RESURRECTION REVEL 11.13 And the same houre was there a great earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell and in this earth-quake were slain of men seven thousand and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of Heaven WE are unfolding the mystery of the two witnesses which are the witnesses of God in which and by which every word of God is confirmed they are two in their prophesie in sackcloth but their is a third conjoyned with them in their resurrection as they are in Heaven Ascended and Risen There are thee that bear witnes in heaven and by these three is every word establisht The Father the Son and the Spirit each of them having a sufficiency to confirm each other and together to put an end to all controversies You heard in the morning that there were severall degrees of the reviving of the witnesses the first degree is the entering of the Spirit of life from God into them which caused them to stand upon their feet Secondly They heard a great Voyce from Heaven calling them up Come up hither And thirdly There is their Ascention into Heaven They were taken up in a cloud and their enemies beheld them And in the 13 verse there is the effect of al this In the same hour there was a great earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell These works of God are not yet pure though they are very excellent Though there be a Resurrestion and Ascention into heaven yet it is in a cloud covered with some infirmity and darknesse and yet in this there is the greatest glory And the same hour was an Earthquake Or to speak the language of God elsewhere A rejoycing with trembling In the greatest appearance and manifestation of God so long as there is any Earth it Trembleth and indeed the more glorious the discoveries of God are the greater the Earthquake No Earth can be without moving and trouble that bears the weight of the glory of God upon it In this hour of ascention there is a mixture of some secret rejoycing and some trouble occasioned by the Earthquake or else take the Earth heer as distinct from the witnesses and then their ascending up from the Earth makes the Earth to shake Christ and the Spirit of God those two witnesses are the streneth and stability of the Earth yea the strength of the Pillars of the Earth I uphold the Pillars of the Earth saith the Lord He it is that strengthens the very foundations of the Earth And therefore when these witnesses the strength and Pillars of the Earth ascend and remove from it the Earth must needs quake and tremble The witnesses are the corner stone of the World It was by the word of the Lord that Eternall word that the Worlds were made that the Worlds are supported therefore when this Word of the Lord Ascends out of the World the World must needs shake The whole World hath lived and leaned upon Christ and the Spirit of Christ and now his arising and removall out of the World must needs prove the ruine and downfall of the World All your strength peace and comfort hath been borrowed of Christ and now his leaving the World and carrying the Pillars of the World with him as Sampson the Gates of the City makes all the World fall to confusion A great Earthquake The naturall cause of an Earthquake is the wind pent up in the bowels of the Earth which seeking vent breakes forth and so shakes the Earth So the Spirit or breath or wind of the Lord pent up in the bowels of the Earth shut up amongst earthly men as the Son a Man was three daies and three nights in the heart or bowels of of the Earth when it breaks forth it shakes and rends the World And this is the cause of the Earthquake and commotions that are now abroad in the World The breaking forth or ascending of the Spirit of God out of the World An Earthquake is one of the greatest perplexities and evils that can befall the world the Earth being the Center and stay of man The very bottome and foundation upon which all the camfort and good of the life of man stands When this center this rest or stay this foundation shakes nothing more affrightens and astonishes man These Witnesses ascending out of the world the Bottom and Foundation of peoples strength and comfort trembles and quakes the root of al humane life is cut insunder at once the bottom of al humane joy is taken away The foundation of Ecclesiastical and Civil power is shaken the ground-worke of all earthly stability and comfort of Church and Comon-wealth quakes and trembles I say the world is losing the foundation and ground-work upon which Religion and Civil-government stands and this makes the Earth to shake And the tenth part of the City fell This City is Babylon called the holy City This holy City is trampled under foot as you may read in the second verse of this Chapter This holy City or the outward Court is left to bee possessed by the men of the world by the Gentiles by men uncircumcised in heart and spirit by fleshly and carnal men This is the fate of this City The tenth part The tenth part you know was the Levits part which was holy to the LORD or dedicated to the LORD it was offered up to the Priests under the Law it was the chiefe maintenance of the legal priesthood And here the tenth part of the City the chiefest part the devoted part as you say Gods inheritance the lot and portion of the Priest-hood this part of the City fell in summe the holyest the chiefest the excellentest part of the City fell The waies of worldly Prophessors and Christians are somthing that is holy somthing that is offered up to God but in the hands of the world trampled under foot by the world There is an excellency in this this is that that 's called the tenth part that part wherein men have thought themselves most sacred and holy that which they have offered up to God that which they have seperated from the world and their owne proper use and given to God some of their wisdome some of their estates some of their time some of their strength c. the tenth part This tenth part of the City fell this chiefest and most excellent part This tenth part when they have reserved nine parts to themselves and dedicated the tenth to God That which hath bin mens Religion and that wherein they have placed their confidence and comfort and by which they have thought to be saved this excellent part this tenth part of the City fell in this earth-quake I tel you againe When these two Witnesses ascend and leave the earth then the highest formes of religion the most excellent seperated things of men those holy things wherein they have most devoted themselves to GOD and the Temple of God their hours of Praier their Sabbaths their Fastings their Engagements and Covenants
World shal become ours Al worldly things are taken into Heavenly they have bin devided and distinguished you know some things are carnal some things are spiritual some things are of God some things are of the World-But now al things shal be taken up into the glory of God into the glory of Christ Which is the redemption of the body the deliverance of the creatures out of bondage wherein they have been held The whole Earth the whole Creation shal be taken up and filled with the righteousnesse and glory of the Lord. And he shall Reign for ever and ever Satan and wicked men have Reigned long but they shall Reign no longer So long as Satan can Reign over us we are subject to many evills but now he is cast down and now none can Reign over us but the Lord we shall now receive no good from man so also we shall receive no evill from man no good from good Angels no evil from evil Angels No man no creature hath any power over us none but the LORD We are the Lords the Holy ones of God and none but the HOLY ONE of God Reignes over us Wee give thee thanks O LORD GOD ALMIGHTY which ART and WAST and art to GOME because thou hast taken to thee thy GREAT Power and hast Reigned The LORD the LORD Reigns he hath taken to him his Kingdome that is it for which wee give Thanks His Kingdome and Our Thanks-giving And wee thank not man but God Thanks are due to none but GOD. Because the Lord Reigns and wee shall Reign Therefore we give thanks The Reign of Christ is an Eternall Reign For ever But the Reign of GOD is for ever and ever two Eternals The Reign of Christ is an Everlasting Reign yet he gives it up into the hands of the Father and God becomes all in all and Reignes for ever and ever There are two Eternities in this Reign the Lords and his Christs The LORD delights to double his excellencies to multiply Eternities and there is no minute wherein it can be said our LORD doth not Reign no season or time wherein it can bee said our LORD doth not Reign Whilest the LORD doth give forth favour and grace by man and man gives thanks to man it s not the Eternal Reign of God and Christ The Reign of God is without intermission it 's for ever It is in all things and at all times It is in height and depth in day and night in summer and winter It 's Eternal for ever and ever Which art and wast and art to come Here are three Eternals First The Eternal that was before the world This Kingdome was before all times and shall bee after all times when times shall be no more Which ART It is present it 's no longer absent yet it is to come but not so to come as that we want it but it is so to come that we shal enjoy it everlastingly It takes in all times past present and to come It is that Circle of Eternity that comprehends al beginning and ending And HE shall Reign for ever and ever Now there is a bouble use made of this by the Spirit of God Thanks be to God by them that dwell in Heaven Down with al your glory lay down al your excellency that is the excellency of al that are heavenly to give thanks to God In the 16. verse its said They fell upon their faces and worshipped God They lie down in the dust are base and worth-less in their own eyes that they may give glory to GOD. Now they say nothing is excellent righteous or good but God Worship God fear none acknowledge none but God speak nothing love nothing be nothing do nothing but God Wee give THEE thanks Here is thanks here 's praises here 's rejoycing LORD GOD ALMIGHTY We blesse THEE wee rejoyce in THEE wee are exceeding glad of THEE we never expected good from men if wee did they fail'd us There is nothing but oppression in man But in THEE is deliverance Certainly God wil Reign in righteousnesse in justice and truth Men are in tumults wars plots mischiefs But GOD Reignes in truth and righteousnesse And the GREAT Kingdome of the LORD is our joy Therefore Wee give THEE thanks O LORD GOD ALMIGHTY The Nations were angry and thy wrath is come The World and the powers of the World are angry they fret they vex they cry-out this is Blasphemy And we expect nothing but wrath from the world and it 's proper for them that they should be wrath our joy is their wrath See how angry man is freting and vexing at Gods pulling down the Kingdoms of the Earth This is the reason of that bitternesse and malice that fury and madnesse that is amongst men What makes them so unquiet killing and destroying one another but because God is over-turning the glory of the world What makes men so full of wrath but because Thy wrath O LORD is come And the time of the dead that they should be judged All the dead shal de judged Dead Ordinances dead Authorities c. all that live not in the life of God shall be judged Nothing is life and light but the LORD nothing lives but the LORD and those that live in the Spirit of the Lord as for others they are dead and shal be judged as the dead But those who live in the Spirit of life which is in God they triumph over death and that destruction that comes upon the Kingdomes of the world They with joy can speak on this manner Their Wrath is our Love their Griefe is our Comfort their Anger is our Peace their Trouble is our Reward their Ruine is our Life This is the application the Spirit of the Lord makes to the Nations which none can with stand God dvides the world into love and wrath blessings and cursings hee wraps the world up in wrath and cursings and the Saints in thanks givings and blessings To the Saints he saith Let them say The Lord our Reward our Comfort our Love our Joy our Strength our Heaven our Life our Father our Head our Prince our King is Come But to the world he saith Let them say our Doome our Judgement our Darknes our Confusion our Dreadful day and the Dreadfull day of the Lord is Come FINIS
Some Flashes of LIGHTNINGS OF THE SONNE of MAN Being the substance of eleaven Sermons upon severall Texts Preached in London By WILLIAM SEDGWICK of ELY PSALME 97.4 His Lightnings enlightned the World the Earth saw and trembled LONDON Printed by H. For Giles Calvert and are to be sold at the sign of the black-spread Eagle at the west end of Pauls 1648. A PREPARATORY word touching the Saints union with God a main point spoken of in this Book FIrst a Primun in unoquoque generi eâ— causa reliquorum The first in every kinde being the Cause of all the rest there is no perfect b Causa â—eflendi eâ— causa cognoscendi knowledge of inferiour or subordinate distinction and union without the knowledge of the supream The supream distinction and union is to be seen in God in the blessed Trinity where in the word the Father brings forth himself in all distinction and in the Holy ghost the Father and the word mutually conspire into the closest union The glory of unity is variety and the glory of distinction is union ie The glory of the Father is the word and the perfection of the word is his union with the Father in the Spirit Unity is barren without variety or distinction and distinction is a withered branch without union Secondly Whatsoever things the Father doth the same things doth also the Sonne bringing forth his fullnesse in all variety and distinction and yet retaining the same in perfect Union with himself as doth the Father Onely with this difference that the Object of distinction there viz. The word which is the fulnesse of the Father is intirely the object of union in the Holy ghost though not under the same respect as he is distinct But here the Sonne sends forth one World or the first World as a Lord to his left hand being in union with it only as a Creator and a new World to his right hand slaying the union of the fâ—irst covenant or creation or rather perfecting it in this later and better union of the second covenant or new creation And so that different respect that the Father hath to his owne fulnesse as Hee considers it first in the word and then in the Holy Ghost is manifest to us after a manner more reall and substantiall to us in the Kingdome of the Son being exemplified on different subjects Sheep and Goats For this is the honour the Father hath given to the Sonne that be hath made Him both Lord and Christ as bee is Lord he is the Floure of the whole Creation having all that beauty and strength in himself and being the root and originall of it to every other creature As he is Christ Himself is returned to his Head and Originall and possesseth all in the in-created glory and drawes up the new world thither Thirdly Aud as the first is the Cause of all the rest which being known the rest are known and not perfectly till then So the first is the last as will nessessarily follow from thence If the last be not known without the first then at least the first is in the last But the first is the last For what else should the first seeke to bring forth Vltimately but himselfe And therefore though God do Embroyder his appearances and coming forth with all Variety and fullnesse of distinction Yet his designe is by ALL to declare Himselfe and not to be vailed alwaies His designe is to beget and draw forth his own Form in and upon all this variety to bring forth himself in it and it in himself and yet this Variety and Unity to remain in the highest Consistency each with other in the Union and all these subordinations both to serve Supreamacy and to be Supreame the first to be the last and the last first which is the mutuall glory of them both And so the Scriptures speake 2 Ephe. last verse Yee are the habitation of God through the Spirit And sometimes they speak in the language of the subordinate 3. Eph. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Christ is in God and God is in Christ John 13.8 knowest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me And they that do not so know God and Christ they know Christ after the flesh as a branch of the first creation and not as the root of both creations And they that do not know themselves thus as dwelling in God and God in them are stil under the Law stick in the first Covenant and know not the Regeration but weakly If yee see not the blessed face of Unity drawn throughout all distinction in God in Christ in Saints yee see the Devill and an Antichrist and are in the smoke of the bottomlesse pit though yet ye may be the children of God And therefore none may so securely descend into the vally of distinction as they that have been in the mount of Vnion For they onely will and can carry the Union along with them through all distinction and that glory of the first Unity that hath seated himself and dwels in their Eye will bring forth himself in and upon all things and in what various formes soever they present themselves Vnion is the interest the delight the Food of Saints Distinction is the sawce or savour of Vnion The Saints could not enjoy God if He were not one with them where were the delight and wherein should they be the richer by enjoying him if he were not another from them There could not be such a ravishing Concord and meeting between God and the Creature without the parting and discord first of a created and un-created nature and this discord and distance proceeding and let down through many subordinations as between a Base and Treble in Musick there are middle Notes If we were not so low and God so high neither should we be so transported with this Match nor would the condescension of God be so manifested and then where would be one of the greatest glories of Gods love and one of the quickest grounds of our joy Therefore we cannot confound things for so we should offend against our own interest and who doe this so much as they that call themselves Christians and yet make Christ in Heaven and themselves upon the Earth confounding the things that God hath not only distinguist but seperated even the mystery of Godlinesse which is God manifest in the flesh And the mystery of iniquity which cals Christians and denies the Anointing And as we cannot confound things that God hath distinguist so we cannot seperate the things that himself hath joyned who hath joyned himself and Christ and Christ and VS the highest with the lowest the first with the last the top with the bottome and therefore wee the lowest cannot glory in lesse or lower then the highest of all Wee joy in God saith the Apostle Rom. 5. through our Lord Jesus Christ And God who is Lord descends and gathers up
clouds and darknes you approach the throne Righteousnesse and judgement are there That is it you look for Righteousnesse Shall put an end to sin Dan. 9.24 Righteousnesse and holinesse shall dwell so stabilly with us as it shall blot out all iniquity and make an end of sinne That wretched thing that hath been the reason of all plagues the root of all mischief the ground of vexation in all families he shall make an end of all this of all sinne God will be revenged of it by putting an end to it Ye shall not finde a sinne out of hell nor a sinner out of hell Sin shall be in its own place ye shall see wickednesse no where but in the devil and wicked men and them ye shall see in hell for their sin shall carry hell apparently with it But the Saints shall be free The LORD reigns Not so long as sinne is amongst US and abides with US so long as sin is there is a Traitour to his Kingdome and he hath no quiet reign But the LORD will have a constant habitation of holinesse that sinne shall appear no where but in the devil and hell And where ever you shall see sin you shall be able to say There is hell sinne and its torment together Sin shall carry hell in its bowels The very face of hell and devil in every sin The light of God shall break forth so clearly that it will judge and manifest all the works of darknesse Are the Habitation of his Throne All these waies of God that he is now dispensing come from the throne of God All these Clouds and judgements against King Parliament Cavaleers Army they al flow from the throne and are all dispensed in most exact righteousnesse and judgement there 's no fear of ruine of those that are the Lords All is in judgement and righteousnesse to destroy the wicked but to save his own people and to bring them out of the powers of darkenesse unto the throne of God There is no reason to be offended at that which comes from the throne of God these dispensations are confusions to men to the reason and wisdome of men but they are the wisdome and judgement of God and God doth dispense them with an exact hand with a watchfull eye with a tender care towards his own people not a hair of their head shall fall to the ground Nothing shall suffer in any of you but unrighteousnesse and sinne so farre as you are unrighteous worldly and wicked so farre yea shall suffer and no more God is in every sparke of this Fire in every corner of this Flame in every inch of these clouds in every jot of this darknesse therefore rejoyce and be glad all ye Saints the weakest the poorest the lowest the meanest of Saints Rejoyce for the Lord Reigneth The end of the first Sermon Psalm 97. 1 2 3 4 5 6. verses The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce let the multitude of Isles be glad thereof Clouds and darknesse are round about him righteousnesse and judgement are the habitation of his throne A fire goeth before him and burneth up his enemies round about His lightnings enlightned the world the earth saw and trembled The hils melted like waxe at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth The heavens declare his righteousnesse and all the people see his glory THe great point wee have in hand is The Reign of God Which is first asserted The Lord doth Reign And then made good In the Second verse Clouds and darknesse are round about him testifying that hee is come and hee doth Reign Wee have a Cloud of witnesses testifying this truth The Lord doth Reign And darknesse it self speaks him That which is farthest from him that declares him and if wee come within him and come nearer to him we shall finde a consent of righteousnesse and judgement as the habitation of his Throne Righteousnes The righteousnesse of God the Father in whom all things are righteous and to whom all things in righteousnesse doth belong all things in righteousnesse are in him all things in righteousnesse are due to him here 's judgment too that is the excellency of Christ Psalm 94.15 Judgement shall returne to righteousnesse the Son returnes to the Father All things are in the Father in righteousnesse all things are in the Son in wisdome in judgement all things are in the Father as in their proper center all things are brought forth in Christ in their right order in Judgement Righteousnesse and judgment are the habitation of his Throne These two are the Foundation of his Throne The Spirit of God or God exalted and lifted up in these two Righteousnesse and Judgement is a Throne or the Righteousness of the Father and the Judgement of the Son exalted and triumphing in the Spirit is the Throne The Righteousness of the Father and the Wisdome of the Son Reignes in the Spirit is in-thron'd in the Spirit is exalted and lifted up and establisht eternally in truth in the Spirit And wee are made saith the Apostle Eph. 2.22 ver through the Spirit the habitation of God the words are In whom yee also are builded an habitation of God through the Spirit The Spirit building up man in its owne holy forme and enlarging of him into himself is this habitation of God Righteousnesse and Judgement In-thron'd in US In man this is the inward and spirituall view and sight of God if you stand without in the world there is darknesse if yee come higher into the clouds there is no cleare view sight and injoyment of him If yee are in any thing that is about him there is nothing but darknesse round about him but come within him into his Throne into his presence and there you will see righteousnesse and judgement set up exalted In-throu'd Righteousnesse in the Reigne of God is In-thron'd Iniquity and transgression is done away in the holinesse of God and he makes us by his own Reign in us holy as he is holy Hee doth wholly blot out Iniquity and makes US the seate and habitation of Righteousnesse and gives us righteous judgements righteous understandings a cleare and sound judgement in all things These two righteousnesse and judgement raised and exalted are the greatest glory and purity of the Kingdome of God in the holy Spirit But here are yet further testimonies that it may bee will bee more effectuall to most Christians most men being without those proofs of the Reigne of God that are without are foonest and easiest accepted fleshly signes much take fleshly Christians A Fire goeth before him and burneth up his enemies round about him The forerunner of God Now is fire not John the Baptist that went before the flesh of Christ and ushered him in but an Elias in a Fierie Chariot The messengers that goe before God now are all fierie he makes his Angels spirits and his ministers flames of fire And therefore it s said hee comes in flames of
West so should the comming of the Sonne of man be The first and the remotest and the furthest appearances of God are like lightenings this the Lord hath testified abundantly amongst Us What strange flashings of God have been upon men and upon the spirits of men There are few that have slept so soundly these times but this lightening hath broken in upon them into their beds betwixt their curtains There 's none have shut up themselves so close in the world locked up themselves so close in the earth and in the love of earthly things but I know these lightenings of God have flasht in their consciences and have in small quick blasts and discoveries of God told their hearts it is the day of the Lord. I say if men could see or would see the most worldly men have had some flashings of these lightnings upon them Many sudden quick throws pangs hot meltings breakings soul-terrifyings telling them clearly It is the LORD And though they recover againe out of them and the world heales it selfe again and makes haste to forget them because these lightenings are sudden and quick suddenly opening themselves and suddenly again inclosing themselves for God hath suddenly flasht Himself forth and suddenly extinguished Himself again yet God hath to all men more or lesse given enlightnings into their spirits telling them plainly they must give an account that Hee is come to judge them that He is come to exalt lift up Himself that the end of their world their profits pleasure is come That all their earthly comforts and contents are a dying That there is no rest or peace to be had here below These and such like motions have been in the minds of many men But especially these have bin in the hearts and spirits of Gods own people though they are in the world and though in a worldly state and at a great distance from God yet they have had some glances of the light of God I know your owne spirits are able to lead you to those flashings and lightenings And if yee are not quite drunk with the world and have not lost your reason and memory you must acknowledge that the lightenings of God have shined upon you and enlightened the world And the earth saw it and trembled So visible so manifest are the lightnings of the Lord that poor earthly man exceedingly trembles and quakes poore man Adam earth the poore earthy frame of man hath seen and trembled The earth saw and trembled you have seen the Lord though I know ther 's that in you that saies yee have not you doe not I know you have seen the Lord the earth hath seen God hath set His feete upon the earth all the earth have had a view of God ther 's never a doore at which God hath not knocked every eye shall see Him although when they see him they turn away from him and would forget him for so soon as ever the door is opened and they see the Lord they runne away from him and cannot endure the sight of him Amongst all the things of the world its most dreadfull and and terrible to see the lightnings of God I know yee had rather runne into the hottest fire then into the fire of God and though yee have seen yee say ye have not because yee have no minde to see him but the whole earth hath seen the Lord though they have been suddaine startings and quick motions and flashings yet the earth saw it And that it hath seen here 's the effect it trembles And trembled It s a constant universal effect of the sight of God this quaking this trembling there is no man hath the least view of God but it strikes death to him Oh man earthly man must die This sight kils man Oh now I must seace to bee Now all is going Now all is lost Now every thing is drawing into the sad pit of destruction Now every thing is swallowed up into the horrible pit of nothingnesse I have saith the earthly man seene and known and been but now I shall know and see and bee no more Wee know how dreadfull and fearfull the view and sight of God is and though nothing more joyfull to the spiritual man yet nothing more joyfull to the earthly man What shal we doe wee have seen the Lord said they that saw an Angel The Lord cloathing himselfe with an Angel was very terrible for they said we shal dye The appearance of the Lord is terrible to the flesh of man The mountains leape and fly away the waters roule back the foundations of the deep are discovered The whole Earth shakes A general Earth-quake seizes upon the Nations What ail you yee mountains to bee removed What ail you yee waters to divide asunder What all you yee Son and Moon that your lights are put out What ail you yee Stars great and small that yee drop down from Heaven like untimely Figgs What ail you all yee People and Languages that your Faces gather palenesse and blackness What ail you that yee are afraid and do tremble What 's the reason you so shiver and quake The reason is ye are before the God of the whole Earth The presence of the LORD is present Death to all but Himself when the LORD comes every thing retires and as he comes neare so all things Fly packing before Him The Rod of God is shaking over the hearts of men which makes them exceedingly to tremble and quake and if yee wil not yet bee sensible here 's that which is more visible more sensible hee that hath an eare must Heare and doth Heare what this Rod speakes The Hils melted Suppose there should bee that stoutnesse in the spirits of men that they are become like mountains and hils suppose that there should bee that hardnesse and brauninesse of hell and death upon the spirits of men that they will not see yet the hils do melt The hils melted like waxe If any Creature be upheld and strengthned it is by Satan like Pharaoh's heart that was hardened by the wrath of God that he might bee destroyed I know no man ignorant of this but it is through his suffering the Devil to seduce him but though a man be seduced by Satan hardned by hell and do not see yet the mountains doe see and feels and melt before the LORD Hils Mountains What are these Not materiall mountains or materiall hils the mountains of the Earth are Great-ones Strong-ones Kingdomes Nations Governments these are Great mountains which the men of the Earth yee may call them the beasts of the Earth have continually lived upon fed upon and been nourished by And those Churches that have called themselves the hils and mountains of the LORD mount Sinay and mount Sion these everlasting hils that have stood so long time shall melt That Justice Wisdome Power Strength Order Religion Ordinances Obedience and Love which hath been set up by God and by the Ministers and Angels of
there is something of Christ in me he is in my spirit there he is spiritually but I have flesh and a body there hee is not This voice is the same with that in the Text Loe here is Christ and there is Christ and here hee is not and there hee is not To shut Christ out of any place out of any thing this is to say Loe here or loe there these are false Christs This is the wickednes of man to include and exclude Christ to imprison him into one thing to make him to bee one where and not another where but Christ is and there is none besides him hee is weaknes as wel as strength darknesse as well as light evil as well as good Christ in mee Christ in all the LORD in triumph the LORD crucified the LORD exalting the LORD humbling the LORD in life the LORD in death the LORD saving the LORD destroying the the LORD here blessing the LORD there cursing this is Christ if ye cannot see him in one thing as well as another in wicked men as well as good men in this death as well as his resurrection in lengths and depths and breadths and all ye doe not see him at all Here 's the narrownesse of the heart of every man a sensible creature full of observation and his own reason saying Loe here is Christ there is Christ here hee is not there hee is not narrowing of him into their owne observation he is in me when I am so qualified and hee is not in mee when I am not so qualified not knowing or understanding that hee is in some trampled on under the feet of his enemies and yet there in glory in some hee is at the top in some he is at the bottome in some withering them in some bringing forth fruit in some sweetning and moderating their nature in some letting forth wrath and emnity For behold the Kingdome of GOD is within you God will be all or nothing ye shall not thinke him like your selves The kingdom of God is within you in every one of you The kingdome of God is amongst you ye are possessours of it it is not without yee ye have it while yee are led out by your carnall reason to observe it without it is neglected within Behold Behold saith hee the kingdome of God is within you Heavenly blessednesse is within yee and ye doe not see it till ye see it there If yee had eyes to see saith he ye would see your selves in the kingdome and the kingdom in you This is a sweet Behold and a word of speciall grace and favour Those thoughts that leade you out of your selves for God for Christ believe them not hate them abhorre them O lay down all those wicked imaginations those carnal observations those cursed reasonings of the kingdom of God within yee Some men thinke to see the Kingdome of God comming in such and such a person to see the Kingdome of God comming in such and such sights and voices these are delusions Behold the kingdome of Christ the kingdome of God the kingdome of heaven is within you use it as you will deal with it as you please but in you t is t is in you supprest t is covered over with a deale of desperate wickednesse with a thicke vail and none knowes that it is there but it self there t is seen only and enjoy'd only by it self Or give mee leave to say I am within you all that I speak am and doe is within you all the light and glory that I have is within you and yee doe not understand me if ye do not see me within you There is another comes between me you if you hear me without you If ye hear not this LORD speaking within you ye understand nothing and so the words that I speake they are cast into another forme before they reach your ear the evil one takes them from the Spirit which is in you and carries them about to you thorow the ear While I speake and am understood in that sense I am abused and wrong'd That speech that I will bee understood in must be understood in is to speak in the heart within you That life that I live is in you and speakes that that I speak and I doe nothing but interpret and open what your heart speakes Let mee not bee another from you for then yee oppose mee and resist mee and yee will not heare not receive the truth that I declare which is my own heart my life my bosome my self These are the things than are lodg'd and wrapt up in my heart to eternity these are my very soul only I have been asleep and now being awakened I see they are all in mee If yee hear with the inward ear and see with the inward eye you will say This is not a man but the Son of God This is my bosome friend my LORD and husband that begins to awake and rowse me This is a fountain and no streame I doe you injury if I speake of a Kingdome of God without you that is I my selfe without you that is I my self without you for the true spirituall new man is the kingdom of God what I am indistinction from you is an evil to you if your unbelieving spirits say I am a man and another woe be to that distinction but if ye say this is my LORD and my Father happy is that union The kingdom of GOD is within you It is not without you in Ordinances in Scriptures The kingdome of God The whole kingdome all is in you all Truth all Scriptures all Wisdome all Power all Strength all that I AM all that God is all that Christ is all that Heaven is all that God in Reign and Kingdom is is within you I hear I see the kingdome of God comming forth breaking forth in every man and every man alwaies is but now begins to appear to be what God is in him The Kingdome of God either justifying or condemning either punishing or rewarding punishing man flesh with darknes or rewarding Man with light glory and blessednesse He that lives indeed I know hears mee and smiles at this and rejoyces in his soul The true life the true man the true ear rejoyces at this and speaks it selfe That all the Power all the Excellency of God is in mee it s with mee it s not out of mee it declares it self in me all the Majesty of God the Kingdome of God All Every thing it s here it s in this man in this creature in you within you and reignes there its King there though a King crucified though on the Crosse yet hee is King of the Jews Though denied for a while and opposed yet a King and a Kingdome This is the bravery and noblenes of this Kingdome it is not lessened by hatred by death it s as glorious in the grave as it is in exaltation as glorious in rejection and persecution as it is in height and glory
in the anointed ones or the anointing of the Spirit in the flesh of the Saints are the two Olive trees and the two golden candlesticks standing by the Lord of the whole Earth Emanuel God with us God with man God in flesh And they have mighty power If any man hurt them fire proceeds out of their mouths to devoure their enemies If any thing within or without riseth up against Christ and the Spirit against these two Olive trees against these two witnesses prophesying fire proceeds out of their mouths and devoureth it If any man hurt them he must in this manner be killed They have great power though but prophesying and in sackcloth Fire proceeds out of their mouths c. Not materiall fire but spirituall fire The fire of God in the Iowest â—state of the two witnesses though but prophesying in sackcloth is very firce and terrible If any man rise up against the Test mony of Christ in Spirit against these two Olive trees they have power to destroy it fire proceeds from the Spirit torments consumes and destroyes it whatsoever riseth up against these two witnesses in this our age this fire it hath it doth constantly destroy and devour it up And I am sure of it the cause of all the devouring plagues that are upon the world in this age at this time the distractions and confusions that are upon all powers ecclesiasticall and civell is for the hurting and opposing the low poor and mean beginnings and appearances of the Lord in his witnesses And this be ye assured of if any man will hurt or oppose them be he never so great be he never so wise be he never so strong and powerfull be he never so rich wealthy be he never so devout and religious if he or they shall oppose the Spirit of the LORD Christ in his People in their prophesying either as they leave out the outward Court and holy City or as they are measuring the inward Temple and Alier as they are worshipping God in the Temple sacrificing and offering up their flesh and fleshlinesse I say whosoever shall make opposition against the Spirit and spirituall actings of the Lord Christ and his People must in this manner be killed Fire puoceedeth out of their mouths c. Fire shall destroy the whole world and all that which is of the world I have found that whatsoever in me hath risen up in opposition against these two witnesses the fire of the LORD hath fallen upon it and destroyed it and I have found that the two witnesses have power to shut heaven that it raine not These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the daies of their Prophesie When these two witnesses testify against any thing any man any creature any way any ordinances any judgement saying This is hethenisme this is gentileisme this is carnall this is fleshly this is the creature this is man and not God or of God presently it is destroyed consumed blasted and brought to nothing And in this they shall shut Heaven through men have formerly been sweetly affected by the power of grace yet when any thing in them hath risen up against these witnesses they have power to shut Heaven against them As they have power to open Heaven upon some so they hove power to shut Heaven upon others that is effectually to exclude all carnal fleshly earthly man from the showers and dewes of the grace of God Though they have made never so great a shew of holines religiousnes and godlines though they have been able to say much and execute what they say yet when the two witnesses have declared that it is not God it is not Christ it is not the holy one of God but it 's man it 's the flesh it 's the outward Court that is excluded not the inward Temple Therefore measure it not leave it out meddle not with it exclude it from having the dewes and showers of Heaven fall upon it let not the sweet distilling strerms of God fall upon it for it is not God nor off God Presently Heaven hath been shut and they have had no rain This we have experience of in their ministration This me have found with a bundance of justnesse When any man or any thing hath risen up against these witnesses these Prophets and so it hath been frequently seen though they have been never so glorious in the Word and under never so glorious professions of Gospel Christ free-grace the light of the knowledge of God Church felowships and such like notions as these yet When ever they have risen up against the Spirit of Christ so soon as the same Spirit hath declared and witnessed what they are presently they have deen blasted withered scattered and broken They have had no more Raine from Heaven and have withered as a plant that God hath not planted as a branch that hath had no showers And have power to turne water into Bloud This we have seen to for we speak nothing else but what wee have seen that whereas professors have formerly had many pleasant streames many sweet waters many refreshing comforts and joyes Immediately upon the Witnesses Prophesying all their sweet waters have been turned into bloud ordinances duties gifts when they are not spirituall and spiritually exercised the Witnesses Prophesying have turned them into-bloud into contention strife debate distraction and confusion And to smite the earth with all Plagues The Earth is Thy creation the subject on which these Plagues are inflicted Whenfoever the Spirit of the Lord appeares either on the right hand or on the left that is as Christ in flesh and Christ in Spirit whensoever these Two witnesses these two Anointed ones that stand by the LORD of the whole Earth shall testify and beare witnesse of flesh to be crucified killed and slain presently their testimony smite the Earth and all earthly things with Plagues These Prophets have the Power of God and all the Power of GOD and can smite the Earth with what Plagues they will I have found them Smiting the Earth with sicknesses spirituall sicknesses weaknesses consumptions leprosies plague-sores running-sores famine death warres feares frightings amazments wild-beasts with all these Plagues The Earth is now full of Plagues sent forth from the mouthes of these two witnesses And when they shall have finished their testimony the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit shall make warre against them and shall oversome them and kill them There is a time to Witnesse and a time to Finish their work and you have it here Prophesied that they must first Finish their Testimony and that they shall bee overcome and killed but not before they have finished their Testimony But How must they be killed The beast that ascends out of the bottomlesse pit shall made warre against them and kill them This Beast which ascends out of the bottomlesse pit is Antichrist Many speake of the slaying of the Witnesses and it is in many peoples mouthes now which
where the carcasse is thither will the Eagles bee gathered together Thither this Eagle the Divine Spirit of GOD doth resort to this Carcasse I say to Revive it This heavenly Eagle or Spirit of GOD comes and eats up all the deadliness all the corruption all the Carcass that he in us might live in the Spirit There is no true life but the Spirit of life Then may we say we live when we live in the Spirit of GOD this is called the quickning Spirit The first Man was made a living soul the Second was made a quickning Spirit Man is a living soul a living creature and it is the Spirit of GOD that makes him to live a Spiritual life but when that life is killed and slain then he hath a second life for it a better life The Spirit of life life it selfe true life indeed And we know no life no true life but in the LORD our life When HE who is OVR life shall appear c. While the Witnesses prophesie they cannot say that they live but when they have received the Spirit of life then they can truly say they live Now they can claime that title I was dead but am alive I am the resurrection and the life There is no true life til there be a Resurrection til then it 's but a state of mortallity It is not yet life But when we revive and rise again mortallity is swallowed up of life now we live indeed That 's true life that is not subject to death that is true life that cannot be killed That life that is under the Power of death that is under the Command of death that can be extinguished by death is no true life It s life to be set free from death to be dis-engaged and dis-obliged from the command of this King of fears when we can say O death Where is thy sting O grave Where is thy victory When wee can trample upon death that is life true Life indeed The Spirit of life from God True life consists in a continual flowing forth from God a daily powring out of the Divine life the Divine nature into us enlivening and quickning all our actions and services Those are not living actions living services living performances that flow not from the life of GOD in us We live when every thing we act or speak flows from the life of God in us Then wee live when al we do comes from GOD when God sends it forth God speakes it God doth it then they are living words living actions In thy presence is life The absence of the soul from the body is the shadow and but the shadow of death but the absence of GOD from a thing or person that 's death Spiritual death You cannot say a man lives except you see his soul act move speak c. If yee were Christians indeed ye would not say you live until yee hear the voice of GOD saying to you This is the way of God these are the words and works of God There is life true life indeed The reviving and life of these two witnesses is the resurrection and the life the life of the Sonne of God God comes forth in these two in the Son and in the Spirit the fulnes of God shewing it self in the flesh of Christ and the Spirit of Christ this is life These three are all in union together the Father the Son and Spirit in one conjunction and unity The Father puting forth himself in the Son by the Spirit The Father acting quickning and inlivening the Son by the Spirit these mutually imbracing each other is our life Concerning this resurrection of the witnesses observe that it is graduall The Spirit of life from God first entred into them after that they live there was a kinde of absence before but now a presence of the Spirit of God The holy God suffers a kinde of parting to be between himself and his Son ney betwixt himself and his own Spirit which is himself and after this again there is a reuniting First There must be an entrance The Spirit of God first enters into them then they live The Resurrection though it be quick though it be in a moment in the twinkling of an eye yet it is graduall First There is an entrance of the Spirit The Spirit of life from God entered into them Secondly There is a double effect of this entering of the Spirit 1. They stood upon their feet 2. They heard a great voiyce saying Come up hither First The Spirit of the Lord entered into them while they are dead while their dead bodies were lying in the streets of the great City the breath of life from God entered into them And this is very certain we shall not lose any thing that we have had Though the Lord withdraw himselfe from us a little while yet he will returne to us again and then he wil gather up al that is scattered and enter into all that 's dead And they stood upon their feet This is the second gradation or the second degree of their Resurrection which is two-fold 1. They could own the Lord they could say The Lord is with us our God is with us and in us Life is come to us We are the holy ones of God We are the golden candlesticks upon whom the light of God doth shine This is the Spirit of life from our God And then secondly they are raised from the earth and so raised as that they can stand upon their feet an expression of the dry bones Ezek. 37. into whom when the breath of the Lord came they lived they stood upon their feet an exceeding great Army So the Prophet Ezekel when he was overcome by the glory of God in the great vision he saw chapter 2. it 's said The Spirit of the Lord entred into him and he stood upon his feet And so Daniel was raised chapter 10.10 11. O Daniel a man greatly beloved understand the words that I speak unto thee and stand upright Which is the same with this The Spirit of the Lord intring into us standing up in us manifesting and shewing what wee are making us visibly to appear the anointed ones of God inabling us to stand up and own a heavenly and spiritual life and light to appear to arise to shew our selves that we are the holy ones of God And though whilest wee were slain and dead we could not owne the Lord or acknowledge him we could not confesse the Lord who he was and what he was because we were in death and darknesse yet now having the Spirit of the Lord entred into us we now being raised from the dead we stand up and are able to say Wee are the Lords wee are the holy anointed ones of God There is life and strength and confidence appearing in the witnesses standing upon their feet so that they can say We by this life or in this life of God are able to live amonst men to walk about in the Name
to serve the Lord this tenth part in the Earth quake falls al to the ground the tenth part c. And in the earth-quake were slain of men seven thousand As the tenth part of the City fell the chiefest part the best part the excellentest part of the holy City so the best part of men or an excellent number of men and both understood by this number seven thousand one thousand is a great number and an excellent number as wel as a great number ten hath an excellency in it therefore the tenth part was given to GOD one hundred is ten times ten one thousand is ten times an hundred which in the Law is multiplied to hundreds and thousands Seven thousand is the perfection of the creature as it is able to be numbered or it is the multiplying of al the perfections of man or man numbered into the highest perfection or largest number that may be multiplied that is not Infinite which is God Seven thousand Seven is a Holy number and therefore the seventh day was sanctified and made holy A blessed number therefore GOD blessed the seventh day It s also a number of rest GOD rested the seventh day and appointed the seventh day to be observed as an holy rest Here is humane perfection in the greatest number in the blessedest number in the quietest estate wherein men have thought themselves to be holy men blessed men men at rest wherein they have thought themselves truly blessed truly holy truly happy When men have numbered up themselves to such a state to seven thousand a holy number a blessed number a number of perfection to such a state wherein they have thought themselves holier then others more blessed and happy then others when they have thought themselves at rest and indeed in humane account have had abundance of blessedness thousands of blessednesses thousands of blessed hopes blessed believings blessed joyes and comforts such a state wherein they have rested and been satisfied yet now in this Earthquake in the same houre that the Lord leaves the Earth that the Witnesses ascend up to Heaven when the LORD wil no longer converse with Earth but with Heaven when he wil no longer converse with his People in an earthly but in an heavenly way and manner he and they walking together and enjoying each other in Heaven Then those thousands those seven thousands all those holy happy blessed resting men shall be slain And the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the GOD of heaven The chiefest and choisest part of men are gon and that which remaines now is but a Remnant a small part so mean and poor a part as is not worth the numbering or to be gathered up into order and beauty or into the account of holiness and blessedness as other men are they are onely a poor remnant This Remnant was affrighted and gave glory to the GOD of heaven Nothing is more frequent in the Prophets where mension is made of the judgements of God through which he brings his people to salvation then this That a remnant shall be saved a remnant shall be brought through the fire Here one and there another as the gleanings of the vintage like small bunches of grapes upon the uppermost boughs a smal company and them not regarded a remnant They are but little and exceeding little a Remnant shal come to happiness The bulk and body the head the crown and glory of man falleth and are slain and a Remnant only escapes The LORD wil take off the head of man according to that saying And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus Rev. 20. I say the LORD wil take off the head the glory the top the crown the wisdome the excellency of man the maine the chiefe the principle part wil th e LORD slay al these in man shal be taken away and only a remnant shal remain The LORD wil waste and consume flesh to a very low state He wil bring down man to a fragment to a very small Remnant til ther 's almost nothing left to a state and condition that shal not be considerable that shal scarce be fit for any use The thousands the seven thousand the excellentest the greatest the richest the most numerous the most religious and devoted part shal be slain a remnant only shal be left and those affrighted too And great fear fell upon them that saw them When they saw the LORD ascending out of Earth leaving the Earth desolate leaving Religion Society Common-wealthes to wasting and destruction when they saw stability goodness wisdome righteousnes and holyness forsaking the earth and ascending up into the holiness of God this affrights men and it affrights them almost out of their wits to see that there is no living amongst such men that there is nothing to be seen amongst them but death horrour and confusion in the whole creation And to see that if we do not submit to the Lord live in the Spirit of the Lord and follow the guidance and conduct of the Spirit of the Lord we are for ever ruin'd If we are not able to ascend with these Witnesses go up with them to Heaven and live with Christ and the Spirit of God an heavenly life we are utterly undone for ever we shal see hel opening her mouth to devour us miseries feares and wrath ready to cease upon us and swallow us up therefore if we cannot ascend to Heaven with these witnesses Wo be unto us for we shal see there is no possible way of subsistence out of heaven We shal see much hellish wrath and darknes and confusion fall upon men that they cannot live in that state and condition wherein they have lived And they gave glory to the GOD of Heaven Strange language that a Remnant a poor affrighted remnant should be able to give glory to God Yet thither we must be brought before we can give glory to the God of Heaven Whil'st we have any glory left we give glory to our selves and not to God but when we are become a Remnant Affrighted and dasht in peeces then shal we glorify God We think that men of excellent wisdome and strength should glorify GOD O no they take from the glory of God and give it to themselves We think that Assemblies and Parliaments and Synods and Councels of great Men should give glory to God no none at all they give glory to themselves None but an affrighted remnant gives glory to God God neither hath nor wil have any glory til man be brought to an affrighted Remnant they that were affrighted gave glory to God Mark it if you are able to mark it that such a poor and affrighted remnant should give glory to the God of Heaven that the God of Heaven should receive glory from so poor an affrighted remnant a poor fag-end of the world wasted and consumed by sword plagues and judgements that they that have nothing should yet give to God When men are wasted and