fallen from heaven which starr I take to be that starr which fell from heaven in the 8th chapter and 10th verse which I take to be the Bishop of Rome and as saith the text to him was given the key of the bottomlesse pit and he opened the bottomlesse pit and there arose a smoke out of the pit as the smoke of a great furnace and the sun and the air was darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit that is as I conceive the spirit and whole worship of Jesus Christ compared to the air wherein the saints lived spiritually as their bodies lived in the air naturally so that now all the outward worship of God is darkened and his people are asleep or dead in respect of outward order To the like purpose you have Rev. 11. 2. where the Angel saith But the Court which is without the temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy City shall they tread under foot forty and two monthes thereby shewing that the ordinances which I take to be the outward Court should be defiled by men which are gentiles in manners and to be trodden down and the ordinances to be polluted and the holy City to be trodden under feet forty and two months during the dead condition of the people of the Lord Jesus Another text to the same purpose you have Rev. 11. 7. where speaking of the witnesses he saith And when they shall have finished their testimony the beast that doth ascend on t of the bottomless pit shall make war with them and shall overcome them and kill them and their dead bodies shall ly in the streets of the City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt As much as if he should say when Antichrist shall have prevailed over the worship why then the Lords people shall be among the Antichristian state as though they were dead in respect of any outward order as Lot lay or dwelt in Sodom and the children of Israel in Egypt waiting for their Deliverer Another text to the like effect you have Rev. 12. 14. where he saith And to the woman meaning the Church were given two wings of a great Eagle that she might flee into the wilderness into her place which shews that the woman which was the Church was retired and not to be seen or discerned Thus having proved and I hope cleered that the third dispensation is a sleepy and dead condition wherein the people of the Lord Jesus must live in captivity under the Antichristian state without the spirit and ordinances in that purity as was in the first Gospel times having no other note upon them but what may be in Earth or having no other form but as having a face like unto a man So that here will arise a question necessary to be discussed and that is what posture the people of God must waite in untill their Deliverer do come and deliver them out of this captivity To which I answer That all the posture which I find in Scripture for the Saints to wait in during their sleepy or dead condition is waiting for the Lord Jesus by watching and prayer and this is cleer by these Scriptures Isaiah 8. 17. Micah 7. 7. Mat. 24. 42. Mar. 13. 35. Luke 12. 36 37 39. Rev. 16. 15. and in handling of this particular that is the sleepy or dead condition of the Lords people which is the dispensation which doth precede that glorious dispensation of the Lord Jesus by himselfe unto his people I shall the Lord enabling me answer all the objections which are made against this discourse As for objections against those texts I have alleadged out of the old Testament I have not met with any it being a truth confirmed by experience of all ages that the Jews and Israelites after the flesh have lain among the nations captivated without any temple or worship or kingdome and priesthood for many ages that prophesie being fulfilled upon them Hosea 3. 4. where it is said For the Children of Israel shall abide many days without a King and without a prince and without a sacrifice and without an Image and without an ephod and without a teraphim which is a Type as I conceive of that spirituall captivity of the Lords people under Gospel dispensations which truth is abundantly confirmed by the Prophets and acknowledged almost by all the learned only herein as I conceive they mistake in that they endeavour to deliver themselves out of this bondage and captivity by themselves that is by their own gifts and abilities without that pure Anoynting of the Spirit which is prophesied to be poured out in the last times upon the Lords people when they shall see Eye to Eye when the Lord shall bring again Sion And therefore as to the old Testament I shall passe it by it being not objected against and as for objections against those texts that I have alleadged out of the new Testament there are many as first it is objected concerning the parable of the tares that though it be true say they that it is the Masters saying that the tares should grow with the wheat unto the harvest yet nevertheless this should be in the world and not that they should both grow together in the Church for if they should then it would contradict Scripture Rule which is that the Lord Jesus left power unto his Church to purge themselves and not to suffer the tares to grow among them To which I answer first pray mind how the Lord Jesus sowed good seed in his field and gave his servants power to water it and to weed out all such bad weeds as might grow amongst them now pray mark those servants in processe of time fall asleep and in time forget and neglect their duty the Divell taking this occasion soweth his tares amongst them which when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit then appeared the tares also and in time grew too many for the good seed Secondly The servants in processe of time begin to wake and finding the tares by their works to be tares indeed they begin to be offended at them whereupon they go to the housholder and say unto him Sir didst not thou sow good seed in thy field whence then hath it tares he said unto them An enemy hath done this The servants said unto him Wilt thou that we gather them up But he said nay left while you gather out the tares you roote up the wheat also let both grow together untill the harvest at which time I will say to the Reapers Gather together the tares first and bind them in bundles to burne them but gather the wheat into my barn It is objected again True they may grow together in the world which as the Lord Jesus expoundeth it is the field but they may not be permitted in the Church together To which I answer and desire all men to consider the difference of times for it is not now as it
was in the first Gospel times the servants now have been asleepe and the Church hath lost her power the number of tares are above the number of the wheat besides the servants have lost that spirit of discerning as they had in the first times the Sun now is darkned and the powers of the heaven shaken that is removed and there is not that spirit of infallibility as was in the first Gospel times wherein the spirit or pure Anointing was able to try who were tares and who were good seed as is clear by our Saviour's words in verse 29. where he saith Nay least while yee gather up the tares yee root up the wheat also with them Secondly The Lord Jesus doth now expound the world to be his kingdome whereas before it was the Church which was particularly Christ's kingdome for in the same Chapter where this parable is set forth in verse the 38. he saith The field is the world and then in the 41 verse it is said And they shall gather out of his kingdome all things that offend and them that doe iniquity and shall cast them into a furnace of fire This is also confirmed in the same Chapter in the parable of the draw-net which is cast into the sea which when it is full men draw to land and gather the good into vessels and cast the bad away Even so shall it be in the end of the world the Angels shall come forth and sever the bad from among the just It is further objected that whereas the Lord Jesus saith that he will gather out of his kingdome all things that offend and them that do iniquity this kingdome say they is that kingdom which the Lord Jesus will purge in the new world wherein there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord. To which I answer that although Antichrist hath gotten possession and doth Rule and Raigne in the Church yet the Lord doth call it his Church which I prove from these Scriptures Isaiah 27. 10 where he saith yet the defenced Citie shall be desolate and the habitation forsaken and left like a wildernesse there shall the calfe feed and there shall he lie down and consume the branches therof and 33. 14. where he saith The sinners in Zion are afraid fearfulnesse hath surprised the hypocrites who among us shall dwell with devouring fire which thews that there was sinners in Zion and hypocrites in them that walked in outward order for he saith who amongst us shall dwell in devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings he doth not say he that goeth out of this Sion in this or that order but he that walketh uprightly and speaketh righteously he that despiseth the gain of oppression that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes that stoppeth his eares from hearing of bloud that shutteth his eyes from seeing of evill where note here is no difference between the people of God and the sinners and hypocrites in Zion but Righteousnesse and yet Zion the like Isaiah chap. 49. 17. speaking of the Restoring of the Church he saith Thy children shall make hast thy destroyers and they that made thee wast shall go forth of thee which thews plainly that the enemies of the Church were possessed of her and did destroy her and make her wast The like you have Eezekiel 9. when the Lord sends to mark his people and to destroy those that had polluted his worship in an extraordinary measure which will bear a Type of the last times which I suppose cannot be denied where he saith unto them in the sixth verse which had the charge to destroy the city slay utterly old and young both maids and little children and women but come not near any man upon whom is the mark which shaweth they were mingled one amongst the other and begin at my Sanctuary where note notwithstanding this people had so much polluted his worship as is fully set forth in the foregoing chapter yet the Lord is pleased to call it his sanctuary and beside we read of no other sanctuary of the Lords at that time and therefore the enemies of the Lord were possessed of his Church and sanctuary the like you have in express termes the 2 Thessalonians 2. 4. where it is said speaking of the man of sin who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God shewing himself that he is God Now what can be plainer spoken that notwithstanding antichrist had gotten possession in the Church of God and ruled as God therein yet the Apostle cals it the temple of God Another objection is made touching the Virgins for say some men it is said in the text Then shall the kingdome of heaven be likened to ten Virgins which tooke their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom so say these men this going forth is as we do now out of Babylon by the ordinances of the Gospel as baptizing laying on of hands and all those ordinances which the Lord Jesus hath commanded his people to walk in untill his second coming To which I answer that I do believe that the going forth of the Virgins was out from the world to professe the name of Christ and not going out from Babylon which I shall further cleer but pray mark it is said while the bridgroom tarried all slumbred and slept so that here was a slumbring and sleepy condition between the going forth and the bridegroom 's coming which as I conceive is that slumbring and sleepy condition which I have proved from Scripture Secondly it is said and at midnight there was a cry made Behold the bridegroom cometh go ye forth to meet him where pray mark here is a midnight spoken of and I thinke there is no man will say that this midnight was either friday or saturday night that is one of these naturall nights wherein we take our rest but I conceive it is that midnight or darknesse which lies upon the Church of Jesus Christ immediately before the Lords bright appearing Thirdly it is said Goe yee forth to meet him I suppose no man will affirm it is meant going forth out of a mans house but it is that going forth out of Babylon or the Antichristian state by the beleeving Gentiles which lay in captivity among the Antichristian state and that going forth of the whole Israel of God after the flesh from among the nations in which they lay scattered so many ages to meet the Lord in Zion at the voyce of the great trumpet when he shall gather together his Elect from the foure windes of the heaven Isaiah 11. 12. and 27. 13. Mat. 24 31. and that voice of the second Angel mentioned Rev. 14. 18. and 18. 4. where it is said come out of her my people that you be not partakers of her sins and receive not of her plagues It is further objected that in all ages there have been such
and upon her head a crown of twelve starrs now I think no man will deny but the Church which undoubtedly was the woman which was cloathed with the sun when she had such abundance of the spirit that it sat upon them as fire and they were filled with the holy Ghost and spake with tongues and were enabled with power to distribute the ordinances of the Gospel unto whom they did appertain and when the Church was crowned with twelve stars namely the twelve Apostles But it is yet objected Be it so that this is true yet is there no workings of the spirit are all things so dead as there is no appearance of God by gifts and ordinances I answer I do beleeve that there are some breathings of the Spirit in the Saints for it is not said the sun is wholly darkened but darkned that is doth not give that light as it did in the first Gospel times and this the very experience of times doth evince but for the ordinances which are likened to the moon they are in a manner wholly darkened from that they were in the first times and as for the stars the third part of them was darkned in the sounding of the fourth trumpet Rev. 8. 12. and 12. 4. and they which persisted in the faith are killed by the beast Rev. 11. 7. It is further objected that though it be said The powers of the heavens shal be shaken yet it follows not that they are removed no more then trees that are shaken of a mighty wind are removed To which I answer that shaking in Scripture sense is removing and this is cleer from that of Haggai 2. 6. where it is said for thus saith the Lord of hoasts yet once it is but a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land which shaking is expounded by the Authour to the Hebrews to be a removing Hebrews the 12. 27. And thus I hope I have fully answered these objections Another objection is made against that exposition which I make upon that text Luke 17. 34. where it is said In that night there shall be two men in one bed the one shall be taken the other shall be left which say they is meant when the Lord appeareth then shall one that is a Christian be at work with an unbeliever and where it is said There shall be two in one bed the one shall be taken the other shall be left say they it is meant the husband may be a believer and the wife an unbeleever as it was in the first Gospel times To which I answer That the text saith it is two men and two women and therefore it cannot be meant of that matrimonial coupling of man and wife and touching the two men being in the field together as it is Matth. 24. that it may be expounded at work together the one a beleever the other an unbeleever this the words going before will cleer for it is said Luke 17. 26. As it was in the dayes of Noe so shall it be in the dayes of the Son of man likewise as it was in the dayes of Lot they did eat and drink they bought they sold they planted they builded but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone and destroyed them all Now we all know there was no difference between Noe and the world and Lot and the Sodomltes in any outward worship but onely they were preachers of righteousnesse which is cleer by that speech of Abraham where he prayeth for Sodom Gen. 18. 24. and saith Peradventure there be found fifty righteous so likewise in the dayes of the coming of the Son of man those that are truly Christians and watch and pray cannot but be preachers of righteousnesse forasmuch as that man that is addicted to sin and uncleannesse cannot be said in reason to watch over his actions and he that is praying or prepared alwayes to pray cannot be voyd of righteousness towards man Another Objection is made touching the raising of the Witnesses for say they It is true the Witnesses are to lie dead but there is a time for their raising again and this is our practice sor we are raising the Witnesses from death to meet the Lord in Sion To which I answer That it is true that the Witnesses are to rise and to stand upon their feet but the question is when this should be which I beleeve upon examination will appear to be when the Lord appears from heaven which I shall prove thus as it is said Rev. 11. 11. and after three dayes and a half the Spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon all that saw them which compared with Ezekiel 37. and Rev. 20. 5. will appear to be that resurrection spoken of in those two places But it may be said Those places speak of the raising of the dead out of their graves to meet the Lord in Sion but this of Revel 11. must be meant of the raising the people of the Lord Jesus out of that darkness wherein they lay in the Antichristian state To which I answer It is true it seems to be so but mark well the sense of the place and you shall finde it is at the Lords appearing as to mee it seems cleer from the 12 verse where it is said And they heard a great voice from heaven saying Come up hither and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld them which compared with 1 Thes. 4. it will appear to be when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven with a shout and the voyce of the archangel as it is in ver 16. besides mark the effects that did follow upon the rising of the witnesses for it is said verse 13. And the same hour there was a great Earth-quake and the tenth part of the City fell and in the earth-quake were slain of men 7000 and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven so that I think no man will affirm there is any such effects wrought by any arising from death of the witnesses in these our days and thus I hope I have answered this objection It is yet further objected that the changes that are wrought in this nation are some tokens of the Lords hand for we may plainly see that there be many men that were before wicked persons both swearers and lascivious in their lives and conversations that upon their coming in are changed in their lives likewise there are many young men that were of no gifts and parts in the sight of the world are now able to dispense the word and to pray very heavenly somtime to the admiration of the hearers insomuch as they are forced to say God is in you of a truth and therefore this must needs be a testimony that the hand of God is in this work and that he will prosper it To this I answer
that corrupt channel of the Church of Rome therefore it must needs follow that insomuch as the Scripture is acknowledged to be our director in all things by all Reformers and for so much as all that enter not by the door are theeves and robbers John 10. 1. and for as much as none can preach except they be sent according to the doctrine of Paul Romans the 10. 15. and for as much as the prophet Isaiah sends us to the Law and to the Testimony and saith If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isaiah 8. 20. and the Apostle Saint Paul in the aforesaid text of the Romans alledgeth Scripture for his and others preaching the Gospel and saith As it is written how beautifull are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace and bring glad tydings of good things therefore I say If we will reform being the lesser part we must necessarily have some Scripture for our warrant to shew that the time is out for our deliverance and some mention made in Scripture of some Anoynting to reform the Church of Jesus Christ after the ordinances are corrupted or changed as is acknowledged which if it can be produced either by plain letter or by consequence that when once the ordinances are changed or corrupted that they are to be restored in their purity and that the people of the Lord Jesus are to gather themselves out of Babylon or the Antichristian state wherin they lay in captivity among all sorts of men in visible bodies with all those officers as Apostles Pastors Teachers and Elders as they were in the first Gospel times before the Lords appearing to restore his people I shall by the help of God subscribe unto them and confess my Errour yet nevertheless there are some texts alledged for the maintenance of it I shall name them as I go and examine them according to my understanding and leave them to the men that alledged them to judg The first text which is aleadged for the raising of ordinances is from Psalm 75. 2. where the prophet speaking in the person of God saith when I shall receive the congregation I will judg uprightly whence is inferred that when the Lord Jesus doth appear there will be a congregation To which I answer and do confess that the Psalmist in that place speaks of the appearance of Jesus Christ as is plain from verse the first where it is said for that thy name is neer thy wondrous works declare but touching that 2 verse from whence that inference is taken I conceive the true sense is no other but that before the Lord appeare the congregation is judged unrighteously by the men of the world or by such as Rule in the Church of Jesus Christ having no commission from him or as it is in Matthew the 24. 48. and Zechariah 11. 16. by that evill servant which saith in his heart my Lord delayeth his coming and shall begin to smite his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunken but when the Lord doth appear he will take the government of the congregation to himself and will judg uprightly Agreeable to those texts of Scriptures Isa. 11. 4. Micah 4. 3. The second text is from Isaiah 10. 27. where it is said And it shall come to passe in that day that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulders and his yoake from off thy neck and the yoake shall be destroyed because of the anyonting from whence is inferred that in the last dayes the Lord will anoynt his people by his Spirit so that they shall by degrees gather themselves out of Babylon or the antichristian state into bodies or single fellowships to meet the Lord in Sion For answer unto which pray note the text it self for it is not said thou shalt deliver thy self because of the anoynting but it is said In that day his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder and the yoake from off thy neck and the yoake shall be destroyed because of the annointing which argueth thus much that the Lord will deliver his people by the hand of some extraordinary messenger that he wil appoint for that purpose which I conceive is the Lord Jesus for he alludes unto the deliverance of his people out of Egypt and to that deliverance from Midian at the rock Oreb as it is in the foregoing verse being the 26. Now it is known to all men that in those deliverances there was Moses and Gideon extraordinarily sent to deliver his people and can it be thought that in that great deliverance of all the deliverances that have happened unto the people of God that deliverance from sin and death only excepted wherin Ephrahim shall no more envy Juda nor yet Juda vex Ephrahim and that from thenceforth the wolf and the lamb shall feed together and that from thenceforth they shall hurt nor destroy no more in the mountain of Gods holinesse that the Lord will deliver his people by themselves contrary to his practice in all ages as may be abundantly proved from Moses Joshua Jeptha Deborah Barak unto Zorobabel which were all types of that great deliverer of his people as may be seen Haggai 2. 23. where Jesus Christ is set forth under the name of Zorobabel Beside pray mark the 33d verse of that 10. of Isaiah where it is plainly said Behold the Lord the Lord of bosts shall lop the bough with terrour and the high ones of stature shall be hewen down and the mighty shall be humbled and he shall cut down the thickets of the forrest with iron and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one Now let any man judge if this be meant his people by themselves or else the deliverance to come by some extraordinary messenger The next two texts which are alleadged for the raising of ordinances I put them both together because I suppose they aime at one and the same thing are the 2 Pet. 2. 11 14. and the Epistle of Jude ver 20 21. where it is said Wherefore beloved seeing you look for such things be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse And then in Jude it is said But ye beloved edifie your selves in your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost and keep your selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternall life From whence is gathered that in the last daies the people of the Lord Jesus Christ must walk in Gospel order being baprized and gather themselves into visible bodies to meet the Lord in Sion To which I answer and desire all men to take notice of the scope of the Apostles in these two places namely to arme the Christians unto whom they wrote to take heed of false teachers which were crept in amonst them to beware of them and to be watchfull over themselves and that they should build up themselves in their most holy
faith and therein they do admonish them as is cleer from the second of Peter 2. 1. and from the Epistle of Jude the 4. and this I do acknowledge was writ unto such men as were in gospel order and they are admonished to persevere and to continue in love unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. But these Churches have since fallen asleep Mathew 13. 15. the ordinances are corrupted or changed as is acknowledged by these men now let themselves judge what is in these Epistles and verses aleadged for the restoring of them these Churches have lost their power the sun is gon down over the Prophers Micah 3. 6. and I looke for some place of Scripture for their raising again before the Lord appear And thus I hope I have fully answered to those Scriptures A fourth Scripture which is alledged is Revelation the 2. 23. where it is said speaking of the woman Jezebel which did teach and seduce his people he saith And I will kill her children with death and all the Churches shall know Thereby arguing that when the Lord appears and destroys Jezebel that then all the Churches that are in being shall know and see his judgements upon her To this I answer and desire all men to take notice of the contents of this second chapter which is to approve and to reprove sundry matters among the Churches unto whom St. John wrote and amongst the rest the Church of Thyatira is reproved for suffering the woman Jezebel which calleth her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and seduce his people and having spoken of the judgements which he will bring upon her he saith and all the Churches shall know that is say they al the Churches that are in being when the Lord doth appear shall know how he will punish this woman now pray take notice in the first chapter and 11 verse St John is commanded to write this Revelation in a book and send it to the seven Churches that are in Asia and so fulfilling his commission in his exhortation unto the severall Churches he still concludes with this admonition Let him that hath an ear hear what the spirit saith unto the Churches now what Churches are those that are exhorted to hear the Churches which shall be at the end of the world or those that St. John wrote unto I think it is unlikely that St John should write unto Churches in being then admonithing them to hear and this to be applied for the raising of Churches at the end of the world or neer that time and in this verse it is said and all the Churches shall know now what shall they know Why they shall know that if this Church of Thyatira will not restaine this woman Jezebel by her power while they have it that the Lord will execute his power himself and they shall know it And where it is aledged that those Churches here spoken of are those Churches that are in being when the Lord doth appear I answer where is the least colour for it in the text for these Churches are no other but those Churches which are writ unto which are the seven Churches of Asia which still are admonished Let him that hath an ear hear what the spirit saith unto the Churches Moreover he doth admonish this Church of Thyatira that if she did not exercise her power that then all the Churches should know that I am he that searcheth the reines and the heart and will give unto every one of you according to your works that is as I conceive if you do your duty while you have power and if you neglect your duty having power the time will come when you shall know that I will reward every one of you according to your works moreover experience teacheth us that those Churches have the candlestick removed from them and have no being and therefore in my judgment it is but a weake foundation to raise ordinances upon and to gather Churches upon when once they have lost their power and are polluted and Antichrist seated in them And so much for this Scripture A fist and last Scripture which is alledged is from Rev. 18. 20. where the destruction of Babylon is set forth and an exhortation given unto his people in these words Rejoyce over her thou heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her from whence is inferred that when the Lord doth destroy Babylon that then his people being in Church order having Apostles and Prophets shall rejoyce for the destruction thereof To which I answer First it is not said heavens that is Churches but heaven that is as I conceive the Church of God in all ages being now a triumphant Church their enemies being destroyed and is exhorted to rejoyce Secondly pray mind what the people of the Lord are incited unto namely to rejoyce which is fulfilled in the 11. chapter and 16 17 18 verses and in the 15. chapter 2 3 4 verses and 19 chapter 2 3 4 verses compared with Isaiah the 12. chapter In Rev. 11. 16. you have the foure and twenty elders mentioned and in ver 19. you have the four and twenty Elders and the foure beasts mentioned which cannot well be expounded the Churches and Apostles and Prophets which shall be in being when the Lord doth appear now let themselves judge whether here be any thing towards the raising of ordinances or gathering of Churches for which these Scriptures are brought for I professe with reverence to all just wayes of God that to me these Scripturs seem to be a weak foundation to build such a structure upon as is pretended namely that the raising of ordinances as is practised in these daies is the onely way by which the Lord will by degrees draw and deliver his people out of Babylon to meet him in Sion It is yet objected that is it the Lords own precept mentioned Matth. 28. saying Go and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost and the promise is annexed and lo I am with you unto the end of the world whereupon is concluded that his people are to practise the ordinances in their purity untill the Lord appear To which I answer first that it is acknowledged by these men that there hath been an interruption both in the succession of the Ministry and in the corrupting the purity of the ordinances and I look for some proof from Scripture Rule for their raising Secondly it is affirmed by Mr John Saltmarch who had knowledg in the Greek copies that the words unto the end of the world if truely translated is but to the end of that age or administration and he quotes the Greek text in his book called some beames of the morning starr in the margent of the same book page 134. But thirdly it is usuall in Scripture phrase that for End is meant but length of time and not to the end of the world or of all ages as is
shepherd to rule over them which should destroy them and of evill shepherds you may read fully in Jerem. the 23. and Ezek. the 34. I shall in the fifth place come to prove the people of Gods posture to be watching and prayer without the benefit of ordinances in their purity during the dead condition from the Churches owne confession walking in outward order which I prove from Isaiah 26. 19. where it is said we have been with child we have been in paine wee have as it were brought forth wind we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen as much as if the Church should have said we have strived to deliver our selves out of our captivity by walking in that order which we have set up but we have brought forth nothing but wind neither have we wrought any deliverance in the earth neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen we have desired to destroy Babylon and to deliver our selves but it comes to nothing and to no effect And then in the next verse The Lord Jesus as I conceive answereth her saying Thy dead men shall live together with my dead bodie shall they arise Awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust as much as if he should have said although that you now seem dead and lie in the dust in respect of outward order according to the first Gospel times yet when my dead body that is the Church shall arise why then awake and sing Now if any should ask any of our professours if they did not travell to bring forth our Lord Jesus and to destroy antichrist by their walking in those professions doubtlesse they would answer yea for it is the principle of every profession Sixthly I shall prove the people of Gods posture to be watching and prayer during the dead condition from the condition the people of God shall be in when he appears and destroyes all their enemies and restores them they being like a wildernesse and all false waies in a flourishing condition this is proved from Isaiah 29 19. where it is said Is it not yet a very little while and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitfull field and the fruitfull field shall be counted as a forrest compared with Revelation the 12. 14. and Isaiah the 32. 15. where it is said Vntill the spirit be poured out upon us from above and the wilderness be a fruitfull field and the fruitfull field be counted as a forrest now what can be more cleerly spoken then this touching this thing for it is the principle of every profession at this day for they say that the waies we now practise are the waies by which the Lord Jesus will more and more draw out his people into Gospel order untill he have fully brought them out of Babell and prepared them to meet him in Sion and this is the saying and tenent of every profession whereas contrariwise he saith by his Prophet that at the time when the spirit is poured out from on high his people shall be like a wildernesse and the false worships be counted as a fruitfull field and then is that great change wrought But it may be objected that before we tooke upon us the profession of the Gospel we were like a wildernesse but since we came into Gospel order we have been like a fruitfull field and this change is now a working To which I answer that this change shall not be wrought untill the Lord destroyes Babylon or the antichristian state and this is cleer by Isaiah the 35. and the first and so forth for in the foregoing chapter being the 34. the Lord sets before us the destruction of all nations but especially of Idumea which I conceive in the mystery to be antichrist or false brethren as Edom was to Israel and in the 14. verse he comes to say as it were that now the people of God are delivered out of her The wild beasts of the desart shall also meet with the wild beasts of the islands and the satyr shall cry to his fellow which compared with Revelations the 18. 2. doth fully agree now mark what followes in the 35. chapter where it is said The wilderness and the solitary place shall he glad for them that is for their destruction and the desart shall rejoyce and blossom as a rose So that I conclude from this text if there were no more that before the Lord destroys antichrist with the spirit of his mouth and the brightnesse of his coming the people of the Lord Jesus shall be in respect of outward order and discipline like a wildernesse and desart and Babylon and all false waies shall be in a flourishing condition like a fruitfull field And thus much to this proofe While my cogitations were exercised about this Treatise there came to my hand a little book written by Thomas Vane Doctor of Divinity and sometime Chaplain to the late King of England intituled A lost sheep returned home or the Motives of the Conversion to the Catholich Faith of Thomas Vane penned in Paris in the yeer 1648. Which book having read and diligently considered I found that he did propound to consideration severall marks of the true Church where in the 17 and 18 chapters he makes conversion of Kingdoms and Monarchs and sanctity of doctrine and life to be marks of the true Church and applyes it to the Church of Rome which having diligently considered I was at a pause but weighing well what this sanctity of doctrine and life was I found it was chiefly in instructing her children in not onely confessing themselves to God but also confessing to the priests not onely sorrow for sin but also doing penance for the same and such as the Church injoyneth obliging to set times of fasting and prayer and magnifying the merit of good works commending the sublime acts of voluntary poverty chastity and obedience and the exercising of other great acts of austerity for to subdue sin in the sleth and to professe our love to Christ in these things which having diligently considered mee thought he had almost forgot the true duties of christian Religion mentioned in those two places Isai. 58. 6 7. and James 1. 27. where the Prophet saith thus Is not this the fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickedness to undoe the heavie burdens and to let the oppressed go free and that you break every yoak Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poor that is cast out to thy house when thou seest the naked that thou cover him and that thou hide not thy self from thine own flesh Where note one of the duties of Christianity is to do good to our own flesh which cannot well be done by afflicting our bodies by unnecessary fastings and great austerity And the Apostle St. James saith Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherlesse and widows in their affliction
such gifts as they professe that they do enjoy and have such abundance of the spirit as that they are perfect as is boasted of really and indeed I do acknowledg I come short of them for I feel no such thing in my selfe in the mean time God assisting me I shall not envy their happiness but nevertheless I advise them that they look diligently about them and be sure on their hand that they be so indeed lest they prove to be such as our Saviour forewarneth us of Matthew the 24. 24. where he saith For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect. And I suppose it is contrary to those Scriptures I have alledged and many more Eightly I shall prove that the people of the Lord Jesus must wait by watching and prayer out of Gospel order in its purity during their captivity for their deliverer by the Lords own speech where he wondereth that there was no intercessor and saith he I looked and there was none to help Isaiah the 59. 16. and 63. 5. thereby shewing the scarcity of such as should intercede for their deliverance and how few there should be of such as should lay to heart the judgments of God now if it be so that the Lord when he comes puts a question whether he shall find faith on the earth Luke 18. 8. and that there will be none of the great ones which are as shepherds upon the earth to be an intercessor for his peoples deliverance and that he that departeth from evill maketh himself a prey Isaiah 59. 15. Then how comes it to passe that we do vaunt of such Revelations and of such perfection and of such Church order as is pretended Which if the principles of those men be true which say that the order which we practise is the way by which the Lord will draw by degrees his people out of Babell into hodies or single fellowships to meet the Lord in Sion which if so there will be abundance of intercessours and many to help forward the work which the Lord professeth in those two places he is left to do alone namely to deliver his people Ninthly I shall prove the people of the Lord Jesus must wait by watching and prayer without the benefit of ordinances in their purity during the sleepy and dead condition by the Lords promising to bring the blind by a way that they knew not and I will lead them in paths that they have not known Isaiah the 42. 16. now the wayes that are now practised are not wayes which have not been known but they are such wayes as the people of the Lord did walk in in the first Gospel times or at the least an imitation of them and these may be in a sense called old wayes but the wayes which the Lord will deliver his people by at that great restoring will be new wayes and such as have not been known therefore according to this text these are not the wayes the Lord will deliver his people by Tenthly I shall prove by way of probability that it is the will of the Lord Jesus that his people must wait by watching and prayer for their Lords appearing during this dead condition without the benefit of ordinances in their purity from that evill successe and those sad effects which have befallen the people of God in all their reformations since the rise of Antichrist I shall begin with the evill successe As first where is that Reformation begun in Bohemiah in that Kingdome is it not come to nothing or at the least wise growne to a customary performance and much short of that perfection which we now talk of and strive so diligently to obtain Secondly what is become of the reformation begun by Waldus of Lions of whom came the Waldenses and Albigenses which spread abroad in the country of France Tholouse Piedmont and other places of Germany is it not come to the bare name of Protestants and though they are something refined from Rome yet do they fall short of that true reformation which we do see apparently to be necessary if we could attain unto it Thirdly if we look upon that reformation begun by Martin Luther which was the most excellent of all other being as I conceive that wound which was given unto the beast Revel the 13. that did arise out of the sea which nevertheless did live of which reformation we in this nation have had proof that it was growne to nothing a most but formality and we are returning back with hast to Rome again as is witnessed by many godly men observing it and complaining of it in our dayes Fourthly I appeal to any mans experience what is become of that reformation which was pretended for in the beginning of our troubles how zealous were our Ministers for a Reformation in stirring up the Parliament and people for a Reformation by displacing our popish and Episcopall Ministers which being in part performed and those Ministers got up in their places how soon did the generallity of them grow cold and negligent in their duty how busie have they been to look after their profits and preferments and what hunting of men for tithes and other duties and what complaints put to the Committees against such men as would not answer their demands in things pertaining unto this life I leave it to the magistrate and to any godly man to judg Fifthly Notwithstanding that I honour and love the image of God in men of every profession yet should the State take part with any one of our severall professions and set it up as a State Religion I much doubt lest in compass of an age or two it would decline and grow into formality as hath been seen by the foregoing Reformations I write not this to undervalue mens persons or religion that they professe but lamenting the miseries we lie under and grieving to see the little trust that is in man and how few there be that having attained to that they desire stand steady in their profession without wavering I mean not in their profession of outward discipline belonging to outward order but that Essence and life of Religion I mean faith and a good conscience Secondly I shall prove it by the sad effects which have followed upon all our Reformations as 1. What miseries did befall that Reformation begun in Bohemia what cruel wars and bloud-shed did follow upon it in that nation and the Germanes in opposing them is best known unto those that are acquainted with their history Insomuch as their captain Scisca doth boast unto his souldiers that he had led them to eleven battels and in every of them he went away victor and yet after his death those Bohemians were overcome not without much bloud-shed on either side 2. What miseries did befall the people of the Waldoys or Waldenses in the valleys of Angrogne Luscerne St. Martin Perouse and others in
he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth and if we in outward carriage towards men do watch over our own corruptions and order our lives and conversations aright and in our worship towards God use prayer and praises from a pure heart which is the only sacrifice he accepts we have his promise which cannot ly that unto such he will shew the salvation of God Psalm the 50. 23. And so much for this sleepy and dead condition of the people of the Lord Jesus Christ. It hath been a question put by some to me how I proved the four beasts which did give glory to God upon which I grounded my book called Some Discoveries of the mysteries of the last times to be four dispensations of the people of God under which they ly in severall shapes or conditions which to satisfie all men that doubt of the truth of that exposition I desire such men to look Revelation the 5. 8 9 10 verses where it is said And when he had taken the book the four beasts and the four and twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb having harpes and golden viols full of odours which are she prayers of the Saints and they sung a new song saying Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the Earth which proof through a mistake was left out which now I have inserted to satisfie all men which doubt the truth of it I shall now in the fourth place speak of the fourth particular in order That the Lord Jesus will appear most gloriously to deliver his people by himself And this all the prophets bear witness unto As first the prophet David in the 50. Psalm and 2. verse where speaking of the Lords glorious appearing saith Out of Sion the perfection of beauty hath God shined Our God shall come and shall not keep silence a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him The like in Psalm 45. 3. he saith Gird thy sword upon thy thigh ô thou most mighty withthy glory and majesty and in thy majesty ride on prosperously The like he saith in Psalm 72. speaking of the peace and righteousness which should flourish in Christs kingdome in the type of Solomon the 9. verse And blessed be his glorious name for ever and ever and let the whole Earth be filled with his glory amen amen So in the 97. Psalm the prophet saith speaking of the glory and majesty of Christs Kingdome The Lord raigneth let the earth rejoyce let the multitude of the Isles be glad thereof clouds and darkness are round about him righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne a fire goeth before him and burneth up all his enemies his lightnings lightned the world the earth saw and trembled The like Isaiah speaking of the glory of Christs kingdome in chapter 4. 2. and 22. 22 23. and 63. 1 2 3. in all which places of the same prophet mention is made of abundance of glory at the Lords appearing to deliver his people So likewise Ezekiel chapter 43. 2. and Daniel chapter 7 14. Hosea 6. 3. Micah 4. 1 2 3. Nahum the first and 3. Habakuk 3. 2 3. in all which places there is mention made that when the Lord appears and restores his people there will be abundance of glory Secondly I shall proceed to speak of that glory that is set forth in the new Testament as Matthew 17. 1. Mark 9. 2. Luke 17. 24. Matthew 24. 27. 2 Thessalonians 2. 8. Rev. 14. 15. and 14. 1. and 18. 1. and 19. 11 12 13. In all which places there is mention made of that glorious appearing of the Lord Jesus when he comes to deliver his people Now it being so that the next appearing of the Lord Jesus will be with abundance of glory according to his own speech unto his disciples Matthew the 16. 28. which was performed unto Peter James and John in Matthew 17. 2. and according as those texts before mentioned do abundantly prove It will be therefore necessary to see and consider whether there be any glory at present any way answerable to these texts of Scripture above quoted or any way coming neer unto it among the severall professions of this age as for those single congregations which go under the name of Independent or Baptist or any other which profess to walk in the way of the Gospel no nor yet the Seekers they ascribe unto themselves no such thing But for those men which go under the vulgar name of Ranters they do ascribe unto themselves a great perfection namely that they are come to Sion and enjoy God perfectly and that God is all in all unto them and that the Son in them hath delivered up the kingdom unto God the Father as may be seen in their books therfore let us examine what sign of glory is so excellent amongst them As first to begin with their persons as they are men I am not able to discern as yet but that they are men subject to the like passions as other men and therefore in that respect no such glory as for those miseries which are incident unto mans life as hunger thirst cold heat sicknesse and diseases which are common to men they have their part as other men for ought I can yet see and therefore no such glory As for those gifts and graces of the spirit as faith hope love self-deniall meeknesse temperance patience I see no greater measure in them then in other Christians and therefore no such glory As for perfection and a life free from sin and uncleannesse I see no such excellency in them more then in other sorts of Christians as it were boasting that they can do such and such things which are in themselves wicked and yet unto them without sin therefore in that respect no such glory As for any spirit of infallibility in them speaking as the oracles of God more in them then in other Christians I see no difference nay what prophesies of theirs are come to passe therefore no such glory in the least degree Therefore I conceive I may conclude with this argument against them that the first appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ both in himselfe and in his Apostles was glorious witnesse the spirit descending like a dove upon him and also upon his Apostles there did appeal unto them cloven tongues like unto fire and sat upon them and they were filled with the holy Ghost Acts 2. 3 4. But the second appearance of Jesus Christ will be with much more glory as may be seen Mathew 17. 2. But that perfection and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in those men as they pretend comes short of the glory of the first times as experience witnesseth therefore I conceive I may safely conclude
according to Scripture account and I suppose these Scriptures mean one and the same thing accounting two days for 2000 yeers and where it is said In the third day he will raise us up it is meant the beginning of the third day the Lord will deliver his people Now if we give 1260 yeers to the first beast then there will remain but 1040 yeers for the second beast and this time is shortened according to that of Matt. 24. 22. and is but the number of 666. according to Revel 13. 18. Now whereas the prophet Daniel in chap. 12. 11. speaks of 1290 days and promiseth a blessing unto him that cometh to the 1335 dayes this I suppose will be the time when there shall be such troubles in the earth at the Lords appearing wherein he shall destroy all his enemies but in the number of yeers I do acknowledg that I cannot bring them to a just summ forsomuch as the 2300 is not double so much as 1290. But this thing I shall leave to the al-seeing Providence as all other things are to be left unto him but this I conceive is certain that if we take that Idol of desolation set up by Antiochus in the temple to be it then the 2300 years are not yet out and if we take the desolation of Jerusalem by Titus to be it then the 1290. dayes are much past and if we take the polluting of the ordinances to be it then it is not yet fulfilled However I must leave it as a secret touching the time waiting when the Lord will deliver his people I shall now come to speak of the seventh particular in order namely the Lords delivering his people by himselfe and destroying all their enemies and this all the prophets bear witness unto insomuch as Baalam that false prophet speaking of it Numbers 24. 17 19. saith Then shall come a starr out of Jacob and a scepter shall arise out of Israel and shall smite all the corners of Moab and shall destroy all the children of Seth Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion and shall destroy him that remaineth of the citie So the prophet David speaking of the Lords appearing to deliver his people Psalm the 50. 2. saith Out of Sion the perfection of beauty hath God shined Our God shall come and shall not keep silence and then in the 5 verse he gives out commission saying Gather my Saints together unto me those that have made a Covenant with me by sacrifice compared with Matth. 24. 31. and generally almost all the prophets speak of the same thing as Isaiah the 11 the whole chapter and 63. 1 2 3 4 5. verses and 66. 15. Jeremith the 33. 15. Ezekiel the 34. 11 12. where he saith For thus saith the Lord God Behold I even I will both search my sheep and seek them out as a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day when he is among his sheep that are scattered so will I seek out my sheep and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day where the matter is laid down so plainly as cannot be laid down plainer So the prophet Daniel in chap. 12. 1. Hos. 6. 2 3. Joel 3. 2 12 16. Amos 9 11 12. Obad. 17. 18 21. Mic. 4. 1 2 3. and chap. 5. Nah. 1. wholly Hab. 3. from ver 3 to 16. Hag. 2. 22 23. Zech. 9 and 12 chapters and 14. 3 5. Mal. 4. wholly Mat. 24. 31. and 25. from ver 31 to the end 1 Thess. 4. 16. and 2 Thess. 2. 8. Rev. 1. 7. and 14. 1. 18. 1. 19. 11. to the end In all which places and many more if the prophets were diligently searched that speak of the same thing is mention made of the Lords appearing to deliver his people in judging and destroying their enemies and to destroy all those governments which have been enemies to the people of the Lord Jesus as may be seen Isa. 13. 10. 34. 4 5. Ezek. 32. 7. Rev. 6. 12. to the end where as it were the enemies of the Lords people are summed up in the opening of the sixth Seal saying And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal and lo there was a great earth-quake and the Sun became black as sack-cloth of hair and the Moon became as blood and the Starts of heaven fell unto the earth even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind and the heavens departed as a scroll when it is rolled together that is as I suppose the church of Rome which was once the heaven when that all her power and glory with her merchants shall all be destroyed compared with Rev. 18. And every mountain and I stand were moved out of their places that is as I suppose all those governments of the nations which have been enemies unto the people of God in all ages shall be destroyed which are compared to mountains compared to Ezek. 32. where the prophet speaking of the destruction of the nations he still prophesies that they shall be destroyed and go down into the pit notwithstanding they had caused their terrour in the land of the living which as I conceive was by being enemies unto the people of God as may be seen Ezek. 32. 23 25 26 27 32. By I stands I understand all those spirituall governments of the nations which are gone off from Rome and practise contrary to her and yet nevertheless make an image of the beast and cause all to worship it by persecuting them for cause of conscience in spiritual things And the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty men and every bond man and every free man hid themselves in the dens and rocks of the mountains which shew that the mountains in ver 14. were mountains in a mysticall sense and said to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on 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 FINIS