The Kingdom of Jesus Christ Entering at 1697, Dedication 2
To the Angels of the Churches of Christ, the Evangelical Miniſtery, moſt particularly in England.
Grace and Peace from Him, that Holdeth the Seven Stars in his Right Hand, and walks in the midſt of the Seven Golden Candleſticks, and hath the Seven Spirits of God.
IT is to you, My moſt Reverend, and Dearly Honoured Fathers, and Brethren in Chriſt, that in the Second place, as in due order, I Preſent the following Diſcourſe; Not becauſe you know not the Truth, but becauſe you know it, and that no Lye is of the Truth, and ſo according to the Apoſtles preſcription concerning Propheſying, 1 Cor. 14. 29.are able to Judge, when a divine Revelation by way of Expoſition, as well, as of Immediate Inſpiration is given to Any One. Not, as you well know, that you can add, or take away from what hath the Evidence of Divine; when you find that, Suffrage, and Joynt Publication, Blowing the Trumpet and Giving warning is Your All.
I therefore Communicate to you Apart, the foreign, the particular Good Tydings, I declare, leaſt if I am not able to undergoGal. 2. 2. your Teſt, I had, or ſhould Run in vain, But I am able, if I may ſo allude, to be Baptiz'd with that Baptiſm, and to Render an Apology with Meekneſs, and Fear to any, that ſhall moſt ſeverely Examine me of the Hope, I Promulge, through his Grace, that I Truſt in, to work in me Mightily to that purpoſe. I onelyonly Fear Prejudging without Hearing; I know I have not onelyonly Believ'd, and therefore Spoken, but that I have Propheſied according to theRom. 12. 6▪ Analogy of the Faith at once given to the Saints; according to the Doctrine of Godlineſs, and the Symmetry of All Scripture Prophecy, the Light of which hath from God ſhone into me, above what I can expreſs; As the Prophets of Old, Divinely mov'd, were more Inwardly aſſur'd of being Sent, then They could expoſe to Others.
I would Humbly offer that one Credential, concerning the Time, Times, Half Time to ſtrict Judgment; What greater Argument, the Spirit of God deſign'd, That Time ſhould be ſearch'd, then givingDan. 7. 1 it ſo peculiarly to the little Horn, call'd ſo diſertly by Him; The Beaſt, and to the Beaſtian Times in the Revelation, and to no other; And why ſearch'd, if not to be found? And is not the Dividing and Multiplying among Themſelves thoſe Characters, according to preciſe certain Epochs of the Firſt Time and of the Half Time, even Mathematical?
Let none therefore ſay the Book is Seal'd, or I am not Learn'd; Iſai. 29. …… Acceptance with God tho' the Things being of difficult Interpretation, require greater Attention. Eſpecially, You will not ſay ſo, Moſt Reverend, and Learned, whoſe peculiar office It is to Search the Scriptures; And you know, Daniel, and the Revelation are Scripture; And Loe I preſent you the Book unſeal'd, by the Aſſiſtance of Him, who prevail'd to Open the Book of Seven Seals.
And now, How would this ſo near Appearance of the Chief Shepherd, oblige us to Feed the flock of Chriſt, not as Lords, nor for Filthy lucre, but as Enſamples of the Flock!… Pet. 5. 2.
How would this Doctrine of the Kingdom, Open a door wide and Effectual to all manner of Re-Reformation, and to a new and Apoſtolick miſſion for the preaching the Everlaſting Goſpel, as by the ſpeed of an Angel flying through the midſt of Heaven? Rev. 14. 6.It will be ſo anon within a Prophetical laſt Half Hour of the Three Days and a Half, if not juſt now.
How would this preſerve us from Grudging one againſt another, …ames 59.and cauſe our Moderation one towards another to be known to All, Becauſe the Judge is before the doors, and the Lord at Hand;…hil. 4. 5. How would it cauſe us to ceaſe to De-Synagogue one another ſo…ev. …. 8. proper to the Synagogue of Sathan, eſpecially when for Indifferents, leaſt we come to worſhip at the Feet of Them, we have endeavour'd to ſhut the Door upon, and to acknowledge Chriſt lov'd them! L…t us then Haſten to the Philadelphian State of Purity, Love, and Peace; And ſo the God of Love and of Peace, ſhall be with us. For this cauſe I bow my Knees to the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, of whom the whole Family of Heaven and Earth is call'd.
I moſt Humbly and Earneſtly Recommend to you alſo the aſſiſting and Furthering of me in this work of the Goſpel, according to my Humble Petition Prefix'd who am (however otherwiſe moſt juſtly) through the Riches of his Grace as in an Iſle of Patmos, … the word of God and for the Teſtimony of Jeſus Chriſt.
And as Proſtrate upon the ground, I moſt earneſtly beg pardon of Heaven and Earth, Acknowledging my ſelf Leſs then the leaſt of All the Miniſters of the Goſpel, and not worthy to be call▪d a Miniſter of Chriſt, but by the Grace of God I am what I am; and I have Labour'd more Abundantly in this great point, thro' the aſſiſtance of that Spirit, who Divides to all as He will, and becauſe He will.
Moſt Reverend, and Dearly Loved, and Honoured Fathers and Brethren. Your moſt unworthy Fellow Servant in the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. T B…