His Spouse from under the Power of his Death which is the scattering of his People among the Nations and under the rage of Anti-christ who sits in the sides of the NORTH driving his people into the wildernesse of the Nations then will our Lord Iesus after this manner take vengeance of all the Nations among which they have been scattered and bewildred 2. Observation Iesus Christ as He is the Glory of God comes riding in the midst of this whirle-wind cloud and fire He taketh up his Saints also whose Hearts are upright with the Father as his heart is into His Chariot They also though in their flesh they melt away with the servent heat of this fire yet in their Spirituall Man they come riding on upon the Third Heavens together with their King The Lord my God thus comes and all the Saints with thee While a cloud of darknesse covers the whole World you O ye Brethren of the Great King sit in the secret of this Darknesse upon a Thâ—…one of Light you lâ—…e in the midst of this cloud upon a Bed of Love in fellowship with your beloved Iesus Christ While the Tempest tears up this Creation from the very Roots of it you sit within it as above it as ruling it as flying upon the Wings of it you see a new Heaven and a New earth in the midst of it as in a womb from which they together with your selves are ready to spring forth Fear not you O ye meek ones when the storm rageth most violently they are the Swift motions of your Chariot-wheels which now make haste that raise this Storm Fear not you when the starry Roofe of the Kingdome of this World shall drop like melted Lead upon the Heads of the Inhabitants of it when the Foundations of it laid in the Dark parts of the Earth shall be devoured by fire While all this is working you have the firmamen of the third heavens the True Mercy-Seat for a Pavement under your feet 3. Observation When Iesus Christ shall have sufficiently avenged himself of his Enemies then shall the Whirl-wind cloud and fire altogether vanish in a moment as by a Divine Appointment The old heavens and the old earth shall vanish in the midst of this storme Then shall the Lord appear on his Chariot and fill All The bright Wheels with their high and dreadfull Rings full of eyes shall shine out as the New Earth of this visible frame made all of One Precious stone The Living Creatures which draw those wheeles shall sparkle forth as the New Heavens of the Elect and Holy Angels who are burnish'd Brasse in respect to their Naturall Angelicall Glory but flaming Lampes fill'd with the Oyle and fire of the Spirit in respect to their New State in the Kingdom of Christ But above the Heads of these in that Day shall discover themselves the Third heavens which are that firmament that expansion of Divine Glory These Heavens shall be seen onely as a floore or Ground for the Throne the New Ierusalem the city of the Great King Then shall the Heavenly man and the Glorious Trinity standing each in other God and Lamb appear as the Temple in this heavenly Ierusalem In the midst of this Temple are seen all thy Saints O GOD Here they have their Mansions as the Priests and Levits had their Chambers round about in the Temple of old Here they live continually with GOD as Kings and Priests never to go forth more From hence they extend the Line of their Divine Priesthood the Scepter of their Everlasting kingdom all over the New heavens and the New Earth From hence they sow themselves over all things as a seed they grow up out of all things as the fruit of joy glory and immortality O! who is there now among all the Saints that can forbear to cry Blow ye Whirl winds fly ye clouds thou fire make haste and bring my Beloved come thou come quickly Lord Iesus As surely as the Lord liveth and hath of old brought up the Children of Israel out of Egypt so surely will our Lord Iesus thus come and bring his Saints with Him out of the NORTH But why do I say that he shall come thus Ezekiel saith in the last verse of his first chapter that all this is but the Likenesse of the Appearance of the Glory of God As much as Earthly similitudes fall short of heavenly things as much as fleshly shadowes and Types fall short of Spirituall Substances and Truths so much doth all the Glory that can be now exprest or thought fall short of the Glory of the Appearance of our heavenly Bride-groom All former glories shall be remembred no more for ever A new a New glory shall fill thine Eyes thine Eares thy heart O thou the Lambes Bride even such a Glory as thine Eyes never saw any Image of thine Ears never heard any Tydings of thine Heart never took in any Degree of untill that Day Right Honourable I shall not conclude untill I have endeavoured to raise your joyes and your Praises yet higher by setting before you a Double interest which to say no more you seem to have in This comming of the Lord Iesus with his people out of the NORTH One is the interest of this Common-wealth The Other is the interest of this Age and time of the World in which you live 1. Interest Of this Common-wealth in the comming up of the People of GOD out of the NORTH I shall take the Boldnesse here to Propound to you severall considerations which may be all put together the Ground of a Modest Hope to a Sober Christian that the LORD JESUS intends that Honour to this Nation that it shall be said to it first of all the Nations concerning the heavenly Bride-groom that he was born here here he first of all appeared in an Eminent and signall Manner to bring his People up out of a fleshly servitude and Death into a Spirituall Glory and Immortality 1. Consider This is one of the Remotest Parts of the world to the NORTH whether the Rule of Hierusalem and Rome Christ and Anti-christ hath extended it self It is Master Brightmans observation in his Commentary upon the Revelations that Among the Seven Churches of Asia the Sun of Righteousnesse after his withdrawings began to return from that Church which stood most NORTH to make a Spring upon the Earth 2. Consid. I have heard it often observed by Judicious Christians who have travelled over Books Countreys and Spirits of men that no where upon the face of the Earth do there appear to be any Number of hearts Spiritually Acquainted Spiritually conversing with our Lord Iesus in any Degree of Heavenly Purity and Power save in this Poor small spot of Ground This looks as if Christianity and Spirituality were driven hither as to the Outmost Bound of the Habitable World here to make a Stand here to gather Head from hence to re-inforce it self upon
and all forms as ministring to it In vain is the snare laid before those Doves which have these spirituall eyes and wings In the number of which that you may be ever found is the Prayer of Right Honourable Your Honours most faithfull Servant in CHRIST PETER STERRY ENGLANDS DELIVERANCE FROM THE Northern Presbytery Compared with Its Deliverance from the Roman Papacy JEREMIAH chap 16. v. 14 15. Therefore behold the dayes come saith the Lord that it shall no more be said The Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt But The Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel from the land of the NORTH and from all the Lands whither he had driven them and I will bring them again into the Land that I gave unto their Fathers THe LORD in the Versâ—…s before convinceth the Jewes of the evill of their wayes in Doing worse than their Fathers verse 12. He threatneth for this to cast them out of their own Land into a Land which they knew not verse 13. In these Verses which are my Text that ever-gracious GOD who in the midst of Judgment remembreth Mercy and in the midst of Threatnings delights to drop in Promises provideth a Cordiall for his People to carry with them into the Wildernesse and to preserve them from Fainting in their dispersion He assures them that after He hath scattered them He will gather them together and bring them back again Yea to sweeten their Sufferings with the Expectation of a most Glorious Deliverance He lets them know his purpose of making their bringing up out of Egypt which was made so Glorious by many Miracles and Mighty Wonders to have no Glory in respect to this Glory of the Bringing them up out of the NORTH which should so eminently excell Thus you see my Text to be a Promise expressed by way of comparison between the Last calling home of the People of GOD out of the NORTH and their First coming up out of Egypt Drowning the very Memory and mention of this first mercy in the great and wide Sea of that last loving kindnesse I shall not spend that Time which I would be thrifty of in any larger opening or further dividing of the Words but fall presently upon that Doctrine which I have designed from these words for the Ground-work to my present Discourse The Doctrine is this Doct. It is the way of GOD to make his last Mercies to his people better than the first Reas. I shall give you one Argument from the Scriptures to prove it which Argument shall be a Demonstration of this Truth from the proper Reason of it This Argument is made up of three parts which all three laid together make one full proof 1. Part. The great Design of GOD from the beginning hath been and still is to bring forth JESUS CHRIST the second time into the midst of men in that Spiritual and Heavenly Appearance in which He now sitteth at the Right Hand of the Father Our Saviour signifieth to his Disciples this grand Project of the Father Ioh. 6. verse 62. What and if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before The Weight of the sense in this Scripture lyes upon those two words See Before It is a frequent thing for that which is First in Being Dignity Design to be Last in Discovery That which GOD hath chiefly in Design all along is the Manifestation of CHRIST to men at last in that Divine state in which He was at the first You have the same thing held forth Ioh. 5. 23. It was said in the verse before that All judgment was committed to the Son The reason of it is given in this verse that all men should Honour the Son as they do the Father Behold the Purpose and counsel of GODS Heart why he doth All that he doth why he puts the great and last judgement into the hands of the Son namely that the Son may appear to All Creatures in One Spiritual Eternal Glory with the Father 2. Part. All the Works of GOD are in order to this Design this Discovery of IESUS CHRIST Coloss. 1. v. 16. All things are said to be Created for Christ In what sense is the whole Creation for Christ Is it to make any Real Addition of Blessednesse or Glory to the Person of Christ This cannot be For the Person of Christ was compleat in Glory before any thing was made that was made Nay when our Lord Iesus took flesh and in our Nature ascended was glorified yet then was there no new Glory put upon Iesus Christ For as the humane nature was assumed into the Personality so was it into the Glory of the Son of GOD It was taken up to subsist in one person and shine in one glory with the Divine Nature But how then was the World made for Christ Our Divines answer it by that Distinction of Glorifying GOD essentially and manifestatively We say that all the Creatures Glorifying of GOD is no more than a Manifestation of the Glory of GOD So GOD in the Creation in the conduct and management of the affairs of the Creature from the Beginning to the End aimes at this mark to manifest Iesus Christ at the end of time in that glorious Appearance with which He was cloathed before all times 3. Part. This designe of GOD is his last end the end of all his works When GOD shall have brought forth thâ—…s Judgement this Spiritual Discovery of JESUS CHRIST to perfection to a full victory over all fleshly Appearances then will he cease from all his works and enter into this Discovery as his Rest. When man begins his work his End lyes lowest and least appears but as he goes on and approacheth to the Finishing of his work his End riseth up and makes more clear Discoveries of it self So it is with GOD at the beginning of his works this Designe the Discovery of CHRIST is Little lyes low and hid But as GOD goes on to work and drawes to a consummation of all things this Discovery which was at first as a grain of Mustard-seed hidden in the Earth grows up and spreads its self This Manifestation of CHRIST was at the first Creation as a small spring onely but a living one From the Fall to the Giving of the Law thâ—…s Spring drives along upon the face of the Earth thorow all manner of mixtures a very weak store and strength of Waters From thence it begins to make a channell to it self and to run along in a fair stream At the Incarnation and Ascension of JESUS CHRIST this Stream enlarged it self into a Broad River But our LORD shall come the Second time then shall this River become a great and wide Sea covering the face of the whole Earth Then shall the end be when the first and fleshly discoveries of Christ shall empty themselves into his last and Spirituall Appearance Now if you please to lay together
these three parts of the Reason you will have from them all in consort a full Harmony with and a clear Demonstration of the Doctrine If this be the Designe of GOD to discover Christ in the Spirit if all GODS works and mercies toward the Creature be in order to this Discovery if this be the end and the last of all GODS Wayes then it follows naturally from hence that as this discovery growes so likewise must all GODS Works and Mercies to his people grow in the same Proportion the later discoveries Brighter the later works Better and Greater than the former There are two Uses which I intend and those are two Exhortations 1. Use An Exhortation to us to be like GOD to answer his Blessings with our praises in the same way and Method As the pleasant Colours of the morning have a glorious Buriall in the clearer light of the Day so is it the way of God to make former Mercies which are in themselves very precious yet to be but as thinner eares as leaner kine to ensuing Mercies and to be devoured of them as the fuller the fatter contrary to that which was in Pharaohs Dream Accordingly my Text commands us to make it our way in our Praises to wrap up and overwhel me the memory of precedent favours with the more joyfull mention of succeeding ones as in the Tabernacle boards of Wood were hid under and over-laid with Silver or Gold As the Moon ascendeth towards the midst of heaven so doth the Sea rise and swell thus should our praises rise as the Mercies of the LORD rise to overflow their former Channels and Banks This is the Duty which is enjoyned in my Text It shall no more be said the Lord liveth that brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt but the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the NORTH This is the Duty which is grounded on my Doctrine It is the way of the Lord to make his last Mercies better then his first If the LORD make former mercies in comparison with later ones but as the Foot-stool to the Throne but as the tuning of the Instrument to some more excellent Melody then is it also fit that our praises for former mercies in comparison with our Praises for later mercies should be onely as the lifting up of our Feet on the Footstool in order to our sitting down upon the Throne or as the tuning of our voyces to sing some Pleasant Song of our Beloved Right Honourable God hath given us the Former and the Later Rain of his Loving-kâ—…dnesses With the Former Rain He preserved us and cherished us when we lay as seed in the Dust of the Earth Such a former Rain was our deliverance from the Papacy by many signal providences and preservations amongst which is this most eminent one of our Preservation from the Gun-powder-Treason which we celebrate on this Day But the LORD hath given us the Later Rain also by which he hath made us to spring up out of the Dust into a Pleasant Garden He hath made us as a Garden enclosed with the Quick-set hedge of his Divine Wisedom and Power that no Wilde-Boar hath been able to break in upon us He hath watered us with his own Foot walking up and down in the midst of us that our Beds and Plants are green Let us now say with a loud voice of Thanksgivings The Lord liveth who hath brought us up from the Romish-Papaoy which is Spiritually Egypt by a mighty Deliverance and manifold preservations as this Glorious one of the immediate prevention of a dreadfull Blow by Gun-Powder But then let us say again with a louder Noise of praises that may drown the former voice The Lord liveth who hath brought us up out of the Scotch Tyranny and Scotch Presbytery which came like a Tempest from the NORTH As the husband and children of the Wise Matron say to her Proverbs 31. verse 29. Many daughters have done vertuously but thou excellest them all so may England say now to the LORD In many mercies as especially that of saving us from this bloudy Designe of the Egyptian Papacy Thou hast done Graciously and Wonderfully but this last mercy by which thou hast saved us from the Black plots and Bloudy powers of the NORTHERN PRESBYTERY hath excell'd them all Right Honourable The seed of GOD in this Nation hath had two Capital Enemies the Romish-Papacy the Scotch-Presbytery This Nation hath had a two fold Capital Deliverance from these Two Capital Enemies Now that we may rightly savour the sweetnes of Both these Deliverances that we may have a Taste of nay feast our selves upon that Good Word in my Doctrine made Good to us in our Experiences namely the LORDS keeping the Best Wine for the Last that we may answer my Text and my Application in bringing forth the Best Wine of our praises at the Last and for the last mercies I shall compare these Two Capital Enemies of Yours each with other My way of proceeding in this Comparison shall be first to shew their Agreements Secondly those Differences in which your last Enemy appears to be the Worse This will let you see how much your last Mercies are the Best and how much your Last Praises ought to be so too in answer to your Last Mercies Cautions Right Honourable and you Beloved who hear me this Day I intreat you all to take notice of the Cautions which I here interpose before I enter upon this Comparison that I may separate the vile among Principles from the precious or innocent among principles or persons I profess not at all to speak against the forme of Presbytery if considered in its simplicity in its virginity as it is meerly a way and order in which Saints have Communion with GOD and each with other according to their present light as it kisseth the golden Scepter of the Spirit submitting and subordinating it self unto the rule of that Spirit being desirous of no more no other power authority or esteem than what that Spirit shall put upon it by putting forth it self in it Much lesse would I grieve or cast contempt upon any little one among my Fathers Children any honest sanctified heart that walks in that form of Presbytery with humility and integrity believing that so it ought to worship GOD But that Presbytery which I compare with the Papacy is such as appropriateth to the Outward Form those things which pertain only to the Power of the Spirit such as by vertue of an Outward Church-form assumes a Spiritual and Civil power to it self such as out of the Golden cup of a glorious Profession makes it self drunk with the wine of Fornications with Earthly powers and interests such as takes to it self the Iron Mace of fleshly force and fury to break in pieces at pleasure Common-wealths Crownes Consciences Estates and Hearts of men Right Honorable this is that Presbytery on which those Enemies whom the LORD hath last of
the Nations Let me add to this that the Power of our Dear Saviours Death so far as ever I could know or learn lyes with so much Sense of it with such Gaspings under it upon no Spirits which at this Day live in Flesh as upon the Spirits of English Christians though alas upon too too few of them Now our Lord foretels us that Where the Carkasse is thither will the Eagles be gathered together Matthow 24. 28. Where the most considerable Part of the Body of our Lord Iesus shall lye most eminently moulded into a fellowship with him in his most Precious Death there upon that flesh will the Heavenly Appearances the Divine powers the Immortall Glories of the Holy-Ghost who is represented by Seven Spirits for the variety of His Powers and Appearances first and most Eminently alight as Eagles upon the Carkasse 3 Consideration The Dispensations of God in Spirituall Priviledges have been Peculiar to this Nation in many things as to a Beloved a First-born Childe The First King that became Christian raigned in this Land The First Emperour by whom Jesus Christ with his Saints came up out of the fires of Heathenish Persecutions and appeared upon the Throne came from hence was born here Wickliffe that day-breake of Evangel call Light from whom the First Glympses of Truth and Christ appeared to the World lying in the deepest Night of Anti-christian Darknesse He dawned from this Quarter of the Heavens He was borne an Englishman lived fruitfully died Peaceably in London From him did the Gospel shine forth upon the Bohemians and so upon that Blessed pair of Martyrs Hierom and Huâ—… who prophesied of Luther the Morning starr I cannot passe over in silence that Darling of Iesus Christ's Edward the sixth a Childe a King a Saint all three in one He as a forward Plant though nipt in the Bud yet was a Declaration that Spring and Summer were coming But how in these last times have the People of God in the midst of this Land been as his Ioseph among the Nations Ioseph hath been despised by his brethren divided from his brethren as an Ambitious dreameâ—… Yet Ioseph hath been like a fruitfull bough by a well whose branches have run over the Wall for the Good-will of him who dwelt in the bush Ioseph is that bush which burnes with fire yet hath not been consumed The Archers sorely grieve him and shoot at him and hate him But his how abideth in strength his armes are made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Iacob From thence shall be the shepherd the stone of Israel the blessing upon his head unto the bounds of the Everlasting hils His Glory is as the firstling of his bullock his horns as the horns of an Unicorne with them he shall push the People together to the end of the Earth If the blessings on the Tribes be Types of the last dayes the dayes of the Messiah I hope I have not done amisse in transferring the things of Ioseph as a Figure to the Present state of the Church in this Land I formerly shewed you O my fellow-members whose Lot is fallen in this Age and Iland your face in the Glasse of Davids Story These two seem to me Paralel figures of your selves Both were drawn out of the Pit to be Princes Both ruled in the midst of Domestick Forrain Reproaches and Ruines Both were blessed with the Precious things of Heaven of Earth of Sun and Moon Grace and Nature Flesh and Spirit Yet both died in the Land of Egypt in a state of Trouble Both are happily succeeded by the Fulnesse of Peace and Glory David by Solomon Ioseph by Benjamin brought forth by the death of his mother the Hierusalem below but the Son of the right hand of his heavenly Fathers righteousnesse Power and Majesty of whom Moses sings The beloved of the Lord shal dwel in safety by him the Lord shal cover him all the day long he shal dwel between his shoulders 4. Consid. I have received from the Mouth of a Gentleman of understanding and integrity in his Testimony a Discourse which himself had from one of the most Learned among the Iews at Venice as I remember that A generall Tradition divides the Prophesies of the old Testament into unfixed fixed The fixed are such as be determined to some certain Place In the number of the fixed Prophesies is that of Isaiah chap. 24. and 13 14 15 16. When thus it shall be in the midst of the Land among the People there shall be as the shaking of an Olive Tree as the Gleaning of Grapes when the vintage is done They shall lift up their voice they shall sing for the Majesty of the Lord they shall cry aloud from the SEA Wherefore glorifie ye the Lord in the fires the Name of the Lord God of Israel in the ILES of the Sea From the UTTERMOST Parts of the Earth have we heard Songs Glory to the Righteous The place said he on which this Prophesie is fixed by the constant Reception of the Rabbins is this I le of Great Brittain I cannot but lay to these verses before cited another verse out of the same chapter verse 21. And it shall come to passe in that day that the Lord shall punish the Hoast of the High Ones on high and the Kings of the Earth on the earth Of a truth he that peruseth this whole chapter and compares it with the first of Ezekiel will finde Both to speak of the same season and affaire with this Difference Isay is full in Desoribing the storm Brief in the Glory Ezekiel spends one verse onely on the storm all the chapter besides on the Glory I appeal to those hearts who have a Spirituall Eye opened in them how farre they see the Letter in both those chapters answered by the life of the Letter acting it self forth on this land how much they discover of Glory wrapt up in a storm and ready to issue forth from it as lightning from a cloud 2. Interest of the Present times in the coming of the children of GOD out of the NORTH I shall here humbly offer to you three prophetick Scriptures which seem to be contemporary and joyntly to have their Proper influences on these dayes 1. The First Scripture is Dan. 7. ver. 9 10. and verse 22 and verse 26. The End of the Fourth Empire is here described in the vision and in the Interpretation 2. The second Scripture is Rev. 3. v. 14 c. The Epistle to the seventh Church 3. The last Scripture is Rev. 16. 10 13. The Opening of the fifth and sixth Seal These three Scriptures manifestly agree in Foure things 1. A Party Iudging 2. A Party Iudged 3. A Kingdom sinking 4. A Kingdom springing 1. A Party Iudging Laodicea the Name of the seventh Church made by Master Brightman a Type of England is compounded of two words {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which signifies the People
cloud and thick darknesse He comes as a VVarriour to the battell of that great day Revel. 16. v. 14 15. This comming from the North is that houre of temptation upon the Whole Earth which is threatned in the time of the Sixth Church Rev. 3. 10. but fals out in the times of the Seventh Church the fifth and Sixth vials Wo to you Ye Glorious Hypocrites who say you want nothing but indeed are Poor who wear your Garments loosly about you My Heart aketh for you The LORD commeth upon you as a Thief in the Nigh unawares unseen to steal your Party-Coloured coverings from you and dip them in Blood to uncover your Nakednesse and lay open your shame to every Eye Alas for you Ye daughters of Hierusalem You who live under the Sabbath of a Legall Dispensation you who are big with child of the Spirituall Seed but have not yet brought forth That Spirit which is born of the Spirit You who have that Spirituall Seed brought forth in you but still feed it as a Babe with the Milk of carnall Administrations you with whom it is winter whose Spiritual sappe is sunk down into its Root while you sleep My bowels earn and sound within mefor you Ye daughters of Hierusalem How hard will your flight be from before the whirlwind from the NORTH how great will your Amazement be when your Eyes shall behold the Glory of the LORD to depart from off the Temple of Outward Administations on which it hath long stood nay to destroy both this Temple and this Hierusalem As for you whether will you go for comfort when the fiery Wheels of my Saviours Chariot shal be brought over all your fleshly Excellencies and Enjoyments But be of Good cheer These throws this dissolution of the earthly mother shall bring forth a heavenly man-child into the World in which she shall live again and remember her Sorrow no more This comming of your GOD from the NORTH is as Iosephs Rule in the years of Famine as Davids Raign in Bloud It ushers in Benjamin's Glorious Rest Solomons Temple It prepares the way for the Kings of the East 2. I should now speak of the comming from the East But the time is not yet If Master Brightman do not erre in placing Laodicea on this Land I hope I have not done much amisse in fixing on these times that Church the fifth and sixth viall the sitting of the Iudgement in Daniel the comming from the North in Ezekiel in my Text For all these Scriptures seem to me to be manifestly Paralel and Contemporary Blessed are we who have lived to see this Comming of the Glory of God from the NORTH But blessed and happy are they who shall live then when this King of Kings with his Race of Kings shall come from the way of the East to go into the House of his Rest. In the mean time this is thy comfort O thou Sister-Spouse of the Lamb He comes Behold he comes to thee in this stormy night not as a Thief but a Guest a Bridegroom Behold he stands at thy door and knocks by all these loud noises Open the door let him in he will set up his chariot in thine heart he will come into thy spirit he will sup with thee feast with thee upon this glory and Iye with thee all this night Object Perhaps some will say changes and expectations were as great in Luthers time as now Yet what hath the issue of all those things been but desolation Answ. 1. What hath the issue of all those things been Desolations on the Earth but discoveries increases of light upon the Saints even unto this day Luther had this honour to live to see his Doctrine received publickly professed established by many populous Countreys and Cities many great Provinces and Princes in Peace for many years There was peace all his dayes Immediately after his death the saâ—…e or the very next year that fire of War brake forth which hath never been well quencht since that time Answ. 2. Noah was a Preacher of Righteousnesse He prophesied of the Flood 120 years before it came The like figure unto this doth Luther seemâ—… to be He was the Preacher of Iustification only by faith by Christ by the Righteousnesse of God in Christ He prophesied of a deludge of fire while he often witnessed to the World that Antichrist was to be destroyed by the brightnesse of Christs coming This was 1520 or 30 after Christ Compute from thence 120 years the summe will amount to 1640 or 50 which falls upon the present season The Flood came accordingly in the year from the Creation 1656. How near is that year 1656 from Christ Of what Eclipses what dreadfull signes in heaven above in earth below do we hear to come to passe in the years immediately preceding this Tremble O ye Inhabitants of the Earth a flood of fire is coming upon all the World The windows of heaven are already open and begin to rain down streams of fire The springs of the great deep are broken up and send forth their flames Ye meek Ones enter into the Ark which your Saviour and you have been long making ready in your spirits against this day when the flood should come What is this Ark Is it not the chariot of the Lord the appearance of the glory of God of your beloved Iesus in heavenly state within you Go in to this Ark the Lord shall shut you in till the storme be past Go up to this chariot sit quietly there by the side of your Saviour till that cloud break up and show you in glory But it is now time to conclude Is it so Is this then the Age Is this the Land in which our Lord Iesus ascends from the NORTH Doth he now call up the clouds and winds to minister to him Doth he now from hence begin as a Bridegroom to come forth from his Chamber as a Giant or Warriour refresht with wine to run his race unto the ends of the Earth Speak ye Virgins who are not falne asleep Is your Lord on his way Is this the noise Are these the fires flashes of his chariot-wheels You who have eyes exercised on spirituall sights who watch for the Morning tell us Have you seen your Beloved look forth like the morning a sweet light out of a black darknesse Faire as the Moon in his naturall Image the first Creation Pure as the Sun with the essentiall substantiall glory of his spiritual Image Terrible as an Army with Banners The horses and wheels of his chariot are his Army Angels Stars Elements nâ—…w made fighting for him in the newnesse of their courses Himself in his flaming person above the heads of these is the terrible Banner lifted up It is so The Lord is upon his white-horses of divine discoveries He rides on prosperously with his Sword girt upon his thigh Right Honourable Princes Prophets People remember now your dyivg Saviours charge Take heed of surfetting on the comforts or cares of this Life Watch and be sober As Elijah girt himself and run along with Ahabs chariot So gird up the loyns of your minde run along with the chariot of your King If through sloth or sleep you be cast behinde if the Bride-groom enter into his chamber and the door be shut upon him you will be left without in utter darknesse where is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth But woe to those who resist the progresse of his outgoings The wheels of his chariot shall be brought over these the feet of his horses shall tread them in pieces and dogs devour that which is left of them as it was with Iesabel But you which have heard the Lord Iesus plainly saying to you When you were under the figtree of outward dispensations and expectations I saw you run to him call him Master follow him still you shall see greater things then these you shall see the heavens opened Angels descending and ascending upon the heavenly person of Christ discovered as a ladder joyning heaven and earth in which ladder every Rowel is a spiritual a living glory FINIS 1. Cor. 12. 31. Rom. 15 7. Can. 6. 8 Can. 2. 2 Psa. 16. 3 Luke 1 Doctrine Reason 1. Part. 2. Part. 3. Part. Vse 1. Comparison of Scotch Presbytery and Romish Papacy Cautions 1. Agreem. 3. Agreem. 4. Agreem. 5. Agreem. 6. Agreem. 1. Differ 2. Differ 3. Differ Matth. 12. 44. 4. Differ Cant. 7. 11 1â—… Prov. 30. 19. 1 Cor. 11. 7. Psal. 8. 2. 2. Use 1. Question Answer 2. Question Answer 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason Rom. 11. 17 18 Rom. 11. 9. 2 Cor. 3. 13. c. Rom. 11. 12. 3. Question Answer Rev. 11. 8. 1. Anti 2. Antichrist Heb. 6. 4 5 6. Matt. 24. 15. Mark 13. 14. 1 King 11. 9. Pâ—… Num 24. 3 4. Mic. 3 11. Revel. 2. 14. 1 Cor. 10. 8. 3. Quest Ans. Ezek. 1. Rev. 11. 12. and 4. 2. 12. 1. Psal. 8. 10. 1 Sam. 4. 4. Exod. 25 17. Chashmal 2 Cor. 12. 2 Psal. 14â—… Exod. 24. 10. 1 Observat. Ezek. 43. 3. Isa. 14. 13. 2 Observat. Zach. 14. 5. 3 Observat. Ezek. 1. v. 7. v. 13. 2. Rev. 21. 22. 1. Interest 1. Consid. Pergamut hath the NEW name Rev. 2. 17. 2. Consid. 3 Consid. Luâ—…ius A. C. 170. Constantine he Great A. C. 270. born in Brittain of Constantius and Helene daughter to Coil Duke of Colchester Gen. 49. v. 22 23 24 25 26. Deut. 23 v. 13. 14 15 16 17. Gen. 49. v. 1. Deut. 13. 12. 4. Consid 2 Interest Rev. 3. 14. Mat. 24. 19. Object Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Cant. 6. 9.