be yet sisted and hath no further Work for the same Interest and Vindication of the Glory of God as to other of the Churches or if there be no cause now to fear that the Dregs of such a Cup is not yet wrung out which may be feared to be more severe at last than what was in the first part thereof if Grace do not in a singular way interpose And it is on that Account my Heart cannot but meditate Terror this Day FINIS
prevalent as to attain the Work of an Age formerly in a very short time and verify that Scripture to the Amazement of the World Isa 66. 10. how a Nation and People should be Born and formed to the Lord in a day But I must herewith speak to a sad Mistake that I humbly judge many are upon as to the measure of that Prophetick Millennium and highest Glory of Christs visible Reign herein as if that definite time of a Thousand Years should be understood extensively of such a precise number of Years and of so long a Duration when the Intent of the Holy Ghost herein seems so clear and evident that it 's rather intensively to be taken in the Value and Splendor thereof when the Light of one day will be as of seven in one and the Work of God in a short measure of time then will virtually amount to a Thousand Years I know it 's accknowledged by all and clearly understood as David speaks Psal 90. and the Apostle 2 Pet. 2. how a Thousand years with the Lord is but as a day yet seems the Sense of this to be little apprehended by most how a day before the Lord may be as a Thousand years And how it 's intended there to shew his ing such a Value and Glory thereon as it may amount to the Product of a Thousand years formerly in the ordinary course of Providence 2. It is in this respect also that the Lords making a short work in the Earth in the last times of the Church may be understood by a more swift course than usual in order to the perfecting of the Saints who then are on the Earth and ripening of them for Heaven so that answerable to their Attainments of Grace in a more extraordinary growth herein their Translation to Glory will be the more hastned and the Measure of the Work and Services of their time more quickly perfected This with humble Sobriety I have sometimes and do still judge that the Lords cutting short his work then may be no less remarkable in the short Period and Duration which the Saints shall have on the Earth after their Calling than that long Measure which was allotted to Men in the first entry of time as congruous to this design of Grace to make a short work then and hasten the full Translation of the Church to its Triumphant State 3. It is to be judged in this respect also will appear that cuting short of the Work of God in the last times by bringing forth the great designs of Providence which are then to have their full Accomplishment with so extraordinary a gale of Divine Power and swift course thereof as will admit no Halting or Delay but shall attain that in a very short time which to our Thoughts would seem great for an Age to bring forth We can see now with full evidence for what great ends the Service and Vse of time hath been from the first entry thereof and what designs the Blessed Author of the same hath had on the Ages past But when we look forward to the last Intent and Work thereof there seems to be very dark and strange Thoughts hereof by many though the Spirit of God by Divine Revelation is clear and express about the same as to what must be yet filled up of the Work and Administration of Providence before the end The Testimony of Christ which is the Spirit of Prophesie was most specially directed under the Old Testament upon his Priestly Office but now is the Glory of this Testimony as to the Prophesies under the New Testament in a peculiar way settled on his Kingly Office in the whole Progress and Gradations of his visible Kingdom until the close of Time and it 's in a Twofold respect that the Spirit of Prophesie does reveal the great designs of Providence which are yet to be perfected before the end of time The first is as to a breaking down and final Overthrow of the Kingdom of Antichrist under the last Vials yea as to the Methods of Providence and the manner hereof is also express and clear that when the time is once come for this great and magnificent Act of Judgment on that City and Seat of the Beast by the Fifth Vial it will then make a strange and unusual dispatch and be an amazing Surprizal as the Scripture speaks Rev. 18. 7 8. when she says I sit as a Queen and shall see no Sorrow then in one day shall her Plagues come for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her Nor can this be more marvelous in our Eyes when it comes than what we have seen of the degrees of Wrath and Judgment that are already fulfilled on this Adversary so as I must judge by Scripture Evidence this will be a work of short time as it will bear an extraordinary and immediate Appearance of God therewith But there is one great design further in that way of breaking down and overturning which must yet take place in the final Judgment of the Mahumetan Empire both as to Turks and Persians which as it may be clearly understood by the Sixth Vial and does with great evidence relate to what is foretold of this Adversary Rev. 9. 14. under the Sixth Trumpet so as to the manner hereof in that Allusion of drying up the River of Euphrates when formerly we see how these Angels were let loose for Destruction who were bound thereat We may see how the same Allusion does speak such a work of Judgment as will be strange sudden and surprizing as the drying up of Euphrates by Diversion of that River did in one Night make way to finish the Babylonish Empire in the time of Cyrus and now some prelude and remarkable Steps of Judgment as to the fall of that Empire have been of late very obvious But yet in a Concurrence herewith there is one great design of Providence to be accomplished before the end which is for building up and a restoring work on that great and long Ruin of the scattered Jews and thus for gathering together in one in the Dispensation of the fulness of time all things in Christ even in him Eph. 1. 10. which Scripture I must humbly judge speaks peculiarly to that last uniting work about the Church Vniversal both of the Jews and Gentiles When the times of the Gentiles are once Accomplished which as I have a little touched before then will it be understood in the Event how the Value and Interest of a day may be by the Lord in that manner heightned as to sum up and abridge therein what had not been attained in a Thousand years before It was in the first times of the Gospel that the Effusion of the Spirit of God and Out-goings of his Power was so wonderful and strong as in Forty years the extent of the Christian Church after the Ascention of Christ was then greater in the World than it seems to be at this day which I do not question shall yet once
a Seal of their Commission for Judgment not only to take Peace from this part of the Earth but to be the Rod of Divine Indignation against the Refomed Churches For it hath been under this Rod that hitherto the most destructive Ddsigns have had the most visible Successes and when an Instrument of Judgment is of Gods choosing and hath an anointing for this end put upon him it proves then to be very formidable as it hath the Impress of his Terror and Greatness put thereon beyond what is at another time and is thus acted with an invisible Power and Concurrence until such a Work of Judgment be accomplished 2. We see this is an Adversary who in this late Design against the whole Protestant Interest in the Kingdom of France hath had such prevailing Successes to carry on a ruining and judicial work of that nature when in former times the Protestants there did with an Heroick and Invincible Spirit bear out against the utmost Power and Violence of Four Kings successively and could see them by an extraordinary Divine Hand broke But oh now was the day turned no less remarkably and the Attempts of this King followed with that Terror Fainting and Lowness of Spirit as to any self Defence that it might be seen as in the case of Samson their Strength this way was departed so as nothing could avail until such a Work both of Tryal and Judgment was accomplished This I confess hath oft had an affecting Sense on my own Spirit and brings a more extraordinary Call therewith to have our Reliances more absolutely fixed on God and promise less to our self from visible means yea how to prevent such a Hazard at the Fountains Head as is still threatning when there may be just matter of Fear that the date of his Commission is not yet expired But 3. Is it not known that this is such an Adversary over whom the English Nation once had so great an Ascendent in times past as they were a Terror unto that People who now does not only keep but gain Ground against the united Strength of so great Confederacy so that there may be cause for a higher Look than to what is humane in the Standing Supports and growing Strength of that Party And it 's surely one of the great Demonstrations of Providence in the World which is both in the rising and depressing of the Genius of a Nation and People answerable to the Designs which God is accomplishing hereby But this I leave to the more serious Thoughts and Judgments of others what Appearance such a Sign hath to us this day 4. It is in some singular way that it may be said the French have attained beyond others to be united within themselves and on the other hand no less skilful to divide and promote Discords amongst those who are against them and who now in this critical Juncture of Affairs know how to graft their deepest Designs on these intestine Distempers and Convulsions which are so visible in the Politick Body of these Nations yea know how to foment the same whilst intestine Conslicts even amongst the most serious part of Protestants are so uncessant as to shut out all fear of this kind and despise any moral Relief or Cure 5. Tho' it may be of small Notice or Remark upon any threatning Aspect of such a Party yet I must look otherways thereon even in this Particular that there has been such a long and resolute conforming amongst us to the way of that Nation in the most Prodigions Fashions and Attires who have delighted herein to copy after such a Patern that they may be at last in the Righteousness of God made to have as sad a Tryal of them in the way of Judgment as of that continued Instuence and Ascendent they have had over them in the way of Sin 6. But there Is one Reflection I must yet further offer upon this Head which in this day hath had a special Impression on my own Spirit that the last Effort and ultimus conatus of the Kingdom of Antichrist before its final Fall may be feared is not yet accomplished as to the ultima clades of the Reformed Churches yea that this work hath fallen under his Hand as the Instrument waited and fitted by Divine Providence for such an end which hath oft made me judge that the date of his Commission is not yet expired when the same provoking Causes of such a desolating Stroak as hath been of late on the Church of France are no less visible amongst us and may have the same Ground to fear when we see such a remarkable Beacon in their case set before us The God of the Reformed Churches is no Respecter of Persons and Nations who will not still bear with a naked Shew and an uninlivened Profession of that pure and excellent Religion we enjoy yea when the most near and immediate Signs which in former times have gone before some extraordinary Stroak of Judgment on Nations and Churches are rather in some further Degree applicable to us There may be more than ordinary cause to meditate Terror on such an account that there is a Sound of great Wrath on this Generation yea that a Sword is fourbished and sheathed in Heaven which is to have some great destroying work under its Hand before it be put up But oh nothing is like to do until something more extraordinary than we have yet seen draw aside that Veil of Security we are now under and hide these things from our Eyes But I shall add herewith as it should be a Blessed Surprizal if the God of Patience might yet spare and prolong a Season of Grace and Respite so threatning a Woe so on the other hand an experimental Knowledge of the Truth of Divine Premunitions when it 's too late and is had at so dear a Purchase will be very sad when no Conviction or Repentance can regain such a Season as we now have if it be once lost But as the Proverb speaks non licet in bello aut morte bis errare There is one thing yet further now in the shutting up of this Discourse which I must in a few words touch that as it is the alone Prerogative of the Deity to declare things to come before they spring forth and who hath bounded the Prospect and Evidence of his People as to future Events or what he is yet bringing sorth of his work in the last times according to the extent of Divine Revelation herein since this is to be the measure of our Light and Discoveries until the second coming of the Lord. So it 's no less evident and sure that any Pretence or Prospect of the Events of Providence which have no Dependance on any natural causes is beyond the possible reach of all natural Science or of that horrid Profession which is so much aloft in these times of judicial Astrology as it relates to future and contingent Events wherein Men as free Agents do act when