prove the nations or the governments of the nations either temporall or spirituall to be mountains To which I answer that the Prophets usually apply the name of mountains to the nations or government and magistracy of the nations as may be seen Psalm 72. 3. Zechariah 4. 7. Daniel 2. 45. Rev. 6. 15. with divers the like places now it being so that the Jews were permitted to flee unto the mountains of the nations when their City and Temple were destroyed to hide themselves from the fury of the Romans their Enemies in like manner I conceive the beleeving Gentiles have the like permission to flee to the mountains of the protestant Churches to shroud themselves from the fury of their oppressing Enemies the Christian Romans when once the Abomination makes the whole worship of the Lord Jesus desolate of the Spirit of God and they cannot in conscience submit unto it and the fury of the beast being such as they that did not submit unto his worship they were to lose their lives as the Jews were sure to be cruelly handled if they did not submit to the government of the heathen Romans And so much to these objections Another objection is made against my exposition of Mat. 24. 29. of the sun moon and stars with the powers of the heavens some saying that there is meant those created lights of the heavens which guide the times and by the providence of God enlighten the Earth naturally others say the sun signifies Magistracy and the moon the Ministry To which I answer and say that the Scripture is full of such expressions as the sun moon and starrs and for the cleering of this figurative speech I shall be forced to set forth the severall Acceptions wherein the sun moon and stars is taken in Scripture First sometime the sun moon and stars is taken for those glorious lights of heaven as Josuah 10. 13. and Isa. 38. 8. with divers the like places where the sun is taken for the light of heaven Secondly somtime the sun moon and stars are taken in a figurative sense as that which is most excellent amongst men as the sun signifies that spirit of government which naturaly al men that have any excellency of nature fit for government are indued with as the spirit of counsell prudence and fortitude and the like which are vertues fit for government and may be in a naturall man the moon to figure out the laws of the nations which are divers according to the policy of every nation and are changed according as the state of things require like unto the moon and receive their light from that spirit of counsell that is in those law-makers which are indued with it the stars to signifie those eminent counsellers which shine as starrs in any common-wealth the powers of the heavens to be that Rule of government which is especially exercised in any nation where those lights are applied unto and of those sort are these Scriptures Isaiah 13. 10. and 34. 4. Ezekiel 32. 7. Joel 2. 31. and 3. 15. Rev. 6. 12 13 14. with divers other the like places and for proof of this that this is the meaning of the holy Ghost in these places pray take notice of Isaiah 34. where the same figurative speech is used in ver 4 5. it is said my sword shall be bathed in heaven behold it shall come down upon Idumea and upon the people of my curse to judgment And then in the 12. verse it is said They shall call the Nobles thereof to the Kingdome and none shall be there and all her Princes shal be as nothing Which shews plainly what is meant in the 4 verse where the like figurative speech is used And observe also Isaiah 13. 10. Rev. 6. 12 13 14. in which places there is mention made of the destruction of the nations but especially of Babylon Thirdly sometime the like figurative speech is used and applied unto the people of God and then the sun signifies the Spirit of God which his people are indued with the moon the ordinances of God as the tabernacle temple and sacrifices of the law in that standing and to the ordinances of the Gospel in the time of that standing and hath been changed according to the change of times which the Lord hath been pleased to alter in his Church in severall ages the starrs to those eminent Saints of God which as stars did shine in severall ages in the Church of God the powers of the heavens to be that Ruling power of the Lord Jesus which his people did act by his Authority in the time of the Gospel which was in the Church of Jesus Christ wherein they did receive in and cast out all such as were meet to receive or unmeet for their spirituall society and of this sense are these places of Scripture Isai. 5. 10. Joel 2. 10. Micah 3. 6. Matt. 24. 29. Rev. 8. 12. and 9. 2. In which places it is to me evident that those things are meant But it may be objected that this is but my exposition without any Scripture proof for it To which I answer and desire all men to weigh diligently those places of Scripture as Isaiah 60. 19. 20. where the prophet speaking of the glory of the Church in her Restoring saith The sun shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee meaning as I conceive when the Lord restores his Church and people they shall need none of those secondary means to enlighten them with but the Lord shall be unto them an everlasting light and thy God thy glory and then in the 20. verse it is said Thy sun shall no more go down neither shall thy moon with-draw it self in which texts are two things considerable to this purpose first that the Church hath a sun and moon secondly that this sun hath gon down and this moon withdrawn her self and I think that no man can find out any fitter exposition to the sense of the text then this is and to the order of the Church in all ages which some time hath been flourishing with abundance of the Spirit of God and the laws of the Administrations touching outward order especially kept and the Church being crowned with her twelve stars which abundantly did shine in her and encrease her glory Sometime again she hath been in captivity and her temple and ordinances destroyed and made desolate of the spirit of God and the glory of God in respect of outward administrations by degrees leaving her for her sins as it is plainly set forth Ezekiel 10. and 11. chapters besides the experience of things in all ages doth confirm this truth as is cleer unto us in these dayes and explained by me in my book of some discoveries of the mystery of the last times page the 14. Secondly pray take notice of Rev. 12. 1. where Saint John saw a wonder in heaven a woman cloathed with the sun and the moon under her feet
content with the Earths helping the woman that is in swallowing the floud up which the serpent had cast out of his mouth to carry the woman away which is now well aswaged blessed be God therefore that it is to be feared that our Contentions will be a means to ruine our selves and so the beast rise and bring us into bondage to worship his Image or else to be killed for the Lord may for a punishment unto us for our dissention in matters perteining to outward order stir up such as may give power to the Image of the beast that the Image of the beast may both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the beast should be killed Seventhly gentle Reader If none of these Scriptures move thee which I have quoted in this following treatise to believe the people of the Lord Jesus must lie in these severall dispensations before the generall Restoration of all things by the Lord Jesus himself then let the experience of the times perswade thee For if thou diligently consider of the times thou shalt find that the Church flourished for a time it then declined or slumbred for another time the servants have been awake for another time and for the Jews they have been asleep or dead in respect of any temple and worship for many ages and there is a time for the people of the Lord Jesus to be asleep or dead Matthew 25. 5. in respect of Gospel order before the great restoring which we ought with much earnestness to cry unto the Lord for and this the Scriptures which I have alledged do abundantly prove in my sense which I am forced to believe untill I see a better given Eightly all that I shall desire of thee will be but this all those Reasons considered in this following Treatise that it may but worke some moderate conformity among Christians or at least that enmity and bitterness may be laid aside among Christians in profession and the edge of hatred abated amongst them in resisting one another unto bloud for matter pertaining to form and discipline in the Church of Jesus Christ and let Christians remember that if what they profess be truth that it is of a prevailing nature and will stand when Errour falls and let them remember that Gamaliels Counsell will prove true that if it be of God it will stand in spite of all opposition and if it be not it will fall though we strive never so much to hold it up Ninthly Christian Reader I shall desire thee that if thou find any thing of God in this following treatise then let him have the glory which is worthy of it and let me have thy prayer that have need of it and if in this worke God be but so much glorified as it be but to the setling of our soules that were distracted by means of our distempers and contentions about Religion I have my reward Lastly I desire thee Christian Reader whosoever thou art though the greatest lover of order in this time of disorder that if thou see that I have erred in the body of this Treatise or in any branch thereof that if thou know my face or canst with conveniency come to the knowledg of me that thou wouldst admonish me of it and if thou know me not that thou wouldest make it appear wherin I have erred and if it arise to such a sum as thou thinkest is worthy of an answer I promise thee by the word of a Christian that I will to use Job's expression in Job 31. 36. take it upon my shoulder and bind it as a Crown unto me and if it weigh too heavy for me that is if I be not able to reply to it by arguments drawn from Scripture Rule then I promise thee by the same word that I wil God assisting me as publickly revoke what I have done as I have now publickly divulged this in print however I shall take thine admonition as an oyntment to my head and count the stripes of a friend better then the kisses of an enemy And so leaving thee to the protection of the Almighty and wishing thee as much happiness both of body and soul as I would wish my self I remain thine in the Lord in the duties of Christianity RICHARD MERCER A further Discovery of the Mystery of the last Times c. THat great Creatour and Governour of all things the mighty God which hath in diverse manners and Administrations spoke unto the fathers by the Prophets hath in this last age spoken unto us by his Son this Son which is the Lord Jesus hath also spoken unto us by himself and by his Apostles in these last ages in divers manners and administrations which is that Prophet which we ought to hear in all things Deut. 18. 15. and to observe his word revealed unto us and to follow him in all his wayes and dispensations in which he delivereth himselfe unto his people For the cleering of which and to shew the divers wayes of the Lord in his making out of himselfe unto his people I shall propound these severall particulars unto the consideration of all men First That there is a building and flourishing condition of the Church of Jesus Christ in the time of the Gospel Secondly That there is a declining and falling off or slumbring condition of the said Church Thirdly That there is a sleepy or dead condition of all the outward face of the said Church Fourthly That there is to be a most glorious restoring of the said Church by the Lord Jesus himself Fifthly That this Restoring will be most sudden and unexpected Sixthly I shall shew according to the light I have received the severall formes and goverments in severall ages which shall be enemies unto the people of the Lord Jesus in these severall administrations which the Lord Jesus doth suffer his people to ly under Lastly That the Lord Jesus will by himself destroy all those Enemies of his people at his next appearing without the help of any humane power Now for my more orderly proceeding in the cleering of the truth of these particulars I shall handle them as they ly in order and shall answer all the objections I have heard made against any of them And therefore of the first That there is a building and flourishing condition of the Church of Jesus Christ in the time of the Gospel is a truth so cleer as it needs no cleering for all men know that it did abundantly flourish in the first Gospell times but for time how long it will be necessary to treat of therefore pray note I conceive the Church did flourish and spread during the time of our Saviour and his Apostles and during the time of the ten persecutions untill the time of Constantine the first Christian Emperour in all which time notwithstanding the Church was persecuted and afflicted with sundry miseries yet by the grace of Christ Jesus she did continually flourish to the spreading of her self to
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 pettaining 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 2. The slumbring or declining condition of the state of the said Church 3. The sleepy or dead condition in respect of outward order of the said Church with an Answer to all the objections the Author hath met with touching this subject 4. That there is to be a most glorious Restoring of the said Church by the Lord Jesus himself 5. That this Restoring will be most sudden and unexpected 6. Is shewed the severall forms of Governments which have been enemies unto the people of the Lord Jesus in these severall dispensations viz. the Dragon the Beast which did rise out of the sea the Beast that did rise out of the earth with the time of prevailing of each Government 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 Hos. 2 2. 3. Plead with your mother plead for she is not my wife neither am I her husband let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight and her adulteries from between her breasts Lest I strip her naked and set her as in the day that she was born and make her as a wildernes and set her as a dry land and slay her with thirst Rev. 2. 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first work or else I will come quickly unto thee and will remove thy Candle stick out of his place except thou repent Ezek. 16. 3. And say Thus saith the Lord unto Jerusalem thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan thy father was an Amorite and thy mother an Hittite Eph. 2. 12. That at that time ye were without Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world Hos. 2. 14. Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the wildernesse and speak comfortably unto her Rev. 12. 14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great Eagle that she might flee into the wilderness unto her place where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time from the face of the Serpent Rev. 16. 15. Behold I come as a thief blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame London Printed for W. Roybould at the Unicorn in Paul's Church-yard 1651. The Epistle to the Reader Christian Reader THou shalt know that some twenty months since there came out under my name a little Book intituled Some Discoveries of the Mysteries of the last Times which coming into the hands of the men for whom principally it was intended they in stead of giving moderate Reasons against it that so the Truth might be found in these disputing times wherein every man almost shews his judgment in one sort or other and was the thing I aimed at in publishing of it began some of them at the least to vilifie both me and the work that I had set forth that it was a weak and simple thing and not worth the reading and for my person as I was credibly informed it was said That they thought I did it against my Conscience a sin if in me indeed against the holy Ghost so uncharitable were they towards me Again there was another sont of men which seemed to approve of the Work But say they You have laid down your judgment so darkly and obscurely that we are not able to reach your meaning Which things considered there came into my thoughts two main ends for which man was created the one was to glorifie God his Maker the other to be serviceable to all men in his generation Upon the account of which two ends but especially of the later I began to consider that I was a debter both to the wise and unwise Therefore to the wise I thus say that if there be any thing in this following Treatise that is worth taking notice of as it is much there should be nothing that they would esteem it not according to the worth of the Author or the manner of the delivery of it which are both mean and of no esteem but according to the truth of the thing Especially insomuch as Moses being indued with an extraordinary spirit did not despise the counsell of Jethro which was a stranger to the Common wealth of Israel and forasmuch as it pleased God to reveal to shepherds those things which were hid from the great Rabbins and learned men of that time as may be seen in the Gospel And to the unwise I say If there be any more unwise then my self that it pities me to see how we contend for the body untill we well nigh lose the spirit how earnest we are for shadows which must in their due time passe away untill we endanger to lose the substance how we quarrel for form and discipline yea unto bloud in destroying one another as hath been seen in this nation and ought to be lamented untill we almost forget that great and new Commandment which is the law of Love and all under pretence of Reforming the Church of Jesus Christ which upon due consideration made me stand amazed to see such offences committed amongst Christians in profession and as seemed zealous on both parts until entring into a most serious search into the prophesies of the last times not without the outward means of prayer and humility and sincere desire to find out the cause and knowing that the Lord had promised to reveal his secrets to the humble upon which I found and I trust by some breathings of the Spirit of God that these things were foretold and that Ephraim should envy Juda and Juda vex Ephraim and that by negative consequence they should hurt and destroy in the mountain of Gods holiness and that until there come a Rod out of the Stem of Jesse and a branch grow out of his root at which time the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea and then the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid
the utmost parts of the world and this is that time as I conceive of that battell which was in heaven in which the great dragon was cast out that old Serpent called the divel which deceives the whole world he was cast into the earth and his angels were cast out with him Rev. 12. 9. and this flourishing condition of the people of the Lord Jesus is fully set forth in those severall places Rev. 6. 2. 11. 1. 12. 1 2. in all which places there is mention made of a building and increasing condition of the Church of the Lord Jesus and to this particular I have met with no objection But secondly That the Church did by degrees decline and fall into a slumbring condition is a truth which needs some cleering therefore pray mind our Saviour Mat. 13. 25. speaks of the servants being a sleep and in his 25 Chapter and 5th verse he speaks that while the bridegroome tarried all slumbred and slept which cleerly shews that there was a time in which the peace and tranquility of the Church by that Riches which did come into her by means of Constantine the first Christian Emperour did cause her to be negligent and to forget her watchfulness and by degrees to suffer Antichrist to get possession of her and this is set forth by Saint Paul 2 Thes. 2. 3. where speaking of the day of Christ he saith that that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition and is further set forth though mystically Rev. 8. in the sounding of the 2. 3. 4 and 5 trumpets I shall speak of the trumpets as they ly in order where in the 8. verse it is said And the second Angel sounded and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the Sea and the third part of the Sea became bloud and the third part of the Creatures which were in the Sea and had life died and the third part of the ships were destroyed which as I conceive at the sounding of the second trumpet the Roman Empire under Constantine being the great mountain which is a phrase usuall in Scripture was cast into the sea that is as I conceive into the Church which is compared unto the sea by reason of the many afflictions which like waves follow one in the neck of another burning with zeale like fire and the same Emperour granting such priviledges unto the Churches as immediately the third part of the Creatures which were in the sea and had life died and the third part of the ships were destroyed that is the third part of the particular Churches of Jesus Christ began to fall away and decline from the truth of the Gospel by means of that outward peace and riches which now they had gained in the world by favour of Princes towards them But it may be asked this question what proofe I have to compare the Churches to ships To which I answer that Isaiah in the 33. Chapter of his prophesie compares the Church to a ship which will be a sufficient answer as I conceive And then in the tenth verse it is said And the third Angell sounded and there fell a great star from heaven burning as it were a lamp and it fell upon the third part of the Rivers and the fountains of water and the name of the star is called Wormwood and the third part of the waters became wormwood and many men died of the waters because they were made bitter which as I conceive the starr was the Bishop of Rome beginning to apostate and by degrees to corrupt the Scripture with his false glosse and corrupt doctrine in so much as many seeming Christians died of the waters that is of the corrupt glosse and false interpretation of the Scripture And then at the sounding of the fourth Trumpet it is said And the third part of the Sun was smitten and the third part of the Moon and the third part of the stars so as the third part of them was darkned and the day shone not for a third part of it and the night likewise that is as I conceive the third part of the spirit began to be darkened in respect of its operation unto the Lords people as it was in the first Gospel times that is in respect of those miracles and gifts of the spirit which the former Christians were indued with and the ordinances like unto the Moon which received their light from the sun or spirit began to be corrupted with mens traditions for a third part of them and the third part of the eminent Christians began to lose their beauty and luster wherein they shined unto the Church and the day and night not shining for a third part I take to bethe Church in generall losing the third part of her beauty in all which places is laid down though mystically the declining condition of the Lords people and how by degrees the people of the Lord Jesus did fall to a slumbring condition and did suffer themselves to fall off from the integrity of the Gospel And to this also I have met with no objections being so known as that it is scarce denied by any man except it be by Chatholicks I shall now come to speake of that third particular namely That sleepy or dead condition of the people of the Lord Jesus and for proof of this pray take notice of these places for to this condition almost all the Prophets bear witness namely Isaiah 6. 13. the Prophet compare the Church unto a teyl-tree or an oak in winter time when they cast their leaves shewing that the deadness of this condition of Gods people will be such as it will have no outward beauty but be like a tree in winter time without leaves yet nevertheless it shall have its substance in it for the holy seed shall be the substance thereof So likewise Isaiah the 10. 25. and 28. 22. the prophet fore-tels that there shall be a consumption in the midst of the land that is as I conceive a sleepiness or deadness upon the outward face of all the Administrations Likewise in Cha. 32. 13 the prophet foretels that upon the Land of my people speaking in the person of God shall come up bryers and thornes yea upon all the houses of joy in the joyous City and then in the 14. verse he shews how it shall come to passe that is because the palaces shall be forsaken the multitude of the Cities shall be left the forts and towers which I take mystically to signifie the Churches shall be for dens for ever a ioy of wild asses a pasture of flocks And in the 15. verse he shews the time how long it shall be which is untill the spirit shall be poured upon us from on high and the wilderness be a fruitfull field and the fruitfull field be counted as a forrest thus much for Isaiah Now let us here what the Prophet Ezekiel doth
Reason that all men should be deceived and you onely know the truth To those men I answer and do acknowledge the doctrine is strange and I do confesse I do not remember that I ever read of any such thing treated of and for the most part of the places I have opened in some measure I do not remember that I ever heard any exposition upon them yea I acknowledge that the matter seems sometimes strange to my self having nothing in me that deserves that the Lord should reveal any thing to me rather then to another I see in my self so much weakness and deadness to any thing that is good that it seems to the contrary but when on the contrary I consider the harmony and agreement which is among the prophets tending to the same things and when I consider the experience of the ages past confirming it and making it to appear a truth in part without contradictions and when I consider that the Lord hath in severall ages taught some of his people yea his prophets by men of inferiour parts to them as may be seen in Jethro's counsell to Moses and by Amos which was a herd-man of Tekoa which taught Amasiah the priest of Bethel and when I consider the Lord confounds the wisdome of the world by things of no esteem and brings to nought things that are by things that are not I then take encouragement and am constrained to beleeve that this is the meaning of the holy Ghost in those places and shall beleeve untill I do perceive a better sense given which being done I hope I shall not be so self-conceited as to prefer my sense before a better if it begiven It is further objected that we are commanded to come out of Babylon left we are partakers of her sins and so receive of her plagues which is a duty required of us and besides we have now an oportunity given us to come out for the States give us liberty to walk according to Gospel order and according to our conscience there in and to gather our selves into bodies To the first I answer That it is true that we are commanded to come out of Babylon but it is necessary to know the time when we are to perform that duty lest haply we should lose our labour and I could wish that some man that is so zealous for the performance of that duty would labour to demonstrate by the Scripture Prophesies that the time for the performance of this duty were fully come lest the practice of this duty have no better success then those men in Jeremy 29. 21. namely Ahab the son of Kolajah and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah which were two false prophets which did perswade the people that they should speedily return from their captivity contrary to the prophesie of Jeremy which had prophesied their captivity to continue seventy years which were a duty necessary to be done for so much as the prophet Daniel did understand by books the number of yeers where of the word of the Lord came to Jeremy the prophet that hee would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem Dan. 9. 2. and accordingly did make his prayer for their return So likewise in the Revelation there are set times for the people of the Lord Jesus to lie in this and that condition as may be seen in the 11. 12. 13. chapters which I shall endeavour the Lord enabling me in the sequell of this treatise to make appeare not to be fully accomplished Besides take notice of those places which speake of the people of the Lord coming out of Babylon and you shall finde that Babylon is first fallen before the Lords people are exhorted to come out of her as may be seen Rev. 14. 8. and 18. 4. But we do not yet see Babylon fallen nay rather we see her as high as ever almost only we have seen one of his heads wounded to death but his deadly wound is almost healed neither do we see any glory like unto that glory which is spoken of in those two places to precede the fall of Babylon neither do we see the Lamb upon mount Sion with his hundred forty and four thousand neither an Angel come down from heaven having great power and the earth was lightned with his glory which are things which goe before the peoples deliverance besides pray marke that Babylon in the letter was destroyed before the people of God were dilivered and his people had a Leader to goe before them out of Babylon Even so likewise I conceive that the people of the Lord Jesus are to have a leader or diliverer to goe before them to call them out of Babylon in the mystery and to send his Angels to gather together his Elect from the four windes of the heaven according to those Scriptures Isai. 11. 11 12. and 52. 12. and 66. 19 20. Joel the 3. 11. Obadiah 21. Zechariah 2. 5 8. Matt. 24. 31. compared with Rev. the 14. 6 7 8 9. and 18. 1 2 4. In all which places is mention made of the Lords deliverance of his people by himself and of sending forth his Angels to declare the fall of Babylon and to exhort the people of the Lord to come out of her To the second branch of this objection I answer It is true that the State gives liberty to tender consciences for which they deserve much honour but these men must also remember that as the State gives them liberty so must they have liberty of God also which I desire to see proved for first if they will come out according to order they must have their Leader with them which is the Lord Jesus for it is said expresly Isaiah the 52. 12. for you shall not go out in hast nor go out by flight for the Lord will go before you and the God of Israel will be your rereward But in this reformation which is profest in this nation in any profession I see no glory that comes neer the first Gospel times whereas the coming of the Kingdom of God with power did exceed the first glory as may be seen Mat. 17. 2. Secondly it must be granted that the nations of Christiandome are all of them at the least Christians at large as I may term them that is professing the name of Christ now if we follow order we must reform by the major or greater part as is the order in all assemblies as also in the Church of Christ whilst they had power as may be seen in the Churches of Asia but we cannot reforme that way because the major part will keep their customes still be they never so ill and therefore we cannot this way reform according to order because the best part is over-voted But thirdly seeing that all our reformers do acknowledg that the ordinances are corrupted touching Church discipline and if we will reform we must bring them to the first standard and because all our ministers have derived their office of ministry through
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
the country of Pledmont what wars and bloud-shed there hapned what extremity the poore people were put unto by the Lord of Trinity his Army may be seen in Acts and Monuments the 2 volume page 202. 3. What misery hath befallen in the realme of France touching dissention about Religion between the Papists and Protestants containing some Kings raigns what bloud was shed in those battels and wars between the two parties may be seen in the Soveraigne power of Paliaments and kingdomes the 3d part written by Mr. William Prin page the 34 and so forth 4. What wars and bloudshed followed in Germany of late years about Munster between the common people and the nobilitie about matters touching religion is best known unto those that have read the history Lastly What wars and miseries have followed in this nation within this few years experience hath taught us the principle quarrell being about religion and although I do not dispute the lawfulnesse of the Parliaments just warr in respect of civill rights having my selfe taken part with the Parliament and by their Authority born arms to defend my civill rights yet touching religion when I consider the Lord Jesus being king of peace me thinks there should no arms be taken up to defend religion and although I do acknowledg that it is our Saviours words that he came not to send peace on the earth but the sword that is after the preaching of the Gospel there would follow wars and combustions among the nations yet I do not find that he left any example by any of his messengers that private subjects should defend their religion by the sword neither do I question but that lawfull Authority may defend their religion by armes but this I find that in most of our Reformations England onely excepted where the change hath been made by the Prince or State that at one time or other the subjects have taken arms to defend their religion against Authority These things being considered diligently I leave it to the judicious reader to judge whether that of the Prophet Isaiah may not be applied unto all our Reformations I mean in outward discipline and order in his 50. chapter verse 11. Behold all ye that kindle a fire that compasse your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled this shall ye have of my hand ye shall lie down in sorrow and I shall leave it also to the people of God themselves to consider if the reformers in those severall ages may not justly take up that complaint of the Church in that 26. of the Prophet Isaiah verse the 18. We have been with child we have been in pain we have as it were brought forth wind we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth neither have the inhabitants of the earth fallen which experience doth fully teach in all those Reformations for the inhabitants of the world are not yet fallen which all the foregoing premises diligently considered makes me undoubtedly be perswaded that the Lord will not deliver his people by themselves in any of those waies which are now practised but will deliver his people by himself in some extraordinary manner at his next appearing which will be like lightning Now the summe of all that hath been said gathered up together is this that during the sleep of the people of God the enemies came and sowed tares among the wheat the servants neglecting their duty of being watchfull these tares are grown too many for the good seed and have got possession in the Church and have captivated the people of God and have brought them into bondage under which they must lie untill the great deliverer come to deliver them But me thinks I heare a question put which hath already been put to me that is What profession is this man of for he seems to be contrary to all men this seems to us to be strange doctrine that the people of God must lie in bondage under the antichristian state and may not deliver themselves by Gospel order what profession is this man of To which I answer that I am a man which desires so farr as my infirmity will give me leave and the Lord inable me against it to keep faith and a good Conscience and by watching and prayer to wait for my Masters coming and if for my admonition I gain nothing from the men of every profession but evill will and it may be reproaches which have happened already I passe not if I be judged leaving the matter to God However I have not hid my talent in a napkin but have declared that light I have received wherein I have not presumed to a prophets office that is to declare hidden things but what is I conceive revealed in the word though mystically and I do not remember that ever I heard or read of any that treated of this mater which did incourage me in the work And if as I say I gain evill will for it it is no more then what the prophet Jeremiah met with which he complaines of in chapter 15 10. where he saith Wo is me my Mother that thou hast born me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole Earth I have not lent on usury neither have men lent to me on usury yet every one of them doth curse me which shewes that he had done nothing in the world worthy of blame but had behaved himselfe honestly among all men yet neverthelesse because he taught them to submit themselves where God had subjected them therefore he complaines that every one doth curse him which if it be my lot I have done my duty and shall leave the issue to God But it may be objected if we may not look to have the ordinances restored again in their purity because the glory is departed from them why what is then to be done To which I answer that I have propounded my light that I have received desiring no man to follow it further then he seeth it to be truth in the mean time I leave every man to walk in humility according to the dictates of his own conscience and where his conscience leads him let him practise but let him beware he do not say See here is Christ and see there is Christ for the next appearing will be a glory so excellent as it will bury all earthly administrations and let him also remember that it is not Circumcision nor uncircumcision that availeth any thing but a new Creature And for as much as I as yet can find no Rule in Scripture concerning outward administrations for the people of God to walk in after the abomination is set up which makes the ordinances desolate of the Spirit of God and drives the glory of God from all outward administrations as experience teacheth us therefore my admonition will be this That let every man strive earnestly by watching and prayer giving the Lord no rest till he establish and till
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