Kingdome of Antichrist cry downe Babylon and the Praelacie but this doth seeme to be the Voice of many Waters that the Adversaries derided it scorned it It is but the Multitude a company of rude People But blessed bee God we begin to heare the voice from the Thundrings too in a more terrible way God begins to work upon the Great ones of the Land the Worthies of the Land that are drawne together in that ASSEMBLY and they doe begin to come to the Land and beyond the Land to our eares as it is terrible in the eares of the Adversaries that they begin to feare This is the work of the day for us to lift up our voice to Heaven that it might bee mighty to bring forth more and more the voice of our PARLIAMENT as a voice of Thunder a terrible voice to the Antichristian party that they may say The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth And let us not be discouraged for our Prayers though they be poore and meane and scattered they may further the Voice of Thundrings though our Prayers bee as the Voice of many Waters confused we may by them further this Worke so as to heare more of the Voice of our Worthies that are assembled as Thundrings saying The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth 1. Sam. 7.9 When Samuel did but offer a sucking Lamb there arose Thundrings If wee come before the Lord and it be but a sucking Lamb that we are able to offer if we come but to present our selves only to testifie on what side we are there may come that Voice of Thundrings from our PARLIAMENT furthered by our Voice saying The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth How gladly would wee heare this Voice come from our Nobles and the KING himselfe and the Great ones of the Kingdome to heare them powerfully commanding and speaking for the furtherance of the Kingdome of Iesus Christ and the setting it up But to come more closely to the words there are these two Doctrinall conclusions that contain the scope of them First that though the Kingdome of Christ may be darkned for a while yet certainly Christ will reigne in his Church gloriously at which the Saints will sing Hallelujah Secondly that the beginning of this glorious Reigne of Christ the Multitude of the People shall bee the furtherers of it and take speciall notice of it It is but only the first that I doe intend to speake of in way of a Doctrinall Conclusion it is this Though Christs Kingdome bee for a while darkned Christ shall reigne gloriously that is implyed It is revealed to John as a great wonder as a glorious thing Why did not Christ reigne before Yes but not in that manner that now hee is to reigne the Kingdome of Christ hath beene exceedingly darkned in the World though it now begins to appeare a little more brightly it hath beene exceedingly darkned When he came in his owne Person how did he appeare to reigne and be the Lord God Omnipotent I meane outwardly he was a man of Sorrowes one that vvas rather a Worme then a Man as it is said of him He was one in whom appeared no Forme and Beauty for which hee should be desired Hee was even bruised by his Father hee was in the forme of a Servant yea in the forme of an evill Servant being made sinne for us and beaten like an evill servant yea made a Curse for us and that in the Abstract how did he reigne they made him a King in way of derision put a Reed into his Hand in stead of a Scepter and bowed the Knee in scorne and called him the King of the Iews and thus he reigned outwardly and not otherwise in his own Person And afterwards in the Primitive Times how did he appeare to be Lord God and to reigne there when the Heathen Emperors reigned over his Subjects and had their wills upon them his Subjects were but a company of poore distressed for lorne people wandring up and downe persecuted and destitute of all comforts Afterwards when God brought Constantine the Christian Emperour and others to reigne the Church enjoyed a little Peace this was but for a little time In the 8. of the Revelation it is said there was silence in Heaven for halfe an houre which is applyed to the little Time of respite that the Church had in Constantines time for Litinius who was joyned with Constantine in the Empire presently fell off and grew a Persecutor then spread Arianisme over all the World that all the World seemed to be an Arrian so that he was not acknowledged Lord God and therefore not reigned Then Antichristianisme spread it selfe and he set up himselfe as Lord God and hee prescribed Lawes to the Consciences of men and Christ was cast out of his Throne yea to this day how little hath Christ reigned outwardly The Divell himselfe is a greater King I meane in regard of multiplicity of Subjects Divide the World into thirty parts and there are not above five of those that acknowledge Christ and out of those five take them where Antichrist reignes and how little doth Christ reigne and among them where Christ is acknowledged and Antichrist rejected how is his Kingdome persecuted and of the better sort how is his Kingdome sleighted and many forward Professors and zealous Ministers have hard thoughts of it Yea among those that set up his Kingdome in regard of their miscarriages his Kingdome is darkned so that Christ hath but a little Reigne in the World And it is a glorious thing spoken of to Iohn That Christ Lord God Omnipotent reigneth What shall we say to these things That Christ should be King of Heaven and Earth and should appeare so little in his reigne as he hath done and yet doth to this day Let us stay a little here and admire at the infinite depth and Wisedome of Gods Counsells that are past finding out What God should aym at and meane if wee may speake with holy Reverence to suffer these Things that his owne Sonne so infinitely deere unto him should have his glory so darkned in the World as he hath We may think of some Reasons why God doth suffer this but what his ayme and intentions are in the depth of his Counsels is infinitely beyond us It may be it is to be a stumbling-block to wicked and ungodly men in his just Judgement that they should see and not understand And it vvas upon this ground that God suffered his Kingdome to be darkned hitherto that Antichrist might prevaile because of much Glory that he is intended to bring out of the prevailing of Antichrist in the World therefore in his Providence he hath so permitted it as that the Kingdome of his Sonne for many yeeres should be darkned And my Brethren if the Kingdome of Christ had bin kept in Congregations in that way that we and some other Churches are in it had bin impossible that Antichrist should have got head But God in his Providence because he
from Captivity under Antichrist and the setting up of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ may stand with our weeping and we in a weeping and a mourning frame are fittest to heare such an Argument as this is Hallelujah is an Hebrew word why here used First to note the joyning of the Church of the Gentiles with the Jewes according to the Prophesie in the 14 of Zachary 9. The Lord shall be King over all the Earth in that day there shall be one Lord and his name one Secondly because the Gentiles are to provoke the Church of the Iewes to come in according to the Prophecy of Isaiah 2. C. 3.5 Come ye let us go up to the Mountaine of the Lord to the House of the God of Jacob and hee will teach us of his wayes and wee will walke in his Paths 5. verse O House of Jacob Come yee and let us walke in the light of the Lord The Gentiles calling upon the Iewes to come in so it shall be at the Iewes Calling and therefore this Hebrew word is used Hallelujah as if the Gentiles should provoke the Iewes after Antichrist is fallen now to praise the Lord because he reignes In this Hallelujah there are these 2. things considerable First what it is for which this Hallelujah is sung Secondly from whom First what it is for It is for this because the Lord God omnipotent reigneth the Lord God that is Christ Christ now appeares to be Lord God his Lordship and Dominion was much darkned before now it appeares to all the world that he is Lord God Lord God omnipotent the Name of Christ is the mighty God as 9. Isay 6. but hee is but little knowne by this Name in comparison after Antichrist is fallen he shall bee knowne by his owne Name the mighty God the Lord God omnipotent the Lord God omnipotent reigneth his Crowne and Dignity were as it were hidden before in comparison little of the power of the Soveraignty of Christ did outwardly appeare before but now it shall appeare before the eies of all his enemies that it is he that reignes he hath the Kingdome of Kingdomes and is the Lord of Lords 2. From whence came this Hallelujah I heard as it were the Voice of a great Multitude and as the voice of many Waters by Waters we are to understand People the voice of many Waters of many People First it is the voice of the Waters the voice of Jesus Christ reigning in his Church comes first from the Multitude the common People the voice is heard from them first before it is heard from any others God uses the common People and the Multitude to proclaime that the Lord God omnipotent reigneth As when Christ came at first the poore receive the Gospell not many Wise not many Noble not many Rich but the Poore so in the Reformation of Religion after Antichrist began to be discovered it was the common People that first came to look after Christ In the 5. Cant. 7. we find the Church inquiring for her beloved which is to be understood of these times of Reformation shee went to the Watchmen the Watchmen smote her despised her and persecuted her at the 8th verse she goes to the Daughters of Ierusalem and enquires for her Beloved that is among private Christians and common People and this glorious Church that is to come when the Lord God omnipotent reigneth according as it is here said the voice will bee first among the Multitude It is observable that wee have in the 7. Cant. 1. where you find a description of the glorious Church that is a comming wherein Christ is to reigne gloriously the description there begins at the feet and goes upward When Christ is described 5. Cant. the description of Christ is from the head and so downeward But when the Estate of the Church in her glory is described shee begins at the feet and goes upward to note the beginning and the raising of the Church is like to bee at first among the meaner sort of People among the Multitude The Hallelujah for Babylons downfall was among the Multitude before it came to the foure and twenty Elders as you may see in the beginning of the Chapter The Businesse Brethren concerning the SCOTS it is a businesse in the issue whereof wee hope there will be great things Where began it at the very Feet at the very soles of the feet You that are of the meaner rank common People be not discouraged for God intends to make use of the common People in the great Worke of proclaiming the Kingdome of his Sonne the Lord God omnipotent reigneth the Voice that will come of Christs reigning is like to begin from those that are the Multitude that are so contemptible especially in the eyes and account of Antichrists spirits and the Praelacie the vulgar Multitude the common People what more contemned in their mouths then they and yet it is from them that this Voice doth come The Lord God omnipotent reigneth Wee read in the 2. Chron. 30.15 that the Priests and Levites were ashamed in that glorious Reformation of Hezekiah they did not prepare themselves as the People did So it is many times that in many places where God is doing a great work and whensoever God sets up the Kingdome of his Sonne in that glorious manner that hee doth intend he wil not begin with the Priests and Levites they will not bee so forward but the People at the first are more forward In the 3. Nehem. 5. it is said concerning the building of the Temple and Ierusalem that the Nobles did not put to their necks but it is said the People blessed those that came to dwell at Jerusalem but yet marke further it came from the Multitude as a noise of many Waters though the voice of Christs reigne came first from the Multitude yet it comes but in a confused manner as the noise of many Waters though the Multitude may begin a thing and their intention may be good in it yet it is not for them to bring it to perfection that which they do commonly is mixed with much confusion and a great deale of disorder It was but as the voice of many Waters the People had a hint of somthing downe with Antichrist downe with Popery not understanding distinctly what they did their voice was but as the voice of many Waters Therfore it followes and as the Voice of mighty Thundrings that is as one paraphrases of it the Voice that is more terrible and piercing like the Thunder After the beginning of this confused noise among the Multitude God moves the hearts of Great ones of Noble of Learned ones and they come in to the Worke and their voice is as the voice of mighty Thundring a Voice that strikes terror and hath a Majestie in it to prevaile We heare of the voice of the Multitude in our owne Countrey as the voice of many Waters they cry up the Kingdome of Christ and cry downe the
A GLIMPSE OF SIONS GLORY OR THE CHURCHES BEAUTIE specified Published for the Good and Benefit of all those whose Hearts are raised up in the expectation of the glorious Liberties of the SAINTS PSAL. 87.3 Glorious Things are spoken of Thee O thou Citie of GOD ESAY 40.10.11 Behold the LORD shall come with might against the strong ones and his arme shall rule for him c. LONDON Printed for WILLIAM LARNAR and are to be sold at his Shop at the Signe of the golden Anchor neere PAULS-Chaine MDCXLI THE EPISTLE TO THE READER CHristian Reader thou hast here presented to thy view a small Tract the matter whereof is weighty and of concernment to all that are the professed Subjects of Iesus Christ It is a thing of sad consequence to consider how we have beene kept under blindnesse and darknesse although not totally yet in a great measure in regard of such truths as doe immediately strike at Antichrist and his false power As namely this great Truth CHRIST the King of his Church and that Christ hath given this Power to his Church not to a Hierarchy neither to a Nationall Presbytery but to a company of Saints in a Congregationall way Now these truths strike directly at Antichrist and therefore kept and quell'd downe as errours And so by reason of this obscurity we being halfe blind such bright truths seeme strange to us and goe under many aspersions and calumnies as carnall erroneous absurd and the like And truely we have beene so accustomed to the yoke that we seeme to beat down freedome with casting up a thousand surmises dreaming of strange Consequents Nay there is a generation of of Men in these times some or most of them seeming to plead for Christ are as inveterate against the one true Way of Jesus Christ as if it would be the bondage of Rehoboam succeeding the light oppression of Solomon whereas it will prove to bee a Haven to our tedious stormes and a period to many distractions READER give over thy wonted censuring of mens Labours and learne to be more wise lay aside all prejudiciall thoughts concerning this Tract and weigh it in the Ballance of the Sanctuary comparing it with the Word if it will hold out there then embrace it and make use of it for thy comfort Indeed it may be beneficiall to thee divers wayes First by this thou mayst learne to prize Jesus Christ more what was that among other things that made Christ so beloved and excellent in the eyes of his Spouse His head was of Gold Now what is this Head of Gold but that excellent Government that is upon his shoulder Secondly it will administer comfort to thee in regard of the former yokes of which there are hopes they will bee broken off at least in the accomplishing of these Truths Nay the day is now dawning wherein Sions Peace and Comforts shall bee fulfilled Iesus Christ set up the sole and great King of his Church Thirdly it will teach you to make that use of it that the Apostle Peter doth of the like Truths What manner of Persons ought we to be The use of it is divers beyond my reach or weake Iudgement to prescribe and indeed my commendation of it doth but darken it I being so far below the matter and the Author But thy experience may make up that of which I fall short So commending Thee both in the use of this and any thing else that beares the stamp and Image of truth upon it to the teaching of that Spirit that is the Author of all Truth in the hearts of Beleevers to be taught by it I leave thee in the perusing of this small Treatise hoping thou wilt reape some good by it Farewell Thine in the Lord Jesus to command W. K. A GLIMPSE OF SIONS GLORY OR THE CHURCHES BEAUTIE specified REVEL. 19. VERSE 6. And I heard as it were the voice of a great Multitude and as the voice of many Waters and as the voice of mighty Thundrings saying HALLELVIAH for the LORD GOD Omnipotent reigneth AT the powring forth of the first Viall there was a Voice saying BABYLON is fallen it is fallen at the powring forth of the sixth Iohn heares a voice as the voice of many Waters and as the voice of Thundrings saying Hallelujah the Lord God omnipotent reigneth immediately following the other Babylons falling is Sions raising Babylons destruction is Ierusalems salvation The fourth Viall was powred upon the Sunne which is yet doing namely upon the Emperour and that House of Austria and will be till that House be destroyed The heat of that makes the seat of the Beast hot and prepares it unto the fire that it is appointed unto God is beginning the powring forth of the fifth Viall namely upon the Throne of the Beast upon Babylon this is the worke that is in hand as soone as ever this is done that Antichrist is downe Babylon fallen then comes in Jesus Christ reigning gloriously then comes in this Hallelujah the Lord God omnipotent reigneth Let Christ live and Barrabas die was the last speech of Tremellius Let Babylon fall let Ierusalem rise and Christ reigne in his glory this is the voice of all the Saints this day and will continue to their last Voyce It is the work of the day to cry downe Babylon that it may fall more and more and it is the worke of the day to give God no rest till he sets up Ierusalem as the praise of the whole World Blâ—ssed is he that dasheth the Brats of Babylon against the stones Blessed is hee that hath any hand in pulling downe Babylon and beautifull likewise are the feet of them that bring glad tidings unto Ierusalem unto Zion saying The Lord God omnipotent reigneth This is the work of this Exercise to shew unto you how upon the destruction of Babylon Christ shall reigne gloriously and how we are to further it The words then read unto you they are you see an Halleluiah But what is that to the day of a Fast Is an Halleluiah sutable to a Fast Hallelujah is Praise ye the Lord the worke of a Fast is a mourning worke and yet this Hallelujah is sutable to this day of Fast 1. Sutable First our mourning is to be Evangelicall and therefore to have comfort mixed with it Secondly because our mourning is a preparation to and hastning of this Hallelujah Thirdly because we are by faith to speake of things as if they were done therefore now to shew you what is to be done and what wee are to looke upon as if it were done this day Hallelujah is sutable for that Yea further a day of Humiliation is a day of Reconciliation too as well as a day of Humiliation and the great fruit of our Reconciliation with God is the setting up of the Kingdome of his Sonne Yea we read of the Churrh of the Iewes that in their returning from the Captivity God did lead them by weeping 31. Ier. 9. The Argument of deliverance
would permit Antichrist to rise and to Rule for a long time and he had many things to bring out the Kingdome of Antichrist to worke for his Glory therefore God hath left this Truth to be so darke the setting up of Christ in his Kingly Office Thirdly because God would exercise the Faith and other Graces of his Spirit in his Children that they might beleeve in and love Jesus Christ for his spirituall Beauty though there appeares nothing but spirituall Beauty though no outward Beauty no outward Kingdome doth appeare but he be as a spirituall King only It was a great and a glorious Worke in those three wise Men that came to Christ that offered Frankincense and Gold and Myrrhe to Christ when he was in a Cratch in a Manger and so for Gods people now to beleeve in him now to love now to reioyce in him to offer all to him now his Kingdome is darkned now he doth appeare so meane as he is this is a glorious worke of Faith and we should labour much to exercise this worke of â—aith in looking vpon this spirituall Beauty that is in Christ and satisfying our Soules in that that so we may not be offended at the darkning of Christs Kingdome outwardly And the lesse Christ doth reigne outwardly in the world the lesse glorious his Kingdome doth appeare outwardly the more let us labour to bring our hearts under his spirituall Reigne The more others say We will not have this man reigne over vs the more let our Soules subiect themselves to him and say Christ is our KING and let him reigne for ever over us yea let us labour to symphathize with Jesus Christ in the darkning of his glory and of his Kingdome IESVS CHRIST though he the glory of his Father the Brightnesse of his Glory the Character and graven Forme or the Image of his Father yet is he contented to have his glory darkned Who are we that we must have Glory in this world and outward excellencies when Christ is willing to be without them Let us be willing to goe like the Witnesses clothed in Sackcloth till Christ comes to reigne There are white shining garments prepared but that time is not yet though it wil not be long The Bridegroom yet seems to be absent and therefore it is fit for the Spouse to goe low and mean in the mourning weeds as a Widdow the trimming of the Bride in her outward glory may come hereafter when Christ shall come in glory into the World And Lastly the Kingdom of Christ is darkned for a while outwardly and therefore it should teach us to blesse God so much the more for that Opportunitie that we have of setting vp Christ as King amongst us For yet the Voyce is not heard much That the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth abroad in the World though lately some noise we have heard But blessed be God in our Congregations amongst us we may heare That the Lord GOD Omnipotent reigneth It is through our wretched wickednesse if his Kingly Power be not fully set up amongst us in all his Ordinances And that we should have an opportunity to set up his Kingly Power amongst us heere while it is so much opposed and so little knowne in the world it is a great mercy And let us take heed of abusing that opportunity we have for darkning the Kingly Power of Christ which we professe to set up Especially in these Times when there comes to be a Voyce though confusedly from the Multitude and some Kind of Voyce of Thunder from the Great ones But though it be darke for a while certainly he shall reigne and the Voyce will be glorious and distinct one Day Saying HALLELVIAH the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth He shall reigne first Personally secondly in his Saints First Personally we will not fully determine of the manner of his Personall Reigning but thus farre wee may see there is a Voice of great waters though not distinct but a Probability in his Person GOD and MAN he shall reigne vpon the Earth here in this World before that great and Solemne Day There are divers Scriptures that have somewhat of this in them we cannot give the distinct Voyce of those Scriptures but many of Gods Saints they do heare somthing and when a thing growes neerer and neerer God will reveale it more distinct Zachary 12.10 They shall looke upon him whom they have pierced and shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his only Sonne It is usually understood either of a spirituall looking by the eye of Faith or beholding Christ at the Day of Iudgment But why should we take it for a spirituall looking and looking at the day of Iudgment that place doth not hold out that is not the thing intended They shall mourne every one apart this is not like the setting forth of the mourning at the Day of Iudgement And take but this one Rule that all Texts are to be understood literally except they make against some other Scriptures or except the very Coherence and Dependance of the Scripture shewes it otherwise or it makes against the Analogy of Faith now there is nothing against this but it may bee so A second Scripture that seemes to hold out somewhat is that in the 26th of Mathew 29. I will not henceforth drinke of the Fruit of the Vine untill that Day when I drinke it new with you in my Fathers Kingdome It is true this is likewise interpreted in a mysticall sense but there is no reason why wee may not take it literally Not in the Kingdome of his Father in Heaven but in that Kingdome that hee shall come in here to drinke the Fruit of the Vine to have Communion with his Saints in this World 2. Thes. 2.8 Antichrist shall be destroyed by the brightnesse of Christs comming the brightnesse of his Personall comming And that place Revel. 20. where it is said The Saints shall reigne with him a Thousand years which cannot be meant reigning with him in Heaven It is made as a proper peculiar benefit unto such as had refused Antichrists Government especially to the Christian Church It is likely divers of the Prophets and Patriarchs may come in but especially it belongs to the Christian Church Now the reigning with Christ a thousand yeeres is not meant reigning with him in Heaven for after these thousand yeares there shall be many enemies raised against the Church GOG and MAGOG shall gather themselves together if it were meant of Heaven that could not be and therefore it must be meant of Iesus Christ comming and reigning heere gloriously for a Thousand yeares And although this may seeme to be strange yet heretofore it hath not beene accounted so it hath beene a Truth received in the Primitive Times Iustine Martyr that lived presently after IOHN he spake of this as a thing that all Christians acknowledged and likewise Lactantius hath such expressions in divers places of his Seventh Booke That there are glorious Times comming wherein
glorious things spoken of the reigne of the Church but there have never beene such glorious times since those Prophecies and therefore these we are to expect to be fulfilled That place of Ezekiel of the dry Bones receiving Flesh and Life is apparant to be the Iewes comming and Gods ioyning two stickes together making Iudah and Ephraim to be one and therefore glorious things are to be expected immediately after the fail of Antichrist and if you may speake of the fall of Antichrist as done you may speake of those Promises as done So in the 21.22 Revel. There is a description of the glorious estate of the Church which ordinarily is applied to the glory of Heaven But there is a mistake in applying these things to the glory that is in Heaven and not to thinke of the glory that shall appeare on Earth before It is said that John saw the new Ierusalem come downe from Heaven if it had been the glory of Heaven more like Heaven should have been opened and he raised up to it Againe Iohn here sayes that the foundations of the Walls had twelve Stones and in them the names of the twelve Apostles that the Foundations of Heaven should have the names of the twelve Apostles is not like For Abraham Isaac and Jacob the Patriarchs and Prophets shall bee there as well as the Apostles and why should it not have the names of the Patriarchs and Prophets as well as the Apostles And if you read the Revelations you shall finde that the Kings and Princes came to give in their glory to the Church Now that the Kings and Princes should come in to make Heaven glorious there is no likelihood in that Thus there are these Prophesies to be fulfilled and these Promises to bee accomplished and therefore a time for the Lord GOD with the Saints to reigne gloriously And why should we think it much Let us but consider the great Designes that God hath in honouring of his Saints in the World and we have not cause to thinke much of such a truth as this for hereafter in Heaven Christ will be honoured before his Saints But how will Châ—ist be honoured before all the World you will say at the day of Judgement But onely at that time so long as the wicked shall stand for their sentence Doe we thinke there shall be no further time for Christ and his Saints to be honoured but just then God intends to honour Christ and the Saints before all the World Christ hath purchased a glorious Condition by humbling himselfe so low to the Death of the Crosse and therefore was promised the Heathen for his Inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for his possession and this must bee given in due Time and God is pleased to raise the hearts of his People to expect it And those that are most humble most godly most gracious most spirituall searching into the Scriptures have their hearts most raised in expectation of this And it is not like that that work of the Spirit of theirs shall be in vaine But God is beginning to cleere it up more and more God is beginning to stirre in the World and to doe great things in the World the Issue whereof I hope will come to that we speake of But what shall bee the glorious Condition of the Church when the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth for which the Saints shall sing this glorious Hallelujah Tell us somthing of this good Land In the generall I answer It is the resurrection from the Dead as the Apostle speakes Rom. 11. concerning the Calling of the Iewes But for Particulars Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou Citie of God The first thing wherein the happinesse of the Church consists is this That it shall be delivered from all the Enemies of it and from all molesting troubles and so be in a most blessed safety and security The God of Peace shall tread downe Satan shortly and all that are of Satan Christ is described in this Rev. 19. with his garment dyed in Blood when he doth appeare to come and take the Kingdome and he appeared with many Crownes on his head that notes his many victories and his name was King of Kings and Lord of Lords And the Saints appeared triumphing with him clothed with white linnen and set upon white Horses is that a cloathing for Soldiers Yes for the Army of Christ that rather comes to triumph then for to fight Christ fighteth and vanquisheth all these Enemies and they come triumphing in white All Teares shall be wiped away from the Church Isay 25.8 Revel. 21.4 There shall bee no Brier nor Thorne Ezek. 28.24 among the People of GOD Ezekiel did once live among Briers and Thornes but there shall bee no pricking Thorne left And this Citie that is described in the Revelation shall have the gates alwayes open in regard of the secuirty that is there no danger at all of any Enemy Secondly there shall be a wonderfull Confluence of People to this Church both Jew and Gentile shall joyne together to flow to the Beautifulnes of the Lord Dan. 2. verse 35. Christ is compared to the Stone that shall breake the Image and shall become a Mountaine and fill the whole Heaven Isaiah 60. They shall come as Doves to the Windowes And when IOHN came to meathe Citie the Church it was a great and mighty Citie Thirdly because where there is much Confluence there useth to bee a Contraction of much filthinesse Therfore in the third place it shall be most pure a pure Church yea in great part if not altogether Nay we may almost affirme altogether to be delivered from hypocrites Without there shall be Doggs and whosoever shall worke or make a lye Not without in Hell but without the Church Hypocrites shall bee discovered and cast out from the Church though many get into the Church now then the righteous Nation shall enter in In the 44th of Ezekiel 9. There is a description of the Church under the Gospel And he shewes that none uncircumcised in heart shall enter in there But the fulfilling of the Prophecies of those Chapters in the latter end of Ezekiel will not be till this time and then no uncircumcised in heart shall enter Revel. 21.27 There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth c. there are two Negatives in the Originall they shall not they shall not enter As Christ sayes Whosoever comes to me J will in no wise cast out I will not I will not cast out Blessed are they that are called to the Supper of the Lamb Before many were called and few chosen but now all that are called are chosen and none that are made partakers of the first Resurrection shall die the second Death It is a most pure Church and therefore is described The Walls to be precious Stones the Citie to be as cleere as glasse and the Pavement to be pure gold Fourthly there shall be abundance of glorious
Prophecies fulfilled and glorious Promises accomplished When you read the Prophets you have Prophecies of many glorious things And the knowledge of this truth will help to understand those Prophecies Revel. 2. It is said there was a Booke sealed shewed unto Iohn and none could open the Booke but the Lambe The Booke of the Prophecies Prophecies is a sealed Book and especially the booke of the Prophecies of the Revelatious But when the Lamb Christ shall come to reigne this shall be opened to us And therefore it is said the holy Apostles and Prophets should reioyce at the destruction of Antichrist because the Prophets should be so cleerely opened and understood by the People of God Revel. 22.6 These sayings are faithfull and true and the Lord God of the holy Prophets sent his Angell to shew unto his Servants the things which must shortly be done Why the Lord God of the holy Prophets That Lord God that did intend to make the holy Prophets cleere and evident Saies the woman of Samaria when the Messiah comes he shall teach us all things We may well say it of the comming of Christ heere the meaning of abundance of Prophecies and Promises that we know not what to make of shall be cleere before us Christ is called the word of God and is said to be faithfull and true because he wil discover the truth and faithfulnesse of the Promises And this will bee a glorious Time when the Prophecies shall be opened and the promises come to be fulfilled Fifthly Abundance of hidden Mysteries of Godlines will be cleered then that now are exceeding darke 4. Revel. Iohn did but see a Doore opened in Heaven But afterwards Revel. 19. he saw Heaven opened Noting the cleere revelation of Truth that shall be then And Revel. 11.19 There was seene the Arke of the Testament Whereas the Arke stood before in the Holy of Holies that was shut up that none was to come into it but the High Priest But now it is opened to all In the Arke where the Secrets a Type of the Secrets that shall be opened at this Time that were shut up before Glorious Truths shall be revealed and above all the Mystery of the Gospell and the righteousnesse of Faith shall bee discovered Before what a little of the Mystery of the Gospel and the righteousnesse of Faith was discouered but this will grow brighter and brighter till that time which is the great Designe of God for his Glory to all Eternitie Sixtly the gift of the Saints shall be abundantly raised He that is weake shall bee as David and he that is strong as the Angel of the Lord Zach. 12.8 and then shall be accomplished that Promise that GOD will powre his Spirit on them and their young men shall see visions and their old men shall dreame dreames It was fulfilled in part upon the Apostles but the full is not till that time knowledge shall be increased Seventhly the Graces of the Saints shall be wonderfully inlarged even in a manner glorified thoughuot so full as afterwards in the highest Heaven but mightily raised The Saints shall be all clothed in white linnen which is the righteousnesse of the Saints that is the Righteousnesse they have by Christ whereby they shall bee righteous before God and holy before Men HOLINES shall be written upon their Pots and upon their bridles upon every thing their Graces shall shine forth exceedingly to the glory of God Iohn saw a Vision of the Bride comming downe from Heaven with a Heavenly Glory fit to meet Christ her Bridegroome to stand in his presence and serve him day and night Yea further Religion shall bee honoured and no more be a disgrace God hath promised to his Church that hee will wipe away their Reproches for ever The People of God have been and are a despised People But their Reproach shall be for ever taken away and they shall not be ashamed of Religion for it shall be glorifyed before the Sonnes of men Therfore it is said Revel. 14. They shall have the Name of God upon their Foreheads openly to professe Religion A time shall come when ten men shall take hold on the skirt of a Iew and say We will go with thee Cant. 8.1 I will kisse thee yet should I not bee despised She would embrace Christ publikely and should not be despised It shall be so honourable as none shall be able to despise it There are notable Texts of Scripture to shew the great Honor that shall be in the wayes of Religion Isaiah 49.23 Kings shall be thy Nursing Fathers and Queenes thy Nursing Mothers they shall bow downe to thee and lick up the Dust of thy Feet What a high expression is this for the Honour of Godlinesse So in Isaiah 60. are a great many of notable expressions verse 13. I will make the place of my Feet glorious that is the Church There was a time when as the Feet of Christ were as burning Brasse to shew the suffering condition of the Church But now the Feet of Christ that is the Church shall be made glorious vers. 14. you have two notable Scriptures for this in the Prophesie of Zachary The first in the 4th of Zachary 16. They shall be as the Stone of a Crowne-lifted up They are now trampled upon as the stones of the street but they shall be as the Stones of a Crowne and not onely so but as the Stones of a Crowne lifted up The second place is in Zach. 12.5 The Governours of Iudah shall say in their hearts the Inhabitants of Ierusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of Hoasts their God Wee know that now in many places the Governours of Iudah the great ones of the Countrey their Spirits have beene set against the Saints of God Wee know what reprochfull names they have put upon them and how they have discountenanced them Though the Governours of Iudah have counted them factious and Schismaticks and Puritanes there is a Time comming when the Governours of Judah shall bee convinced of the Excellency of Gods people so convinced as to say in their hearts that the Inhabitants of Ierusalem that is the Saints of God gathered together in a Church are the best Common-wealths men not seditious men not factious not disturbers of the State but they are our strength in the Lord of Hosts they are the strength of a Kingdome and shall be countenanced by them as the strength of a Kingdome as those that will bee most usefull in a Kingdome This will bee a blessed time when as wicked men and wickednes shall bee despised and Godlinesse as honourable as ever it was contemptible this shall bee when the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth in his Church And through Gods mercy wee see light peeping out this way That the Governours of Iudah are saying The Inhabitants of Ierusalem shall be our strength Religion shall be honoured in the World one day and not only at the day of Iudgement but here In the ninth place the
presence of Iesus Christ and of God shall be exceeding glorious in the Church then the name of it shall be called IEHOVAH SHAMMAH The Lord is there They shall follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth they shall see the King in his beauty and glory And such a presence of Christ will be there as it is questionable whether there shall be need of Ordinances at least in that way that now there is And therefore some interpret that place so They shall be all taught of God and shall not need to teach one another And so that place 2. Peter 1.19 We have also a moresure Word of promise wherevnto ye doe well that ye take heed untill the Day dawne and the Day-starre arise in your hearts Now the Morning-Starre the Holy Ghost applies to them Revel. 2.28 That is such a glorious presence of Christ as shall so instruct them as if they had not need to take heed to the Word of Prophesie And in Revelat. 21. They shall need no Temple nor Sunne nor Moone for the Lamb is the Temple and the light thereof the presence of Christ shall bee there and supply all kind of Ordinances And Revel. 7. Christ sayes Hee will lead them to the Fountaine of living Waters all the Ordinances Here are but the streames and Conduits then they shall be led to the Fountaine Though we dare not affirme that there shal be no Ordinances yet is there some probability at least thus far in comparison there shall be such a presence of Christ there as therr shall not be that need of Ordinances In the tenth place There shall bee the addition of Martyrs and many of the Worthies of God that have lived in former Times shall rise againe If you read the 7th Revel. and 21th Revel. you cannot but be convinced of this That those that have suffered Martyrdome under Antichrist shall have the glory of that time and Daniel shall come up and stand in his lot and as he so many of the Worthies of God in former times and this shall add to the Glory of that time The eleventh is this There shall be most blessed Union of all the Churches of the World The envy of Ephraim and of Iudah shall be taken away Isaiah 11. There shall be one King and one Name Zach. 14.9 Wee all professe one Lord but give him divers Names but then there shall be one Lord and his name one Zeph. 3.9 They shall serve the Lord with one Consent with one Shoulder it is in the Originall And if you read that Chapter you may see what Reference it hath to a more glorious Time than the returning of the Iewes from the Captivity Dissentions in any one Congregation are evill and for one Church to dissent from another is a grievous evill Blessed will the Time be when all dissentions shall bee taken away and when there shall bee a perfect Union of all and not any distinction of Calvinists or Lutherans or the like but all shall come and serve God and be called by one Name The twelfth is the Resurrection of the Creatures of the World and so in that regard there shall be abundance of outward Glory and Prosperity That place in the 8th of the Romans The Creature groanes under the Burthen that it is in that it may be delivered into the Adoption of the Sonnes of God When the fulnesse of the glory of the Adoption of the Sonnes of God shall come the Creatures shall be delivered to them The whole World is purchased by Christ and purchased for the Saints that is Christs ayme All is yours sayes the Apostle the whole World and therefore Revel. 21.7 it is said The Saints shall inherit all things You see that the Saints have but little now in the World now they are the poorest and the meanest of all but then when the Adoption of the Sonnes of God shall come in the fulnesse of it the World shall be theirs for the World is purchased for them by Iesus Christ Not onely Heaven shall be your Kingdome but this World bodily And so that place 2 Pet. 3.10 where it is said The Heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent Heat the Apostle speakes as if it were the Day of Judgement But there is one passage whereby we may gather that the Apostle onely meanes a mighty change that shall be before the day of Judgement verse 13. We according to his promise look for new Heavens and new Earth Where hath God promised a new Heaven and a new Earth I know no place in Scripture that I can referre this place unto but Isaiah 65.15 which is apparant to be meant of the Church Now the Apostle speakes of these Times when there shall be a mighty change in the World then shall be fulfilled that Promise There shall be new Heavens and a new Earth We can find no such promise but in Isaiah and that is meant of the Church and therefore it is probable the Apostle meanes that Lactantius sayes When the Thousand yeeres come the World shall bring forth Fruite alone and the Rocke shall distill Dew and no Creature shall live upon Prey the Dog shall not hunt the Child shall not be afraid of the Serpent making the place of Isaiah which we understand metaphorically to be understood literally Of the Wolfe and the Lambs living together and the Child playing upon the Hole of the Cockatrice And all the Prayers that ever we put up for the Church will be answered and the blessing of all will come upon the Churches Heere we have some degree of Blessing But the Blessing of all the prayers of the Prophets and Apostles will come upon it In Isay They were to cry to God and give him no rest till he made Ierusalem the praise of the whole World that is till God did bring this Time and Ierusalem hath not bin so lifted up All these prayers that have not given God rest all this while shall be answered and Ierusalem shall be advanced Lastly Those glorious Titles that the Church of God hath in the old Testament will be made up to the full and that is a Resultance from all the Former There are many glorious Titles of the Church of God in the old Testament Now the estate of the Church in the old Testament was but Typicall typifying the estate of the Gospel I shall name some of them and when those come to be fulfilled it will be glorious First the Lords Portion Deut. 32.9 Secondly his Pleasant Portion Ierem. 12.10 Thirdly his Inheritance Isaiah 19.25 All People are the Worke of his Hands But his Church is his Inheritance Fourthly the dearely Beloved of his Soule Ierem. 12.7 Fiftly Gods Treasure and Peculiar Treasure Exod. 19.5 Sixtly His Glory Isaiah 46.13 Seventhly The House of Gods glory Isaiah 60.7 Eightly A Crowne of Glory Isaiah 62.3 Ninthly A Royall Diademe in the same place Tenthly The glory of God Ierem. 3.17 Againe The Throne of his