Pilgrimage to the Land of Promise, Treatise (4 of 4)

Pilgrimage to the Land of Promise · Treatise (4 of 4)

p. 82The ſubject which both theſe miniſtries cheifly reſpected, in the day of the diſpē ſation of Chriſts firſt appearance, was the inward man of the heart, for the rooting and grounding it in love, and ſtrengthning it under the many and various trialls of the croſſe, and temptations that were to be undergone. For beleevers are to beare about in their bodyes, the markes of the dying of the Lord Jeſus, whilſt he is in his far countrey. He hath appointed them a warfare to manage with the ruling powers of this world, in a way of Teſtimony or witneſſ-bearing, and therein not to love their lives unto death, but in faith and patience to poſſeſſe their ſoules. Nevertheleſſe, leaſt they might imagine thereupon (as they are too apt to do) that their faith, if it were of the right kind and unfamed, would preſētly come forth into its powerfull operation, he warily cautions them therein, and corrects that miſtake, by intimating that this was a thing they were not to expect, till they had shared with him in his ſufferings, continued with him in his temptations, and given proof of their ſervice and obedience to him, in and under the croſſe. For (ſayes he) which of you having a ſervant, plowing or feeding cattel, will ſay to him by p. 83and by, when he is come from the feild, goe, ſit downe to meat? will he not rather ſay to him, make ready wherewith I may ſup, gird thyſelf and ſerve me, till I have eaten and drunken? Wait but till ſuch time as that which is yet behind of my afflictions in my members, by them to be borne, shalbe filled up, and afterwards ye shall eat and drink. The ſeaſon for your eating and drinking with me at my table, in my fathers Kingdom, will then come when the work of faith in you shalbe fulfilled with power, and I shalbe admired in all that do beleeve.

This is that which is properly to be wrought and effected by Chriſt at his ſecond comming, upon the ſounding of the ſeventh trumpet, and at the preaching of the everlaſting goſpel, which is not another but the ſame goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt the ſon of God, that the miniſtry of John Baptiſt was ſayd to be the beginning of. But it is called everlaſting, from the differing kind of effect and operation it will have, (eſpecially upon the outward man and ſenſuall part of the mind) from what the diſpenſation of it under Chriſts firſt appearance had. For that which was then ſowne in weakenes, and left the poſſeſſors of it expoſed to various ſufferings from the powers of this world, shall now be raiſed in power at this laſt day; to the clothing and furnishing their very outward man, with an ability to handle the powers of this world, and all adverſaries whatſoever, as they shal ſe good.

That which for the moſt part is atteined unto, under the diſpenſation of the goſpel, in the day of Chriſts firſt appearance in ſpirit, is but a reſtitution to that which yet is mutable, a repentance and a reformation that in time of triall failes, being repented of and turned from, upon which ſuch perſons ſinke downe into a dreadfull apoſtacy from God, and from the holy commandement delivered to them. But at the day of Chriſts ſecond appearance, the works of righteouſnes shall come forth with power and prevalency, triumphing over ſin in all for a ſeaſon, as well as in true beleevers, but in theſe it shalbe permanent and abiding. The life of the immortall ſeed shall make them perfect in love, and shall by the miniſtry of glory in Chriſts ſecond comming, be made manifeſt and viſible to every eye. The sun of it shall never ſet more. This is that which we are commanded to wait for, becauſe it will ſurely come and not tary. He that beleevs will not make haſt, but is taught with the hasband man to wait for this precious fruit of the earth, and to have long patience, till the latter rain be receaved as well as the former.

Now the receaving of the latter rain is not to be looked for (in the courſe of good husbandry) till the ſeed be in the earth, and hath had its ſeaſon there to corrupt, chang its forme, die, and ſpring up with a new eare againſt the harveſt. Happy shall they be who endure to the end, taking the prophets and other holy men that have gone before them, for an example of long-ſuffering and patience, having heard alſo of the exemplary patience of Job, and ſeen the end of our Lord himſelf, who paſſed this way to the crowne, and warns all his true followers to expect the like.

p. 84The work of Eliah, (as hath bin shewed) is to turne men from ſin by repentance, and to cauſe them to returne by faith to the living God, enabling thē to performe their whole duty to him, as by his law we are commanded. Our bleſſed ſaviour (Mat. 17.11, 12.) mentions two diſtinct commings of Eliah, or two Eliahs. One Eliah, (ſays he) meaning Iohn Baptiſt, is already come: the other, (meaning that foreruning diſpenſation, that is the beginning of the everlaſting Goſpel) is that which commeth or shall come; and it is to be waited for at the ſounding of the ſeventh Trumpet. The latter Elias is firſt mention'd by our ſaviour, (v. 11.) that is to come and reſtore all things, or be the preparatory meſſenger to that appearance and comming of our Lord, that shall compleat the reſtitution of all things, (Act. 3.21.) as he hath ſpoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets ſince the world began. Enoch before the flood Propheſied of this latter comming and appearance of Chriſt, ſaying, behold, the Lord commeth with ten thouſands of his Saincts, Jude v. 14.

So then, theſe two commings of Eliah anſwer to the two commings of Chriſt, the two dayes of the Son of man, the early and later rain of his firſt and ſecond appearance, both of which make up that one third day above-mention'd, that Hoſea ſpeaks of. John Baptiſt, in his miniſtry, which was the firſt comming of Eliah, was courſely enterteind by Herod, who did to him what he would. But there is another Elias to come, though very much oppoſed by many, who endeavour to confound Chriſts words in the fore-mentioned Scripture, as if they were all to be underſtood of John Baptiſts Miniſtry only, and did not aſſert or declare Eliahs ſecond comming. But the context makes it plain; Eliah commeth or shall come and reſtore all things. This our Lord ſaid, after they had done what they would to the firſt Eliah, which he acknowledged was come already. And both jews and Chriſtians do underſtand (Mal. 4:5, 6.) of Eliahs ſecond comming, in the end of the world, immediatly before the great and dreadfull day of the Lords ſecond comming, For then the like univerſall corruption, apoſtacy and violence, yea greater and of a deeper die and malignity (becauſe contracted in times of greater light) then that of the old world in Noahs dayes, will certainly appear, and ſtand in need of ſuch a refining fire as the miniſtry of Eliahs ſecond comming will be found to be, in order to reſtore all things out of that deſperate, evill, and forlorne eſtate. And then shall thoſe that fear the Lord, tread downe the wicked as ashes under the ſoles of their feet; Mal. 4.2, 3.

This is to be the work of Eliahs ſecond comming; but how, and by what miniſtry shall it be wrought? It will aſſuredly be found to be the beginning of the preaching of the everlaſting Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, that is to ſay, of the Goſpel preached by that trumpet that gives the certain ſecond, and makes manifeſt the Sons of God in an immutable everlaſting ſtate of righteouſnes and glory, here upon earth; in a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, which is to ſucceed p. 85all other Kingdoms, shewing itſelf to be the ſtone cut out of the mountains, that will fill the whole earth.

This everlaſting Goſpel, we are told, (Revel. 14.6, 7.) is to be preached by an angel, flying in the midſt of heaven, that muſt with a loud voice, ſay unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, kindred, tongue and people; fear God and give glory to him, for the houre of his judgment is come This is the houre or the day of that great judgment, wherein God will judg the world by that man which he hath ordeined, Jeſus Chriſt. This houre and day is to have continuance in the courſe of its execution on the earth, for the ſpace of a thouſand years. During this time, the Kingdoms of this world shal become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Chriſt, as holding of him their univerſall head, and exerciſing all their authority under him; Revel. 11.15. So then, in effect, Chriſt alone shall reigne and be exalted in that day, one Lord and his name one, over all the earth.

This day is to begin (as hath bin ſaid) with the ſecond comming of Eliah, and is deſcribed in the Scriptures of truth, as to the ſeverall particulars thereof.

The ſeventh angel ſounds, by reaſon whereof it comes to paſſe, that there are great voices to be heard in heaven, appointed by Chriſt, (as he is the bright morning ſtar, and head of all Principalities and powers, the true Michael and Archangel) to ſeize upon all ſcepters and governments of this world; to take the Rule and viſible power out of the hands of all the Potentates of the earth, and reaſſume it in ſuch a wonderfull manner into the hands of the holy and elect angels, (who under Chriſt are appointed the higheſt and cheif Rulers of the viſible world) that by the aſtonishing diſpenſations of Gods providence in that ſeaſon, it will appear and be acknowledged, that Chriſt hath begun and entered upon the taking to himſelf his great power, in order to exerciſe his viſible Rule, as the great, only and univerſall King over all the earth. This he will do, to the intent that the living may know, that the moſt high ruleth in the Kingdom of men, giving it to whomſoever he will. Yea, it shalbe acknowledged and ſeen that under the moſt high, the heavens do rule, Dan. 4.26. All matters shall at that time be carried on in the earth, viſibly, by the decree of the watchers, (v. 17.) the ſupream counſell and ſenate of judicature wherein the holy angels shall ſit and exerciſe juriſdiction under Chriſt, for the good of his church on earth. They are miniſtring ſpirits in this very reſpect, ſent forth and authorized for this employment, even to miniſter for them who shalbe heirs of ſalvation; as it is written; all things are yours, and ye are Chriſts, and Chriſt is Gods. In that day (ſaith Chriſt) for braſſe I will bring gold, and for yron I will bring ſilver, for wood braſſe, and for ſtones yron; (ſo glorious will then the reſtoration of al things be) and I will alſo make thine officers peace, and thine p. 86exactours righteouſnes. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, waſting not deſtruction within thy borders, but thou shalt call thy walls of defence, ſalvation; and thy gates of juſtice, prayſe. Then the haughtines of man shalbe layd low, and his lofty lookes brought downe; and the worshippers of idols shall goe into the holes of the rocks and caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and of the glory of his majeſty, when he shall thus ariſe moſt terribly to shake the earth; Eſay, 2. The ſame thing is promiſed, Haggai 2:6, 7. Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth, the ſea, and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, and the deſire of all nations shall come; that is to ſay, after the terrible, forerunning diſpenſation, miniſtred by Eliah, (that went up to heaven in a fiery chariot to take his ſeat amongſt this heavenly colledge of angels, and be in that glory with other the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect,) shall the deſire of all nations (Chriſt himſelf) come, to perfect and conſummate what is left wanting in the operation of the former miniſtry, and fill his owne houſe with glory in the ſight of the whole world, during the ſpace of a thouſand years.

2. But 2dly, although at the ſounding of the ſeventh trumpet, it do come to paſſe that there be great voices in heaven, what is that to the inhabitants that are on earth, thoſe that are at home in the body, abſent from the Lord, whoſe ſpirits are faſt aſleep in the earth, to wit, in the organicall life and exerciſe of bodily ſenſes? Will not they be out of the hearing of the ſound of theſe heavenly voices? At leaſt, will they be able to underſtand their meaning, unleſſe what is uttered by the angelicall tongues, be in words eaſy to be underſtood by the ſpirit of their minds who live and dwell in mortall clay, and that an eaſy underſtanding thereof alſo be communicable to the ſenſuall part of the ſoule, which is as the door to take in and give out againe, what shalbe heard by the ſound of ſuch a heavenly Trumpet? By what is recorded for our inſtruction, we may be aſſured, this is not impoſſible nor unpracticable. It hapned thus to the Apoſtle John, before his change by death, even whilſt he was a priſoner and a banished man in the Ile of Patmos, for the Word of God and teſtimony of Jeſus Chriſt. He looked, and behold a door was opened in heaven. By the opening of that door, he came to be made able to hear the voices in heaven, the firſt and ſecond voice of the angel (Revel: 4.1. 10:8.) as it were of a trumpet, talking with him, which ſayd, come up hither, and I will shew thee things which muſt be hereafter. By the power of that voice calling him, he was immediatly in the ſpirit, that is, as Paul, abſent from the body. He had ſuch an awakening of his inward ſenſes wrought in him, ſuch an opening and making of them meet to heare and receave what by the tongue of the angel was to be delivered, that he was in the ſpirit, or in the exerciſe of the ſame kind of life and manner of converſing with ſpirits, that they are in one with another, or that the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect do uſe with the holy angels, when in the ſtate of ſoules ſeperate from the body, made equall to angels, and children of the reſurrection, in the firſt degree or p. 87ſtep of it, which is called (Revel. 20) the firſt Reſurrection. The Apoſtle does there ſpeak of the time, when this way of heavenly converſe between the ſaincts that are on earth and the holy angels, shalbe frequent and uſuall, and no ſuch wonder or ſtrang thing, as yet by moſt it is accounted.

This will be brought to paſſe by the opening of the door in heaven, interpreted by Chriſt himſelf, (Jo. 1.51.) in his anſwer to Nathaniel. Becauſe I ſaid unto thee, I ſaw thee under the fig-tree, beleeveſt thou? Thou shalt ſe greater things then theſe. What greater things? A door open in heaven, as a means of eaſy and familiar entercourſe between the inhabitants of heaven and dwellers on earth. The angels are to be employed as meſſengers of intelligence between Chriſt and his Saincts, before the time of his owne perſonall converſe with them on earth. For (ſaith Chriſt) verily, verily, I ſay unto you; Hereafter you shall ſe heaven open, (or the gate and door that is made into it and kept open by me) for the aſcent and deſcent of my holy angels, between me and my Saincts on earth. At that day Chriſt wilbe glorified in his Saincts, and honour them in the ſight of them that hate them: God will anſwer them before they pray; whilſt they are yet ſpeaking, he will heare, and ſpeedily avenge them of their adverſaries. He will grant them the deſire of their hearts.

But when will this day be, that theſe great and wonderfull things shalbe ſeen? The text is plain and expreſſe, Revel. 11. Tis evidently to begin at the riſing of the witneſſes, who shall immediatly upon their riſing, be thus in the ſpirit, as John was on the Lords day, in the Ile of Patmos. This wil be the proper and uſuall diſpenſation in that day of the Lord, that is to begin at the ſounding of the ſeventh trumpet. The ſpirit of life from God shall then enter into the witneſſes, ſet them upon their feet, and immediatly qualify them to be in the ſpirit, or have their inward ſenſes awakened and fitted to hear and receave meſſages from heaven, and the knowledg of the mind of their Lord, by the immediate impreſſion and inſpiration of angels, employed by him for that purpoſe.

We know this was frequently the caſe with Daniel and moſt of the other dear ſervants and prophets of the Lord. Unto Jacob this great myſtery and truth was moſt particularly and diſtinctly foretold in the ladder which he ſaw, the feet whereof touched the earth and the top of it reached to heaven, and behold, the angels aſcending and deſcending upon it, and the Lord himſelf ſtanding above, and ſpeaking by that means unto Jacob, acquainting him thereby with his mind, and giving to him moſt rich and precious promiſes. The interpretation of this ladder was not only made by our ſaviour to Nathaniel, as we have opened, but it was at the ſame time given to Iacob with the viſion itſelf, as appears by the Reſult that came into his mind thereupon, when he ſayd, How dreadfull is this place? It is the very houſe of God, where his throne is. It is the very gate of heaven, through which by the miniſtry of angels (in the hand of Chriſt, as he is the ſon of man, and hath the uſe p. 88and exerciſe of all kinds of humane ſenſe, in perfection, in his glorified manhood) the inward and outward man of the ſaincts shalbe ſo affected, changed, and tranſformed, as to give them a kind of entrance into, and a being in heaven, even whilſt they are yet here in the body.

This Chriſt wrought and obteined the power of, when he aſcended up above all heavens, and as man, did come to have a more excellent name then the angels. Now that he aſcended, what is it, but that he (who was in the forme of God, and counted it not robbery to be equall with God) did firſt deſcend lower then the angels, into the fashion of an earthly man, the lowermoſt part of his habitable earth, (Prov: 8:31.) even the animalish and ſenſuall nature of man, uſing and exerciſing as well the bodily as ſpirituall ſenſes, appertaining to the very naturall man. When he had done this, by laying hold on the ſeed of Abraham, and receaving it into perſonall union with himſelf, he ſet up that ladder in his owne perſon; the feet whereof ſtand on the earth, whilſt the top of it enters into the higheſt heaven. For he that deſcended, is the ſame alſo that aſcended far above all heavens, that he might fill and fulfill all things. That therefore which Jacob pronounced in the ſpirituall interpretation of his viſion, is moſt undeniable. This is none other (ſayes he) then the houſe of God, the building not made with hands, whoſe builder and maker is God; the fathers houſe, wherein are many manſions, built by the eternall WORD and wiſdom of the father, in the perſon of the mediatour, conſidered as he is the firſt borne of every creature, and the beginning or firſt begotten from the dead, (Col. 1.) in whom is that life that is the light of men, who was before all things, and by whom all things conſiſt.

The way for God (that is the high and lofty one, inhabiting eternity) to deſcend and come to dwell in the humble, broken and contrite ſpirit, as the place of his reſt; and the way for the humble, poor, and broken ſpirit to aſcend into the perſence and ſight of God; all this was wrought out in our nature, by the WORD that made himſelf flesh, and in that body, died, roſe again and aſcended where he was before, as in the volume of Gods book it is written of him. This he told his owne diſciples (Jo. 14.) In my fathers houſe are many manſions. If it were not ſo, I would have told you. Behold, I go to prepare a place for you; to ſet the ladder, by which the aſcent and deſcent is contrived into my fathers houſe, for ſuch as you are. And if I goe and prepare a place for you, you may be ſure I will come againe, and gather you unto my ſelf, that where J am, ye may be alſo. At his comming again, the ſame Apoſtle John finds the thing to be true, that his Lord had promiſed. For (Revel. 11.12, 19.) it appears that upon the riſing of the witneſſes and ſounding of the ſeventh trumpet, the temple of God wilbe opened in heaven (which is the ſame opening of the heavens before-mentioned, (Jo. 1.51.) and there wilbe ſeen in his temple the arke of his Teſtament, the law of the two tables, written in the heart of Chriſt the Son of Man, from whoſe preſence the fiery p. 89law is to be diſpenſed by the miniſtry of angels, at which there wilbe lightnings, voices, thunderings, an earth quake and great haile.

The door into heaven being thus ſet open, the riſen witneſſes are ſpoken to, (v. 12.) ſaying, come up hither, or be with me in the ſpirit, in a mind fitted to enterteine converſe with me, by the miniſtry of the holy angels. And for ſuch a bleſſing and benefit, be not unwilling (as often as there shalbe occaſion) to be abſent from the body, that you may be preſent with the Lord. For if herein you should appear vile in the eyes of wordly men, as men beſide yourſelvs, as David did in dancing naked before the arke; yet is it to God. And when you change againe from that inwardnes of life with God, to be more in outward converſe with men, and more ſober in their thoughts, it is for their ſakes, and for their great benefit rather then yours, that thereby you may be able to turn many of thē to righteouſnes.

In this ſence, (not excluding the literall) it will be found true, that the ſaincts shalbe called to be and live in the ſpirit with Chriſt, and to walk with God on earth, before their tranſlation, as Enoch did. Anſwerable to this, it is ſaid, Dan. 12.2. compared with 1 Cor. 15.51, 52. And many of thē that ſleep in the duſt of the earth, shall awake, ſome to everlaſting life, and ſome to shame and everlaſting contempt. The ſpirit of our mind which ſleepes in the duſt of the earth, wilbe wrought off from that love and delight it is apt to take in making the body its home, and exerting itſelf in ſuch kind of operations as are in and by the uſe of our bodily organs, and wilbe gathered and carried up by the miniſtry of the holy angels, (forming a meetnes in the ſenſes of the inward man of the heart) into a converſe with them, and with Chriſt himſelf in ſpirit, as a better home and city of habitation then that of the duſt of the earth, wherein it hath bin ſo long an inhabitant. In order to this, the ſoule will be endued or clothed upon with a hearing eare and a ſpeaking tongue, like to that of the angels, in their immutable ſtate. And for this ſelf ſame thing we are wrought by God, who hath given us the earneſt of his ſpirit already inſome degree, but will give it in the higheſt degree and meaſure it is atteinable before the change that comes upon us by death, when this body is to be layd downe and brought into a ſtate of actuall ſeparation from the ſoule. This change by death, unto thoſe that have partaken firſt of this awakening, shalbe very eaſy, like unto the tranſlation of Enoch, who ſaw not death, or had no ſenſe of it in a way of pain or horrour. His paſſage was ſudden and in a moment, very eaſy and deſireable. The Apoſtle Paul therefore, ſpeaking of this kind of change, that should happen at the ſounding of the ſeventh trumpet, even in the beginning of it, (as we have opened) does ſay; behold I shew you a myſtery, that which as yet is a great ſecret, but hereafter shalbe very commonly experienced; we shall not all ſleepe, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinckling of an eye, at the laſt trump. For the trumpet shall ſound, and the dead shalbe rayſed incorruptible. Thoſe whoſe ſpirits were before, as p. 90'twere, aſleepe in the duſt of the earth, and dead in reſpect of the ſpirituality and heavenlines they are now awaken'd into, wilbe acknowledged as in that kind and degree of reſurrection, which wilbe made knowne at the riſing of the witneſſes. They shall not die, that is, leave the body with any painfull ſenſe of death, but in a moment shalbe changed and tranſlated into glory. This awakned, riſen ſtate, is not that which shalbe peculiar only to the ſaincts; but wicked men, the children of perdition, in way of everlaſting contempt, shall alſo partake of it, with a like way of operation upon the ſpirit of their minds, by wicked angels, transforming themſelvs into angels of light, and hoping by this means to gaine credit to their miniſters as miniſters of righteouſnes alſo, which in a way of counterfeit reſemblance, the father of deceit wilbe preparing, during this miniſtry of Eliah, till he be bound up by Chriſt from any more deceaving of the nations in this kind, or any other.

This the Apoſtle Paul does very cleerly intimate, (1 Cor: 13.7.) where he admits, there may be thoſe that may ſpeake not only with tongues of men, but alſo of angels, who yet not having or living in the ſpirit of love, there deſcribed, will be found to be but as ſounding braſſe and tinckling cymballs, veſſels of great contempt, compared with thoſe that make the right and true muſick, (Revel. 14.) thoſe harpers that are taught how to ſing the ſong of Moſes and of the lamb in sweet harmony and conſortship together, and thereby turne many to righteouſnes, who shall shine like bright morning ſtars.

3. The third particular then, that shalbe an eminent effect of Eliahs ſecond comming, is the rayſing up in the world a more excellent way of preaching, hearing and obeying the goſpel, then ever yet hath bin knowne upon the face of the earth; even that which (Rom. 11.15.) is deſervedly called life from the dead, and is to be the means of bringing in the fullnes both of jew and gentile. This is darkly pointed out by Dives in the parable (Luk. 16.30.) when in his anſwer to Abraham, he ſayes, that if one went to his brethren from the dead, they would repent, hereby glancing (as 't were) at ſuch a kind of excellent and powerfull miniſtry, as was intended by God to be ſet up in the world, whereby to bring men to repentence, or as Luk. 14.23. to compel them to come in, that Gods houſe may be filled with the fullnes both of jew and gentile.

This kind of miniſtry is that, wherein both for cleernes and certainty of the matter preached, and the power of that ſpirit in which it is miniſtred, shalbe beyond all that hath yet bin ſeen or experienced in the church. For in this day the heavens shalbe commanded to drop downe from above, and the skies to poure downe righteouſnes, and the earth to open and bring forth ſalvation, that righteouſnes from heaven and in the earth may ſpring up together, and this by the Lords owne moſt powerfull forming and creation, Eſay. 45.8. So Pſal. 50.1, 6. The Lord, the mighty God hath ſpoken, and called the earth from the riſing of the Son to the p. 91going downe thereof. Out of Sion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined. Our God shall come and shall keepe no longer ſilence. A fire shall devoure before him, and it shalbe very tempeſtous round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above, or make uſe of the angelicall miniſtry in the judging of his peoples cauſe for them, as thoſe that he will firſt employ to go before him and declare his righteouſnes, and then afterwards will he come in his owne perſonall appearance, and shew that he is judge himſelf.

Chriſt will give the angels a call, nay, a command and commiſſion, to prepare the hearts and mouthes of the ſaincts, as trumpets, through which they may give a certain ſound, to the making manifeſt the knowledg and viſion of God and of his law in both his Covenants, ſo plaine, that thoſe who run, may read it. And unto this ſelfſame thing, the heart and mouth of thoſe that God will think fit to uſe in this miniſtry, shalbe wrought by Chriſt ſpirit, as the moſt glorious earneſt they can receave here on earth of the life in glory, which they shall for ever enjoy with Chriſt in heaven. For it shall come to paſſe, that thoſe who are thus called into this miniſtry, shalbe found ſpeaking with the tongues, not of men only, but of angels, and to have alſo the love requiſite to diſtinguish them from all counterfeits. Yea, they shall have this love of Chriſt and the ſpirit of it perfected in them, to the caſting out of all torment and feare, making them bold as a lion, fearing the face neither of devils nor of men, in the diſcharge of this their miniſtry, which shalbe ſo powerfull as to turne many, even innumerable multitudes to righteouſnes, to the admiration of all beholders. The Gentiles shal come to this light, and Kings to the brightnes of the very riſing thereof Then shalt thou ſe and flow together; and thine heart shall fear and be enlarged, becauſe the noiſe or abundance of the ſea shalbe turned towards thee, (or multitudes and prophane perſons who before were to be ſeen foaming out their owne filth, shall now be converted to thee) the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee, Eſay: 60:5. And not the Gentiles only, but the Jews alſo, (or the myſticall earthly Jeruſalem, conſiſting both of Jews and Gentiles) that earth shalbe made to bring forth in one day, that nation shalbe borne at once. That Zion, ſo ſoon as she travels, shall bring forth her children, whoſe wall the ſons of ſtrangers shall build up, and their Kings shall miniſter unto her. For in my wrath ſayth the Lord, I have ſmote thee, but in my favour I have had mercy on thee. Therefore thy gates shalbe open continually, they shall not be shut day nor night, that may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles and their Kings with them. For the nation and Kingdom that will not ſerve thee, shall perish. Yea thoſe nations shalbe utterly waſted. In theſe beleevers shall Chriſt be admired, and to the exerciſe of their faith all things shalbe poſſible. The power of the keyes shalbe ſo committed to them as is promiſed, that whatſoever they bind or looſe on earth, shall be bound and looſed in the heaven. Theſe will be found to be the angels that come forth out of the temple, with the ſeven p. 92vials of Gods wrath, commiſſionated to poure them out upon the beaſt, the whore, the falſe Prophet, and the whole Kingdom of Antichriſt. They shall not need to take care, as to what they are to ſpeak and anſwer for themſelvs, when they are brought before Magiſtrates for Chriſts name ſake, for in that houre a mouth and wiſdom shalbe given unto them, which their enemies shall not be able to reſiſt.

3. The third particular that shall accompany the ſecond comming of Eliah, is the necceſſary conſequent and product, that shall and muſt attend the excellent and powerfull miniſtry, above made knowne; For it is by the breath of this mouth of the Lord in his ſervants, (the loud, plaine and certaine ſound of this ſeventh Trumpet, even when it begins to ſound) that Jacob muſt ariſe, as low and as ſmall as he and the diſperſed ſeed of God will at that time be judged to be, in the eye of the world, or in their owne ſight, Ezek. 37.11. Theſe bones, however they ſeeme to be dried up, muſt live; and by this breath of propheſy from the Lord, that is to enter into them, they shall once againe ſtand upon their feet, with that firmnes and ſtability, as never to fall more.

When the command is once given for the ſpirit of prophecy to come forth in that excellent and powerfull way of miniſtry before-mentioned; it will firſt make a great noiſe amongſt the inhabitants of the world. It wilbe a voyce of noiſe from the city, a voyce from the temple, a voyce of the Lord, rendring recompence to his enemies. And after the noiſe, which shalbe occaſioned by this voice of the Lords ſecond appearance, (to the great joy of his ſaints, and utter shame of his and their enemies) there shall immediatly follow a great shaking or earth quake, where in a tenth part of the city shall fall, to make way for the more eaſy and ready comming together of the dry bones, which will thus gradually become an exceeding great multitude, in excellent order. For firſt, the ſinews and flesh will come upon them, and the skin will cover them above, but no breath in them yet. This is a typicall deſcription of the ſtate of the witneſſes, who do for a ſeaſon lie as it were breathleſſe and dead in the ſtreet of the great city, ſpiritually called Sodom and Egypt. But upon the command given to the breath of propheſy, that was called from the foure winds, to breath upon theſe ſlain, and cauſe them to live, the breath comes into them, and they live and ſtand upon their feet, an exceeding great army, even theſe dry bones of the whole houſe of Iſrael, who looked upon themſelvs a little before, as thoſe whoſe bones were dried, whoſe hope was loſt, and who were cut off for their parts. For at this time, God will open as it were the very graves of his people, and cauſe them to come out from thence into their owne land, the land of the promiſed ſpirit, Emmanuells land, by putting (after this admirable and extraordinary manner) his ſpirit within them, that shalbe in them and to them, as life from the dead, cauſing them to know that the Lord hath opened their graves fro them, and brought them into their owne land, by vertue of the everlaſting Covenant p. 93that he hath made with them, and hath ſet his ſanctuary in the midſt of them for evermore.

The Lord in this day will performe the word ſpoken by the Prophet Micah, (chap. 2:12, 13.) I will ſurely aſſemble, O Iacob, all of thee. I will ſurely gather the remnant of Iſrael. I will put them together as the sheep of the flock, in the midſt of their fold. They shall make a great noiſe by reaſon of the multitude of men. The breaker up is come up before them: they have broken up and have paſſed thorow the gate, and are gone out by it, and their king shall paſſe before them, and the Lord on the head of them. For the children of Iſraell shall abide many dayes without a King, Prince, or ſacrifice, image, Ephod, or Teraphim. And afterward, shall they return, and ſeeke the Lord their God; and David their King, and shall fear the Lord and his goodnes in the latter dayes, when the Mountaine of the houſe of the Lord shalbe eſtablished upon the top of the Mountains, and the las shall goe out of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Ieruſalem, Eſai. 2. And I will aſſemble her that halts, and will gather her that I have driven out, and her that I have afflicted, and will make of the one a remnant, and of the other a ſtrong nation, and the Lord shall reigne over them in mount Zion, from thenceforth even for ever. And nation shall not life up a ſword againſt nation, neither shall they learn war any more. For all people will walk in the name of their God, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God, for ever and ever. For a ſmall moment I have forſaken thee and hid my face from thee, but with great mercies and everlaſting kindneſſes will I gather thee. For thy maker is thy husband, the Lord of hoaſts is his name; and thy Redeemer, the holy one of Iſrael, the God of the whole earth shal he be called. Behold, they shall ſurely gather together, but not by me. Whoſoever shall gather together againſt thee, shall fall for thy ſake. For all thy children shalbe taught of the Lord, and great shalbe the peace of them. In righteouſnes shall they be eſtablished. They shalbe far from oppreſſion, feare or terrour. No weapon that is formed againſt thee, shall proſper, and every tongue that shall riſe up in judgement againſt thee, thou shalt condemne. This is the heritage of the ſervants of the Lord, and their righteouſnes is of me, ſaith the Lord. This is Iſrael my ſervant, Jacob whom I have choſen, and the ſeed of Abraham, my freind.

Theſe and many more like precious promiſes we meet with in the Scripturs, concerning a moſt proſperous and glorious ſtate, that shall viſibly come upon Gods people even in this world, according to the aſſurance thereof given unto Abraham, that he in his ſeed should be heir of the world. All theſe promiſes are reducible only to the ſtate of thoſe times that shall certainly be brought upon the ſtage of this world, when the Kingdom and ſecond appearance of the great God and our ſaviour Jeſus Chriſt, shall shine forth in its brightnes upon earth.

p. 94This is that which is not only promiſed ſo very often, and teſtified by all the Prophets, but was much ſpoken of and beleeved amongſt the Jews before Chriſts comming in the flesh. It was univerſally receaved alſo in the firſt age after Chriſt, and all were accounted hereticks and deniers of the reſurrection that did not acknowledg it. And in that great Council of Nice, called by Conſtantine the great, it was aſſerted in an article of their Eccleſiaſticall doctrine, to this effect; That by foreknowledg God did not make the world in that height of perfection at firſt, which he intended to bring it unto in the end, becauſe he foreſaw, man would ſin. Therefore (ſay they) we expect new heavens and a new earth, according to the ſcriptures. And then (as Daniel ſayes) the ſaincts of the moſt high shall take the Kingdom, and there shalbe a pure and holy world, a Land of the living and not of the dead. This David by the eye of faith foreſaw, when he ſayd, I shall ſe the goodnes of the Lord in the land of the living, the land of the humble and meeke. Bleſſed are the meeke, for they shall inherit the earth, and be clothed, beautified and adorned with ſalvation. So Eſay. 26. The foot shall tread downe the lofty city, even the feet of the poor and the ſteps of the needy.

This great truth, was thus witneſſed unto, then, and afterwards alſo, till the adverſaries knew no other way to avoyd it, but by denying the book of the Revelation to be ſcripture.

In the beginning alſo of the reformation in England, in a catechiſme ſet forth in Edward the ſixths time, and by him authorized the laſt year of his reigne, that part of the Lords prayer, Thy Kingdom come, is thus commented upon. Hitherto we ſe not all things put under the feet of Chriſt; we do not yet ſe that ſtone cut out of the mountaine without any work or endeavours of man, that is to breake and diſſipate into nothing the great image deſcribed by Daniel, that the little ſtone which is Chriſt, may poſſeſſe and obtein the empire of the whole world, according to the graunt of the father. Antichriſt is not yet deſtroyed, whence it is, that we are to deſire and pray, that in Gods due time it may be done, and that Chriſt alone way reigne with his Saints, according to his divine promiſes; that he may live and reigne on the earth, according to the laws of the holy Scriptures, and not according to the traditions and lawes of men, and the tyrannicall will of this world. So have we it, in that Catechiſme.

Another paſſage there is, relating to this ſubject in the ſame book, upon the article of the laſt judgment, diſtinguishing between the end of the world, and the laſt generall judgment, ſaying, that the holy Scriptures call the end of the world, the time of conſummation, the full filling of the Kingdom and myſteries of Chriſt, in the reſtitutiō of all things. It ſeemes bu agreable to reaſō, that the dayes should come, wherein the corruption, chang, and ſin, to which the whole world hath bin heitherto ſubjected, should ceaſe. This shall be done by fire, as gold is refined, by which it shalbe brought to its laſt and higheſt perfection. And this, man, the leſſer world, p. 95shall much more experience, in being freed from the bondage of corruption, and brought into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God. For mans ſake therefore the viſible frame of heaven and earth shalbe renewed with a much more pleaſant and beautifull face or for me, then it had before. But ſecondly, as to the laſt and generall judgment, the anſwer is; Chriſt shall come, at whoſe voice the dead shall ariſe, and be made perfect in ſoule and body. And he shall ſit on the throne of his majeſty, ſeen by the whole world, and pronounce the finall ſentence, upon the teſtimony of every ones conſcience, out of his owne mouth. Then the Sons of God shall compleatly poſſeſſe that Kingdom of immortality and eternall life, which was prepared for them before the foundation of the world, and shall reigne with Chriſt unto all eternity. But the wicked, which do not beleeve, shalbe caſt into eternall fire, appointed for the devil and his angels.

This diſtinction between the dayes of the end of the world, and the work proper to them (called the laſt dayes, and the great day of eternity, or the laſt judgment) is well explained and cleered by Mr. Mede, who gives the account before mentioned, in theſe things. In a word, he declares his judgment to be; that the ſeventh trumpet, or thouſand years reigne of Chriſt on earth, conteined therein, is that great day of the Lord, the day of his Judgment, ſo much celebrated among the Jews in their writings, and from them taken up by our Saviour and his Apoſtles, not a day of a few houres, (as ſome ſuppoſe) but a continued interval of many years, (wherein Chriſt shall firſt deſtroy all his enemies, even death itſelf) and shall end with the univerſall reſurrection and and paſſing of the finall ſentence, winding up all in the reſigning up of his Kingdom to the father, that God may be all in all. Thus the thouſand years is no diſtinct time from the day of Judgment, neither before it nor after; but the ſame with it, the whole time, during which this great day of judgment does continue, in the very beginning whereof, Antichriſt shall finally be deſtroyed, and not before. Theſe therefore, in Scripture, are called the times of Chriſts Kingdom, wherein he will shew himſelf the bleſſed and only Potentate, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and this for the ſpace of a thouſand years, in the laſt period of which, comes the laſt and finall ſentence (before mentioned) to be pronounced and executed.

The reaſon therefore why the excellent promiſes (above recited) are not yet performed, is twofold.

1. The times for their performance are not yet fully come, though very neer. But moſt certaine it is (as we have heard) that they shall and will come.

2dly. Becauſe the ſeed alſo to which they are made, is not yet come to be made manifeſt as they shalbe, in diſtinction from all counterfeits and falſe pretenders, which ſay they are Jews and are not, but do lie. This diſcrimination, and certaine, cleare diſcovery of the true ſeed of God from the falſe, will be begun to be made by the miniſtry of Eliah, or the miniſtry that shall riſe up in the ſpirit and powers already diſcribed.

p. 96This excellent miniſtry muſt and wilbe attended with a church of ſaints anſwerable, which shall conſiſt of the riſen witneſſes, the dry bones that this ſpirit of propheſy brings out of their graves, from the foure winds of heaven, cauſing them to ſtand againe upon their feet, an exceeding great army. All of them are to be quickned by the means of this powerfull and glorious miniſtry, with a ſpirit of life from God, that enters into them, and shews itſelf to be that life from the dead in them, which is never more ſubject to corruption. It is unto theſe alſo, that God ſayes by a great voyce from heaven, (which they are fitted with ears to heare) come up hither, and they do accordingly aſcend up to heaven in a cloud, their enemies beholding them; or rather, heaven is brought downe into their knowledg and poſſeſſion here on earth, whilſt as yet they are clouded with their mortall body, which (nevertheles) shall at laſt be changed in a moment, and they not ſe death. In the meane time, they shall experience their very mortall body freed from the bondage of corruption, and reſtored to the primitive purity, glory, uſe and ſerviceablenes unto the mind, which it had in paradiſe in the perſons of our firſt parents, before the fall. And to theſe shall it be given to ſe the opening of the heavens, long ſince promiſed by Chriſt, and the temple of God that is there, opened alſo, and in the temple the arke of the Teſtament, both which (Revel. 15.5.) are put together, and called the temple of the tabernacle of the Teſtimony in heaven, which in that day shalbe opened; the true tabernacle or ſanctuary, which God pitch'd and not man; Heb. 8.2. In this temple dwelleth the fulnes of the God head bodily, the viſion whereof is to be made plaine to the eye of our ſenſuall part, or to our inward bodily ſenſes, that by ſeing the mind of God in ſuch legible characters in the ſpirit and perſon of Chriſt, the like mind may be found and ſeen in all that are his, who are then to appeare in the ſame likenes, by ſeing him as he is.

That which Chriſt is, and in ſpirit shalbe ſeen to be, as the mind of the father is wrought out in him, the Apoſtle Paul points out, Philip. 2.5, &c.

1. He is in the forme of God, the WORD of life, who was in the beginning, was with God, and was God. And thus conſidered, he accounts it not robbery to be Gods equall.

2dly, In the diſpenſation of the fulnes of time, the ſame that is in the forme of God, is alſo found in fashion as a man, and is made flesh, with the uſe of a living ſoule, in the very earthly and outward ſenſes of it, bearing the form and likenes of the firſt Adam in his primitive purity.

3. He that thus deſcended into flesh, and the lowermoſt parts of his habitable earth, (in which earthly make and nature, he became inferiour to angels, for the ſuffering of death) is the ſame that out of this does aſcend, and is exalted far above all heavens, by being made in his humane ſpirit, ſoule and body, the temple wherein all the fulnes of the God head dwells bodily, and a meet veſſel to receave, poſſeſſe, p. 97and be the miniſter of it unto others. He is the WORD of life, the brightnes of the fathers glory, the expreſſe character of his ſubſtance, by which this manhood is ſealed and made heavenly, partaking with the living WORD, as he is the Angel of Gods preſence, in whom is Gods name. He is the cheif and higheſt Angel, and as ſuch, is head of all principalities and power. And over and above all this, in his archangelicall eſtate, he is the true Michael, Gods equall, the man that is made Gods fellow, or ſecond in the ſame divine throne of glory.

In theſe three cheif particulars, Chriſt, the temple of God in heaven, shalbe ſeen and made manifeſt, as that which he is and will witnes himſelf to be, in the hearts of all true beleevers, the ſons of his love, that are to be are his likenes, and to be ſeen with his name and ſuperſcription upon them. In this reſpect it is, that he hath given that commandement, 1 John. 4:20, 21. that he who loveth God in Chriſt, love his brother alſo, which thoſe that doe not, will thereby prove themſelvs liars, if they ſay they love God. For how can he love God or Chriſt, whom he hath not ſeen, that loveth not his brother whom he hath ſeen? There is a day comming, when that which Chriſt wilbe ſeen to be in himſelf, he wilbe ſeen to be alſo in his members, that shalbe receaved and gathered unto him, as joynt heirs and poſſeſſours of his fathers love and glory. When Chriſt, who is their life, shall ſo appear, they shall alſo appear with him in glory. They shall no longer remaine in their hidden and concealed ſtate, wherein they are judged according to men in the flesh, whilſt they live according to God in the ſpirit. Nor shall they any longer be like Princes walking on foot, whilſt Servants ride on horſe back.

Behold then, upon the opening of the temple of God in heaven, the powerfull and glorious effects that the miniſtry of the ſpirit, flowing from thence, shall produce and be accompanied with, for the making manifeſt the true Iſrael of God.

The Lord himſelf will deſcend, firſt, with the voice of the Archangel, that laſt and moſt glorious trump of God, Chriſts humanity, as head of the elect Angels, all principalities and powers being ſubjected unto him, who as he is the Son of man, is made the cheif of the āgels, and the prime miniſter of the WORD of life, for food unto them. This beginning of the ſounding of the ſeventh Trumpet, is that which (as hath bin ſaid) is the miniſtry of Eliah, and goes before the miniſtry that shalbe immediately exerciſed by the Son himſelf in his owne perſon. By Chriſts revealing himſelf from heaven, the head of angels, he employes them as his reapers in the end of the world or in the laſt times, to ſever the wicked from among the juſt, and gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend. He will ſend a quickning Spirit of life from his preſence, that will breath the breath of prophecy into the holy angels, thoſe voices that are to be heard in heavē, ſaying, The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Chriſt. Theſe voices wilbe heard, as it were the voice of a Trumpet, talking with the Saincts on earth, and calling them up into the ſame heavenly converſe with themſelvs, cauſing them p. 98immediatly thereupon, to be in the ſpirit, beholding the throne that is in heaven, and him that ſits thereon, as the head of thoſe holy and bleſſed ſpirits, who are all deſirous to do him homage and worship, refuſing to take that to themſelvs which is due only to their head, and which the ſaints themſelvs on earth, would be but too forward to give them, as was the caſe of John, Revel. 22.8, 9.

Under this miniſtry and diſpenſation, the church and every particular member thereof, do become the children that are all taught of God, inwardly, by this heavenly breath or angelical inſpiration. For this qualifies and enables them by the ſight of the juſt one, to know the mind and will of God, and to do and fulfill it after Chriſt, as they ſe he hath done it before them, with a heart and ſpirit like unto his, as he is the ſon of man. And as ſo conſidered, he is head of the holy angels, by them ſpeaking to and inſpiring the church on earth. He is alſo the head of that church in God the father, that is above the angels, ſo as unto principalities and powers, the very elect angels, by the church in this ſence, (even the generall aſſembly of the firſt borne, whoſe names are written in heaven) the manifold wiſdom of God shalbe made knowne. By theſe divine men, who are the bride the lambs wife, he will shew himſelf ſpeaking and inſpiring the good angels in heaven, to all eternity, and judging the evill and wicked ones into the flames of eternall fire.

The firſt of theſe attainments, is that wherein the lower and common ranke of beleevers (called in ſcripture, the fulnes of the gentiles, compared with the true Jews, Gods firſt borne ſons) are gathered into ſociety with the holy angels, into a copartnership with them, in an immutability of righteouſnes and glory, and ſo into Chriſt their head, as into their proper element and ſphere, in which they are rayſed up to live in his ſight, and to eat and drink with him at his table, in his fathers Kingdom, to all eternity. Over theſe the ſecond death never hath power. And this is called the firſt reſurrection, which the other ſort of beleevers, thoſe that are the fulnes of the Jews, do enjoy in common with them, during the thouſand years reigne of Chriſt on earth. And after that, they have a farther aſcent into the life and glory of the ſecond reſurrection, which is not to be revealed in the power of it, untill Chriſt have reſigned up the Kingdom unto his father, that God may be all in all.

But during the thouſand years reigne of Chriſt on earth, both theſe houſes of Iſrael shalbe gathered as sheep under one head and shepheard, into one sheepfold, and shine forth only in the life and glory of the firſt reſurrection, witneſſing to the headship of Chriſt, which he exerciſeth over the angels, and by them, over the very church itſelf, whilſt the Kingdom of the ſon is unreſigned by him into the hands of the father.

The life and glory of both theſe reſurrections (whether as they reſpect the mind or body of the true ſaincts and children of God, or both) is that immortality which is brought to light by Jeſus Chriſt, the life from the dead, which will shew p. 99itſelf in the times appointed thereunto, and tranſlate us at length into eternity, where time shalbe no more. And we are begotten (even while here in our mortall bodies) through fellowship with Chriſt in his reſurrection, unto a lively hope of this inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, which fades not away, ready to be revealed in theſe laſt times. Untill then, it is in faith only, and the ſeed of it does beget and produce the two ſorts of beleevers, ſo frequently mentioned, who now by this miniſtry of Eliah are beginning to be made manifeſt, and shalbe diſtinguished as the true Iſrael of God, from all ſtrangers and deceitfull workers whatſoever, that either love or make a lie.

The firſt of theſe, are in their principles ſaid to be of the common faith, and to have …teined the common ſalvation. Thus Paul writes to Titus, as his ſon after the common faith Tit. 1:4. And Jude (v. 3.) ſayes, I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common ſalvation, to the fulfilling of the ſcripture, (Rom. 4:17. Gen. 17.5.) ſpeaking of Abraham; I have made thee the father of many nations, as wel as of one nation peculiar, above and beſides all the reſt. For ſo Abrahams ſeed was to be a ſeed made up of many nations, and a ſeed of one more peculiarly beloved nation alſo, that were to be ſeperated to him, to dwell by themſelvs and not be reckon'd amongſt the nations that are the fulnes of the Gentiles. Abraham is but the typicall father, Chriſt is the father in ſpirit and truth to this twofold ſeed. In Gen. 13. and 15. chapters, God promiſed Abraham, to make of him a great people, numberleſſe as the duſt of the earth or the ſtars of heaven, which he makes good in the fulnes of the true Jews. But (chap. 17.5.) he gives an additional ſeed alſo, which he there promiſes him, beſides what he promiſed before, ſaying, behold, my Covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a high father of a multitude of nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, that is high father, but Abraham, high father of multitudes. Hence is it, that in Gods everlaſting Covenant, there comes to be found ſalvation for a multitude of nations, common (as it were) to all mankind, if the fault be not in themſelvs, and not ſalvation only for one great nation, the Iſrael that is Gods firſt borne.

God hath therefore an everlaſting love and ſalvation, which comparatively ſpoken of, is that which is common and extenſive to a numberleſſe multitude, that he ſaves out of all people and nations, kindreds and tongues, that are upon the face of the earth, who yet are not brought ſo neer to him, as that peculiar nation of his, which he makes a Kingdom of Preiſts. But they have a portion that is full and ſufficient, comming from the hand of their everlaſting father, who like to Jacob in the type, hath his ſpecially beloved Joſephs and Benjamins by Rachel, the choice delight of his eyes, and hath his ten ſons beſides, that are alſo children of his bleſſing, ſons and not baſtards or caſt-awayes, but ſuch as he ownes for legitimate, and makes heirs of his Kingdom. They are provided with inheritances in the land of promiſe.

And as there is ſuch an everlaſting love and ſalvation ſpoken of in the ſcripture, which is called common in the reſpect above mentioned, ſo is there alſo a common faith and ſalvation, that is but temporary, begets but ſuch a repentance unto life (as the effect of it upon the minde) from whence there is a turning away againe and a drawing back unto perdition. This kind of beleevers, in ſtead of holding faſt faith and a good conſcience, do put away their good conſcience, and concerning faith do make shipwrack, being not able to ride it out in the ſtormy weather of temptations. They do therefore declare by the event, that they never had faith of the right kind, but that the chang of mind brought upon them by the preaching of the goſpel, and knowledg of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, amounted but to ſuch a repentance as might againe be repented of or turned from, and but to ſuch a faith as might faile, though both were the fruits of the goſpel, or good tydings of the worke of redemption and reconciliation, wrought in the perſon of the mediator, as miniſtred but by the firſt and conditionall Covenant, which obliges the children of it in a debt to the whole law, upon the terms of renewing to them their primitive naturall activity and uſe of their freewill, for the performance thereof.

Thus Chriſt gives himſelf to be the life and reconciliation of the whole world, commanding all men every where to repent, excluding none from this benefit of his death, the atonement of ſins paſt, and after this manner to have faith and repentance wrought in them, if the fault lie not in themſelvs.

The ſame goſpel then and bleſſed knowledg of our Lord and ſaviour Jeſus Chriſt, is in the miniſtry and preaching of it, the everlaſting goſpel, (as accompanied with fruits that end in ſalvation, and are permanent and abiding) and is alſo the goſpel whoſe candle may be put out, and candleſtick removed out of its place, as Chriſt not only threatned to the ſeven churches of Aſia, but actually executed, upon their apoſtaſy and unworthy walking under the light thereof.

And if the ſcope and intent of the Epiſtle of Jude be well weighed, together with his expreſſions, wherein he makes mention of the common ſalvation and faith once delivered unto the ſaints, we shall find that he does very evidently ſet forth the diviſion and contention which did ariſe in his time, between theſe two miniſtries of the goſpel, and thoſe that had theſe differing effects and operations produced thereby upon their hearts. For the ſame common ſalvation and change, wrought by the preaching of it, upon the minds of the hearers, which begot in them repentance from dead works, and faith towards God, if it were accompanied with the faith of the right kind, once delivered to the ſaincts, through the power of which we are p. 101kept unto ſalvation, he shewes plainly, (v. 20, 21.) that being built up in this our moſt holy faith, and praying in the holy Ghoſt, we shalbe kept from falling, and shall keep ourſelvs in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, unto eternall life.

But if this faith be wanting, whatever other effects, enlightnings or quicknings, the knowledg of Chriſt and preaching of the goſpel may have upon us, in the judgment of the Apoſtle Jude, ſuch are to be looked upon as having no more certainty of ſalvation, nor probability of a good end, then thoſe of the children of Iſrael, that the Lord ſaved out of Egypt and the houſe of bondage, but deſtroyed before they entered into Canaan; or then thoſe angels that fell, and kept not their firſt habitation, or then Sodom and Gomorrah; Yea, or then the rejected nation of the jews, by whoſe wicked hands our ſaviour was crucified. They ſtumbled at the ſtumbling ſtone, and though they ſought after righteouſnes, yet was it, as it were, by the works of the law; children they were, in whom (as it is written, Deut. 32.20.) there was no faith. Upon this very ground, the church of the gentiles that were taken into the place of the jews, and had Gods name called upon them, doe run the ſame hazard with the Jewish church, that is, of being cut off from the good olive tree, when they shalbe found to be but ſuch as have not their ſtanding by the faith that is triall proof. They therefore shall in like manner be ſwallowed up into a univerſall and moſt ſignall apoſtaſy from the truth and power of the goſpel, a little before Chriſts ſecond comming.

It is no marvell then that the Apoſtle Jude is ſo earneſt in exhorting to contend earneſtly for the faith, as it is of the right kind and primitive purity, wherein it was once delivered to the ſaincts, bringing forth thoſe fruits in them that accompanied ſalvation, and were not to be fallen from. This contention, warfare or battel was in heaven, in the very church itſelf, between thoſe that had a ſtronger and firmer birth of grace, and thoſe of a weaker, that was wavering, uncertaine, and capable to prove abortive, as not comming of Sarah, the free woman, that is the mother of us all. Nevertheles, in this conteſt and warfare, the woman that brings forth the manchild, is neceſſitated to fly for it into the wildernes, though a conquerour, whilſt the battel was fought out by ſpirituall weapons only, in a church way. For when once the secular powers came to exerciſe a ruling ſtroke and deciſive juriſdiction in the Chriſtian religion, then she betook herſelf to the wildernes, became ſolitary and neglected by men. In that wildernes ſtate, the remnant of the womans ſeed, that keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jeſus, continue (for a ſeaſon) trod under foot, and oppreſſed by their oppoſite brethren that are countenanc'd and upheld againſt them, by the power and ſtrength of the Kingdom of the beaſt. For having got poſſeſſion of the outward court of the temple, which is left out, as no longer regarded by God, they become a fit ſeat for Antichriſts throne, a great bulwarke and ſtrong hold for the man of ſin and Son of perdition, whereby to maintein his war againſt thoſe worshippers that are ſo in ſpirit and truth, and not in word or forme only, and whoſe place it is to officiate either in the temple itſelf, or in the moſt in ward and moſt holy part of it, called the Holy of Holies.

Having thus diſtinguished between that which in Scripture is called the common faith, or common ſalvation, in theſe its two differing effects and fruits, producing in ſome a birth of life and grace which is immutable and cannot fayle or be fallen from; and in others, a birth of repentance and faith that is changable, may be repēted of, shipwrack'd and miſcarry; it remains for us to proceed in deſcribing and declaring the ſecond and higher degree that is atteinable in that faith which was once delivered to the Saincts, called by Jude, our moſt holy faith. He ſeemes thereby to intimate, that by the knowledg of Jeſus Chriſt and miniſtry of the Goſpel, faith may be wrought and begotten in the heart, according to a threefold degree, wherein righteouſnes and true holines is revealed from faith to faith; from faith of the loweſt ranke, which is that that failes, to that of the ſecond ranke, which failes not, but makes us conquerours, and from thence to that of the higheſt ranke, which gives us power with God to prevaile in all things we deſire, beyond all we can aske or think, making us more then conquerours, and with Abraham to be called the friends of God. The firſt is holy, the ſecond is more holy, the third is our moſt holy faith.

The moſt holy faith is that which (Epheſ. 3.16.) is ſaid to be granted or given of the riches of Gods glory, wherein he hath an inheritance in his ſaincts, (chap. 1.18.) and through which he does put forth the exceeding greatnes of his power, towards us that beleeve, according to what he wrought in Chriſt, when he raiſed him from the dead, and ſet him at his owne right hand in the heavenly, far above all principality, power, might, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that which is to come. So then, according to the power of this exceeding mighty operation of God in that gift of Chriſts Spirit, wherein he grants to ſome Saincts to beare a more peculiar likenes to him, the beleever becomes ſo exceedingly ſtrengthned with might in the inner man, ſo rooted and grounded in love, that he is not only made able to comprehend with all Saints, that are ſons after the common faith, what is the length, breadth, depth and height of the knowledg and love of God that shines forth in Chriſt, as he is the Son of man, made head of all Principalities and Powers, which is the higheſt image of God, short of the fathers naked ſimilitude, in his owne proper shape and forme; but he is (over and above all this) enabled to know the love of Chriſt that paſſeth knowledg, and to behold God in p. 103that glory of his, that shines forth in the face of the bleſſed Trinity, wherein he hath bin delighting himſelf in and with the eternall WORD, from before the foundation of the world.

Into this glory, Chriſt in his manhood, as our fore-runner, is entered, even within the moſt inward veyle.

This was the forme of God, wherein Chriſt was found, before he aſſumed his manhood, and he reteins his manhood both in an inferiority to it and in an equality with it, by reaſon whereof, Chriſt as man, without robbery is accounted equall with God. In this ſtate of glory, he is the bridegroome to this moſt excellent ſort of beleevers, who therefore dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations, but are a peculiar nation of Gods jewells and choice treaſure, a Kingdom of preiſts, his heritage and immediate poſſeſſion, that as the Tribe of Levi, are made to approach neer unto him, in ſtead of all the firſt born ſons of Iſrael. Theſe are the 144000, deſcribed (Revel. 14.) to be ſuch as have their fathers name written in their foreheads, and that are not defiled with women, but are virgins which follow the Lamb whitherſoever he goes, and are redeemed from among men, as the firſt fruits to God and to the lamb; the pure, undefiled bride and ſpouſe of the lamb, that is the only one of her mother.

Theſe are farther deſcribed (Revel. 7.) as thoſe that are the choſen out of every Tribe of the choſen ſeed of God, by a ſmall certain number of 144000, a royall preiſthood, ſelected and taken out of all the Tribes. Theſe being thus firſt ſelected out, how are the remaining parts in and of every Tribe conſidered? Are they looked upon by God, as the world? as a people left to themſelvs? No, by no means, but alſo as Gods choſen people, in relation to the reſt of the world. They are his ſons according to the common faith, making up the gentile fulnes, as the other doe the Iews. And accordingly, in their gentile fulnes, or rather as ſurrogated Iews, (Rom. 11.) have the ſutable characters given to them. For (ſayes the Apoſtle Iohn) after this, I beheld, and ſo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, people, kindreds and tongues, ſtood before the throne and before the lamb, clothed with white robes and palms in their hands, repreſenting their victorious faith, in and under the great tribulations they had and were to paſſe through, in participation with Chriſt in his ſufferings, for the teſtimony of Ieſus, during the reigne of the Beaſt.

Amōgſt theſe, he that ſits on the throne shall dwell for ever. And they will neither hunger nor thirſt any more, nor shall the ſun light on them, nor any heat, for the lamb will feed them and lead them into living fountains of waters, in the ſtate of the firſt Reſurrection, where all tears shalbe wiped away from their eyes.

Thoſe then whoſe hearts are purified by this faith, in either of theſe two degrees of it, as it is our precious or our moſt precious faith, (that which brings us into the common ſtate of ſalvation with the gentiles, that is durable and everlaſting, p. 104or that which brings us yet farther, into the peculiar priviledg of the Jews and firſt born Sons or God) are the people that properly are Abrahams ſeed, and heirs according to the promiſe. And their day of manifeſtatiō haſtens apace. They have bin hitherto, even from the beginning of the world to this day, a ſeed of hiddē, inviſible ones, that in all changes of times remaine the pure inviſible church. And they have all along bin kept undefiled, having that birth of God in them which preſervs them, that ſin does not adulterate their hearts, or alienate them from God, neither can the evill one touch them. Thus was it with the ſeven thouſand concealed pure and ſpirituall worshippers that God had reſerved in a time of univerſall apoſtacy and corruption in his viſible worship, (in Eliah's time) which never did nor would bow their knee to Baal.

In reference to this ſeed, in all ages, is verified that which is ſpoken by the Prophet Eſay, (chap. 1.9.) Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left unto us (that are the viſible church, and have the viſible ſignes of Gods preſence and the purity of his Ordinances amongſt us) a very ſmall remnant, (a ſeed of hidden ones) we had bin as Sodom in the height of ſinning, and bin made like unto Gomorrha, in the extraordinarines of our punishment.

Theſe are they that God accounts his jewels, the people that are of price and value with him, whatever reproach and diſeſteeme they are in from the world, in all times. Theſe have that faith in the ſeed of it, by which they are poſſeſt with an ability to do all things for the truth, and nothing againſt it; and this, through Chriſt the power of God, inwardly ſtrengthening and bringing them forth into a likenes of ability with himſelf, to do all things by his quickning of them, as he himſelf hath done by the fathers quickning of him: that they may live by him, as he himſelf, according to his manhood, lives by the father, who does in him all the works.

God hath now for neer theſe ſix thouſand years, kept theſe his jewels by him as a reſerved hidden treaſure, that he reſolvs in a fit ſeaſon to bring to light, and make a shew of openly, in the ſight of the whole world. In the mean time, he calls them into the ſecret chambers of his love, and is encreaſing their faith and patience, under the great and various trialls wherein they are with God, ſtrangers and ſoiourners in and to the world, and to the delights and comforts of it, as all their fathers were.

This time of hardship and ſuffring from the world, muſt not alwayes be their lot. There is a day approaching, wherein the time of their ill uſage from the world shalbe no longer. God will have his ſeaſon to shew kindnes and love to them and to do them honour in the ſight of the whole creation; a day, in which his purpoſe, and determined reſolution is, to make up his jewels, and bring them all together, from all parts where he hath kept them hid and concealed. In this day, he will ſpare them and shew favour to them, as the father ſpares his owne ſon that ſerveth him, and in ſerving pleaſeth him.

p. 105And ſo viſible a diſtinction in this day will God put in the way of the diſpenſations of his providences, even to the eye of the world, between them that ſerve him and them that ſerve him not, between the righteous and the wicked, that every eye shall take notice of it. And it shall have ſuch a powerfull effect upon the beholders, that there shall come people, the inhabitants of many cities, yea, the inhabitants of one city shall goe to another, ſaying, let us goe ſpeedily and continually to pray before the Lord of hoſts; I will goe alſo. Yea, many people and ſtrong nations shall come to ſeek the Lord of hoſts in Jeruſalem, and to pray before the Lord. Ten man shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, on the skirt of him that is a jew, ſaying, we will goe with you, for we have heard that God is with you. The jews that they will thus take hold of, wilbe ſuch as are ſo indeed, having the faith that failes not, but makes them the receavers of that anointing which teacheth all things, and is truth and no lie.

By this heavenly anointing they are in their very principles diſtinguished,

I. From thoſe, whoſe faith is ſo far from being of the ſame precious kind with theirs, that it is ſure to faile in the moſt needfull time, in the day of temptation and triall, when the winds blow and the rain deſeends, and the floods come, and beat upon them. Such faith is of little or no price.

Secondly. The true Jew, by his faith and anointing, wilbe likewiſe diſtinguish'd from thoſe that have no faith, but are unreaſonable perſecutours of thoſe that have, being void of all right diſcerning in matters of faith,

Theſe true Jews and Iſraelits indeed, are (as we have shewed) the two families in Jacobs houſe, children of the ſame Jacob, but not by the ſame Rachel, of whom were only Joſeph and Benjamin. This diſtinction in Jacobs family ſeems to be taken notice of by the holy Ghoſt, (Ezek. 37.16.) where the twelve Tribes are compared to two ſticks, or ſtems, ſpringing out of the ſame root, as two houſes, nations or families of the ſame Iſrael. Upon the one ſtick, the Prophet was commanded to write, for Judah and for the children of Iſrael his companions, to whom (as we know) the Kingdom and ſcepter was aſſigned, and out of whom Chriſt according to the flesh, came. Upon the other ſtick there was to be written, for Joſeph the ſtick of Ephraim, and for all the houſe of Iſrael, his companions. For the ſeperated one from his brethren, the exalted one above his brethren, the dreamer, to whoſe sheafe all the other sheaves, yea, the ſun, moon and ſtars were to do obeyſance. To him in a word, was aſſigned the firſt birthright, in the double portion of it, the upper and the nether ſprings, the bleſſings of heaven above, of the deep that lieth under, of the breaſts and of the womb, the bleſſings of the father that have prevailed above the bleſſings of his progenitours, in an extent to the utmoſt bounds of the everlaſting hills, that are appointed to be on the head of Ioſeph, and on the crowne of the head of him that was ſeparate from his brethren.

Theſe are the bleſſings written for Ioſeph, and for all the houſe of Iſrael his companiōs, p. 106or of his faith, ſpirit, and principles. Both theſe ſticks (the two houſes or churches of beleevers and Iſraelits in deed) are to be made up into one new Ieruſalem, in Chriſts hand. Both flocks are to be gathered into one sheepfold and viſible univerſall church-ſtate of the revealed ſons of God, diſtinguished from all people on the face of the earth, beſides. And they shalbe gathered into one univerſall Kingdom and civil ſtate, that shall beare rule over the whole world. For thus ſaith the Lord, behold, I will take the children of Iſrael, (the ſcattered sheep belonging to this fold) from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every ſide, and will bring them into their owne land, even into the promiſed new Ieruſalem ſtate, the new heavens and new earth, wherein dwells righteouſnes, figured out by the land of Canaan. And I will make them one nation or ſeed of my bleſſing in the land, upon the mountains of Iſrael, and one King shalbe King to them all. And though Iudah shall be there with his companions, and Ioſeph with his, under diſtinct writings and enrollings, aſſigning unto each their lot, yet both shall make but one church and Kingdom, one ſpirituall ſeed or nation of Abraham. They shall no more be two, ſo as to be divided into two Kingdoms, either in church or ſtate. They shall neither envy nor vex one another, any more. They shall be fully agreed, and live in peace, as inhabitants of the ſame city, the new Ieruſalem, uppet and lower, as the hebrew word imports, (Pſ. 51.) or heavenly and earthly, conſiſting of ſons of a higher and lower dignity, of this man and of that man that is borne there, whether of noble or common degree, all free heaven-born citizens and ſubjects of one and the ſame great and univerſall King. They shall dwell in perfect unity together, and be of one accord as brethren, ſinging the ſong of Moſes and of the lambe, in ſweet harmony and conſort, and the ſtranger and the uncleane shall no more paſſe through this glorious city. For there shall in no wiſe enter into it any thing that does defile, nor that worketh abomination or maketh a lie, but they only which are written (with the writing that is upon both thoſe ſtickes before-mentioned) in the lambs both of life.

This is the church and civill ſtate, which the miniſtry of Eliah is to prepare the way unto, as the end to which all the work of reſtitution which thereby shalbe wrought, does and muſt tend. This will be effected by the powerfull preaching of the everlaſting goſpel, by a miniſtry that shall have the tongues not of men only but of angels, filled with the inſpiration of the holy Ghoſt, as alſo yeilding vengeance and flames of fire, as a day of great judgment and diſtinction that is to be brought and executed upon ungodly men and willfull oppoſers of that work, by the pouring out upon them the ſeven vialls of Gods wrath, like as Moſes his miniſtry did upon Pharaoh King of Egypt, ſo long as he hardned himſelf and refuſed to let Iſrael his ſon and his firſt born goe free, and ſerve him according to his duty.

By Eliahs ſecond comming then, (according to the particulars before declared, together with the end itſelf, in order to which, this miniſtry of reſtoring all things is appointed) we are to underſtand no other then the ſpirit and power wherein the p. 107ſlaine witneſſes of Chriſt shalbe quickned, made to ſtand upon their feet, and have withall an aſcent given to them into heaven, as viſible aſſociates and copartners with the holy angels, in their power and great glory, like bright morning ſtarrs, and ſignes of the comming of the ſon of man, even whilſt they are yet remaining in the body, on this ſide death.

This ſecond comming of Eliah therefore is not to be confounded with Chriſts owne perſonall comming, which ſucceeds, and comes to give us actually and compleatly a part in that which (Rev. 20.) is called the firſt reſurrection. The change effected by Eliah's comming, will rather be a transfiguration, then what properly can be called the firſt reſurrection, by which our bodies wilbe made like unto that glorious body of Chriſt, in which he lived on earth, fourty dayes before his aſcenſion, and in which power and glory he is to shine forth, like the ſun in his ſtrength, as the brightnes of the day of his ſecond comming encreaſes and riſes up to its height. For the ushering in hereof, this ſigne in heaven of the ſon of mans comming, is to go before, which (as hath bin ſaid) is no other then the ſpirit and power which the ſlain witneſſes, (or the dried, diſperſed bones and members of Chriſts dead body, his hidden, inviſible ſeed of beleevers, his church at that time on the earth) shalbe quickned and raiſed up into, as a heaven upon earth, in the ſight of the whole world. The wiſe or teachers that then shalbe among them, shall shine as the brightnes of the firmament; and they that turne many to righteouſnes, as the ſtars for evermore.

By the power of that faith which brings life and immortality to light, in the minds of thoſe that are true Iſraelits indeed, inhabitants of the new and heavenly Jeruſalem that is above, we have declared, that Abraham in type and Chriſt in ſpirit and truth, is the father unto two ſorts of Sons, that are both heirs and witneſſes of what they ſe and heare from Chriſt. They are both written among the living in Jeruſalem, with a writing that is never to be defaced or blotted out. Some of them are made conquerours, and others of them more then conquerours, through Chriſt that hath loved them, and cauſed them to abide and continue with him in his temptations, and to beare a conformity in their minds to his death, (armed with the ſame mind as he was, for ſuffering in the flesh) as well as carrying about in their bodies, the marks of the dying of the Lord Jeſus. They have heard and receaved that language of faith in them and to them, with which Paul acquaints us (Tim. 2.2. 11, 12.) If we be dead with him, we shall live with him: if we ſuffer, we shall alſo reigne with him. Unto this carkaſſe or dead body, the eagles, the fowles of heaven, by a miniſtry of the ſpirit of life from God, wilbe gathered together. And as a breath from the foure winds of heaven, a wind of propheſy and divine inſpiration, in the ſpirit and power of Eliah, shall come forth and shew itſelf in theſe ſlain witneſſes, where ever they shalbe found, throughout the whole world, and bring them together into one sheepfold of viſible government both in church and ſtate. In this poſture, it will be found moſt true, that by fire from p. 108heaven, and as the Lords owne ſword, they shall plead with all flesh, and the ſlaine of the Lord shalbe many, that shall fall under them, in attempting to riſe up againſt them. For in and by this miniſtry of Eliah, the Lord will come with fire and with his chariots like a whirl-wind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebukes with flames of fire.

When you shalbe awakened to ſe, by the comming of this glorious miniſtry of God, what in this day shalbe wrought, not by might, nor by power, but by the ſpirit of the Lord, the ſeven eyes which run to and fro through the whole earth, (rejoycing to ſe his work goe on, and taking care that there be ſutable diſpenſations of divine providences to further and advance it, whereof the deciſion to be made in the valley of Iehoſaphat will not be the leaſt) then your heart shall rejoyce and your bones flourish like an herbe, and the hand of the Lord shalbe knowne towards his Servants, and his indignation towards his enemies. Then shall the thoughts and words of the enemies of Gods people, in deſigning againſt them, (however hidden and ſecret, even in their very bedchambers) be knowne and diſcovered by this miniſtry of Eliah, and the Mountains full of horſes and chariots of fire shalbe like walls round about the city of God, to defend them. And not only the eyes of the Prophet, the eyes of the inward man of the Saincts, or of the ſpirit of their mind, but the eyes of the Prophets ſervant alſo, the beaſt on which he rides, the ſenſual and outward man of the ſoule, in the exerciſe of the very bodily ſenſes, shalbe opened to ſe that there are more with the people of God then can be againſt them. So shall all feare be removed far from them.

To the word of this Eliahs miniſtry in the hearts of beleevers, the whole creation shalbe obedient. The heavens at their prayers will shut or open. They shall do greater things on earth, then ever yet have bin done, by the power that Chriſt hath with the father, which in this day he will begin viſibly to ſet on work, and exerciſe for the good of his people.

But the great queſtion is, when shall theſe things be?

Anſwer. The ſigne of Chriſts comming is already ſpoken to, in this miniſtry of Eliah, which does immediatly goe before it. And when this miniſtry comes and reveales itſelf in power, (as it muſt in the hearts of all the true Iſrael of God) it will untie all the knots and difficulties that do yet remaine to be reſolved, concerning Chriſts ſecond appearance, and things to come.

But when may this ſecond comming of Eliah be expected?

1. After that Chriſt in ſpirit hath as ſignally bin rejected by the generation of Jews under the goſpel, (which were ſurrogated and engraffed in the room of Abrahams naturall ſeed) as he was by that Jewish nation which crucified him at Jeruſalem. And when (accordingly) they shall have openly declared it, by the like ſevere proceedings againſt the true ſpirit of prophecy, manifeſting itſelf in Chriſts witneſſes, who by humane laws and bodily punishments wilbe ſuppreſſed, kept p. 109under and put to death, as much as lies in man to do.

2dly; When this perſecution and rejection of Chriſt in his members, hath had its progreſſe and courſe with the preaching of the goſpel itſelf, during the ſix trumpets, from the one end of the earth to the other, which hath shined as lightning from the eaſt to the weſt; and when the goſpel and obeyers of it, shall meet with the sharpeſt brunt of oppoſition, ſo as that the dead bodies of the witneſſes shall not be ſuffered to be put in their graves, during the laſt three years and half of this houre and power of darknes that is to come upon the church of Gods hidden ones, the remnant of the womans ſeed, that keep the commandments of God and faith of Jeſus. But they are nevertheles helped and much ſaved from the flood of their enemies malice, by the like miſtake as was that of Herod, who slew all the children from two years old and upwards, hoping amongſt them to find the promiſed ſeed, but failed. The earth helps the woman. The earthly Ieruſalem with her inhabitants shall prove a skreene to the heavenly Mount Zion.

3dly. When the wiſe virgins as wel as the foolish, shalbe found in a deep ſleep of ſecurity, and think the worſt paſt, looking for nothing more but the comming of the bridegroom, before it be yet midnight.

The witneſſes of Chriſt wilbe ready to make account that their 1260 years of ſuffering under the reigne of the beaſt, is either expired or upon the very point of expiring, and therefore begin to put off their ſackcloth, or lay it quite aſide, as taking for graunted that the time is come, that ſorrow and ſighing are flowne away, never to returne more. But they will afterwards find themſelvs deceaved, and that they are but falling into the times of the three laſt years and halfe, it being Gods uſuall and accuſtomed method from the beginning, to usher in any great exaltation of his ſaincts, with ſome deſperate extreamity and calamity, immediatly foregoing. And therefore, till after the wiſe virgins ſun be turned into darknes, and the foolish virgins moon be turned into blood, the BRIGHT MORNING STAR of Eliahs miniſtry comes not. But then, it does immediatly follow.

4thly and laſtly; when Antichriſt and all enemies of the witneſſes of Chriſt shalbe in the greareſt peace, unity and joy imaginable, amongſt themſelvs, at the beholding the dead bodies of the two prophets that tormented them that dwell upon the earth, and shall cry peace, peace, as eſteeming their mountaine to be made ſo ſtrong, that it can never be moved. In one word; When the ſunshine of their proſperity, peace and power is at the height, and to their thinking, impoſſible ever to ſet againe.

Let this ſuffice, without proceeding farther to ſpeak concerning the two other parts of this great day of Chriſts ſecond comming, which wilbe dignified with his owne perſonall reigne on earth, the THOVSAND YEERS of the FIRST RESURRECTION. Then will he put an end to this very day of his owne Kingdom, p. 110by his free and voluntary reſigning it up into the hands of the father, that God may be all in all: Let me only adde this word, that the viſible reigne of theſe ſaints of the firſt RESURRECTION here on earth, for a thouſand years, wilbe in the new Jeruſalem ſtate, that is to come downe from God out of heaven; in a ſtate of beatitude and glory, partaking of the divine preſence and viſion of Chriſt their King, in an immutable righteous ſtate both of body and Soule, diſtinguished from the ſtate of the nations that shall walke in her light, all the world over, and be happy and glorious alſo, but changeable.

THE END.