Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	call_v	church_n	holy_a	7,200	5	5.2401	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89056	A further discovery of the mystery of the last times; as an addition to a little book, called Some discoveries of the mystery of the last times, bordering upon the coming of the Lord Jesus. Set forth for the good of all men; but especially of those who in these dissenting times (wherein Ephraim envieth Juda, and Juda vexeth Ephraim) know not where to settle themselves, or to what society of Christians to joyn themselves: wherein is (as simply and plainly, as the author was able to open those mysterious scriptures quoted in this following treatise) shewed the cause of all our divisions and contentions about matters pertaining to form and order in the church of Jesus Christ; and wherein is moderately proved from those scriptures these particulars. 1. The flourishing and building condition of the church of Jesus Christ in the time of the gospel. ... 7. Lastly, that the Lord Jesus will by himself destroy all those enemies, and deliver his people, when the restoration of all things shall be.	Mercer, Richard, fl. 1649-1651.; Mercer, Richard, fl. 1649-1651. Some discoveries of the mystery of the last times, bordering upon the coming of the Lord Jesus].	1651 (1651)	Wing M1732; Thomason E637_16; ESTC R206616	80,538	60

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

and upon her head a crown of twelve starrs now I think no man will deny but the Church which undoubtedly was the woman which was cloathed with the sun when she had such abundance of the spirit that it sat upon them as fire and they were filled with the holy Ghost and spake with tongues and were enabled with power to distribute the ordinances of the Gospel unto whom they did appertain and when the Church was crowned with twelve stars namely the twelve Apostles But it is yet objected Be it so that this is true yet is there no workings of the spirit are all things so dead as there is no appearance of God by gifts and ordinances I answer I do beleeve that there are some breathings of the Spirit in the Saints for it is not said the sun is wholly darkened but darkned that is doth not give that light as it did in the first Gospel times and this the very experience of times doth evince but for the ordinances which are likened to the moon they are in a manner wholly darkened from that they were in the first times and as for the stars the third part of them was darkned in the sounding of the fourth trumpet Rev. 8. 12. and 12. 4. and they which persisted in the faith are killed by the beast Rev. 11. 7. It is further objected that though it be said The powers of the heavens shal be shaken yet it follows not that they are removed no more then trees that are shaken of a mighty wind are removed To which I answer that shaking in Scripture sense is removing and this is cleer from that of Haggai 2. 6. where it is said for thus saith the Lord of hoasts yet once it is but a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land which shaking is expounded by the Authour to the Hebrews to be a removing Hebrews the 12. 27. And thus I hope I have fully answered these objections Another objection is made against that exposition which I make upon that text Luke 17. 34. where it is said In that night there shall be two men in one bed the one shall be taken the other shall be left which say they is meant when the Lord appeareth then shall one that is a Christian be at work with an unbeliever and where it is said There shall be two in one bed the one shall be taken the other shall be left say they it is meant the husband may be a believer and the wife an unbeleever as it was in the first Gospel times To which I answer That the text saith it is two men and two women and therefore it cannot be meant of that matrimonial coupling of man and wife and touching the two men being in the field together as it is Matth. 24. that it may be expounded at work together the one a beleever the other an unbeleever this the words going before will cleer for it is said Luke 17. 26. As it was in the dayes of Noe so shall it be in the dayes of the Son of man likewise as it was in the dayes of Lot they did eat and drink they bought they sold they planted they builded but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone and destroyed them all Now we all know there was no difference between Noe and the world and Lot and the Sodomltes in any outward worship but onely they were preachers of righteousnesse which is cleer by that speech of Abraham where he prayeth for Sodom Gen. 18. 24. and saith Peradventure there be found fifty righteous so likewise in the dayes of the coming of the Son of man those that are truly Christians and watch and pray cannot but be preachers of righteousnesse forasmuch as that man that is addicted to sin and uncleannesse cannot be said in reason to watch over his actions and he that is praying or prepared alwayes to pray cannot be voyd of righteousness towards man Another Objection is made touching the raising of the Witnesses for say they It is true the Witnesses are to lie dead but there is a time for their raising again and this is our practice sor we are raising the Witnesses from death to meet the Lord in Sion To which I answer That it is true that the Witnesses are to rise and to stand upon their feet but the question is when this should be which I beleeve upon examination will appear to be when the Lord appears from heaven which I shall prove thus as it is said Rev. 11. 11. and after three dayes and a half the Spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon all that saw them which compared with Ezekiel 37. and Rev. 20. 5. will appear to be that resurrection spoken of in those two places But it may be said Those places speak of the raising of the dead out of their graves to meet the Lord in Sion but this of Revel 11. must be meant of the raising the people of the Lord Jesus out of that darkness wherein they lay in the Antichristian state To which I answer It is true it seems to be so but mark well the sense of the place and you shall finde it is at the Lords appearing as to mee it seems cleer from the 12 verse where it is said And they heard a great voice from heaven saying Come up hither and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld them which compared with 1 Thes. 4. it will appear to be when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven with a shout and the voyce of the archangel as it is in ver 16. besides mark the effects that did follow upon the rising of the witnesses for it is said verse 13. And the same hour there was a great Earth-quake and the tenth part of the City fell and in the earth-quake were slain of men 7000 and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven so that I think no man will affirm there is any such effects wrought by any arising from death of the witnesses in these our days and thus I hope I have answered this objection It is yet further objected that the changes that are wrought in this nation are some tokens of the Lords hand for we may plainly see that there be many men that were before wicked persons both swearers and lascivious in their lives and conversations that upon their coming in are changed in their lives likewise there are many young men that were of no gifts and parts in the sight of the world are now able to dispense the word and to pray very heavenly somtime to the admiration of the hearers insomuch as they are forced to say God is in you of a truth and therefore this must needs be a testimony that the hand of God is in this work and that he will prosper it To this I answer

and do acknowledg that this in part is true and I do acknowledg there are precious Saints among all our professors neither is it the personall holiness of the men of any profession that I have any thing to say against but it is the tying and confirming the presence of God to this or that Administration out of a good zeal I hope but I suppose not according to knowledg and therefore I would desire all men to consider that if God be in one profession he is also as powerfull in another in those things which are alleaged for I am able to see no difference in one profession more then in another but according as men excell one another in parts education wit or learning so they excell one another but no otherwise yea those men whose principles are in esteem of most of our professours damnable have many men amongst them of excellent parts outwardly besides take notice at the most this is but the day of small things and the Church is to increase in glory as it is confessed by all but I finde no text tending to any encreasing condition before the Lord appear which will be most sudden and unexpected which I shall the Lord enabling mee prove in its due place Besides I pray mark the first annointing was with abundance of successe insomuch as thousands were converted at times but this is no way comparable to that for gifts and graces neither for powerfull conversion and therefore it falls short of the first annointing whereas the later glory is prophesied to exceed the former as is plain from these Scriptures Isa. 24. 23. and 60. 20. 66. 11. Zech. 12. 8. Rev. 14. 1. and 18. 1. with divers other the like places which I could produce for proof if my leisure would permit Therefore I conclude that the times of the Reformation of the Church as they call it which have happened since the servants have been awake out of their slumbring condition wherein they have endeavoured with much heat to weed out the tares out of the Church of Jesus Christ sometimes by the sword of the spirit when they had no other means sometimes with the temporall sword by which occasion hath followed all those miseries which have besell the Christian world since the first falling off from the Church of Rome which if they had on both sides followed the housholders direction to have let the tares and the wheat grown together there would not have been so much good wheat rooted up with the tares in that manner nevertheless this hath happened by the Lords permission so that by this meanes the mountains of the protestant Churches are established which though it must needs be acknowledged that as touching their ministry and in respect of their ordinances they fall short of that purity which was in the first Gospel times they retaining their office of ministry and ordinances through that corrupt channell of the Church of Rome yet touching their doctrine which are the things to be believed they come neer unto the first times unto which the people of the Lord Jesus are exhorted to flee unto though mystically when once the abomination of disolation standeth in the holy place It hath further been objected against me how I being a man of such weake parts and having no other learning then my Mother was able to teach me dare meddle with the opening of those darke prophesies in the Prophets and Revelation To such men I answer and desire all men to consider to what end those prophesies were unsealed Revel the 22. 10. and left as a monument to the people of the Lord in all ages and whether they were to lie as a dead letter or for Gods people to examine and with humilitie to gaine the sense of them And if all Scripture were given by inspiration and is profitable to instruct then doubtless the prophesies are given to the same end as well as the other more plainer places of Scripture especially in those last times when the prophesies are in part fulfilled and therefore the more easie to attain the sense of them besides take notice the Lord is pleased to give encouragement unto his people to search them that so they may understand the meaning of them as may be seen Isai. 8. 20. Habak 2. 2. Rev. 13. 18. and 17. 9. upon which accompt I took encouragement to open those places of Scripture quoted in this Treatise neither can any man I hope accuse me with arrogancy in delivering the sense of them for I have done it with humilitie and much modesty still considering the depth of those places and the mysteriousnesse of them so that I have been fearfull in a great measure lest I should happen to be deceived in the sense of them And this I hope will satisfie those men It is further objected against me that the matter is high I treat of and beyond the reach of ordinary sense and say they there is no end of making of many books And this objection is made by such men as have been very forward to open their principles in this way of weiting in the beginning of these dividing times To such men I answer that the more hight there is in the matter treated of so much the more we ought to search into it provided it be with humilitie especially the matters being such as are not hidden things but things revealed to us and our children and encouragement given unto us to search them moreover if the Scripture be the rule by which we ought to square all our actions and this Scripture containes some dark and mysterious prophesies whereof it is full if we will have none of them then sure we will leave out some part of our direction and make use of no more then sutes with our affection and will be guided but with part of our duty which we pretend to follow and then this is no sure way but our practice which we pretend we fetch the rule from the word for it may haply it further searched into I mean the Scripture speak against and so we may be deceived therefore it is most sure and certain if we will have our practice warranted by the word to search into the whole will of God yea though the places be mysterious and doubtfull But I have observed in some men and those eminent too that what they professe they labour with much diligence to propagate and to gain disciples to and when once they have obtained to any considerable number and have gotten possession and footing then whatsoever crosses their practise and doth not suit with their principles is matter of height or else frivolous and not worth the looking on Whereas those very men in their beginnings were the greatest setters on of others to search the Scriptures It is yet further objected that this is strange doctrine what are you a man alone hath God hidden those things from all and onely revealed them unto you this is most strange and contrary to

was the place which I did own for my worship but now he saith in the 3 verse He that killeth an oxe is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a lamb as if he cut off a dogs neck he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines bloud he that burneth incense as if he blessed an idol yea they have chosen their own wayes and their soul delighteth in their Abominations From whence we may gather this instruction that when once the Lord hath forsaken his own ordinances and that the glory is departed from that administration that the same worship is most abominable before God and that peoples own wayes are as wicked in killing an oxe thereby to sacrifice unto God if he have left that worship as to kill a man is most wicked before God and man as is cleer from the plain letter of the text And for confirmation of this exposition because it may seem odious to some men not well weighing the meaning of the holy Ghost in this place pray turn to the Acts of the Apostles the 7. 48. 49. where the martyr Saint Stophen alledgeth the same prophesie of Isaiah against the Jews which laboured to maintain their worship and Temple when the glory of God was departed from it But I suppose it will be objected that we acknowledg that concerning the Temple and worship of the Jews the glory is departed from that administration and it is most wicked for his people to practise it but what makes that to us that are under the administration of Gospel order To which I answer that I do conceive this was a type of that desolate condition which should befall the Christians under Gospel administrations And I believe it will be acknowledged that the glory is departed from the outward administration for very experience teacheth us that the sun is darkned in respect of that glory it did shine in in the first Gospel times and the ordinances changed and corrupted from their first purity I shal now secondly prove the people of the Lord ought to wait by watching prayer without the ordinances in their purity after the glory is departed from them by our Saviours dehortation of his people from the use of them in their purity from his own words Matthew 24 25. 26. where he saith Behold I have told you before wherfore if they shall say unto you behold he is in the desert goe not forth behold he is is in the secret chambers beleeve it not where pray marke for our instruction what he saith behold I have told you before as much as if he should have said take notice of my words for I have admonished you before hand that there should be a time wherein you should be perswaded to goe out of your desert condition in some order which shall seem to be the wayes of God but he saith if they shall say unto you he is in the desert go not forth which thews that they were in some desart condition at the same time which as I conceive was among the men of the world or in captivity among the Antichristian State but saith he go not forth I shall shew my thoughts what I take this desert to be which I think to be that condition of men which go under the profession of Ramers or as some call them Notionists which walke without order or such as profess they enjoy God and have the spirit above the common sort of men which walk in order which I do believe the experience of things in short time will prove this to be a truth if we consider what hath come to pass already if we look upon no other thing but that book lately come forth Intituled A siery flying Rol which seems to me that the Author was not guided by the Spirit of God neither by the word of God to do any such actions as he is not ashamed to boast of in that book By secret chambers I take them to be those single fellowships of men which boast so much of Gospel order under what title soever they be called the word in the originall as say the learned in the tongues signifies an upper Roome which may be a state above others as they boast themselves I shall shew my proofs and reasons for this exposition The first is from Luke the 17. 22. where our Saviour saith 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 Now what can be there meant but that you being in a desolate condition and in captivity shall desire to returne unto the freedom of the Gospel to walke in the ordinances thereof but you shall not Secondly my second ground for this exposition is from the glory being departed from the outward administrations For after once the abomination is fully set up the Church becomes desolate and is left like a wildernesse Isaiah the 27. 10. There shall the Calfe feed and lie down and consume the branches thereof compared with Rev. the 12. 6. 14. as much as if the prophet should have said there is a time when the holy city shall be left without defence and shall be the habitation of calfish and beastly men which shall consume the people thereof I shall now proceed to my third Reason taken from Matthew the 24. 24. where it is said For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall show great signes and wonders insomuch as if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect and from Revelation the 13. 11 13. where speaking of the second Beast he saith that he had two horns like a lambe but he spake like the Dragon and also he doth great wonders so that he maketh fire to come down from heaven in the fight of men where pray note here is something that is like to the wayes of Christ for he saith that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect and here is fire made to come down from heaven in the sight of men now what is this fire but the Spirit of God as is pretended which those that have as they say attained to the highest perfection do so much enjoy as that they boast of perfection in this life A fourth reason is taken from the text it self where it is said Behold he is in the secret chambers believe it not which chambers as say the learned in the tongues in the originall signifies an upper room or state above others now I appeal to any man whether these men especially those that do profess to come neerest to the wayes of Jesus Christ do not boast to be above others in the ways of the Lord Jesus and this is the professinn of all men that reform in those ways for every profession to esteem his own way above others A fifth ground or reason for my exposition of this text to be this is taken from Matthew the 24. 27. where the coming of the Lrod Jesus is compared

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

he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth and if we in outward carriage towards men do watch over our own corruptions and order our lives and conversations aright and in our worship towards God use prayer and praises from a pure heart which is the only sacrifice he accepts we have his promise which cannot ly that unto such he will shew the salvation of God Psalm the 50. 23. And so much for this sleepy and dead condition of the people of the Lord Jesus Christ. It hath been a question put by some to me how I proved the four beasts which did give glory to God upon which I grounded my book called Some Discoveries of the mysteries of the last times to be four dispensations of the people of God under which they ly in severall shapes or conditions which to satisfie all men that doubt of the truth of that exposition I desire such men to look Revelation the 5. 8 9 10 verses where it is said And when he had taken the book the four beasts and the four and twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb having harpes and golden viols full of odours which are she prayers of the Saints and they sung a new song saying Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the Earth which proof through a mistake was left out which now I have inserted to satisfie all men which doubt the truth of it I shall now in the fourth place speak of the fourth particular in order That the Lord Jesus will appear most gloriously to deliver his people by himself And this all the prophets bear witness unto As first the prophet David in the 50. Psalm and 2. verse where speaking of the Lords glorious appearing saith Out of Sion the perfection of beauty hath God shined Our God shall come and shall not keep silence a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him The like in Psalm 45. 3. he saith Gird thy sword upon thy thigh ô thou most mighty withthy glory and majesty and in thy majesty ride on prosperously The like he saith in Psalm 72. speaking of the peace and righteousness which should flourish in Christs kingdome in the type of Solomon the 9. verse And blessed be his glorious name for ever and ever and let the whole Earth be filled with his glory amen amen So in the 97. Psalm the prophet saith speaking of the glory and majesty of Christs Kingdome The Lord raigneth let the earth rejoyce let the multitude of the Isles be glad thereof clouds and darkness are round about him righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne a fire goeth before him and burneth up all his enemies his lightnings lightned the world the earth saw and trembled The like Isaiah speaking of the glory of Christs kingdome in chapter 4. 2. and 22. 22 23. and 63. 1 2 3. in all which places of the same prophet mention is made of abundance of glory at the Lords appearing to deliver his people So likewise Ezekiel chapter 43. 2. and Daniel chapter 7 14. Hosea 6. 3. Micah 4. 1 2 3. Nahum the first and 3. Habakuk 3. 2 3. in all which places there is mention made that when the Lord appears and restores his people there will be abundance of glory Secondly I shall proceed to speak of that glory that is set forth in the new Testament as Matthew 17. 1. Mark 9. 2. Luke 17. 24. Matthew 24. 27. 2 Thessalonians 2. 8. Rev. 14. 15. and 14. 1. and 18. 1. and 19. 11 12 13. In all which places there is mention made of that glorious appearing of the Lord Jesus when he comes to deliver his people Now it being so that the next appearing of the Lord Jesus will be with abundance of glory according to his own speech unto his disciples Matthew the 16. 28. which was performed unto Peter James and John in Matthew 17. 2. and according as those texts before mentioned do abundantly prove It will be therefore necessary to see and consider whether there be any glory at present any way answerable to these texts of Scripture above quoted or any way coming neer unto it among the severall professions of this age as for those single congregations which go under the name of Independent or Baptist or any other which profess to walk in the way of the Gospel no nor yet the Seekers they ascribe unto themselves no such thing But for those men which go under the vulgar name of Ranters they do ascribe unto themselves a great perfection namely that they are come to Sion and enjoy God perfectly and that God is all in all unto them and that the Son in them hath delivered up the kingdom unto God the Father as may be seen in their books therfore let us examine what sign of glory is so excellent amongst them As first to begin with their persons as they are men I am not able to discern as yet but that they are men subject to the like passions as other men and therefore in that respect no such glory as for those miseries which are incident unto mans life as hunger thirst cold heat sicknesse and diseases which are common to men they have their part as other men for ought I can yet see and therefore no such glory As for those gifts and graces of the spirit as faith hope love self-deniall meeknesse temperance patience I see no greater measure in them then in other Christians and therefore no such glory As for perfection and a life free from sin and uncleannesse I see no such excellency in them more then in other sorts of Christians as it were boasting that they can do such and such things which are in themselves wicked and yet unto them without sin therefore in that respect no such glory As for any spirit of infallibility in them speaking as the oracles of God more in them then in other Christians I see no difference nay what prophesies of theirs are come to passe therefore no such glory in the least degree Therefore I conceive I may conclude with this argument against them that the first appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ both in himselfe and in his Apostles was glorious witnesse the spirit descending like a dove upon him and also upon his Apostles there did appeal unto them cloven tongues like unto fire and sat upon them and they were filled with the holy Ghost Acts 2. 3 4. But the second appearance of Jesus Christ will be with much more glory as may be seen Mathew 17. 2. But that perfection and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in those men as they pretend comes short of the glory of the first times as experience witnesseth therefore I conceive I may safely conclude

mystically commanded to fly to the mountains Matthew the 24. when speedily followed the waking of the servants in which they did desire to deliver themselves and began to see the grosse and wicked idolatry which was committed and began to fly and avoid it and did hope to gather thetares from the good seed or at least to separate them and to draw themselves out from amongst them but alas too late for antichrist had goten possession then immediately followed persecution in such a measure as I think there was more bloud shed for cause of conscience then there was in any time of the persecution of the Empire heathen as it is yet fresh in memory and may be abundantly seen in the Acts and Monuments of the Church of England Now sixthly as the servants began to wake and to look about them and to increase in knowledg and the time of the prosperity of the beast began to be at the height and should decay Martin Luther steps forth and fulfils that prophesie Revelation the 13. 3 for he gives a wound unto the beast for whereas the doctrine of merits by works was one of the principal heads of the beast and the greatest of all his power this Martin Luther did oppose with great might and with much successe insomuch as he gave a deadly wound unto the beast but we have sinc eseen by experience this deadly wound healed and all the world wondreth after the beast in a manner for they see order in the Church of Rome though by a wrong power but amongst us nothing but disorder and this we may speak with grief of heart and there is reason for it which I have abundantly proved already and may further God assisting me cleer it hereafter besides the loosnesse of Protestants at large as I may term them and our divisions and loosnesse in our practices makes him get heart and to hope to gaine all againe of what he hath lost or at least to hold that which he hath and this St. John seems to intimate unto us in Revelation the 17. 8. where he saith When they beheld the beast that was and is not and yet is shewing as I conceive that at the change of the beast he should so lose his power as he should as it were seem not to be and yet after he should recover strength againe and have a being untill the Lord destroy him with the spirit of his mouth and with the brightnesse of his coming Isaiah the 11. 42 Thes. 2. 8. which can in reason be expounded to be no other but Rome under the Pope as I have proved by ten reasons Now forasmuch as there is one principal text Matthew 24. 15. upon which text dependeth almost all the following part of the chapter as an exhortation of the Lord Jesus unto his disciples how they should carry themselves when once the abomination which makes desolate is set up and therefore I shall shew what I take this abornination to be and therefore pray mind I take this abomination not to be the destruction of Jerusalem which did follow within 40. years after the passion of Christ as I have already proved But I take this abomination of desolation to be that Idol of the bread which in the Church of Rome is transubstantiated into the reall body of Christ as the Papists teach or in short the real presence of the sleshly body of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar as they call it which Idolatry I take to be the grossest Idolatry that ever was committed by any civill or religious nation or nations and about which there hath so much bloud of the Saints of Jesus Christ been spilt in the kingdome of the Pope as the like hath not been seen in any age for one thing But because this is a matter of much consequence I shall produce severall reasons for the proofe thereof Wherefore my first reason shall be from the text it self where it is said When you shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet standing in the holy place that is something that standeth in the holy place which drives the presence of Gods spirit out of that place that was once holy A second reason I take from that text Daniel the 11. 31. which is the place of the prophet as I conceive which our Saviour meant where it is said speaking of Antiochus And armies shall stand on his part and they shall pollute the Sanctuary of strength and they shall take away the daily sacrifice and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate Which text was fulfilled the first of Maccabees the first chapter 54. ver which was a type of that abomination which our Saviour speaketh of meaning as I conceive that of Daniel the 11. 31. now as Antiochus by his power did pollute the temple of the Lord by commanding the daily sacrifice to cease and did set up the Idol of abomination upon the Altar of God where by the spirit of God departed from that worship even so in the mystery the Pope hath changed the communion into the sacrifice of the Masse and real presence in the Sacrament and caused the people to worship it so that by reason of that idolatry the spirit of God is departed from that administration Thirdly that whereas the Lord Jesus having instituted his last supper to be practised in Remembrance of his death till he come and made no mention of worshipping it the Pope contrarily maketh it a sacrifice and commandeth the people to worship it thereby forcing the spirit of God from that worship Luke 22. 19. 1 Corinthians 11. 24. Fourthly That whereas the Lord hath commanded Exodus the 20. that his people should make no graven image nor the likenesse of any thing in any place thereby to worship it the Pope contrary to his command maketh the reall presence in the Sacrament daily under the form of bread and commandeth the people to worship it without any warrant from the word for their practice thereby forcing the people to commit Idolatry and so driveth the spirit of God from that dispensation Fifthly That as the Jews in time of the standing of the Temple by their Idolatry and by their setting up the image of jealousie in the temple did cause the spirit of God to depart from that worship Ezekiel the 8. 5 6. even so the Pope and his clergy in the mystery hath set up the image of jealousie in the Church in turning the communion of the Lords supper from its first Institution into the real presence of Christs fleshly body in forme of bread in the Sacrament and commanded the people to worship it thereby grieving the Spirit of God and causing it to depart from that worship Sixthly that as the pastours or shepherds of the Jewes in the time of the standing of the Temple did eat up the good pasture and drank the deep waters which I conceive was the ordinances of the Temple with the sacrifices and did tread