Kinreds of the Earth shall wail because of him even so Amen That this cannot be meant of the day of Judgement is evident because the mourning here spoken of is a penitential mourning and is taken out of Zach. 12.10 at the last day all the Saints shall rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory all the wicked shall be hardned in impenitency and though they may howl over their own misery yet not mourn after Christ there will be no penitential mourning in that day and therefore Christ will appear in the clouds before that day and every eye shall see him especially the people of the Jews I could give you other Scriptures that speak to the same effect But yet these as express as they are with the rest which look that way are not fully convicing as I conceive for 1. I find often in Scripture what 's carried on by Instruments ascribed to God as if the had done it personally without the use of any such Instruments Rev. 16.456 The third Angle poured out his Vial upon the Rivers and Fountains of Waters and they became blood and they say unto God Thou art righteous O Lord who hast judged thus and thou hast given them blood to drink All grant that this Vial was poured out as were also all the rest by men holy and spiritual men yet they speak to God and say thou hast judged thus thou hast given them blood to drink 1 Chron 16.13 Let the heavens be glad and let the Earth rejoyce and let men say among the Nations the Lord reigneth ver 33. The Trees of the Wood shall sing out at the presence of the Lord because he cometh to judge the Earth Ps 22.28 The Kingdom is the Lords and he is governour among the Nations Isai 33.22 The Lord is our judge the Lord in our Law-giver the Lord is our King but none of all this immediately by himself or personally but in the use of Instruments So that thought it be sayd he shall destroy Antichrist with the brightness of his coming at which time also he 'l set up his Kingdom and raign yet may it well enough be understood of a coming in those ten Kings or Supreme powers that Scripture saith shall hate the whore and burn her flesh with fire and he may as well set up his kingdome and reign also in and by them and such like 2. How can a circumscribed body as Christ hath be personally visibly in all and every of his kingdoms at once When he shall reign visibly personally on mount Sion or at Jerusalem he cannot at the same time reign personally and visibly here in this Nation but must rule it and all others by his Deputies therefore t is safer to let him keep his place at Gods right hand in heaven then bring him down to sway an earthly scepter seeing he may do it in his Spirit by some special Instruments and comparatively in respect of those he hath formerly ruled in it may be said that Christ himself reigns not personally upon earth but after so eminent and wonderfull a manner in certain select servants as he never reigned in the world before 3. Christ will usher in his kingdome with the most glorious conquests over earthly powers that ever were known I have spoken much to this already it was the subject of the last point yet for method sake give me leave to speak a word to it here Rev. 6.12 to the end I beheld when he opened the sixth seale and lo there was a great earthquake and the sun became black as sackcloth of haire and the moon became as blood and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth even as figtree casteth her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind And the heaven departed as a scroll when t is rolled together and every mountain and Island were moved out of their places And the Kings of the earth and the great men and rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty men and every bondman and every freeman hid themselvs in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sits upon the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand The most and best reformed Expositors do with one mouth tell us that upon the opening of the sixth Seale Christ in Constantine did pull down Heathenisme set up Christianisme and the victories were so great so terrible that by their description you would think them to be the end of the world The terrors of Jesus Christ were so upon the spirits of Kings Captains mighty men as that had the earth shaken under them the mountains and Islands moved out of their places had the sun turned to darknesse the moon to blood stars fallen from heaven had heaven and earth come together and the world been at an end there could not have been greater feares greater outcries to the rocks and mountains to be hid from the wrath of the Lamb some poysoning some hanging some drowning themselves some flying and fell by the sword all at their wits end Thus Christ set up Christianity by Constantine But as I shewed you at large it soon degenerated into Antichristianism or Papacie the most Politique and strongest consitution against Christ that ever any was the very foundation-stones whereof the must and will pluck up that so he may build up himself a sure throne and kingdome But you will say 'T is impossible Christ should bring in his worship and kingdome with greater and more terrible conquests over the Kings of the earth then those he got over the Heathenish powers Let me tell you Nothing is impossible to the Lord God omnipotent He tels us he 'll bring in his Reign with far greater Rev. 16 17.18 When the seventh Angel poured out his Vial into the aire there were voices and thunderings and lightenings and there was a great earthquake such as was not since men were upon earth so mighty an earthquake and so great To the same purpose understand that of Dan 12.1 At that time shall Michael stand up the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation even to that same time and at that time thy people shall be delivered These matchlesse troubles should be at that time when Daniels people the Jewes all the twelve Tribes that are now lost in the dust should be sound out and delivered which Scripture tels us in places enough shall be upon the breaking of Antichrist Dan. 2.44 And in the dayes of these Kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdome which shall break in peeces all these kingdomes i. e. all these kingdoms of the world putting all rule and authority that is carnal and stands in opposition to this designes under his
world to be the true Melchisedech not only King of Righteousness as I but now shewed you but also King of Salem i e. King of peace ruling all the Kingdoms of the world for the generality of them will be his in external peace Isa 9.6 7. To us a Child is born to us a Son is given he shall be called the Prince of Peace of the increase of his government and peace i. e. his government of peace or peace of his government there shall be no end and that this be not limited to internal peace it follows upon the Throne of David to order and establish it but Davids Throne and government of peace was external therefore so also shall Christs be Isa 2.2 It shall come to pass in the last dayes that the Mountain of the Lords house shall be established upon the top of the Mountains and all Nations shall flow unto it ver 4. He shall judge among the Nations and rebuke many People and they shall beat their Swords into Plough-shares and their Spears into pruning hooks and National shall not lift up sword against Nation neither shall they learn war any more Isa 11.6 7 8 9. The Woolf shall dwel with the Lamb the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid the Calf the young Lion and the fatling together and a little Child shall lead them The Cow and Bear shall feed their young ones shall lie down together and the Lion shall eat straw like the Oxe The sucking Child shall play on the hole of the Asp and the weaned Child shall put his hand on the Cockatrice den 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 The Prophet goes on in the 10 11 12. verses concerning this Kingdom and sayes he ver 13. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off Ephraim shall not envy Iudah Iudah shall not vex Ephraim Isa 60.18 Violence shall be no more heard in thy Land wasting nor destruction within by borders and therefore is it ver 11. Thy gates shall be open continually they shall not be shut day nor night And sure such a City who never shut their gates take themselves out of all possibility of danger This 11. ver S. Iohn quotes Rev. 21.25 The gates of it shall not be shut at all by day for there shall be no night there i. e. no night of darkness caused by enemies wars sorrows oppressions for saith Christ I will make all thine Officers peace Isa 60.17 There were no end of giving you Scriptures that must of necessity be understood of the peace of this Kingdom Rev. 21.2 3 4. Ezek. 34.24 25. My servant David meaning Christ shall be a Prince amongst them And I will make with them a Covenant of Peace and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the Land and they shall dwel safely in the wilderness and sleep in the wood i. e. without fear or danger which is unusual and unknown Ver. 28. They shall no more be a prey to the Heathen neither shall the beasts of the Land devour them but they shall dwel safely and none shall make them afraid He gives you light ver 29. when this shall be And I will raise up for them a plant of Renown and they shall be no more consume with hunger in the Land neither bear the shame of the heathen any more This place cannot be fulfilled yet since Ezekiel spake it for they have been a prey to the heathen beasts have devoured them they all bear the shame of the Heathen at this day But when the time comes that this promise shal be fully made good to them these things shall never befall them more but there shall be peace to him that comes in and to him that goes out they shall have peace extended to them like a River as the expression is Isa 66.12 He speaks to our present purpose as the context there clearly gives it Ninthly His Reign will bring wonderful plenty and outward prosperity to his Subjects Isa 30.23 Then shall he give the rain of thy seed that thou shalt sow the ground withall and bread of the increase of the earth and it shall be fat and plenteous in that day shall thy cattell feed in large pastures ver 24. The oxen likewise and young asses that ear the ground shall eat clean provender which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan There being such plenty they will not grudge it them they may well afford them clean provender The two following verses I quoted under the sixt Head they speak of the abundance and increase of Blessings Spiritual all which says the Prophet shall be in the day of the great slaughter Rev. 19.20 And when God shall binde up the breach between the two Tribes and the ten then there will be plenty of all things not only for the soul but also for the body Isa 60.16 Thou shalt suck the milk of the Gentiles and shalt suck the brests of Kings you must take special notice of this all along that the great and glorious Promises of this Kingdom are made primarily and chiefly to the Nation of the Jews the Nations of the Gentiles not excluded they also shall share in them according as they shall come in to Christ ver 17. For brass I 'le bring gold for iron silver for wood brass and for stones iron I will also make thy officers peace and thy exactors righteousness They shall not bee impoverished by those that bear rule amongst them Ezek 34.26 I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing and I will cause the showre to come down in his season and there shall be showers of blessings ver 27. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit and the earth shall yield her increase Rev. 21.24 The Kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour into it ver 26. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the Nations into it Time was and in part yet is that the Kings and Kingdoms of the world brought the glory of their power and wealth and laid it all down at Antichrists feet to enrich him to make him a pompous pamper'd Beast but the days are certainly comming wherein they shall make as much haste to lay down all the feet of Jesus Christ and his People according to that Dan. 7.27 the kingdom and dominion and greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most High and all dominions shall serve and obey him Tenthly The setting up of this Throne of his will make such a change from bad to good in all points that in Scripture t is called a new world Rev. 21.1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth were past away viz. The Political Heavens and Earth
of Popish wordly powers they vanished and new ones came up in their place According to this Text must divers others be understood Isa 66. from the 18. verse to the end of the Chapter the Prophet Treats wholly of this Kingdom In the last verse he bids you look on the carcases of the men that had transgressed against Christ how remarkably and everlastingly they are destroyed In the 18 19 20. verses you have the Calling of the Jews and Nations of the Gentiles In the 21. and 23. verses you have the Ministers and Ordinances of the Gospel set forth and verse 22. all this called new heavens and new earth In the Margent of this Scipture there are divers quotations I would commend two of them to your notice One is Isa 65.17 For behold I create new heavens and new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into my minde That which God will do is so strange so mighty a Work that in comparison of Gods former Works of Providence t is called a Creation of new Heavens and new Earth which cannot be understood concerning the material Heavens and Earth for 't is a Prophesie of something to come that then was not but there was as much yea the very same Heavens and Earth properly taken then as there is now or ever will be there will be no change in the now Visible or Material Heavens Earth but the same Earth Sea Sun Moon Stars to Christs last coming Therefore the Prophet means and calls them new in respect of former ones as t is in the Text the former shall not be remembred Honoris gratiâ The Political Heavens and Earth as I said before of the Pope and Popish worldly Kingdoms these shall pass away and Christ shall set up new Heavens viz. a Heavenly King and Government over all the World Heavenly Officers to rule under him Thy exactors shall be righteousness heavenly Ordinances heavenly gifts and graces shall shine forth heavenly Pastors and Discipline and a new earth of external peace and external plenty the following verses of that 65. of Isaiah will force your thus to understand it The other Scripture the Margent quotes is 2 Pet. 3.12 13. Looking for and hastening to the coming of the day of God c. Nevertheless we according to promise look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness q.d. though I bid you look for and hasten to the great day of God wherein all shall be set on fire yet nevertheless take special notice how that word nevertheless v. 13. comes in do not fear that you shall lose that glorious Kingdom upon earth that your hearts are generally so much set upon Act. 1.6 7. Lord wilt thous now restore the kingdom to Israel That the Messias would do it 't was commonly known and believed of all the Jews and by these taken for granted our Saviour denyes not the matter of their Quaere suffering them to go on in their Faith of the thing it self only gives check to their curiosity It is not for you to know the times and seasons the Father hath put in his own hands Fear not say Peter before the great and last burning we groundedly from a promise expect that God will make and give us in our Posterity new heavens and new earth in which shall dwell none of that base ungodliness the present heavens and earth of the Kingdoms of this World are full of but in which shall dwell Righteousness as t is Rev 9 8. He names the chief thing in Christs Kingdom which will bring with it all the rest I have spoken of to you If we that live now who have taken notice of the present state of things might be raised out of our graves and have a full view of the Kingdom Christ will set up everywhere certainly there would be no more spirit in us we should cry out here is noting of that World that was when we were upon earth we see none of the old Kings and Queens old Rulers old Governments old Sins and Sinners old wayes that formerly were all the old things are gone and behold all is become new Here 's a new King and new Officers new kinde of Preachers new Ordinances new Discipline new Saints new Church new State all 's become new Why this is not the World that was when we were alive behold here 's a new World that the Lord Christ Omnipotent hath Created Lastly This Kingdom shall be of no small continuance Surely Christ will not be at all this care cost pain to pull down to set up to make a new World of it and all this but for a day or a year Antichrist had a thousand two hundred and threescore years to play Rex in now indeed 't is pitty Christ should not have as long a Reign in the World at least It is not for us to know the times and seasons the Father hath reserved in his own hands But I le tell you what Scripturer saith to it Isa 65.17 he had promised as I told you to create new Heavens and new Earth and lest you should mis-understand this new Heavens and new Earth what they are he tels you ver 18. I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy that I mean but when shall this be Why ver 19. When the voice of weeping and crying shall be no more heard in her which must needs point at a time after the destruction of the Temple for then there was weeping and crying enough amongst them viz. upon the now so much expected Calling of the Jews and setling of them again in their own Land at which time ver 22. They shall not build and another inhabit as it had been often formerly with them they shall not plant and another eat but they shall dwell in their own houses and eat their own labours But for what space shall this joy and settlement of theirs be It follows Mine elects shall long enjoy the work of their hands they shall enjoy their new heavens and new earth a long time Rev. 20 2 3 4. The angel laid hold on Satan and bound him at thousand years and the Saints lived and reigned with Christ successively generation after generation a thousand years T is very likely this is a certain number for an uncertain but whether it be more or it be less questionless this expression of a thousand years assures us of a very long time Isa 60.15 I will make thee the joy of many generations not a few but many generations I leave it to your judgement what number of years in this case are to be accounted many the Saints shall enjoy this blessed this glorious reign of Christ for many generations But that which goes immediatly before is this I will make thee an eternal excellency speaking of the Church The word eternal here being to be understood comparatively to other great Kingdoms that have been set up and in time fallen must import a duration as great
decree concerning the order of transactions For that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the Son of perdition The text branches it self thus 1. The delay of Christs last coming that day shall not come 2. A preceding general defection from the faith Except there come a falling away first 3. The unmasking the detection of the great Antichrist or ringleader of that Apostacy The man of sin revealed 4. His doom The Son of Perdition For that day shall not come except c. My purpose is not to speak any things concerning Christs putting off his last coming to judgement nor yet to give you the Common-place of Apostacy but that which I aim at is to discover Antichrist to you in his own colours for all writers both Popish and Protestant say that by Man of sin here is meant the great Antichrist by Son of Perdition his most remarkabe destruction Well then without any more ado the point I hold forth and undertake by Gods assistance to make good to you is this The Popes of Rome are the revealed man of sin the now well known Antichrist of Whom Daniel Paul and the Apostle John have spoken such vile and fearfull things I say in all they have said of the great Antichrist they have pointed the singer at the Popes of Rome To make this good first thus Daniel in Chap. 7. ver 2. saw the four windes of heaven strive upon the great Sea i. e. great commotions in the States of the World out of which there came four great beasts the first like a Lion shadowing forth the Babylonish Monarchy with its Pride and Violence the second like a Bear of a churlish and ravenous disposition such a one was the Persian Monarchy the third like a Leopard having upon his back four wings very subtle and very swift upon the prey such was the Grecian Monarchy set up by Alexander the great but he saw a fourth exceeding terrible and dreadful having Iron teeth and it devoured and brake in pieces and stamped the residue with his feet and 't was diverse from all the rest and had ten hons upon his head Who these beasts were you have the Angels interpretation Dan. 7 17. These great beasts Which are four are four Kings Which shall arise out of the Earth but so monstrous was the fourth that Daniel would needs know the truth of him the Angel speaks to that ver 22. and 24. The fourth beast shall be a fourth Kingdom upon Earth which shall be diverse from all Kingdoms and shall devour the whole Earth and shall tread it down and break it in peices and the ten horns out of this Kingdom are ten Kings that shall arise and another shall arise c. 'T is well known that the Roman Monarchy hath been the fourth great Kingdom of the World then in its greatness and glory of domination when Saint John writ his Revelation who will tell you yet more of this beast and business Rev. 17.3 I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured beast having seven heads and ten horns ver 9 the seven heads are seven Mountains the Palatine Capitoline Aventine Esquiline Quirinal Viminal and Janicular Mountains upon which Rome in its greatness stood And the seven heads are expounded also to be seven Kings ver 10. There are seven Kings five are fallen and one is and the other is not yet come and when he cometh he must continue a short space Seven Kings i. e. seven Supream Kings or forms of governments in Rome which made good the saying of Daniel that the last beast was diverse from all the rest Now saies St. John five are already fallen Kings Consuls Tribunes Decemvirs Dictators these five were all fallen and gone in Saint Johns dayes one is viz government by Emperors which made up the sixt head of the beast The other is not yet come he doth not say the seventh but the other as one hath very well observed pointing doubtless at the Christian Emperors who did not differ from the Heathen Emperors as a distinct form of Government but onely in the quality of their persons the one persecuting destroying Christianity the other protecting advancing Christianity and when he comes he must continue a short space for the Christian Emperors did not reign in their full strength and greatness above seventy or eighty years as Historians make it evident It follows ver 11. And the beast that was and is not even he is the eighth and is of the seven The beast that was The Papacy was in respect of the body of the Empire but is not in respect of any present being for it was not in Saint Johns time Even he is the eighth if you reckon the Christian Emperors for one but in that you ought not so to reckon He is indeed of the seven or one of the seven for there have not been eight but seven forms of Governmnt at Rome the last whereof is called the beast by way of eminency the great whore the false Prophet Antichrist himself So then find out the last head to the Roman Empire and you may say of him this is the man of sin the great Antichrist Now who is he why le ts reckon again the Kings had their time of Governing that 's one the Consulls theirs that 's two Tribunes theirs that 's three Decemvirs theirs that 's four Dictators theirs that 's five Emperors theirs that 's six All these are fallen and gone and if I should put the question in this Congregation who is the seventh head of that beast or who since Emperors have Governed Rome I am perswaded the most ignorant man or woman could tell me they are Popes therefore ye Popes of Rome are the man of sin and the great Antichrist And with this agrees that of the Apostle Paul a little after my text 2 Thes 2.6.7.8 Ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time For the mystery of iniquity doth already work only he who now letteth will let till he be taken out of the way And then shall that wicked be revealed That the Papacy was working in St. Johns time is evident if you search Scriptures what errors were then taught and what Doctrines the Church of Rome doth now teach Antichrists Limbs and Joynts were then a framing a knitting the Pope was then a young Embrio and was still growing in the womb but could not break forth till the Emperors had made way for him by removing from Rome and seating themselves at Bizantium or Constantinople Tertullian Hierom Chrysostom and the more judicious of the ancient Fathers have still thus expounded this place When Constantine had endowed Churchmen with indeed too much temporal greatness especially the Bishops of Rome they then began every day to look more and more like Popes i. e. like the great Antichrist and play Rex which you know they could not do while the Emperors seat was at Rome the Imperial presence
found to pretend to be wholy for Christ and yet in every thing he crosseth and opposeth Christ therefore the Pope is the man of sin the true and great Antichrist Fourthly Saint John Rev. 13. having described the Roman State under six of its heads or Governments ver 11. he brings forth the last head viz. Antichrist that beast by himself of him he saith He had two horns like a Lamb spake like a Dragon and exercised the power of the first beafi that was before him How this Description agrees to the Pope you shall see 1. He hath two horns like a Lamb two horns in his Miter two Keys in his hand a twofold Power Sacred and Secular Spiritual and Temporal as being both King and Priest of the Church Boniface the eighth in the year one thousand three hundred who instituted the first Iubile came out one day in his Pontifical habit the next day in his Robes imperial having two swords carried before him he caused the Herald to cry Ecce duo glady behold two Swords he might as well have caused him to have cried Ecce duo cornua Antichristi behold the two horns of Antichrist Secondly as like a Lamb as he looks yet he hath the Dragons tongue in his mouth he speaks like a Dragon i. e. like a raging Devil swelling words of great terror Rev. 13.5 There was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies He. speaks on this wise whosoever will not worship the beast and his Image and receive his mark in their hand or forehead they shall not buy nor sell they shall be killed he will shut heaven against them and pass sentence of Damnation upon them they shall go to Hell That furious Dragon the Devil speaks nothing but terror to Saints hath the Pope a good word for any that do truly fear God He calls them Heretiques he thunders out his Bulls and Excommunications against them he speaks nothing but Inquisitions Blood Death Hell unto them Truly the Pope speaks as like the Dragon as if he had been spate out of his mouth John 12. ult Our Saviour saith of himself Whatsoever I speak even as the Father said unto me so I speak the Pope may take up the words thus Whatsoever I speak even as the Dragon sayd unto me so I speak Thirdly He exerciseth all the Power of the first beast that was before him Look what Power was in the hands of any or all the Roman Governors Kings Consuls Tribunes Decemvirs Dictators Emperours the Pope hath got it all to himself and hereupon is called the Image of the first Beast He hath brought Kingdoms and People under him as the former did Rules over them with as much Pride and Tyranny as the former did hath suppressed the preaching of the Gospel as much as ever they did is as great a hater persecutor shedder of the blood of Saints as ever any or all of them were Lives in as great sensuality pompous glory as any did that were before him So then He who hath two horns like a Lamb speaks like the Dragon and exerciseth the Power of the first beast he is the great Antichrist but the Pope hath two horns like a Lamb speaks like the Dragon and exerciseth the Power of the first beast therefore the Pope is the great Antichrist Fifthly Antichrist shall comfirm his Doctrine Laws Kingdom by Miracles Rev. 13.13 14. He doth great Wonders so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the Earth in the sight of men And deceiveth all them that dwell upon the earth by means of the Miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast c. This none in the World attempts to do beside the Pope Heb. 2.3 4. Christ did sufficiently confirm that Doctrine Gospel Kingdom he set up by Signs Wonders and divers Miracles so that Austin long since said If any man looked for Miracles he himself was a Miracle And therefore t is evident the Pope hath another Doctrine Gospel Kingdom to establish and advance in the World that to perswade men to receive and submit to he must be put to the working of new Miracles Miracles are so in esteem with them that they are made a mark of the true Church and ours is a false Church because we can work no Miracles whereas indeed our Saviour makes them a note of false Christs and false Prophets Mark 13.22 False Christs and false Prophets shall rise and shew signs and wonders to seduce if it were possible even the Elect The Pope hath come as near seducing the Elect as any man did that ever lived And Saint John here makes them a mark of Antichrist and his Church so also doth Paul 2 Thes 2.8 9. Then shall that wicked be revealed even he whose coming is after the working of Satan with all Power and signs and lying wonders In Gregory the great his time when Antichrist was near to be revealed Miracles of all sorts began to be multiplied there were apparitions for confirmation of purgatory praying to Saints praying for the dead I have read many stories of their Miracles which here I will not trouble you with they 'l serve well for winter-tales Onely this one word t is sayed of Pope Hildebrand called Gregory the seventh that he would as oft as he pleased shake fire out of his Gown sleevs to the great terror and astonishment of the People Their own Historians tell us that above twenty of their Popes have been abominable Nigromancers who by their sorceries and divelish wonders have deceived the World so gaining credit to their way But it may be some will ask me what shall we think of the many and great Miracles that are amongst them I 'le tell you Those Miracles Papists say they now do are done with the Antipodes in the furthest parts of the world for my part I am resolved I will not go to disprove them I believe the most of them are meer fained lyes or else they are but mira not miracula as applying activa passivis may produce very wonderful effects sometimes the senses of men are bemisted add deceived as Pharoahs Magicians did their Spectators Many times the fancy is deluded they perswade some People they are possessed and then perswade them they are dispossessed but they do it by Holy-water Crosses Exorcisme not by the Power of the word as Christ did and Christ did cast out divels by day-light before many witnesses yea his very Enemies but Priests cast them out closely in their chambers in the night and will have no spectators but such as are their sworn friends Our Saviour did other Miracles He gave legs to the lame eyes to the blind he raised the dead to life but these can do nothing but only this about devils therefore I am assured there is some gross delusion or other in it But well gloria Miraculorum is their badge and t is most evident if Saint John may be believed t is a mark of Antichrist and
so strongly support him The Second Viall Rev. 16.3 is poured out upon the Antichristian Sea In this God came nearer to him then in the former for the sea is above the land as t is the proper place of the fire to be above the air the place of the air to be above the water so t is proper to the water to be above the earth t is kept from overflowing all by the power of that word hitherto shall thy proud waves goe and no further Upon the pouring out of the first viall finding themselves in a decaying state they lay their heads together how to plaister their soars and heal themselves of the noysom botches and boyls that had lately broken out upon them and were so visible in every ones eye for which end the Councel of Trent was calld where all the streams of Popish doctrine Popish worship and discpiline were brought together the confluence whereof the Holy Ghost there calls Sea Upon this there did appear in the Reformed Churches men of most eminent Godliness and Learning who did abundantly discover this Sea of theirs both by writing and preaching to be a sea of blood the blood of a dead man and no better In the true Gospel Ordinances there is to be had the living purging saving blood of Jesus Christ but Popish Trental Ordinances were not such blood they were a sea of blood of a dead man clotted congealed blood polluting choaking killing blood this is the Best word God affords them and no marvell when the death of souls was all their operation and effect Every living soul dyed in the sea All those who contented themselves to abide and swim in that Popish Sea that had no other life but what was begot and nourished in the Romish religion dyed and perishd eternally This Vial turned their religion inside out and showed it to all the World in its native colours and baseness till this time Every one took it that it was the bad Lives of the Common sort of people and worse Lives of the Parish-Priests that were in all the fault their Religion in itself good enough but now t is made apparent to all that will nor shurt their eyes that even the Religion itself is naught and base and Antichristian all over And this was yet a hotter Vial of wrath and torment upon them The Third Angel Rev. 16.4 5 6 7. pourd his Viall upon the rivers and fountains of waters that is upon Seminary Priests and Jesuites who compass the earth to and fro conveying the salt of Popish Trental doctrines and worship to people nations and languages and they became blood the meaning is they had blood given them to drink Now to give a man blood to drink is to kill him They were executed by vertue of Queen Elizabeths Law enacted with consent of Parliament in the year 1581. as Traitors hangd drawn and quartered A Book entituled Justitia Britanniae was publised in several Languages to clear the Christian equity and justice that was in such her proceedings with them The United Provinces of the Low Countries come from under the Altar of Persecution for Christ and Truth 1. being freed from the fearfull Tyrannies of Pope and Spaniard took at her in the year 1586. and made a Law to the same effect against them That if any Priest or Iesuite whether Forreigner or Home-born should come into any of the Provinces it should be death to them being apprehended and so they said Amen to the Law and Justice of Queen Elizabeth Let it be even so Lord God true and righteous are thy judgements For the Pope to have capital punishment executed upon his Emissaries the supporters and advancers of his Kingdom and Glory could not but be a tormenting vial of wrath upon him as clearly speaking what measure he himself might look for if he should fall into their hands even he that had drunk the blood of others so freely to have his own heart-blood given him to drink with a Satia te sanguine take your fill of blood and murther The fourth Vial is poured out upon the Sun Rev. 16.8 9. Papacy is resembled by an Antichristian world where there is earth sea rivers fountains and a Sun shining gloriously If we take this Mystical and most Illustrious light according to their conceits and fancie then t is the Popes Supremacie in Temporals Papists will tell you The Pope is as far above the greatest Monarch in this world as the Sun is above the Moon and the several glories of the Kings of the earth are but lights derived from him Temporal glory being in the Pope as light is in the Sun But how is the glory of the Popes Supremacy in Temporals everywhere darkened and in many Kingdomes quite put out You do not not now hear in any of the Popish Nations of his Excommunicating Kings Deposing Kings and giving away their Kingdoms since Henry the 8. God hath exceedingly darkened almost quite destroyed that Sun of the Popes Supreme power in Temporals which hath been a scorching Vial of wrath to him and his Clergy and drawn from them sufficient blasphemies But if you understand the Holy Ghost speaking of things as indeed they be then doubtless t is the house of Austria or the German Emperour It is well known that the Emperours before the Pope set up his Kingdom of Temporal greatness were the Sun and glory of the Political world they being the sixt head of the fourth or Roman Beast were wounded deadly by the incursions of Goths and Vandals Rev. 13.3 But the Pope growing up to his height vouchsafed to be their Surgeon his skill failed him not for he quickly healed that deadly wound by setting up an Emperor in France and after that translating the Empire into Germany Taking things as they really are of a certainty this is the earthly Sun that shines most illustriously in the Popes Antichristian world It matters not whether the Pope will own the Emperour as above himself or no we know he set him up instead of the old Emperours or sixt head who were by all mens confession the Sun of the Political world and the Bishops of Rome but Stars Revel 9. God and Scripture have still made the supreme Magistrate in Temporals the greatest lustre and splendor of any State and therefore with very good reason may the Emperour be here pitched upon who hath been the greatest Light and Glory of the Popish world for hundreds of years The King of Sweden was the Angel out of the Temple who poured this Vial upon the Popish Imperial State as if scorching flames of fire had light upon them And here give me leave to insert a discourse concerning Kings I am not ignorant that he who follows truth too near the heels may chance to have his brains dashd out at least may derive a great deal of spight and odium upon himself which a politick wise man would not do but that of Solomon prevails with me The uprightness of the upright
shall deliver him I find upon search That when Christ is going in good earnest to set up his Kingdom in the name and glory of it there is a great hazard I may say downfall of Kings I shall make this good to you from four scriptures The first of them is Psal 2. ver 2. The Kings of the Earth set themselves and the Rulers take councel together against the Lord and against his Christ This Peter saith was fulfilled at Christs apprehension tryal and death Act. 4.25 26 27. Herod Pontius Pilate the Chief Priests and others consulted and set themselves against him when he had but given out some hints of his Kingship This was that which stirred them up so against him Tell us art thou the King of the Iews And when Pilate was minded to let him go they cryed out He that makes himself a King speaks against Caesar whereupon Pilate went and passed Sentence upon him When there was but some talk that Christ would set up a Kingdom they presently band themselves against him and he dyes for 't and so they think they have broke the Cordes of his Government asunder as t is vers 3. In the 4. verse God laughs at them being wroth verse 5. Speaks that which vexes them Yet or notwithstanding all their combined powers and policies against him have I set him up King of Sion verse 6. And says God I will declare the decree thou art my son this day have I begotten thee verse 7. This was fulfil'd in his raising him up from death to life Act. 13.33 God hath passed an Eternal Decree concerning his Son That when they should kill and bury him he would the third day bring him forth out of the womb of the grave and own him for his Son and set him at his own right hand there to intercede and his intercession should not be in vain Ask of me says the Father to him and I will give the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession ver 8. As if he had said I will set thee in possession of thy inheritance which shall have the uttermost parts of the earth for its boundary according to that Psal 72.8 He shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth For God to declare the Decree is to act it for Dei discere est facere When the time is at hand he must be thus set in actual possession of all the Dominion and Greatness and Glory that God hath promised him if the Kings of the earth did set themselves and the Rulers took councel together against him when he did but speak somewhat of his Kingly Office how much more will they do it then when they see his throne a building and his Kingdom a going up to the no small prejudice of their Interest Revel 11.15 17 18. When he begins to put forth and act his Great Power and do something towards taking the Kingdoms of this world into his own hands and reign then the Nations are angry at him that is they act against him in their anger wherein Kings are chief as you may see Rev. 16.14 16. But do they carry it no and thy wrath is come Rev. 11.18 Christ in his wrath fights the battel with them in Armageddon that is where he gives them a most remarkable overthrow and destruction which this 2. Psal expresses plainly Thou shalt break them with a rod of Iron and dash them in pieces like a Potters vessel v. 9. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the earth v. 10. as if he said look You well to your selves be his servants without Complement and rejoyce with trembling when he comes about this work v. II. Kiss the Son with kisses of Reverence kisses of Obedience lest he be angry and then a little thing will provoke him and so ye perish in the mid-way in the mid-way of your plots enmities oppositions of him for if his wrath be kindled but a little blessed are all those those Kings and Rulers especially that have Wisdom and Faith to get interest in him and be of his side those that have not the fire of his wrath will certainly consume them ver 12. The second Scripture is Isaiah 24. ver 18.19 20. Marlorat who professes to have taken the marrow and substance of his Comment out of Vatablus Luther Musculus Calvin Oecolampadius Pagnin c. hath these very words upon the latter end of the eighteenth ver pertinet autem proprie hic contextus ad Papistus nostros Christ in this Prophesie says he chiefly intends the Popish State Upon a following verse he hath these words ' hoc vaticinium proprie ad Christi regnum pertinet this other part of the Prophesie doth chiefly respect the kingdom of Christ he means his glorious kingdom expressed in the last words of the Chapter The Popish and Gospel-opposing World is here set out by the Earth as it is also in diverse places of the Revelations Rev. 14.19 Chap. 16.1 Here is mention of heavy transgression according to Rev. 18.5 Her sins are reach'd up to heaven The transgression is sayd to be so heavy upon it that the foundations of the Earth shake reel to and fro yea are utterly broken down fall and rise no more the same you may read Rev. 16 18 19. and Rev. 18.21 And it shall come to pass in that day that is in the day of the Earthquake that the Lord shall punish the Host of the high ones that are on high Who are they I take the next words to be Exegetical why the Kings of the Earth upon the Earth ver 21. The most of the Kings and high Ones of the Earth will be Engaged aganst him enough to make an Host whom Christ will fall upon and punish upon the Earth with temporal judgement according as you have heard when he is abought to Raign before his Ancients gloriously as 't is ver 23. If this Prophesie have been at all fulfilled it will doubtless be much more fulfilled in that day for Prophesies many times have a gradual fulfilling The third Scripture is Psalm 110. Sit on my right hand till I make thy Enemies thy footstool ver 1. Concerning those Enemies you may get some light out of Luke 19. ver 14. the Citizens hated him and sent this message after him We will not have this man to Raign over us and ver 27. Those mine Enemies which would not that I should Reign over them c. The Father speaks of those who were Enemies to Christ as a King Enemies to his Raigning When Christ had cast down heathenish Idols and Government Rev. 12. in all reason he might have expected in Constantine and following Emperors and ages to have set up his Kingdom but then upstarts the Pope that Beast with his ten horns or Kings who by their smiting and pushing keep Christ out of all Whereat to speak after the manner of men Christ
Island fled away and the mountains were not found Nothing so remote as the Islands nothing so strong as the Mountains but the Antichristian Islands fled and perished before the stroak of Christ the Mountains were beaten to dust Christ will not leave Papacy so much as a Mountain to flie to or an Island to hide itself in he 'l leave no peice of the frame of Antichristianisme standing in any part of the World And yet still he goes on ver 21. There fell upon men a great hail out of heaven every stone about the weight of a Talent and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail for the plague thereof was exceeding great Here is an Allusion to Ezek. 13.11 to 16. I conceive the genuine sense of the verse to be this Those ten Kings or Supream powers who follow Jesus Christ in this Expedition have Commissions or Commands from the God of Heaven though Rome be burnt yea and the great battell of God Almighty fought and finished to go on with their braining destroying judgements upon all those everywhere wo are found to have had any interest in the Popes cause or Kingdom in worshipping the Beast or any way been engaged for his preservation and defence They shall be pursued and destroyed with such plagues and judgements as that it shall be evident they are from God and that heaven it self fights against them to root out that accursed race to the last man from off the Earth I suppose by this time you are all willing and ready to set your seals to this truth that The Pope who is the great Antichrist and his Kingdom shall be destroyed with most remarkable destruction But now I know the first Quaere you l make within your selves upon what hath been delivered and desire some satisfaction in wil be that of the Disciples Mat. 24.3 tell us when shall these things be and what shall be the sign of their comming I confess these are marvellous hard Questions but I shall freely tell you my thoughts upon them I find the time of Antichrists reign set down Rev. 11.2 The Holy city shall he tread under foot forty two months also Rev. 13.5 and it was given him to continue forty and two moneths by the way let me tell you his reign is reckoned by the moon which rules the night to hint thus much to us that Antichrists works are night works his whole reign is a reign of darkness but to the thing itself Forty and two months allowing thirty dayes to a moneth for they are Lunar moneths I told you make up a thousand two hundred and thereescore days the just time of the witnesses prophesying in sackcloth Rev. 11. or three years and a half First I understand these numbers of a certain and determinate time because every one of them is a broken number round numbers as we call them ten a hundred a thousand are put most times indeterminately a certain for an uncertain number but this is not a round but a broken number 2. These 42. months or three years and a half cannot be taken strictly for 42. of our months or three of our years and a half because as I shewed you before t is an utter impossibility that the Rise and Growth the Glory and all the business of his Kingdome should be compassed in so short a time Therefore Thirdly they must be taken according to that Ezek. 4.6 I have appointed thee each day for a year Every day in these 42 months being put for a year the whole amounts to 1260 years the just raign of Antichrist But when the time of his raign did begin confident I am there is no man alive without extraordinary Revelation can speak certainly and to a day and hereupon it is that all divines are at a loss as to a punctual certainty for his fall and ruin Concerning the time of the seetting forth of this Giant to run his course there are two or three opinions and I shall quickly tell them unto you 1. Some begin it as high as Constantine when he left Rome about the 19. year of his raign and seated in the East 2. Others place it as low as about the year 455. when Gensericus the Vandal took and burnt Rome at which time the Empire was broken all to pieces and utterly extinct There are a third sort who pitch it about the year 410. or 412. when Alaricus the Goth came and conquered and ransacked Rome Now they who say his 1260 years began when Constantine left Rome pitch his fall about Luthers time something above 100 years ago They who say it began at 455. make his fall and ruin 65. years yet to come They who affirm it began 410. or 412. lay him on his Death bed about twenty years hence It may be you will ask me my opinion amongst these Truly in a business of this abstruseness t would be wisedom to put you off with other mens judgements and conceal my own but I still finde that the sigleness of my spirit gets the predominancy of my Politicks 1. I like their opinion well who reckoning from Constantine pitch his fall in Luthers time for indeed Luther laid the foundation of his manifest ruin It is not unusual with Scripture to say a work is done if it be of God when t is but begun Revel 16.17 for it shall be as certainly done as if it were done already God calls things that are not as if they were 2. I think their Conclusion may be right who counting from 455. spin out his life to threescore years hence and upward but sure t is to be understood of that great battel of God Almighty mentioned Rev. 19.19 20. I verily perswade my self they who live threescore and ten or fourscore years hence shall neither see Pope nor form of Popery established by a law defended by a power in any Kingdome in the world 3. They most take with me who counting from 410. pitch his fall 20. years hence for about the year 410. or 412. the ten Horns or Kingdoms as Historians generally tell us were fairly appearing and surely the sixt head was going off at least if not quite off when some of the horns that grew on the seventh head were so visible The Pope must of necessity be before them for he is the seventh head upon which those horns grew it is said Rev. 17.12 They receive power one hour or as the Original might be better rendred the first hour with the beast But some read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not with but somewhat after the beast And indeed about this time the Popes shewed themselves openly to all the world and spake out what they wounld have that the censures of Bishops and all other causes of moment ought to be reserved to the Audience of the Bishop of Rome calling themselves the Father of Fathers and Firmament of Bishops When the Councel of Carthage in the year 413. sent and acquainted
Prophesie But they who shall be so far honoured and blessed of God to be called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb as the expression is Rev. 19. to see this Kingdome drawn forth in all the just parts and lineaments of it set up to the height of its greatnesse and glory I say the least of them will be greater then John the Baptist my meaning is will be far more able to preach forth the excellencies of that Kingdome in all the dimensions of it then were those who were spectators of Jesus Christ when he was but at work upon it Therefore Reader I say again since you ought in reason let it answer your expectation if I set before you only some unpolisht draughts of it The Church of God will have more knowledge of this businesse ere it be long Dan. 12.4 Shut up the words and seal the book even to the time of the end many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased The context rightly under stood clearly gives it thus That when the time of Antichrists reign and the Jews captivity shall draw towards an end men and matters will be hurried to and fro there will be great stirs in the world but then the sealed Book will be opened the knowledge of the Popes ruine calling of the Jewes the starry lustre of Christs kingdome will break forth increase and shine more and more unto the perfect day Which is the daily and fervent prayer of Your true Friend and Servant in the Lord E. H. The Reign of CHRIST Rev. 19.6 The Lord God Omnipotent raigneth THe four and twenty Elders we read of ver 4. are the Representative of the Church of Iews and Gentiles arising out of twelve Patriarks and twelve Apostles The four Beasts there also mentioned are the Ministerial Embleme who are elswhere said to have the face of a Lion of an Oxe of a Man and of an Eagle that by their special courage laboriousnesse wisdome speed the work of Jesus Christ in its time might be effectually carried on in the four parts of the world These four Beasts and four and twenty Elders something they do and something they say that which they did was this they fell down and worshipped him which sate upon the throne that which they said was Amen Allelujah be it even so as God hath done and praise and honour and glory be given to God Two grounds they lay down for this their posture and carriage the first this that he had judged the great Whore which did corrupt the earth he had pull'd down Babylon the second this he had set up himself as 't is in the text The Lord God omnipotent reigneth There needs but little explanation of the words The Lord God that is the Lord Christ for Christ is truly God 1 Joh. 5.20 This is the true God as might abundantly out of other Scriptures be proved yea the next word makes it good an incommunicable Attribute is given to him Omnipotent the Lord God omnipotent he is elsewhere called the mighty God Isa 9.6 which is of no lesse import then Almighty or Omnipotent Reigneth i. he is King Why was he not King before yes but not so as he is now now he reigns to some purpose The words thus opened and relatively taken afford us this point Vpon the breaking to peeces of the Church of Rome the Lord Christ will reigne and King it so as he never did in the world before Christ hath reigned from everlasting by Gods decree he hath reigned actually since mans fall he hath reigned eminently since his ascension and mission of the Holy Ghost but he will reigne gloriously upon the expiration of the reign of Antichrist The wonderfulnesse of this Kingdome we speak of appears to us many wayes First from those Scripture-epithites and adjuncts of him and his then-government In the very text the Lord God omnipotent reigns Omnipotent such a rule and government shall be set up that all shall be convinced and say Nothing under nothing lesse then the Omnipotencie of the Lord Christ could set it up Rev. 11.17 Thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned then Christs great power will be seen in his reigning Isa 24.23 Then the moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed when the Lord of Hosts shall reign in mount Sion and in Ierusalem and before his Ancients gloriously You remember what I have spoken to the immediately preceding verses there is the great Earthquake v. 18 19 20. see Rev. 16 18. the ruine of the Kings of the earth and of the whole world v. 21. see Rev 16 14.16 the visiting and calling forth of the imprisoned Jews v. 22. the reigne of the kingdome of Jesus Christ v. 23. Take Sun and Moon how you will Politically for the supreme powers of the Nations or literally for the great lights of heaven the Sun and Moon will be ashamed of themselves and confounded as not being the greatest glories and admirations of the world When his Ancients the Jewes shall be fully brought in Christ will reign so gloriously as shall cast shame and darknes into the face of Sun and Moon If you say this Scripture hath been at any time fulfilled I will not deny it but affirm this that a prophesie may have a gradual fulfilling Jer. 31.15 A voice of an old Grandmother raised out of her grave was heard in Ramah lamentation and bitter weeping Rachel weeping for her children refused to be comforted because they were not This was fulfilled when Israel went captives into Babylon which will be undeniably clear if you read on to the 22 verse and yet when Herod kill'd the children upon his search after him that was born King of the Jewes Mat. 2.17 18. then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the Prophet saying In Ramah was a voice heard lamentation c. If Isaias prophesie of Christs reigning before his Ancients hath been at any time fulfilled much more will it be fulfilled in the day may Text points at then it will be fulfilled to the uttermost fulfilled gloriously you see 't is epithited A glorious reign Secondly Christ his then-mannagement of affairs the Holy Ghost sets it forth in such high language to answer the reality of the Kingdom as hath deceived many thousands as if it should be a glorious personal raign 2 Thes 2.8 Then shall the wicked be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming The Lord hath two wayes to bring down Antichrist First He consumes him by the spirit of his mouth i. e. by the ministry of the Word ever since Luther the Pope hath been in a Consumption you might see it in his face The second is by his own coming the brightness of his coming some take it for a personal appearance to give him his deaths wound Rev. 1.7 Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which peirced him and all
feet Many and mighty victories you know make a Kings reign glorious why Christ himselfe never got such victories over men in this world as then he 'll doe Fourthly Scripture sets it forth as the day of his marriage solemnity The Lord God omnipotent reigneth so my Text the next verse expresseth it thus The marriage of the Lamb is come and v 9. They who are called to have a share in this kingdome are blest of God being called to the marriage supper of the Lamb to a continual and the most sumptuous Feast that ever was You may be sure that Christ on that day will appeare in no mean royalty and glories which may be gathered from the description of the Bride for 't is said v. 7. She hath made her self ready araied finely v. 8. In Solomons time she was brought in raiment of needle-work nay her cloathing of wrought gold so the King did greatly desire and delight in her beauty Ps 45. But the Bride is described upon the fall of Antichrist at a higher rate Rev. 21.2 I saw the holy city New-Ierusalem coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband Not dressed with needle-work or cloth of gold things here below of the earth earthly but she 's prepared and dressed as if she had dropt out of heaven cloathed with the glories of heaven and this onely to fit her in some measure for the Bridegroom If the Church shall be so glorious in that day shal not the King upon the throne in the height of his state and government be more exceeding glorious in all eyes Fifthly His reign will be wonderfull and unparallel'd in respect of the extent of his domination Rev. 10.1 2. And I saw a mighty Angel come down from heaven and he set his right foot upon the sea and his left foot upon the earth Earth and Sea make up the whole Globe thereby signifying that he would when time served take possession of all the world the power and majesty of his throne and scepter should be extended over sea and land Psal 2.8 Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Psal 72.8 He shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth Rev. 15.3 4. Thou King of Saints who shall not feare thee All nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgments are made manifest viz. upon the Pope and his kingdome Isa 2.2 And it shall come to passe in the last dayes that the mountain of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hils aod all nations shall flow unto it The generality of the Nations shall come flocking in as Doves to the windows First those Ten Kingdoms that had given their power to the Beast all ties all bands of peace and amity between them shall be strangely broken and dissolved nay such a spirit shall come upon them that they shall hate the whore and even burn her flesh with fire Rev. 17. This you must confess is a great eminent coming in and giving up themselves to and for Jesus Christ Secondly He will find out and bring home to himself his old dear people Rom. 11.25 26 I would not brethren that you should be ignorant of this mysterie that blindnesse in part is happened to Israel untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved as it is written There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodlinesse from Iacob I like their interpretation best who by fulnesse of the Gentiles coming in understand the fulnesse or most part of those Nations that had given themselves to Popery when then eyes shall be opened to see what they have done and then giving themselves to Christ in an holy indignation shall set Rome on fire yea quite destroy Pope and Popery this will mightily work upon the hearts of the two Tribes in time on the ten Tribes The fulnesse of the Gentiles being thus come in then all Israel shall come in and be saved as 't is written There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodlinesse from Jacob Now Iacob you know comprehends all the twelve Tribes for the twelve Patriarks from whom all the twelve Tribes descended came out of Iacob's loines Isa 11 11 12. And it shall come to passe in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left from Assyria and from Egypt and from Pathros and from Cush and from Elam and from Shinar and from Hamath and from the Islands of the sea He shall gather together the dispersed of Iudah and assemble the outcasts of Israel from the four corners of the earth God had gathered them from all the nations from all the places whither he had caused them to be carried away captive once before as you may see Ier. 29.14 He had fetch'd them out of Babylon and out of all the Provinces round but this is a second time and he 'll gather together the outcasts of Israel and the dispersed to Iudah which since their great division 2 Chron. 10. he never yet did and make them one as you have it Ezek. 37.19.21 22. Thus saith the Lord behold I will take the stick of Ioseph which is in the hand of Ephraim and the Tribes of Israel his fellowes and will put them with him even with the stick of Iudah and make them one stick and they shall be one in my hand And thus saith the Lord behold I will take the children of Israel from among the Heathen whither they be gone and will gather them on every side and bring them into their own land And I will make them one nation and one King viz. Christ shall be King to them all and they shall be no more two nations neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all This hath not been yet fulfilled but will be in the day of Christs kingdome Take one place more Hos 1.10 11. And it shall come to passe that in the place where it was said unto them Ye are not my people as at this day we know it is there it shall be said unto them Ye are the sons of the living God Then shall the children of Iudah and the children of Israel be gathered together and appoint themselves one head and they shall come up out of the land i. e. out of every land where they haven been lost for great shall be the day of Iezerel Iezerel signifies both scattered and the seed of God Great shall be the day of Iezerel i. e. great shall be the day of bringing in the scattered the scattered people Or thus Great shal be the day of Iezerel i. e. great shall be the day of the seed of God of springing up of
as to the end of the World an eternal excellency i. e. an excellency while the World stands according to Dans. 2.44 In the dayes of these Kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people but shall stand for ever Dan 7.14 His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed But you le say how can this be reconciled with that Rev. 20.7 8 9. When the thousand shall be expired Satan shall be loosed out of prison and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to battell the number of whom is as the sand of the Sea And they went up on the breadth of the earth and compassed the camp of the Saints about and the beloved City hoping to make an end of them at once that the world might be troubled with them no more Where is the glorious Kingdom of Christ at this time shall it not be even broken and lost I answer 1. 'T is nowhere said Christs Reign in the height of its excellencie and utmost amplitude or extent of it should be everlasting we do not anywhere read that 2. A people Christ will have all the Saints will be his and be they never so few he may truly be said to rule in and over the kingdome of the Saints Earthly and worldly kingdoms may but none of the Spiritual kingdome made up of Saints ever was or ever will be taken from him 3. Thought the Devil turned loose deceive the nations in the four quarters of the earth yet I do believe Christ will hold his own in the nation of the Jewes Isa 60.20 21 Thy sun shall no more go down neither shall thy moon withdraw herself for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light and the dayes of thy mourning shall be ended Thy people shall be all righteous generally righteous they shall inherit the land for ever Isa 59.20 21. The Redeemer shall come to Sion and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob saith the Lord as for me this is my covenant with them my Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of them mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth even for ever To convince you that this place is properly alleaged for this purpose see Rom. 11. where all confesse the Apostle purposely sets himselfe to treat concerning the calling of the Jews v. 25. sayes he Blindnesse in part is happened to Israel untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved as it is written Isa 59.20 There shall come out of Sion the Diliverer and shall turn away ungodlinesse from Jacob. And sayes God when I shall make this good unto them I will bind my self to them by covenant that my Spirit which I shall put upon them my word which I shall put into their hearts and mouth shall not depart from them nor from their seed nor from their seeds seed while the world stands I say surely the people of the Jewes when once they are brought in to Christ again they 'l not forsake him any more for ever which will be enough to make Christ a visible kingdome upon earth And when all the powers and policies of the world are united in this designed of compassing and so destroying the holy City Christ will not suffer his Scepter to be wrested out of his hand nor the visibility of his kingdome and dominion to faile and therefore fire comes down from God out of heaven and destroys them Rev. 20.9 whereupon the glory of this Church and Kingdome will revive and flourish again and thus his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not passe away and his Kingdome that which shall not be destroyed When we speak of the great and glorious Rule and Kingdome of Christ over the generality of nations peoples and languages as here we do of this we say only it shall last a long time it shall continue a thousand years it shall be the joy of many generations You see the Point I doubt not to say it is a sure and impregnable truth viz. Vpon the breaking to peeces of the Church to Rome the Lord Christ will reign and King it so so gloriously as he never did in the world before Vse 1. For application thus But little cause have all Gods people to let their hearts be sadded when they see the famous Governments and Grandeour of this World broken to peeces and laid in the dust Did they rightly understand their true interest it would no more trouble them then the pulling down of an old rotten smoaky cottage doth any man that a strong stately house may be set up for him in its room It God throw down the powers the greatnesse of the kingdoms of men it is that he may bring in the place thereof the power and greatnesse of the kingdom of his Son T is storied when the War began in Germany ann 1619. that a great Brasse-image of S. Peter that had Tu es Petrus super te adificabo ecclesiam meam engraven upon it standing in S. Peters Church at Rome a great and massie sone fell down upon it and so shattered it to peeces that not any word or syllable of that sentences was legible but only these Aedificabo Ecclesiam meam I will build may Church Certainly out of these Wars that are now on foot as I touched in the close of the last point out of the ruines and ashes that shall be made he will bring forth the most glorious Kingdom and frame of Government that ever the World saw Carnal Reason may say 't is pitty that such persons such families such constitutions should be shaken to pieces but I speak to those who profess to live by a principle above Carnal Reason above flesh and blood to you that profess your selves born of God Members of Christ Subjects of his Kingdom that profess 't is your everlasting joy to see the Crown set upon the head of Jesus Christ T is a hard Riddle to me that it should at all go to your hearts to see great but barren Mountains cast into the Sea that so the way may be made plain for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and for his Kingdom Vse 2. The second thus It were to be wished that every one would set themselves upon the stretch to hasten to bring on this Kingdom Set up that Kingdom in thy self which comes not with observation as our Saviour speaks that Kingdom which consists in righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 Let Christ his Truth and Worship rule in thee and over thee Lay down thy self thy name thy estate thy All at the
feet of his Will Set up as much of Christ and his Kingdom in thy Family as thou canst suppress sin in it as far as thy power will go set up Duties of Religion in it bring all under the power thereof Oh that Magistrates would not stand consulting chiefly what sutes best to the Interest of the State but what sutes best to the Interest of Jesus Christ and will most help on his Kingdom Certainly setting up standing by and countenancing in Spiritual Powerful Ministery not suffering Sabbaths and Ordinances to be prophaned and affronted good Learning and Holiness maintained in the Universities and other inferiour Schools Judgement and Justice executed without respect of persons I say doubtless these things would contribute much towards the enthroning of the great King of kings Oh but some man will say I am a poor wretch I can do noting towards the hastening this Kingdom you speak of That 's strange Canst not thou go into thy chamber or Closet and there lament the Antichristianism that is in the present Governments of the World tell God that he 's Omnipotent and so is able to remove whatsoever stands opposition to the Kingdom of his Son minde him of his many promises that he will do it Ask him if he should fail what would become of his Faithfulness of his great name Jehovah and then cry Lord let thy Kingdom come Lord how long yet Lord when shall it once be Be assured of it God may be stirred up much by fervent praying to hasten his Work You have a very notable place for this Psal 102. ver 13. to ver 19. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come Thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof So the Heathen shall fear the name of the Lord and all the Kings of the earth thy glory He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer This shall be written for the generation to come and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. What shall be written for the generations to come what shall the People which shall be hereafter created praise the Lord for Why this that when the Lord shall build up Zion and so appear in the glory of his power and grace as to make the heathen and all the kings of the earth to fear his name he will therein have regard to the prayer of the destitute The word that is here translated destitute signifies arbusculum nascentem in deserto a poor shrub in the wilderness which every beast is ready to bruise or tread upon a poor shrub that is low and mean and despicable When the Lord shall appear in his Glory and build up Zion in its Glory he will do it in reference to the prayers and sighs and wrestlings of such poor shrubs as the weakest and meanest of you are and therefore says the Prophet Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence give him no rest till be establish till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth Isa 62.6 7. q.d. You that are Saints indeed and make mention of the name of God in prayer follow him hang about him let him not have a quiet day when argument fails yet importunity may do much till he have broken Antichrist and all the powers of this World that stand in the way of the Gospel till he have set up the Kingdom of his Son made his name great and glorious in all the earth You poor of the flock may do more toward this work then you are aware of Wherefore I beseech you stand fast in the faith pray without ceasing quite your selves like men Oh! but I shall not live to see it nor share in the joy of Gods People and glory of this Kingdom My Answer to thee is thus 1. If God take thee to Heaven before thou canst be no great looser by that thou shalt drink there at the Fountain-head of glory when those thou hast left behinde must drink but of the streams of Grace at a far greater distance 2. The News of this Kingdom set up will be quickly brought to heaven and spred all up and down there thou mayest as well enjoy the comforts of it there keep a day of thanksgiving there and sing thy Hallelujahs with the spirits of just men made perfect to Him that sits upon the throne 3. Get upon mount Nebo however and thence look into the Canaan that flowes with milk and hony setting an eye of faith upon the Prospective of Promises thou mayest bring it very near to thee and have a very clear view of it Heb. 11.1 Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen v. 13. These all dyed in the faith not having received the promises i. the matter of them but having seen them afar off were perswaded of them and imbraced them Though the great things promised were far off from them yet by saith and strong perswasions of the truth of them they brought them very near so that they took them in their arms and saluted them as the word in the original imports Abraham though he lived many hundred years before Christ yet he rejoyced to see his day He saw it and was glad Joh. 8.56 he could improve faith and promises to as much comfort and joy of heart as old Simeon did the very taking him up in his arms it applies it self I remember what Jacob when he lay upon his death-bed said to his son Joseph Gen. 48.21 Behold I dye but God shall be with you and bring you to the land of your fathers Thus when thou liest upon thy last bed thy children and friends coming with blubber'd cheeks and heavy hearts to take their leaves of thee thou mayest tell them Behold I dye but this is the support and comfort of my heart God shall be with you God will let you see the good dayes he hath spoken of in his word even from generation to generation I dye and must never see the glory of Jesus Christ in his Churches upon earth yet Posterity shall see it the Saints of God in after-ages shall enjoy the comforts the blessednesse of it and that 's life to me in the midst of death I rejoyce in that and glory in that with joy unspeakable FINIS Reader I Would have thee rest thy heart assured of this That the 21 22 Chapters of the Revelations are a Description of a State of a Church here below yet in allusion to Heaven Amongst many reasons which might be given for it take these three 1. It is called the New Ierusalem coming down from God out of Heaven And behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them chap. 21.2 3. The Church triumphant is taken up from the earth into heaven and the spirits of just men made perfect may more properly be said to dwell with God then God with them 1 Thess 4. Then shall we for ever be with the Lord. 2. It 's said the Kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it v. 24. Into the Church of Christ on earth for the further completing of the Churches happinesse We all know the glory and honour of earthly Kings is of no esteem in heaven can adde nothing there 3. It is said The leaves of the Tree Rev. 22.2 are for the healing of the Nations meaning the Spiritual sores and wounds of hte Nations But surely there are in Heaven it self neither whole Nations nor persons that stand in need of any healing whatsoever VVherefore it may safely be concluded the 21. and part of the 22 Chap. of that Book are a Description in high expressions and metaphors of the State of a Church here upon Earth E. H. * Thursday Lectures at Horsham in the county of Sussex * Ann. Christi 66. Ann. Neronis 11. In this as also in many other Prophesies Evangelical matters are clad with legal and old terms * Though under Legall terms * Some judgment or destruction that all must acknowledge to be from God