faith and therein they do admonish them as is cleer from the second of Peter 2. 1. and from the Epistle of Jude the 4. and this I do acknowledge was writ unto such men as were in gospel order and they are admonished to persevere and to continue in love unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. But these Churches have since fallen asleep Mathew 13. 15. the ordinances are corrupted or changed as is acknowledged by these men now let themselves judge what is in these Epistles and verses aleadged for the restoring of them these Churches have lost their power the sun is gon down over the Prophers Micah 3. 6. and I looke for some place of Scripture for their raising again before the Lord appear And thus I hope I have fully answered to those Scriptures A fourth Scripture which is alledged is Revelation the 2. 23. where it is said speaking of the woman Jezebel which did teach and seduce his people he saith And I will kill her children with death and all the Churches shall know Thereby arguing that when the Lord appears and destroys Jezebel that then all the Churches that are in being shall know and see his judgements upon her To this I answer and desire all men to take notice of the contents of this second chapter which is to approve and to reprove sundry matters among the Churches unto whom St. John wrote and amongst the rest the Church of Thyatira is reproved for suffering the woman Jezebel which calleth her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and seduce his people and having spoken of the judgements which he will bring upon her he saith and all the Churches shall know that is say they al the Churches that are in being when the Lord doth appear shall know how he will punish this woman now pray take notice in the first chapter and 11 verse St John is commanded to write this Revelation in a book and send it to the seven Churches that are in Asia and so fulfilling his commission in his exhortation unto the severall Churches he still concludes with this admonition Let him that hath an ear hear what the spirit saith unto the Churches now what Churches are those that are exhorted to hear the Churches which shall be at the end of the world or those that St. John wrote unto I think it is unlikely that St John should write unto Churches in being then admonithing them to hear and this to be applied for the raising of Churches at the end of the world or neer that time and in this verse it is said and all the Churches shall know now what shall they know Why they shall know that if this Church of Thyatira will not restaine this woman Jezebel by her power while they have it that the Lord will execute his power himself and they shall know it And where it is aledged that those Churches here spoken of are those Churches that are in being when the Lord doth appear I answer where is the least colour for it in the text for these Churches are no other but those Churches which are writ unto which are the seven Churches of Asia which still are admonished Let him that hath an ear hear what the spirit saith unto the Churches Moreover he doth admonish this Church of Thyatira that if she did not exercise her power that then all the Churches should know that I am he that searcheth the reines and the heart and will give unto every one of you according to your works that is as I conceive if you do your duty while you have power and if you neglect your duty having power the time will come when you shall know that I will reward every one of you according to your works moreover experience teacheth us that those Churches have the candlestick removed from them and have no being and therefore in my judgment it is but a weake foundation to raise ordinances upon and to gather Churches upon when once they have lost their power and are polluted and Antichrist seated in them And so much for this Scripture A fist and last Scripture which is alledged is from Rev. 18. 20. where the destruction of Babylon is set forth and an exhortation given unto his people in these words Rejoyce over her thou heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her from whence is inferred that when the Lord doth destroy Babylon that then his people being in Church order having Apostles and Prophets shall rejoyce for the destruction thereof To which I answer First it is not said heavens that is Churches but heaven that is as I conceive the Church of God in all ages being now a triumphant Church their enemies being destroyed and is exhorted to rejoyce Secondly pray mind what the people of the Lord are incited unto namely to rejoyce which is fulfilled in the 11. chapter and 16 17 18 verses and in the 15. chapter 2 3 4 verses and 19 chapter 2 3 4 verses compared with Isaiah the 12. chapter In Rev. 11. 16. you have the foure and twenty elders mentioned and in ver 19. you have the four and twenty Elders and the foure beasts mentioned which cannot well be expounded the Churches and Apostles and Prophets which shall be in being when the Lord doth appear now let themselves judge whether here be any thing towards the raising of ordinances or gathering of Churches for which these Scriptures are brought for I professe with reverence to all just wayes of God that to me these Scripturs seem to be a weak foundation to build such a structure upon as is pretended namely that the raising of ordinances as is practised in these daies is the onely way by which the Lord will by degrees draw and deliver his people out of Babylon to meet him in Sion It is yet objected that is it the Lords own precept mentioned Matth. 28. saying Go and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost and the promise is annexed and lo I am with you unto the end of the world whereupon is concluded that his people are to practise the ordinances in their purity untill the Lord appear To which I answer first that it is acknowledged by these men that there hath been an interruption both in the succession of the Ministry and in the corrupting the purity of the ordinances and I look for some proof from Scripture Rule for their raising Secondly it is affirmed by Mr John Saltmarch who had knowledg in the Greek copies that the words unto the end of the world if truely translated is but to the end of that age or administration and he quotes the Greek text in his book called some beames of the morning starr in the margent of the same book page 134. But thirdly it is usuall in Scripture phrase that for End is meant but length of time and not to the end of the world or of all ages as is
this is no appearance of that second glory which shall be revealed which the Lord hasten in his due time I shall now in the fifth place speak of the suddenesse of the Lord his appearance therefore pray mind the Prophet Isaiah in his 66. 7 8. where speaking of that marvelous change which shall be wrought in the world at that great restoring of all things saith before she that is the Church travelled she brought forth before her pain came she was dilivered of a man child and then he calls upon all to take notice of this strange work saying who hath heard such a thing who hath seen such a thing shall the earth be made to bring forth in a day or shall a nation be born at once for as soon as Sion travelled she brought forth her children shewing the suddenness of that marvellous work which the Lord will perform when he delivers his people out of their captivity wherein they have lain captivated among the nations for so many ages So the Evangelist Matthew speaking of the suddenness of the Lords appearing in chap. 24. 27. saith For as the lightning cometh out of the East and shineth unto the west so shall the coming of the son of man be now what can be more sudden then lightning for mark the effects of lightning it is a glory so sudden and so quick as a man cannot compare any thing to be so sudden for it spreads in a moment so speedily as a mans thought cannot be more sudden or speedy so in the same chapter the 44. verse he saith therefore be ye also ready for in such an hour as you think not the son of man cometh The like Marke 13. 35. speaking of the sudden approach of the Lord Jesus he exhorteth them watch ye therefore for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh at even or at midnight or at the cock crowing or in the morning lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping So Luke the 12. 39. where exhorting them how they should carry themselves in regard of the Lords sudden appearing he saith And this know that if the good man of the house had known at what hour the thief would come he would have watched and not have suffered his house to have been broken up be you therefore ready also for the son of man cometh in an hour when ye think not on The like warning gives the Apostle Paul the first Thessalonians 5. 2. in his exhortation unto them he saith For ye your selves know perfectly that the day of the Lord cometh as a thiefe in the night for when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction as travell upon a woman so likewise the same Apostle Paul in the first of the Corinthians 15. 52. where speaking of that great change which should be wrought upon those that are alive at the Lords appearing saith In a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump In all which places it is cleer from the word of God without contradiction that the Lords appearing will be sudden and unexpected I shall now in the sixth place speak of the severall enemies the people of the Lord Jesus have had in these severall dispensations As first no sooner did the Lord Jesus appear to go about to exercise his ministry and to gather disciples and to make himself known to the world but the divell under the notion of the Dragon by his head which I conceive were the Emperours and by his tail which were false Ministers with the Scribes and Pharisees did go about to persecute him untill hee had by his instruments wrought his death and so he was caught up to heaven Revel the 12. and 5. So likewise after our Saviours Ascension into heaven and the promise of the holy Ghost being come upon the Apostles and the Church being cloathed with the sun or spirit and having a crown of twelve starrs that is the Apostles beginning to exercise their Commission in distributing the Ordinances and in gathering of Churches immediately the Dragon transforms himself into an Angel of light and creeps in amongst them and doth trouble and afflict them in their Ministry and this all the Apostles complain of in their severall Epistles And these false Apostles which were crept into the Church I conceive to be the tail of the Dragon by which he did draw the third part of the starrs of heaven and did cast them unto the earth Secondly the Dragon not being content in persecuting the Church by false Ministers which were his tail but he likewise falls to persecute them by his head which is the Emperour and the Magistrate of the Empire which lasted three hundred yeers all the time of the Ten persecutions and by troubles and afflictions he doth waste and spoil the Church of Jesus Christ which time I conceive to be that battell which was in heaven wherein Michael fought and his Angels and the Dragon and his Angels in which battell the Dragon is cleerly cast out of heaven For whereas before when there was but little persecution in respect of the heat which was during the later persecutions the Dragon had still some false Ministers among the saints under the vizard of true Christians now in the heat of this persecution they all not being sincere did not abide the tryall but like as chaffe in a fresh winde is divided from the good seed so in the violence of persecution the good seed continued immovable but the chaffe was scattered and so the Dragon was cast unto the earth and his Angels were cast out with him And yet notwitstanding all this the Church increaseth and goeth on conquering in despite of the dragon for it is said Revel 12. 21. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto death Which shews plainly that notwithstanding the Dragon did what hee could by his head and tail yet neverthelesse the people of Jesus Christ did still prevail to the overthrow of the Dragon and his Angels by the help of Michael which is Jesus Christ and did cast him and his Angels out of heaven unto the earth And for the exposition of the Dragons head to be such as are in Authority and for his tail to be false Ministers it is the exposition of the holy Ghost by Isaiah in the 9th chapter and 15th verse The ancient and honourable he is the head and the Prophet that teacheth lies he is the tail And thus the Dragon did afflict the people of the Lord Jesus in the first dispensation which lasted according to the accompt of Mr Fox in his Acts and Monuments of the Church of England to the yeer from the Nativity of Christ 324 in the first Volume pag. 520. Now the Dragon having received this repulse being cast unto the earth he now tryes another course for whereas he failed by his subtilty in thrusting in false Apostles amongst the Churches and also
speak concerning this matter for in Chap. 34. 12. speaking of this condition of the people of God he compares the time therof to a cloudy and dark day wherin the people of the Lord were scattered so likewise in his 37. Chapter and 11. verse the Prophet brings the people of God complaining saying behold our bones are dry and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts They acknowledged that they had lain so long in captivity and scattered among the nations that they began to doubt of the promises of God for their restoring And then in the 12. verse he saith in answer to their complaint Behold I will open your graves and cause you to come out of your graves which shews that they were in a dead condition and also it shews plainely that all this time they were out of order as touching the worship or else as touching any Gospel order Thus far Ezekiel Daniell in Chapter 7. 25. speaking of that little horn which I take to be Antichrist that he should think to change times and Lawes and they should be given into his hands that is as I conceive he should have power to change the times and lawes which are the ordinances of the Gospel and to sit in the temple of God shewing himself as if he were God and to deaden all the outward worship of God by changing the ordinances of God the like to this effect the same prophet speaking of the prevailing power of Antichrist over the Church of Jesus Christ in the last times in chap. 11. 45. saith He shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain And thus much for the prophet Daniel to confirm this thing Now for the prophet Hosea in Chap 2. 3. of his prophesie where in the person of God he expostulating with his people threatens to strip her naked and set her as in the day in which she was born and make her like a wilderness and set her like a dry land and slay her with thirst and then in the 14. verse compared with Ezekiel 20. 35. and Rev. 12. 14. the judgment is fulfilled upon her for her sins Where pray mark in the Judgment which is threatned upon this people if they did not repent the Lord tels them by his prophet that he would make her like a wilderness and dry land and it is added and set her as in the day when she was born now how was it with the people of God in the day before they were born I mean that new birth being born by their calling out of the world being applied to Israell after the flesh or Israel after the spirit As for Israel after the flesh the prophet Ezekiel sets forth their condition in Chapter 16. 3 where he saith thy birth and thy nativity was of the land of Canaan thy father was an Amorite and thy mother an Hittite shewing that there was little difference between the gentiles and them untill they were separated asunder by his love towards them and by that outward order as Circumcision and Sacrifices and the worship of the law So likewise in respect of Israel after the spirit there was no difference between the beleevers and unbeleevers untill the Lord called them out by the preaching of the Gospel as is cleer by all the Epistles of the Apostles unto the severall Churches And thus much for Hosea touching this thing The like hath the prophet Amos speaking of this sleepy or dead condition in respect of outward order in his 8. chapter and 9 10 11 12 verses where in the former part of the chapter having set before the people their sins and wickednesses and their oppressions of the poor he saith in the 9. verse And it shall come to passe in that day speaking of the bloudy day saith the Lord God that I will cause the Sun to go down at noone and I will darken the Earth in the cleer day and I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentations and then in the 11 verse it is said Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will send a famine in the Land not a famine of bread or a thirst of water but of hearing the word of the Lord and they shall wander from sea to sea and from the North even unto the East they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord and shall not find it Lo here friends what can be more plainly spoken then this prophet speaks of that cloudy day and dark wherein as the prophet Micah in chapter 3. 6. and the Sun shall go down over the prophets and the day shall be dark over them Implying thus much that in the last ages of the world during the death of the witnesses and the time and times and half time there shall be no appearances of God by gifts and ordinances but all things in respect of the outward administrations shall be dead and in a barren condition about the woman that is the Church in this dead and sleepy condition of the Lords people To the like matter the same prophet saith in chapter 9. 9. where he saith For loe I will command and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations as corn is sifted in a sieve which sheweth their dispersion and captivity among the nations without any order in respect of Kingdome and Priesthood or injoying God in his ordinances in the purity of them And so much for the prophet Amos. Now for the Prophet Micah pray hear what he saith concerning this condition of the Lords people in cha 2. 10. where speaking in the person of God saith Arise and depart for this is not your rest Why what is the matter he saith because it is polluted it shall destroy you with a sore destruction shewing that their polluting of the ordinances of God was the cause of their destruction and captivity for he saith in the 12. verse I will surely assemble O Jacob all of thee I will surely gather the remnant of Israel The like is said to the same effect in chap. 3. 12. speaking of the cruelty of the Princes and falsness of the Prophets he saith Therefore shall Sion for your sake be plowed as a field and Jerusalem shall become heaps and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forrest thereby shewing the desolations which should lie upon all the face of the outward administrations So likewise the same Prophet in his 7. chapter and first verse speaking in the person of the Church in her complaint saith Woe is me for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits as the grape-gleaning of the vintage there is no cluster to eat my soul desired the first ripe fruit thereby shewing that in the last times the people of God should be like the summer gatherings and that there should be no cluster that is no assembly or Church congregated together in any Gospel order but that they
should be scattered amongst the Antichristian state as is cleer in the 2 verse where it 's said The good man is perished out of the Earth and there is none upright amongst men they all lie in wait for bloud they bunt every man his brother with a net And thus much for the Prophet Micah Now pray hear what the Prophet Zephaniah saith touching this day or the time of this dispensation of the Lords people in his first chapter and 15. verse he saith That day is a day of wrath a day of trouble and distresse a day of wastness and desolation a day of darkness and gloominesse a day of clouds and thick darknes and then in the 17. verse he saith I will bring distresse upon men that they shal walk like blind men and the reason is given because they have finned against the Lord. Now heare what the Prophet Zechariah saith touching this dead time of the Lords people in chapter 14. 5 6. he saith speaking of the last times And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal yea ye shall flee as ye fled from before the earth-quake in the dayes of Uzziah King of Juda And then in the sixth verse it is said And in that day the light shall not be cleer nor darke but it shall be one day known unto the Lord not day nor night but it shall come to passe that at Evening time it shall be light Thereby shewing that in this gloomy day the people of God shall be in darkness in respect of the light of the spirit compared to the sun as it was in the first Gospel times and all outward administrations shall in that day be darkened upon them And thus much for proofe from the Prophesies in the old Testament of this sleepy or dead condition of the people of the Lord Jesus in the last times in which I have quoted but few of the many places which speak of the desolating of the outward administrations of the Lords people and the withdrawing of his spirit and captivating of his people among the nations and antichristian state before that bright day of the Lords appearing to deliver them out of their bondage and captivity in which the Earth shall be filled with the knowledg of the Lord as the waters cover the sea I shall now proceed as the Lord shall enable me to prove the truth of this sleepy or dead condition from the new Testament therefore pray mind our Saviour Mat. the 25 in the parable of the ten virgins saith While the bridegroome tarried all slumbred and slept thereby shewing that when the bridegroom should appear the people of the Lord Jesus should be asleep as touching any outward worship distinct from other Professors The like also doth the Lord Jesus foretell Matth. 24. 15. where he saith When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place then let them that be in Judea flee unto the mountains that is as I conceive when you see all the outward worship polluted then shift for your selves into the mountains as the Jews were to shift for themselves into the mountains of the earth or among the nations of the earth and those mountains unto which those Christians are exhorted to flee unto I conceive to be the mountains of the Protestant Churches for as Rome may be accounted a great mountain so the Protestant Churches may be termed lesser mountains unto which the people of the Lord are exhorted to flee So also he saith in ver 29. speaking of the darkness of the last times before his appearing The Sun shall be darkned and the Moon shall not give her light the Starrs shall fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be shaken thereby shewing the darkness which shall be upon the outward Administrations of the Gospel So likewise in the 37 38 39 40 41 verses speaking of the dark times at his appearing As it was in the dayes of Noe so shall it be in the day when the Son of man shall be revealed then shall two be in the field the one shall be taken and the other left two women shall be grinding at the mill the one shall be taken the other shall be left Implying thus much when the Lord shall appear all things shall be in a mingled condition and the people of the Lord Jesus in the same work with the world and no such difference as is pretended by gifts and ordinances So in Luke 18. 8. Our Saviour in his exhortation unto his disciples to watch and pray foretels that the darknesse will be such before his bright appearing that he puts this question for saith he Neverthelesse when the Son of man cometh shall he finde faith on the earth And if faith be so scanty then doubtless the ordinances in their purity So in Luke 17. 22. our Saviour tells his disciples The dayes will come when you shall desire to see one of the dayes of the Son of man and you shall not see it which shews that his people should desire to walk in Gospel order but saith he you shall not see it So the Apostle Paul 2 Thess. 2. 3. where he saith Let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he sitteth in the temple of God shewing himself as if he were God That is as I conceive in sitting and ruling in the Church of God and defiling all the whole worship of God so that by degrees the Son or Spirit forsakes that worship and so the people of the Lord Jesus are asleep or dead in respect of that outward order which was in the first Gospel times by gifts and ordinances in their purity which is cleer from the 7. verse where it is said For the mystery of iniquity doth already work onely he who now letteth will let untill he be taken away that is as I conceive untill the Lord have called back all the outgoings of his Spirit from the outward administrations of the Ordinances And for the cleering of this to be a truth pray look back unto the Prophet Ezekiel chap. 10. 18. where it is said Then the glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of the house and stood over the Cherubims And then in the 23d verse of the 11th chapter it is said And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the City and stood upon the mountain which was on the East side of the City So that the glory of the Lord was now departed for the sins of his people from all that outward worship which is that sleepy or dead condition which we are now treating of The like we have to the same purpose Rev. 9. 1. when St John saw a starr which was
for their restoring and to shew some proof from Scripture Rule for their practice lest haply they may lose their labour and their work prove but a spark of their own kindling and this is profitable counsell unto them besides the Lord did not build the second Temple under the law immediatly by himself but stirred up Cyrus and Zorobabell for to perform that work which were men of infirmities besides they had many Enemies which did resist and discourage them as it is cleer from Ezra and Nehemiah but for the deliverance of the beleeving Gentiles out of mysticall Babylon the Lord Jesus hath promised to do it by himself when he comes to destroy Babylon by the Spirit of his mouth and with the brightness of his coming of whom literall Zorobabell was a type as is cleer from Haggai 2. 23. where it is said In that day saith the Lord of hosts will I take thee O Zorobabell my servant the son of Shealticl which speech hath reference to the foregoing verse where the Lord saith And I will overthrow the throne of the Kingdomes of the heathens which was not at that day performed therefore it remains to be preformed when the Lord Jesus shall appear from heaven with his mighty Angels to destroy Antichrist and all those nations which have been enemies unto his people Rev. the 6 12 13 15 16 17. Thus I have answered all the objections I have met with to my best memory touching those Scriptures I have alledged to prove the people of God to be in no other posture in respect of ordinances in their purity but watching and prayer untill the Lord appear and deliver them out of their spirituall captivity under the Antichristian State after the abomination that maketh the ordinances desolate is fully set up and the sun darkened Therefore I shall now come to prove this truth namely their watching and prayer during this sleepy and dead condition from certain promises of God unto his people they being out of order As first the Lord promises his protection unto all such of his people as during this desolate condition did sigh and mourn for all the Abominations that were committed which is cleer from Ezekiel 9. 4. compared with Revelation 7. 3. where the Apostle seeth in a vision a man with a writers Inkhorn by his side and the Lord said unto him Go through the midst of the City through the midst of Jerusalem and set a mark upon the forcheads of the men that figh and cry for all the Abominations that are done in the midst thereof where pray note he doth not say go and set a mark upon al those or some of those that walk in outward order which the Lord himself hath set up and appointed his people to walk in but upon all those that sigh and cry for all the abominations that are committed by those that did walk in the order or should have done which the Lord hath appointed as is cleer from verse the 6. where he saith And begin at my Sanctuary Now if it be objected that we do acknowledg that the Church in all ages have had such as have done abominations in the midst of her and therfore this makes not but those men that did sigh and mourn did walk in the outward order of God in his Temple and worship To this I answer that this people which the Prophet speaks of had corrupted the Temple of the Lord as is cleer from Ezekiel 43. 8. and 44. 8 9 10. and that the glory of God was departed from his Temple and worship as is plain from the 9. chapter and 3 ver where he saith And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the Cherub whereupon he was unto the threshold of the house And from chapter 11. 23 where he saith And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the City and stood upon the mountain which is on the East side of the city where pray note the glory of God notwithstanding it was departed from his whole worship and from his people being departed out of the city yet notwithstanding the Lord is pleased to call it his Sanctuary and that also although the high Priest and such as were leaders of the people had corrupted his ordinances as it is in chap. 44. 8. where he saith and ye have not kept the charge of my holy things but ye have set keepers of my charge in my Sanctuary for your selves which I suppose bears a fit resemblance in the Church of Rome Secondly the Lord promiseth his people that he will not reprove them when he comes to judg them although they did not at all times perform his outward worship in offerings and sacrifices as is plain from Psalm 50. 8. where he saith I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices and thy burnt offerings to have been continually before me as if he should have said notwithstanding thou hast at somtimes neglected my commandments in respect of outward order in regard of the ceremonies and sacrifices therof so as thou hast offered God thanksgiving and paid thy vowes unto the most highest and call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me in the same Psalm 14. 15. verses Much more then I suppose the Lord will not reprove us in this sleepy and dead time of the Gospell wherein all things are corrupted and changed in respect of outward order and not so much as one text to be found for their restoring if we walk without the ordinances in their purity by watching and prayer keeping Faith and a good Conscience waiting for the Bridegrooms coming Thirdly the Lord threatens all such as walke in outward order and are wicked Psalm the 50. 16. and promiseth salvation unto such as without order walk uprightly in the same Psalm verse the 23. Where he saith whoso offereth praise glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God I shall now proceed as the Lord shal direct me to prove that the people of God must wait for the Lord Jesus by watching and prayer without order in the purity thereof in this sleepy and dead dispensation from the Lords dehortation of his people from setting up any temple and worship during their captivity and desolate condition wherin they lay scattered among the nations which to me is cleer from Isaiah 66. 1. where it is said Thus saith the Lord the Heaven is my throne and the Earth is my footstoole where is the house that you build unto me and where is the place of my rest for all these things hath my hand made and all these things have been saith the Lord. Where pray note this people are disswaded from building again any Temple or house of God when once the glory of God is departed from it for he saith all these things have been now what can be more plainly spoken then here it is for you had a Temple and it
to lightning now what form hath lightning but only glory now what glory do we see in any one of these professions above others only as one man exceeds another in gifts of nature education or learning so they excell one the other but not as I am able to comprehend in any other outward glory Besides mark in the first times there was abundance of outward glory the Spirit sat upon the Apostles like to fire and they were filled with the holy Ghost and did work miracles but this second appearing of the Lord Jesus will have much more glory as was seen by Peter James and John in the 17. chapter of Matthew but among these professions I doe see no glory to be compared with these first times And therefore I doe conceive this is not the appearance of Jesus Christ And thus much to these texts Thirdly I shall come now to prove that the posture the people of the Lord must wait in in this sleepy condition is watching and prayer without the benefit of ordinances in their purity untill the Lord appear from the Lords threatning to overturn his own dispensations which is cleer from Ezekiel the 21. 27. where it is said I will overturn overturn overturn and it shall be no more untill he come whose right it is and I will give it him now what can be more cleerly spoken then here it is that the Lord will for the sins of his people destroy all his outward dispensations and it is with a threefold overturn which I expound thus first the Lord will overturn his first Temple built by Solomon secondly the Lord will overturn his second Temple built by Zorobabell and thirdly the Lord will overturn that outward worship which was first set up in Gospel order and all this for the sins of his people and all this experience teacheth if there were no other proof for it in Scripture and saith the text it shall be no more untill he come whose right it is and I will give it him from whence I conclude that the Lord will overturn his own worships for the sins of his people then much more these worships which are set up by men without any Scripture Rule which I can as yet see produced for their practice And it shall be no more from whence I inferr that there is a time wherein there will be no outward worships and dispensations of God in their purity but his people must ly in bondage and captivity and to wait by watching and prayer untill he come whose right it is and then the Lord will give it him and this is fulfilled unto the Jewes without contradiction for they are dispersed among the nations and touching the believing gentiles I hope I have sufficiently proved it already in my answers unto all the objections I have yet met withall and shall goe on further to cleer it But it may be objected that this is not meant the Lords overturning his owne dispensations but such as are set up by men without any warrant from his word To which I answer and desire all men to consider the text it self where it is said And thou profane wicked prince of Israel whose day is come when iniquity shall have an end thus saith the Lord God remove the diadem and take off the crowne this shall not be the same where I appeal to any mans conscience if any thing can be here meant but the taking away both of kingdome and priest-hood Beside the very experience of the doing of it will evince this to be a truth Secondly the Lord having by Zorobabel builded a second temple which for the sins of his people is destroyed and his people captivated And for the third which is that mysticall temple I mean those outward dispensations wherein the people of Jesus Christ did walk in Gospel order in the first times hath not antichrist defiled them and set up that abomination which hath made all the outward worship desolate and so the glory is departed from it as experience teacheth also so that now it remains the third overturn being past that it shall be no more untill he come whose right it is and then the Lord will give it him in the mean time let his people be but diligent in those two duties of watching and prayer and then I suppose wee need not so much press for outward discipline as to make it so essentiall as that the people of the Lord cannot be delivered out of Babylon without it Fourthly I shall now come to prove the posture the people of the Lord are to wait in is watching and prayer without the benefit of ordinances in their purity from the Lords being weary as it were speaking after the manner of men with reverence be it spoken of setting up any more shepherds over them in any outward order or dispensation which I shall prove from Zechariah the 11. 9. where it is said I will not feed you that that dieth let it die and that that is to be cut off let it be cut off and let the rest cat every one the flesh of another Where note in the 4. verse the Lord Jesus takes upon him to feed the flock whose possessors slay them and hold themselves not guilty now saith he in the sixth verse I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land as much as if he should say I will no more take care over you by shepherds but loe I will deliver the men every one into his neighbors hand and into the hands of his king and they shall smire the land and out of their hand I will not deliver them and this I suppose is spoken touching the destruction of the Jews and their worship Now marke what he saith in the 7. verse And I will feed the flock of slaughter even you O poore of the flock And I tooke unto me two staves the one I called Beauty and the other I called Bands by Beauty and Bands I understand the ordinances of the Gospel which were Beautiful and binding then saith he in the 8. verse Three shepherds also I cut off in one mouth and my soule loathed them and their soul also abhorred me as much as if he should say those shepherds which I set up in Gospel order did in time forget their charge and neglect their duty and I cut them off now he comes to say in the 9. verse Then said I I will not feed you that that dieth let it die and that that is to be cut off let it be cut off and let the rest cat every one the flesh of his neighbour the residue of the chapter shews the breaking of the two staves and a prophesie of raising up a shepherd in the land which should not visit the flock which I take to be that man of sin spoken of in the 2 Thessalonians 2. 4. where pray note for the sins of the people of God he leaves them void of shepherds that shall take care of them and suffers a
and to keep himself unspotted of the world Which having further considered I began more fully to understand the sense of those three places of that most Evangelicall Prophet Isaiah in his 29th chapter and 17th verse where it is said Is it not yet a very little while and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitfull field and the fruitfull field shall be esteemed as a Forrest and that text in the 32. chapter and 15 verse where it is said Vntill the Spirit be poured out upon us from on high and the wildernesse be a fruitfull field and the fruitfull field be counted as a Forrest and that text in his 35. chapter and 7 verse where it is said And the parched ground shall become a poole and the thirsty land springs of water in the habitation of dragons where each lay shall be grasse with reeds and rushes In all which places the Prophet testifieth that in that great change when the Lord restores his people by pouring out his Spirit from on high there shall be a fruitfull field which will then be counted as a Forrest which according to this doctrine I suppose cannot well be applied to any but to the Church of Rome it so flourishing by converting of nations and by the sanctity of doctrine and life of the chiefe professors thereof and this I am induced to believe from those two places Matthew the 23. and 15. where it is said Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for you compasse sea and land to make one proselite and when he is made ye make him two fold more the child of hell then your selves And that of the Apostle to the Romans chapter 10. 2. where he saith speaking of the Jews For I bear them record that they have zeal of God but not according to knowledg from whence I inferr that in a corrupt Church there may be a zeal of God though not according to knowledg which may reach to the converting of nations and to abundance of zeal in works of the flesh such as man is able to devise of himself and also in that great change there will be a people that in the esteem of the world and in these actions which are set forth as marks of the true Church in this book and place thereof that before men will be counted a fruitfull field which shall then prove the Forrest so much doth the Lord reject mens performances devised by themselves But I am not ignorant that it may be readily objected that those places of the prophet Isaiah have reference unto the Jewes which esteemed themselves as a fruitfull field and counted the gentiles as a Forrest and by our Saviours and his Apostles preaching were converted and became the fruitfull field and the Jewes became the forrest For answer unto which I do acknowledg that the prophet Isaiah hath prophesies touching the same thing but those three places speak of that great change at the Lords bright appearing to restore all things which I shall prove from the texts themselves where note in the 29. chap. and 20. verse he saith for the terrible one is brought to nought and the scorner is consumed and all that watch for iniquity are cut off which is not yet performed for there are many that yet watch for iniquity and many scorners not cut off And then in the 22 verse it is said Therefore thus saith the Lord who redeemed Abraham concerning the house of Jacob Jacob shall not now be ashamed neither shall his face wax pale which shews cleerly that this change was to be wrought when the Lord restored the house of Jacob and I beleeve no man will say that Jacob is yet restored And in the 32. chapter and 13. verse it is said speaking of that desolate condition of the Jews and I conceive mystically also of the beleeving Gentiles Upon the land of my people shall come up thornes and bryers yea upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city and in next verse he shews the reason because the palaces shall be forsaken the multitude of the city shall be left the forts and towers which I conceive are mystically Churches shall be dens for ever a joy of wild asses a pasture of flocks But after the Spirit is poured out in the 18. verse he saith And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation and in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places which cannot yet be applyed unto the Jews nor yet to the beleeving Gentiles And touching that text in the 35. chapter pray take notice that the prophet having in the 34. chapter spoken of the destruction of the nations but especially of Idumea or mysticall false brethren comes in the 35. chapter to say The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them that is for their destruction and the desart shall rejoyce and blossom as a rose and then in the second verse it is said The glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it that is to the wildernesst and I am sure this is not yet performed neither to the nations nor yet to the Church which in this chapter is compared to a wilderness and parched ground therefore I conclude these texts are no way appliable to the Jewes and Gentiles at the Lords first appearing And thus much by way of digression now again to my former matter Seventhly I shall prove that the people of the Lord Jesus must wait for their Master by watching and prayer in this sleepy and dead condition without the purity of ordinances by that deaf lame and blind condition that they shal be found in when the Lord destroys Babylon and delivers them and this I shall prove from Isa. the 29. 18. and 35. 5 6. in which places it is said Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped then shall the lame man leap as an hart and the tongue of the dumb sing and why what is the cause of this great change he saith for in the wilderness shall streams break forth and waters in the desart and all this to follow the destruction of the nations and false brethren as in the foregoing chapter Now if it be thus that when the Lord delivers his people by destroying their Enemies they shall be blind lame and deaf and like a wilderness which I think no man will be so impudent as to affirm that the people of the Lord Jesus shall be blind lame and deas and like a wilderness in respect of the graces of the spirit as faith hope love self-deniall and meekness but in respect of outward order and discipline how comes it to passe that we have so many men that boast of the spirit that they be come to Sion and enjoy God perfectly and are not sensible of any sin and how comes it to passe that we have so much boasting of the purity of ordinances and of Apostles and Prophets as it was in the first Gospel times I profess that if any have
was in the first Gospel times the servants now have been asleepe and the Church hath lost her power the number of tares are above the number of the wheat besides the servants have lost that spirit of discerning as they had in the first times the Sun now is darkned and the powers of the heaven shaken that is removed and there is not that spirit of infallibility as was in the first Gospel times wherein the spirit or pure Anointing was able to try who were tares and who were good seed as is clear by our Saviour's words in verse 29. where he saith Nay least while yee gather up the tares yee root up the wheat also with them Secondly The Lord Jesus doth now expound the world to be his kingdome whereas before it was the Church which was particularly Christ's kingdome for in the same Chapter where this parable is set forth in verse the 38. he saith The field is the world and then in the 41 verse it is said And they shall gather out of his kingdome all things that offend and them that doe iniquity and shall cast them into a furnace of fire This is also confirmed in the same Chapter in the parable of the draw-net which is cast into the sea which when it is full men draw to land and gather the good into vessels and cast the bad away Even so shall it be in the end of the world the Angels shall come forth and sever the bad from among the just It is further objected that whereas the Lord Jesus saith that he will gather out of his kingdome all things that offend and them that do iniquity this kingdome say they is that kingdom which the Lord Jesus will purge in the new world wherein there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord. To which I answer that although Antichrist hath gotten possession and doth Rule and Raigne in the Church yet the Lord doth call it his Church which I prove from these Scriptures Isaiah 27. 10 where he saith yet the defenced Citie shall be desolate and the habitation forsaken and left like a wildernesse there shall the calfe feed and there shall he lie down and consume the branches therof and 33. 14. where he saith The sinners in Zion are afraid fearfulnesse hath surprised the hypocrites who among us shall dwell with devouring fire which thews that there was sinners in Zion and hypocrites in them that walked in outward order for he saith who amongst us shall dwell in devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings he doth not say he that goeth out of this Sion in this or that order but he that walketh uprightly and speaketh righteously he that despiseth the gain of oppression that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes that stoppeth his eares from hearing of bloud that shutteth his eyes from seeing of evill where note here is no difference between the people of God and the sinners and hypocrites in Zion but Righteousnesse and yet Zion the like Isaiah chap. 49. 17. speaking of the Restoring of the Church he saith Thy children shall make hast thy destroyers and they that made thee wast shall go forth of thee which thews plainly that the enemies of the Church were possessed of her and did destroy her and make her wast The like you have Eezekiel 9. when the Lord sends to mark his people and to destroy those that had polluted his worship in an extraordinary measure which will bear a Type of the last times which I suppose cannot be denied where he saith unto them in the sixth verse which had the charge to destroy the city slay utterly old and young both maids and little children and women but come not near any man upon whom is the mark which shaweth they were mingled one amongst the other and begin at my Sanctuary where note notwithstanding this people had so much polluted his worship as is fully set forth in the foregoing chapter yet the Lord is pleased to call it his sanctuary and beside we read of no other sanctuary of the Lords at that time and therefore the enemies of the Lord were possessed of his Church and sanctuary the like you have in express termes the 2 Thessalonians 2. 4. where it is said speaking of the man of sin who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God shewing himself that he is God Now what can be plainer spoken that notwithstanding antichrist had gotten possession in the Church of God and ruled as God therein yet the Apostle cals it the temple of God Another objection is made touching the Virgins for say some men it is said in the text Then shall the kingdome of heaven be likened to ten Virgins which tooke their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom so say these men this going forth is as we do now out of Babylon by the ordinances of the Gospel as baptizing laying on of hands and all those ordinances which the Lord Jesus hath commanded his people to walk in untill his second coming To which I answer that I do believe that the going forth of the Virgins was out from the world to professe the name of Christ and not going out from Babylon which I shall further cleer but pray mark it is said while the bridgroom tarried all slumbred and slept so that here was a slumbring and sleepy condition between the going forth and the bridegroom 's coming which as I conceive is that slumbring and sleepy condition which I have proved from Scripture Secondly it is said and at midnight there was a cry made Behold the bridegroom cometh go ye forth to meet him where pray mark here is a midnight spoken of and I thinke there is no man will say that this midnight was either friday or saturday night that is one of these naturall nights wherein we take our rest but I conceive it is that midnight or darknesse which lies upon the Church of Jesus Christ immediately before the Lords bright appearing Thirdly it is said Goe yee forth to meet him I suppose no man will affirm it is meant going forth out of a mans house but it is that going forth out of Babylon or the Antichristian state by the beleeving Gentiles which lay in captivity among the Antichristian state and that going forth of the whole Israel of God after the flesh from among the nations in which they lay scattered so many ages to meet the Lord in Zion at the voyce of the great trumpet when he shall gather together his Elect from the foure windes of the heaven Isaiah 11. 12. and 27. 13. Mat. 24 31. and that voice of the second Angel mentioned Rev. 14. 18. and 18. 4. where it is said come out of her my people that you be not partakers of her sins and receive not of her plagues It is further objected that in all ages there have been such
Reason that all men should be deceived and you onely know the truth To those men I answer and do acknowledge the doctrine is strange and I do confesse I do not remember that I ever read of any such thing treated of and for the most part of the places I have opened in some measure I do not remember that I ever heard any exposition upon them yea I acknowledge that the matter seems sometimes strange to my self having nothing in me that deserves that the Lord should reveal any thing to me rather then to another I see in my self so much weakness and deadness to any thing that is good that it seems to the contrary but when on the contrary I consider the harmony and agreement which is among the prophets tending to the same things and when I consider the experience of the ages past confirming it and making it to appear a truth in part without contradictions and when I consider that the Lord hath in severall ages taught some of his people yea his prophets by men of inferiour parts to them as may be seen in Jethro's counsell to Moses and by Amos which was a herd-man of Tekoa which taught Amasiah the priest of Bethel and when I consider the Lord confounds the wisdome of the world by things of no esteem and brings to nought things that are by things that are not I then take encouragement and am constrained to beleeve that this is the meaning of the holy Ghost in those places and shall beleeve untill I do perceive a better sense given which being done I hope I shall not be so self-conceited as to prefer my sense before a better if it begiven It is further objected that we are commanded to come out of Babylon left we are partakers of her sins and so receive of her plagues which is a duty required of us and besides we have now an oportunity given us to come out for the States give us liberty to walk according to Gospel order and according to our conscience there in and to gather our selves into bodies To the first I answer That it is true that we are commanded to come out of Babylon but it is necessary to know the time when we are to perform that duty lest haply we should lose our labour and I could wish that some man that is so zealous for the performance of that duty would labour to demonstrate by the Scripture Prophesies that the time for the performance of this duty were fully come lest the practice of this duty have no better success then those men in Jeremy 29. 21. namely Ahab the son of Kolajah and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah which were two false prophets which did perswade the people that they should speedily return from their captivity contrary to the prophesie of Jeremy which had prophesied their captivity to continue seventy years which were a duty necessary to be done for so much as the prophet Daniel did understand by books the number of yeers where of the word of the Lord came to Jeremy the prophet that hee would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem Dan. 9. 2. and accordingly did make his prayer for their return So likewise in the Revelation there are set times for the people of the Lord Jesus to lie in this and that condition as may be seen in the 11. 12. 13. chapters which I shall endeavour the Lord enabling me in the sequell of this treatise to make appeare not to be fully accomplished Besides take notice of those places which speake of the people of the Lord coming out of Babylon and you shall finde that Babylon is first fallen before the Lords people are exhorted to come out of her as may be seen Rev. 14. 8. and 18. 4. But we do not yet see Babylon fallen nay rather we see her as high as ever almost only we have seen one of his heads wounded to death but his deadly wound is almost healed neither do we see any glory like unto that glory which is spoken of in those two places to precede the fall of Babylon neither do we see the Lamb upon mount Sion with his hundred forty and four thousand neither an Angel come down from heaven having great power and the earth was lightned with his glory which are things which goe before the peoples deliverance besides pray marke that Babylon in the letter was destroyed before the people of God were dilivered and his people had a Leader to goe before them out of Babylon Even so likewise I conceive that the people of the Lord Jesus are to have a leader or diliverer to goe before them to call them out of Babylon in the mystery and to send his Angels to gather together his Elect from the four windes of the heaven according to those Scriptures Isai. 11. 11 12. and 52. 12. and 66. 19 20. Joel the 3. 11. Obadiah 21. Zechariah 2. 5 8. Matt. 24. 31. compared with Rev. the 14. 6 7 8 9. and 18. 1 2 4. In all which places is mention made of the Lords deliverance of his people by himself and of sending forth his Angels to declare the fall of Babylon and to exhort the people of the Lord to come out of her To the second branch of this objection I answer It is true that the State gives liberty to tender consciences for which they deserve much honour but these men must also remember that as the State gives them liberty so must they have liberty of God also which I desire to see proved for first if they will come out according to order they must have their Leader with them which is the Lord Jesus for it is said expresly Isaiah the 52. 12. for you shall not go out in hast nor go out by flight for the Lord will go before you and the God of Israel will be your rereward But in this reformation which is profest in this nation in any profession I see no glory that comes neer the first Gospel times whereas the coming of the Kingdom of God with power did exceed the first glory as may be seen Mat. 17. 2. Secondly it must be granted that the nations of Christiandome are all of them at the least Christians at large as I may term them that is professing the name of Christ now if we follow order we must reform by the major or greater part as is the order in all assemblies as also in the Church of Christ whilst they had power as may be seen in the Churches of Asia but we cannot reforme that way because the major part will keep their customes still be they never so ill and therefore we cannot this way reform according to order because the best part is over-voted But thirdly seeing that all our reformers do acknowledg that the ordinances are corrupted touching Church discipline and if we will reform we must bring them to the first standard and because all our ministers have derived their office of ministry through
shepherd to rule over them which should destroy them and of evill shepherds you may read fully in Jerem. the 23. and Ezek. the 34. I shall in the fifth place come to prove the people of Gods posture to be watching and prayer without the benefit of ordinances in their purity during the dead condition from the Churches owne confession walking in outward order which I prove from Isaiah 26. 19. where it is said we have been with child we have been in paine wee have as it were brought forth wind we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen as much as if the Church should have said we have strived to deliver our selves out of our captivity by walking in that order which we have set up but we have brought forth nothing but wind neither have we wrought any deliverance in the earth neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen we have desired to destroy Babylon and to deliver our selves but it comes to nothing and to no effect And then in the next verse The Lord Jesus as I conceive answereth her saying Thy dead men shall live together with my dead bodie shall they arise Awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust as much as if he should have said although that you now seem dead and lie in the dust in respect of outward order according to the first Gospel times yet when my dead body that is the Church shall arise why then awake and sing Now if any should ask any of our professours if they did not travell to bring forth our Lord Jesus and to destroy antichrist by their walking in those professions doubtlesse they would answer yea for it is the principle of every profession Sixthly I shall prove the people of Gods posture to be watching and prayer during the dead condition from the condition the people of God shall be in when he appears and destroyes all their enemies and restores them they being like a wildernesse and all false waies in a flourishing condition this is proved from Isaiah 29 19. where it is said Is it not yet a very little while and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitfull field and the fruitfull field shall be counted as a forrest compared with Revelation the 12. 14. and Isaiah the 32. 15. where it is said Vntill the spirit be poured out upon us from above and the wilderness be a fruitfull field and the fruitfull field be counted as a forrest now what can be more cleerly spoken then this touching this thing for it is the principle of every profession at this day for they say that the waies we now practise are the waies by which the Lord Jesus will more and more draw out his people into Gospel order untill he have fully brought them out of Babell and prepared them to meet him in Sion and this is the saying and tenent of every profession whereas contrariwise he saith by his Prophet that at the time when the spirit is poured out from on high his people shall be like a wildernesse and the false worships be counted as a fruitfull field and then is that great change wrought But it may be objected that before we tooke upon us the profession of the Gospel we were like a wildernesse but since we came into Gospel order we have been like a fruitfull field and this change is now a working To which I answer that this change shall not be wrought untill the Lord destroyes Babylon or the antichristian state and this is cleer by Isaiah the 35. and the first and so forth for in the foregoing chapter being the 34. the Lord sets before us the destruction of all nations but especially of Idumea which I conceive in the mystery to be antichrist or false brethren as Edom was to Israel and in the 14. verse he comes to say as it were that now the people of God are delivered out of her The wild beasts of the desart shall also meet with the wild beasts of the islands and the satyr shall cry to his fellow which compared with Revelations the 18. 2. doth fully agree now mark what followes in the 35. chapter where it is said The wilderness and the solitary place shall he glad for them that is for their destruction and the desart shall rejoyce and blossom as a rose So that I conclude from this text if there were no more that before the Lord destroys antichrist with the spirit of his mouth and the brightnesse of his coming the people of the Lord Jesus shall be in respect of outward order and discipline like a wildernesse and desart and Babylon and all false waies shall be in a flourishing condition like a fruitfull field And thus much to this proofe While my cogitations were exercised about this Treatise there came to my hand a little book written by Thomas Vane Doctor of Divinity and sometime Chaplain to the late King of England intituled A lost sheep returned home or the Motives of the Conversion to the Catholich Faith of Thomas Vane penned in Paris in the yeer 1648. Which book having read and diligently considered I found that he did propound to consideration severall marks of the true Church where in the 17 and 18 chapters he makes conversion of Kingdoms and Monarchs and sanctity of doctrine and life to be marks of the true Church and applyes it to the Church of Rome which having diligently considered I was at a pause but weighing well what this sanctity of doctrine and life was I found it was chiefly in instructing her children in not onely confessing themselves to God but also confessing to the priests not onely sorrow for sin but also doing penance for the same and such as the Church injoyneth obliging to set times of fasting and prayer and magnifying the merit of good works commending the sublime acts of voluntary poverty chastity and obedience and the exercising of other great acts of austerity for to subdue sin in the sleth and to professe our love to Christ in these things which having diligently considered mee thought he had almost forgot the true duties of christian Religion mentioned in those two places Isai. 58. 6 7. and James 1. 27. where the Prophet saith thus Is not this the fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickedness to undoe the heavie burdens and to let the oppressed go free and that you break every yoak Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poor that is cast out to thy house when thou seest the naked that thou cover him and that thou hide not thy self from thine own flesh Where note one of the duties of Christianity is to do good to our own flesh which cannot well be done by afflicting our bodies by unnecessary fastings and great austerity And the Apostle St. James saith Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherlesse and widows in their affliction
or Madrid which are the head cities of these three nations but Saint John treats of things in a mystery speaking of materiall things which have a spirituall sense and this is eleer in Revelation the 10. 7. where he saith But in the voyce of the seventh Angel when he shall begin to sound the mystery of God shall be finished as he hath declared by his servants the Prophets wherein is plainly declared that the prophets in severall ages of the world have for the most part declared their prophesie in a mystery and for proof of it I shall alledg two places of many namely Mat. 2. 15. where it is said That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet out of Egypt have I called my son And in ver 17. it is said Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah saying In Rama was a voyce heard In which two places can in reason be no other but a mysticall sense meant and are taken out of Hos. 11. 1. Jer. 31. 15. Now to speak something of this Beast I desire that these severall places of Scripture may be considered as touching the rising of this beast for it is said Rev. 9. 11. speaking of the Locusts that they had a King over them which is the King or Angel of the bottomless pit and then in chap. 11. 7. it is said And when they shall have finished their testimony the beast that did ascend out of the bottomless pit shall make warr against them And in chap. 13. 11. he saith And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth and he had two hornes like a lamb and he spake like the dragon which three places I suppose mean one and the same beast which may be seen by the coherence and the agreement of the three texts being duly considered Now whether we may take the two hornes to signifie strength as two Kingdomes or whether we may take the two hornes to mean some mysticall things I dare not judg for so much as I suppose the beast is not yet fully appeared but only a preparation for him but this we may remember that in the last times according as our Saviour foretold there should arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect Mat. 24. 24. and Rev. 9. 7. And the shapes of the Locusts were like unto horses prepared to battell and on their heads were as it were Crownes of Gold and their faces were as the faces of men and they had haire as the hair of women and in chap. 13. 13. And he doth great wonders so that he makes fire to come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men and in chap. 16. 13. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the false prophets In all which places there is mention made of false prophets which should deceive the people and should stir up the nations to fight against the Lord Jesus in his people saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an Image to the beast which had the wound by a sword and did live and he had power to give life unto the Image of the beast that the Image of the beast should speak and cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the beast should be killed All which things considered and insomuch as we are fallen into the last times notwithstanding I dare not a ffirm any thing of certain by means of the darknesse of the mystery so that untill the prophesies are fufilled we cannot attain to the opening of them yet neverthelesse these exhortations will be necessary for all men to take notice of first that insomuch as there shall come such false prophets as if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect and that the beast which did arise out of the Earth had two hornes like a lamb and that by Saint Johns words he should cause fire to come down from heaven in the sight of men that is the spirit as he pretends therefore that they would be very wary whom they trust And secondly that within the compasse of this ten years we have had such fair pretences made of reformation among the clergie and yet I beleeve had the time suted with them they would something have spoken like the dragon in persecuting such as could not submit themselves to their reformation as may be seen fully if men diligently consider their carriages in this age And thirdly I shall admonish all those of the nations which have the rule of the government in their hands that they would beware what government they set up in the worship of God and that for these reasons First left they make an Image of the beast which had a wound by a sword and yet did live Secondly that they beware of all such as come in sheeps cloathing and inwardly are ravening wolves left by their perswasion they cause the Image of the beast both to speak and to cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the beast should be killed that is by inciting the magistrates to fall to persecuting and killing the servants of the Lord Jesus which cannot submit to their government in spirituall things which is set up And thirdly for so much as the government of the nations ceases to bear the image or any image of the beast so long as they do Justice and relieve the distressed and defend their people committed to their charge and for bear to persecute for cause of conscience in spirituall things because it is the nature of beasts that prey upon others to devour and kill the innocent sheep and other creatures that are subject to their tyranny And thus much by way of Exhortation to all men that they be no occasion of setting up the beast I shall now come to speak of the time of standing and prevailing of this beast which I take hath his time of beginning though not yet discerned at the decaying of the beast which did arise out of the sea which was according to my former accompt in the yeer 1584 according to Rev. 13. 18. which will be the yeer of our Lord according to our vulgar accompt 2250. And this I shall prove from the prophesie of Daniel in chap. 8. 13. where it is said 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 hoste to be trodden under foot And he said unto me unto 2300 dayes then shall the sanctuary be cleansed And it is said Hos. 6. 2. After two dayes will he revive us in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight Where pray take notice a day for 1000 yeers