days Rev. 11. expire and come up together in or about the year 1650 as I humbly conceive and then begins the Morning Watch as was noted before Which Morning-watch is that 45 years from the end of Daniels 1290 days and probably is that generation in which those signs of our Saviours coming in the end of the world closely and mystically couched under the Signs of Jerusalems destruction are to come up which generation is not to pass till all be fulfilled These signs you have Mat. 24.29 which are taken out of Joel 2.31 where the darkning of the Sun and turning the Moon into blood are made signes of the great and terrible day of the Lord. In Matthew you have the Epocha of them viz. after the tribulation in the days of Antichrist There are two notes premised for the right understanding and applying these signs 1. The Time 2. The Place It is not in every time that these signs are capable of being fulfilled but in and from a time of great light liberty and reformation for the Sun cannot be said to be darkned that did not shine before but the Sun from its shining forth in its splendour and glory to be darkned That is the Sign c. 2. The place though it may be any where every where in this old world where ever the mystical Sun or Moon give their light yet principally in the eminent place or places of the reformation where the clearest light hath shone and the greatest hopes and overtures of this approaching redemption have been there must we look for these signs which though of a spiritual discerning yet are matter of Fact and History in these days in which we live and may be evidenced to be fulfilled three manner of ways viz. Sinfully Penally Dispensationally And these in a threefold Orb and Sphear for a further account of which I refer to the Sermons The third Sermon brings us yet nearer laying the claim of the Son of Man to the 45 Prophetical days in Daniel 12. that follow after the 1290 That they are the days of the Son of Man spoken of Luk. 17. Parallel to the days of Noahs warning the old world and Lots warning of Sodom And this is by necessary and undeniable consequence proved That if the Beasts time or the times of the Man of Sin be up and out Then the days of the Son of Man are come for Antichrist is the last Enemy that is to exercise the Church 4. Which is more fully cleared in the fourth Sermon and the Type of installing Solomon in the Throne before Davids death it aptly applyed to the times or days of the Son of man commencing before the full end of the Militant state of the Church where also many objections are answered and it is with great appositeness shewed that Christ hath not only laid his claim to these Kingdoms of great Britain but hath been as it were solemnly Proclaimed as King here as in the Palace yard of his Dominions 5. The fifth Sermon more fully answers some objections as that of the conversion of the Jews shewing that by what we have heard that they are probably disposing and preparing for a return and that objection of the debauchery and looseness of the times shewing that it is no other then what was foretold by our Saviour himself and all the Prophets and lastly that of the pouring out of the Spirit as the latter rain that it is to be most eminently and fully done in the latter end of these 45 years intimated by that last and great day of the Feast The sixth and seventh Sermons are mainly to shew the spiritual nature and import of this coming and Kingdom of Christ which if considered might have in great part satisfied your jealous concern that we wave not a spiritual Kingdom but are for that as well as you The eighth Sermon is to remove that objection of the Phyals as if they were not yet poured out where on the contrary is shewed that there are five of them poured out and the sixth is in pouring out and hath been so of a long time and there is only the seventh Phyal behind which is to contemporate with the seventh and last Trumpet 1 Tim. 6.13 14 15. I give thee Charge in the sight of God who quickneth all things and before Christ Jesus who before Pontius Pilot witnessed a good CONFESSION Vers 14. That thou keep this Commandment without spot unrebukable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ Vers 15. Which in HIS TIMES he shall SHEW who is the Blessed and ONLY POTENTATE the KING of KINGS and Lord of Lords FINIS ERRATA PAge 18. line 13. for outwardly read outward p. 26. l. 14. f. in drawing r. in your drawing l. 23. after without make a Comma and add in p. 28. l. 15. f. Kingdom of Men which r. Kingdoms of Men will p. â—5 l. 27. f. repening r. ripening p. 38. l. 3. f. his r. their p. 39. l. 24. f. Glory r. glorify p. 40. l. 32. f. the Victory r. in Victory p. 45. l. 3. f. doth most r. doth must p. 49. l. 3. f. Great r. great and Eminent p. 50. l. 2. f. Lord r. the Lord. p. 51. l. ult after heavenly add such are they that are heavenly p. 52. l. 45. after appear l. 4. add what we shall be because he doth not appear l. â—9 for Corruption r. a Corruption p. 53. l. 11. f. so r. so that l. 23. after spirit and life add in the days of his flesh l. 26. f the Conceptions r. our Conceptions p 54. l. 4. f. those r. these after the latter these r. then Christs times are up p. 57. l. 16. f. Tabal r. Tubal p. 66. l. 32. after wilderness add of p. 69. l. 8. f. behind is r. is behind
his appearing and his Kingdom will concern himself about our Bodies to change them and make them like his own glorious Body even as himself hath shewed us the pattern in himself in the transfiguration when his Face shone as the Sun and his Garments were White as the Light whiter then any Fuller or Earth could make them If the Kingdom of Christ be wholly Spiritual and Invisible and concern not it self about the Body nor any of our Visible and sensible concerns how comes it that our Saviour giving an instance and representation of his Kingdom and second coming pitches so improperly on a visible Glory and an Audible Voice And yet after all this the Kingdom of Christ though revealed on Earth and takeing all the things of the Earth into its Charge and under its conduct and management yet is no terrene Earthly Kingdom but wholly and altogether Spiritual and Heavenly and all things in this Kingdom are of God 2 Cor. 5.18 Even our body which we have of him in the present state 1 Cor. 6.19 which shall then be a spiritual body standing in the Spirit as in its principle growing out of the Spirit that quickening Spirit the Lord from Heaven as its root sed and nourished by the Spirit of the Heavenly springing forth in the Image of the Heavenly and bearing the Heavenly fruit of the Spirit unto God and this food this Life this Image this Glory they converse and are entertained with in all their Franchises Priviledges and enjoyments in the Earth as has been observed before upon that Text Esa 65.16 And I hope by this time I need not purge my self of a private interest or design for this is an Universal Monarchy as the Lightening that passes from East to West instantly nor of advocateing for a fleshly Mahumetan paradice for this is the most holy and the People are the Saints of the most high I should now come to your possitive account of this Kingdom against which for the main I have no controversy the Kingdom of God undoubtedly is well and rightly stated by the Apostle in righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost You and I may differ in our notions and expressions about some things relateing to these which being excentriche to the point between us I shall not be diverted by them from our main business only find my self rather the cause I am engaged in concerned in a more then implyed jealousie in drawing forth this inward form and life of the Kingdom against the outward appearance of it as if it were an enemy to it which jealousie manifestly involves this inward Kingdom in an enmity against the outward and then I am sure they are neither of them the Kingdom of Christ but an enemy drest up in the Cloaths of the one or of the other It is for Satans Kingdom to be devided and that not till its fall be near but the Kingdom of Christ is one and that which doth sibi constare both within and without righteousness peace and joy let us consult the place Rom. 14.17 For the Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost We need look no higher nor read no farther the sence is absolute and entire though the whole Chapter is of the subject these are not opposed to the glorious visible state of Christs Kingdom on Earth in the end of the World but to the then antiquated and abrogated usurpation of Meats and Drinks prohibited by the Law which were by some set up for the Kingdom of God If ever we saw Satan transforming himself into an Angel of Light it is here in raising a most unnatural civil Warr in the very bowels of Christs Kingdom yea the Father Son and Spirit brought in to destroy their own Kingdom for so you call this Trinity of all divine Excellencies It is not you Sir but the Enemy hath done this that hath deceived you it is past his skill or power to draw any one of these into the field to appear against this Cause for the Kingdom we contend for is not without these nor all other divine excellencies as I shall shew you particularly 1. Righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 Nevertheless we according to his promise look for a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 2. Peace Esa 9.7 Of the encrease of his Government and of peace there shall be no end 3. Joy Esa 35.10 And the Ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Sion with Songs and everlasting Joy shall be upon their Heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and Sorrow and Sighing shall flee away so that they are but the names the notions of these things that are banded against the Life the Vertue the efficacy of them and that with this design I say not by you Sir I hope better things of you as the Apostle saith but by the Enemy to keep in the Kingdom of God from making its appearance in the World to hold it in a suffering state under an unrighteous oppressive World as if there were no passing from under these glorious sufferings but we must fall into the shameful pleasures of Sin a most unsufferable scandal of this pure and holy Kingdom of our Lord Jesus I shall close with this if you carry Righteousness Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost indeed in your banners we will open our files to them and they will I am sure march up with us into this Kingdom of God unto that glorious and open manifestation of themselves there and then let them look to it that stay behind and thus I part with your second Position your third runs thus 3. Posit The Kingdom of God and of his Christ is a free state a Kingdom of much Light and Liberty yea of absolute Perfection and Glory Of much light and liberty and why is not this absolute as well as the Perfection and Glory The one is so as much as the other but I suppose you intend that all this light and liberty is only within Spiritual and Invisible for how else are we delivered in the present state from the World from Death and the Grave to instance in no more if this be all our liberty this is too short an account of the Kingdom of Christ for this is a liberty which the Kingdom of men which allow us you may be as holy as you will and as free in your Conscience as you will so that you keep them to your selves this liberty a man may enjoy in Turky Again this liberty makes no provision for the Creatures which have a promise of liberty nay this liberty so far is it from that that it provides not for all men but only for Saints whereas the Kingdom of Christ will work out a glorious liberty for the whole creation in their order after the manifestation of the Sons of God so that you did prudently avoid the term absolute in this liberty men in absolute liberty do not groan as the
delights in the Body or Image of its manifestation without waits for it and is perfected in it for though it be said my strength is perfected in weakness yet it rests not till it hath removed weakness and therefore saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 13 4. though now we are weak in him yet we shall live by the power of God towards you We shall have a time to shine and be acknowledged a time to appear what now we do not Otherwise this bodily and visible Creation were in vain 1 Cor. 14.2.14 and as the Apostle speaks of speaking in unknown Tongues in the Spirit they speak Mysteries but their understanding was unfruitful so hero even Christ should in vain take flesh and in vain retain human nature and form in glory Nay he is not glorified in his human nature if his Members shall not therein be glorified likewise with him Do we suffer in our bodies and in our outward circumstances suffer with Christ and suffer for Christ and shall we not in the same be glorified together was the Earth made in vain to be only the range of wild Beasts was it not made to be inhabited and planted with righteousness and for the will of God to be done in it and will you call this an outward Kingdom and inconsistent with spirituality because it is visible and the object of sence Are we not fain in the present state to abstract from our bodies our sences when we would converse with Divine things as the Prophets that were in Trances when in the visions of God is not this through the weakness of the Vessel and is it not the glory of God and the happiness of Man when this shall be done away When also there shall be no pricking Bryar nor grieving Thorn no Persecution no oppression no wants no sickness nor pain do not these much hinder us from bringing forth those delicious fruits of Praise which we shall abound in when these are removed Sir I wonder that a person as you are that are not only acquainted with the Theory of what I speak but the experience that have suffered under the finest and most refined formes of this old World and their unrighteous usurpation in the things of God of which I perceive you have a quick sence still remaining with you that your ears should be so heavy to the News of a New World Were it a cunning devised Fable an officious Lye to deceive the pain of the present circumstances I should commend your high resolution not to be beholden to such collusions or were we in a hasty spirit of wrath and reveng calling for fire from Heaven upon our Persecutors you would be justified if you should tell us we know not what spirit we are of But when it is not our device but Gods revealed Counsel and design It is not our ease but his glory that is chiefly concern'd herein pray let us not be wiser then he nor more free of his glory and our own sufferings then he himself is pleased to be LET GOD HAVE A KINGDOM AMONG MEN. Give it not away to Satan to Antichrist they have had it long enough Is it not said for thy Glory All things are and were Created Is not his Name blasphemed continually every day while they that Rule over his people make them to howl Is this all the Kingdom God shall be allowed in the world to be glorified in the faith and patience of his suffering Saints Doth not the Apostle say It is a righteous thing with God to render tribulation to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with us c. Contend for spirituality as much as you will I shall joyn with you There is need enough so to do but oppose not the visibility the universality of Christs Kingdom who must be King over all the Earth known and acknowledged by all Zach. 14.9 And whereas you say towards the end of your Book That this expectation savours too strongly of the spirit of the old persecuting Jew who through the expectation of such a glorious Messiah rejected the Messiah in that tender he made of himself and Crucified him I hope Sir you intend not hereby to cashiere and cut off that people from their part in the glorious state of that Kingdom who if they had not particuler promises and assurances of a special regard to them in the turn of things that God will make in that day and that they were not to be an eminent and signal instance of the irresistable power and prevalency of the rich free and boundless grace of God as I am well satisfied they are from the 11th to the Romans and multitudes of other places yet for the universality of this Council of grace which is to take in the whole Earth they must upon that account be allowed to come in for their share with the rest of the Nations Their error was that they overlook't the Testimony of the Prophets yea of the spirit of the Messiah himself in the Prophets that testified before hand of the sufferings of Christ and of the glory that should follow they were not mistaken in expecting a glorious Messiah but in expecting him out of the order and time that God had set for it but now that Christ hath suffered yea and his Body mystical hath fill'd up the measure of his suffering in themselves under the 42 months of the Beast if we deny him his Kingdom shall we not not only persecute him but all his members likewise worse then the Jews did You say in the entrance upon this argument you would not be concluded as a meer stranger to the nature and circumstances of this controversie having read Mr. Brightman and Mr. Mede but found them defective Sir I have that charity for Philalethes according to the Import of his name and for the long experience and acquaintance I have had with him that he would not prevaricate with his light nor speak or write against the least truth he was convinced of But Sir you are not ignorant that though truth be eternal in its spring-head in God yet in respect of its discovery to us it is the daughter of time there are seasons for all truths to come forth into the world there was so for the Gospel 1 Tit. 2.3 Mr. Brightman lived and died remoter from the times of this light Mr. Mede who lived nearer to them saw farther But besides Sir there is as in one place of your Book pag. 65. you express a certain Divine position and configuration of minds as well as things that disposeth or indisposeth them for some truths and therefore considering this position and configuration in Mr. Mede who was alwaies in his opinion for conformity and for the Hierarchy in the Church it is to be admired that he should engage so far as he did in this cause of Christ's glorious Kingdom on earth and it adds no small weight to the evidence of that truth that against the