is the Religion of the world and of little Children Another cause of divisions in Doctrine is this the confidence of men and Ministers who conceive that Christians know God and Christ already whereas themselves are ignorant of both Rev. 1.7 03 Rev. 5.2 not minding that God is a Mystery and that the Mystery of Christ hath been a sealed Book ever since the Apostasie as I have shewn in a book of neither Truth nor Error Nor Truth nor Error c. page 6. nor Light nor Darknesse but in the evening there shall be Light Thirdly Their darknesse and divisions hath been caused by not knowing Christ in the Spirit nor understanding the Mystery of Christ for all Christian Religions have been doting onely on the flesh of Christ See the Papists how they look upon Christ in a Picture so Protestants have their pleasant Pictures also Isai 2.16 Ezek 16.17 the Image of a Male as the Prophets phrase it that is fleshly apprehensions of Christ which they adore and deifie thus the Arminians and Socinians goe no farther than Christ after the flesh and the last especially though religious and most learned men yet look no higher than flesh yea the eternall Spirit and infinite God they confine to a place in Heaven where say they his essentiall presence is though his power be every where a very carnall conceit of God and of Christ But what mystery can the Socinian see in the Man Christ if the Man be not God or God manifest in flesh is not the Man Christ the Mystery of God Rev. 10.7 Col. 2.2 Eph. 3.5 And how can the Mystery of God and of Christ be manifest but by the Spirit 't is neither strength of reason nor reading of Scripture but the Spirit onely even the Spirit of Revelation that can prove the Godhead of Christ therefore the Apostle himself had it not as he received it of man nor as he was taught it but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ when it pleased God to reveal his Son in him c. Gal. 1.12 15. For how could the Apostle preaching to the Heathen prove the Godhead of Christ by Scripture to them who owned neither Christ nor Scriptures But Christ speaking in him that is Christ in the Spirit 2 Cor. 13.3 God powerfully acting and appearing in Pauls flesh did so manifest the Mystery to them that by the power of God working in him mightily he was able to present every man in Christ that is in God and God in them and they his Off-spring and thus did he prove the Godhead of Christ Col. 1.28 29. and that God would judge the world by the man Christ Jesus even by the manifestation of God in the Saints Acts 17.28 29 32. who should judge the world with them and in him 1 Cor. 6.2 Indeed to the Jewes who acknowledged the Scriptures by Scriptures he proved that Christ was God yet not the Godhead of Christ by that for as Christ never said that he was God but sent by God so he shewed his Godhead to be the Father dwelling in him and doing all his works which though neither the Jewes nor Disciples clearly saw in the dayes of his flesh yet when he should depart to the Father and the Spirit or Promise of the Father should be sent then the power of God appearing in their flesh as in his he shewes them the Father plainly for as no man knowes the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne reveales him so I said before that God even the Father must reveal the Sonne in us by the Spirit of Revelation to us else there is no knowing the Godhead of Christ at all John 14.10 John 16.25 27 28. For no man can say that Jesus is the Lord 1 Cor. 12.3 but by the Spirit alas man what mystery is it that Christ is God because God made the Man so because God gave him that name gave him that power and glory as God 't is true that Christ even the Sonne of God had all by gift of the Father Iohn 5.19 22 26. verses The Sonne could doe nothing of himself God gave him even the Spirit gave him authority to judge gave him to have life in himself whereas we have all of him Math. 28.18 Iohn 17.2 Phil. 2.6 9. Heb. 1.8 9. and by him God gave him glory all power in heaven and earth God gave him a name above every name yea gave him to be called God for God his God annointed him to it above his fellowes all this proves not the Godhead of Christ but that he was the Man Gods fellow that is equall with God in the form if God as 't is parallell'd by the Apostle and Prophet Zach. 13.7 Phil. 2.6 9. Therefore what Socinus saith that Christ is God because God gave him that name that power that glory and honour is no mystery for God can give to a Worme to thresh the mountaines to throw down the earth to destroy and judge the world Isai 41.14 15. Jer. 51.20 But what 's the Mystery of Christ wait for the Spirit to manifest it to thee and me Till the seventh Angell sound Rev. 10.7 the Mystery of God shall not be finished nor fully known What a madnesse is it then for men to warr and wrangle about that they know not Is it not better for us to wait in peace and patience forbearing one another and embracing one another in love till the Lord God appear in all I shall therefore crave pardon of all men because I cannot chuse but say that no man yet knowes God nor Christ nor himself this makes the difference and division as I said before because men are so confident and therefore contend of the free Grace of God the free Will of Man and the Death of Christ yet they know not God as he is nor what Man is in God nor what the Man-God Christ is in the Mystery how in God and how he is in man Oh yee Protestants Papists Arminians and Socinians answer me this one question Why did the highest Apostle beg the prayers of all the Churches that he might know the Mystery of Christ that he might manifest it and that he might speak as he ought to speak Eph. 6.19 20. Col. 4.3 4. You think you know Christ and can preach him well enough we shall be all silent and God himself shall speak at last and speak himself and manifest himself unto men Oh that men could watch and wait in love together to that day This is the last thing I had to observe that all the speaking and preachings of men will be silenced by God when the Lord appeares Pray but observe in those four steps before mentioned of Gods appearance in men how the power efficacie and fruit of Conversion hath decreased The Doctrine of Free-grace converted fewer than that legall teaching before the preaching of Christ after the flesh by the purest Churches hath had lesse converts yet yea those
us all who will bring forth light out of darknesse and love out of our divisions And as he in wrath remembers mercy so in much love I pray you remember Your WILLIAM ERBERIE A Scourge for the Assyrian the great OPPRESSOR ZACH 11.8 Three Shepherds I cut off in one moneth my soul loathed them and their soul abhorred me That is the glorious Appearance of the great God in men is most abhorred by seeming godly men and Ministers or three Shepherds whom God therefore loathes and hates all their performances as they hate his appearance the hatred of both is perfect for his soul loathes them and their soul abhorreth him AS Christ is the glory of the Father Heb. 1.1.3 Iohn 14.10 Ioh. 15.23 24 Isai 8.18 Hebr. 2.12 13 compared the appearance of God or God manifest in flesh so God in Christ the Father in him was that which was most hated by the Church of the Jews and Christ in us Iohn 14.11 Eph. 5.30 Heb. 2.11 compared Christ in the Church is abhorred by the Christian Churches who not knowing the Deity nor the humanity of Christ indeed will not acknowledge the Father to be the Godhead of Christ nor his brethren to be his humanitie in whom the fulnesse of the Godhead is so embodyed 1 Cor. 12.12 Eph. 4.13 compared that he being the head and they the members they and he make one perfect man in whom God appears to be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 This Mysterie of God even the Father Col 2.2 and of Christ is therefore abhorred by the shepherds or Pastors of Churches Gal. 1.16 Eph. 1.17 Col. 1.27 compared because they knew not the Father in the Son nor the Son in the Saints nor the Spirit in both which would reveal this glory in them God in their Flesh that is Christ in us the hope of glory which now they hate and abher not having higher discoveries of God then what they have read in traditional forms of doctrine received Col. 2.8 1 Tim. 1.17 1 Ioh. 1.1 Rom. 9 1. Heb. 1.3.8 Col. 1.15.13 Col. 2.9 compared and invented by men For as the Father is the invisible God inhabiting eternitie so Christ is God visible the Image or out-goings of God the glory of the Father in flesh the appearance of God as I said or God manifest in flesh who in the spirit was from the beginning and will be to the end though this mystery of Christ was not manifested to men till the fulness of time Isai 9 6. Ioh. 5.19 20 30. Iohn 8.28 Iohn 14.10 compared 2 Cor. 13.4 1 Pet. 1.21 Psal 68.1 Psal 68.18 Eph. 4.10 Ioh. 16.28 Iohn 17.8 when the mighty God the everlasting Father appeared in flesh taken of a Virgin then the Son was born for God was brought forth in flesh and was manifest in flesh by mighty works and words which he spake and did while he lived in the dayes of his flesh but in his death God crucified that flesh to himself which afterward he raised to glory God rising or revealing himself gloriously therein then God ascended up on high that is God in flesh did ascend not onely to heaven but far above all heavens into his own eternall abisse and incomprehensible being and unaccessible light whence the brightnesse of his glory proceeded and came forth in flesh in the fulness of time as we said before But this Mysterie was not made known nor manfested to the Sons of men Eph. 3.5 till God who ascended up in flesh sent down the Spirit from on high Psal 68.18 Eph. 4.8 when he not onely received gifts for men or as Hebrew reads received gifts in the man but gave gifts unto men that is the same Spirit and power of God dwelling in the flesh of Christ appeared in the Church which is called Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 because the Son was revealed or known in the Saints and they in the Son and both in the Father all perfect in one for which cause the Spirit is called the promise of the Father Acts 1.4 Rom. 8.25.17 and the Spirit of the Son in the Saints cryed Abba Father God being a Father to them as to him his God and theirs For though the Spirit be called the Spirit of the Son yet he received and sent it from the Father therefore the Spirit is said to proceed onely from the Father c. it is the promise of the Father the power of God from on high which the Saints received from and with the Son they being Sons and coheirs with him Joh. 15.26 This Mystery of Christ though once manifested to the Apostles and Primitive Saints by the Spirit and since shut up as a sealed book by the apostasie or spirit of Antichrist in the Churches yet the book will be open the mystery will be manifest again for the mystery of God shall be finished and fully known at last Rev. 10.7 Rev. 1.4 Rev. 2.8 But as Christ is the first and the last he who was is and is to come of Christ was vayled in the Law and is revelaed in the Gospel though but in part the full Revelation of Christ Jesus is to come Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever not Christ after the flesh for that was not till the fulness of time but Christ in the Spirit Heb. 13.8 God manifest in flesh was both yesterday under the Law and in the day of Gospel-dispensation and in the third dispensation now approaching he will abide for ever There was a change indeed from Law to Gospel when the Spirit of Christ first came into the Church the state of the Gospel changed also when the Spirit of Antichrist came in power and the Churches fell by the Apostasie when Christ shall come the second time in spirit and glory time shall be no more no more change of things shall be for all things and times shall appear in eternity which is the third dispensation as the first was yesterday the second to day Rev. 10 6 7. so the third is to be for ever I shall not now speak at large of this third dispensation onely as God is both Father Son and Spirit 1 Joh. 5.7 So God being manfest to his people in this threefold discovery of himself declares the third dispensation a third discoverie of himself unto them and in them God under the Law and to the Fathers before was known as the Father Deut. 32.6 Rom. 1.9 Rev. 22.17 In the Gospel God was known as the son or the knowledge of the Son was peculiar to the Gospel-dispensation The third will be pure Spirit when nothing but Spirit and power shall appear when God shall be all in all For although Gospel-believers were baptized into the name of Father Son and Spirit yet what they possessed was but the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8.23 there will be a full harvest flouds and Rivers of waters of life which no man can passe
over when the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord or as another Prophet adds full of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord Ezek. 47.5 Isai 11.9 Hab. 1.14 Zach. 14.8 Rev. 22.1 compared as the waters cover the Sea Isai 11.9 Hab. 2.14 There the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb God even the Father and Christ the Fathers glory shall be fully known by men Rev. 21.22 Rev. 22.4 For as Christ is the appearance of God so when God shall appear in men they shall know how Christ was under the Law and as he is in the Gospel and will be the same for ever All that I know at present of Christ is this he was under the Law in Forms In the Gospel hee appeared in Flesh Tit. 2.13 Heb. 9.28 he will appear wholly in Spirit in Spirit onely the appecarance of the great GOD and Saviour shall be and yet manifest in the flesh of men that is all the transactions of God or all that God did in the flesh of Christ Rev. 12.5 Rev. 11.8 11 12. 1 Cor. 6.2 3. Obad. 21. compared shall visibly appear in the flesh of men the birth of Christ his life death resurrection and ascention shall be seen in us men shall see us ascend in a cloud to sit in heaven to judge the world and Angels and to bee Saviours of men in mount Zion at last For the Lamb shall bee in mount Zion and with him we shall be Rev. 14.1 having his Fathers name on our foreheads that 's the full discovery of God in us and men shall see God even the Father in us with Christ so cleerly manifest as written on our foreheads Mount Sion is not an outward Church-state as the Churches now imagine and call themselves though they be indeed the daughter of Babylon Zach. 2.7 but Zion is the state of all the Saints in the Spirit as they are in God and God in them For as Zion was the place where God dwelt so all the Saints from the beginning of the world have been still waiting for this for the full discoverie of God in them Glorious things were spoken of Zion Psal 87.3 and the people of God both under the law and in Gospel-dispensation were still going on from strength to strength Psal 84.7 till every one of them appears in Zion before God Every one appears at last in Zion Rev 14.1 not onely the hundred and fourscore and four thousand who go before and are the first fruits unto God v. 4. but a numberless company of men whose voyce was as many waters and as a mighty thunder vers 2. For as the hundred fourscore and four thousand is the just number of the sealed ones Rev. 7 4. selected out of the twelve Tribes who were first called the Church and people of God typifying those in the last dayes who shall be redeemed from men and the first fruits unto God as we said before so afterward there will be a company of people called to God whom no man can number Rev. 7.9 But these come to Zion through great tribulation through the bloud of the Lamb in them v. 14. that is through much suffering through the fellowship of Christs suffering and conformity to his death they come to rise and raign with him having palms in their hauds that life of Gospel-Saints which was hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 shall appear in God and the life of God shall appear in the Saints at last thus Christ their life shall appear in them with glory This glorious appearing of the great God rising up in higher discoveries of himself in men is that which hath been ever most opposed and persecuted I speak not now of the times under the Law nor Gospel nor yet of former appearances since the Apostasie But to goe no further then our own age what we have heard and seen How was the appearance of God in the First Reformers yea in our Prelates and Bishops persecuted as heresie by the Popish Hierarchie Next the honest Presbyters or Puritans how were they opposed by the same Prelates who suffered before Thirdly these Presbyterians formerly themselves in a suffering condition persecuted the appearance of God in those of higher forms and fellowships as the Independent Churches and these likewise are ready to oppose and persecute the spirits of the Saints who in worship and doctrine are of higher discoveries then themselves The doctrine of God and of Christ for substance is the same in all the Saints though their apprehensions differ or are divers rather And who is ignorant of this that the appearances of God in one man hath not been the same as it was formerly in himself and yet all have been going on from strength to strength at least in their desires and aimes toward Zion Though I am but a child in underdanding and in yeares also to some of our Elders yet here I observed four great steps of Gods glorious appearance in mens preaching First how low and legall were their teachings as they learnt the way of preaching from Mr. Perkins Bolton Byfield Dod and Dike most blessed in their generation by whom and such conforming Ministers more men were converted to God then ever since in any period of time Next the Doctrine of free Grace came forth but with lesse successe or fruit of conversion by Dr. Preston Sibs Crispe yet many before converted were confirmed and comforted by their words Thirdly the letter of Scripture and the flesh of Christ hath been highly set up by both the famous Goodwins the one Master John Goodwin like Apollos being mighty in Scriptures and strength of reason the other excels in spirituall discourses of Christs death resurrection ascension and intercession yet much according to the flesh for he meddles not with the Mystery of Christ in us of his dying in us as Mr. Dell in part discovers but all of Christ without us which though a truth yet not the whole truth nor that spirit and truth which Christ spake of John 6.63 2 Cor. 3.6.18 for as the flesh profiteth nothing but the quickning spirit that dwelt therein so the the Apostles had a ministery of the spirit to carry men through the flesh of Christ into the Father that eternall Spirit dwelling in him and them and so to draw them up into the same fellowship with himself Again this good man speakes much of Christ in the flesh not as he is in the Father and we in him and be in us which is the sum of our spiritual knowledge and all we should know of Christ after his Ascension Joh. 14.20 Thirdly he brings us no further then to the vail of his flesh not through it into the holy of holiest into the Godhead it self that is into the Father for Christ was but our fore-runner Hebr. 6.19 20. Fourthly though the vail of his flesh be a new and living way into the holiest yet not that flesh as living but as dead
and crucified became the living way Heb. 10.20 as with God I shall shew another time Fifthly that worthy man brings men to the way but not to the Truth and Life Now Christ was all First the way for no man cometh to the Father but by me Iohn 14.6 now 't is a vain thing to keep men still in the way to stand still in the way and not to goe on by Christ into the Father into the holiest and thus was Christ the Truth Iohn 14.3 also taking us into the Father with himself for as this was eternall life to know the Father to be the onely true God Ioh. 17.3 and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent so Christ was sent or God even the Father was manifest in his flesh that we might see God in us as he was in him Iohn 17.21 23 24. and our life with him in God Lastly thus Christ is the life and thus he that hath the Son hath life that is the Son being once revealed in us reveals the Father in us also God in our flesh as in his and we living with him in God alone Joh. 14.19 20. 1 Joh. 5.11 12. This is the knowledge of Christ in the Spirit and this is the fourth step which some have attained to holding forth Christ in the Spirit as Mr. Sedgwick Mr. Sterrie Mr. Sprig and others these with their fellows are neerest Zion yet are they not come into it for as every Prophet shall one day be ashamed of his vision Zach. 13.4 yea prophesie it self shall fail So it is manifest these men are of a dark and deeper speech then can be easily understood Isai 33.19 therefore it is not Zion when there shall be such a glorious appearance of God in men that all shall see and hear him in them and as they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion Isai 52.8 or bring forth himself cleerly in us who are now in captivity or he rather captive in our flesh so men shall hear God himself in us for so it is in the Hebrew Zach. 8.23 not we have heard that God is with you but we will go with you for we have heard God with you and in you Then man shall be nothing and God shall be all in all yet man shall be all in God and nothing but God shall appear in man This glorious appearance of the great God in man the three Shepherds the Pastors and Teachers doe indeed abhor they hate his appearance as I said and he abhors all their performances But who are these three Shepherds the Pastors of Churches What their cutting off is my former Letter shewed to suffer the curse of God and contempt of men How God cuts them off It is by unchurching them and by confounding or dividing them the Lord doth first unchurch them burns up the Church with fire Zachariah 11.1 there he calls Lebanon to open the doors that the fire may come in to burn up the tallest Cedars What 's Lebanon but the Temple for it was built with that Who are the Cedars but the tallest Members the principall of the flock What is the fire but the Spirit of the Lord as the Lord God calls upon Lebanon so he commands that the Church doors may be open for the fire to enter and the spirit to burn up all their chiefest members and Ministers for so it is vers 2. The mighty men or the gallants are spoiled yea there is a howling of the shepherds for their glory is spoiled v. 3. Their Church-fellowship and forms is that they glory in God spoils them and stains the pride of all their glory yea he burns it up How By fire The baptisme of the Spirit and of fire was the first Gospel-Ordinance Acts 1.4 5. or that which first set up the Church in a Gospel-order Fire will be the last that shall burn up the Churches who because they would not as the Primitive Saints did wait for the Spirit to build them the Spirit shall come to burn and consume them at last Secondly God cuts them off confounds and divides them he cuts them into three parts as we shall see by and by Thus then the three shepherds are the Pastors of all the Churches or whole Ministery of the Church Ezek. 16.30 Rev. 17.2 for as the Apostate Jewish Church was a Type of the Christian Church now under the Apostacie the whoredomes of Israel typifying the great whore whose fornications and the wine thereof in their forms of doctrine and false worships as we shall shew another time so Junius well notes the three Shepherds to signifie the whole teaching Ministery of the Jewish Church Vid. Junium in Zach. 11. for the Pharisees Sadduces and Essenes saith he were the onely Pastors or Teachers who did instruct the people in the Word of God as Prelates Presbyters and Independents are the whole Ministery of the Church of England this day These are divided not onely in Worship and Discipline but in doctrine also especially in three things 1. In the free grace of God which some call Antinomianism 2. In the free-will of man which otherscall Pelagianism 3. In the death of Christ or universal Redemption of mankind thereby which both Presbyters and Independants abhorre as Paganisme though nearest the Gospel indeed I shall not now shew the cause of all those divisions in Doctrine being engaged onely at present to prove their defilements in the worship of God and in their walking with men Yet this is one cause of their former difference and divisions in Doctrine Acts 2.42 because the Apostles Doctrine being before all Gospel-Ordinances is out of order in the Churches 1 Tim. 6.3 2. Tim. 1.13 who not content with that forme of sound words and wholsome Doctrine delivered by them doe follow the childish Dictates of Fathers the Decrees of Councels being a company of Bishops with such Creeds Confessions and Catechismes formed by them and reformed Churches whose conformities and fooleries in formes of worship though our Churches cannot chuse but see yet with a blind devotion they follow all their formes of doctrine not suffering a doubt or the least debate to passe upon their reason and judgement therein How injudicious this is with ingenuous men let all men judge Iohn 3.12 for if I tell you of earthly things saith Christ and yee beleeve not how will yee beleeve if I tell you of heavenly all outward worship is but an earthly thing Now if all Fathers and former Churches have erred in worship why not I pray you may they not erre in Doctrine in heavenly and hidden things in the high Mystery of God and of Christ especially seeing the Apostles did prophesie of such deceit to come in this by vain Philosophy Col. 2.8 and metaphysicall speculations of the Deity by the traditions and inventions of men the rudiments of the world the rudiments that is the A. B. C. or common Catechismes which
man of contention to all the earth Ier. 15.10 c. First to Prelates then to Presbyters now to Independent Pastors and Teachers It is my mother the Church hath made me thus for my Fathers Spirit the promise of the Father in me doth teach me better things There are better things indeed that the Saints should wait for things above Law and Gospel-order if it were as it was Ier. 50.45 but is not things which neither Prophets nor Apostles attained to yet both did write of and wait for Rom. 8.21 the glory to be revealed in us the glorious libertie of the sons of God and of the sons of men also even of the whole Creation 2 Pet. 3.13 the new Heaven and new Earth the new Jerusalem 1 Ioh. 3.2 the appearance of the great God in us when we shall be like him and see him as he is see his face and his name on our foreheads Rev. 22.1 2 3 4 c. when there shall be no curse nor crying nor death but the tree of life in the midst of us the River of life cleer as Crystall proceeding out of the Throne of God and the Lamb that is in us Zach. 14.8 Job 20.17 Ioel 3.18 These are the living waters the Rivers and Brooks of butter and honey the Prophets speak of yea the mountains dropping down new wine and the hills flowing with milk is more then was in Gospel-times Acts 2. the new wine the Spirit which the Apostles were drunk with at first was but the first fruits but a taste of that which shall be more fully drawn forth in the last dayes Zach. 9.15 Rev. 19.6 when men shall drink and make a noise as through wine and be filled with bowls c. yea make a noise as of thunder being the voice of much people in heaven and of many Allelujahs Those who shall sing and speak really and indeed these gladtidings to men shall not want money nor meanes for City and Country and Kings too shall contribute their glory to them the City Merchant shall give them food and raiment Isai 23.18 and Country Farmers shall serve their wives and children to plow sow and reap for them Isai 61.4 5 6 and 9. verses yea the Lord God himself will be ready as a servant Isai 45.11 Isai 58.9 to wait on them at their command and at their call Here am I saith he to those who undoe the heavie burthens and let the oppressed goe free and break every yoke from mens states and spirits this the everlasting Gospel will doe Isai 58.6 7 8 9 12. verses compared This is also the Sabbath before spoken of which the Ministers there wish it were over not onely to cease from our own works but from speaking our own words Heb. 4.10 Isai 58.13 or from speaking words as the Hebrew reads v. 13. Heb. 22.19 The Law indeed was a voice of words and the preaching of the Gospel at first was in this far below its own light at least below that glory of the everlasting Gospel at last which shall not be in words or speakings Rev. 19.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in the righteous actings of men the righteousnesses of Saints Rev. 19.8 The Angel who is to preach the everlasting Gospel is no particular man or men as in the Gospel-Ministry at first but the Spirit it self even the glorious appearance of the great God in Men and in Magistrates first shall Minister that light and love and glory to bee revealed in us Thus the Angel flyes in the midst of heaven c. Rev. 14.6 the other Angel v. 7. is another appearance of God in men Revel 21.24 For as the Kings of the Earth bring their glory and honour to the New Jerusalem that of the New Jerusalem being the sum of the everlasting Gospel so these Kings of the earth who shall be are the ten Kings who burn the whores flesh with fire Rev. 17.16 The ten Kings are not a Kingly power for Monarchy will never burn Ministery the whores flesh but such a government of men who have received no Kingdome as yet but receive power as Kings one hour with the Beast Rev. 17.12 as the two Beasts are false Ministery under severall forms so the Beast here is the second Beast * The Beast and the false Prophet were taken c. The Beast is the first Beast the false Prophet is the second Beast who did Miracles called the false Prophet Rev. 19.20 who hath two hornes like a lambe this being the purest Ministerie and most like Christ though indeed of Antichrist doing and speaking as the Dragon and first Beast did Rev. 23.11 12. To this second Beast the ten Kings with one mind give their power and strength Rev. 13.14 Rev. 19.20 compared and make war with the Lamb oppose and persecute the high appearance of God in his suffering Saints who are said to be with him who also by suffering shall overcome at last both the Beast and ten Kings with him Rev 17.13 14. compared with Revel 12.11 The ten Kings being thus overcome by the Spirit of the Lord in his people and by the same Spirit appearing in themselves shall hate the whore with the Beast and shall burn her flesh with fire Rev. 17.16 But before this as I said they had given their power to the Beast the reason why they gave it is strange and should still all the murmurings of men For God put it in their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree and to give their Kingdom to the Beast untill the words of God shall be fulfilled Rev. 17.17 When the words of God are fulfilled then the woman that whorish spirit or dependance on Men and Ministers which reigns over the Kings of the earth the ten Kings shall burn with fire that is by the power and Spirit of the Lord God appearing in them as Fire These ten Kings then seem to me to be a State Government like ours who have no Kingdom as yet not yet setled though the Beast may make them believe they are Kings for an hour for that little time of the Beasts reign over them but the Kings can doe nothing they can doe no more nor longer then the Lord puts in their hearts as was said before therefore when the Word of God is fulfilled and his time accomplished The ten Kings though formerly ruled by the Beast and loving the whore yet now hate her make her desolate and naked eat her flesh and burn her with fire Rev. 17.16 17. How beloved were the Bishops or Prelates to most of the present powers in whom yet such a Spirit since appeared that hath burnt up all those and will them that follow Those Kings then who bring their glory and honour to the new Jerusalem are the ten Kings and these ten Kings are the Christian Magistrates it may be ours for as the Nations of them that are saved are joyned with them Rev. 21.24