considerable particulars shewing you that Christ and the Saints Dominion shall be alike and that they shall reign alike they being joynt Heirs of one and the same Kingdom alike only hee in all things shall have the preheminence and so I passe to the first That Christ shall have a Kingdom on earth and in Jerusalem This we may see the Angel did declare or make known unto the Virgin saying For loe thou shalt conceive in thy Wombe and bear a Son and thou shalt call his name Iesus he shall hee great and he called the Son of the most High and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David and hee shall reign over the House of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdom shall be no end Luke 1.31 32 33. From hence you may see that the Lord Jesus Christ shall injoy Davids Throne which was not Spiritual and in Heaven but on earth and in Ierusalem even so the Lord Jesus Christ in the same place shall reign Spiritually and Temporally over the very same people the Prophet also affirming the very same thing saith Then shall the Sun be ashamed and the Moon confounded when the Lord of Host shall reign in Mount Sion and in Jerusalem before his antients gloriously for behold the day cometh saith the Lord that I will raise up unto David a righteous branch a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute judgement and justice in the earth in his day shall Judah be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is the name whereby they shall call him the Lord our righteousnesse Isa. 24.23 Jer. 23.5 6. Thus you may see plainly that the Lord Jesus which is called the Son of David shall possesse the Throne of David Moreover you may see what the Prophet Micha also saith to the proof of this truth In that day saith the Lord I will assemble her that halteth and gather her that is driven out and her that I have afflicted and I will make her that halteth a remnant and her that was cast off a strong Nation and the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Sion for henseforth and for ever and there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve him agreeing with the Psalmist which saith Yet will I set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the outmost parts of the earth for thy possession thou shalt break them with a rod of Iron and dash them in peeces like a Potters vessel Psal. 2.6 7 8 9. Dan. 7.14 Micha 4.6 7. For behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into minde but be you glad and rejoyce in the thing which I create for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy and I will rejoyce in Jerusalem and joy in my people and the voyce of weeping shall be no more heard in her nor the voyce of crying and he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord and in the Majesty of the name of the Lord his God and they shall abide for now shall he be great to the ends of the earth Isa. 65.17 18 19. Psal. 67.4 Jerem. 3.17 Isa. 62.7 8 9 10 11 12. These Scriptures and many more that might be added to the proof of the first Particular That the Lord Jesus Christ shall reign on the earth in Ierusalem The second thing is to prove That the Saints also shall receive a Kingdom and reign on earth Unto the proof of this I shall begin with the words of our blessed Saviour which saith Yee are they that have continued with me in my temptations I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me that yee may eate and drink at my Table in my Kingdom and sit upon Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Whereunto he adds also another sentence in the Apocalyps very pertinent to the proof of this saying He that overcometh and keepeth my works to the end I will give him power over the Nations and hee shall rule them with a rod of Iron and shall break them like a Potters Vessel even as I have received of my Father Luke 22.28 29 30. Revel. 2.26 27 28. From hence wee may see that as the Lord gave unto his Son Jesus a Kingdom in reference to his Sufferings and his obedience unto him even so Jesus the Christ will give his people a Kingdom in reference to their sufferings and obedience to his will and that this is to be on Eatth I shall give you a plain text even as saith the Spirit of Christ in these words And they sung a new Song saying Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the Seals thereof because thou wast killed and hast redeemed us to God by thy bloud out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation and hast made us to our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the earth Moreover they shall injoy that Sovereignty so long as the Sun and Moon indures for so saith the Lord by his Prophet in these words And in the days of those Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed and this Kingdom shall not be given to another people but it shall break and destroy all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever and the Kingdom and Dominion and Greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heavens shall be given to the Saints of the most High whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and all people shall serve and obey him Dan. 2.44 Cap. 7.27 28. Revel. 5.10 from these Scriptures we may see that the Saints shall injoy a Kingdom in the which they shall reign and rule the Nations with a rod of Iron so that the wicked shall be as ashes under the soals of their feet And this Kingdom also we see is to be held on earth neither can there be any other interpretations given upon these Scriptures without great abuse to the plaine meaning of the Spirit in these Scriptures If it be objected and said That these Scriptures bespeak or fore-shew the flourishing condition of the people of God while they live in this corrupt Tabernacle of flesh I shall deny and make this answer That it is the portion of the Saints nay all of them to suffer in this Life and the nigher the appearance of Jesus Christ the greater shall the suffering be so that through many tribulations they shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Dan. 7.21 2 Thess. 1.9 Acts 14.22 2 Tim. 3.12 Rev 6.9 10 11. and many more Scriptures I might give as to the proof of this for there shall bee such Trials for the godly that should not the days be shortened no flesh would
be saved but the Lord shall cut the work short in righteousness so that when his people are in great trouble then he shall stand up as a Deliverer Dan. 11.1 Matth. 24.21.22 View well these Scriptures and you shal see that that opinion is false that affirmeth That the Saints shall flourish in such a condition before mentioned while they live in this corrupted Tabernacle of flesh and so I pass to the Third Particular shewing you how Christ and the Saints shall reign together in the Kingdom and shall begin with the words of the Apostle which saith that the Saints are joynt-heirs with Jesus Christ in these words If Sons then Heirs Heirs of God and Joynt-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may bee glorified together Rom. 8.16 17. Now we know a Joynt-heir is an equal sharer or when two are made alike in the injoyment of one thing for so faith the Apostle Now are we the Sons of God but it doth not appear what we shall be but when he shall appear wee shall be made like him 1 Joh. 3.1 2 3 4. they shall be like him in Glory in Majesty in Honour in a word every way like him only he in all things shall have the preheminence Moreover I shall adde a plain text of Scripture in the which we shall see that the Saints and Christ shall reign together in these words Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection for on such the second Death shall have no power but they shall be the Priests of God and of Christ and reign with him a thousand years The which also agreeth with the words of the Prophet that saith A King shall reign in Righteousness and Princes shall decree Judgement and Saviours shall come up of Mount Sion and judge the Mount of Esau and the Kingdoms shall be the Lords Revel. 20.6 Isa. 32.1 Obadiah 21. therefore let the Saints be joyful in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds let the high praise of God be in their mouthes and a two-edged sword in their hands to execute vengeance upon the Heathen and punishment upon the people to bind the Kings in chains and the Nobles in fetters of Iron that they may execute upon them the Indgement that is written this honour have all the Saints praise yee the Lord so that it is a faithful saying if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him Psal. 149.5 6 7 8 9. 2 Tim. 2 12. So having shewed that Christ and the Saints shall reign together unanimously I shall also shew you that excellent peace that there shall be in the time of his reign throughout the Earth as saith the Prophet The whole Earth is at rest and quiet they shall break forth into singing the Mountains and Hills shall bring peace unto the people by Justice hee shall judge the poor of the people and he shall save the Children of the needy and subdue the Oppressors they shall fear thee so long as the Sun and Moon indureth from generation to generation he shall come down like the raine upon the new-mowen Grasse and as the showers that water the earth in his days shall the righteous flourish and abundance of peace so long as the Moon indureth his Dominion shall be from sea to sea and from the rivers to the ends of the earth and they that dwell in the Wilderness shall kneel before him and his enemies shall lick up the dust in that day it shall be said wee have a strong City salvation hath the Lord appointed for Walls and Bulworks open yee the Gate that the righteous Nation that keepeth the truth may enter in thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Isa. 14.7 Psal. 72.3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Isa. 26.1 2 3. From hence wee may see what great peace there shall be in the term of Christs reign there is good reason why there shall be such great peace upon these two accounts the first is Because the Devil shall be bound and shall not stirre up Nations to Warre which is his practise when he is loose The second Reason is Because that at the great destruction of God the Great Antichrist all the Weapons of Warre shall be burnt and those that remain which were not brought up to Warre upon the Mountains of Israel shall bee converted into other service namely Their Swords shall be beat into Plow-shares and their Spears into pruning-hooks for Nation shall not rise up against Nation neither shall they learn warre any more Ezek. 39.9 10. Isa. 2.4 Mich. 4.3 Revel. 20.3 From hence it comes to pass that the people in that day shall be led forth in peace and the Mountains shall break forth before them into singing then shall the Law go forth out of Sion and the Word of the Lord out of thy Jerusalem then shall the saying be made good that is written All thy Children shall be taught of God and great shall be the peace of thy Children So that be will extend peace to her like a River and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream Isa. 2.3 cap. 54.13 cap. 55.12 Isa. 66.10 11 12 13 14. Psal. 127.7 and 125.5 Nah. 1.15 and so I shall leave these Scriptures and the Fourth and pass to the Fifth thing in order which is to shew you the people whom Christ and the Saints shall thus rule with a rod of Iron and that is the ungodly even such as have afflicted the people of God and the Sons of them who have afflicted the people of God for so saith the Prophet The Sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee and all they that despised thee shall fall down at the soals of thy feet and they shall call thee the City of the Lord the Sion of the holy one of Israel Agreeing with that of Malachy To you that fear my Name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing under his wings and yee shall grow forth like Calves in the shall and yee shall tread down the wicked for they shall be like dust under the soals of your feet for thus saith the Lord after this glory hath he sent me unto the Nations which spoyled you for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye for behold I will lift up my hands upon them and they shall be a spoyl to their Servants and yee shall know that the Lord of Host hath sent me Sing and rejoyce O Daughter of Sion for I will come and dwell in the midst of thee faith the Lord Mal. 4.2 3 4. Zech. 2.8 9 10. Hence you may see that the enemies of God and his people shall be subdued by Christ and the Saints like as the Aegyptians of old were spoyled by the Israelites when they came out of Aegypt so shall all the ungodly Aegyptians be spoyled at the last as you may see Exod. 3.22 Cap. 11.2 Isa.
33.1 2 3. When Israel was to go out of the Land of Aegypt the Lord commanded them to ask every one of his Neighbour jewels of Silver and jewels of Gold and the Lord gave them favour in the sight of the AEgyptians so that they did obtain what they demanded by the which the Israelites were inriched by the spoyl of the Aegyptians and so it shall be at that day with the people of God they shall injoy the spoyl of their enemies for they are the true Heirs to the riches of the World present and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 1 Corinth 3.22 Math. 19 29. So that they shall eate the riches of the Gentiles as also saith the Scriptures Yee shall be named the Priests of the Lord and men shall call you the Ministers of our God yee shall eat the riches of the Gentiles and be exalted with their glory Isa. 61.6 Here we see that the Lord is pleased to give them the riches of the Gentiles that is to say the riches of Sinners that although they heap up Silver like the dust and raiment like the clay yet the just shall put it on and the innocent shall divide the Silver so that their gain shall be consecrated to the Lord and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth therefore shall thy Gates be open continually neither day nor night shall they be shut that men may bring unto thee the riches of the Gentiles that thy Kings may be brought for the Nations and Kingdoms that will not serve thee shall parish and those Nations shall utterly be destroyed Job 27.16 Isa. 60 11 12. Cap. 66.11 Zech. 14.14 Revel. 21.24 From hence we may see that riches and glory and honour and a Kingdom nay and Crowns also shall be cast down before Christ and the Saints which shall be at their steps King Solomon in his glorious Reign was a lively Type of King Jesus in his glorious Reign and we know in King Solomons Reign there was great plenty of riches and glory such as was not in Jerusalem before or since and that there shall be so in Christs Reign was set out by those who came from the East to Ierusalem to worship Christ which when they had found him opened their Treasures and presented Gifts Gold Myrrhe Matth. 2.11 which shews to us That when the Lord is King in Ierusalem how persons shall come from the utmost parts of the Earth to submit to Christs and the Saints royal Dignity and present unto them the choycest of riches which agreeth to the Scriptures before mentioned so having discovered that Christ and his Saints shall reign in Ierusalem and of that excellent peace and sovereignty that they shall injoy in their time with riches and the glory of the Gentiles I pass now unto the Seventh Particular which is the description of the New Jerusalem A clear description of New Jerusalem not built by the Jews at their return out of Captivity The very consideration of this New Jerusalem is sufficient to ravish the hearts of all such as are heavenly-minded it was that which did stay and support the mindes of the suffering Saints of old and indeed it is sufficient because it is of such an excellent situation that it is to be admired as the Psalmist faith Beautiful for situation the joy of the whole earth is Mount Sion on the side of the North is the City of the great King God is known in her Palace for a refuge which City in the Mystery is no more but that New Ierusalem which shall be the City of the great King Psal. 48.2 compare Psal. 47.8 even so New Ierusalem shall come down from God out of Heaven and being situated about Sion it is Metaphorically called mount Sion because Sion of old did represent it which was Davids Throne the which David and his Throne was a lively type of Christ and his Throne and as David placed himself in Sion with his Family so Jesus Christ will place himself in that New Jerusalem with his Family the which Family consisteth of risen saved glorified Saints the which agreeth with the Word of the Lord that faith The people that are saved shall walk in the light of it and the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour unto it and there shall in no wise enter into it any that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye but they which are written in the Lambs Book of Life Rev l. 21.24 25 26 27. but now I shall pass briefly to a review of that glorious City New Jerusalem the which is treated of Revel. 21. beginning at the tenth verse And he carried me away in the Spirit unto a great and high Mountain and shewed me that great City the holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God having the glory of God and her light was like unto a stone most precious even like a Jasper stone clear as Chrystal and had a wall great and high and had twelve Gates and at the Gates twelve Angels and names written thereon which are the names of the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel on the East three Gates on the North three Gates on the South three Gates and on the West three Gates and the wall of the City had twelve foundations and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lambe and he that talked with me had a golden reed to meajure the City and the Gates thereof and the wall thereof and the City lyeth four square and the length is as large as the breadth and he measured the City with the reed twelve thousand Furlongs and the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal and he measured the wall thereof an hundred forty and four Cubits according to the measure of man that is of the Angel and the building of the wall of it was of Jasper and the City pure Gold like unto clear Glass and the foundations of the wall of the City were garnished with all manner of precious Stones the first foundation was Jasper the second Saphir the third Chalcedonie the fourth an Emerauld the fifth Sardonix the sixth Sardins the seventh Chrysolite the eighth Beryl the ninth Topas the tenth Chrysophrasus the eleventh a Jacinth the twelfth an Amethyst and the twelve Gates were twelve Pearls every severall Gate of one Pearl the streets of the City were pure Gold as it were transparent Glass and I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lambe were the Temple of it and the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lambe was the light thereof and the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it and the Kings of the North shall bring their glory and honour into it and the Gates of it shall not be shut at all by day and there shall be no night there and they
not wel grounded therein for it is the great Hour of temptation to try all them that dwell upon the face of the earth Revel. 3.10 11. Great Pharaoh was a lively Type of this last and great Enemy of Israel for we may finde that hee had many Magicians which did many lying Signs and Wonders to harden the hearts of his People Exod. 7.11 12. So hath the Man of Sin a false Prophet as I have shewed you before and also in his Province many that can work by Magick Art which love to be in Kings Courts as Pharaohs Magicians did and that there shall be lying Signs or Wonders in that time see these few Scriptures in the room of more Dan. 8.25 Mat. 24.24 Revel. 13.14 15 16. Chap. 16.14 So by these signs and lying Wonders he shall make the World beleeve that he is the Christ until both hee and his false Prophets shall be taken alive and cast into the Lake that burneth with fire and brimston If it should bee Objected and said That this is meant of the Romish Babylon I shall give you three Reasons by the which you may see that the Man of Sin or the last Antichrist before mentioned is not the Romish Babylon First is because in Scripture the Lord gives the Romish Babylon the name of a Woman but in all places of Scripture he calleth the last and great Antichrist by the name of a Man and I will prove these two in order the which will make good the first Reason Come down and sit in the dust O Virgin daughter of Babylon thy nakedness shall be uncovered thy shame shall be seen I will take vengeance and will not meet thee as a man Isa. 47.1 2 3. See more vers. 9. Jer. 51.8 Prov. 2.16 17 18. Chap. 3.4 5. See more Revel. 17.4 And the Woman was arrayed in Purple and Scarlet upon her fore-head was a name written Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth vers. 5. And I saw the Woman drunken with the bloud of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus vers. 6. See more Chap. 18.3 4. Isa. 51.18 19. And the next thing to prove is That the Antichrist is called by the name of Man as you may see Isa. 14.12 compare 16. How art thou fallen from Heaven thou Lucifer Son of the Morning how art thou cut down to the ground thou that didst weaken Kingdoms They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee and consider thee saying Is not this the man that made the Earth to tremble that did shake Kingdoms And so as the Scriptures did fore-see that he would assume to himself such a Power was pleased to stile him by the name Man as you may see in the Scriptures following Ezek. 38.17 Dan. 11.24 2 Thes. 2.3 From these Scriptures you may see that the last Beast which is the Antichrist is called by the name Man and that the Romish Babylon is called by the name Woman And so I pass to the second Reason Secondly The great and last Antichrist or the Man of Sin cannot be taken for the Romish Babylon because the Romish Babylon did and doth acknowledge God and his Son Christ although they worship him in a false manner but the great and last Antichrist acknowledgeth no God neither will he Worship any but exalt himself above every god acknowledgeth no God but himself who shall bee then the God of Forces and as the Prophet Daniel saith of him The King shall do what hee list hee shall exalt himself against all that is God and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods and shall prosper till the wrath be accomplished for the determination is made Dan. 11.36 37. 2 Thes. 2.4 Dan. 7.8 Jude 5. From hence you may see that this last and great Antichrist shall advance himself above every god not acknowledging the God of Heaven but the Romish Babylon as aforesaid doth acknowledge a God and Worship him though in a false manner And so much briefly to the second Reason The Third and last Reason why the great and last Antichrist may not be took for the Romish Babylon is because the Romish Babylon shall be destroyed by the ten Horns of the last Beast that is to say by Ten Kings that have supported her or in a word thus That the Romish Babylon shall be destroyed before the appearance of Jesus Christ but the great and last Antichrist shall not be destroyed until the Lord Jesus come and destroy him upon the Mountains of Israel as I shall shew you in his time and place And now to prove that the Romish Babylon shall be destroyed before the coming of Christ you shall see it out of Revel. 17.16 And the Ten Horns that thou sawest upon the Beast shall hate the Whore and make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire for God hath put it into their hearts to fulfil his will and agree and give their Kingdom unto the Beast until the words of God shall be fulfilled vers. 17. And the Woman that thou sawest is that great City that reigneth over the Kings of the earth And you may also see more from Revel. 18.9 and more might be added but this to prove briefly That the Romish Babylon shall bee destroyed before the coming of Christ by the Ten Horns that support the Beast for which cause the Romish Merchants viz. her Clergy and the Kings of the Earth shall weep for her and lust after her although the Beast shall over-power them and make them destroy her but the Heavens shall rejoyce over her and the Holy Apostles that is the Churches then in being and the Gospel-Messengers shewing clearly That the Romish Babylon shall be destroyed before the appearance of Christ Revelations 18.19 20. The next thing to prove is That the Man of Sin or that great and last Antichrist is to remain until the coming of Christ so saith the Apostle That the Lord shall destroy him with the brightness of his coming And so saith Dan. 7.9 10 11. Chap. 11.41 compare Chap. 12.1 2. Revel. 19.19 20. so from these Scriptures you may see plainly That the Man of Sin shall remain till the very time that Christ shall take his great Power and Reign so that neither of these Opinions can bee true that saith That the Romish Babylon is the Antichrist or that saith That the last and great Antichrist is risen and already past So thus I have proved the last Antichrist not to be Babylon A word or two to prove him to bee called the King of Babylon or the King of Assyria and that you may see the Prophet Esay hath the title of both in the fourteenth Chapter and verse fourth in these words Thou shalt take up this Proverb against the King of Babylon and say How hath the Oppressor ceased how hath the golden City ceased the Lord hath broken the staffe of the wicked and the scepter of the Ruler vers. 5. He who
since there hath been a Nation upon the Earth insomuch that if the Lord should not shorten these days and hasten his coming no flesh should be saved Dan. 7.21 cap. 8.31 cap. 11.35 cap. 12.1 10. Matth. 24.21 22. Acts 14.22 2 Tim. 3.12 Rev 6.11 Rev. 12.17 Rev. 13.7 and so I shall leave these Scriptures to be perused and pass to the third Particular The third Particular is That the Earth also shall receive her strength to bring forth as in its Primitive time that is to say before it was Cursed by reason of the transgression of Man as also saith the Prophet Instead of thorns shall come up the Fir-tree and instead of the Brier shall come up the Mirtle-tree and it shall be to the Lord for a name an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off then shall he give thee 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 plentious in that day shall thy Cattel feed in large Pastures the Oxen likewise and the young Asse that ear the ground shall eate clean Provender which hath been winnowed with a Shovel and with Fan and there shall be upon every Mountain and upon every high Hill rivers and streams of water in the day of the great slaughter when the Towers fall Moreover the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun shall be seven-fold as the light of seven days in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people and healeth the stroke of their wounds Isa. 55.13 Chap 30.23 24 25 26. From hence we may see that the earth shal be restored unto her Primitive purity for thus saith the Lord concerning it in the Prophecie of Isaiah in these words For the Lord shall comfort Sion he will comfort her wast places and he will make her Wilderness like Eden and her Desart like the Garden of the Lord and they shall say this Land that was desolate is become like the Garden of Eden and the wast and desolate and ruined Cities are become fenced and as inhabited The Wilderness and the solitary places shall also blossom as the Rose I will open Rivers in high places and Fountains in the middest of the Valley I will make the Wilderness a pool of water and the dry Land springs of water I will plant in the Wilderness the Cedar the Shittah-tree and the Mirtle and the Oyl-tree and I will set in the Desart the Firre-tree and the Pine and the Box-tree together Moreover The Plow-men shall overtake the Reapers and the treaders of Grapes him that soweth Seed and the Mountains shall drop down sweet wine Amos 9.13 Isa. 41.18 19 cap. 35.1 2. Ezek. 36.35 Isa. 51.3 From hence we may see that the earth shall be restored into its Primitive purity Obj. But if it be Objected and said That here is mention made of Plowing and Reaping and therefore cannot be a perfect redemption To the which I answer Ans. First That Adam himself when he was in his Innocency was to dress the Garden and to receive the fruit thereof and whether or no this were not such an imployment as might keep the Garden in such a capacity as whereby he might receive the fruit from it I leave the Reader to judge Gen. 2.15 Secondly As I have already said That there are some that will deprive themselves by their transgressions the which the Prophet saith shall be their Plowmen Isa. 61.5 and Vine-dressers Moreover I say That the strength of their nature shall be such that nothing that they do shall or can be a burden unto them but shall be a pleasure unto them like unto a man walking in his Garden and taking off a degenerate Plant which is no burden unto him but rather his pleasure for in the time of that perfect Redemption there shall be no kinde of weakness or faintness whereby any thing that they shall do will be a burden as saith the Lord In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem and ho that is feeble amongst them at that day shall bee as David and the House of David shall be as God as the Angels of God before him Zech. 12.8 Isa. 40.29 31. And so much to the Objection and to the Eighth Particular and so I shall pass to the Ninth which is the signs of the times of the accomplishment of these Prophecies The Signs of the times of the accomplishment of these Prophecies Doubtless the Lord hath not hid from his Servants those things that he will do in the latter days nor the time when they shall be performed though the day and hour knoweth no man no not the Angels yet the times and seasons may be known by the signs Moreover it is lawful and commendable for the people of God to look into the Signs of the times for as much as we see the Lord Jesus Christ reprove such as do not saying O yee Hypocrites yee can discern the face of the sky but cannot discern the signs of the times Matth. 16.3 therefore I shall briefly give you some few signs that shall be as it were the Item of the Day of Christ or the Morning Watch and so to the First in order The first Sign of the second coming of Christ is the unsetledness of Kingdoms and Nations of the earth the Government sometimes here and sometimes there sometimes in the hands of one and sometimes in the hands of another men much striving for Honour and Kingdoms in the midst of those days shall God set up his Kingdom that shall never be destroyed and that the earth shall be thus unsetled reeling to and fro is clear from the Word of the Lord which saith The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunken man and be removed like a Tent and the iniquity there of shall be heavie upon it so that it shall fall and arise no more then shall the Sun he ashamed and the Moon confounded when the Lord shall reign in Mount Sion and in Jerusalem before his antients gloriously at which time the little stone hewed out of the Mountain without hands shall become a great Mountain and fill the whole earth Dan. 2.35 and ver. 44. Isa. 24.20 compare 23. From whence we may see that the unsetledness of Nations and Kingdoms upon the earth and striving for Honour and change of Governments is a lively sign of the second coming of the Lord Jesus to be near The second Sign of the coming of Christ Is by the abounding of wickedness or iniquity in the World as now we see it in a great height even by such as are worn out in their expectation or waiting for Jesus Christ who did not like that good condition that they were put in but having departed from the Faith and are given up unto all manner of uncleanness O the ungodly Practices and horrid Blasphemies that are now committed in England what
year of the Lords vengeance and the year of recompence for the controversie of Sion I beheld till the Thrones were cast down and the antient of days did sit whose garment was white as Snow and the hair of his head like unto pure Wool his Throne was like the fiery flame and his Wheels like burning fire a fiery flame issued and came forth from before him thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him the Judgement was set and the Books were opened I beheld then because of the noyse and great words which the Horn spake I beheld even until the Beast was slain and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame let the Heathen be awaked and come down to the valley of Jehoshaphat for there will I sit to judge all the Heathen round about put you in the Sickle for the Harvest is ripe come get you down for the Press is full the fat over-floweth for the wickedness is great multitudes in the valley of Decision for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of Decision and the Angel thrust in his Sickle into the earth and gathered the Vine of the earth and cast it into the great Wine-press of the Wrath of God and the Wine-press was trodden without the City and bloud came out of the Wine-press even to the Horse bridles by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs Isa. 59.16 17 18. Chap. 34.8 Dan. 7.9 10 11. Joel 3.11 12 13 14. Rev. 14.19 20. From hence you may see what great slaughter the Lord will make with that great Antichrist and his Army when hee comes to try Sions Controversie Moreover see from the Prophet Ezekiel Therefore thou Son of Man Prophesie against Gog and say Thus saith the Lord behold I am against thee O Gog the chief Prince of Mesheck and Tubal I will turn thee back and leave but the sixth part of thee and will cause thee to come up from the North parts and will bring thee upon the Mountains of Israel and I will smite thy how out of thy left hand and cause thine Arrow to fall out of thy right hand thou shalt fall upon the Mountains of Israel thou and all thy Bands and the people that is with thee I will give thee unto the ravenous Birds of every sort and unto the Beast of the field to be devoured thou shalt fall upon the open field for I have spoken it saith the Lord And thou Son of Man thus saith the Lord speak unto every fethered Fowl and to every Beast of the Field assemble your selves and come gather your selves on every side to my Sacrifice that I do Sacrifice to you even a great Sacrifice upon the Mountains of Israel that you may eat flesh and drink bloud yee shall eat the flesh of the mighty and drink the bloud of the Princes of the earth of Rams of Lambs and of Goats of Bullocks all of them the fatlings of Bashan and yee shall eat fat till yee be filled and drink bloud till yee be drunken of my Sacrifice which I have Sacrificed for you Ezek. 39.1 2 3 4 5. Compare verse 17 18 19. Isa. 34.5 6. all which Scriptures and many more do shew that great destruction and total fall that the last and great Antichrist shall have upon the Mountains of Israel A word or two to shew that the Jesus the King shall restore their Kingdom into their hands even the Jews He shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord and in the Majesty of the name of his God and they shall abide for now shall he hee great unto the ends of the earth and this man shall be our peace when the Assyrians shall come into our Land and when he shall tread in our Palaces the Lord of Hoast hath sworn saying Surely so shall it come to pass as I have purposed so shall it stand that I will break the Assyrian in my Land and upon my Mountaines tread him under foot then shall his yoke depart from off them and his burden depart from off their shoulders for the Lord will have mercy on Jacob and will yet chuse Israel and set them into their own Land and the strangers shall bee joyned with them and they shall cleave to the House of Jacob and the people shall take them and bring them to their place and the House of Israel shall possesse them in the Land of the Lord for Servants and Hand-maids and they shall take them Captives whose Captives they were and they shall rule over their Oppressors Isa. 14.1 2 3. compare 24 25. verses So we may see that it was no Childish question that Christs Disciples asked him whether he would at that time restore the Kingdom to Israel though it were a matter too inquisitive for them to ask such a question for to know the Times and Seasons but here you may see that there is an appointed time of the Father in the which it should be accomplished and indeed David was a lively Type of Christ which had no sooner dispaced the Jebusites and cast them out of Sion but he made it his own Seat and the place for his Family So likewise it will be with the Lord Jesus that no sooner shall he appear upon the Mountains of Israel but he shall destroy that last and great Jebusite or the Man of Sin or the great and last Amichrist more properly called and give it unto the Jews for a Possession that they may dwell there and have it in possession The seed also of his Servants shall inherite it and they that love his name shall dwell therein Psal. 69.35 36. so that hence I have discovered briefly that great Warre upon the Mountains of Israel with the total ruine of the last and great Antichrist and the restoration of the Kingdom into the hands of Israel and leaving of these few Scriptures for the further proof of this thing I shall passe to the Sixth Particular Isa. 33.1 2 3 4 5. Ezek. 38.18 19 20 21 22. Rev. 11.10 chap. 6.15 The glorious Reign of Christ and his Saints upon Earth a thousand years The Discovery of the glorious Reign of Christ the great King and the Saints upon the Earth and the great peace that shall be in his day Christian Friend here is that the consideration whereof is sufficient to bear up thy spirit in the worst of times it was that which made the Apostle Paul not count his life dear to him that he might finish his course with joy so that hee was contented to suffer with him because he knew he should reign with him but for the better understanding of this glorious reign I shall divide this subject into several parts The first is That Christ shall reign as King on the Earth even in Jerusalem Secondly That the Saints shall have an high Prerogative so as to reign on earth even as Christ And Thirdly I shall put these two together with some other