all the Powers subjected to the Beast the Power of the German Empire is called the Dragon vers 7.13 5 Hence it follows That those attempts made against the Woman or any of her seed by that power which the Dragon properly governs and rules and which in the phrase of the Holy Ghost used in this Chapter takes denomination from him are to be called the attempt or war of the visible Dragon against the Woman but those attempts which through the subtilty of the old Serpent secretly creeping into and acting other powers than those which he properly and commonly rules and governs and which do not take denomination from him are made against the Woman or any of her seed it is more proper to call them the War of the invisible Dragon This ground gained from the manifest truth of the Text I come now to give in my answer which is That I conceive That as the Dragon throughout his Chapter goes under a two-fold Notion or connderaâ—â—on 1 The invisible Dragon Satan which is the Dragon governing 2 The visible Dragon in ancient times the Roman Empire in latter times the German which is the Dragon governed so shall there be a double War raised against this remnant of the Womans seed First The invisible Dragon who acts the visible and therefore is before him shall in the first place attempt a War upon this remnant Quest But how shall he do it Answ Look how the invisible Dragon acts in killing of the Witnesses so shall he act in this The invisible Dragon kills the Witnesses by acting the power of the visible Dragon or the German Empire to do it accordingly the invisible Dragon shall attempt a War upon this remnant of the Womans seed by acting in an invisible way those powers under whom this remnant of the Womans seed shall be Now that such a War within this time shall be made upon this remnant by the invisible Dragon is clear because as I have formerly said it is a thing both rational and of great use That the whole mystical body should come under some measure of sufferings in that time wherein the Witnesses lye dead Now because this remnant shall not come into the mouth of the visible Dragon for therefore as I conceive are they called a remnant because kept and reserved by God from the mouth of the visible Dragon at the time their Fellow-Brethren are in it it is therefore necessary to the end there might bee in this remnant a sympathie with their Brethren in their afflictions that they should within this time have some attempt made upon them by the invisible Dragon Secondly The visible Dragon shall also towards the end of this time make an attempt upon this remnant which is clear because that Dragen that kills the Witnesses doth afterwards make an attempt upon this remnant but the Dragon killing the Witnesses was not the invisible only but the visible also therefore the visible Dragon as well as the invisible shall attempt a War upon this remnant Quest But how shall he do it Answ By drawing together the whole or a principal part of the Papal power whereof the visible Dragon or German Empire shall bee chief to ingage in an open War against this remnant if it may bee to cut them off but what the issue of this attempt shall be we shall see presently in opening the fourteenth Chapter which as I have said follows as the next thing in order after this I onely say here That this remnant of the Womans Seed shall not suffer greatly either by the attempt of the invisible Dragon or the visible for observe it is not said He made War but went to make War 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. endeavoured the thing but ere the invisible Dragon or the visible can do this remnant much hurt Christ steps in and prevents Thus much concerning the twelfth Chapter CHAP. III. Wherein is shewed the state of the Witnesses about and in the time of their rise from Rev. 14. opened SECT I. THE stream of Expositors as they make application of the things Prophesied of in the 12 Chapter to the first period or the time before the Beast arose so also do they of this Prophecy that concerns the 144000 to the second period or the 42 months of the Beast judging these 144000 to be those Saints that should in several places within this time bear witness against the Beast and accordingly they look upon the fulfilling of this Prophecy to be a thing past For my own part as I saw my self constrained not out of any desire of singularity but for truths sake to baulk the common road and seek a new way upon the 12 Chapter So have I the same constraint lying upon me here to dissent from the common opinion and seek another My Reasons are 1 Reason because this 144000 have their station upon Mount Sion which noteth a fixed state Psal 125.1 Those which trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever But the abode of the Church all the 1260 dayes is in the Wilderness noting a moveable uncertain condition which at that 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 the Church and people of God in time of old to whose state doubtless we have here an Allusion could not be said to be footed upon Mount Sion whilst they were wandring in the Wilderness no more is it proper to say that these 144000 in the Churches Wilderness-state should yet stand upon Mount Sion yea it seems to me that this Character is given the 144000 and that in opposition to the Womans former state which was and for a long time together had been in the Wilderness In a word it notes thus much to me that this 144000 are a People whose condition after once they are gotten upon their legs shall be fixed and stable and not subject to such motions and mutations as was the Womans former state in the time of her Wilderness-condition 2 Reason because all the time of the 42 months the waters were subjected to the Whore who sits upon them Rev. 17.1 Come hither I will shew thee the judgement of the great Whore that sitteth upon many waters but at this time there is a voyce of many waters crying against her vers 2. And I heard a voyce from Heaven as the voyce of many waters 3 Because the condition of the Church all the 42 months the 1260 dayes is a sad mournful condition they wear Sackcloth they are under the power of Babylon and therefore hang up their harps as did Israel of old whilst in Babylon Psal 137.1 2. But the condition of the Church at this time is wonderously joyful they play with their Harps Sing a new Song vers 2 3. 4 Because all the time of the 42 months Christ hath no Throne visible in the world but the Beast hath the Throne But at this day Christ hath a Throne vers 3. They sung as it were a new Song before the Throne vers 5. They are
truth had I dropped doubtful words concerning the same Yet because this Answer is none at all and I would not have any take bare words for Arguments and yet am loath here neither is it proper to start the question therefore setting aside the joynt and concurrent testimony of every of the Prophets of the Old Testament Jonah onely excepted which is rather a History than a Prophesie in this thing the truth whereof is not much more difficult to prove than to affirm I shall onely commend to such that of Paul Rom. 11. who speaks expresly not of spiritual but of natural Jews whom therefore he all along opposeth to the Gentiles calling them also branches broken off which cannot be spiritual branches but natural v. 21. the same broken off shall be grafted in again v. 24. And this not done only one by one in continuance of time but according to that of Isa 66.8 in a manner all at once ver 25 26. And so all Israel shall be saved which as yet we have never seen and yet because Scripture speaks it are to believe it Thus according to present light both of what I have received from others and have been able to add of my own a discovery of the age we live in hath been made and found to be that in which the great work of Israels redemption is most likely to be effected 2 Our next thing is that we may walk in the path before laid down to observe what those glorious and remarkable things are the accomplishment whereof God hath foretold and promised in and about these times And here give me leave to say that when I take a view of what holy Scripture hath recorded of that time in which Israel shall return to their own Land and also to the Lord and David their King that I do find this age none more full of wonders to all which Gods glorious work of redeeming Sion literal Sion or the Jews from their long captivity and spiritual Sion or the Gentile Churches from Antichristian bondage as it were the Axis upon which they turn Now to enumerate each particular of those transactions that Scripture tells us shall fall out in this age is not my intent but onely to take notice of some of the chief and such as are most free from exception for the directing of us to that which is our special work in this Generation Which are 1 Israels Redemption Which although by mentioning here again I may seem to tautologize yet must I do it this being the first and great thing promised which therefore we have before proved and make use of as a mark to descry the rest by 2 A large and plentiful conversion of Gentles to the Lord. as Isa 2.3 Many people shall say Come yee let us go up to the mountain of the Lord Which that it relates to the time in and about which the Jews shall be converted is clear vers 5. O house of Jacob i.e. ye Jews as distinguished from the Nations before spoken of Come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord. And yet more clear Mica 4.2 ver 6.7 So Isa 60.3 4 5. Lift up thine eyes round about and see all they gather themselves together they come to thee the abundance of the Sea or Nations shall be converted unto thee the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee Which that it is spoken of the Jews is clear because they are distinguished from the Gentiles and that the time of their redemption is here spoken of appears if you look back to Chap. 59.20 compared with Rom. 11.26 So Zach. 2.11 Many Nations shall be joyned to the Lord in that day What day is that See vers 12. When the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy Land and shall choose Jerusalem again So Zach. 8.20.21 22 23. To all which add Rom. 11.25 26. where the Apostle speaking of the conversion of the Jews mentions also a fulness of the Gentiles about that time coming in 3 Vniting Saints that differ Zach. 14.9 In that day shall there be one Lord and his Name one And when shall this be why then when all Nations shall be gathered together against Jerusalem to battel as vers 2. So Zeph. 3.9 I will turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord to serve him with one consent Division of languages made a division of men but when Gods people shall come to have a pure unbroken language all to speak one and the same thing division amongst Saints shall cease and there shall be union But when shall this be See vers 20. At that time will I bring you again even in the time that I will gather you for I will make you i.e. Israel distinguished from other people a name and a praise among all people of the earth when I turn back your captivity before your eyes saith the Lord. So Isa 11.13 The envy of Ephraim shall depart and the adversaries of Judah be cut off Ephraim shall not envy Judah and Judah shall not vexe Ephraim When shall this be the foregoing verse tells us He shall assemble the out-casts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth So Ch. 54.13 all thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shal be the peace of thy Children which may as well be understoâ—d of outward as inward peace for all being taught of God they shall not jar amongst themselves But when shall this be why then when as the Jews which now are barren as a widow and a wife of youth refused as vers 1.4.6 shall be received into favour again 4 Pulling down of high and lofty things under which as principal or head we are to comprehend the man of Sin or Romish Antichrist Is 2.11 12 13 14 15 16 17. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low And upon all the Cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up and upon all the Oaks of Bashan And upon all the high mountains and upon all the hils that are lifted up And upon every high Tower and upon every fenced wall and upon all the shâ—ps of Tarshish and upon all pleasant pictures And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down and the haughtiness of man shall be made low and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day The meaning of all these metaphorical expressions is only this That at this time the day of the Lord the day of the Lord shall be upon all the strength and glory of the Creature upon all high and lofty things and persons that exait themselves above the Lord Christ to the pulling of them down
But when shall this be Then when the Mountain of the Lords house shall be exalted above the hills and all Nations shall flow unto it vers 2. the time as even now was proved of the Jews conversion So Isa 24.21 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high and the Kings of the earth upon the earth When shall this be See vers 23. When the Lord of Host shall reign in Mount Sion and in Jerâ—salem and before his Ancients the people of ancient times chosen and in Covenant with him gloriously So Chap. 30. last Tophet the pit of destruction is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared The meaning is not only an eternal as some carry it but temporal ruine shall attend great ones But when shall this be To that I answer Although in the type it was fulfilled upon Senacherib King of Assyria and his Armies yet the whole Chapter especially from vers 18. hath relation to another time which is that we are speaking of of the Jews conversion as is evident vers 19. For the people shall dwell in Sion at Jerusalem thou shalt weep no more But more clear vers 26. The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun In the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people and healeth the stroke of their wound 5 The establishment of Justice and Righteousness in the world as Isa 1.26 27. And I will restore thy Judges as at first and thy Counsellors as at the beginning afterwards thou shalt be called the City of righteousness the faithful City Zion shall be redeemed with judgement and her Converts with righteousness Chap. 54.14 In righteousness shalt thou be established thou shalt be far from oppression So Chap. 60 18. I will make thine Officers peace and thine Exactors righteousness Violence shall no more be heard in thy Land wasting nor destruction within thy borders but thou shalt cal thy walls Salvation and thy gates Praise These places as already hath been shewn looking all to the time of the Jews redemption 6 The pouring out of more abundance of the Spirit Joel 2.28 And it shall come to pass afterwards that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh When shall this be Even then when in Mount Sion and Jerusalem shall be deliverance as vers 32. or more clearly then when God shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem as Chap. 3.1 For although Peter Acts 2. speaks of these words as fulfilled in his time yet was that only in the beginning the powring down of the Spirit then being not so general as that here promised and that which shall be upon the coming in of the Jews So Zach. 12.10 And I will poure upon the house of David and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication So Isa 32.15 Vntil the Spirit be poured upon us from on high It is observable that the giving forth of the Spirit at this time is set forth by this word of pouring noting abundance that shall then be given forth more than in former ages 7 As an effect of the former Increase of light and grace as Isa 30.26 Moreover the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun shall be sevenfold as the light of seven dayes in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people and healeth the stroke of their wound Chap. 52.8 They shall see eye to eye i.e. clearly when the Lord shall bring again Sion See both Zach. 12.8 He that is fecble in that day shall be as David and the house of David shall be as God as the Angel of the Lord before them Which that it relates to the time of the Iews call the whole Chap. is proof 8 The exaltation of the Lord Christ alone as King Isa 2 11. The Lord alone shall be exalted in that day Chap. 24.23 The Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Sion and in Ierusalem and before his Ancients gloriously Chap. 2 3 4. Out of Sion shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem and he shall judge among the Nations Zach. 14.9 The Lord shall be King over all the Earth All which places I have already proved to speak this time So Isa 33.22 The Lord is our King he will save us When is this Ansâ— then when Ierusalem shall be a quiet habitation vers 20â— Look unto Sion the City of your solemnities Thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation Ezek. 37.24 And David my Servant Christ of whom David was a type shall be King over them And to what time doth this look to that time in which Israel and Judah shall be gathered together and brought to their own Land and be made again one Nation upon the mountains of Israel as vers 21 22. Thus have I done with the second thing viz. the things foretold to be done in this age 3 The third is to observe the visible dispensations of God towards the age we live in and in case upon inquiry these be found to answer to what God hath foretold they shall be in that age in which the Jews shall be converted then this will not onely serve for discovery of the thing in hand wherein the work of this Generation lyes but also adde a beam of light unto the former viz. That we are fallen into that age in which the Jews shall be converted Onely here I would carry this along with me that in regard as yet things are but coming on therefore many things before this Generation is over may be transacted which yet we see little of But in case it appear that transactions begin already to agree with the things foretold and promised have we not ground then to hope things coming on apace every day that before this Generation expires wee shall see most if not all fully accomplished Let us then compare what God hath promised to the age we speak of with present dispensations and see what way Gods dispensations are making or have already made towards the performance of them 1 For the bringing in of the Jews is not a fair way made to that already by that general expectation they have of their Messiah's comming in this age as Manasseth Ben. Israel before quoted is witness sect 29.35 as also by that light that at present is amongst them which the aforesaid Author in several of his Sections declares into many of those Prophecies of the Old Testament which directly point at their call 2 For the Conversion of the Gentiles Not to speak of the great conversions of late near home in poor Wales and some parts of Ireland and the hopeful way we are in by the going out daily of poor despised Labourers into the Lords Vineyard of a large Harvest is it not admirable that in this age and that within a few years each of
mystical body into one Pulling down of all high and lofty things and persons that oppose Christ The establishment of Justice and Righteousness in the world Striving with God in a more especial manner for a greater degree of his Spirit more light and grace than Saints in former Generations have had together with the exaltation of Christ as King both in his Churches and also over the world Which last considering how that all the rest are in a way of subserviency thereunto and do as it were centre therein for therefore are Jews and Gentiles at this time to meet together as Subjects under one Prince that this Kingdom of his might be great and full of Subjects therefore shall divisions amongst his people cease that his Kingdom might be quiet and peaceable therefore shall high and lofty ones be pulled down that Christ might have no Competitor or Check mate as I may say in this his Kingdom therefore shall Justice and Righteousness be established that so the glory of his Kingdom in this respect might surpass the glory of all Kingdoms before it therefore shall there be more of the Spirit more light and grace given forth to the Saints that so they might yeeld obedience to their King not so much from a Law without as a principle of light and love within I say all centering in this last my utmost conclusion is that the master-peece of work in this Generation is the advancement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ 5 But how may I come to know or find out that particular part or parcel of work which is more properly to be my work in my Generation and which God requires me to be active in seeing it cannot be supposed that any one man can be active in the whole work neither undoubtedly is it required of him In answer to this I shall in general lay down this seeming contrary Proposition viz. That there is no part or piece of Generation-work but every Christian man or woman may in some way be helpful thereunto so far as he is called to act and consequently becomes guilty of neglect of Generation-work in not acting As 1 By prayer to God for the prospering and carrying on of the work Those who can do nothing else are commanded to pray for the peace of Jerusalem Psal 122.6 yea all that make mention of the Lord in the day of Gods building Sion are bound not to keep silence nor give God rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth Is 62.6 7. 2 By humbling our selves before God for that whatsoever it be whether found in the people of God or instruments imployed in the work or any other that proves obstructive and a hindrance to the work When the sin of Achan became an obstruction to the work of Joshua's age Joshuah and the Elders of Israel rent their cloaths fell to the earth on their faces put dust on their heads humbling themselves before God for it Josh 7.6 Now although acting in this manner in case we can do nothing else may seem little in our eyes yet in the eyes of God it doth not so who takes it exceeding well at the hands of his people when they can serve their Generation no other way that they do in this When Israel had so provoked God that God was upon the point of destroying of them as Deut. 12.13 14. Moses then falls down before God forty dayes and forty nights and by prayer and fasting prevails with God not only to spare them but also by the manifestation of his presence and glorious power still to go along with them as Exod. 33.14 15. And how pleasing Moses prayer to God in this business was appears in that the glorious discovery of Gods back-parts to Moses and proclamation of his Name before him such a discovery as never Moses himself at any other time nor any man besides him ever had comes in as the fruit of this his interceding for the people and in behalf of the cause of God as Exod. 33.19 compared with Chap. 34.5 6 7. Moses did many glorious works in his Generation which others could not follow yet God chooseth to make his glory pass before him not in doing them but that which every Saint may imitate him in Daniel in like manner when as yet there was no visible way for publick actings in that which now began to be the business of the Generation makes it his private work to strive with God by humiliation and prayer for the same as Chap. 9. and how well God did like hereof you have heard before and the success of Daniels prayer vers 20 21 22 23. is sufficient testimony So also Nehemiah when the work of his Age lay out of his power to act any thing therein save only in this way of prayer and humiliation he as the other this being the common way of Gods people in such cases betakes himself unto this work of praying and mourning before God in reference to the same Nehem. 1.4 5 c. And how wonderfully God was pleased herewith the sequel of the story shews for within four months after his praying and mourning being in the month Chisleu vers 1. the ninth month according to the Jewish account as Zach. 7.1 in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes and the return thereof in the month Nisan Chap. 6.1 the first month after their account as Ester 3.7 and all in one year as by comparing Chap. 1.1 with Chap. 2.1 is evident God in an extraordinary way doth so bring things about that this Nehemiah the praying and mourning man for Jerusalems desolations is furnished with commission and authority from the King to go to Jerusalem and there to re-edifie the City and build up the wall thereof the very work of that Generation In case therefore Generation-work lie at such a plunge as thou canst act no other way in it or in case thou beest one who wantest both opportunity and imployment wherein thou mayest be helpful in any particular way unto thy Generation then serve the same in this general way which service from the hands of such a one is accepted of God and the party doing the same in Gods account faithful in his Generation Yet because many there be who besides the general way of acting which is a duty common to all may in other more special wayes be serviceable to their Generation who yet neither their call nor opportunity reaching to the whole work but some part of it will be further inquisitive how they shall know that particular part of Generation-work which is more properly theirs To the end that such may receive satisfaction in this thing I shall desire them to go along with me through these following Rules 1 Observe what part of Generation-work that is that thou art in a capacity to do Every man is not in a capacity to do the same peece of Generation-work but one man is in a capacity to do one peece of the work another
time in which God was leading them into Canaan he and and all his people perish by it Take heed of doing all that thou conceits thou hast a principle will bear thee out in doing 9 Take heed of lending an ear unto such friendly respectful offers which carry in the bowels of them though guilded over with outward respect and friendship a crafty design against the work of the Generation As Generation-work hath never wanted a party who have by open force opposed the same So likewise there hath mostly been a party attending of it who by secret fraud and pretences of Friendship have sought to undermine it which latter have oft-times prospered in their designs through the over-much credulity of persons imployed in Generation-work when and where the first have failed Was it not a very fair offer of Moab when otherwise they could not have their wills upon Israel then to come and in a friendly way to call and invite the people to their houses and to grant to them though strangers and men of different principles liberty to worship with them What a large shew of respect and curtesie was here And yet no other but a meer crafty design to draw Isracl to sin by which when no other way they could do it they drew the wrath of God upon Israel Numb 25. So was it not a very fair Petition of Adonijah 1 Kings 2.16 17. to ask Abishag the Shunamite to wife a thing one would think to man could have blamed yet Solomon spies out a crafty design laid in this smooth Petition which was to get the Kingdome and consequently to put by the great work of that Generation viz. the building of the Temple which Solomon was appointed unto So likewise what a friendly motion and seemingly full of dutiful respect and obedience was that of Shemajah to Nehemiah Chap. 6.10 wherein no other thing is pretended but the discovery of a dangerous plot in the hatching and tender respect to the safeguard of his person and yet this no other but a crafty design to draw Nehemiah to sin and to bring a slurre upon him in managing the work of his Generation vers 13. To say no more What could be in outward appearance a more friendly offer then that of Judahs Adversaries Ezra 4.2 to come and freely proffer their help and to joyn with Judah in the carrying on that great work of Temple-building which was the work of that Age Yea and to do this at such a time when the work was despised and had lien dead many years the instruments imployed in it few and weak so that laying all things together one would judge that there could be nothing in their hearts more than good will to the work and desire the same should prosper when as yet there was no thing in all this fair shew but a crafty design lying at the bottome of it to obstruct this work of God as vers 4 5 6. 10 Take heed of making reason of State the rule of publick actings Jeroboams reason of State made Johu perform by halves the work of his Generation destroying the house and image of Baal but winking at the Calves in Dan and Bethel This reason of State was that which led a grave wise Counsel into a most cursed practice viz. the voting the Son of God to death John 11.47 to the 54. The results of pure reason of State are oft-times dangerous most times contrary to the work of the Generation 11 Take heed of setting up humane Laws above the work of the Generation My meaning is in case these two come in competition rather to choose neglect in the work of the Generation than in any way to be offensive to humane Laws If the Commands of God himself and the special acts of his worship are to give place as hath been before proved to the work of the Generation then surely without any want of that due respect that is and ought to be given to mans Law it may be said and also without offence that humane Laws are much more to stoop and fall down to it the Authority of God being above that of man In Esters time there was a Law in the Kingdome of Ahasuerus and the foundation of it was no other but the priviledge and honour of the supreme Magistrate that whosoever man or woman should come in unto the King in the inner Court except such to whom the King should hold out the golden Scepter he should be put to death Chap. 4.11 Which Law in it self was not evill as it was meerly Politick respecting only the Honour State and Priviledge of the King Yet when the Cause and People of God lay at such a plunge that without intrenching upon this Law Gods Cause in that Age must have fell to the ground Esther though uncalled by the King yea more having no other Command from God as formerly hath been shewed but only the visible Call of a Dispensation pusheth upon the Pikes of the Law and runs the hazard of the perill of death and how wonderfully God did stand by her and preserve her in so doing the issue of this her dangerous attempt recorded in the History may sufficiently inform us 12 And lastly Take heed of conjunction with such who are not reall hearted to the Cause of God and the work of the Generation When Israel went up out of Egypt a mixed multitude of Egyptians and others that were not Israelites went up with them Exod. 12.38 Which mixed multitude did afterwards prove a snare to them even in the very work of the Generation by drawing the Congregation to murmure against the Lord Numb 11.4 And the mixed multitude that was amongst them fell a lusting and the Children of Israel also wept again and said Who shall give us flesh to eat What need I relate that which every one knows how godly Asa lost himself by his League with Benhadad King of Syria and good Jehoshaphat by his compliance with Ahab and Ahaziah And although it be true that the examples of the Kings of Judah are not in all things patterns for States and Kingdomes in Gospel-dayes to walk by yet the reason upon which the Seer reproves Asa because he relied upon the King of Assyria and not on the Lord fals as strongly upon professing States under the Gospel as it did on him who shall I hope be kept both from his sin and so from his reproof Which he shall continue to pray for who is a friend to Sions prosperity and also Englands welfare and interest which is and will be found solely depending on it They shall prosper that love thee Psal 122.6 Amen FINIS Generation-work The Second Part. Wherein is shewed what the Designs of God abroad in the World may in all likelyhood be at this present day and in the days approaching Being an Exposition of the Seven VIALS Rev. 16. And other Apocalyptical Mysteries By John Tillinghast the meanest and unworthiest of Christs Laborers Rev. 14.7 Fear God and give
see the day of Israels redemption which therefore they shall wait upon God for Both these are expressed Isa 60.9 Surely the Isles shall wait for me Thirdly They shall be such who shall be very considerable and strong in shipping having multitudes of ships at their command as this in the following words and the ships of Tarshish first Tarshish was a place very considerable for Navigation and Shipping in time of old for which reason the Scripture never speaks of great ships strong ships or multitude of ships but they are called by the name of the Ships of Tarshish 2 Chron. 9.21 Psal 48.7 Isa 2.16 Ezek. 27.25 Now this people dwelling in the Isles and so strong in shipping shall be the first that shall put their hands to this work The Isles shall wait for me and the ships of Tarshish first to bring thy Sons from far and thy Daughters from the ends of the earth Fourthly What if I say they shall be a people under a State Government for such a kind of Government of old had the Philistims the power of Government among them residing not in one man but in many which in Scripture are called the Lords of the Philistims Now this people who shall assist the Jews at this day are Isa 11.14 likened to the Philistims of old they shall flye upon the shoulders of the Philistims how not in qualities or conditions for the Philistims were ever enemies to Israel and these are friends but rather in the form of their Government the Philistims were governed by a State so shall these These are the characters let the Reader refuse or apply them as he pleaseth Now because the thing aimed at in pouring forth this Vial concerns the Jews more especially and their Restauration as hath appeared in our Discourse hitherto and because the thoughts of good men are various and their notions and conceptions very different in the point of the Jews first stirring some conceiving the same to be upon a Civil account only to recover their Country and their conversion to be some years after Others judging that they shall at the first be converted to the faith of the Gospel and their stirring to arise from that the right understanding of which mystery is a thing of such importance either opinion having seemingly much footing in the Prophecies of the Old Testament as that without some further light then as yet I have seen the Prophecies relating to this people and the time of their return cannot be brought to a joynt concurrence and harmony one with another I shall therefore not boasting of any light that I have above others having reason enough to be otherwise minded but as one willing with others to seek after and if it may be to find the truth offer here in the close of this Discourse and that in as few words as I can my own present thoughts concerning the thing which are That the first stirring or moving of this people shall be as I conceive from some notable work of God upon the hearts of some who shall at this day be Principal ones or Leaders amongst them working in them a sincere earnest and longing desire to find the Lord their God Hereupon arising themselves and stirring up others to arise with them now to go unto Sion unto the Lord their God which we have Jer. 31.6 For there shall be a day that the Watchmen upon the Mount of Ephraim who was head of the ten Tribes for which reason the Restauration here spoken of must be their last which is yet to come shall say Arise yee and let us go up to Sion unto the Lord our God and vers 9. wee have the manner of their coming They shall come with weeping and with supplication will I lead them Qualifications not proper to such persons who move only upon a Civil account and for worldly ends So Chap. 50.4 5. speaking of the frame they shall be in whilst as yet they are but upon the way In those dayes and at that time saith the Lord if the children of Israel shall come they and the children of Judah together going and weeping They shall go and seek the Lord their God They shall ask the way to Sion with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten Which Text was not fulfilled in the return from Babylon when Judah only not Israel and Judah together did return but manifestly looks to their last Restauration so Isa 51.11 we have a contrary affection arguing the inward joy and delight they shall have in this journey from considering whither and about what they are going viz. to Sion to seek their Lord The redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Sion and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads So Hos 3.5 they go seeking the Lord Afterwards shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and they shall fear the Lord and his goodness When in the latter dayes Chap. 1.10 11. at their beginning to stir before yet they are come forth the place of their captivity shall be called the children of the living God It shall come to pass that in the place where it was said unto them ye are not my people there shall it be said unto them ye are the Sons of the living God Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together and appoint themselves one head and they shall come up out of the land for great shall be the day of Jezreel Now those amongst them who from such an inward desire and principle shall move themselves and put others upon it shall be as I conceive persons under a state of true conversion to God being now delivered from the curse before they lay under and that hardness which before was upon them though the particular Revelation of Christ as come in the fiesh shall not as yet be manifested to them but with a strong breathing after the Lord and a general faith in the Messiah whom they shall truly beleeve in look for but as to come they shall now go seeking after the Lord and David or Christ their King and this faith of theirs though for want of New-Testament light it be not a New-Testament faith i.e. a faith in Christ as come already yet shall the same be true faith though running in the Old Testament way they having yet no higher light for such was the faith of Gods people of old before Christ came a looking to the Messiah which was to come acknowledging their salvation to be only from him and earnestly breathing and longing after the day of his appearance And these persons who shall have already this true saving work begun in them shall by converse with and beholding the holiness grace and love of those Gentile Christians who shall be instruments to help them in their land have a farther work wrought in
the Lord two parts therein shall be cut off and dye but the third shall be left therein And I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as silver is refined and will try them as gold is tryed they shall call on my Name and I will hear them I will say It is my people and they shall say The Lord is my God Isa 10.20 21 22. It shall come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob shall no more again stay upon him that smote them but shall stay upon the Lord the Holy One of Israel in truth The Remnant shall return even the Remnant of Jacob unto the mighty God For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the Sea yet a Remnant of them shall return the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness Chap. 4.2.3.4 In that day shall the Branch of the lord be beautiful and glorious for them that are escaped of Israel And hee that is left in Sion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called Holy even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the Daughter of Sion and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the Spirit of Judgement and by the Spirit of Burning Zepha 3.12 13. I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord. This is the day of purging out the Rebels Ezek. 20.38 And I will purge out from among you the Rebels and them that transgresse against mee Of judging between Cattel and Cattel Chap. 34.17 Thus saith the Lord God Behold I judge between Cattel and Caâ—tel between the Rams and the Hee Goats All which places as will be evident to him that shall but understandingly peruse them and compare them with other Scriptures speak of the last times when the Iews are to come in To this Remnant shall Christ at the great day of the battel of Armageddon which shall put an end to this day of trouble appear who shall from that day bee advanced to reign with him in his Kingdome But of this more hereafter Thus much as touching the sixth VIAL The Interval of time betwixt the pouring out of the Sixth and Seventh VIALS Verse 13. AND I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet Vers 14. For they are the spirits of Devils working miracles which go forth unto the Kings of the Earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battel of that great day of God Almighty These words to vers 17. do not properly belong either to the Sixth or Seventh Vials but contain an Interval of time betwixt both in which some remarkable things in order to the pouring forth the seventh and last Vial are to be transacted which are 1 The sending forth of Ambassadors or Agents from the Dragon Beast and false Prophet to the Kings of the Earth By Dragon We are to understand that Old Serpent the Devil and Satan yet principally as acting in the Roman Monarchy the seven Heads and ten Horus of the Dragon chap. 12.3 being the Armes of Rome for so the Holy Ghost interprets it chap. 12 9. And the Dragon was cast out that Old Serpent called the Devil and Satan chap. 20.2 And he laid hold on the Dragon that Old Serpent which is the Devill and Satan Now where the Holy Ghost hath given a manifest interpretation it is certainly curiosity to seek another As for the other two the Beast and the false Prophet the two Companions of the Dragon or Devil we shall the better discern these two Monsters if we consider how that Beast in the Revelation is sometimes spoken of without any distinction made as being but one Sometimes with distinction as though he were two as Beast and Beast Chap 13. Beast and Woman Chap. 17. Beast and false Prophet as here When Beast is spoken of without distinction it denotes the Political and Ecclesiastical State both of the Roman Empire as the same now is Antichristian As in Vial 2. Beast there used alone denotes both States as is clear because the Image of the Beast was of the first Beast Rev 13.14 compared with ver 3. The mark of the Beast was of the second Beast spoken of chap. 13. the first Beast having no mark and the two Beasts Chap. 13. which both are comprehended in the word Beast Vial 2. are as shall appear anon the Civil and the Ecclesiastical State of the Roman Empire as the same now is under Antichrist So in Vial 5. Rome is called the Seat of the Beast that is the Seat of the Political State for the Seat of the Roman Empire as the same was Pagan which State was Political onely is given to the first Beast Rev. 13.2 that is the Civil or Political State of Antichrist And also the Seat of the Ecclesiastical for it is upon the seven Mountains of Rome the Woman sits Rev. 17 9. i.e. the Ecclesiastical State So that Rome is the Seat both of the Political and Ecclesiastical State and therefore the Beast Vial 2. whose Seat is in Rome must be understood of both States Civil and Ecclesiastical both which make up but one Beast or Antichrist So Rev. 14.9 11. Chap. 15.2 Chap. 20.4 in all which places we have but one Beast spoken of but the same as having a Mark and an Image which for what I said but now must be interpreted of both States the Civil and Ecclesiastical The like we have Chap. 11.7 The Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them i.e. against the two Witnesses Now this Beast ascending out of the bottomless pit is meant of both States not onely for this reason that both joyn in slaying the Witnesses but because Chap. 17.8 we have it so interpreted for John being shewn first either State distinct vers 3 4. 5 6. the one represented by a Beast the other by a Woman riding upon this Beast in vers 7 8. hath the mystery of both together shewed him and both together are the Beast ascending out of the bottomless Pit which Beast there spoken of in such various and seeming contrary phrases was is not yet is shall ascend out of the bottomless Pit can be understood of no other but Antichrist in all because it is said The dwellers on the Earth shall wonder when they behold the Beast that was is not and yet is noting thus much that the dwellers on Earth as yet saw not this Beast for indeed his rise was not yet John seeing the rise of this Beast Chap. 13.1.11 as a thing to be after his time Yet is he called the Beast that was because in respect of that Civil Power this Beast should exercise and
delivered of a Man-child who hath heard such a thing who hath seen such things shall the earth bee made to bring forth in one day or shall a Nation be born at once for as soon as Sion travelled shee brought forth her children And then presently vers 16. wee have this battel 2 Upon the battel of Armageddon wee have a new Heaven and a new Earth as the consequent of it Rev. 21.1 I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away So this vers 22. For as the new Heavens and new Earth which I will make shall remain before me 3 Wee read of a Lake of fire after the battel of Armageddon Rev. 19.20 So here verse last Object But have we a coming here Answ Yea vers 15. For behold the Lord will come with fire and with his Chariots like a whirlewind to render his anger with fury and his rebukes with flames of fire Which coming that it must be Personal I shall shew anon out of Rev. 19. which speaks of the same coming as the battel there and here spoken of are one and the same The Prophet Daniel in his seventh Chapter doth excellently set this forth where having had the four Monarchies which Chap. 2. were represented to him in the form of a great Image and Antichrists Kingdom a part of the fourth or last Monarchy by the feet of that Image part of Iron and part of Clay now represented under another form of four Beasts and Antichristâ—s Kingdom by a little horn arising amongst the horns of the 4th Beast or Roman Monarchy he saith ver 11. That he beheld because of the great words the Horn spake i.e. because of the blasphemies of Antichrist the Beast that is the fourth Monarchy now governed by Antichrist the little Horn slain his body destroyed and given to the burning flame agreeing punctually to what is recorded Rev. 19.19 20. of casting the Beast into the Lake of fire burning with brimstone which comes in there as an effect of the battel of Armageddon And indeed that these two Texts must agree in time and be one and the same is clear to me because the main thing held forth in either is the final destruction of the Roman Monarchy and that as the same is under Antichrist Neither may it be doubted that by the little Horn the Kingdome of Antichrist should bee meant seeing what is here spoken of the little Horn agrees so exactly to what in the Revelâ—tion is spoken of Antichrist yea which makes the thing most evident the little Horn and the Beast or fourth Monarchy are vers 11. made one and the same Buâ— you will say Where have we a coming here Ans Look vers 13 14. I saw in the night visions and behold one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of Heaven and came to the Ancien of days and they brought him near before him And there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdome that all People Nations and Languages should serve him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion that shall not pass away and his Kingdome which shall not be destroyed Object But how appears this coming to be Personal Ans From the Text for observe first God as the Ancient of dayes by the manifestation of his presence and power with and amongst his people which I take it answers to the smoak wherewith the Temple is filled Rev. 15. last first begins to judge the little Horn or fourth Beast casting down his Thrones the work at this day in hand Now whilst the Ancient of dayes is amongst his people sitting and judging the Beast one comes to him like the Son of man with the clouds of Heaven to whom is given a Dominion Glory and Kingdome Observe first He comes not to receive a Kingdome in a spiritual way as God but as the Son of man Secondly He comes with the clouds of Heaven the very phrase used to set forth his personal coming Mat. 24.30 They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory Chap. 26.64 Hereafter shall yee see the Son of man coming in the clouds of Heaven Rev. 1.7 behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him Thirdly He comes to the Ancient of dayes who according to his God-head is the Ancient of dayes that is the Father who now had set up his Throne on earth and as the Great Judge was in the midst of his people manifesting his Almighty power amongst them in judging the Beast and there receives his Kingdome where the Ancient of dayes had now set up his Throne was sitting and judging And this is a manifest Argument that although his coming is mentioned after the casting of the Beast into the burning flame yet that indeed the same must be before because he comes to the Ancient of dayes i.e. the Father whilst hee was sitting upon the Throne in the midst of his people and passing sentence against the Beast before the Beast is slain his body destroyed and given to the burning flame which is the concluding act and the breaking up of the judgement after which the Ancient of dayes sits no longer Therefore I say his coming must of necessity be before the utter everthrow of the Beast or fourth Monarchy and within the time that the Father by his presence and power amongst his people is judging of the Beast And indeed if we do but compare this seventh of Daniel with the 110. Psal which is also a Prophecie of Christs Kingdome we shall find them most excellently answering one to another and the one helping to open the other In vers 1. the Father saith to the Son Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool What then Why the Father as the Ancient of dayes having judged Christs enemies and brought them well under we have streightway vers 2 Christs coming The Lord shall send the Rod of thy strength out of Sion And what doth Christ do at his coming Why as upon his appearing he finds the Beast Antichrist here called the Head over many Countries because this Whore sits upon many waters and the Kings of the earth with their Armies gathered together to oppose him so presently he in his fury falls upon them and destroyes them Vers 5. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath The battel of Armageddon is called That great day of God Almighty Rev. 16.14 upon the founding of the seyenth Angel the time of wrath Rev. 11.18 Thy wrath is come here the day of wrath Vers 6. He shall judge among the heathen he shall fill the places with the dead bodies he shall wound the Head over many Countries agreeing to that of Daniel of slaying the Beast destroying his body casting it into the burning flame and that Rev. 19. where the battel of Armageddon is described of destroying Kings and Captains Vers 18. casting the
Beast into the lake of fire slaying the remnant Vers 20 21. This appears yet farther Dan. 12.1 There shall bee a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation even to that same time and at that time shall thy people be delivered The concurrence of this day of trouble and the battel of Armageddon both with the time of the delivery of Daniels people or the Jews proves them to be one and the same Now that a coming there is here is clear At that time shall Michael stand up which that it is Personal will appear by comparing with Matth. 24. where all acknowledge his Personal coming is spoken of which yet is the same with this for Christ speaking of the time of it quotes this of Daniel vers 21 22. Then shall bâ—e great tribulation such as never was from the beginning of the world to this time no nor ever shall â—e Another evidence of this wee have Joel 3. which Chapter agrees exactly to the battel of Armageddon 1 In that the Kings of the earth and the whole world gather together Rev. 16.14 here all Nations vers 2. multitudes multitudes vers 14. 2 That is about the time of the Jews return for when the Kings of the East are upon coming in the Kings of the Earth gather together So this vers 1 2. For behold in those dayes when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem I will gather all Nations 3 That is the great day of God Almighty Rev. 16.14 the Supper of the great God Chap. 19.17 this the day of the Lord spoken of by way of emphasis vers 14. The Day of the Lord is neer 4 That shall be in a place called Armageddon Rev. 16.16 signifying a place of destruction his in the valley of decision vers 14. i.e. the place of cutting off where God will cut off his enemies 5 That is the treading of the Winepress Rev. 19.15 So this vers 13. the press is full the fats overflow But is here a Personal coming yea vers 16. The Lord shall roar out of Sion and utter his voyce from Jerusalem and the heavens and the earth shal shake agreeing to thaâ— Hag. 2.6 7. of which presently v. 17. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Sion my holy Mountain agreeing to that Rev. 21.3 Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them So Hag 2.6 7. I will shake the heavens and the earth and the Sea and the dry land And I will shake all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come This being the same with the other of Joel can relate to no other time than the battel of Armageddon Now the coming here spoken of is not spiritual for the Prophets of the Old Testament having an eye upon Christ as yet to come do mostly if not ever when they speak of his coming intend such a coming of the Messiah as they expected and waited for which was Personal Neither can this coming be his first coming which was in a time of great peace not of shaking Heaven Earth all Nations as this is then was Christ the desire of the Jews only because known only to them but at this coming he is the desire of all Nations to which let me adde the Apostle speaks of this as a thing to be fulfilled Heb. 12.26 27. Nor can the words look to the last and General Judgement as if this coming were not till then because after this coming Gods House here below is to bee built and God will give peace in this place i.e. either largely taken for the Earth or strictly for Jerusalem and hard it will be to prove either of these things at or after the General Judgement This coming therefore must be that in the Text I come as a Theef both agreeing in time and this being personal that must also The like to this we have with much clearness vers 21 22 23. Yet further this is clear Zech. 14.3 4 5. which place by all circumstances the combination being general of all Nations ver 2. the time about the time of the Jews discovery c. must needs be the same with the battel of Armageddon Now would you see a coming here read ver 3. Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those Nations Vers 4. And his feet shall stand in that day on the mount of Olives Mount Olives was the place whence Christ rode as King into Jerusalem Mat. 21.1 2 3. The place where Christ preached the most remarkable Sermon of his coming Mat. 24.3 the place whence Christ ascended Act. 1.9.10.11 12. and probably at his descending shall come thither again But perhaps this coming is not personal Yes ver 5 The Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee agreeing to that 1 Thes 3.13 At the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints which coming none deny to be his personal coming One place more and I conclude this Argument and that is Rev. 19.19 20 21. which that it is the same with the battel of Armageddon appears 1 In that the parties are the same the Beast the false Prophet and the Kings of the Earth being parties in both 2 The time is the same for this in the Vials hath two notable things going before it 1 The ruin of the City Rome under the fifth Vial. 2. The coming in of the Jews who are spoken of in the sixth Vial Accordingly that in chap. 19 hath preceding First Romes ruin chap. 18. Secondly The Marriage of the Lamb to his Bride including in it the Jews conversion chap. 19.7 8. 3 The Expressions argue them to be the same for one is called That great day of God Almighty vers 14. the other The Supper of the Great God chap. 19.17 In the one they are gathered to Armageddon a place of destruction vers 16. In the other the rout gathered together are slain with the sword of him that sits upon the horse that is Christ Object But how doth it appear that here is a Personal coming spoken of Answ 1. Christ comes as a Bridegroom vers 7 8 9. Now Christs coming as a Bridegroom is his Personal coming Mat. 25.6 10. Behold the Bridegroom cometh go yee forth to meet him 2 He is called the Word of God vers 13. The most glorious Title of all by which the person of Christ is expressed John 1.1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God yea the person of Christ as considered in both Natures goes under this title ver 14. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us 1 Joh. 1.1 That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the Word of Life It is Christ as personally present that is the object of the outward Senses Hearing Seeing Handling yet Christ as the Word was
manner affirm all their suppositions in saying It is not for you to know the times and seasons as to say true Israel shall have a Kingdom restored I am to do it and that as you now conceive personally appearing onely it is not for you at present to know the time And this will more clearly appear if we carry these words to Act. 3.21 where we have that set forth by the word Restitution which here is called a Restoring Whom the Heavens must receive untill the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began yet with this difference Act. 1. speaks of the Kingdom in reference to Israel onely who shall be chief in it Mich. 4.8 Thou O Tower of the Flock the strong hold of the Daughter of Sion unto thee shall it come even the first Dominion the Kingdom shall come to the Daughter of Jerusalem but Acts 3. in reference to the whole Creation which in the day the Kingdom shall be restored to Israel shall also have a Restitution which is expressed Rom. 8.19 20 21 22. Now in these words we have a coming clearly discovered he shall send Jesus which before was preached unto you whom the Heavens must receive Which that it is Personal and not Spiritual onely is clear because such as the receiving of Christ in the Heavens at the time when these things were spokrn was and hath been since such shall his coming at this day be but the receiving of Christ in the Heavens then and since cannot be understood in a spiritual way because in that sense he had said before Lo I am with you to the end of the world Mat. 28.20 but must be in respect of his Personal and Corporal presence therefore such shall his presence Verse 19. be with his people at this time viz Personal and Corporal Now that this time of the restitution of all things should be the Day of the General Judgement which hath been the common opinion I cannot incline to for these Reasons 1 Because I find not the General Judgement spoken of in the plural number as times daies as this is the times of refreshing vers 19. times of restitution vers 21. these daies vers 24. 2 Because this is such a time as all the Prophets have spoken of Which God hath spoken of by the mouth of all bis holy Prophets Now not all Nay hardly any have spoken expresly of the General Judgement but of the time of Christs Kingdom all have spoken as will appear to him that shall but take a view of the Prophets severally in doing which though we might begin with Enoch the seventh from Adam who according to Jude Vers 14. prophesied of Christs coming and Kingdom and after him Jacob in his blessing of Judah Gen. 49.9 10. and Balaam afterward though a wicked man yet a Prophet Numb 24.17 18 19. Yet I rather choose to begin after Samuels daies for there the Holy Ghost seems to point out our beginning Vers 24. yea and all the Prophets from Samuel have likewise foretold of these daies Now beginning from Samuel setting Jonah aside which is but a History not one but have spoken of these times as to give instance David did it Psal 62. The whole Psalm is a Prophecie of Christs Kingdom and not Solomons any otherwise than in the Type as is clear 1. From the continuance of this Kingdom vers 7. as long as the Moon indureth 2. The extent of it vers 8. From Sea to Sea from the Rivers to the ends of the Earth 3. The Subjects of it all Kings and all Nations vers 11. neither of which either did or could agree to Solomons Kingdom Psal 102.16 When the Lord shall build up Sion he i.e. Christ shall appear in his glory And that the fulfilling of this relates to the last times is evident Vers 18. This shall be written for the Generation to come when as verse 22. the people are gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. Isaiah likewise Chap. 2.2 3 4. It shall come to pass in the last dayes the mountain of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the Hills and all Nations shall flow unto it And he i.e. Christ shall judge among the Nations and rebuke many people Chap. 9.7 Of the increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdom whose Throne and Kingdom was outward to order it and establish it with Judgement and Justice Chap. 32.1 2. Behold a King shall reign in Righteousness and Princes shall rule in Judgement Christ and his Saints reigning together And a man noting a corporal presence as well as spiritual at this day shall be a hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest Chap. 35.4 Your God will come with vengeance even God with a recompence he will come and save you The whole Chapter speaks of Christs Kingdom and the coming here agrees to that chap. 63.1 2. c. which I have proved to be Personal Jeremiah also who throughout chap. 30 31 32 33. treats of Christs Kingdom and that too in the last days when Ephraim Head of the Ten Tribes never gathered as yet since their Captivity shall come in Ezekiel Chap. 34 11. to the end Chap. 37. throughout So Daniel Chap. 2 44.45 In the dayes of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdome shall not be left to other people but it shall break in peeces and consume all these Kingdomes and it shall stand for ever This Kingdome must bee outward because it breaks in peeces the four Monarchies which were outward and takes the place of them and it is improper to say a meer Spiritual Kingdome can take place of an outward and why as the four former Monarchies had alwayes some visible Head the same should not be in this fifth I see no reason Chap. 7.27 And the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdome under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High whose Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and all Dominions shall serve and obey him i.e. Christ who in this Kingdome shall rule as Head and the Saints under him And this Kingdome must be outward for the Kingdome of the little Horn which was an outward Kingdome is the Kingdome here given to the Saints that Christ and his Saints rule in So Hosea Chap. 1.10 11. Chap. 3 4 5. both places agreeing punctually to that of Ezek. 37. which I have opened Joel Chap. 2.28 to the end Chap. 3. opened also before Amos Chap. 9.11 to the end Obadiah vers 21. And Saviours shall come upon mount Sion and shall judge the mount of Esau and the Kingdome shall be the Lords Micha Chap. 4.6 7. In that day will I assemble her that halteth and
I will gather her that is driven out and her that I have afflicted And I will make her that halted a remnant and her that was cast off a strong Nation and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Sion from henceforth even for ever Chap. 5.4 And he i.e. Christ as vers 2. shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord in the Majesty of the Name of the Lord his God and they shall abide for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth vers 5. And this man shall be the peace it is proper to Christ alone to be called the Peace when the Assyrian shall come into our land and shall tread in his Palaces Nahum Chap. 1.15 Behold upon the Mountain the feet of him that bringeth good tydings that publisheth peace O Judah keep thy solemn Feast perform thy vows for the wicked shall no more pass through thee he is utterly cut off explained Zech. 14.4 His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives vers 21. And in that day there shall be no more Canaanite i.e. the house of the Lord of Hosts Habakkuk Chap. 2.14 For the Earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea To what time this relates see by comparing with Isa 11.9 where wee have the same words Zephaniah Chap. 3.8 to the end Haggai Chap. 2.6 7 21 22 23. before opened Zechariah Chap. 6.12.13 Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts saying Behold the Man whose name is the Branch and he shall grow up out of his place and he shall build the Temple of the Lord Even he shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule upon his Throne and he shall be a Priest upon his Throne This Prophecie relates to Christ who is the Branch who is to bear the glory and not any creature yea who and no other is King and Priest both upon his Throne Chap. 9.9 Rejoyce greatly O Daughter of Sion shout O Daughter of Jerusalem Behold thy King cometh unto thee he is just and having salvation lowly and riding upon an Asse and upon a Colt the foal of an Asse And I will cut off the Chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem and the battel bow shall be cut off and he shall speak peace unto the heathen and his Dominion shall bee from Sea even to Sea and from the River to the ends of the earth Which latter words are an evidence the Prophecie is yet to be fulfilled and this coming of Christ as a King is the same which as under a type was represented by Christs riding into Jerusalem Mat. 21.4 5. and that was in a Personal way There is but one Prophet more and that is Malachy who also speaks of this Chap. 3.2 Who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like a Refiners fire and like Fullers sope Chap. 4.1 2 3. Behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be as stuble and the day that cometh shall burn them up that it shall leave them neither root nor branch But unto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of righteousness arise Thus I have lead you through all the Prophets naming but a few Texts out of each more especially the Psalms Isaiah and Zechary which every where are full of this instead of many that might be shewing you what a harmony there is amongst them all as to the time of Christs Kingdome which if any one can shew so full a harmony as to that of the General Judgement I shall for time to come lay by this Scripture as not of weight to prove the thing in hand but till this is done I shall hold my own conclusion viz. That the time of the Restitution of all things when Christ is Personally to appear being that which all the Prophets have spoken of is not the General Judgement which few or none have spoken of but the time of restoring the Kingdome of Israel that being the thing that all the Prophets are full of having treated of no one Subject more nay not half so much And indeed the 20. verse suits this Interpretation well And he shall send Jesus which before was preached unto you the latter words unto you having reference as well to sending as preaching and the meaning is That Christ shall at this time as verily be sent of the Father to the Jews as then he was preached to them by Peter and therefore Tremelius in his Translation out of the Syriack reads the Vobis to you twice after either Verb. The Argument then lyes thus If that Christ shall personally appear at the time of the Kingdoms restoring to Israel as hath been at large proved and if this shal be in the Interval of time betwixt the sixth and seventh Vials as also hath been formerly proved then doth it follow that Christs personal appearance or coming shall be betwixt the sixth and seventh Vials and so is the very coming here spoken of Behold I come as a Thief Two Arguments more to prove our Position are in the words themselves which are 3 ARGUMENT The phrase of coming as a Thief is most frequently used in Scripture to express Christs personal coming which therefore is the coming here intended 1 Thess 5.2 For your selves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a Thief in the night 2 Pet. 3.10 But the day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the night in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noyse So Mat. 24.42 43 44. Luk. 12 39 40. 4 ARGUMENT The duty here spoken of to which a special blessing is annexed is that very duty which beleevers are with much earnestness exhorted unto whensoever Christs personal coming is spoken of Mat. 24.42 Watch therefore for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come Chap. 25.13 So Mark 13.32 33 34 35 36 37. 1 Thess 5.2 compared with 6. all which places speak of no other coming but his Personal Yea the blessing annexed to this duty of watchfulness we do not read of but thrice more in all the Scripture and that is ever in such places where mention is made of his personal coming Luke 12.37 38. we have the blessing twice pronounced Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching And if he come in the second watch or in the third watch and find them so blessed are those servants Mat. 14.46 Blessed is that servant whom the Lord when hee cometh shall finde so doing what doing why watching and being ready against his coming as vers 42.44 These two last Arguments taken from the words I must confess do not of themselves conclude the thing because the same expression of coming as a Thief with the duty of watching annexed thereto I find once used in a spiritual
coming shall be a Coming as a Bridegroom Matth. 24.6 Behold the Bridegroom cometh intimating it shall be comfortable and glorious to the Saints such shall this be Rev. 19.7 8 9. 2 That coming shall be a black dreadful and terrible day to the Enemies of Christ to whom therefore he is said to come in flaming fire rendring vengeance 2 Thes 1.8 to descend from Heaven with a shout with the voyce of the Arch-Angel and the Trump of God 1 Thes 4.16 such a coming as shall make all the Tribes of the Earth to mourn Matth. 24.30 Then shall alâ— the Tribes of the Earth mourn and mens fiearts fail for fear Luk. 21.26 Mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the Earth for the powers of Heaven shall be shaken in which the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat 2 Pet. 3.12 such also shall this be as in many of the fore-quoted Scriptures appear Isa 63.1 Who is this that cometh from Edom with died garments from Bozrah Vers 4. The day of vengeance is in mine heart Verse 6. I will tread down the people in mine anger and make them drunk in my fury Chap. 65.15 For behold the Lord will come with fire and with his Chariots like a whirlwind to render his anger with fury and his rebukes with flames of fire Verse 16. For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh and the slain of the Lord shall be many Joel 3.16 The Lord also shall roar out of Sion and utter his voyce from Jerusalem and the Heavens and the Earth shall shake Mal. 3.2 Who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like a Refiners fire and like Fullers sope Chap. 4.1 For behold the day commeth that shall burn as an ovâ—n and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up that it shall leave them neither root nor branch These Scriptures as hath been before shewed relate to this coming 3 That coming shall be upon men unawares Luk. 21.34 35. Take heed lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares For as a snare shall it come on all men that dwell upon the face of the earth 1 Thess 5.2 Your selves know perfectly that the day of the Lord cometh as a Theef in the night So shal this Behold I come as a Theef 4 That coming shall be at a time of great tribulation such tribulation as makes Christ out of love to his Elect that they might not be swallowed up with it to shorten the daies of his coming Matth. 24.21 For then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time no nor ever shall be Verse 22. And except those days should be shortned there should no flesh be saved but for the Elects sake those days shall be shortned So shall this Dan. 12.1 At that time shall Michael stand up and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation even to the same time Zech. 14.2 I will gather all Nations against Jerusalem to battel and the City shall be taken and the houses rifled and the women ravished and half of the City shall go forth into Captivity and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the City Verse 3. Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those Nations 4. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives Verse 5. And the Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee 5 That coming shall be about the time of the Beasts final overthrow This hath been the opinion of all good men till of late that Christs second coming should give the final overthrow to Antichrist and this they have founded upon that of the Apostle 2 Thess 2.8 which I made use of but even now Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth i.e. by the preaching of the Gospel the Man of Sin shall first grow into a consumption which consumption he hath been in these many years and shall destroy viz. his final destruction with the brightness of his coming and this Text some call an undeniable Oracle to prove this truth accordingly the coming I am speaking of agrees exactly to this for the effect of the battel of Armageddon which battel is instantly upon this coming is the utter destruction of Antichrist giving the body of the Beast to the burning flame Dan. 7.11 casting the Beast and false Prophet both into the lake of fire burning with brimstone Rev. 19.20 but in case Christs second coming should not be till the last Judgement which cannot be less as I shall shew anon than a thousand years after this battel then could not the final destruction of Antichrist be at the time of Christs second coming for according to this principle his destruction should be a thousand years before it 6 That coming called by good men Christs coming to Judgement shall be a coming with all the Saints 1 Thess 3.13 At the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints So shall this Zech. 14.5 The Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee And indeed that Christ shall at this day bring all his Saints with him and not those only who have been Martyrs or Sufferers as some suppose is a thing that necessarily follows upon what hath been said before for if this shall be that very coming of Christ which is by all looked upon as his last after which Christ will return no more to Heaven to come in such manner thence again then most certainly not Martyrs only but all his shall come with him And this Scripture doth plentifully bear witness to 1 Thess 4.14 For if we beleeve that Jesus dyed and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus as all Saints do will God bring with him vers 16. The dead in Christ not some of them only but all that are dead in Christ shall rise first i. e. shall have part in that first Resurrection Rev. 20.5 6. 1 Cor. 15.23 Christ the first fruits afterwards they that are Christs not some but all that Christ hath a right unto and is interest in at his coming and it is of the first Resurrection only I take it that this whole Chapter speaks for the following verses from vers 35. to the end speak of the Resurrection of such only as shall have glory put upon them in the Resurrection Though sown in dishonour yet raised in glory Though sown in weakness yet raised in power vers 42.43 Yea such in whom death upon their Resurrection shall be swallowed up in victory vers 54. which are things not appliable to the resurrection of any but
of Christ at Northwalsham in Norfolk walking in fellowship with the Churches of Christ in this Country sendeth Greeting Dearly beloved in the Lord AS the Lord the mighty God hath done great things and unsearchable marvelous things without number for his great Name and peoples sake within the space of a few years so certainly there shall not be an end of Wonders until his peoples full Redemption be accomplished And although the wicked of the earth regard not the works of the Lord neither consider what he hath already done or shall do hereafter yet they are observed and diligently sought out of the Saints that have pleasure therein And they shall speak of the might of his terrible Acts and shall declare his greatness they shall abundantly utter the memory of his goodness and sing of his righteousness they shall speak of the glory of his Kingdom and talk of his Power and make known to the sons of men his mighty Acts and the glorious Majesty of his Kingdom When we consider what a company of poor weak and unprofitable creatures we are having such dead dark and unsuitable hearts and spirits to the extraordinary appearances and dispensations of God towards us we might think it most meet that we above all others should sit down in silence and shame at such a time as this but while we are musing of the former wayes and dealings of God with his people and of those glorious things which must shortly come to pass our hearts do burn within us and having this opportunity we cannot but speak and declare a few things which are upon our spirits As touching our dear and worthy Brother the Author it may be expected something by us should be spoken but his desire as concerning himself hath laid silence upon us Yet this we shall say As we conceive him to be one who hath received much light from the Lord and esteems it a choice and special mercy to be taught of God the things of Christs Kingdom so we are his witnesses how holily and justly and unblameably he hath and doth behave himself amongst us and many others that beleeve As for the Treatise it self it needs not mans commendation because Truth commends it self Yet this we say It hath been a great refreshment to our spirits and we hope will be to the spirits of Gods people elswhere It is the Authors desire that things may not be received on your parts without trial yet in case any who fear the Lord be in this matter otherwise minded it is our desire they would not rashly condemn that which was neither rashly undertaken nor published But to come to what we have further to say It is an undeniable truth confirmed by long experience that the Devil hath ever had a great design against the Kingdom of Christ that holy City and hath so far prevailed as by his instruments to tread it underfoot for a long time though not able to destroy it So that those that have appeared and witnessed for Christ have been forced to do it in sackcleath in a very mean and low condition yet however they do it they will do it though in sackcloath And this hath been such a trouble and torment to the Beast and the dwellers on the earth that like men or rather Devils full of rage and fury against them they make War against them overcome them pull off even their sackcloath strip them kill them And whether this hath been already done or is yet to do is the great Question which this Treatise will give some light into and a little time will more fully determine And that those that dwell upon the earth Christs enemies should rejoyce and make merry when they see Christs Witnesses who tormented them by witnessing lye dead is not to be thought strange But that the Lord should be so tender and mindful of those that appear and witness for him as after a little while to give life unto them and not only to set them upon their feet but to raise them up to an high and glorious condition and that in the sight of their enemies greatly fearing and trembling to behold it is very affecting and comfortable to our hearts to consider And Dear Brethren having had some serious thoughts both of the spirits and wayes of Gods professing people at this time we cannot apprehend that the LORD hath yet performed his whole work upon Mount Sion but that he hath yet much to do yea though the Lord hath been a long time purging his people and hath cut off two parts and left onely a third yet there is so much filth and dross in that that surely he will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as Silver is refined and will try them as Gold is tried And what condition the Lord hath yet to bring his people into to take away their dross in is best known to himself And may not the people of the Lord even after he hath done much for them in them yet polluted with several abominations expect some hour of temptation to be tried and purged in which may also be at hand And seeing we are speaking and speaking to Brethren that know how to bear with our weaknesses though we be poor stammering creatures we shall take liberty and boldness to speak a few things to you as plainly as we can it being now high time to deal faithfully and plainly with one another and to tell you more particularly what we fear And indeed Brethren we are afraid from a sad experience of the coldness and remisness of our own hearts that the charge of Christ against Ephesus will not fall upon us onely but upon other of the Churches and Saints of Christ that they have left their first Love We are afraid because we are so earthly minded our selves that some of you may be tempted also to seek other things before the Kingdom of God and to take too much thought what you shall eat and what you shall put on what profits preferments and incouragements you shall have in the world which are the things the men of the world seek after for the obtaining of which you may be prone to seek to please and serve men rather than Christ We are afraid because we have so little our selves that a spirit of self-denial should be wanting among you and that you should not have hearts to rejoyce when Christ doth increase if you should decrease and so lie open to that great and common evill of neglecting at least Christs interest to uphold and maintain your own We are afraid because of the drowsiness of our own bearts lest a spirit of slumber should fall upon you and you become mindless and regardless in comparison of what you formerly were and now ought to be of the voyce and works and coming of Christ We are afraid because we our selves are not Virgins chast and faithful to the person and interest of the Lord Christ lest your hearts should
shall be in the land of Canaan near Jerusalem Hence that opinion falls to the ground which would have this 1600 Furlongs to be a designation of Peters Patrimony which saith the Author of it in the longest extent thereof from the wals of Rome to the River Po is exactly 1600 Furlongs whence saith he its probable that the Popes own Territories may prove the Cock-pit of this execution whither Christ as into a Wine-press will from all parts gather the bloody grapes when he means to tread them Another opinion I find hereof which applies 1600 Furlongs to the greatness of the punishment which shall befall the enemys of Christ at this day and that in respect both of the multitude of those who shall be punished and the length of their torment Blood flowing so great a depth as to the Horse Bridles and this for 1600 Furlongs is an Argument both of abundance of blood and a long time of pressing This conjecture also agrees well to the Prophets who speaking of this day make mention of multitudes that shall be destroyed Ioel 3.14 Ezek. 38. 39. Rev. 16.14 16. 19.19 20 21. and also of length of torment Isa 66.24 Now seeing that either of these opinions will and do agree to the mind of the Holy Ghost in other places where mention is made of this day I judge it most safe not to restrain the interpretation of so great a mystery to any one but as the wisdom of God in Scriptures more plain much more in places so mystical is manifold so to conceive that either viz. the time place and greatness of the punishment also may be here intended Thus once more we are come unto the day of Christs appearing which though looked for but by a few yet doubtless hastens upon us By how much this blessed time is nearer by so much the more doth it call upon us to have our eyes fixed thereupon to awake arise put on our beautiful garments and shake our selves of our dust gather up our courage our zeal our life our love to Christ his cause and people resolving within our selves for Sions sake not to hold our peace and for Jerusalems sake to give him no rest till the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness and the salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth till she who now is termed forsaken and her land called desolate shall become a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and a royal Diadem in the hand of our God and be no more called Hephzibab nor her land Beulah but the Lords delight marryed unto him the praise of the whole earth an eternal excellency a joy of many Generations a City of solemnities a Tabernacle that shall not be taken down nor one of the stakes be for ever removed where the glorious Lord will be unto his a place of broad Rivers and Streams to water the City of our God to replenish and make fat the Mountain of his Holiness Which things as he hath foretold them in his Word and will surely fulfill them in their season So let me say THIS GENERATION SHAL NOT PASS TIL ALL THESE THINGS BE FULFILLED for the time is at hand He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness Verily a short work will the Lord make upon the earth Warch ye therefore and pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape those things that shall come upon the world and to stand before the Son of Man For he that doth these things saith Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every man according at his worke shall be I come as a Theesâ— Blâ—ssed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Gâ—rments lest be walk â—â—ked and they see his shame Even so Come Lord Jesus Come quickly Amen Isa 14.32 What shall oâ—â— now duswer the Messongers of the Nation That the Lord bath founded Sion and the poor of his people shall trust in it From my Sâ—â—dy in Trunch the 23. day of the first Month in the year of our Lord 1654. FINIS A MOTIVE TO Generation-work OR A Key to unlock the Mysticall Numbers of Daniel and the Revelations tending to resolve the great Question of the Age we live in viz. How long shall it be unto the end of Wonders By J.T. A waiter for the Redemption of Sion Dan. 8.13 Then I heard one Saint speaking and another Saint said unto that certain Saint which spake How long shall be the Vision concerning the daily Sacrifice and the transgression of desolation to give both the Sanctuary and the Host to be trodden under foot Vers 14. And he said unto me Vnto two thousand and three hundred dayes then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed Exod. 12.41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years even the self same day all the Hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt LONDON Printed for Livewell Chapman 1655. The Epistle to the Reader Christian Reader IT hath been oftentimes in my thoughts that there is hardly any controversie in this age which is fruitful in little else but there are in that thing wherein the controversie lyes some more general principles of truth which as in their own nature they do carry a light round about them so could they be found our would in a few words inlighten a man more than all those tedious Volumes which about things controverted are daily sent forth into the world which ordinarily do but beat about the Bush never coming at the place where these principles lye The care of that man who would make discovery of Truth should be in the first place and above all to search these out and having found them to place them rightly for these being to be his foundation if but a stone in this foundation be either not of the true metal or displaced it necessarily follows that so much of the building as hath it for its Basis must be weak or carried awry The best outward means to attain these principles is to give attendance to the reading of the word and diligently to compare one place with another but yet this may be done and a man no whit the neerer if with this endeavour there do not concur the inward supply and assistance of the Spirit And truly I have many times thought with my self that as the great thing our faith is to have in its eye when it goes to the Promise for teaching is That the Lord would lead us to these so the principal thing in the Spirits teaching when it teacheth any soul is by its inward hints to point it unto these The most certain Character to know these principles by when they are attained and when not is an universal harmony of Truth for these principles are as the Center in which all the lines of Truth which are separated in the Circumserence do weet together and become one point But now as the wider any Circumference is the farther will a man be
likewise it is said vers 26. after 62 weeks that is 62 added to the other seven spoken of vers 25. which make 69 shall the Messiah be cut off and not after 70 weeks shall the Messiah be cut off because indeed Christs sufferings came before the 70 week was fully and compleatly expired These four deducted there remains to be accounted upon only 486 years which passed from the 20 of Artaxerxes Mnemon until Christs Passion THESIS LVIII Our third part or period comprehends the number of years from the year of Christs Passion until the end of the year 1655 or which is all one the beginning of that noted year 1656. THESIS LIX Within this Period we are to account upon 1622 years thus Christ was thirty years old when he began to preach Luke 3.23 from the time he began to preach until his Passion the common opinion holds three years and a half but we are to account three years only as is clear from Christs own words Luke 13.32 Go ye and tell that Fox Behold I cast out Devils and I do cures to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected vers 33. Nevertheless I must walk to day and to morrow and the day following Shewing us that Christ in preaching spent three full years and yet but three for as he is baptised at the very beginning of the seventieth week i.e. at the beginning of the first day or year of that week so he is perfected at the end of the third day of that week or the third year from the time he began to preach Christ then at the day of his Passion was three and thirty years old which three and thirty years because our common account begins from the year of Christs Nativity we are to deduct these deducted of 1655 there remains only 1622 which we are to account upon THESIS LX. Let us now reckon up the three last periods that wee have gone through and see what number of years of the 2300 we have already gained those yet behind will fall in of themselves The first period from the first of Cyrus to the twentieth of Artaxerxes Mnemon contains 147 years The second from thence to Christs Passion 486 years Both together makes up 633 The third period from Christs Passion to the year 1656 contains 1622 The total Sum is 2255 It follows then that with the beginning of the year 1656 there are 2255 of Daniels 2300 years expired the remaining years are only 45 which will expire A.D. 1701 the very year in which Daniels 1335 dayes doth also expire THESIS LXI The 2300 dayes of Daniel are the best and surest Chronologie of the Number of the worlds years that have passed since the first of Cyrus or the beginning of the Persian Monarchy until this present day THESIS LXII The 2300 years ending according to our former Computation at the same point with the 1335 is a good Argument to prove that our course by a good hand of Providence hath been steered aright both as to the beginning of either number and also the carrying on of this great number for should we seek after any other beginning of the 1335 dayes then what we have before stated the 1335 dayes could never be brought to end with the 2300. Or in case the head of the 2300 dayes were to be placed either higher or lower or the Computation to be made otherwise than what hath been laid down then would not the 2300 dayes concur in their end with the 1335. And such a Computation it is necessary should bee made as may bring both these to end together THESIS LXIII The Harmony that is betwixt all those Mystical Numbers we have passed through is a thing very glorious and admirable to behold for there is not any one of them but affords a beam of light to the other The 1290 dayes affords a great beam of light to the 1260 and contrariwise the 1260 to that again The 1335 dayes affords a glorious beam of light to the 2300 and contrariwise the 2300 to that again Finally as the beginning of the 1260 proves our beginning of the 1335 to be true so our beginning of the 1335 proves the beginning of the 2300 to be true And contrariwise as the beginning of the 2300 proves the beginning of the 1335 to be true so the beginning of the 1335 the beginning of the 1260 to be true So that which is glorious to consider the Mystical Numbers of Daniel and the Revelations though diverse and having diverse beginnings yet have within themselves such an universal Harmony that each one serves to inlighten the other and the other him again THESIS LXIV The final Conclusion is That the rise of the Witnesses the end of the Beasts reign and treading underfoot the Holy City and the first stirring of the Jews will in greatest likelihood be in the year 1656 with which year ends the 1290 dayes the 1260 the 42 months The Personal coming of Christ the final destruction of the four Beasts or Monarchy and the compleat deliverance of the Jews in the year 1701 with which year ends Daniels 2300 dayes and his 1335. Matth. 24.48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart My Lord delayeth his coming 49. And shall begin to smite his fellow-servants and to eat and drink with the Drunken 50. The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of 51. And shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the Hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth A Concluding Word WHen Daniel understood by Books the number of the years whereof the Lord had said He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem he set himself to seek the Lord by fasting weeping and mourning When Moses understood the time of the delivery of Gods people out of Egypt to be at hand he not only strengthned his Brethren but took courage and went in unto Pharaoh Though it is far from entring into my thoughts to compare my self with these yet is it my duty and desire to imitate them in their grace As to the first my hearts desire and prayer to the Father of mercies is That a Daniels praying Spirit might abound in my self and all the people of God at this day As for the second my intents and purposes were to have closed up this discovery with a solemn Exhortation First To the Higher Powers of this Commonwealth Secondly To all those who have fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ within it But considering how poor and vain a thing the words of the Creature are and how little where much is spoken reacheth the heart if the Holy Spirit apply it not in my after thoughts I judged it better to leave it to the Spirit of God to set home these truths than to undertake to do it my self and therefore resting in these thoughts I shall only in a word or two deliver a Message and I hope not my own First To the Higher Powers the Message is this THIS PEOPLE SAY THE TIME IS NOT COME the time that the Lords work should be carried on Is it time for you O yee to dwell in your cieled houses and this work of Christ lye waste Now therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts Consider your wayes Yea thus saith the Lord Consider your wayes For if at this time you lay aside that work wherein the cause and glory of our dear and blessed Redeemer is so neerly and immediately concerned and attend to work of another nature which comparatively he calls you not to he will assuredly in sore displeasure with shame and contempt lay you aside ruine shall come to Babylon salvation and deliverance unto Mount Sion another way Secondly To the people of God in this Common-wealth the Message is this That although you are verily as unworthy a generation of Saints considering how formal the profession of some is how loose the Principles of others how unlike Saints of old yea Saints but of yesterday we are all of this so great Grace now ready to be revealed as ever the earth bore Yet that the whole world may see and know the exceeding riches of his grace and that by the sheddings abroad of his love which is a way more suitable to Gospel administrations your over-grown corruptions may be rooted out and the breaches of Sion made up and you made to remember your own evill wayes and doings that were not good and to loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and abominations his grace shall with a notwithstanding triumph over all this your unworthiness and he will yet redeem his cause from the Grave carry on his work among you before you and by you as Instruments gloriously and speedily yea with a high hand for his Name sake Thirdly in particular to the Imprisoned Saints together with all those who in this day suffer the reproaches of men the scorn and censures of Brethren for the testimony of Jesus and upon the account of his Kingdom my Message is Your Brethren that hated you and cast you out for Christs name sake said LET THE LORD BE GLORIFIED but he shall appear unto your joy and they shall be ashamed Lastly To all Sions Children wheresoever they may be that take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof let me say Lift up your heads with joy for your redemption draweth nigh For yet a little while and behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the Inhabitants of the earth for their Iniquity when as he hath purposed he will stain the pride of all glory and bring into contempt the honorable of the earth For it is the day of the Lords vengeance and the year of recompences for the controversie of Sion And though the scarlet Whore begins now to say in her heart I sit as a Queen am no Widow and shall see no sorrow yet shall her plagues come upon her in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord our God that judgeth her FINIS