shall it be to the end of these Wonders This is a great Question How long 'T was a Question once askt in Heaven The Angel said Zach. 1.12 How long O Lord And the Souls under the Altar cry How long And thus do the Followers of the Lamb on Earth How long When shall Antichrist be destroyed When shall the glorious Kingdom of Christ come The Answer is When he shall have accomplished to scatter the Power of the holy People all these things shall be finished When the holy People shall be very low and Babylon very high and say I sit a Queen c. then her Plagues shall come the Antichristian Sun must go down at Noon and in the Evening-time it shall be Light to the Saints We have great reason to take notice of this Sign for it is confirmed by an Oath Dan. 12.7 The Man clothed in Linen sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time times and an half and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people all shall be finished This indeed is spoken concerning the Jews Three years and an half must they lye under the power of a civil death after their being called and after their getting some power over their Enemies whereby the Pride of Assyria shall be brought down and the Scepter of Egypt shall depart even after this their power must be scattered and the power of their Enemies will grow very great as we see Rev. 16.14 But then in the midst of those swellings of Jordan when it shall overflow all its Banks shall Jordan be driven back and a way shall be made for the people of God to enter into their rest This is a sworn and therefore a sure Sign Now we may observe that the case of the Gentile-Saints will be the same with that of the Jews for the dispensations of God will be alike to both These as the Jews must be scattered and lie dead three days and an half for the Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless Pit will make war against them overcome and kill them Rev. 11.6 This same thing is set forth in another Vision Rev. 12. Where we read that the Woman is driven into the Wilderness to be there 1260 days and towards the end of these days the Woman thinks her self gotten out of the Wilderness and saith Salvation is come c. But then the Dragon persecutes the Woman and she flies into the Wilderness and is nourished there for a time times and the dividing of a time which is the same with the three days and half Now when such a scattering and killing happens this will be a sign of the fall of Babylon at hand as we see Rev. 11.13 The Witnesses have power to shut Heaven and to smite the Earth with all Plagues and then the scattering of Power comes 2. A second Sign is that which we read Rev. 12.15 The Serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood to carry away the Woman This is the last attempt against the Woman that is the Church of Christ before she gets out of her Wilderness-estate and before the rising of the Witnesses So that when it shall appear that the Serpent is about this work therein an evident Sign will be given of the very near approach of the Fall of Babylon For this is a work to be done in the time of the Witnesses lying dead and after the Woman is driven the second time into the Wilderness Now as for this Flood we may observe that the Serpent hath several sorts of Floods to cast out of his mouth He hath a Flood of Errors and Heresies to cast out and 't is to be observed that the Devil hath been gathering the Errors and Heresies of ancient times and hath been casting them out altogether in this time and many are carried away by this Flood but the Elect shall not He hath been casting out a Flood of Atheism of Prophaneness and Ungodliness and many have been carried away with this Flood There is another kind of Flood which we read of Isa 59.19 When the Enemy shall come in like a Flood c. Psa 18.4 there are Floods of ungodly men And by Waters in the Revelations are meant Multitudes of People over whom the Woman sits Now we may conceive that the Flood is of this kind because the Earth helps the Woman by swallowing up this Flood This Flood is to be cast out of the Devils mouth We may observe that all sin and so the consequents of it came originally out of the Serpent's mouth for the Serpent spake to Eve and so deceived her and drew her into the transgression So Sin entred and Death and all came out of the Serpent's mouth In like manner will the Serpent be speaking to the hearts of men and perswade them to gather together and make up this Flood and by his Instruments those unclean Spirits like Frogs mentioned Rev. 16.13 will speak in the ears of men And thus will this Flood come out of the Serpent's mouth Now when this Flood is cast out the Earth helps the Woman that is some of the Inhabitants of the Earth being led to it by their own interest swallow up this Flood And if such a thing happens after the killing of the Witnesses that is a Flood shall be cast out and the Earth shall be seen to help the Woman and to swallow it up then so plain and manifest a sign will be given of Babylon's sudden downfal that he that runs may read it and may say to Babylon Come down and sit in the dust yea sit thou silent and get thee into darkness for thy time is near to come and thy days shall not be prolonged and thou as well as old Babylon which was the Glory of Kingdoms and the Beauty of the Chaldee 's Excellency shall be as when God overthrew Sodom And here we may observe what matter of Consolation there is in these Prophecies when the troubles and dangers of the Church are foretold in them For when the Dragon persecutes the Woman two Wings of a great Eagle are given to the Woman and so she flies from the Face of the Serpent God will sufficiently provide for the Woman's safety and preservation when nothing but utter destruction seems to be coming upon her for the persecuting Dragon shall be no more able to overtake and devour the Woman flying into the Wilderness than a Beast running upon the Earth can catch and devour an Eagle flying in the midst of Heaven And then when the Serpent casts out this Flood to carry away the Woman the Earth helps the Woman Here 's this comfort for the People of God This last design against the Woman whilst in the Wilderness shall most assuredly be made void for though Babylon will be above all doubt of failing in it and her great confidence and raised expectations shall make her say I sit a Queen and shall not see sorrow yet her Plagues will
of restitution of all things shall keep a Sabbath how much more is it now to be done when Saints have so much need of it The Sabbath is made for man that is for man's benefit and advantage secondarily as principally for God's glory that he might be praised for the Works of Six Days And the Christian Sabbath is to be kept that God may be glorified for the work of Redemption and of a new Creation And when the New Heavens and the New Earth shall be created there will be a New Command for it like that New Command of Love John 13.34 And then the Saints shall say Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast Created all things In the beginning the Heavens and Earth and all the Host of them And now the New Heavens and Earth are finished and all the Hosts of them And for thy pleasure they are and were created Rev. 4.11 All things in the beginning were created and now he that sits upon the Throne hath made all things new And as a Sabbath will be kept by the Jews so in a most strict manner If thou shalt call the Sabbath a delight Many keep a Sabbath now but do not call it a delight But then it shall be the Saints delight Next The Holy of the Lord. The Jews shall acknowledge it to be Jure Divino They shall not look upon it as a Humane Institution and call it the Holy of Men but the Holy of the Lord because made Holy by him And also holy to the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own works nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thine own words which now even the best are too apt to do Consid 5. A Passeover will be kept in the Kingdom of God Ezek. 45.21 In the first moneth in the fourteenth day of the moneth ye shall have the Passeover a feast of seven days and in that day shall the Prince prepare for himself and the people of the land a sin-offering and a burnt-offering and a meat-offering verse 22 23 24. Christ and the Saints shall keep this Passeover and Feast together Compare herewith Luke 22.16 where after Christ had declared his earnest desire to eat of that Passeover he adds I will not any more eat thereof till it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God 'T is observed by Ainsworth on Exod. 12.11 that seven famous Passeovers are recorded in Scripture The first that which Israel kept in Egypt Exod. 12. The second in the Wilderness Num. 9. The third when the Israelites first entered into Canaan in the Valley of Achor Josh 5.10 The fourth in the Reformation of Israel by King Hezekiah 2 Chro. 30. The fifth under Josias 2 Chro. 35. The sixth by Israel returning out of Babylon The seventh by Christ and his Disciples And we may observe how the true Gospel-Passeover came in the room of the Legal Passeover and what times and occasions answerable to the former there have been and will be for keeping a spiritual Passeover 1. The true Passeover hath been slain in Egypt 1 Cor. 5.7 Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us And as the Israelites having the Bloud of the Lamb upon their Door-posts the destroying Angel passed over them so Believers having the Bloud of sprinkling upon them may be sure that wrath and vengeance shall pass over them and they may and ought to keep the Feast by rejoycing in the Grace of God towards them and in their Peace with him and also in hope of the Glory of God and should abundantly bless God for giving Christ for them so should they keep the Feast Q. But how was Christ our Passeover slain in Egypt A. There is that which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified Rev. 11.8 The great City there spoken of is Rome and by a Synecdoche is put for the Roman Jurisdiction which then did extend it self over Iudaea and by the Roman Power was Christ crucified for the Romans way of putting to death was crucifying So Christ was slain in Egypt spiritually so called that is in the Roman Dominion 2. A spiritual Passeover hath been kept in the Wilderness for the Church hath been driven into the Wilderness by Antichrist and there hath been preserved and nourished being fed with Angels food and much experience of Gods goodness hath been given for meat to the people inhabiting the Wilderness So that even here the Saints have had the great privilege of keeping the Feast and eating their spiritual Passeover whereby the Woman hath been nourished in the Wilderness 3. There have been some times of Reformation and of the Gospels prevailing and some enlargement of the Church from Antichristian Tyranny and Bondage and thereby a ground of keeping the Feast as in the times of Hezekiah and Josiah all being the fruit of Christ their Passeover sacrificed for them 4. The calling of the Jews and the glorious estate of the Church in that time is believed and waited for and not in vain for the Valley of Achor shall be given them for a Door of Hope and Vineyards from thence and then there will be a time for the Iews keeping this Passeover and Feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth 5. Babylon must fall and be destroyed for ever and the Churches Redemption which draws nigh will come The man of sin hath been consuming by the Spirit of Christs mouth and will shortly be destroyed by the brightness of his coming and Christ shall take to himself his great power and reign And then shall the Passeover be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God and the Prince and People of the Land shall eat it together And as Christ and his Disciples had a personal communion in eating the Typical Passeover so shall they in eating the true Passeover Q. But how shall Christ being the Passeover eat it A. The Saints shall eat this Passeover and keep the Feast and Christ with them Saints shall eat it by looking on Christ as once slain for them They will rejoyce in what Christ hath done for and is to them even Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption And then Christ also will keep the Feast that is he will rejoyce with the Saints as having been their Passeover slain for them and as having by his Spirit made them new creatures The benefits of his Death and Mediation and blessings of his Kingdom which then the Saints shall be partakers of will be his great delight and as a Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride so will Christ over the Saints They shall eat and rejoyce in what they receive from Christ and he in what he gives to them And as he said 't is more blessed to give than to receive so shall he rejoyce more in what he gives to the Saints than they can in what they receive from him And as Saints shall offer praise so Christ with them Once he said Father I thank thee that thou hast revealed
the sixth Head of Roman Emperours was wounded by the Goths and Vandals who prevailed so much in Italy and took Rome But now that which did lett being taken out of the way the Man of Sin was revealed and by this means the Pope was advanced and he becoming Head and ruling this fourth Kingdom kept it alive and so the deadly Wound was healed The time of this Beast's continuance is Fourty and two Moneths which is the time of the Witnesses prophesying in Sack-cloth and of the Womans being in the Wilderness Now when this time shall be run out then He that leadeth into Captivity must go into Captivity he that killeth with the Sword must be killed with the Sword v. 10. This first Papal Beast then as sitting on seven Mountains and having ten Horns and Rome for his Seat shall be destroyed for then the ten Kings shall hate the Whore and eat her Flesh and burn her with Fire And his Seat shall be destroyed under the Fifth Vial. But the Fourth Kingdom will not be destroyed at this time though now it will have another Wound seemingly deadly given to it which will be healed as after is to be shewn by the second Beast But that which will be destroyed will be the Papal Head of this Beast as in his Seat at Rome at the end of the Fourty and two Months which will be expired long before the Battel of Armageddon which should be well observed by the Reader in relation to what follows concerning the second Beast A clear Proof of this we find Rev. 11.14 Where the Rise of the Witnesses and the Fall of the Tenth part of the City being fore-told which declare the Fourty and two Months to be ended It follows The second wo is past and behold the third wo cometh quickly So that after the fourty two Months shall be ended there must be time for the third wo which will be caused by the cruel persecution of the second Beast and that will end in his final overthrow and the destruction of that fourth Kingdom whereof he shall be the Head The second Beast cometh up out of the Earth and hath two Horns like a Lamb and spake as a Dragon ver 11. And his coming up is after the first Beast shall be killed with the Sword and therefore is not in Being during the fourty and two Months as they conceive who say that the same Antichrist in the fourty and two Months time is here represented under divers forms as having a twofold Original out of the Sea and Earth a double body a twofold shape and person being both a Secular and Ecclesiastical person a Tyrant and a false Prophet an Emperour and High Priest But against this it may be urged John calls him another Beast and why should not we judge so of him And he comes up after the other will be destroyed If he be the same he must be destroyed with him and in him at the end of the forty and two Months And if he should be destroyed with the other then there would be no Beast after the forty two Months but the Scripture gives clear Testimony that a Beast will be after this time and shall continue till he be taken at Armageddon which will be the ending of the third woe By this it appears that they are two distinct Beasts one succeeding another Yet must it be acknowledged that in some respects they may be accounted one as in respect of Power For the second Beast executeth all the Power of the first v. 12. And causeth all to worship the first Beast which will be as it were revived in this second For the deadly wound given to the fourth Kingdom by the ruine of Rome and of the first Beast there will be healed by the coming up of this second Beast So then though they will be two Beasts yet but one Antichrist or Man of sin and so are spoken of 2 Thess 24.8 And whereas 't is said the Beast that was and is not he is the eighth and is of the seven Rev. 17.11 why may we not conclude thus the former Beast is the seventh and this second is the eighth Usually they are thus made up One is that is the sixth order of Pagan Emperours the other is not yet come that is the seventh order of Christian Emperours and then the Pope is made the eighth But the former way seems more probable Thus then when the forty and two months Beast shall be destroyed Satan will immediately send forth another Beast that in him the Antichrist and Man of Sin may be revived and an Head may be raised for the fourth Kingdom and this will be Antichrist 1. In a better shape and form more fit to deceive withal for so great will be the Light of this Day that if Antichrist should appear in his old form he would be hated of all Satan will therefore bring him forth in a better form that he may have the more Followers He appears like a Lamb with a shew of meekness and innocency and in this the subtilty of the old Serpent will be seen who will as near as he can imitate the Work of God in raising the Witnesses who when risen will be more pure and spiritual so this Beast will be raised in a better shape and be transformed as the Witnesses of Christ and Ministers of Righteousness that he may more powerfully deceive 2. He will have as another shape so another Seat For First Rome the Seat of the first Beast will be destroyed under the Fifth Vial Revel 16.10 The fifth Angel poured out his Vial upon the Seat of the Beast and his Kingdom was full of darkness Not now wholly destroyed but full of darkness and is to continue till the pouring out of the seventh Vial. Secondly we may observe that as two Beasts so two Babylons as Seats of those two Beasts are mentioned in the Revelations The first Chap. 14.8 Where after the rising of the Witnesses and their standing with the Lamb on Mount Sion 't is said Another Angel followed saying Babylon is fallen Which is meant of Rome and the destruction of the first Beast there and his Seat after which the second Beast comes up And hence it is that presently after the Fall of Babylon and the destruction of the first Beast there v. 9. A third Angel followed saying If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receive his Mark the same shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God This seems strange that when Babylon is fallen and the Beast in it come to his end another Angel should be sent to warn Men not to worship the Beast But by this 't is evident That when Rome the first Babylon falls another Beast will arise and as he will be a grand Impostor so there will be great need of this warning to beware of him The second Babylon is mentioned Revel 16.19 as in Being at the pouring out of the seventh Vial for then 't is said Great
Babylon came into remembrance before God Thus we see it manifest that there are two Babylons mentioned in the Revelations Yet let it be considered that Babylon may be taken two ways 1. Locally for a particular place and Seat So Rome is Babylon and after its destruction some other place may be so 2. Politically for the Antichristian state or fourth Kingdom under Antichrist as having the Supreme Rule in it And thus as the two Beasts are but one Antichrist so the two Babylons are but one and the same Antichristian State and Kingdom An Empire may remain the same when the Seat is changed as when Constantine removed from Rome to Byzantium Q. But where will the second Babylon or Seat of this second Beast be A. This cannot be determined but it may be probably conceived that it shall be some where in the East For First this Beast will have great power and shall deceive many by his feigned Miracles and shall force obedience for he causeth all to receive his Mark. Secondly It is not likely that he shall have power to deceive and persecute among the Gentile Saints who had been so long under the power of the first Beast in this Antichristian part of the world For at the end of the one thousand two hundred and sixty days the Woman that is the Church of the Gentile Saints comes up out of the Wilderness and not to return again for the voice from Heaven is Come up hither They therefore are to be above and not beneath Thirdly we may conceive that this Beast will chiefly act his part among the Jews when they shall be brought to their own Land and will be an Antichrist or Man of Sin raging amongst them and raising Persecution and trouble to them And thus as the first Beast hath acted his part amongst the Gentile Saints so this second will against the Jews when they shall be called and called they must be For the River Euphrates is to be dried up to make way for the Kings of the East that is the Jews so called because the Kingdom shall be restored to them and that by the King of the East are meant the Iews may be proved from Isa 11.15 When the Lord shall shake his Hand over the River there shall be an High-way for the remnant of his People from Assyria And Zach. 10.10 11. I will bring them again from Egypt and Assyria and all the deeps of the River shall dry up Which doubtless is the same with the drying up the River Euphrates And the following words shew that we are to understand thereby The Pride of Assyria shall be brought down and the Scepter of Egypt shall depart Which signifies the wasting and destruction of the Turkish Empire and the bringing down the Pride of the Turk for he rules in Egypt and Assyria and by this means way shall be made for the Jews these Kings of the East to return to their own Land and then will this Beast be their persecuting Enemy and shall prevail much against them at last and cause such trouble to them as never was since there was a Nation by his feigned Miracles shall draw in the Kings of the Earth to his assistance as we see Rev. 16.13 And the place of their gathering will be Armageddon which being an Hebrew name gives ground to conclude that this gathering will be in Judea which also appears Ezek. 39.4 Gog and Magog the same with that great Army we read of Rev. 19. being headed by this Beast shall fall upon the Mountains of Israel This is also manifest from Joel 3.12 where it is said They shall come up to the Valley of Jehosaphat and the Command is Put in the Sickle for the Harvest of the Earth is ripe and here 't is that the Beast will be taken so that we may well conclude that he will be the great Enemy to the Jews And it being so we may conceive farther that this second Beast will be the little Horn The King of fierce Countenance the vile person spoken of by Daniel the Prophet 1. The little Horn. It 's manifest that the fourth Kingdom will be last of all under the power of this little Horn. Dan. 7.23 The fourth Beast is the fourth Kingdom the ten Horns are ten Kings and another shall rise after them In the Greek Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behind them and unawares and he shall speak great words against the Saints of the most high and shall wear out the Saints and think to change Times and Laws and they shall be given into his hands until a time times and the dividing of time Compare Dan. 12.6 7. How long shall it be to the end of these wonders The Answer is For a time times and an half and then the end shall be The end of the Beasts Reign and of the Jews trouble For then the Judgment shall sit and they shall take away his Dominion that is the Dominion of the little Horn to consume and destroy it for ever and then the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most high Now as for the first Beast he can't be this little Horn because he is to be destroyed long before the fourth Kingdom will end and no one of the ten Horns can be this little Horn for he riseth after them Therefore the second Beast must be this little Horn. And as the Gentile witnesses shall lye dead three days and an half and then shall rise and shortly after the first Beast shall be destroyed so the Jews great trouble will be in the last three years and half of their suffering time and then they shall be delivered and this second Beast will be taken and the fourth Kingdom destroyed for ever 2. The King of fierce Countenance Dan. 8.23 In the latter end of their Kingdom that is of the Grecians when the fourth Kingdom into which theirs was to run shall come near its end then a King of fierce Countenance shall stand up understanding dark sentences and his power shall be mighty but not by his own power He shall destroy the holy and the mighty People that is the Jews and through his policy shall cause craft to prosper in his hand And lastly he shall stand up against the Prince of Princes Now observe how well these things agree to this Beast He may be said to be a King of fierce Countenance Rev. 13.11 He spake as a Dragon He causeth all to receive a Mark and endeavours to slay all that will not worship the Beast's Image V. 16 17. He doth great wonders making fire to come down from Heaven in the sight of Men and he causeth craft to prosper in his hand for by his subtilty he perswades the Kings of the Earth and of the whole World to come in to his assistance which shews him to be very subtle and a King understanding dark sentences And he is also mighty but not by his own power
was at the Red Sea and such a destruction of their Enemies as was that of Pharaoh and the Egyptians there which will be the occasion of singing the Song of Moses For the Saints will be brought into such a strait as the Israelites were then in Great Multitudes of inraged Enemies will persue them and as it were a Sea of Glass mingled with Fire will be before them We know what a kind of fire that of Glass burning in a Furnace is What a dreadful thing would it be to behold a Sea of such Glass mingled with fire and to be in danger to be driven and forced into it Now such will be the case of the People of God at last Such trouble such danger so great a strait as never was since there was a Nation Not that there will be such a Sea of Glass in a proper sense but as 't is said John saw as it were a Sea of Glass mingled with Fire so a destruction so dreadful will be threatned to the People of God as if they were in danger to be forced into such a Sea and that another Red Sea even of fire more terrible than the Red Sea of Water But what will the Lord do for his People in this so great an extremity He will even make a way for them through this as it were a Sea of Glass mingled with Fire and the Fire shall be to them as the Waters of the Red Sea were to the Israelite a Wall on their right hand and on their left And their persuing Enemies shall perish in this Sea of Fire as Pharoh and his Host did in the Sea of Water and as the world of the ungodly perished by the Flood And then shall the so wonderfully delivered Saints stand upon this Sea of Glass having the Harps of God that is as the Israelites stood and sang upon the Sea-shore when they saw the Egyptians dead upon it so in like manner shall the triumphing Saints stand upon this as it were a Sea of Glass and see all their Enemies destroyed in it And as Isa 66.24 Shall look upon the Carcases of the that have transgressed against the Lord whose Worm dyes not neither shall their Fire be quenched And they shall they sing the song of Moses the Servant of God and the Song of the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy ways thou King of Saints 2. After the thousand years Christ will finish the work of Judgment As the dead Saints will be raised and judged at the beginning of the thousand years so the dead Sinners after the end of them Rev. 20.11 I saw a great white Throne and him that sate on it And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and these are such who died in their sins whose names shall not be found written in the Book of Life If we compare Rev. 11.18 and 2 Pet. 3.7 with Rev. 20. it will evidently appear that some of the dead will be judged at the sounding of the seventh Trumpet and at the time when the new Heavens shall be created and others of the dead above a thousand years after 1 Cor. 15.23 24. First Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming Then cometh the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afterwards cometh the end for this hath the same signification with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therefore as there is a great space of time betwixt Christ's Resurrection and the Saints so there will be also betwixt that of the Saints and the Resurrection of the wicked 5. Signs when the time is near for the fall of Babylon Some have taken upon them to declare the set and appointed time for the Fall of Babylon and the accomplishment of the great things before handled But I shall not presume to do this but shall onely hint some signs by which we may know when the time draws nigh Christ gave signs and 't is our duty to endeavour to discern them and though the wicked shall not understand yet the wise shall understand both what God is about to do and what they ought to do Dan. 12.10 We may take notice of two sorts of Signs Signs in the Nations and Signs in and amongst the Saints 1. Signs in the Nations Luke 21.25 Vpon the Earth distress of Nations with perplexity This distress is elsewhere set forth Hag. 2.7 I will shake all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come Isa 24.20 The Earth shall reel to and fro like a Drunkard and be removed like a Cottage and the transgression of it will be heavy upon it When the Lord shall reign in Mount Sion and in Jerusalem and before his Ancients gloriously As the pains of a Woman in Travel are a sign that a Child is brought to the Birth so the shakings perplexities and distress of Nations are their travelling-pains and a sign that redemption from Antichristian bondage draws nigh And as the Nations troubles are their travelling pains so there are times in which the Lord sets himself forth as travelling with Judgments as it were pained to be delivered of them For iniquity will abound and wicked men will wax worse and worse till the Harvest of the Earth be fully ripe Sin will become exceeding sinful unrighteousness exceeding unrighteous and filthiness exceeding filthy They will sin as Sodom and declare their sin as Sodom And what will the Lord do then This we see Isa 43.13 14 15. The Lord shall go forth as a mighty Man he shall cry yea roar he shall prevail against his Enemies I have long holden my peace I have been still and refrained my self now will I cry like a travelling Woman I will destroy and devour at once I will make waste Mountains and Hills and dry up all their herbs But what follows and what are these things a sign of v. 16. I will bring the blind by a way they know not and lead them in paths they have not known I will make darkness light before them and crooked things strait these things will I do unto them and not forsake them The People of God may be blind as to times and ways of deliverance but the Lord knows how and when the best way and the best time in which to deliver them 2. Signs amongst the People of God Now here I shall mention three The scattering of the power of the holy People or the killing of the Witnesses And then next to this the Serpent's casting a Flood out of his Mouth to swallow up the Woman when she is driven into the Wilderness the second time And lastly the Dragon's War with the remnant of the Woman's Seed And if there shall be a concurrence of Providences and Events answering the Prophecies there will be evident signs given of the downfal of Babylon as very near 1. The scattering of the Power of the holy People Dan. 12.6 7. One said to the Man clothed in Linen How long
suddenly come and Babylon's hopes and Sion's fears shall not come to pass This Flood shall not cannot carry away the Woman but must be swallowed up in the Earth the Woman must have help and we see that rather than want it the Earth that hates shall help the Woman And that God which rides upon the Heaven in his People's help and in his Excellency on the Sky shall ride also upon the Earth for their help And what comfort is this for the threatned Woman that both Heaven and Earth will be against the design of this Flood and shall utterly make it void God hath said it and it must be done For verily till Heaven and Earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from this and other Prophecies which the Lord requires his People to give heed to till all be fulfilled 3. The last sign is the Dragon 's making War with the Remnant of the Woman's Seed Rev. 12.17 Which keep the Commandments of God and have the Testimony of Jesus Christ For this consider 1. The Woman is the Church of God in this European part of the World where the Beast hath his Seat and where he hath great Authority The Church in the Wilderness persecuted by the Dragon but protected and nourished there 2. The remnant of the Woman's Seed are some who were the Seed of that Church which the Dragon would carry away with the Flood having been begotten in it by the Word of Truth but when the Dragon makes this War with them they are removed from it into some other part of the World which appears by this 't is said the Dragon went to make war with this remnant in the Greek 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abiit he went away He goes away from the Woman which must be the Protestant Churches which the Serpent would carry away with a Flood to make this War therefore this remnant must be elsewhere So he leaves his Work for afflicting this Woman to his invisible and visible Angels and goes away to afflict this remnant So that after the War against the Witnesses and besides the casting the Flood out of his mouth to carry away the Woman he makes War with this Remnant 3. This Remnant is known by these two Characters 1. They keep the Commandments of God and worship him according to his own Institutions 2. They have the Testimony of Jesus Christ They hold it yea and must maintain it and keep it up notwithstanding the War made against them Now when it shall be seen that the Dragon is gone to make War against such a Remnant of the Womans Seed this will be a great sign of a Day of Redemption from Antichristian Tyranny drawing nigh For the next thing which we read of concerning the followers of the Lamb is that the 144000 of the suffering and sealed Saints get out of the Wilderness and stand with the Lamb on Mount Sion Rev. 14.1 and then it follows v. 6. I saw another Angel flie in the midst of Heaven with the everlasting Gospel to preach it to those that dwell upon the Earth Where observe that as the Earth did help the Woman so for a reward the everlasting Gospel shall be preached to those that dwell upon the Earth And then v. 8. we read Another Angel followed saying Babylon is fallen is fallen that great City because she made all Nations drink of the Wine of the wrath of her Fornication Now as for this Remnant this one thing may be observed That whoever and wheresoever they shall appear to be thus much may with much certainty and comfort be concluded that as the Lord takes such care of the Woman that she shall not be carried away of the Flood so he will have the like care of this Remnant that they shall not be destroyed by this War of the Dragon For this is all that is said he went away to make War with them 'T is not said he shall overcome and destroy them whereas when the War against the Witnesses is foretold 't is said the Beast shall make War against them and overcome them and kill them and we may well suppose that if God had intended the like effect of this War it would have been foretold also but their comfort will be this the Dragon shall make War with them and afflict them for a time which will work for their good he shall not overcome and destroy them But when the Lord shall have chastised and humbled them and done his whole work upon them by the Spirit of Judgment and Burning he will then deliver them and create upon Mount Sion and her Assemblies a Cloud and Smoak by Day and the shining of a flaming Fire by Night for upon all the Glory shall be a defence 6. Some Advantages by the Knowledge of these Truths If any shall ask as Paul in another case What advantage hath the Jew So what advantage hath he that knows these Mysteries What profit is there by speaking or writing of them I may answer much every way For 1. The knowledge of them may have a great Influence upon the Saints to make them better Saints and to promote Holiness and Godliness among them This is the use which Peter makes of this Doctrine 2 Pet. 3.11 Seeing these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness v. 14. Seeing ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless What things The New Heavens and the New Earth wherein Righteousness shall dwell This World will pass away and a better will come What should you do then but pray that you may be accounted worthy of that World and the Resurrection from the Dead even of a part in the First Resurrection and may stand before the Son of Man God hath left us these Truths amongst his Oracles and the Oracles of God are to be reckoned amongst the chief advantages which now the Saints have Doth the Scripture speak in vain saith James Chap. 4. v. 5. Why but if these truths which the Scripture speaks so abundantly of are not to be read studied and searcht into then it must be said that the Scripture speaks much in vain Surely the Scriptures do not contain any superfluities of truths and if such as preach the Gospel would be able to say as Paul I have not shunned to declare the whole Counsel of God then they should study and preach these things 2. The knowledge of these truths will be Meat to the People inhabiting the Wilderness if mixt with Faith in the heart They are some of the hidden Manna and Honey out of the Rock and a Well in the Valley of Baca. Psa 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed to see the Goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living David being once amongst the Idolatrous Philistims was then in the Land of the Dead even among such who were dead in sins
and alienated from the life of God but then he believed that he should return to Judea the Land of the Living which is so called Ezek. 32.23 Judgments are threatned to the Jews Enemies because they caused terrour in the Land of the Living The Woman being in the Wilderness her hope and confidence is to see the goodness of the Lord in a Canaan And the dead Witnesses shall be in the Land of the living 3. The knowledge of these Truths will be matter of encouragement to the People of God to stand it out in an evil day When 't is known what Plagues are ready to come upon Babylon men will take the more heed that they partake not in her sins and that they be not found within the Confines of it If the great Truth of the first Resurrection were well improved what power would it have to keep men upright in apostatizing times Heb. 11.35 The Believers of old did not accept of deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection If the hope of a Resurrection at so great a distance was such a support how much more should it be so now being much nearer This expression of a better Resurrection in Hope did intimate that they might have had a present one then their Enemies that cast them down would have given them a Resurrection if they would have accepted it on their terms Even so the Beast that casts them down will give a Resurrection to the Witnesses of Christ if when risen they will fall down and worship him Now what will better encourage the Witnesses to endure to the end than the hope of a better Resurrection Two great Resurrections are spoken of in Scripture 1. That of the slain witnesses Rev. 11.11 After three days and a half the Spirit of Life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet and after ascended to Heaven and their Enemies beheld them and that 's all they do they cannot kill them again If any in such time accept of a Resurrection from the Beast they must soon fall with him But let them keep the Commandments of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ so shall they stand with the Lamb on Mount Sion 2. That of the dead Saints at the coming of Christ they shall live and reign with Christ Here are two things much for the comfort of Saints 1. The godly shall be raised and be with Christ long before the wicked shall be raised and they shall be the Sheep at Christ's right Hand and after the wicked shall be raised and be the Goats at Christ's left Hand The godly and wicked dye alike and Worms devour their bodies Eccl. 2.16 How dieth the wise Man As the Fool. How dyeth the godly Man As the wicked But though they dye alike yet they shall not arise alike but Saints first and they shall be long in glory and at last the wicked shall be raised to shame and everlasting contempt 2. The Saints when raised shall have glorious Bodies the Wicked shall have immortal Bodies capable of everlasting torments but not glorious Bodies For their vile Bodies shall be raised vile and remain vile for ever Their Bodies are vile whilst they live more vile when they dye and shall be most vile when raised again For as the Souls so the Bodies of the godly and wicked shall be in a contrary State If then the Saints shall have glorious Bodies in the Resurrection the wicked shall have vile Bodies and according to the degree of glory which the Saints Bodies shall have will be the degree of vileness in wicked Mens Bodies What encouragement is this to follow the Lamb withersoever he goes that so you may have assurance of living and reigning with Christ 7. The conclusion of all in some Counsels and Directions 1. Receive Christ now and when he comes he will receive you to himself Open to him and he will open to you Receive him for Life and to be your Lord and then you may say when Christ who is our life shall appear we shall also appear with him in Glory Live in him and live to him so may you hope to live and reign with him If to you to live be Christ then to dye will be great gain and to rise will be greater 2. Look for and love the appearing of Christ To them that look for him he shall appear and give a Crown of righteousness to them that love his appearing If you deny your selves and take up the Cross of righteousness and follow Christ then you shall have the Crown of righteousness 3. Have your Conversations in Heaven mind heavenly things and drive a trade in Heaven buy Gold white Rayment and Eye-salve of Christ Get the Powders of the heavenly Merchant wherewith the Spouse is perfumed Walk by a heavenly Rule imitate an heavenly Pattern and aim at an heavenly End and so look for a Saviour from Heaven 4. Be of the number of wise Virgins be Virgins pure incorrupt espoused to Christ Take him as the Chiefest of ten thousand and altogether lovely and be wise Virgins in getting Oyle for your Vessels Let there be true faith joining you to Christ that you may receive of his fulness grace for grace Rest not in a Form but see that there be the Power of Godliness Thus shall you go in with the Bridegroom to the Marriage 5. Have a righteousness exceeding the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees For without this you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Mat. 5.20 This must be First The righteousness of Faith which is the righteousness of God laid hold on by Faith This the Pharisees would not submit to but went about to establish their own righteousness You can't be righteous before God but in the righteousness of God even of Christ God-Man Secondly A righteousness in your works which must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees in these two respects 1. You must be Servants to righteousness Rom. 6.18 Being made free from sin ye became the Servants of righteousness The Pharisees made their reighteousness a Servant to them in that they sought their own praise thereby Let yours exceed theirs in being Servants of righteousness 2. You must love righteousness and be Servants to it out of love Baalam loved the wages of unrighteousness the Pharisees loved the ways of righteousness but Christ loved righteousness Heb. 1.9 and so do those that are Christ's and therein they exceed the Scribes and Pharisees And if you have this righteousness exceeding theirs consider what Promises are made to you Isa 33.24 Who among us shall dwell with devouring Fire Who among us shall dwell with everlasting Burnings He that walketh in righteousness and speaketh uprightness Interpreters look no farther than Hezekiahs time for a sense of this place as if this and what follows had its accomplishment when Jerusalem was besieged and Sennachrib's Army destroyed which may be part of the sense and somewhat that was typical But doubtless Isaiah looks to the last
gracious so Glorious Liberty In like manner the Woman the Church of Christ and his faithful Witnesses go into the Wilderness for Gracious Liberty and prefer that before buying and selling in the great City Babylon and these must come up out of the Wilderness leaning on their Beloved and stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion and at last they shall have Glorious Liberty in the great and Holy City Jerusalem And thus having handled Peter's Doctrine of the New Heaven and the New Earth let the Use which he makes of it be in the next place considered by us and put in practice this we have 2 Pet. 3.14 Wherefore seeing ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless Here are two things to be observed 1. Saints in the Primitive times did and Saints now ought to look for the New Heavens and the New Earth 2. Those that look for these things should with all diligence look to this that their present state and carriage in this World be suitable to the hopes of such glorious things in the World to come For the first we shall do well to consider that the Doctrine of the New Heavens and New Earth was Apostolical Doctrine and the looking for them was an Apostolical practice In the Primitive times this Doctrine was more taught and better known than now it is Saints at so much a greater distance from these things did more generally expect them than now they do when they are so much nearer And we have not onely an Apostolical example and practice for it but if we look higher even to Heaven we shall find a Pattern there which calls for our imitation for as we should do the will of God as 't is done in Heaven so we should expect the accomplishment of the Will and Word of God as 't is expected in Heaven Let 's consider then what example Heaven doth afford us now this is the example of Christ himself Heb. 10.12 13. This man after he had offered one Sacrifice for sins for ever sate down at the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool When Christ was upon Earth he expected Glory in Heaven which he hath and being in Heaven he expects Glory on Earth which he shall have He looks to have all his Enemies made his Footstool and to be King over all the Earth and to have the Saints reign with him Christ knows that thus it shall be and the thoughts of it are pleasing to him Isa 63.4 The day of vengeance is in mine heart and the year of my redeemed shall come Christ knows that day and hath it in his heart 't is a day of joy and gladness in his heart And thus as the Creatures have an earnest expectation of that day so hath Christ himself and he hath been expecting it ever since he went to Heaven for 't is said From henceforth expecting that is from the first time of his sitting down He is upon the Father's Throne in Heaven and expected to be upon his own Throne in the New Jerusalem which shall come down out of Heaven And Christ will expect till it be done For as 't is from henceforth even ever since he went to Heaven so till his Enemies be made his Footstool Now seeing Christ expects these things ought not we to expect with him 2. The Angels do expect these things for if Christ doth then we may conclude the holy Angels do also seeing they are to come with him wich they do well know for they understand Scripture-Prophecies and the time also which is revealed in Scripture for the fulfilling of them for an Angel made Daniel understand a Prophecy and the time of its accomplishment Dan. 9.22 As there are things which the Angels desire to look into so also which they look for as the passing away of the World which now is and the creating of the New Heavens and the New Earth 3. Saints in Heaven do expect these things Saints on Earth do long to see these things of Heaven and the Saints in Heaven do long to see the things of the New Heavens and the New Earth For if it be not beneath Christ to expect them then it is not beneath glorified Saints to look for them Now that glorified Saints do know and expect these things we may conclude thus We read Luke 9.31 that Moses and Elias being with Christ on the Holy Mount they spake of his Decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem Now if his Decease was known by them before its accomplishment we may as well conceive that his Victory over his Enemies the New Heavens and the New Earth and his Kingdom in them are made known unto them and expected by them and not onely the Things but the Time also when all shall be done My ground is this Both their Things and the Times are revealed in Scripture as we see by the several numbers of years mentioned in Daniel and the Revelations Now what is revealed in Scripture concerning Christ the Saints in Heaven do know as in particular the things concerning the Kingdom of Christ and the time of its coming which I conclude from 1 Cor. 13.12 Now I know in part then shall I know as I am known That is I shall know that perfectly then which now I know in part This is an evident Truth the Saints know that of Divine Mysteries perfectly in Heaven which here from the Scriptures they know in part and so we may suppose that they know when the 1260 Days began and when they will end Thus we see how these things are expected in Heaven by Christ by the Angels by the Saints and it being so these things follow hence 1. The things which are to be done on Earth are very great things the subduing of all Christ's Enemies will be a very Glorious Work for Christ hath a great earnest and constant expectation of it the New Heavens and the New Earth will be very glorious for they are the expectations of Heaven Isa 11.10 't is said His rest shall be glorious and when shall this be verse 11. When the Lord shall set his hand the second time to recover the remnant of his People c. The first recovery was from Babylon this second will be when the Jews shall be called and when the Outcasts of Israel and the dispersed of Judah shall be gathered from the four Corners of the Earth 2. The expectations of Christ's Enemies on Earth are but a vain thing for there are expectations in Heaven quite contrary to these and which think we shall be performed surely the expectations of Heaven Babylon expects to continue in her Pomp and Power and looks that Sion shall be her Footstool but Christ expects till Babylon be made his Footstool I sit a Queen saith Babylon but what saith the Lord to her Come down and sit in the dust there shall be no more Throne I am no