144000 singing their new song now the end of all being to bring men to repentance exhorting them to turne to the true God worship him onely and submit to the Son that they may be blessed by him and this being a reall act in God intending the salvation of men it cannot be but all this must be done before the day of repentance and salvation is finishâ— and gone when the night cometh no man can worke and if so then it must of necessity be granted also that these things must be done before the fourth Viall is powered out for after that Viall is once gone forth there remaines no place for repentance the day of repentance and salvation is spent and gone for the Text expresly saith that men blasphemed the name of God and repented not to give him glory When the two Witnesses rise which we have good ground to believe will be at or before the powring out of the fourth Viall and execute some part of the wrath and judgements of God the day of repentance and salvation being not yet past over and gone it 's recorded Rev. 11.13 that the remnant of men left gave glory to the God of heaven a true and excellent fruit of true repentance but here the day of repentance and salvation being finisht and mens hearts hardened that is recorded also that men blasphemed and repented not to give him glory And in this 14th of the Revelation immediately upon the preaching of this Gospel Babilon Rome falls and suddenly upon the neck of that God by the mouth of an Angel pronounces them cursed without remedy that then worship the Beast and his Image and receive his marke and the Son of man followes with his sharp sickle reaps his harvest and gathers the Vine of the earth treads the wine-presse of the wrath of God What God may doe in a more than ordinary way with any particular soule I leave it but there 's no generall Time of repentance and salvation interveening these executions of the wrath of God when once the fourth Viall is powred out Not being able to answer these Reasons I am fully perswaded to believe the truth of this Assertion And whether Daniels little stone's smiting and the rise of the two Witnesses be not contemporary with Davids hill of Sion and John's Mount Sion Christ being seated on it whether all these Prophecies will not be fulfilled at one the same time yea whether they signifie not to us one and the same thing onely one one part of the work of God at that day another another part of it I leave to the serious consideration and narrow scrutiny of the godly wise at this day And let none be discouraged from believing these things because of the unlikelinesse of them to come to passe in our dayes for the flood of Gods wrath upon the old world was as unlikely to that worlds understanding to overflow when it did as these things can be to this and the Scripture saith the coming of the Son of man shall be like unto those dayes Againe the Scripture saith He shall come at midnight a time when men asleep least expect him And againe When they that dwell upon the earth shall be in the height of their mirth and jollity FVLL OF PEACE rejoycing and sending gifts one to another then the spirit of life from God enters into the two Witnesses and fills those rejoycing earthen soules with great feare brings an Earth-quake slayes a part of the world and affrights the remnant that are left extorting from them glory to the God of heaven Yet againe though the whorish woman Babylon may come to such prosperity as to say in her heart I sit a Queen and am no Widdow and shall see no sorrow her plagues shall come in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord who judgeth her Let our hearts ponder these things and we shall tremble as the word of God for judgement is at the doore In the second place I am to give my judgement how far we are come at this day or rather how neare the great God in his providence is come to us at what part of this Psalme thus expounded we may lay our finger and say this is our state and condition this is the work God would have us to doe in this our day To doe this is a great work but to doe it with demonstration to convince the understandings of men and stop the mouth of the gain-sayer is a far greater work which I despaire to performe yet according to the measure of light the Lord hath given me I shall make an Essay towards a clear evidencing of the Truth I conceive We are come to the dawning of that day wherein God will in wrath to the worlds Rulers set his King upon Sion the hill of his holinesse and the Lamb will stand on Mount Sion with his 144000 his chosen ones about him wherein the Son will declare the Decree and the 144000 will be singing their new song before the Throne of God according to the import of that Command of the father to his Son in this second Psalme ASKE OF ME And that the present Kings and Rulers of the world but especially the Rulers who are the head of this gathering together against the Lord and his anointed are those against whom the father will engage in this day of his wrath and jealousie for his Son speaking to them in wrath and vexing them in his sore displeasure even with this his setting his King upon Sion the hill of his holinesse The Reasons for this my Assertion are 1 Because we are already gotten under if not towards the latter end of the third Viall to prove this that it may be as valid a reason to you as it is to me I intreat thee Courteous Reader let thine eyes accompanied with thy mind take a journey through Mr. Tillinghast's Treatise upon the Vialls where you will finde so much Reason and such strong Arguments for this assertion as I presume will be so satisfactory as it will not be expected I should say any thing more to the point And if so then upon my former proofe it appears the dawning of this day of blessednesse to the Saints and of wrath to the world with its Rulers hath ceazed upon us But 2 The first fruits of the qualifications of Gods hill of holinesse Christs 144000 the sprinklings of the spirit of that day the beginnings of Christs being received as King in Sion are to be found in the midst of a despised people among us in this our day Let us view over the Qualifications of Christs 144000 consider them and put on a paire of those excellent spectacles made of pure love and our dim eyes will not behold men like Trees but like the purchased inheritance of the Son qualified according to the Decree to such and such a work at such a time I say the first fruits the
Father and the Son concerning the great interest of his Son the sum of which is this second Psalme wherein the father expresses so great love and manifests such strong resolutions to exercise his wisedome and power in doing that for his Son which his love tells him becomes the love of such a father to performe and his deare Son doth deserve The Son seeing his Father so full of wrath and jealousie for his sake going about to make bare the arme of all his wonderfull Attributes and set them all on work to bring to passe his Decree concerning his beloved he steps in declares the Decree to the Sons of men and he doth it with such tendernesse of heart such loving exhortations and invitations that if possible he might perswade them to submit to his Scepter come under his healing wings and be blessed for ever In this Psalme we have First A TIME pointed at Secondly WORKE to be done in that time which is double The worke of God and the Worke of Christ the Son Thirdly The MANNER of Christs doing his work We have Two times pointed at by the holy Ghost in this Scripture 1 All that space of time between Christs first coming in the dayes of his humiliation and his second coming in the day of his power and glory to take the Kingdome to himselfe For the clearing up of this consider 1 That the holy Ghost devides the enemies which Christ shall have in this large Tract of time into three ranks 1 Heathens and People 2 Kings of the Earth And 3 Rulers Heathens and People that is Jewes against Christ for that space of time wherein Heathenish Rome bare rule Kings of the earth while Antichrist Lords it over the Heritage of God And lastly Apostate Rulers men of more refined Principles and professions as will be proved in its place that yet shall prove Apostates such pernicious implacable enemies to Christ in the last dayes such as God shall be no longer able to bear with but shall come forth against them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure 2 And surely The holy Ghost's distinct manner of Characterising them signifies not a little to us concerning this matter What more fit and true Character can be given of Heathenish Rome that great red Dragon than rage What rage did that Beast exercise against the poore flock of Christ How did he rend and teare it to pieces The ten first Persecutions witnesse to it And what vaine things did the people of the Jewes imagine when they thought to extinguish the light of the Gospel that shone in their Horison and to extirpate the profession of Christ out of their Coasts And secondly How directly and particularly doth the holy Ghost point out unto us the ten Hornes that gave their power to the Beast under the notion of the Kings of the earth setting themselves against the Lord and his anointed How openly and stoutly the Kings of the earth have set themselves against the Lord and his anointed in giving their power to maintaine the dominion lusts and blasphemies of the man of sin is evident by the havock they have made in the Church of Christ these many hundred yeares And lastly How exact and precise is the holy Ghost in describing unto us by many notable Characters the constitution of a third sort of Rulers that should come upon the stage of the world in the latter end of those dayes to finish the Tragedy of the old Serpent yet before the Kings of the earth should be totally extinct or put by from prosecuting their work for while the remaining Kings of the earth set themselves these take counsell together against the Lord and his anointed 3 The Apostles and Brethren in the fourth of the Acts are of our mind they begin the fulfilling of this Prophesie with the first coming of Christ when Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel were gathered together against Christ in the twenty-seventh Verse 4 As to the finishing-time of this Prophesie we have good and sure ground to receive it for a truth that this Prophesie runs downe to the day of Christs power when all the Kingdomes of this world shall become the Kingdomes of the Lords Christ For 1 Here 's the forbearance and long-sufferance of God at an end He speaks to the world in wrath and vexeth them in his sore displeasure A course God takes not till he hath tryed all other wayes and means and that indeed the world hath fill'd the cup of her iniquity almost full and the mystery of iniquity is almost finish't then God resolves to make a full end of her as he did of the old world when the appointed time came But 2 Christ steps in and by vertue of that authority he hath with his Father he saith he will declare the Decree He procures a little suspension of the devouring wrath of God and undertakes to declare the Decree in the midst of this wrathfull dispensation now the Decree being onely concerning the matter of his Kingdome in the world it 's worthy our serious consideration whether it point at a time past or the time present or to come PAST I conceive it cannot be for we doe not find that this Decree hath been declared in former times accompanied with the weighty and materiall circumstances in the Text viz. Declared as his right and Title to the Kingdomes and possessions of the Kings and Rulers of the earth in opposition to the present Governours of the world though the best and most Saint-like of them who Take COVNSELL against the Lord and his anointed that is act against him hiddenly that it appears not to the vulgar eye and particularly addrest to the Kings and Rulers of the world as matter for their consideration denouncing no lesse than perishing death to those that yeeld not to him pronouncing them blessed who forsaking their former Lords and Rulers put their trust in him Now no time past being able to shew this Decree thus declared therefore it cannot point out to us that part of time 3 Here is but a little time given men to repent in which argues the day is far spent and the night is at hand the glasse is almost run out there 's but a few sands behind to run the voyce was all the day long beseeching and woeing to repentance by loving and patheticall perswasions We beseech you saith the Apostle in Christs stead setting before men the tendernesse of the heart of Christ to sinners and that matchlesse love of his that mov'd him to shed his blood for them pourtraying before them in a lively manner a crucified Christ with his Crowne of Thornes on his head his wounds in his hands and sides blood and water gushing out and all this with the merits of his death and sufferings to perswade men to believe the willingnesse of the heart of Christ to save sinners and that they would come and take him upon his owne tearmes that they
let them goe forth Though these three men Noah Daniel and Job were in it they should deliver but their owne soules by their righteousnesse saith the Lord God And now it 's come into the same predicament againe the world hath run its round and is gotten into a like posture it was in when a flood of wrath overwhelmed it What a sad condition is this world now in It 's tottering and there 's none to underprop it it 's sinking and there 's none to uphold it The wrath of God is hovering over it ready to fall upon it and there 's none to plead to undertake for it Surely the world is beholding to the intercession of Christ for its standing and now that ceases the foundations thereof are out of course and it 's falling The day of the Lord is coming upon it as a Theef in the night wherein the Heavens shall flee away as a scrowle the Elements shall melt with fervent heat and the earth with the workes therein shall be burnt up The second part of our work is To search into the worke to be done in this remarkable time Here is the work of the father and of the Son 1 The work of the father which is two-fold A worke of wrath to his enemies which is amplified by a double expression speaking in wrath and vexing them in his sore displeasure And secondly A work of love and faithfullnesse to his Son Then shall he speake unto them in his wrath God speaks to men in divers manners by the voyce of his providences the voyce of his mercies the voyce of his rod and the voyce of his judgements and when God speaks by all in wrath his providences blinding their eyes his mercies hardening their hearts his rod driving them from him and as the fruit of the former his judgements cease upon them here 's a dreadfull day of wrath indeed now God speaks to them in wrath But his hath speciall relation to the voyce of his ward for what doth he peak to them in wrath The Text tells us Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Syon the Gospel of the Kingdome And that must needs be a day of wrath and terrors indeed when that word which was wont to be a word of salvation a word of love and good will shall now be a word of wrath in wrath O sad God speaks his word in wrath to a people 1 When it hath contrary effects upon them a savour of death unto death instead of a savour of life unto life As in Isa 6.9 10 11 12. This Evangelicall Prophet Esay must make the hearts of this people fat their eares heavy and shut their eyes and that by speaking such gracious words unto them as he doth throughout his whole Prophesie Certainly this is none other but the wrath of God upon a wanton and backsliding people 2 When God layes stumbling-blocks before a people that they receive not nor hearken to the word but stumble and fall upon it and perish according to that in Jer. 6.21 Therefore thus saith the Lord behold I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them The neighbour and his friend shall perish This also is none other but the wrath of God upon a stubborne rebellious people They had said they would not heare and saith God let it be so they shall not heare he throwes stumbling-blocks in their way least they should follow the voyce of his word and he should blesse them Yet these stumbling-blocks are not such as in the least extenuate or lessen their iniquity by giving them good and right ground to plead a necessity for their doings but such as men make to themselves True God layes stumbling-blocks before them yet it's themselves that make those so to them they are not so to a sanctified heart he by the wing of faith can fly over them but to an earthy lump of clay whose eye is fixed upon no higher than a carnall and worldly glory As 1 Gods making use of obscure mean foolish instruments in the worlds eye to publish his word and Decree to the world He hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise the weake to confound those which are mighty and the base and despised things of the world and things that are not to bring to nought things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence This hath been his course all along since the world began none must deliver his people from a devouring famine but a despised Joseph The Message of rebuke and threatning judgement to a Prince in Israel good old Ely must be sent by Samuel a weak Child unskilfull in the word of Prophesie And as if none of the Princes and Royall blood could be moulded after Gods owne heart he must take David from the sheepfold and make him a mean shepheard Governour over and a deliverer of his chosen people And who are his Heralds to proclaime the Gospel of the Kingdome but a company of poore despicable Fishermen He leaves the wise and learned Rabbies Scribes and holy Pharisees of the times and chooseth the fooles of the world makes them prevalent to pull downe Principalities powers and strong holds and they shall one day prevaile to the trampling their enemies under their feet as the mire in the streets Thus out of the mouths of Babes and sucklings he ordaining strength perfecting his praise the spirituall man can discerne the glory of it his heart will admire and adore it But the men of this world they take offence stumble and fall to the perishing of their soules What! will God forsake our wise and holy men that excell in most excellent virtues and speak by such Idiots rash fooles vainebablers and mad men as they are No they cannot they will not believe it If Peter and his brethren be filled with the holy Ghost they are drunken If Paul speak of the true God he is a vaine-babler and reason of Temperance and Judgement to come much learning hath made him mad This is the sence and judgement of the world 2 The infirmities of his Messengers their not walking up fully to their profession of the glorious Gospel nor so exactly as they ought by the line of the word of truth in their mouth Now the men of this world drawing the line of their judgement from a wrong point they think those mens Principles nought and hypocrittically rotten the word of truth in their mouth an errour a delusion a lye not remembring the best of men must have their graines of allowance Here they take offence stumble and fall rising up with their backs towards the truth This God permits in judgement and wrath to the world that they may stumble and fall and perish 3 The manner of delivering the word of truth in this day of wrath is a great stumbling-block to the world God speaks to them in wrath he was wont to speak in
may be made happy by him But now the day is so far spent the evening come and the time for repentance almost expired the voyce is altered as we see in the last Verse of the Psalme Kisse the Son least he be angry c. A hasty exhortation to repentance and submission to Christ from the consideration of his anger it 's but a little time he will waite for you if you come not in to him when his wrath is kindled but a little you will perish from the way then they will be onely blessed that have put their trust in him This Text holds a faire correspondencie with that in Rev. 22.11 12. He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he which is filthy let him be filthy still And he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still And behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his worke shall be And that other followes at the back of it Bring hither those mine enemies that would not that I should raigne over them and slay them before me 4 We have closely coucht in this Psalme some signes of the coming of Christ as The Apostacy and falling away of many as appears by what followes and the abounding of iniquity upon which the love of many shall wax cold for certainly iniquity must very much abound when such persons as these Rulers are who they be and what they are will be made manifest by and by shall take counsell together to break the bands of the Lord and his anointed and cast their cords from them Which manifests that the love they once made shew of is very cold indeed 5 Here 's a time spoken of wherein Christ shall deale with the Kings and Rulers of the earth concerning the matters of his Kingdome and provoke them to give place to him whose right it is All the day long he had been dealing with men promiscuously but now he is taking to himselfe his great power the father hath given him he deales in a speciall and more then ordinary manner with the Kings and Rulers of the earth Lastly This Psalme seems by the stile of it to present to us Gods coming to judge the world God coming downe to view the works of mens hands as he did to Sodome to see what men did there and beholding the abominable wickednesses of men he asks the reason of it why it is so and finding none to give an account no Advocate to plead their cause his Son not appearing for them he breaks forth into wrath and fury against the world resolves to delay no longer but to execute the Decree performe his Promise to his Son and powre downe his judgements upon the world Sitting on his Throne he laughs at them hath them in derision speaks to them in wrath and vexes them in his sore displeasure Whosoever doth seriously ponder and weigh these Reasons I conceive will see cause to believe it for a Truth That this Prophesie takes in all that space of time between Christs first and second coming But in the second place There is some speciall particle of time pointed out unto us by that significant THEN in the fifth verse THEN shall he speake unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure THEN when The holy Ghost affords us by the favourable Aspect of this THEN many Characters to guide us into a competent knowledge of that dismall time THEN may have respect unto the heathenish rage and vaine imaginations of the first company of enemies and it signifies thus much that when the rage of the one and folly of the other came to the full THEN God would judge them and truly at that time God put the old Dragon to his shifts he had been quite extinct and put beside his Kingdome had he not evaded it by giving his power to the Beast Antichrist and being contented to raigne by his substitute the man of sin but in a speciall and peculiar manner this remarkable THEN hath respect unto the last of those counterfeits that would be esteemed Gods Deputies yet are in truth Satans Instruments against the Lord and his anointed So that 1 THEN when the RVLERS take counsell together RVLERS men that are neither of the number of the Heathen nor of the Kings of the earth but a more refined sort of men such as would be accounted Judges as at the first and counsellours as at the beginning RVLERS not of the earth no that is not exprest onely there are Kings of the earth but these counsellors are RVLERS of what surely it 's but genuine to say they would be accounted Rulers of the Lords people But Christ when he comes to deale with them in the tenth verse saith they are of the earth as well as the Kings Judges of the EARTH He discovers their hidden works of darknesse and makes them appear in their true colours Thus much I conceive is signified to us by this that though when Christ comes to speak to them he calls them as indeed they are Judges of the earth yet here they are termed onely Rulers and that in opposition to the Kings of the earth that is such as they termed themselves and would be esteemed RVLERS Counsellors No Heathenish Emperors nor Popish Kings but refined Rulers here 's Satan transformed into an Angel of light The Heathens cannot prevaile and the Kings of the earth doe not prosper thus Satan being put to his last shift turnes Saint in shew sets up his Rulers that have neither the violent rage of the Heathen nor the open prophanesse of the Kings but the soft hand of profession to become nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Church of Christ as appears by what followes even while they are taking counsell together against the Lord and his anointed For They are RVLERS that having cut off some of the Kings of the earth Rule in their stead which is necessarily imply'd in the Text for we know that the Kings of the earth those that committed fornication with the Beast and gave their power to her Rev. 17.2.17 ruled over the whole world that part which is called the Christian world in which this contest is betweene Christ and his enemies yet at last steps up some Rulers and they get Dominion among the Kings for it 's clear by the Order of the words in the Text these Rule and take counsell while the rest of the Kings are setting themselves against the Lord and his anointed which could not be if these Rulers had not destroyed some of the Kings ruling in their stead otherwise there would be no place for them the Kings of the earth having all the Christian world under their Dominion it 's no way reasonable to conceive that those who love their Crownes so well would willingly give their glory to others And why may we not say that these Rulers get their Dominion by fighting the Lambs
that day 10 Such prayers are no way contrary to the will and mind of God nor unsuitable to a Gospel spirit in Gospel times for we see at this day wherein Christ is taking his Kingdome to set forth the Gospel in all its glory the Command is ASKE of me God will be askt for such things the giving of which ruines this old world and makes way for the new Heavens and new Earth ASKE of me the Heathens for an inheritance the Powers Crownes Scepters of the great men of the world and I will give them to thee ASKE of me the utmost parts of the earth for a possession the whole habitable earth for a place to display thy glory in and I will give it Pray unto me against the Rulers their Apostacy and wickednesses taking secret wylie Counsell combining in leagues and agreements together asosiating themselves with the Kings of the earth against the Lord and his anointed and that to break their bands and cast away their cords Cry aloud unto me against them and these their abominable practices and I will put the iron sword of my wrath and vengeance into thy hand and thou shalt break them with it and my spirit shall so assist thee by an Almighty operation as that there shall be as great ease and facillity without let or hinderance in doing this work of my just wrath and vengeance as there is in dashing a potters vessel against the ground 11 Here is great encouragement to the Saints and people of God to persist and grow valiant in the way of the truth of this truth Lift up your hearts cryes and groanes higher and higher to your God and father against the enemies of your Lord and for the glory and Kingdome of Christ for while you are so doing you are in your fathers way doing his Command ASKE of me saith he Againe you are in the way of the Promise if you aske God hath Promised he will give ASKE of me and I will give thee yea God stands here in a giving posture he waites but for a Petition and when it comes he answers it gratiously he bids you aske that he may give there 's a necessity you must aske saith God I have a gift in my hand worthy a God to bestow but you must aske it ere I can give it that is the order I have set downe to my selfe to walk by and I cannot it becomes not my wisedome to recede from it therefore ASKE of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thy Inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession 12 That there will be in this day a reluctancy and backwardnesse in the people of God to the performance of this great duty this dispensation of the father layes upon them which may come to passe partly through the darknesse of this day the uncertainty and unclearnesse of things that they know not what to judge of them as hath been opened already and partly through that little betternesse in their condition now to what it was under the Government of the Kings through carnality of spirit being ready to sit downe there and partly through unbelief of heart every little hardship and difficulty they phansie to be in the way they look upon as impossibilities and the multiplying-glasse of unbeliefe makes them to seem such tall and mighty Sons of Anake as God cannot pull downe and overcome so that they are ready to cry out Let us make us a Captaine and returne to our Onyons and Garlicke and flesh-pots in Aegypt for it was better then with us than it is now If this were not so this Command ASKE of me were needlesse for otherwise they would be willing enough and forward enough of themselves their owne eternall happinesse and glory is so much concerned in it that it would be a motive strong enough and sufficient to draw them but here God is faine to call upon and command his people ASKE of me 13 The time of Gods giving an answer and returne to all the prayers of the Saints is now come God having filled his hand full of blessings he stands ready to open it and scatter them downe upon his people therefore saith he ASKE and I will give ASKE of me that I may give fill up the measure of your prayers that I may fill up the measure of my gifts I have seene saith God the hard measure you have met with from the world for my Sons sake how ungratefully and unworthily they have dealt with you trampling upon you as dung deriding you as the off-scouring and drosse of mankind but now come ASKE of me and I will give you the reward of all your labour of love a Crowne of glory for your Crowne of Thornes a Royall Exchange indeed O! how tender hath Christ by presenting to his open view the wounds he received the blood he shed and the sufferings he underwent made the heart of his father He can bear no longer he cannot stay till his people come and aske but calls upon them Come my Lambs ASKE of me and I will give ASKE that I may give you the Heathen for an inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for a possession He that commands to aske promises to give this is the time of giving here 's the time of receiving 14 The necessity and mighty force and power of the spirit of prayer saith God ASKE of me that I may give you must aske before I give and ASKE of me and I cannot deny you but I must give you Heathens for an inheritance and utmost parts of the earth for a possession ASKE of me and I must help you and you hall breake your enemies with a rod of iron and dash them to pieces like a potters vessell 15 What a usefull instrument hath God made Syon to be to his Son as Sion must become the hill of Gods holinesse before she can be a fit seat for Christ so before Christ can be exalted and honoured as King he must be seated on Sion he must be seated as a King there before he is in a fit posture to declare the Decree of his father his right and title to the world and as soone as he is settled there he is accomplisht at all points to encounter with the enemies of his Kingdome sends them a defiance a declaration of his right and title to their usurped possessions Sion is his Magazine out of which he fetches all his instruments of war and which he hath made of sufficient force to blow up and bring to ruine all the foundations of rebellion and opposition his enemies have laid against him 16 It 's worthy our taking notice of and of confiderable consequence for us to observe The way of our Lords proceedings in this day wherein he is harnessing himselfe for the battel it 's not the way and course of the politick inventions Machiavillian stratagems under-hand-workings and by the Maximes of State of this world but in a noble plaine heroick way
beginnings of these though yet imperfect will appeare plainly to our view And let us with simplicity and singlenesse of heart look out at the Casements of our soules and we shall behold the sprinklings of the spirit of that glorious day The work of the day shewes us the spirit of the day The Saints in that day sing a new song before the Throne of God c. which is such a song as is so uncouth so strange to so contrary and above the nature Principles and reason of the world as they cannot learne it no man without this hill of holinesse none but the 144000 can learne to sing this song What is this strange song that is so hard to be learnt Why consider it and you will find it to be the Decree the Son in the second Psalme undertakes to declare If we consider this particular also we shall find plainly to appeare in this our day some sprinklings the beginnings of the mighty workings of this spirit Let us yet make a stand and consider the temper and spirit of the Lords people in this our day and we shall find Christ to have a little footing on Sion already his 144000 begin to look upon him to consider him as their King and their hearts are cleaving to him apace If we consider these things we shall behold an Emblem of a glorious fabrick to be erected in its due season which cannot be far off for when the singing of Birds is heard they fly chirping from bough to bough it 's a signe the winter is past and the spring is come Now is the Time in which Christ will or doth call to his beloved Rise up my love my faire one and come away Follow me O my Dove that art in the clefts of the rock in the secret place of the staires Gods hiding-place for his people in a day of wrath Let me see thy countenance let me heare thy voyce For sweet is thy voyce and thy countenance is comely Take us the Foxes the little Foxes those that are lesse discernable and least mistrusted to doe mischief that spoyle the Vines for our Vines have tender Grapes Cant. 2.10 11 12. What though this Kingdome of Heaven be now but as a graine of Mustard-seed the smallest of graines yet it 's water'd with the dewes of the spirit and it will it shall grow up to a Tree able to give shelter to the Fowles of Heaven Elijah's Cloud of blessings although at first it appeare but as the little hand of a man yet in a short time it spreads over the whole Heavens When we fee the day begin to break can we be so stupid as not to believe the Sun makes hast in his course to arise upon our Horizon When these things appeare such signes of the Times are given to us what willfull sins of ignorance shall we be guilty of if we not minding them believe not what is a coming We can tell by the signes thereof whether it will be faire weather or soule to day And why are we ignorant of the signes of the Times Surely it 's a token of a hypocriticall spirit whose damnation will be very great Let none say that which I seem to plead for is encompassed about with such infirmities so much of the spirit of man such contrarieties to some Gospel rules as we cannot believe it to be of God For this plea will be found no good plea at the Sons Tribunall it 's but a fond excuse at best lay what stresse you will upon it it will not hold This day is a day of wrath and the word spoken is spoken in wrath and except we dive into its glory through the vailes of wrath upon it and hearken to it and embrace it giving obedience to it we shall perish from the way of blessednesse Againe let us consider the signes of this day of Christs coming to his Sion that other Scriptures afford and we shall find them to be such as will signifie no such thing to any but to those who have the most precious faith of this Gospel waiting for the consolation of Israel the Holy Ghost will be upon them and let them see the blessed fruit of their expectation There shall come in the last dayes scoffers walking after their owne lusts and saying where is the Promise of his coming For since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation 2 Pet. 3.3 In heart saying our Lord delayes his coming smiting fellow servants eating and drinking with the drunken Mat. 24.48 49. And though the Son of God hath told us that his father will avenge his owne Elect speedily which cry day and night unto him neverthelesse When he comes shall he find faith on earth Luke 18.7 8. yet The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise 2 Pet. 3.9 But is it not to this end That the Tryall of your faith the faith of Gods chosen being much more precious then of gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.7 If these things be so how ought we with all diligence to walk with feare and trembling least we stumble and fall upon those stumbling-blocks of wrath God throwes in the worlds way and perish upon them together with the world And my Reasons why I conceive the present Rulers of this world are those enemies of Christ God will speake to in wrath and vex in his sore displeasure are 1 Because I find the Scripture expresly saith That those who shall be the Rulers of the world at this day of Gods setting his Son upon Sion will oppose and take counsell together against the Lord and his anointed Therefore hath he said He will speak to them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure with setting his King upon Sion the hill of his holinesse And seeing it 's a truth that we are come to the dawning of the day wherein the father will set his Son on his Sion it must follow that these are the Rulers that will be the subjects of the direfull displeasure and wrath of the Great GOD. 2 Because I perceive the Rulers are already taking Counsell together to make their hands strong against the Lord and his anointed and to break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from them And the faithfull Almighty God hath said He will then speak to them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure and if they hearken not to the Gospel of the Kingdome preached to them they shall without remedy perish from the way of blessednesse speedy and swife destruction will be their portion To prove this to the vulgar understanding is very hard yet if we will but consider these few things we may learne somewhat of the businesse 1 That the Characteristicall worke of these Rulers is not their acting but TAKING COVNCELL against the Lord and his anointed for as it
hath been already proved God will not permit them to act their Counsells but while they are in Counsell he will speak to them in his wrath Now Counsell being a close-cabinet act though day may be discerned through a little cranny yet it 's a hard work at present to prove it clearly to the understandings of others but when they come to this height have brought their Counsells as they think ready to put in execution crying out for action LET VS c. then this will appear to be a truth to those that will not believe it now and those who now are counted the fooles uncharitable rash spirits of the Times will be found guided by a spirit of wisedome and truth 2 That these Rulers not being tyed up by Satan or their owne consciences and principles to any Rules of practice all is left to their wisedome and counsell they will act suitable to the present interest of their state and condition Their bounds in that respect are larger to range in then ever any of the worlds Rulers had given them before they will turne themselves into any shape or form to please men to keep them within the bounds of their Rule and Dominion all this and much more is couched under that significant COVNSELL in the first Verse of the Psalme they are well skill'd in the turnings and windings of the wylie Serpent which practice of theirs makes things so dubious and hardly discernable by the understandings of men 3 The present actings of these Rulers against some of the most endeared servants of our Lord Jesus signifies not a little to us concerning this matter Consider seriously for it concernes us not a little â—o to doe the true ground and reason of their so unworthy dealings with and rough sinfull handling of them It weighs nothing that these Rulers put an ugly Vizzard on their face representing them to the world as cloven-footed Devils evill doers for this hath been the course of Sarans instruments ever since the world began thereby to deprâ—sse the truth that their falshood and error might take place Herein these Rulers resemble their predecessors the Heathens and Kings of the earth for which they shall together with them and their Companions be called to account ere long when things will appear as indeed and in truth they are not as these Rulers would now have them I say let our hearts ponder the true reason of present actings and we shall be sensible of the truth of the Assertion 4 Let us consider daily and make a narrow and thorow search into the actions of these Rulers with the naturall tendency of them and get a Serpents wisedome with the innoceny of the Dove and we shall not need that any man should teach us in this matter I shall close up this discourse with one word to the Saints the followers of the Lamb in these evill dayes To you the followers of your dear Lord Jesus in this evill day of Apostacy You have here something set before you of your work God the father hath commanded you to doe and your Lord the Son expects should be done by you for him in this your day also the Qualifications hinted at that will enable you to performe this work according to the will and mind of your God and father Further you have it also hinted to you that you are already entred into the confines of the work of this day the Lord hath drawne over you to the view of the world if they shut their eyes and will not see the greater will their condemnation be an Emblem of that strange and glorious work he is now about to performe and bring to passe in the world The waters of this Sanctuary are risen almost to your ankles Now give me leave to exhort you the bosome friends of our Lord Jesus Follow your Leader the spirit of your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ passe through and through the waters of the Sanctuary that they may not onely wash you to your ankles and knees but to your loynes all over stay not your course till you come to the unpassable overflowings of the spirit that you cannot passe till you are taught to swim in that River of God or after the example of your Lord to walk upon those holy waters doing the will of your God and father and keep in the way of the promise and these things also shall be given you Consider your worke and get an exact and distinct knowledge of that work your Lord and Master hath cut out for you to doe in this day of his Controversie with the world and its professing Rulers and mind the Qualifications ordained to be bestowed upon you to enable you to performe that great work to the praise and glory of grace Let me who am lesse then the least of all Saints yet let me beg of you these few things 1 Flee all flashinesse and flagings of spirit let not the predominancy of such infirmities over you give the world occasion to conceit the sword of the Lord in your mouths and hands signifies but a vaine flourish is grounded on nothing but the airey fancies of men but by a holy and steady perseverance in taking up your Crosse dayly and following your Lord give the world good ground to fear that it 's the sword of the great God wherewith he will plead with all flesh and the rod of his mouth wherewith he will smite the earth and the breath of his lips wherewith he will slay the wicked Isa 11.4 Having put your hand to the Plow look not back having entred into the work make not the least retreat now you are running out of her over whom the Lords judgements and wrath are impending which he will put in execution ere long let not your hearts backslide Remember Lots wife least you also be turned into pillars of salt made a savoury example of the judgement and wrath of the great and jealous God to work in those that shall come after you a savoury spirit fit for the work you perish from 2 Get clear of this world make a seasonable and timely retreat into your Chambers Gods hiding place into the clefts of the Rock that you may be hid from the wrath of God which is coming upon the world Behold the spirit of God himselfe makes this Exhortation to you Isa 26.20 21. Come my people enter thou into thy Chambers and shut thy doores about thee hide thy selfe as it were for a little moment untill the indignation be overpast For behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity the earth also shall disclose her blood and shall no more cover her slaine The Lord having told us what great changes and destructions he will bring upon the earth gives us in these two verses a loving invitation with prevalent Motives to hide our selves while that his great wrath be over-past I say Get clear of this world our Lord tells us It 's