power in which after he hath reigned with his Saints a thousand years in full beatitude such wonderful Changes will ensue as will make a ready entrance to that great change when changes shall be no more 1. 1 Cor. 15 2â— Rev. 20.7 Vers 8. As first Satan shall be loosed for a little season wherein he will so bestir himself in all quarters of the Earth exciting his vassals that have gladly served the Saints this thousand years to shake the yoak from off their necks which they as his sworn servants shall readily yield to and this will produce 2. The second Change which will be the combination of these his Instruments whose number is as the sand of the Sea and in confidence of their great strength they shall surround the beloved City think by their huge multitudes to devour it at once but how little does this trouble the Saints within all tears were wiped away from their eyes long ago they know not what belongs to sorrow or trouble for the Prince of peace and Author of eternal felicity is among them if they can hurt him they may harm them but both being above the reach of these poor deluded creatures they are only making way for their own eternal ruine for while they are thus besieging the Camp of the Saints 3. The world is fired about their ears Vers 9. 2 Pet. 3.10 Rev. 20.11 12. with it themselves are devoured and this produceth the final conclusion of this great day for now 4. The Lord is seated in his great white Throne before whom the Earth and the Heaven vanisheth 5. Then shall the dead smal and great be raised stand before his great Tribunal upon his left hand as so many cursed goats Math. 24 32. vessels of wrath fitted to destruction where they shall receive the final sentence of eternal condemnation which is a perpetual separation from the presence of Gods love to be tormented with reprobate Angels and men the objects of his wrath and fury to all eternity oh what will they do in this estate of eternity oh that they would now consider of it Why are not the sinners in Sion now afraid Isa 33.14 why doth not fearfulnes now surprise the hypocrites who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire who among us shal dwel with everlasting burnings 'T wil be in vain then to cal to the Mountains Rocks for a hiding place 6. But the Saints are securely hid in the great Rock and sure Refuge of his people who are long since acquitted by vertue of their marriage with the Kings Son Ephes 5.27 2 Pet. 3.14 who now presents his Spouse pure spotless a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing and so having also justified them before Angels and men he makes a free surrender of his Office of Mediator with his purchased Spouse into the hands of his and our Father 1 Cor. 15.24.28 who is the eternal infinite Ocean of that fulness of happiness 1 Joh. 3.2 1 Cor. 13.12 which we must and well may admire but shal never fully understand till we come to see him as he is know him as we are known O thou infinite Ocean of transcendent sweetness for this Jesus sake whom thou so deerly lovest raise up thy Saints by the divine influence of thy eternal Spirit to such a heighth and eminency of faith zeal love holiness and all heavenly qualifications that we may be able to comprehend with all Saints Ephes 3.18 19. what is the bredth and length and depth and heighth and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that we may be filled with all the fulness of God to behold thy blessed face in that day with joy Come Sions sons with Sions songs Psal 145.45.14 15. Attend your Royal King Joyn consort in coelestial throngs Rev. 19.6 â— His wondrous reign to Sing Heark Virgins that 's the midnight cry Mat. 25.6 The Bridegroom is at hand With burning Lamps full vessels by Verse 10. Stand lovely Virgins stand That 's he who with ten thousand Saints Jude 14. In those bright clouds appears Dan. 7.10 We joyn so cease all sad complaints Rev. 1.7 1 Thes 4.17 All troubles toyl and tears Isai 56.19 Now like his glorious body we Phil. 3.21 Shall all be fashioned Rev. 7.9.14 With Robes and Crowns of Majesty As Kings be furnished Thus to Jehosaphats fair Vale Joel 3.2 11 12. We with our King descend Where vanquisht foes faint feeble pale Psal 72.11 Must at his Throne attend The day is come Micah 4.1 the Lord must reign The Saints must judge the world Dan. 7.27 Satan confin'd Rev. 20.2.19.20 his cursed train Into confusion hurl'd Rom. 8.19 20 21 22. The groaning creature from that snare Which long entangled them Set free Isai 56.26 with Saints in glory share Of new Jerusalem Acts 3.21 These sweet refreshing times Acts 3.19 O Lord From thy sweet presence spring Psal 16 11. With hearts and voyces Saints accord Rev. 11.17 Thy glorious reign to sing What remains then Rev. 11.16 but that all the Saints who expect this appearance of our Lord do with the four and twenty Elders fall down and worship God Vers 17. saying We give thee thanks O Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come because thou hast taken to thee thy great Power and hast reigned For this work this wondrous work Isai 52.9 10. is so certain that the Spirit of the Lord presents it like many other Prophesies as already done Great ground of rejoycing is this to Saints as it is ground of terror and vexation to the wicked there 's not more sad news in the world then this to the ungodly this will be a dark day to them according as it follows for I shall but name the rest The eighteenth Verse And the Nations were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be judged and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the Prophets and to the Saints and them that fear thy Name smal and great and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth Here the portion of the Saints is far different from that of the dead and earthy-minded men and therefore there must be different returns from them While then the Nations are angry at the wrath and judgements of that Lord whom they have so much sleighted let the Prophets and Saints and them that fear the Name of the Lord exceedingly triumph for the time is at hand that they shall be superaboundantly rewarded for all their pains and labours of Love and Charity for all their reproaches scorns and affronts that the world hath cast upon them for all their sufferings and cruel mockings and all manner of persecutions for it is to them that the following words pertain The ninteenth Verse And
in the three Nations who had so long oppressed the Reformed Churches And I do also conceive that the third wo yet to come doth properly belong to and shall miserably torment the Antichristian Train and all prophane wicked men and false Professors who will slight and reject and contemn the voyces of the feventh Angel For the seventh Viall Rev. 16.17 which will produce this wo is to be poured forth into the common Ayr in which all the cursed brood do breath So that those who will not receive embrace the voyces of the seventh Trumpet proclaiming the Lord Christs personal Reign now at hand must shortly quickly whether they will or no receive the voice of the seventh Vial and that wil be a dreadful direful voyce saying It is Done That is all power of the Enemy is destroyed Babylon is ruined and all the Prophesies and Promises made to Saints are accomplished in this glorious coming of our King and the utter ruine of the king of pride And that which makes this voyce woful and dreadful to purpose is Math. 25.10 Rev. 18.19 with Rev. 11.19 that it is attended with that soul-confounding voyce that will reach the hearts of those fools that now slight the Gospel of Grace viz. The door is shut Mercies door is shut never to be opened any more nothing remains now but Thunders Lightnings terrible Earthquakes such as never was fierceness of wrath blackness of darkness Jude 13. wo and alas for evermore Wherefore my humble advise and earnest request is that you will diligently hearken to receive embrace and walk up to the ensuing voyce of the seventh Trumpet Ah dear friends The door will be shut THus have I endeavoured to hold forth the Light I have received by those soft sweet soul refreshing gales of the blessed Spirit concerning this deep Mystery of the Prophesy Slaughter Resurrection and Ascention of the two Witnesses With the rise raign and ruine of Antichrist which will be fully compleated in the days of the Voyce of the seventh Angel Whereof I shall now speak as of the second part of the eleventh Chapter of the Revelation The Fifteenth Verse And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voyces in heaven saying The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever TO give an account of my judgement concerning the Seals Trumpets and Vials it appears cleer to my understanding that the opening of each Seal is the Discovery of some Gospel-light one glorious Truth after another as the day approacheth and no sooner is one Gospel-Truth made known by the secret breathings of the Spirit according to his word but presently the Trumpet sounds that is The Ministers of the Gospel publish it abroad as the Prophet speaketh The Lord gave the word Psal 68.11 great was the company of those that published it Thus did Luther upon the discovery of new Light sound such an alarum as made the Throne of the Beast to stagger like a drunken man I will not say the first Seal was opened to Luther nor that he was the first Trumpet but this I can speak that a further degree of Gospel-glory new light though the word be odious amongst some was discovered to Calvin and after him to others who as they received it presently became the Lords Trumpets to declare it to the world upon whose refusal of it the Vials are successively poured forth so that first a Seal is opened secondly a Trumpet sounds declaring the truth discovered within that opened Roll thirdly a Vial of wrath is poured forth upon those that hear and reject it but because the Seals Trumpets Vials are not contained in this Chapter I shall forbear to enlarge upon them at this time and prosecute the work of this present Chapter If we look back to the former Discourse of the Witnesses and consider the seven thousand names of men there discovered to be slain or supprest by this present Parliament and observe the sweet consent of things attending it will be no harsh or improbable Conclusion that the seventh and last Trumpet is at this instant sounding yea sounding at present such an Alarum that there are scarce any other voyces heard among watchful Saints but the Lords at hand the Bridegroom is coming The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord c. Which as it is the earnest expectation of all waking Virgins and the unspeakable support of many a poor dejected disconsolate drooping soul to think in the midst of afflictions temptations and fiery tryals My Lord is a coming to put an end to all my sorrows to wipe all tears from mine eyes to tread Satan under his feet to set me free from sin and sorrow and so I shall by way of improvement of my small Talent least it be found hid in a Napkin for the augumentation of the joy of every waiting longing breathing panting spirit and for the information of such poor souls belonging to Christ who are yet in the Dark as touching this great Mystery hold forth what the Lord hath entrusted in this earthen vessel of the unconceivable Glory of this his universal soveraignty In which glorious discovery I shall shew 1. That he will come to reign upon earth 2. How and in what manner he will come 3. Where he will establish his Throne at his coming 4. When he wil take his great power reign 5. The signes of his coming 6. His ends in thus coming 7. Events succeeding 8. The uses we are to make of all And if these and each of these shall be fully cleared by the pure Word of the Lord without wresting or any other subtile invention of mans brain then let all the sons and daughters of Sion with joy embrace them as intelligence and sweet tokens of love from their King and Husband whose bowels yearn whose high endeared affections are upon the wing unsatisfied with his present glory in Heaven till the fulness of time come that he may be inebriated and overcome with the soul ravishing embraces of his purchased Spouse on Earth But if any circumstance belonging to this glorious Subject shall be found wanting of cleer testimony from the fountain of truth Let it be detested abhorred and rejected as the froath and vanity of a deceived and deluded creature but to the particulars First That the Lord Jesus Christ who did ascend into Heaven shall come again to reign upon the Earth is clear from divers Scriptures Jer. 23.6.33.16 Isai 4.2 first that of Jeremiah Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a Righteous branch and a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute Judgement and Justice in the Earth and he shall be called the Lord our Righteousness Secondly That in Rev. 5.10 where the glorified Saints in Heaven do exceedingly exult and rejoyce not only that they are redeemed from amongst men and possest of heavenly
will plead with them there Thither cause thy mighty ones to come O Lord. 11.12 Let the Heathen be wakened and come up to the Valley of Jehosaphat for there will I sit to judge all the Heathen round about the Heathens must come up to the Valley the Saints must come down And it will be worth our labours to consider the rest of this third Chapter of Joel which will give much light to this truth for after the Lords Throne is thus erected in the Valley of Jehosaphat it is said that the Lord will dwell in Zion and that there shall be abundance of rich blessings there 17 18. And that for ever as long as the Moon endureth But because the Valley of Jehosaphat Psal 72. Dan 7.14 as it now is hath not capacity or extent to receive the New Jerusalem therefore the Prophet Zachary tells us that it shall be wonderfully enlarged by the dividing of the Mount of Olives Zech. 14.4 And the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the East and toward the West and there shall be a very great Valley For the valley of the Mountains shall reach unto Azal Vers 5 All the land shall be turned as a Plain from Geba to Rimmon 10. and it shal be inhabited in her place 11. And men shall dwell in it and there shall be no more utter destruction But Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited and how should it be otherwise when the Prince of Peace shal reign in Glory in the midst of it This then is the place of which the Lord speaketh Isa 65 10. Rev. 24.4 I will rejoyce in Jerusalem and joy in my people and the voyce of weeping shall be no more heard in her nor the voyce of crying here Lord let my soul flourish with thee and thy Saints according to thy Word Rev. 3.21 Fourthly the fourth thing to be discovered is when this Lord of Glory and King of Saints will come to reign in this his Kingdom on Earth and first it is plain that it was not in the dayes of his humiliation for as he is answering his Disciples question about his coming to Judgement Mat. 24.25.6 he tells them the time of it is then when all the Virgins seeing the signs and hearing the voyce or cry Go forth to meet him coming as a Bridegroom to marry his Church that is the whole body of his Saints which will be then compleated and brought together into one place Mat. 24.28 Joh 10.16 where in the view of all the world the Marriage will be gloriously solemnized And secondly it is as plain that this Glorious Reign cannot be after the day of Judgement for then there would be a change in Heaven 1 Cor. 15.24 since it is clear that after Christs Reign and subduing of all his enemies he must give up the Kingdome to his Father Then thirdly it cannot be the spirituall Reign of Christ in that way as most dream which they conceive is now in being and that Christ will never come to Reign any other way save onely in greater purity then he doth now by his Spirit Which fond imaginations as they have not the least substantial Pillar from the word of Truth to support them so the contrary is plain and evident from the clear current of that pure fountain namely that the Lord Jesus Christ will come then and not till then to take to himself his great Power and Reign when all the signs that are to precede his coming are visibly discovered which I am sure are not yet as shall be shewed in its place Again the Spirit was given in a most glorious eminent manner far exceeding present dispensations when the Apostles Generally and Saint John more particularly waited for Act. 3.20 21. Rom. 8.23 1 Thes 4.17 Rev. 1 7. and yet expected this Glorious Personal Reign of Christ as abundance of unerring Witnesses do testifie but in special the present Scripture that I am now opening namely Rev. 11.15 which plainly declareth that the Personal * See Rev. 1.7 Reign of Christ is to begin when the seventh Trumpet is sounding at that time and not before when the seventh Trumpet begins to sound Rev. 10.7 shall this great Mystery be accomplished And certain I am that the Spirituall Kingdome of Christ was gloriously eminent before any of the seven Angels began to sound and therefore it cannot be only the spiritual Kingdom of Christ that is here spoken of and so the time is not yet in being of this Reign of Christ As therefore we must not cast off our expectation of nor our diligent constant watching waiting for this Personal Glorious manifestation on the one hand saying with that evil servant My Lord delayeth his coming and so split our selves upon the desperate rock of carnal security Neither must we run upon that other shelf of a vain ungrounded conceit that he is already come Mat. 24.23 24 25 26 27. whereof our Lord himself hath given us fair warning the Lord give us hearts to receive and embrace it It is not then the spiritual Reign which we now enjoy but the personal glorious truly spiritual Reign which we shall shortly enjoy that is the Life and Crown and Hope and Comfort of many precious enlightned Saints who have found such sweet support succour and solace from this sure Pillar of divine truth that all the delusions of Sathan in this luxurious giddy Age hath not been able to shake The ignorance of this soul-ravishing Gospel-truth is that horrible Gulph that hath swallowed up thousands who finding in the words of truth such glorious things spoken of this day of the Lord but through ignorance in this Mystery and the cunning slights of Sathan who transforms himself to an Angel of Light are deluded in their sence and all their intellectuals beleeving that Christ is come already and doth Reign already whereupon they conclude to throw away all Ordinances for say they Christ hath commanded us to use them till his coming and no longer Do this till I come hold fast till I come Occupy till I come Nay so far hath this restless spirit of error prevailed with some as to beleeve that Christ hath already Reigned that he hath already given up the Kingdom to his Father and that now God is all in all that they live in God that they are God c. And now this Prince of darkness hath plaid his part to purpose now he hath possessed them not only with a distast of Ordinances and slighting of them but now away go Scriptures Christ and all they are a lye an Allegory he a shadow a Type c. and now Sathan hath his will having deceived them so far as to deny the Lord that bought them for he well knows that there is no other name given under heaven to bring salvation but this Christ whom they thus reject and now he is cock sure of them and now they are ripe
revealed with his mighty Angels in flaming fire 2 Thes 1.7.8 For further illustration and confirmation of this glorious truth I shall now particularly cleer by Scriptures those fifteen remarkable Changes which as so many Trophees of Victory shall attend this Prince of prayses at his taking to himself this his great power and Soveraignty 1. The Saints Deceased Royal Jesus brings THis will be the first Act of this King of glory according to the express Testimony of the Spirit 1 Thes 4.14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him And this will be a total not a partial Resurrection of all departed Saints not the Martyrs only as some conceive not only those that have lost their lives for Jesus but the Scripture is plain and full that whoever they be that sleep in Jesus Apoc. 20.4 God will bring with him not only those that were beheaded for the Witness of Jesus but all those also which had not worshipped the Beast nor his Image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years These are they * Rev. 5.9 10. Pro. 8.31 Heb. 12.2 that are so exceedingly transported with that more glorious condition of reigning with Christ upon the Earth for as the joy and delight of Christ from Eternity was placed with his Saints on Earth so the Saints filled with the same spirit place their joy and delight with this glorious King in his high exalted state on that Earth and in that part of the Earth where he was so shamefully abused and so cruelly crucified When therefore I shall see with these eyes my blessed Redeemer in the clouds attended with all his holy Angels and departed Saints then and not till then shall I see the end of Ordinances and all those glorious Prophesies and blessed promises fulfilled and accomplished which concern this high point of my belief in the personal reign of my Redeemer I would not for ten thousand worlds be deprived of this Light which leads to the glory of this blessed day 2. The Rest Released mount on Angels wings OUr blessed Jesus O most wonderful loving Jesus counts not his joy entire nor his glory compleat while any one of his beloved Lambs is absent and therefore he makes it his great request to his Father and our Father Joh. 17.24 O saith he that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me 'T is granted saith the Father our most gracious infinitely loving Father and accordingly Paul is informed That we which are alive 1 Thes 4.17 and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Ayr and so shall we be ever with the Lord. 'T is true the raising thus the dead Saints 1 Cor. 15.51 and changing the living Saints is such a Mystery as most wil give no credit to for who indeed can take delight in this doctrine but those that shall share in the glory of it it hath no rellish upon other mens palats they cannot digest it though never so cleer in Scripture but God hath revealed it to many of his dear ones by his Spirit in his word which plainly tels them Mat. 24.31 That he will send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the four winds Zech. 14.5 from one end of Heaven to the other And can I believe my Lord is yet come to reign while I see poor Saints scattered here and there in various straights and fiery tryals Away with thy conceits deluded Notionist and shallow prophane man my Lord comes not in the Desart nor in the secret chamber but when he comes to take the Kingdoms of the world to his own Government thou shalt see it may be to thy terror that word of Zechariah fulfilled Zech. 14.5 The Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee 3. To Israel mourning sounds a glorious call WHen all eyes shall see him Rev. 1.7 Zech. 12.10 Ezech. 37.21 poor Israel must not be excluded they also shall to their unspeakable joy and comfort behold him whom they have pierced Zech. 14.2 even then when they have greatest need of him when their new possessed City shall be taken their houses rifled their women ravished and all miserably enslaved in this time of so great trouble Dan. 12.1 Rom. 11.26 Isai 4.3.43.5 6. such as never was since there was a Nation shall they behold Michael the great Prince that blessed deliverer who shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob and now all Israel shall be saved Jer. 30.10 Joel 3.1 even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem for now the singing of Birds is come and that blessed voyce is heard in their ears Awake Isai 26.19.60.1 and sing ye that dwell in the dust Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee Zeph. 3.17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing Multitudes of Scriptures might be produced for the confirmation of this truth but these may suffice or nothing will especially considering that not one Scripture nor indeed any Author of credit that I know of doth seem to deny it This then in brief is my judgement with many deer Saints grounded upon the word of truth concerning this wonderful work of the Jews conversion First That they shall have an outward Call Secondly That they shall be inwardly converted The former is thought to be at hand if not already in being since it is well observed by Merchants of credit and others that they have these two or three years been gathering wonderfully from places more remote towards Palestina the Lord seeming now to make good his word first Isa 5.26 Zech. 10.8 in moving them to come in person to the Land of their Inheritance according to these Promises Vers 6. I will hiss for them and gather them for I have redeemed them and I will strengthen the house of Judah and I will save the house of Joseph and I will bring them again to place them And I will make them one Nation in the Land upon the Mountains of Israel Ezâ—ch 27.22 and one King shall be King to them all for When the Lord shall build up Zion Vers 24. Ps 102.16 he shall appear in his Glory Therefore thus saith the Lord Ezeck 39.25 26. now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel And the ransomed of the Lord shall return Isa 35.10 and come to Zion with Songs and everlasting joy shall be upon
the Temple of God was opened in heaven and there was seen in his Temple the Ark of his Testament This is the lot and portion of the Righteous which because we cannot conceive or understand I shall pass over in silence hoping that our spirits will be raised to admire what cannot be expressed in word or conceived in the heart pressing forward by a Christian conversation to the sweet fruition of that glory which will be the sure portion of those that have part in the first Resurrection while the wicked that continue to do wickedly have nothing to expect or hope for in that day but that wherewith the Spirit closeth this Chapter And there were lightnings and voyces and thundrings and an Earthquake and great hail This will be the terrible portion of those of whom the Apostle Jude speaketh Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Jude 14.15 The mouths of wicked men will then be stopped and put to silence though now they bark and belch forth blasphemies at pleasure against the Saints yet will it then be proved to their faces that all their wicked actions and hard speeches are done and spoken against him whose doctrine they now reject whose yoak they will not now bend to whose personal Reign they contemn as a Fable but then will they Lâ—ke 19. â—â— nill they this voyce shal reach them But those mine Enemies which would not that I should reign over them bring them hither and slay them before me And this will be such a slaughter where they will be ever killing and never dead but shall live in death to all eternity As this is ground of wo and alas to the wicked sort Mat. 25.10 against whom the door is now shut never to be opened any more never more tenders of Grace never more offers of Mercy in the Gospel but howling and wailing without ceasing world without end So is it true matter of unspeakable joy to all Saints no ground of Joy like this it comes with a Rather Luke 10.20 But rather rejoyce because your names are written in heaven This is the poor souls fulness of joy 1 Joh. 1.3 4. to know his interest in that society that shall continue rejoycing to all eternity I give a word of advice in the wordsof the Spirit to every man that hath this hope in him 1 Joh. 3.3 to purifie himself even as he is pure for since our expectation is such what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation godliness 2 Pet. 3.11 12 looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherefore gird up the loyns of your mind be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.13 Luk 2.36 And ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he wil return from the wedding Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he comes shall find watching Isa 30.18 yea blessed are all they that waite for him It s no matter deer Christians how much pains we take in the way nor what our trouble and misery is for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 When Christ our King shall say Well done thou good and faithful Servant Mat. 25.21 enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. How then should our hearts be transported with holy Ravishments in expectation of this his Appearance singing in Consort with the Heavens Earth Sea Fields and Trees in the sweet Singers heavenly Rapture For he cometh Psa 96. for he cometh to judge the Earth he shall judge the world with Righteousness and the people with his Truth Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly FINIS