The First Sermon.

IN much of this Chapter, our Saviour is discharging his disciples and followets of worldly cares, which is a very merciful consideration of our Lord, who as he knows that we have need of these things, so he also knows, how great a burden and hinderance the care of these things are unto us, how they do let and hinder our speedy following after him: Now in order to this, he administers several considerations ot them, to dis­charge their cares by the ordinary providence of God towards all his creatures, even towards the very plant which he suffers not to want his moisture, and the poor sparrows, the providence of God watches over them; but after all these considerations the Lord brings a powerful one in consideration for good and all, and that you have in the 33. verse, fear not little flock, it is your fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom; if a kingdom may be security to you (against fears of want against earthly solicitudes.) Behold (says the Lord) the kingdom is given to you, and it is given by the Lord with all his heart, for that is the meaning of the phrase, It is the fathers good pleasure; it is as if the Lord would [Page 2]liken himself unto an earthly father, that has an estate which he would settle, and when he has setled it, O how is he satisfied, having setled it to his hearts content, so doth the Lord acquiesce in this set­ling of the kingdom upon this little flock; he hath no regret when he reflects upon it, but is perfectly well pleased with his own act, this kingdom comprehends all in it, it is not said a kingdom, but the kingdom.

God hath many kingdoms (as I may say) or there are many considerations of this kingdom, the kingdom of grace, the providential kingdom, &c. Take the king­dom how you will in the whole extent and latitude of it, the father gives the kingdom to the little flock: I know that many content themselves, and would have the Lords people to look after no other kingdom, but that in heaven; and I confess 'tis a very good portion, and when once we get thither, we shall never desire to change that for any of another nature.

But I tell you, that all the Saints departed are to come again with Christ, and enjoy his kingdom here upon earth, and therefore we must lose nothing of our fathers gift; For the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to this Saints of the most high: so that I say, take this kingdom in the utmost latitude of it (and in a kingdom you know thete is a fulness of all good whatsoever); All is the Saints, but I shall not stand upon that, but upon the settlement which the Lord here reveals unto them, and that account puts them upon a most generous dispose of whatsoever they have in this world; sell that you have, and give alms, pro­vide your selves bags that wax not old, a treasure in the hea­vens that faileth not. It is as much, as if the Lord should say, I would have you my disciples in the confidence of [Page 3]this kingdom (of this great provision that I have made for you, and I would have you) as free as Princes, as Emperors; it was so in the primitive times, and we are not right, till we come into that spirit (when the Lord shall call for it) to put all into a common stock; there is much to be said in this case, whether it be now practica­ble, as the case stands, and we in such a confused slate as we are; If such a thing should be, people (it may be) would be willing to have a community with those of their own judgment and perswasion and ways, this is not right, unless it be with all that believe, Act. 5.32.

But after this, he comes to the exhortation that I read to you, Let your loins be girded about, here we have directions to the Lords disciples, how they are to dis­pose themselves for this kingdom, and they are three.

The first is, let your loins be girded about,

2ly. Let your lights be burning.

3ly. Be ye your selves like unto servants that w [...]yt for their Lord when he will return from the wedding.

First, let your loins be girded about, what is this? you know the loins are, the strength of a man, the mean­ing of which (I conceive) is this, be settled in the firm saith, and expectation of this kingdom, this is, to have the loins girded about, we do find this kingdom and the hopes of it to signifie so little to us, because we are scarce resolved, scarce throughly grounded and settled in our minds touching the truth of such an expectation; therefore says he; let your loins be girded about; and you know, that if a man have cloaths upon him, and they hang loose about him, this man is unapt for any action or business, his long trail hangs about his heels, and flutters so about him, that he cannot go about any work or business with any strength; and therefore the loins be­ing [Page 4]girded, do in the 2d. place signify a mans preparing himself, and addressing himself strenuously to the work and business that the Lord doth appoint unto him, that is, this girding of the loins, which in this case is waiting for the Lord, doing every thing as a wayter, having their eyes upon this coming: And therefore to be girt, is to be well perswaded and resolved to gird the promises about you, and to gird your hopes clofe unto your hearts, that so you may with confidence wayt for your Lord; and expect his coming.

The second is our profession, our lights burning, our profession is our lights and lamps by which we make forth our hope, and shine forth in it to others: Now when the loins are girt, this is a good help to the burning of our lamps, our profession will be vigorous and lively when our hope is firm, when the loins are girt about with truth, that we do reckon upon it as a truth, that will not fail us, as a hope that will not deceive us, then I say the lamps will burn clearly: then we shall not on­ly make a profession of this hope, but we shall make our hope visible in all our walkings. The lamps of many Christians burn very dimly, and the reason is, because they waver in their hope.

The third thing concerns our spirits, for the word here (your selves) imports somthing more then our profession, or our faith, ye your selves, that is, your spi­rits, and your inward frame, your hearts, and your in­ward man; your selves in all your affections, your selves in all things; like unto men that wait for their Lord when he shall return from the wedding; I would a little para­phrase upon the words before I come to any observati­on, when he shall return from the wedding, what is the meaning of this? doth the Lord return from the wed­ding [Page 5]when he comes? One would think it more pro­per to say, that he comes to the wedding, then that he returns from the wedding; why, surely the Lord doth come to a wedding, he comes at last to the wedding-supper, when he comes to his people; but he comes also from the wedding, for the wedding is in heaven, but the wedding-supper shall be here on earth. Christ is marryed to his people in his own city (as I may say) and in his fathers house; and indeed all our flockings it is to heaven; by conversion we are brought thither by our father, and thither do we repair for all things; there the Bridegroom is: If we will be marryed to him, we must go thither to be marryed, the wedding is in heaven; now whether you will take it so, or whe­ther you will take it of the saints departed, the spirits of just men made perfect, who are with the Lord, he comes from thence, and brings these with him, to his poor Church here upon earth, who are in the 37th vers, called servants, blessed are those servants. So that, in that sence the Bride is the saints departed: and the Church on earth, they are the bride also: yet they are in the form of servants, as the Apostle sayes: Gal. 4. The heyr, while he is a childe differs nothing from a ser­vant, and although Christ hath revealed sonship unto us, yet still we are sons in the form of servants; there is much of the form of servants that sticks upon us still: but now those that are departed and dead in Christ, they are the Bride, they have put off this habit and form of a servant, and so in that respect Christ may be said to come from the wedding, the meaning is, his coming from heaven, that contains his coming from hea­ven, that contains his coming from the wedding That when he cometh and knocketh they may open to him immedi­atly; [Page 6]this doth acquaint us with another manner of Christs coming, then it may be many Christians do dream of: They think of a glorious coming, a visible glorious personal appearance, which shall strike the world (as many as are enemies) with amazement and dread (I say, all that are enemies) and which shall bring a glorious charge unto all surviving saints; this com­ing will not be a knocking at our doors, for Christ will make his own way, and every eye shall see him: but this coming here is a coming to our particulars; to every particular believer, as well as to the publick body: It is a coming in the night, a coming privately, a knock­ing at our doors, and such a coming, as that those that do not watch, will not be aware f, nor will not reap the benefit of it. And therefore he sayes, that when he cometh and knocketh they may open unto him immediatly, this is a coming into us; not a coming to us only, but a coming into us. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall finde watching. Here is the fruit, here is the glorious fruit and advantage of those to whom the Lord shall thus come, and finde them watch­ing; he shall change their condition from the condition of servants, and he shall make them to be the Bride, and shall gird himself and make them to sit down, and come forth, and serve them: This is not the manner of a Lord to his servants, but this is the manner of our Bridegroom to his bride. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and finde them so, blessed are those servants, Mark, 13.35. You shall finde there four watches mentioned, the evening, the midnight, the cock-crowing, and the morning, now there is two of these watches that are mentioned here; I might if I had time speak to these four watches, and shew you [Page 7]how they measure out all the time, from our saviours departure to his coming again, for it is all of it a long night, while the sun is out of the Hemisphere, while Christ is absent, it is all night, and the time is measu­red by watches; I give you only the hint of what I un­derstand by it: the evening was from the time of our saviours ascention until the putting forth of the man of sin, which took in the first three hundred years, in which time, there was Judaism abolished, and remo­ved off the stage, the seven Churches of Asia were dis­mantled, and lastly, Heathenism was thrown down, and this evening did reach unto the sixth seal, and then that watch went out; then came on the midnight-watch the time of Antichrist, the man of sin, and this midnight watch was the longest watch of all the rest; this watch lasted during all the time that that man of sin, was rampant, (as I may say) for a thousand years, during which time indeed those that were de­livered were those that were sealed, the sealed ones, which you read of, in Rev. 7. They had a Song as in the night, they had a mystical raign with Christ, du­ring that time, but the whole world did wonder after the Beast, and this (I say) lasted for a thousand years, till the cock-crowing, that is, till the dawning of re­formation, which began about the year 1300. And then began the cock-crowing watch, and this was the crow­ing of the cock, Babilon is fallen as in Revel. 14. And from that time, has Babilon been falling and the Lord hath been consuming the man of sin, this is the cock-crowing, and this cock-crowing lasted from the 5th. trumpet unto the 6th Vyal, so long doth this watch last. Then saith the Lord, behold I come as a thief, bles­sed is he that watcheth, and so from thence the 6th Vyal [Page 8]doth begin the morning, (that is) the morning watch. And this I am perswaded hath run forth several years amongst us, I have told you partly my apprehensions formerly, that Daniels 1290. days brought us to the morning watch: and that they came up (reckoning the times from Julian) about 2 or 23. years ago, since a­bour 48. or 50. some difference there is about the time of Julian.

Now that which I would hint by the way, is this, that our Lord and Bridegroom is not unmindful of his poor spouse here on earth, but hath been making to her ever since his going from her, he hath been passing the time of his night-watches, not without a tender re­gard to his dear spouse he hath been coming in several ways, and we are now come to the very last coming of all, the last watch. For that which our saviour says in May. 13. ye know not in what hour the Lord comes, whe­ther in the evening, the Cock crowing, or in the morn­ing, compared with this text here, that one of them holds forth the secresy of his coming, and the other holds forth a gradual coming, that he comes gradually in all these times, in all these seasons: and why should not the Lord be gradually coming as the primitive glo­ry gradually went off, as also the typical glory went off from the sanctuary of old. It first went up to the doors of the sanctuary, and then to the midst of the citty, there was three removes of that glory, and so answe­rably it was when Christ went to heaven, the primitive glory did not flee away presently, all at once, but du­ring the Apostles time (while they lived) there was a­good measure of it abiding, but when they went off the stage, as John, who was the last of them, says, Little children, it is the last hour.

That glory was then going, when they went, and yet it did not all of a sudden go, when they went as the Records of the Ecclesiastical History shew, there was a great power of saith, a power of miracles con­ttnued after the Apostles days, but that glory was sink­ing, and it sunk first inwardly, before it went off, in the visible sence of the Church, there was a decaying in their love first: so (I say) as this glory went off, by degrees, so it will return by degrees; I now come to propound one particular to you; ye your selves (I fa­sten upon that) like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the wedding.

I have told you formerly it is part of my witness and testimony (which else is a poor broken thing, but I say it is a part of my witness and testimony, that the saints, are the inheritance of Christ, the riches of the glory of his inheritance is to be seen (if you will take a survey and account of it) you must behold it in the saints. I have also delivered in this place, that it is Christs spiritual and powerful coming and appearance in the saints, that is the gteat object of our expectation, and that which must do our business for us. It is not his appearing in the clouds, it is not his coming down up­on the earth, and manifesting his glorious visible per­son, that will do our work if his spirit be not at work in our hearts, if he doth not come in a glorious manifestation of his spirit within us; it is that, that doth, and will quicken us now, and make us live the life of faith, and it is that that must quicken us at the last day, and raise our bodies out of the dust, and make us live the life of glory.

And that we may reconcile the personal appearance to and wlth his spiritual, I told you that the personal [Page 10]appearance of Christ is the glorious ministry, that shall call up the life of his spirit in his people that lyes bound there as in a sleep, this is by way of preface to that which I would observe at this time.

Ye your selves liko unto men, that wait for their Lord: now that which I would observe, is this, that the great care and concern of the Saints that live in those times, that are upon Christs coming, should be, that them­selves may be prepared, that themselves may be in all things like unto men of such a hope and expectation. Our work is to have it brought home, to our selves (mark ye) your faith must be grounded upon this com­ing, which I understand by having your loins girded a­bout, and your profession must be shining, which (it may be) many are apt to think is concerned chiefly in their Church-administrations; but this is not all, but you are to look to your selves, to the frame of your hearts and spirits; look to your selves, you your selves. If this had not been something more then your loins gir­ded about, and your lights burning, it had been a kinde of tantology and repetition; therefore there is an Em­phasis to be put upon this, your selves, not your loins only, not your expectations only, nor only your pro­fession: Christ holds your selves a distinct interest from other men; well, but what are your selves, what are your spirits; you may cloath a man with the habit of a prince, yet may he be far from the spirit of a Prince, and from the true worth of a Prince; profession is but a habit, and many men wear other mens cloathes, and appear in a splendour and equipage that doth not at all belong to them; look and see what they are within, and alas! you will find them full of rottenness and dead mens bones, and therefore you your selves look to your selves; [Page 11]and why should men look to themselves, but because your selves are the great interest of the Lord; It is not your way, nor your profession, but it is your spirit that is the Lords bride, and that is his Bride chamber into which he will enter, that when he knocketh you may open to him, that is the great business; your spirit is the Lords Bride, and the Lords Bride-chamber.

Now what are we to look to, in our selves: why, first, let us look that we be in nothing unlike unto ser­vants that look for their Lord: I tell you there were no end, if we should begin to shew the unlikeness; where do you find a likeness to such servants? what unlikeli­ness is there even in the Churches? Our Saviour tells us what is unlike, viz. to be overcharged with surfet­ting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, this is unlike such a day, such a hope, such an expectation. Now what is the surfetting and drunkeness there spo­ken of? surely our Saviour (I conceive) would not suppose that surfetting and drunkeness in the letter was chargable upon professors; and I wish that many professors were not too much tainted with this, even with gusling and drinking from one Tavern to another, and from one good meeting to another: but there is a­nother kinde of surfetting and drunkeness, you know what the Apostle says, be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the spirit: this drunkenness is set in opposition to the spirit, wine to the spirit. From whence I gather, that whatsoever hath the form or ap­pearance of spirit, and is not spirit all that is cautioned in that place to be abstained from. I remember the say­ing of a good man that came from a meeting (as we may be) his report was this, that they were so drunk he meant, not that they were drunk with wine, but [Page 12]Drink with their gifts, self-sufficiency; this is surfet­ing and drunkenness; and I wish with all my soul, that they that do profess the Lord, and those that think they are on the upper ground, and have the advantage of o­thers, that they would take heed of this surfetting and Dr [...]nkenness of surfetting of their forms of their attain­ments; thinking they are come to Sion, because it may be they are come to the letter of a poor administration. Though alas! as it is managed amongst many (if not most) at this very day, alas! it is a meer Babel, the one sayes it is thus, and another sayes it is thus, whereas I tell you I am not against any of them, I am not against the Baptist, nor against the congregational way that do baptize their children, the Lord doth bear them both, and he is able to make them both to stand; but this cry­ing out, Lo here this is the way, and the others crying ont, Lo that is the way; whereas it is the right spirit in each, that is that will justify each administration: and except there be the unity of the spirit maintain'd in the bond of peace, I tell you our Churches are a meer Ba­bel, and yet there are among them that do maintain this unity: God forbid I should think otherwise: There is a seed among the Churches that are of the large spirit, and do not set up themselves over Christ, but shine forth according to the light communicated to them, therefore I lay no burden upon them.

But (I say) this surfetting and drunkenness is oppo­site to the very expectation of Christs coming; alas! are we so full now, are you so well, are you so hap­py? what do you think, that the New Jerusalem will be only snch a kind of thing as your Church-fellowship is? that it will set the crown upon the head of your form and your way? are you where you would be; so [Page 13]as that you are at rest? you are drunk indeed if this be your spirit, what says our Saviour; do this till I come, as if he should say, have your eye upon my coming, let this be your entertainment till my coming; but to think to do this is all, and leave out till he come, is to pass by that which is indeed the glory of the sentence; Do this till I come is as much as to say, you shall have better chear then this, better communion then this, when I come. Do this, but I will come and then ye shall be planted in the likeness of my resurrection. This glory­ing therefore, and taking up our rest in present attain­ments is one sort of surfetting and drunkenness, and I wish the Churches did not so much glory in their pa­stors, and these glory so much in their gifts, and in their policies how they can manage affairs, this is not like men that look for their Lord, when he will return from the wedding.

If our eyes, and our hearts were more upon Christ, we should see all other glories fading, dim and pe­rishing; and if pastors themselves were thus spirited, they would be preaching this, we must decrease, and he must increase, and so cherish that life and light of Jesus in their members, and not keep it under; which I doubt is too much the guilt of too many pastors of eongregati­ons, and in the government of their Churches, the spi­rit of Christ is in bonds with them.

Secondly, Another unlikeness to men waiting for their Lord is, that, beating their fellow servants, this is some­what worse then the other if he shall say, the Lord de­lays his coming, and shall begin to be at his fellow-servants, this is a rude thing indeed, this is a thing that one would wonder to finde in Christs family: what? beating their fellow-servants? this is for the poor blinde sottish world [Page 14]to do. Where shall we fasten this beating? surely we cannot fasten it upon the prelatical Church, they not acknowledge us to be their fellow-servants, therefore we will excuse them it is not they, It is true, the Saints have had great persecution from them, and from those that have taken their part, but this is not the beating of the fellow servants here spoken of; we ought to bless God for this present freedom, by what means soever we have it; if we have no law for it, it is to be the more admired, and we must say of God, he doth wonderfully, and it is marvellous indeed: but those that beat their fellow-servants they must be fel­low-servants themselves. And truly I doubt this will come home to the Churches, they will be found the beaters of their fellow-servants: now by the way, take me right all aloug, when I speak of the Churches I speak honourably of them as Churches; I speak of them, as the Lord doth in the 2d. and 3d. of the Revela­tions, where he acknowledges a found part, and a sick part, and so I look upon the Churches at this day: there is a sound part, and sick and declining part, now this is the corrupt and sick part, that beats their fellow servants. Truely it is very visible, not only in word, but print, and I could wish that it were not so minifest, I would then stifle it, I would suppress it, but that it comes abroad so: And if some men can carry it, there shall be no Church in the world but the baptized Con­gregations: some of them say, that there is no way to entitle a man to the priviledges of Church-fellowship to Church-communion, except he comes in at that door of baptism that is the initiating-ordinance, now I can heartily allow them in their way and administration, and I think I can make it good, that the Church of [Page 15]Christ doth consist of such a variety of parts, and forms, and that the beauty of the vnity of the spirit doth a­rise from the great variety that is in the form, or administration; I can prove to you, if I had time I presume from the Scripture, that there are in Christs body-mistical living and dying Christians: 14. Rom. whether we live, we live unto the Lord, and whether we dye, we dye unto the Lord, in which there is a great mi­stery: that the dying should be the living man, the dying-Christian hath the better of it, and the living-Christian that is spoken of there, is the weaker man, though he be saved: who is he that lives, why it is he that is still under the law in a great measure. The law hath dominion over a man so long as he liveth, so that he is the living man, that is not yet unhorsed, that is not yet brought down into the grave of Christ (he is not yet brought down as the Lord will bring his peo­ple) he lives to the letter, and to the form, and out­ward administration: I say not, but that a man may converse in forms and administrations, so that his life be about them till the times of reformation: God may train up his people under those Pedagogies; but bear with me, that I call them weaklings: It is by way of condescention that the Lord comes to us in a signe, were it not better if we could act faith upon the Lord without these visible representations and forms, in which many have acquired thrones to themselves, which the Lord never intended: signes were to be subservient things, not to Lord it over his people, as those do, that unchurch all other Churches, and throw them out of a part in Christ that come not in at their door. This is a beating of their fellow-servants what greater beating can there be, then to say, they are not the Churches of [Page 16]Christ, if they be not in such a form, in such a way, this is to be unlike those that look for their Lord.

The Second Sermon.

I Have made an entrance already into these words, that which I pitch upon last, was ye your selves like un­to men that look for their Lord, It is the crown of the pre­paration here commended to us, for the coming of our Lord (our selves).

The framing of our selves, the disposing of our selves like unto men that wait for their Lord, not only your Lamps, and your loins, but your selves; I shall not repeat any thing I spake the last time, I shall only remember you, that I declared my sence, that it is the last watch that we are in: into those four watches (you know) I cast the times from Christ unto his se­cond coming. And the last watch I told you (I did con­ceive) began immediatly after Daniels first number of 1290 dayes expyred, now after that I came to shew what these words did import, you your selves like unto men, &c. And I had only time then to reflect upon the unlikeness, to caution, that though it is not enough that we be not unlike (yet that is a great step if we a­void the unlikeness) I had not time to come to the po­sitive likeness you may expect I should now fall upon it, but I have been perswaded in my own minde to cast my discourse at this time into another mould, and [Page 17]to speak unto these two heads in this order.

First, to make some further evidence of the times that we are in, and that for this reason, because it is the main argument and enforcement in the text here; It is that that is to put us upon the disposing of our selves. The preparing our selves, It is that that hath a great in­fluence upon this preparation that is here required, and when I have spoke of that, then I shall come to the preparation, which is the second thing; now in making evidence to you of this, that this is the time when this exhortation is in season, wherein it doth especially lye upon us to prepare our selves for the return of our Lord.

I shall offer the evidence of this under two heads, First, to shew you, that the time is fulfilled that was to precede the coming of our Saviour; and secondly, to shew you, that the signes of those times have come up and presented themselves, and shewed themselves be­fore us, if we had eyes to see, and hearts to take no­tice of it.

First, I say, I shall begin with that, that the time is fulfilled, you shall see what my meaning is, if you look into Mark 1.15. After John was put in prison, our Saviour preaches, saying, the time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; mark ye there, our Sa­viour that had spiritual enforcements enough to have driven home his doctrine, and instructions, into the minds of the people, yet he maks use of this argument, this enforcement, the time is fulfilled: the meaning of our Saviour is clear to be this, the times that were to precede my manifestation in the flesh, they are fulfil­led, he says not to them: Lo, I am here, the promi­sed Messias (though that was the thing they were to know) but he bears in the acknowledgment of that to [Page 18]them (he makes way for it) by this consideration, the time is fulfilled; it is as much as if he should say; my fa­ther did set the time, when I should visit the world it my first appearance, the time was set to a day, to an hour, that time is now fulfilled, therefore under that consideration of the time being fulfilled; look about you, repent and believe the Gospel, attend now, the time is come, says he, is not this clear therefore, that there is a time for every purpose under heaven? There was a time for his first appearance, and there is a time for his second appearance. And when the time is come, men should be up with their expectations, if our Saviour, that spiritual Doctor, that was able to convince the spi­rits of men by spiritual power and evidence, if he work by this medium, and tell them of the time, we may be allowed to take the help of this consideration; now the question will be, how we shall prove the assumpti­on, for the major is clear, if the time be fulfilled we are to look for his second coming, that is clear, now, how shall we make that out? for this, the Lord help us and be with us; I desire not to go forth in any confidence of the flesh, we are all yet subject to mistakes; how ma­ny have been mistaken? if I should tell you of an imme­diate revelation made to me, that is not made to other Saints, you might demur upon it; I shall not go by that evidence, that the time is fulfilled, but only by the Scriptures, and that is by a double computation, a computation of Daniel, and the Revelations, compar­ed together in Dan. 12.11. you have two numbers, which were there revealed unto Daniel. Upon his great solicitousness and earnest application to the Lord, after the Lord had thrust him away (as I may say) and bid him be quiet, yet Daniel, humbly, putting himself [Page 19]forward again, the Lord doth so far yield unto him as to tell him the time how long it should be, and from what date it should begin. From the time that the daily sacrifice should be taken away, there should be 1290 days, this is Daniels first number and computation. The com­putation of the Revelations, you have in chap. 13. v. 5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and power given unto him to conti­nue 42. months. These 42. months being resolved into dayes (as they are in Revel. 11.) contain 1260. dayes which is the time of the witnesses prophecying in Sack­cloth, and it is the time allotted unto the beast and un­to the Gentiles, to trample under foot the holy City.

Now Daniels first number of 1290. dayes, is more then this, it is 30. dayes more then this 1200, and there­fore how shall we make these to square, why? I shall briefly give you my sense of it.

I conceive they have one, and the same Period of expiration, though not one, and the same rise, they be­gin not at the same time, but they end together. This number of Daniels 1290. concerned the Jews, shewing how long, they should be trodden under foot by the successors of that Monarchy, under whom they were at that present time, broken and humbled.

The number begins from the time of Julian the Apo­state, and he says from that time, that the sacrifice should bè taken amay, and the abomination that was desolate set up (which was the attempt that was made to restore Judaism, which after it was abrogated, was a desola­ting abomination) from that time there should be 1290. dayes.

Now the Apostle John shews the time of the beast, of the Roman beast (the Roman Monarchy under the [Page 20]last head of it, the Papacy) and he sayes, there is but 1260. dayes allotted to it, therefore if these two num­bers do expire together, we must begin the computati­on of the Revelations, 30 years after the time of Julian.

But happily you may say this is by guess only, I an­swer, I have this ground for the beginning the compu­tation of the Revelations, 30. years later, then the time of Julian. For Julians time was 360. and I begin this computa­tion in 390. or thereabouts; I say it began after, because that that was the time of the expiring of the Dragons cause; you know there are 3 enemies, the Dragon, the Beast, and the false Prophet, that do exercise the Church of Christ, till the Dragons time was out, the Beast did not ascend the stage.

Now, though the Dragon was cast out of heaven about the time of Constantines coming to the Empire, in the year 310. yet he was not totally and finally vanquished, so as to give up his cause, till about the year 390. or 393. (there is some difference in our Chronologie, but it is not considerable) when Theodosius obtained that signal victory against Engenius.

Now after that defeat, Heathenisme never displayed banner in the field more, and then was that power re­moved out of the way, which did let the appearing of Antichrist, 2 Thes. 2. He that letteth must first be taken out of the way: now then beginning at 390. both the computations will come up together, both Daniel, and John, and so they did come up together; I am very well satisfied in it (I speak it as to my self, but I impose it upon no other) I say they did (I humbly con­ceive) come up in the year 1650. then was Daniels 1290. dayes expired, and then was the 42 months ended.

Now for the 45. dayes that are afterwards, they are (I believe) the time that Daniel speaks of, here, in the beginning of this chapter: At that time, shall Mi­chael stand up, the great Prince, which standeth for the children of thy people. This may seem strange, that after Antichrist his 42. months are expired, we should have such a time of trouble, as never was, but pray mark (I believe) there is a great mistake in this: in the objecting of this trouble, or in the applying of it: As if it were the time properly of the Churches trouble, I grant that the Church shall have a great sence of the trouble in common among others, nay I grant, that the enemies of Christ, and of his kingdom shall chiefly di­rect their aim in all the time of that trouble against the Church; even, if it were possible, to blot out the name of Israel from under heaven. But the holy Ghost doth not object this trouble directly upon the Church, nor pro­perly; for this being that time when Michael stands up, the trouble is only accidental to the Church, for it is the time, that the Lord will deliver his people, the trouble is but the charges of the suit: would you be de­livered without suit? It is, as if a woman should ex­pect to be delivered without travel; you should look upon the issue of the trouble: observe how it is spirited, how it is intended, what is the designe of the trouble, the Lord is coming to judge, he is coming to take down this old state of things, that he may bring in a new, this is the trouble of these times: It is not a trouble that is under the management of the enemy, as if they did, what they would, no, they are passive, they are driven by the judicial hand of God, they are bringing down their own house: with their own hands, as Solomon says, it is that trouble, under which the saints are called, to [Page 22] lift up their heads, because their redemption draweth nigh.

A little to gird this closer to us, of the times being fulfilled, wherein I do expose my self, and my judg­ment. Let others think of it, and me, as they shall see cause, but (I say) I do verily apprehend it so, I would not come to you with vain visions, were it not sealed up to me, to my heart and soul, and it is not a new thing, but I have been a long time leading into it, and am more and more confirmed in it, that the time is fulfilled, and that this work, that is now in hand, it is Christs work, it is he, that gathers the nations, but (I say) to gird this un­to us, consider this one thing.

That Antichrist is the last enemy, that is to infect or annoy the Church, and the only enemy that doth let or hinder the revelation of the son of God, or rather the son of man from heaven; and therefore, if we can shew, as I think we have shewed, that his time is out, then the time of Christ is come, which I shall desire no other evi­dence for, then what you finde in the 2 Thes. 2. Where the Apostle is setling the minds of believers, in those days, touching the times of the man of sin, and of the day of Christ, when it should be, and he issues his dis­course into this, as you may see in that chapter: that there was nothing that hindred, but the man of sin, who was not yet revealed, but this mystery must have it's time, it must have its course, he must be revealed, and then, when that man of sin is revealed, then shall he be consumed by the spirit of Christs mouth and destroyed by the brightness of his coming, and then comes the day of Christ? for so you see in the text, let no man deceive you, for that day shall not come, except there be a falling away first.

Now, when that falling away hath had it's course, [Page 23]and that the man of sin hath been revealed, then there is nothing to let, but Christ will come, I could please my self with this subject. In the next place I come to the signes, which may be more suitable to you, then these calculations are.

For these signes are those, that our Saviour, accomo­dates to all capacities, he delivers them to his poor dis­ciples, who were at that time, men of no extraordinary reach, though, when the spirit came upon them, they were wonderful men, otherwise they were no extraor­dinary men, and our Saviour gave them these signes of his coming.

And I tell you now before I point you to these signes, I shall not point you to such, as it may be you might think, but the signes that shall come upon you, you shall finde in Mat. 24.29. The sun shall be darkned, and the moon shall not give her light, and the starrs shall fall from heaven, &c. And then shall appear the signe of the son of man in heaven, I confess I have read these Scriptures many and many a time, and have perused them over with the sence of an allegory in them, a general no­tion of the darkness of the times, and the like.

And some look upon them, it may be, according to the letter, as if there should be a wonderful consternation upon these heavenly bodies, that should make them to withhold their light. But I shall acquaint you, with what hath been presented to me, and let them that are spiritual, judge of it.

First, where shall we begin these signes, for here our Saviour doth give them a beginning, (immediately af­ter the tribulation of those dayes) now the question is, what those dayes are, that our Saviour speaks of be­fore, what the tribulation was, as the end of which, [Page 24]those signes do commence? I know, that you can hardly avoid fixing that tribulation upon the destruction of lit­teral Jerusalem.

I confess, I would not undertake the task to carry the discourse that doth antecede this 29. v. out to any other subject, then the destruction of Jerusalem, but yet, let me tell you, by comparing this with another Scripture, you shall finde a great help to discern what that tribula­tion was, viz. Luk. 21.34. Jerusalem shall be troden down &c. untill the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled. Our Saviour speaks here, and Luke doth record the very same discourse of our Saviour, as Mathew doth, and it doth appear by comparing these, that our Saviour intended that description, of those calamitous times that was to come upon Jerusalem, to be a type, and a figure of that passing away of carthly Jerusalem, a­mong the Gentiles.

The one was a glass (as I may say) and a mirror, in which you might see the other, it was a type and a fi­gure, and so our Saviour takes in both, he takes in the holy citty in the letter (which Jerusalem was before Christs coming) and he takes in the holy city in the mistery, earthly Jerusalem among the Gentiles, which was to run the very same race and course, and to drink of the same cup with litteral Jerusalem, and therefore you find in Revel. 11. that very expression, the holy Cit­ty shall be troden under foot (the same that our Saviour says of Jerusalem in the letter) till the time of Papisme be fulfilled, that is the 4th. Beast under the last head, so that from she expiring of those times, commence these signes, and this is a good step that we have gained to see, where to pitch the Epocha of those signes; now as to the true import of these signes, there hath been great [Page 25] darkning of the sun, and the moon and the starrs, and the powers of the heavens have been shaken, at the opening of the 6th. seal. But they have not been fulfilled, as they were here intended, those signes were to commence from the end of the 42. months, or from Michaels stan­ding up, which is all one time (as I conceive) and brings us to the morning watch, when those signes are to have their fulfilling under Daniels second number, or un­der that space of 45. prophetical dayes, added to the 1290. days in the first number.

Now then, let us consider what these signes do im­port, first let me shew you this place, whence our Sa­viour takes these signes, which it may be you have not considered, for I did not of a long time, till it was pre­sented to me, and (I think) it is that which will hold, and will obtain your assent likewise.

Our Saviour, as he did answer the Devil by Scrip­ture, and did delight to teach by Scripture, so he shews the day of the Lord and the day of his coming by Scrip­ture, the place is Joel. 2.31. where you have these words, the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into bloud, before the great, and the terrible day of the Lord come, and so chap. 3.15.

Here is the very Mother text from whence our Savi­our takes these signes, he speaks here according to Scripture, according to the prophets, for our Saviour in his ministry, spake by Scripture, though he was Lord of the Scriptures, as well as of the Sabbath, yet did he speak by the Prophets, and by the Scriptures: to teach us to do so.

Now you know the sun, and the moon, and the starrs (take them generally) they are the greater, and lesser lights of the world, if you take them distributive­ly, [Page 26]some look upon the sun as the primitive light, the ori­ginal light, the moon as representing worldly things, and the light of humane affaires, to be signified by that, and the light of men whereby they walk in religion is exprest by the sun, the starrs to be eminent lights, whe­ther in Church or state, this is the common understan­ding of these things, and we shall not dissent from that.

Now that which I would hold forth to you, in these signes is this, there is a 3 fold fulfilling of them.

1. There is a sinful darkning of the Sun.

2. There is a penal darkning of the Sun.

3. And what shall I say? a gracious darkning of the Sun, or a dispensational darkning of the Sun, and that which I would deliver to you, in the opening of these, is this.

I have with me, the light of fulfiling going before me, for that I shall say to you, So that I shall tell you matter of fact, matter of history, in these things, these signes have had their eminent fulfilling amongst us, and in our sight, and yet but little notice taken thereof.

First, let me premise these two things, time and place, the time I have spoke of already, I shall add on­ly, that it is not in every time that these signes were ca­pable of being fulfilled, but it must be in, and from a time of great light, of great liberty, of great reformati­on, from the begining of the performance of promises, and of Christs kingdom, that these signes must take ef­fect. For look you, it would not be otherwise said pro­perly, the sun to be darkned, that is dark before, that the sun from it's shining forth in it's splendor and glo­ry to be darkned, there is the signe; and the moon in its brightness to be turned into blood, there is the signe; and the starrs from shewing themselves, in the height of [Page 27]heaven to fall from heaven, there is the sign.

Now next for the place, or subject, in which these are to shew themselves, that is another thing; it is not to be limited or confyned to Babylon or Rome, strictly taken, for we shall finde that these expressions are spoken of Babylon and Idumea, Esa. 34. and in other places.

But I say, the subject that these signs do operate up­on, and the heavens in which they are to shew them­selves, they are more large, it is this old world, this old state of things; take it in it's utmost latitude and extent, this old state of things, let it be found amongst those that spit at Rome, and at Popery, and think scorn that they should be in the least tax with it.

Having promised these 2 things, concerning time and place, that these signs shew themselves at such a time after a great light and reformation, and they will spread themselves all over.

Now I come to those 3 things, the sinful, the paenal, and the dispensational fulfilling of these signs, and all these you may consider them, in the 3 fold orb and sphear, I shall only give you, a little short character of the fulfilling of these in each.

When a people of high and raised principles and profession shall degenerate and sit down in low, vile, and base practises; This is one fulfilling of this signe of darkning the sun a spiritual Orb and sphear, in a sin­ful way, and let me tell you these signes have been up­on us, and had we been spiritual and acquainted with the Scripture, we might have read the doom of the po­litical and the Ecclesiastical state of things therein. 2. The Second, the political sphear, the darkning of the sun there: I would express thus: when those that had the cause of God in their hands, the cause of religion, and [Page 28]the liberties of men, when they did deflect and turn aside to a private interest, to seek themselves, when they did (I say) sit down in self interest, self-seeking, and ambition, and neglected that plough, that they had put their hands to, then was the sun darkned in the po­litical sphear, sinfully, this was a sinful darkning, a sinful infirmity, or weakness in the political sphear.

3. Thirdly, the Ecclesiastical sphear, I will describe that, thus, when those that have groaned under the yoke and bondage of Antichrist, and have found mer­cy, and have been brought up from under deck, when they shall wantonise it, and forget the goodness of God, and shall go about to build the things that they had de­stroyed, and carry back the people, the flocks under their charge into Egypt again, and bring them under bondage again, this is the darkning of the sun in the Ecclesiastical orbe and state, this is the sinful darkning of the heavens.

And this brought on the penal darkness, which I think we are all sensible of, when God did let those that had sinfully, or through sinful infirmity been pre­vailed with by temptations, to darken themselves, and to draw sackoloth over the sun, the light of the appea­rance of God, in which they come forth, then the Lord suffered them by their own divisions, and by their weak, foolish and heady mannagement of things to pul down their own walls, to break down their own bankes, and pull up their own hedges, and to make way for the old bondage, and the old corruptions to break in upon them, this was the Lords penal darkning of the sun. It may not be so expedient for me to be particular in these, neither may it be needful, because the sence of every one of us can readily prompt us, and [Page 29]supply us, with more particular enlargements, and sad experience can shew that the Lord did remove and take away, or suffered to be removed, and taken all the light, that did remain, instead thereof most unsavory snuffs do fill the candlesticks, and all places, from whence the people of God in their civil and religious things should be fed, either with judgment or instruction. Brutish pastors are come up, that feed not, that care not for the flock, a dark sun in the firmament in the stead of the true sun, and of the chearing and refreshing light of judgment and justice and righteousness: we might be large in these things, but I shall rather leave this to your own enlargment, in your own thoughts.

Now one word of the dispensational darkness of the sun, there is a dispensation of God upon us, and his dispensation is holy, and it doth aim at the greatest ad­vantages, the greatest good to his people, that ever any dispensation did travel of, or bring forth. And that, the prophets are very full of that tell us, the Sun shall be ashamed, and the moon confounded, when the Lord of hosts shall raign in mount Sion, Esai. 24.

Do not think that the weakness of men, your friends. or the malice of men your enemies, could whelm you under such providences, such disappointments as these are, if the Lords hand had not been in it, if it were not for good, the Lord would not take away the light of the sun, the light of our eyes from us, but that he might give us a better light, a light that should be, as that of seven days.

And therefore in this case, we may reflect upon the swanlike song of John, who closes his eyes, and gave up to the Bridegroom with this consolatory considera­tion: He must increase, but I must decrease; this, he [Page 30]spake in the name, and person of his administration, and of his work: And so says the prophet, the day of the Lord (says Esay) shall be upon every thing that is high; because it is that, that will wonderfully exercise us, when it is, therefore the holy ghost enlarges upon it, that so you may see it, to be no other then what was in prospect, in foresight. And in that chapter there is a particular instancing in all those glories, that shall be darkned and brought down before the Lord.

If you ask upon what account I state it? I answer, It is upon this old aneient constant account, all the com­ings forth of God, they have as well supplanted and removed that which hath been before, that is their first work, For flesh, and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. It must be removed, the old bottles cannot bear the new wine, and therefore there must be new bottle, for the new wine, and I pray you in the taking of this in, under­stand, that it is no more, nor no less then a first creati­on-glory that is removed. Let it be found where it will in Church, in ordinance, in duty, in gifts, in ministry, first creation-glory must all go down, that is the rea­son that it hath not held it.

I believe, we have had in our days, as great a tast of first creation-glory, and that in good men, in Saints, who (I believe) are in heaven; yet (I say) their work was much in a first creation-spirit, and it was too weak, it could not hold out, for the law makes nothing perfect, and I tell you there is much of the law hangs still upon us in all our Church-work, yea in all our duties. I need not tell you, your duties have been shaken, (I be­lieve) you have felt it, but the reason is, because you are not holy and unblamable in love, but in fear, and in bondage; what is that, that puts you upon all you do, [Page 31]but times and seasons? therefore (I say) so far there is a shaking, and there will be a terrible shaking, I will end with that Scripture in Ezek. 38.19. v. Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel, in the land of Israel, shall be a shaking as I told you before, even the land of Israel shall not be exempted, though it is all for Israel, it is for the service of Israel, that this shaking is, that so, that which cannot be shaken, may re­main; I cannot now shew you what work this calls for from our hands, if we be drawn from under these signes and recovered; but I tell you, there is no reco­very, till the Lord appear, you will find this darkning will spread over all the christian, and Antichristian world, and it will not be long, for we are upon the midle of the morning watch of Daniels last 45. days after the 1290. days.

The Third Sermon.

WHat the Apostle Peter sayes of the Gospel preached by the Prophets, that non unto them­selves, but unto us did they minister, may be said of the Evangelists in the present subject, that we are more concern'd therein, then those primitive times, and that these times we are now in, border very nigh upon Christs coming, which gives great force to the exhor­tation; this I have endeavoured to evince two wayes.

[Page 32] 1st. That the time, that was to run out before Christs second coming, is fulfilled, namely Antichrists time or the days of the man of sin are expired, the beloved dis­ciple John in his Revelation, begins his account of the 42. months, from the passing away of the heathen world (the heathen Empire) which, though it began to be dissolved at Constantines coming to the throne (which was about the year 310.) yet was it not wholly blown off the stage, until about the year 390. when that fa­mous defeat was given to Eugenius (the general of the heathen forces) by Theodosius the Emperor, after which time Heathenisme never displayed banner in the field more.

So that from that time, I begin the 42. months of the Beast, and so reckoning from that time 1260. days you know, when they came up.

2. The next essay to evidence the time, that we are now in, to be so nearly approaching to Christs com­ing, was by the signes of the times, this being first pre­mised, that from the end of the 1290. days, there is but 45. more by Daniels computation unto the resur­rection of the dead, or Christs coming, and as to the signes of the times, I pitcht upon Mat. 24. the turning of the sun into darkness, the darkning of the sun, and this I opened to you in a threefold sence.

The sun may be taken, for the political, or the Ec­clesiastical sun, and both these are darkned in a sinful way by mens own apostacy, and declyning, and in a penal way by the Lords just judgments overturning of them.

And in a dispensational way as a witnes and testimo­ny to that better and brighter sun, that is to shyne forth, and so I did give you some little brief description of [Page 33]all these things, whereby they that are wise may un­derstand a great deal more then was then exprest.

But I shall stand no longer upon the repetition of any thing I spake the last day, but let us look forwards, I propounded to you (you know) in the next place, to come to the influence that these considerations should have upon us, which I thought I should be ready for, upon what I had already discoursed, touching the signes of the times. But finde, I shall be a little longer in making my way to it, and I hope not without profit, nor without some satisfaction to you.

And I will tell you what it is that cast me upon a little longer and further explication of the times, I was con­sidering, that signes do import a futurity, they im­port that the thing whereof they are signes is yet fu­ture, and to come, signes go before the thing, whereof they are signes.

And truly, there may be a great deal of snare in this, and the flesh may take occasion, it may take advantage by this, to put off the day of the Lord, saying we are but under the signes of it, and who knows how long these signes may last, the day may be a great way off.

Therefore, I now must bring you a little nearer un­to the day of Christ, whereas you finde a passage in Daniel chap. 7. of their bringing the Son of man near unto the ancient of days (they brought him near before him) so there may be a bringing of us near before him, or near unto the days of the Son of man, and it will be a very good service to us, if we can be so brought just­ly and righteously.

Now that is it, which I shall at this time speake un­to, and I have confidence to tell you, and I think the Scripture will stand at my back in it, that the times of [Page 34]these signes, that I have spoken of are called also. The days of the son of man, so that there is a beginning of the coming of the son of man in these signes.

And therefore, our Saviour says in lukt 21. when you shall see these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads for the day of your redemption draw­eth nigh. How nigh you will say? why? within a ge­neration, and what are these gnerations that our Savi­our points at, if you look into Math. 1. And compare all those times, 14.14. and 14. generations, you shall finde, that the latter 14. generations were not much above 40. years, one with another. And I have alrea­dy pointed to you, the length of this generation, in which these signes, are to give Christ to the world, that they are but 45. years at the most, but I say, this time is called the days of the son of man, this you shall finde, Luk. 17. in several verses from v. 21. to v. 27. The days will come wherein ye shall desire to see one of the days of the son of man, &c.

So that there is more then one day, there are days, one of the days, of the Son of man. so likewise in the 27. and 28. v. and so on, As it was in the days of Noah, so it shall be also in the days of the son of man, now mark, what I ground my self upon, it is this, that as in the old world there was a matter of 120. years, wherein God was giving warning to the world, and yet all that while, the flood was coming (it was a coming all that 120. years) and so, as in the days of Lot (for ought I know) from the time that the captivity of Sodom was brought back by Abraham, when he prevailed against the 4. Kings, which was a figure of the 4. Monarchies that the true Abraham will vanquish. For ought I know, from that time Lot was a faithful warner and [Page 35]admonisher of the Sodomites, for it is said, that his righteous soul was vexed day by day (he did vex himself with reproving of them) and as Noah was a preacher of rigteousness, so was Lot.

And there was such days of Lot, days of witnesing and days of warning) and all that while fire was com­ing upon Sodom, so likewise now there are the days of the son of man, that is, there is a certain lot of time wherein the son of man is preparing for his coming, wherein his curriers are going forth, and are giving warning of the Bridgroomes coming. The judge is co­ming, his harbingers, his Heraulds they are gone forth, these are called the days of the son of man; It is true, it is not the days of the visible personal appearance, that comes in the rear of all, but these are the days of the son of man that are to dispose the world for his recepti­on, some as forerunners draw others in a way of mer­cy, that they may have a sweet, a comfortable closure with the Lord, these I call the days of the son of man. They are days, wherein the son of man stands up, and is pre­paring himself as you meet with such an expression in Dan. 12. At that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince that standeth for the ceildren of thy people.

And therefore these days of the son of man, they are days in which all things are working to his interest, & towards his coming, though they be trouble some times, as Dan. says, yea such as never was, yet they are such times in which Christs interest is rising, though it rises by very strange methods and ways (that seems even contrary) yet his interest is rising, and his enemies are falling.

You may remember the two characters, that I gave you the last day of the signes of the times, how they must be qualified, if so be, they be signes, if the trumpet [Page 36]give a certain sound, there must be these two qualifica­tions in the signes. First they must be in a right place, they must give their witness in a right place, and 2dly, in a right nicke of time, a right juncture; the place I told you, where these signes are to be looked for (the darkning of the Sun, and the like,) the place where these do give forth their voices, It must be in a place, that is most noted, most eminent, that is the very eye of the world or light, and purity, and reformation; there it is, that these signes must give forth their voices. It is not in any part of the world, it is not in Egypt, it is not in Babilon, but in Iudea, in Ierusalem, I say it is, it must be in those places, it must be that eminent sun that must be darkned, that is, (as I may say) the sun of the world, the sun of the age, this is the sun, that must be darkned.

Then 2ly, it must be in such a time too, in such a juncture, when the sun hath (as I may say) recovered his light, and is in the greatest freedom, hath dispelled and scattered the clouds, and mists, and shins forth more clearly, it must be at such a time, that it must be darkned: and I suppose, I need not apply these two qualifications, to shew you, that they may be discer­ned, upon the signes that we have had, that there hath been such a place, and at such a time too, there hath been such a darkning of the sun.

Therefore now to proceed, if these, signes have gi­ven forth their voice among us, why? then these are the days of the son of man, the days wherein he is pre­paring, wherein he is making ready for his expedition, he is bowing the heavens, as I may say, to come down a­mongst us, And the Lord grant that we may have a san­ctified use of these warnings of his, I must profess to [Page 37]you that I bave believed, and therefore have I spoken, I cannot get over these things, in my own spirit.

I see such Progidies, such prodigious times, and perils, such prodigious wickednesses and violence I see such impieties of the whole world, the filthyness of Sodom, the daring wickednesses of this age, even eg­ging and provoking the Lord down from heaven to judgment, as if he did not make hast enough.

I see (I say) me thinks the age putting forwards themselves, as if the stage would not be cleared fast enough for the Lord to appear, they are driven upon self-destroying wayes and courses by a judicial hand, these things are very notorious and visible, (I sup­pose) to your eyes and observations as well as mine.

Nay to express it a little further, we see the powers of heaven shaken, we see foundations pulled up, we see the very earth, and the inhabitants thereof dissolved, Merchants, and others breaking nay what do we speake of them, kingdoms breaking, Churches breaking, and are you asleep? are you not a ware that these are the days of the son of man, and which is indeed no less a signe then all the rest, we see such a sleep, such a lethargie upon most, even the wise as well as foolish virgins, nay we see now that night is for a vision unto the prophets, and the sun is gone down even at noonday, so that men do ask Watchman what of the night? what hour of the day is it? or what of the night? and few there are that do see, or take notice, that these are the days of the son of man, and that the coming of our Lord is so near as indeed it is.

And this is as great a signe as any, for so we are told it should be, who is blind as my servant, and who is deaf as the messenger I sent, seeing many things, but thou ob­servest [Page 38]them not, and hearing, but thou understandest them not. Incase 40, or 50. years ago, a man should have laid forth that which we have seen with our eyes, and heard with our ears (if a man (I say) should have laid them forth in lively colours of their own acting) you would not have stuck to have said and concluded im­mediatly, that these led the way to Christs coming.

But (I say) that fate that is upon us of hesitancy and darkness, and blindness, that we do not understand the signes while we are under them, is of it self one of the greatest signes, For when he comes, shall he finde faith on the earth?

And Daniel hath told us, that the wise shall under­stand, but the wicked shall not understand, well! let me come now to make some impro [...]ent of this, If these be the days of the son of man, we may look for the ful­filling of all that is promised, and I tell you, that if these be the days of the son of man, limitted for the per­formance of all, before his personal appearance, there is but a little time, yet to come, and therefore I say we may look for these births to come very thick one upon another, those great promises of the destruction of all Christs enemies, and the gathering of all his elect; b [...]th Jews and Gentlles, from one end of the heaven unto the other.

But, that which I desire to speake to, at this time, is a word to our selves, (or the Lords people) that we may be ready, if these be the days of the son of man, and that there is determined such a darkning of all glory (all first-creation glory) and that such a consumption is decreed upon all the earth, then it concerns us to look to our standing. Those that have the name of Christ, the affaires and interest of Christ in their hands (as the [Page 39]Churches inspecial pretend to have) It's said that the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamtd, when the Lord of hosts raigns in Mount Sion, therefore I say it concerns us.

If I were now to speake to the Churches, but it may be the Churches may hear what I say, I desire to deli­ver my testimony without any just offence to the Churches,

But I must speake, and I think the Lords interest doth require it; it concernes the Churches to look to themselves, and their work, and to consider what it is they build! whether it be that which will stand in the day of the Lord.

It is true, the Lord hath owned the Churches against darker forms, and I have been of the number of them that have blest the Lord for his owning the Churches. They have stood to their principles, they have kept up their meetings, and God hath been with them in this thing, but let them take heed, least their table be­come a snare, and least this success, and owning that they have had from God, turn not to their hurt, be­cause they have born up, against the day of man, let them not think they can bear up against the day of God, there is a day that will search them, although they have stood the shock of their enemies and persecutors.

The Machabees were owned by the Lord in their days, but the successors of those Machabees (who were under the 2d temple) fell before Christ, though they were owned against the heathen. These successors were the scribes and Pharisees, men exceeding zealous of the law, I say they were the successors of the Machabees.

That which I am jealous of, is, that there is an inte­rest of man, a fleshly, a formal interest, by which we [Page 40]are in danger; yea the best of men are in danger of Sa­vouring such an interest, of espousing it, of carrying it up against the spirit. For my part, I do profess this, that let the Churches manage their affairs in liberty, in love, and in humility, waiting for the further ap­pearance of Jesus Christ, the further breaking forth of the spirit, and let them keep their form till Christ comes from heaven for me, I shall never have a hand to strike at them, but that which is an evil signe upon the Churches, is.

First their divisions among themselves.

Secondly their exceeding rigid, and censorious car­riage towards those that do not jump with them.

Thirdly they are every one overweening and mag­nifying and crying up their own form, against and in barr of all others.

Whereas the Scripture tells us, that where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, the spirit holds forth in a great latitude, him that eats, and him that eats not, him that observeth a day, and him that observeth it not, that both may do it so to the Lord, and both may be accep­ted, the Lord can make both to stand, and the spirit tells us, that love is the great law of Christ, and that if a man have all gifts, and all knowledg, and all faith, and not charity, and that charity what is it?

Why it is the holding tho unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, it is not in breaking that unity for any diffe­rent apprehensions about this, or that. I tell you, that is Christ, that is the great tye, and obligation of Christians one to the other, and the Church of Christ is built up only in him, and his blood is the only cement that makes all these stones cleave together. His blood and his spirit are the foundation of the Church of Christ

If you say, that all the Churches do not strike up­on this rock, I answert I hope so too, or at least that there are many among all the Churches that are uncon­cerned herein, there is a found part that falls not foul upon Christ, and the spirit, but why do they not purge themselves from those that do, if ye do, then shall ye be vessels of honour. But where is there a testimony born to the spirit? nay is there not a great jealously of the spirit, and of the prevailing of the interest of the spi­rit? I tell you, those that look askew on the increasing glory of the spirit and of Christ in the spirit, they stand very dangerously, the day of the Lord will be heavy upon such, and let my brethren of the Churches look for the conversion of the Jews, so do I, both of the ten tribes, and the two tribes. But let me tell you this, that the Jews will not be converted, till the vaile be taken off your hearts, and you be turned to the Lord, there is a mistical Jew, as well as a natural Jew. And what is the mistical Jew? you may know them in al­lusion to the natural Jew, as, as to the natural Jew, you know what the Apostle says, the Iew seeks after a signe, there was such as sought after signes, and stuck in the letter, and gloryed in outward privi­ledges in their Temple, their services and sacrifices.

So I say, now there are such; nay, where shall we finde among the generality of Professors any other? the Lord help us, the vail is too much upon all our hearts, and (I say) that induring Christians are no friends, to the conversion of the Jews.

We say also, that Antichrist must be destroyed, and that he is a great let and hindrance to the conversion of the Jews; but (I say) that Antichrist will not be whol­ly removed, untill we be more spiritual then we are, [Page 42]in our converse in ordinances, and in our manageing of spiritual affairs. There is a great deal of Antichrist lies lurking here, there is an old Church-spirit, an old testament-spirit, the spirit of the Jew much to be found among the Churches; now therefore, it concerns us, if we would be found helpers forward of their con­version, to be more spiritual, for, as Antichrist is to be destroyed by the brightness of his coming (which some might take for his personal appearance, I will not be positive in that).

But (I say) there must be such a brightness of his coming in his people (at the last) to vacat Antichrist and discharge him, and (I say) likewise tha- there is a text Rom. 11.31. Which doth import, as if there should be a signal restitution or resurrection-spirit among the Gentile Christians, before the calling of the Jews, that shall provoke them to jealousy, for so the Apostle sayes, That through you mercy, they also might obtain mercy, now that which I would argue from hence, is this, if the Apostle means only the Gentiles receiving the Gospel, that hath been these 1600. years, and yet the Jews are not wrote upon, therefore I look upon this mercy here spoken of, to be some eminent mercy, that the Gentiles shall be partakers of, towards the end: some eminent mercy that shall be shewed unto them, to make them shak themselves from their dust, to arise, and shine, and this shall be a provocation un­to the Jews, when they shall see their Messias in the armes of the Gentiles.

I tell you, my brethren, it may be, I speake it rude­ly, but yet I speake as if I were to appear before the Lord immediatly, that I fear the present posture of the saints, and of the Churches, and the managing of their [Page 43]affairs, is not to the service of Christ, nor the service of the Jews; nor the promoting of those great designs of God, which he hath revealed to us, in his word, but we tread in the same steps of those that are gon be­fore us, as it is said in Eph. 3.6.

I have cut off the nations, their towers are desolate, hearken ye my brethren, hath not God cut off the na­tions, the national Churches before the eyes of the Churches, we have seen it, in our days, we have seen the sun turned into darkness, and the moon in­to blood. National Churches cut off, the Towers faln, this should have been for instruction of those that came up in the room of them (in the room of rhose national Churches) do you think (I pray do but consider) they were cut off, because they were wicked, why? are you come past corruption, was there not a beauty up­on them in their day? what have some said to me late­ly why? all the Martyrs were of our religion, say they, It is true there was a virgin spirit in that degree of re­formation, in it's first coming forth, and there was a freshness upon it, but it quickly corrupted, now may not the same corruption grow up in others, in other forms, and if it be so, is God any respecter of persons

I wonder, that men should be offended at those that speake what they see, when we see the signes upon us, must we not acknowledge it, those that are offended with their brethren, because they cannot build them up, nor say a confederacy with them, if they were humble Christians, they would consider and enquire, and say, is there not a cause? Is there not a cause why some walk at a distance? why they dare not touch with us? Why truely? if you ask what cause, I will tell you what cause, you say, why will ye not come among [Page 44]into the Sion of God, I tell you that is enough to turn ones stomack, you make as if you were come to your rest, you are haughty because of Gods holy mountain, Zeph. 3.11. thou shalt no more be haughty, this intimates, they were haughty before, and I tell you that is cause enough to set Christ and his spirit at a distance from men, when they are haughty, haughty because of the Lords holy mountain, and alas! what is the Lords mountain? if the Lord be not in the holy mountain.

Tis true Christ calls Jerusalem to the last the holy ci­ty, when it was a most abominable place, and the tem­ple his house, but Christ calls it in another place your house, it was my house indeed, but now it is your house, you have made it your own, you have fill'd it with your own spirit, and therefore it is your own now I shall come off from this theam, and I shall conclude with a little further evidence, that this is an extraor­dinary day that we are in, they are the days of the son of man, wherein the son of man must have his time; things must be managed to his interest, and according to his will, the man of sin hath had his day, and his time.

Now because I would relish your mouth with this, at the close, I will give you my evidence to this, that the man of sin, hath had his time, he hath had his day, then what should hinder but that the son of man should have his day, now that the man of sin hath had his day, I tell you, either he must have more time, then God hath allotted him, or else his time, is out for the Lord hath allotted him but 42 months. All the business is, where to begin these months, now ( I say) either we must begin them, at the going off of the old dragon, which was the enemy that did infest the Church before [Page 45]the rising of the beast, or else we must leave so much time from the expyring of th Dragon to the rising of the beast, without any assignation of it, whereby so much time must run out, in waft, and for nothing.

Now that were to reflect on Christ, and upon the spirit, either that the Lord should loose so much time and let it run out in waft, or that he should not give us an account of that time, when he undertook that work, not to acquaint us with all the times of the Church, and all the occurrences thereof: it were to impute insince­rity to Christ, which were blasphemy to think.

Whereas he tells his people, the man of sin hath but 42. months, and then shall he down, mean time I will come in with faith, and patience to you, that so you shall weather the point: some would not begin the 42. months till Boniface the 8th. when Phocus mur­dered his master, and was set up in his room; but by that account, there should be 200. years, that would have no name, whereas it is clear, that the beast was in being, and in working 200. years before, and did give manifest proofs of his being up, that he might be known what creature he was.

And therefore I know not what authority any have to contradict, when the spirit says, it is but 42. months for them to say, they are not to begin, till the Beast was in his full height, when the spirit hath not said so.

Therefore (I say) the time of the Beast is expired, and all that we find of the beast now (which is exceed­ing much of his rage) they are but the effects of his wounds, he is dying, and would save himself, but (i say) this day is Christs day, Michaels day and the Lord is going on conquering and to conquer. And there­fore it concerns the Saints to reflect upon these things, [Page 46]for the upholding of them, that so they may not faint, look for breakings, and desolations more and more; but let your eyes be upon the designe, that the Lord hath in all these, come and behold the desolations, that he hath made in the earth, it is all upon the ac­count of his own interest and his dear spouse; and therefore let us open our hearts to these days of the son of man. And say to the Lord, whatever ts not consistant with thy interest, O take it from the midst of my bow­els, be can did, be sincere, have no interest in your eye but Christs, he must have his will now, oh! comply with him, and it will be your own case, say as Me­phibosheth said, let him take all, for as much as my Lord the king is come again in peace; unto his own house? Sam. 19.20. Oh that the Lord would bow the hearts of the Churches, of officers and members, that they might carry on no interest but Christs, I would you were all in fellowship, but I would have it in the spirit, do not shut out the spirit, nor draw a veil, nor a curtain before the spiritual glory of Christ.

These days of the son of man, as they import great things to the publike. so they import spiritual advan­tage to every particular saint, for in these days a ful­ler discovery of Christ is to be expected, and some have experienced it, Christ hath been manifested much in my time, comparing the discoveries of Christ with former times, with an age before, what a difference you will find, and yet they were holy persons, and accepted then, but what high discoveries are there now? this place was attended with one that had not only the tongue of an Angel, but his discoveries was as sublime, as his language, his spirit was in the car­rying up of Christs interest, that was the eye of his [Page 47]ministry I would not glory in men, but it is meet to be acknowledged unto God, that it hath been an age of light, and reckon upon it, that whatsoever stands in the way of the interest of the Lord Jesus, of his spi­ritual and powerful discoveries and manifestations, it will down, let it be Church, or ordinances, or what it will, down it must go, therefore let us take heed of setting our shoulders, to uphold the interest of any thing that is obnoxious to that of our Lord Jesus.

The Fourth Sermon.

I Am very sensible, that I have not finished my former text, there is a great deal yet to be spoken to, up­on it; and therefore, I must make a little apology for changing my text at this time.

But though I change my text and remove a little farther into this Gospel of Luke, yet I do not change my subject, I shall speake to the same subject, that I was upon before; but you may remember the last time, that I spake here, it was under great infirmity, for I confess, I have a very slippery memory.

And I did not deliever much of that, I thought to have spoken then, by way of evidence of that truth, that I was desirous to carry upon my discourse at that time: and therefore (I say) because I did engage on such an assertion, as might seem somwhat strange, name­ly [Page 48]that these days which we are in, are the days of the son of man; therefore I chuse these words to make forth further evidence of it to you, but those that were here may bear me record a little, what it was that lead me to that confidence, to assert, that these are the days of the son of man, you know, I was upon the signes of Christ's coming, which I had opened to you the day before (those signes spoken of in Math. 24.) of the Suns being turned into darkness, and the Moon into blood, and applyed them to these times, now those signes you will see are so contiguous, that I may say, they are the signes of the son of man there mentioned, and that there is but a very little distance, between those signes appearing, and the son of mans coming and indeed, it may be a question, whether that these signes are not the signe of the son of man in heaven? for it is said in Math. 24.30. Then shall appear the signe of the son of man, immediatly after the tribulation of those days now these words here must be understood, either that these signes are the signe of the son of man in heaven, or else that the signe of the son of man in heaven, is connected with these signes, and follows these signes: for (then) shall appear the signe of the son of man in heaven, not af­ter, but then, this was one thing, that lead to it. And then another thing was, that the times of the man of sin were out, I told you: and therefore the times of the son of man, must needs be begun, of course, for there is no chasm between these scenes, but like linkes of a chain, the one takes hold of the other, and before the other is quite done, the following scene begins, as it is said of the four Monarchies (and it is, and hath been accordingly fulfilled) that the succeeding Monarchy in all the four, did tread upon the heels of the former, [Page 49]so is it said of Christs kingdom, that in the days of these kingdoms shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom.

Christs interest doth commence before the total, (be­fore the very final and consummate) abolition of the former interest,

Now (I say) notwithstanding this evidence that hath been offered, feeling in my self, as I do, I confess, that this is somewhat a strange, and a boly assertion, to assert these, to be the days of the son of man, therefore, I desire, as well for the acquitting of my self, as for the satisfaction of you, to give you a further account of my grounds, why I call these the days of the son of man; therefore have I those these words.

As it was in the days of Noah; so shall it be also in the days of the son of man.

I shall first expound the words, and then apply them, for I desire you would not expect from me, [...] should handle this text largly, but only so far as [...] relation to my design, and as I may thence [...] ­dence of this truth to you, that these are the days of the son of man. Now that which is to be expounder is first, why our Saviour is here called the (son of man), and 2ly, why the time of his revelation is not called (a day but days) and then to shew you (what there is in these days) that makes them to be called the days of the son of man.

First, you may think, that this is an improper ap­pellation of Christ, to call him, the son of man, when he is setting up his kingdom, but to tell you the em­phasis of the word, it is the son of Enosh; now this ap­pellation is taken out of Daniel, as all interpreters do agree, viz. Dan. 7. Where he hath the vision of the kingdom of Christ, succeeding in the rear of the four [Page 50]Monarchies, there, Christ is exhibited to us under the appelation of the son of man, or the son of Enosh, which is sorry man; now it may be thought that this notion is ve­ry disagreeing to Christs kingdom when he comes to be great to the ends of the earth? but if you look into the 5. of the Revelations, you will see there, that the elders do reflect upon Christ, in that honour, that was put upon him, to open the book, as a lamb that had been slain Rev. 5.6. And you read there also, the Angels joyning with them in this quire, and in this very note, as you may see in the 12th. vers, saying with a loud voice, worthy is the lamb, that was slain to receive honour [...] and glory, and blessing: So that here we see, that it is not casual, that Christ is called the son of man, when he is to take his kingdom, but it is upon designe, it is to reflect honour upon him, upon that very account, because he stooped and condescended so to be the son of man, and humbled and abased himself, as you will finde 2. Phil. 6.7. He makes the very deduction of his glory and honour, to rise from his humiliation, wherefore God hath highly ex­alted him: and this consideration is that which doth likewise redound to the comfort of the mistical body and members of Christ, who how low soever they are yet the kingdom is designed for them, as Christ said to to his disciples Luk. 12. fear not little flock, who are not only little in respect of number, but little also in respect of stature (as I may say) little in the account of the world, and in their own sence likewise, it is your fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdome.

Secondly, the next thing is the days of the son of man, it is not the day of the son of man but the days in the plu­ral number, and this holds forth to us, that there will be days, that is, there will be a tract of time, wherein [Page 51]the interest of Christ, the interest of his kingdom shall be solicited and agitated in order to his glorious and publick coronation, and enthronement, the days of the son of man, you meet with it twice here in this chap. v. 22. And he said unto the disciples, the days will come, when you shall desire to see one of the days of the son of man and ye shall not see it, that is, as it appears to me, they shall be looking for these days in those fleshly, and carnal assumptions (as I may call them) of several spi­rits that shall start up, crying lo here, and lo there, but they shall see nothing of the son of man in all those voices.

You shall desire to see them, and go forth, as many shall do, but shall finde themselves mistaken, for the days of the son of man are of a more general import and influence, and they are of a spiritual discerning, there is the first time that you meet with days, And the 2d is in my text, you have 3 times in this chapter the word day in the singular number spoken of.

So shall it be in that day, when the son of man is re­vealed, and so shall the son of man be in his day, now if days, in the plural number, and day, in the singular number be not the same, then they are thus to be distinguished. The days are that tract of time, that lead to Christs giorious and visible appearance, I shall stand no longer upon this, because it will be more ful­ly made forth, when we come to shew the import of these days, what these days do import, what they con­tain in them, which I do therefore immediatly address my self unto.

I have already shewed you, that they do import this, that the days of the man of sin are ended, the days of Antithrist are over, that is, his 42 months spoken of, [Page 52]in Revel. 13. I shall repeat nothing that I have said con­cerning that, but only this, that the holy Ghost doth not speak so improperly, as to call those the days of the son of man, which are the days of the man of sin, there is therefore a legall determining of the right of the man of sin, though he may be actually troublesom for a while after, even till Christs glorious appearing, and so there is a legal commencement of Christs time, though we see not yet all things in his possession, yet he may have a legal right, and so he hath in these days, to which I add, that as Jacob took hold of the heel of Esau, so doth Christs kingdom take hold (as I may say) of the times of Antichrist, I shall not give more authority to the Apocripha then what may seem fitting Let it stand or fall to that evidence of truth, that shines in it, but in Esdras you have such a question as this propounded by him, who holds forth himself to be Esra.

There is a question held forth, touching the part­ing of times, he desires to know of the Angel, what is the parting of time between the two worlds, and he receives this answer, that Esau is a figure of the old world, and Jacob of the new, and says he, look as there is the hand of a man, between the hand and the heel, so there is no more time, between the old and the new.

Now I can make no sence of that answer, but this that as there was no hand at all between the hand and the heel, that is, the hand of Jacob, the power of the new world, that took hold of the very heel of the old world and thrust it out; so doth the power of the son of man and his days (the very begining and commence­ment of his kingdom) thrust out the old world.

And let me observe this, by the way, that this king­dom, [Page 53]and these days of the son of man, if they did take place in our spirits, and in our faith, we might be so much the more serviceable in thrusting forth the old state of things: Therefore, now I shall come to shew what makes them to be called the days of the son of man, for if you see Antichrist the man of sin still upon the stage, you will say, upon what authority do you lay Christs claim to these days? what ground have you for it? how are these his days more then any other?

Let me tell you, my beloved friends, these days are not only the days of the son of man, because they are not the days of the man of sin (as wafts and straies belong to the Lord of the Mannor, it is not only for that reason I call them the days of the son of man), but Christ hath a legal right unto them, and his term be­gins in these days.

You may say, we have always been otherwise in­structed, it is a common received thing, that Christ's kingdom begins with his visible appearing, and that 2 Timo. 4.18. v. seems to countenance this, which runs thus, I charge thee before God, and our Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead, at his ap­pearing and his kingdom, where, his appearing may be conceived to commence with his kingdom, and his kingdom not to commence or begin, till his glorious and personal appearing.

To this I shall answer: it is true, that text doth ne­cessarily import, that Christ must appear in his king­dom. And that I do verily believe, and do expect; but that Christs day, or Christs kingdom hath no be­ginning, till there be an Adequate revelation of his person, untill he appear as a man, in that kingdom, as well as God, cannot, that I see, be thence infer'd.

For we shall shew you by and by, by the types that were held forth, and the times of the old testament that there may be a beginning of Christs kingdom (and is so) before his glorious appearance, and manifestation, and there may be many kingdom-Acts done before Christ in person do exhibit himself visible to our eyes; that which I would begin with, you shall finde in Dan. 12.1. At that time shall Michael stand up. This is the first thing, in the days of the son of man, Michaels standing up, for I look upon the action, which is shewed unto Daniel here (for the consuming and bringing to nought the four Monarchies: both in the East, and in the West) to fall into these days of the son of man, and to be performed by Christ, who is the Michael here that stands up.

Now I confess there may be some question whether this Michael be Christ, or no? because we read of Michael (in this prophecy of Daniel) that is spoken of, as one of the chief princes, one of the chief Angels, which is not proper to be applyed to Christ.

For he that is the supream, is not in a rank with the Angels, nor consigned to a particular charge or pro­vince, as he is called Michael your prince, in the 10 chap. and the last verse.

Now if it be but the standing up of Michael the Archangel, there is something to be done, when Mi­chael stands up (and it being a word which is both pas­sive and mean too.) It signifies to be raised, or roused up, as if before this time, he did couch or lye down, there­fore if we take it of Michael the Archangel, it im­ports somthing, but I have two or three reasons why I take it for Christ.

First, because he is mentioned singly, then, at that time shall Michael stand up.

For though a single Angel may be sent to carry ty­dings unto the Saints, yet a single angel is not compe­tent to have the whole affairs of Christs interest, and his kingdom committed to him, and to stand up singly for it, this is a work rather for the Lord himself, this is one reason: Another reason, is this, because it is said, at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince, but in the Septuagint, and so likewise in the Hebrew, there are two Articles; in the Septuagint, it is Mi­chael the prince, the great, now I say, these are not pro­per for an angel, these are sovereign titles, and belong to the Lord himself. As we use to say Constantine the great, and Theodosius the great, they are all sovereign attributes, that is a second reason.

Thirdly, at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince, we never read of Gods sending any creature, either Angel, or man to be a single Champion and de­liverer of his people, but we read oftentimes, that God engages himself singly to arise, Psal. 12.5. for the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy, will I arise, saith the Lord, &c. And so in Esay. 23.10. and in Esay. 42.19. and Esay. 63.5. and several other places, where you may reade of Christs engaging a­lone, and so I say, here it suits with Christs standing up, but it suits not with any creature: Now then what is there in this of Christs standing up, who is the Mi­chael here (and if any shall yet be unsatisfied that he is called Michael, we may as well ask, why he is cal­led David, David your prince.)

But (I say) standing up here, doth import a change of posture, and an addressing of himself to the Church­es business, why sleepest thou? it is that which is inti­mated, that the Lord in some dispensations seems to [Page 56]be asleep, and let things go as they will, but when the Lord stands up, and awakens, it makes a great change, a great alteration, when Christ laid aside his garments it was to do a singular thing, it was to do, or shew a singular, a wonderful act of condscention and grace.

And so when Christ rises up, it is the fall of his ene­mies, and for the relieving of his spouse, 'tis a rising up with anger and indignation, with a concern, as the Lord says, what have I here, that my people are sold for nought? I cannot bear it longer, then up he gets, it is said, at Christs first coming, it is for the rising and fall of many.

What then will his second coming be? when he rises to judgment, when he rises to pleade the cause of his people, well; but in the next place Michaels standing up, or Christs standing up, is a standing up for him­self, and for his people to take his great power, as it is said in the Revelations, thou hast taken to thy self thy great power, now shall Christ stand alone? consider this, if a king stands up, and hath great occasion to stand up, either that he is invaded or that his subject rebels against him, upon such occasion, his confederates and allies, will pour in their forces upon his enemies.

Surely our Lord Jesus, hath great Allies, and con­federates, his father, and all his holy Angels, you know, it is Gods covenant with him, that he will give him the heathen for his inheritance, and he that will put all his enemies under his feet, before ever he hath his kingdom, we find the ancient of days upon his throne, and it is a fiery throne too, as you have it, in Dan. 7. Now if Michael stand up, all heaven, all the hosts of hea­ven will stand up with him, it will be found so, and let the Saints reckon upon it, Christ will not want pow­er, [Page 57]this is from Michaels standing up, that is the first thing. But then 2ly. we find in Dan. 7. another strange thing which we reade, but pass over, not knowing well what to make of it, we have done so many times; in the 13. v. I saw in the night visions, and behold one like the son of man come to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him, not to exercise you with the difficulty of the understanding of this, I shall im­mediately point you to what I think was the type of this, and will give us a very good account of it.

Solomon, you know, was a type of Christs king­dom in the tranquility and peaceable time of it, when it had wethered the point of all opposition, and had now got the day of all its opposers, now you shall find such a thing as this in that type, before Davids days were out, Solomon was presented to him, for the kingdom, and that by Davids allowance, and David did as it were put his power upon Solomon, and set him up, which gives us the clearest light into this prophecy, that I know of.

When David was old, and cold, that they could not keep heat in him, but they were sain to provide o­therwise to refresh his blood, and to put spirit in him, then was thought a time for Adonijah to set up for himself, and get the kingdom, for David was like a candle in the socket, and so Adonijah might think the action would not be misinterpreted by David, then they called all the kings Sons to the feast, only they left out Solomon (the true interest, the heir designed by God, and sworn by David, he is left out) and Zadoch, and Benajah, these were not called, but all the rest: now when Adonijah was at his feast, Nathan hears of it, and acquaints Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, [Page 58]who goes forthwith to David about it.

Here is now in type, the bringing the son of man to the ancient of days, as she brought Solomon she is a type of the Church presenting Christ unto God, saying, hast thou not sworn, that Solomon thy son shall raign after thee? This is presenting the son of man to the ancient of days in the type, now so it is in the Antitype, so it is in these days of the son of man, behold King Solomon with the Crown, wherewith his mother crowned him. Can. 3. the Lords Prophets, and such as are true to the Lords interest, bring the son of man to the Anci­ent of days, the prayers of the Saints will run much in this strain, and they will be speaking good of Christ, in the ears of God, and will be telling what their ex­pectations are, and how they tender the setting up of Christ, and how they suffer, and must suffer till Christ raignes, and that they never expect to see good days till he comes, this answers the type, the bringing of the son of man to the ancient of days.

The ancient of days is commonly looked upon to be the father, now 'tis true, the father hath covenanted and engaged to set Christ upon his throne, and he calls him his King, but you will find in Revel. 1. this very description, that is in Daniel applyed to Christ, The hair of his head is said to be as white as snow, and there­fore how shall we understand this? I will tell you how it may be reconciled by Davids Lord, Davids son, that is, the head of Christ is God, this is the head here spoken of, (the hair of his head was as white as wool:) and therefore I say, this presenting the son of man to the ancient of days, is but the bringing the right heir, Christ the son of man, to the head of Christ, which is God.

In the next place, there is not only the presenting of Solomon (as a type) unto David, but David doth appoint Nathan to go and anoint Solomon and set the crown upon his head, and sends Benajah, and Zadock with him.

So this is, in these days of the son of man, there is an anointing of Christ, and an instructing of him (as I may say) as David did instruct Solomon his son, and as in the Psalmist, it is said, give the king thy judgments O God, and thy righteousness to the kings son.

David gave unto Solomon the charge for the building of the temple, and he gave him the pattern of it, and he exhorted him, and encouraged him to be strong, and know the God of his fathers, and serve him with a perfect heart, and by computation, it took up, about six months before Davids death, that he was introducing Solomon in his room: so that I may say, here is a great deal of Christs kingdom demonstrated. For all this was before the old state was out, Solomon was actually enthroned and stated in the kingdom in his fathers time, and Solomon did exercise his kingly power as you know, 1 Kings chap. 1. v. 50.53. chap. 2.4.10.

Now, I shall not apply these things yet, because I am not come to my assumption, I am but laying my ground-work, but before I come to that, I must shew you the complexion of these days, and although these days are the days of the son of man, yet they are not such days, wherein the glory of Christ and his king­dom do shine forth without a cloud, and therefore for that, we must, have recourse again unto our text.

And you shall finde there, that these days of the son of man are days of an extraordinary nature, they are days, wherein the world shall be drowned in a floud of [Page 60]prophanes, and sensuality, and security, and this is in order to a making them fit for a floud of judgment, so it is said here, As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the son of man.

Likewise, so also as it was in the days of Lot, not only doth this scripture witness this thing, that the days of the son of man will be of such a nature and com­plexion, but likewise in Zach. 14. the Lord tells us, there, in several expressions, that are very Emphatical, as to what the nature of this day will be (one day) or a day by it self (we may understand that by it) an odd day, such a day as hath not been or shall be known by the Lord, as who should say, none but the Lord shall know it. Neither day, nor night (that is a strange day) neither clear nor dark, neither the one nor the other, but mixt of hoth.

But at the evening tide, it shall be light, then it will clear up like it self: briefly the days of the son of man will be a time of as prodigious wickednesses, of as great tryal to the saints, of as great calamity to the world, as ever days were, and beyond all president; so Daniel says, at that time shall Michael stand up, and it shall be a time of trouble such as never was the like. But what then makes the title of the son of man, if there shall be such days of trouble, is that title worth no­thing in these days? I answer, there is a light side of these days, and that is to be seen by those that have eyes, by those that are spiritually enlightened to see; there will be a dark hope in all the people of God, and in all the whole creation in these days, that surely, there is something in the womb of these dispensations that will revive them at the last, and this the blind world can see and say. But the saints (especially, if [Page 61]they watch, and if they obtain that favour from the Lord, as Daniel did, that was a man of desire) they may see, and will see, whither all things will tend, and where they will issue, and so they will be comfor­ted and they will sing for the majesty of the Lord, they will rejoice in that which God will create. They will be engaged actually with the Lord in creating a new heaven, and a new earth, this will be the mixt nature of these days, they will be prodigiously wicked da­ringly wicked and yet they are the days of the son of man, why so? because it suits his designe upon all ac­counts, that the Churches enemies might shew them­selves like themselves, that so his judgments might be the more conspicuous; the more clear which he will bring upon them, and also that his people might have the tryal of their faith and sense of their own weaknes and failings, and so ( I say) it doth suit Gods end, who designes so to come, as that his day should fall as a snare upon all that dwell on the earth, that there shall be no more likelihood of the day before his coming, then of many ages before, that so the mockers might be confirmed saying, where is the promise of his coming? as who should say, you talk of Christs approach being neer, but there is no signe of it, not considering, that he comes as a thief, you your selves know perfectly says the Apostle, that the day of the Lord so cometh, Christ comes before the 7th vyal (that is) preparation is mak­ing for his coming, It it his legal time yea it is his a­ctual time before the the 7th. Phyal for sayes he, be­hold I come as a thief, should now shew you the Paral­lel, having spoken of the complexion, it is that which conforms this time to Gods former proceedings, There were such days before God destroyed the old world [Page 62]120 years, Those were the days of Noah, and the world was looked on as a drowned world from the beginning of those days, and so the days of Lot from the time that Abraham, had rescued the king of Sodom, and the o­ther four kings from their enemies, which was a signe of the four Monarchies, from whose hand, Abraham, the father of the faithful, delivered Lot, and for his sake the rest were delivered.

Now it is probable, that from that time Lot used a greater freedom to admonish them, to make a better use of their deliverance, then they did; those were the days of Lot, there were days then, there was a time for the judgments coming, but it was not fully come, so likewise doth Gods day prepare his enemies against such a time that they may be as fuel dryed for the fire, that they may flame like a torch or a sheaf, when fire is put to them.

So likewise, he prepares the vessels of mercy, I shall only tell you in our saviours time, there was from the denunciation of the judgments against Jerusalem 40 years, and so likewise from our Saviours rising, till his ascention, there was 40. days wherein he was (as I may say) preparing himself for his ascention to hea­ven.

I might give you twenty Parallels of it, but now I come to the application of these things, to these days, and as for the standing up of Michael, that is the first thing I would assume; that Mi­chael is raised up, Michael hath stood up for se­veral years, if others, in other parts of the world do question this, yet we in those parts have no reason to doubt of it, it is much, if we are not convinced of it, of the Lord Jesus his standing up, and addressing him­self [Page 63]to promote and serve, in his own and his Churches interest above all interest, and all kingdoms of the world, that interest of the kingdom of God that hath lain hid in the faith of the Saints, and in the promises unto this time, if you say, what evidence can be made of this, it is a question not becoming those that have seen the great works of God, as we have done, have we not seen Michael standing up: have we not seen him rousing himself, have we not seen three nations bowing in his name, have we not seen an heaven, and an earth passing away? have we not seen a dissolution of the Church, and state, have we seen all this, and do we question whether Christ hath set a foot his title, or no, you know, that kings when they are proclaim'd in this land, they begin in the Palace yard, they are not all over proclaimed in one moment. (So I say) the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ is to be a rising, and a growing kingdom, of the increase of his govern­ment and of peace there shall be no end; and why may we not say, that this Island, or these three nations may resemble the palace yard, where Christ is first pro­claimed, he hath been brought to the Ancient of days by clouds of witnesses, who have pleaded his interest with God, you know it hath been the subject of the saints prayers these 30. years yea nothing hath relish­ed upon the spirits of the saints, that hath not related this way, if Christs kingdom hath not been at one end of it, it hath been no prayer, no sermon, if it have not had that at one end of it, yea hath not the Lord Jesus exercised his kingly power? hath he not made many overturnings, hath he not dealt with many Adonijahs, how many would have set themselves up in his room? This is the account of all these quick revolutions, these [Page 64]overturnings, this is exceeding declarative of his be­ing near, whose right it is, I shall therefore conclude with a word of use, or application, and it is this, Let us lift up our heads for the day of our redemption draws nigh.

I have already formerly, once and again told you, that these 45 days from the end of the 1290. days spo­ken of in Dan. 12. are that generation (as I conceive) in which our Saviour says, all things shall be fulfilled, for so were the generations from David to Christ (those 14 generations) 43 years one with another.

So in those 45. days in Daniel, wherein Michael shall stand up, Daniel is told, that all should be fulfil­led in that time, and I say these times began in the year 1650. and we are now in the middle of them (we are very forward) and I do more suspect my self for the setting my post too far off from Christs appearing, then of setting it too near; I say, I more suspect my self for that, and the Lord knows, i.e. (if you subdivide this last watch or space of 45 years into lesser watches,) in which of the watches, of this last watch, he may come, in the second, or in the third watch, but we are neer to it, let us look up, and lift up our heads.

You see what evidences have been given of these days.

Obj. But if Christs coming be so near, would the times be so evil may some say? I answer was not So­dom at the worst, when Christ came with the other two Angels to destroy them, and so the old world.

Yea, but you will say, the people of God would be better then they are, if Christs coming were so near.

Answ. They shall be made better by his coming, the summer spoken of, is the very appearing of Christ, [Page 65]you know that when the trees puts forth summer is night, but it is the appearing of Christ, is the summer, would you have fruit before summer? your fruits are grow­ing in the winter, and in the spring, they are coming forwards, but you have not your fruit till the summer; Christ is preparing his people by the present dispen­sations, and they shall shine, but all that Christ doth now is emptying work, cleansing work, as when a man pulls down his old house, in order to building it anew, Christ is removing house and he is taking a­way joy from the earth, (the old joy) trade is going, the joy of the earth; and the very husbandman may loose the fruits of the earth this year.

And if you look within, O what desolations are there? alas! though the Lord give us our wits and our sences, yet we hear of one, in one place, under a spi­rit of dispondency, Gods fire is in Sion (in this day) and his furnace in Jerusalem, and there is none of us, but have our back burdens, if it be but being compa­nions of suffering ones, it cannot but go to our hearts, this is the sowing time, yea but you will say possibly.

Obj. There is a promise of the spirits pouring forth, and therefore these cannot be the days of the son of man, I answer the spirit is not the first grace, the lead­ing grace, as in those promises made to Israel in the let­ter, of bringing them back to their own. land, Ezek. 36.24.32. They must be in their own land and set­led there before the spirit is poured forth, lest they should reflect too much upon their own qualifications, least thy may be ready to say, it is for our reformati­on that God hath visited us.

Therefore will the Lord at he t last (as at the first) take his people, in their blood, and in their unworthi­ness.

Obj. But you may say, we see nothing of the Jews being called, and Antichrist destroyed.

Answ. Antichrist hath but a mystical destruction till Christ comes, and there will be a Pope, for ought I know till Christ appears, but his time is legally out and determined, and when a time is out, what is done afterwards, is an usurpation, and Antichrist shall pay dearly for all at the last.

But as for the Jews, it is a material objection, we cannot look for the appearance of Christ, till they come in, though on this occasion; let us be aware that there is a mistical Jew, that needs to be turned to the Lord, as well as a litteral Jew, but as to the litteral Jew, though we see him not come in, yet we know not how soon we may, for it shall be very suddenly, a nation shall be born at once (mark the expression) though we do not see yet, have we heard nothing of the ratling of these dry bones? let others take it for what they please, for my part, I take it for a truth, and the rather the more, because it is the time for them to appear and though they may be hid in the deserts, for some time, it is not more then what their fathers were in their day, who lay still by the space of 37 years, in the wildernes of Cadesh, and the people of the nations little concern­ed themselves with them, nor they with them.

Besides, what we heard in the year 1665. when there were reports of their stirring, it is not impossible to shew you earlier stirrings, as we have it recorded of the year 1650. that there was a very great meeting of them in the plains of Ageda, where they set up tents, and there was a confluence from all parts, no lesse then 300 Rabbies, that were able to shew their Genealogy, and in a very large tent, there was an orderly dispute, [Page 67]where they did with great ingenuity and candor put the question, whether the Messiah was come, or not? Then came in the Priests, and Jesuites with their vicar, and their breaden God, and made them break up in disorder: nay what if I should say unto you that Christ hath shew'd himself to that nation distinctly, it is cre­bly related that he shewed himself in the year 53. in Frankenland upon the cross, and that he was there so seen by thousands of spectators with his Angels about him, as if that very word of Daniel were in fulfilling, and that the Angels were presenting him to the Ancient. of days, representing that in a visionary way then, which is the work of the day still in the hearts of the saints, through the intercession of the spirit. I speak it only for this (my beloved friends) for that I know (I feel) that we need the quickning of this consideration, we are amused with the times that we are in, and do not know what Israel is to do, because we do not know, nor discern the times; look to it, and take heed of se­curity, take heed of an unwatchful frame of spirit, for these are the days of the son of man.

The Fifth Sermon.

THe influence of Christs coming deriving it self from the nearness of it, things though great, that are remote, seem but small, and work but little upon [Page 68]us, things that are not to be in our day, nor in the days of our children, we are apt to put off, therefore I made it my business in two or three discourses to shew you the nearness of this coming of Christ; I shewed it you, first, by the expiration of the times of the man of sin, and Secondly, by the signes of Christs coming being fulfilled, pitching chiefly upon those signes in Math. 24. And in two other of the Evangelists of the suns be­ing darkned, and the moon being turned into blood. The third time I shewed you, that these are the days of the son of man by several particulars, and (by something I had spoken) devolving our discourse to that point; I pitcht upon those words in the 17 of this Gospel. Where our saviour speaks of the days of the son of man, and paralels them with the days of Noah and Lot, which I told you doth intimate to us, that there is a tract of time from the expiration of the 42 months (of the man of sin) to the glorious revelation of the son of man in person from heaven, and that this tract of time is cal­led the days of the son of man, wherein, he is preparing to set forward unto this glorious expedition.

Now in these days of the son of man, I did partly o­pen to you what was to be done, and shewed you some figurative delineation of this work by former types, and especially in the investing of Solomon into the kingdom; I shewed you, that before Davids death Solomon was set upon the throne, and in opening of those passages, we sound them to cast a great light up­on some prophetical passages, that we meet with in Daniel: As about the bringing of the son of man, to the Ancient of days, which I told you doth very aptly a­gree with that type of Solomon to David (bringing him unto remembrance, as I may say) which was done by [Page 69] Bathsheba, by the advice of Nathan the prophet, she goes to David, and puts him in minde of his oath, and she is seconded by Nathan, and thereupon David doth send to anoint Solomon, and to set him upon the throne, and all this was in Davids life time: Now the observa­tion I made from these things, was this, David you know was a figure of the militant state of Christs king­dom, his setting Solomon upon his throne before his own death, doth intimate to us, that, before the militant state is swallowed up (as I may say) of victory, (or of the triumphant state of the Church) Christ is to be set upon the throne; as the succeeding links in a chain do enter into the former links, so doth Christs time take hold of the former times, even as Jacob took hold of Esau his brother.

From thence I came, in the winding up, to shew you that Christ was entred upon his kingdome, and that there were many acts passed in order to Christs glori­ous raign, and that he had laid his claim in partionlar, to these three nations, and had been proclaimed here, as in the palace yard (as I might say) of his dominions.

I gave you also many concurrent passages, that have faln in, to strengthen our faith, and answered some objections touching the calling of the Jews, which although we do not yet see, called to the knowledge of Christ, is not to trouble us, forasmuch, as their calling is not to be expected, untill they be setled in their own land. For so the promise seems to cast things, in that order, that God will as freely look upon them, even in their blood, as he did at the first, when they were in Egypt, that so it may not be said, that their turning to God did lead the Lords turning to them.

Yet I told you, that we have heard of the ratling of [Page 70]those dry bones, which (because the time is come) should make us take heed of saying, there is nothing in it, though we are not acquainted with the posture of their affairs, how they stand since that, only I told you, that we may have this reserve of hope, that as when they came out of Egipt, they lay 37 years in the wilderness of Cadesb, and probably were as much out of the eye of the nations, for a great part of that time, as they are out of our eye now.

So I say, God may be forming that people secretly in the dark, and may be carrying on his intended good­nes towards them, and we may see the sun of their re­demption, and restitution suddenly break forth of the clouds, although we do not hear of them every day.

I should now come to shew the nature of this coming of Christ, which is here held forth to us in these words, When he will return from the wedding, but before I come to them, I must make a little use of that word, I have already hinted. Use, First, if it be so, that we are in the days of the son of man, that is, in that genera­tion which Christs speaks of in Math. 24. and the o­ther Evangelists (when these signes of his coming are to have their course, and in the rear of them all, Christ is to appear.)

I say, if we be in that generation which probably is that 45 years spoken of by Daniel at the end of 1290. days (and which 45 years I have told you by compu­tation is one half of it run out, or very near, for there is but this difference between chronologers of a matter of 3 years, from whence the 1290 commence, either in 360 or 363. from Christ). All agree, it was in Julians time, and some say in 360, others say in 363. there is but that difference, and so accordingly they came out [Page 71]in 1650 or 53. so that I say there must be half, or very neer of the 45 days following, expyred.

Use, Then in the first place, this shews us, that there hath been nothing in all that cry, that hath been of the day of the Lord, which hath been proclaimed by several voices, and by several spirits, and indeed the disreputation that hath been brought upon it by some mouths and spirits that have been the trumpeters of it: hath made others ( I say it hath made many sober and cautious spirits) decline it, and to have no pleasure in it. But if that would be a good argument against the truth, because the devil himself doth acknowledg it, surely then men should have disowned Christ, in this day.

For you know, that spirits of divination, and un­clean spirits did confess him, and acknowledge him, and such as were reputed devilish, but the truth was nevertheless the truth, for being taken up, by unclean lips.

The intent of this Use is, that we may gather up, and not lose even that testimony, which hath been given of the day of the Lord, and that from good evidence, from the sence of it, the experience of it, the feelings of the workings of it, in the spirits and affairs of men.

Surely there can be no account given of these won­derful changes that we have seen, not only in this out­ward world, but in the inward world too, unhinging, and unhorsing and bringing down all the glory of man, I say, no other account of it, can be given, but that the days of the son of man are come in; It's true, they are mixt days, and so I told you all along. Neither day nor night, neither clear nor dark, as Zachariah says, in his 14. chap. They are days by themselves, as I may [Page 72]say, days full of trouble, as Daniel says, it shall be a time of trouble, such as never was, and yet days, that have in the womb of them such a birth, such a glorious birth and blessing for the world (for the whole creation as well as the people of God) as no former times have had.

They are days (as I may say) wherein Christ is in the mount with God, ereating, and taking instructions (as I may speak with holy reverence) for the admi­nistration of his kingly office in this world; as Moses the typical mediator was in the mount 40. days, and 40 nights, receiving his instructions for the people, let not the expression offend you it is said in the Psalms, give thy jadgments O God to the king, and thy righteous­ness to the kings son. Which need be no more strange to us (that Christ should receive his judgments from the father) then that he should receive the revelations from the father, which he owns (the revelation that God gave to him, to shew unto his servants things shortly to come to pass.)

Now, because I have mentioned that of Moses, do but consider what fell out in the mean time, Moses was in the mount with God, and although the people had seen the Lord, coming down upon the mount, af­ter such a terrible manner, yet while Moses. linge­red and stayed in the mount, they fell to Idolatry, they made the calf: is not this a wonderful thing; that they should go turn aside, I tell you, there hath been as great an apostacy from these days of Christ, from that hope, and that witness that was given of the day of the Lord, but it is no other, then what our saviour himself had foretold us, Math. 25. there you finde, the vir­gins going forth to meet the Bridegroom; it is said, there [Page 73]was a cry at midnight, saying, behold the bridegroom com­eth, and yet after all this, while the Bridegroom tarryed, they all slumbered and slept, and so it is at this day, these days of the son of man are not exclusive of trouble, and of strange spirits; the devil, when he sees, that men are awakened, and he cannot hinder it, but they have an expectation of the Bridegrooms coming, he will mingle heaven and earth together, if it be possible.

He rushes in with all his delusions, he seeks to blast this hope, these expectations of the saints, all manner of ways; and if we had been well advised (as I may say) and had known the Scripture, we might have ex­pected a storm, to be poured out upon us, even a storm of inward exercises and tryals, as well as out­ward troubles.

These days of the son of man are days, which none of the wicked do understand, as Daniel observes, but the wise shall understand; they are days, wherein Christ comes privately (as it is here intimated, that when he cometh, and knocketh, you may open unto him immedi­atly; it is that which is not unusual among men, for Em­bassadors of Princes to come in, privately at first, and to be advised with about their publick reception, be­fore they make their publick entry, Christ comes also privately to his own, and his glorious appearance in his adequate person (man as well as God) comes in the rear of all.

So that (I say) let us not lose the things, that God hath wrote, It is true, there is danger on the other hand, (that is) of crying up, the present day, for the time of Christs appearance, and if it were worth the while, or that I were competent for such a business, we might shew you, that this notion of Christs being come; and [Page 74]of the day of the Lords being come, shutting up all the expectations of the saints within the present per­formances, doth offend several ways, it offends against the order of the works and appearances of God, who hath set times and seasons for all his purposes.

If Christs day be as much, as it ever shall be, it doth mix and confound all things together, it makes Anti­christs day, yea you may as well confound his first, and his second appearance together, it is said, he hath ap­pointed a day, wherein he will judge the world, it is not now, but it is appointed, so the Apostle directs the hope of believers to another day, and you will not say, but that Christ was come to them in the spirit, yet they waited for a further day, the Apostle himself says, he had not yet attayned, nor was as yet perfect, so that (I say) this doth strike at the order of Gods working and appearances, and as the Apostle says concerning the resurrection, those that say, the resurrection is past, destroy the faith of some: It is a destroying of our faith, and of our comfort, to hold forth this to be the day of Christ, to be the time of Christs appearance, the all that we were to expect.

I confess, it is not to be wondered at, in the Prelati­cal Church, that they would have us to expect nothing but tribulation in this world and persecution, the Church of Christ (say they) must travel under the cross, nntil the last judgment until they come to heaven, though they minde not to do so themselves, nay this they preach to others, that they themselves may ride upon the high places of the earth, they would keep the people still in ignorance and blindness of that day of Christ, which when it comes will abase all the pride and loftynes of man, as you have it in Esay 2.

It will abase things that are high, and exalt things that are low, the vallyes shall be exalted, and the moun­tains and hills shall be brought low. But that any that are spiritual, should go to destroy the faith, of themselves, and their brethren, by taking the present dispensation for the full performance of the promise, is that which may be justly wondered at, and it is not certainly with­out a great designe of Satan, thus to beguil them, and through them to endeavour to beguil others of the com­fort, and the hope of Christs appearance, and of the redemption of the body: It is true, there may be a re­velation of the day of Christ in the spirit, and this may be given forth at any time, Abraham saw Christs day though he lived many ages before Christs time; and so John was in the spirit on the Lords day, but yet notwith­standing, John tells us, that this day of Christ, was to come on orderly, there is such a series of times and pro­vidences, so many scenes that are to be presented be­fore that concluding scene, before Christs sitting on the white throne: There were so many seals to be opened, so many trumpets to be sounded, it is true, there was a glorious day in the primitive times, but that was but the first fruits.

And it is called ( I conceive) the first fruits, because it was answering to the first fruits under the law, for there were three seasts, three times in the year, all the males in Israel were to appear before the Lord, there was the feast of the passover, and the feast of the first fruits (which was at Pentecost, the very time when the spirit came down upon the Apostles, as fulfilling that feast) and there was the feast of ingathering, or the feast of tabernacles, and it was in the feast that you finde written in Joh. 7.37. In the last day, that great day of [Page 76]the feast, Jesus cryed, and said, &c. This feast of ta­bernacles held several days (there were 7 days that it was kept) and so this feast that in the Antitype answers to the feast of tabernacles, may take in all this genera­tion that I speak of, (the 45 years of this last generati­on) the days of the son of man.

But mark ye, in the close of this time (that is the great day) then will Christ appear in his glorious equi­page, with all his holy Angels, then will he come both in his own glory, and in the glory of his father, and of all his holy Angels, and till Christ hath his full glory, we cannot expect the full effusion of his spirit.

The spirit will not be poured upon all flesh, the earth will not be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea, till that great day of the feast, till that last, and great day of the feast.

So that (I say) take heed of taking part of payment for the whole, tis true, these are the days of the son of man, and I do believe that from this time you shall see the interest of the son of man, riseing and growing more and more, all things shall work unto that glorious issue, those that are wise shall see it every day, to them, day unto day will utter knowledge, I say the interest of Christ is on the rising hand still, and all opposite interests are in the way of declyning, and therefore let us prepare for him, we have seen something already of the day of the Lord upon things that have been high and lifted up, let us look to see it yet more, the Lord will abuse the loftyness of man both of one sort and of another, I tell you, there is a great deal of haughtiness, which the Lord will abuse even in his own people, and in their spiritual affairs, it is said in Zeph. 3.11. In that day, shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, whorein thou hast [Page 77]transgressed against me? for then will I take out of the midst of thee, them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty, because of my holy mountain, this Scri­pture doth hold forth unto you, the process of the day of God (or of these days of the son of man) they are humbling days to all.

God by these dispensations which have passed over us, hath been bringing his people to this passe, he hath been working upon them, that necessarie qualification of making them an afflicted and poor people; I remem­ber very well, that the first time I spake here (when your desires gave me a call to make a little supply of that place, that was destitute by the removal of that eminent help, that did appear usually, in this place before) I told you, then that for my part, I was one that was spoiled by this day of the Lord, and I must own and confess unto you, that there is nothing doth relish, nor can relish with me, of the old glory of the excellency of man, though I know that all of us have a young tooth in our heads, as the proverb is, and we should willingly be something among men, but the Lord hath mercifully shut the door, against any such hope, or expectation, and therefore let it not enter in­to our hearts, for God hath forbid the banes, we must never touch with any such things more, for God is stayn­ing the pride of all glory, though spiritual discoveries have all along unhorsed, and I may say unmanned us (I mean the Lords people) yet 'tis now the work of the day, more eminentlie. What was Paul in his time? rude in speech, I come not to you in excellency of speech, or in mans wisdom, he accounted all those things dung and dross.

And trulie (I say) our ordinances, and administrati­ons, [Page 78]our ministrings one to another, the ministring of pastors to their congregations, and the mannaging, of our affairs, & our fellowships; must become more and more in the spirit, less in man, less in the wisdom of man, and more in the power of God, or else this day, that is coming, will throw it all to the ground.

And therefore, happie will those be, that are as that carkass, that Christ speaks of in the end of Luke 17. where the carcasse is, thither will the Eagles be gathered together; that man, that is made as a carcasse (that is all his own life, beautie, and activitie it is all gone) the Eagles of resurrection life and glorie will descend upon that carcasse, and take it up into themselves, or the Eagles are an Emblem of the resurrection, in casting their bill.

And these are they, that the day of the Lord comes to revive; It comes to save the poor and needie, it is not so much the poor and needy in purse, for alas ma­nie of the wicked are so (manie of Christs enemies are so) the Devil hath not power to make all his children rich, if he had, it would be a sad world and intollera­ble, but the poor and needy, that shall be saved, and comforted in this day, are the poor and needie in spi­rit; such as are indeed nothing in their own eyes, and therefore the world despises them, they are such whose life is hid with Christ in God, and God will rebuke us (as he hath done,) he will rebuke our life, whereby we are apt to court too much the glory of this first cre­ation; by which we are defiled (I say) the Lord is re­buking our life inwards, and when this day of the Lord comes (his glorious appearance) it will find his people in the most forelorn and desolate condition of any people; I will leave in the midst of thee, an afflcted [Page 79]and poor people, that i [...], ill. (I say still remember this) that this day of the Lord hath a quarrel only with the undue exaltation of things, it hath only a quarrel with the flesh, with the glory of the flesh; I do not say, but that God will recompence, and doth in his people, re­compence all that he takes from them in the flesh, with inward minifestations, yea, let me tell you, yet more, the day of Christ (even these days which are begun, these days of the son of man) as they do pull down with one hand, so they will be building up with the o­ther. And the new world, the new state of things, shall grow up gradual he, even as this old world finkes and declines: the Lord hath (I say) this double work in hand, and though he destroy the old foundations, that we are apt to build upon, yet he will substitute, even under them, a new foundation, out of which all our comforts shall spring and grow up; that so (as the A­postle says) being uncloathed, we shall not be found naked. God will not pull down this old world about the ears of his people, but he will have a new state of things, everlasting habitations readie to receive them, and this new state of things shall grow up out of Christ, and out of a root in the spirit, strangelie, wonderful he, God shall do a new thing in the earth, a woman shall compass a man, God will serve his people by such hands, and such instruments, as they did little expect it from, as we begin to see at this day, that so we may learn ever from hence, to take heed of comparing the instrument with him, who is the workman, but that it is God, whatever the instrument be: he will make the beasts of the field to honor him, he will open rivers to [...] people in the wilderness and in the dry places, even those things which we were readie to cast away, which we thought were [Page 80]altogether unprofitable, God will make them fruitful in great advantages unto his people, he will gird Cyrus, that doth not know him.

And thus will he bring the blind by a way, that they know not, and will make darkness light before them; so that God doth not father pul down the old fram, but he is as forward with his new frame, and though it be not all in our sight, but like curious peices, which are pul­led in from the tumult of vulgar observers, yet when the works is finished, the vail shall be drawn aside, and we shall see it a verie glorious piece. I have been lon­ger then I thought for, detain'd from the words which I should come to, of Christs returning from the wedding, I see, I shall but make an entrance into them now.

I shall give you a little general view of it, and the sense and meaning of the words, as the Lord doth o­pen them to me.

Ye your selves like unto men, that wayt for their Lord, when he shall return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediatly, This enters us upon the nature of Christs coming, he comes as a Bridegroom, indeed he is to be look'd upon under several notions in his coming, he comes as a judge, and an avenger, shall not God avenge his own e­lect, that cry day and night unto him? but that that hath the preceedency of all other considerations, and is especially in the eye of his saints, is, his coming as a Bridegroom, behold the Bridegroom cometh.

But here is a great difficulty in the text, and that is, it is said here, he comes from the wedding, 'tis not said when he co [...]es to the wedding, but from the wedding, (when he shall return from the wedding;) and if you will render the word gramatically, it is, when he shall [Page 81]return out of the wedding; now this doth not hinder, but that he comes to the wedding, as other Scriptures intimate, but what is this wedding that he comes from, and why is he said to come from the wedding? I ans­wer, First the wedding that Christ comes from, is (I con­ceive) the glorious investiture of his own person, as he is our head and representative in the glory of the fa­ther, and in the glory of his kingdom, that is the wed­ding he comes from.

And his coming is not only to publish, but to im­part the glory and the fellowship of this glorious mar­riage with his Church here on earth; there are four weddings of Christ (as we may say)

There was his wedding in Eternity, of which Solo­mon speaks in Proverbs 8th. Then was I by him, as one brought up with him.

Christ was the image of the invisible God, from eter­nity, and so he was his spouse, and his temple.

The Second wedding was Christs marrying our na­ture, in the low estate of it, marrying our raggs, and infirmities, the word made flesh.

The third wedding is Christs returning unto the fa­ther, and being glorifyed with the same glory, that he had with him before the world was, for which he prays in John 17.

And then the fourth and last wedding is, that of Christ to his Church at his Second coming, when he will come to receive them to himself, as he says, if I go, I will come again, and receive you to my solf.

Now it is the 3d wedding, that Christ comes from, comes out of that to his poor afflicted Church here up­on earth, to take them into the fellowship of his own glory, and this little preposition ( [...]) doth import [Page 82]unto us, that Christ is influenced, he comes influenced from the glory that he hath at the fathers right hand to impart it, to leaven his body the Church with it, with that kingdom, and that glory, and so I take that passage in Rev. 21. to import, Behold he that sits up­on the throne, saith, behold I make all things now.

As much as if we should suppose Christ to be thus speaking and deliberating with himself, saying, here I am in glory, here I am at the right hand of power, all things are made subject to me, principallities, and powers, things in heaven, and things in earth.

But my poor mistical body lyes still in the earth, in the sudds, lyes under afflictions, temptations, and in­firmity, why now (says Christ) I cannot longer forbear, I have along time held my peace, but now (says he) I will cry like a travelling woman, I must have my spouse with me, where I am: and thus he comes influenced from his own glory, to impart this glory to them; and this now he is doing all this 45 years. Let it not offend you, that I speak so much of the time; if the Scrip­ture did not speak of it, I should not be so bold, but both the old, and new testament speak of it: Christ tells us of a generation that shall not passe, till all be fulfill'd, when these things begins to appear, that generation will give you your desire ere it go out. Now I say, all this time, Christ is taking private order with his Saints, and with his people, for this publick recepti­on of his in the world, and that is the reason of what is said here: That when he cometh and knocketh, ye may o­pen to him, immediatly; though I grant you, there is more implyed in this, then meerly Christs spiritual visits unto his people, which hath been in all times more or lesse; but the meaning is, that in these times, more [Page 83]especially Christ is doing such things in the world in order to his kingdom, as he would have his people, understand them, as knocks of Christ, their beloved.

And I wish (with all my soul) that the Churches may hear Christs knocks at their door, he knocks and knocks, and knocks, he knocks by all the rents and divisions, that are among them.

And this is a comfort to the saints (those whose joy is in him) not that the truth of our communion with Christ shall be disowned by him, but there is a cove­ring upon us, that must be taken off, And as it was said of John the Baptist, that Christ must ircrease, and he must decrease, (he speaks it not of his own person only or chiefly, but of his administration) so I say there hath been such knocks by rents, and divisions, there are such rents at all our doors.

How hath the Lord been knocking, to give us notice that the old world is marching off, and a new world is a coming, now blessed are they that do watch and un­derstand the Lord, and are born up by that hope and expectation, and though he comes to dissolve many marriages, that we have made, and to take us out of the armes of those that are with us, yet he comes to solemnise the blessed wedding between us and himself.

Now (I tell you) what that marriage will be even the taking of us into the fellowship of his own glory, as he sayes of the body in Phil. 3. that he will trans­form our vile bodyes, and make them like his own glo­rious body, so I say, as he will do this with our bodies which is the last thing, so he will do the same with our spirits; and this is the work he is carrying on now, and we should be opening unto him immediatly, and we should be aware, that the Lord is entred upon his re­fyning [Page 84]work, and he will sit as a refyner, it is not a transient act, a busines to be done at a sitting, but he will set to it, though the compleating of it will be in the twinkling of an eye, but Christ is at work.

Therefore if we do but know the gift of God, it may be a help to us to look for this hope from Christ. He hath begun to betake himself to his great reigne, the waters have forsaken their wonted channel, and they run backwards; God turns the spirits of nations, the spirits of powers, and what great things we may see in a little time, we know not; I tell you Gods last works are very quick, as things that draw near to their cen­ter usually are.

The Sixth Sermon.

THat which I had in my eye, when I first took this text, I have been kept off from all this while, that I have been speaking upon these words, which was to administer a word (as the Lord should give it into me) to assist that preparation the Lord calls for, in these words; that we might not be found unready, and in an immeet posture at Christs appearance: Now, that which hath retarded these instructions, hath been my desire to set before you; the important call of the pre­sent times to concern your selves about these things; for we are apt to put off that work which the present exigency of affairs doth not require at our hands; espe­cially if it be unpleasant work, as this work is unto the flesh; to break from this world, to pull up our stakes out of this world; I say it is a work we are not forward to, until we needs must, till there is an imme­diate call to it, and an indispensable necessity for it, men are apt to put it off, and with the fluggard, to turn them selves in their beds, concluding, as he; I may have qne nap longer. I may sleep a little longer, therefore, I have desired to set before you the nearness of the coming of Christ, though indeed I did not think to have [Page 86]taken that scope; when I first took up these words, to let out my thoughts so freely, as I have done to you. But beginning with the signes of the times in Math. 24. I know not how, the discourse devolved it self upon the days of the son of man, and it was thus, those signes in Math. 24. are by our Saviour (as they seem at least to me and many others) all of them bounded within a generation, and we find in Daniel, that which doth comport with this, Dan. 12.

We find there two numbers, the latter of which is 45 years, which I have told you, is much after the proportion of the generations from David to Christ, and it is said, those 45. years which follow the 1290, days shall bring us to that glorious state, that top, that pitch, that perfection, that he is blessed that waites, and comes to the end of those days, yea we find in the 17. of this Gospel, the days of the son of man, not a day, but days, and parelling them with the days of Noah, and the days of Lot, they must of necessity be under­stood of a tract of time preceeding his glorious visible appearance, in which, his appearance shall be draw­ing on; so in these days of the son of man that great Catastrophy is drawing on upon the world, and there­fore by way of correspondence, as answering those times, it is suggested to us that there are such days of the son of man; and I likewise gave you, by calculation and computation, that we are in the very midest of those days, those 45. years.

I am very sensible, that this computation, to dwell much upon it, may not be so acceptable to serveral hearers, I shall only make this Apology for my self, that it is an argument of great comfort and hope to my self, and it is that which I have found a need of, even [Page 87]to understand the times, and for any that are, it may be not so we pleased with such discourse, yet if it could be let into them, and that an evidence could be made to them, that the coming of our Lord were so nigh, I am perswaded, they would have as much com­fort in it, as I have; though I grant this, that this is such a knowledg, as is gained by the comparing Scri­pture with Scripture, it is a light of prophecy, which I will grant you is but an exterior means, and he that hath the testimony of Jesus, hath the spirit of prophecy. And could you read the works of God, and his goings in Christ, and in your own souls, in conformity unto Christ, you might see the very original mould (as I may say) in which all times are cast, you might see the pattern, according to which God doth fashion, and frame all his dispensations, both to the Church, and to the world.

But I shall no longer hold you on this, the last time I began to enter upon the nature of Christs coming, ha­ving spoken of the nearnesse, we come now to the p [...] ­ture of it, which is held forth unto us under a several notion; Christ comes as a Lord, to take account of his servants, and he comes as a Bridegroom to take them into the fellowship of his own glory, he comes also as a Saviour to redeem Israel out of all his troubles, and he comes as a Judge, and a revenger, to destroy his e­nemies, but that which hath the precedency here in the text, is his coming as a Bridegroom.

And I told you, the last day, that there are four wed­dings, there is,

First, the marriage of Christ in eternity to his head, spoken of in Prov. 8.

Secondly, there is Christs coming down out of that [Page 88]glory to marry our infirmities, the word was made flesh.

Thirdly, there is Christs return with the spoils of this created image unto heaven, and marrying that un­to the glory of his heavenly man, and then,

Fourthly, there is the return of Christ again the Se­cond time from heaven, to fetch up, the individual per­sons, and members of his body mystical, into a fellow­ship with himself, in the same glory.

Now our business (I told you) that we are imme­diatly concern'd about, is, the third marriage, when he shall return from the wedding, you your selves like unto men that looks for their Lord, when he comes from the wedding, what wedding is this? It is from the wed­ding which he hath solemnised in heaven of our natures unto the son of man in heaven, this poor smitten nature Christ takes at the utmost disadvantages of it, under all the sin and shame; and meanness and poverty of it, he hath marryed it to the son of man in heaven, to the heavenly glory.

Marke ye, not our persons, but our nature, this is the wedding from which he comes, and he comes now to take our persons to marry them, into the same glo­ry.

Indeed these three latter weddings, they are all in pursuance of the first, and they are all to end and ter­minate there, the first wedding which is the marriage of Christ unto his head (which was in eternity) this is the glorious exemplar, and this is the rest of the peo­ple of God by him, thus to be brought to God.

And all that was after wards, it was but a glorious project, for the enriching and embellishing of that marriage (as I may say).

As if the Lord could not shew love enough in setting [Page 89]up such an object, as man in the person of the Lord, Jesus from all eternity in his heavenly man, as if he could not shew love enough, in espousing in him all his heavenly race, that should be produced out of him: suppose Christ, as he is described in Prov. 8. where he is said to be by him and rejoycing alwaies before him, suppose (I say) that Christ had a race of men, and a seed that he had begotten, and brought forth from that glory in which he was in eternity, this had been a great deal of love in God thus to espouse man, and to beautify and glorify man; but ( I say) for the glo­ry of this love the Lord projects, that this man, who was the object of this love, he shall come forth in a natural image, as it is said in the 1 Cor. 15. First that which is natural, and afterwards that that is spiritual: and therefore, he maketh first, Adam, an earthly man, he makes him first a living soul, but yet here was not ground rich enough, that is, it was not dark enough to set off the love, and glory of God.

And therefore, this man at his man at his best, being then but an earthly peice though pure earth) here is a project for this love to go out further to man, in his fall, and therefore the divine counsel permits all that, suffers man to fall into the utmost extremities, into the worst of circumstances, that could possibly be; and then, from thence doth the Lord recover him, and brings him up, to the first image, as a passage to the second and heavenly image; he is restored in principle in Christ, but not so restored as to rest there, and yet (I fear) there are thousands of professors that rest there, that are restored to no more then Christs active and legal obedience; and they account this the new birth, but it is not so; for all that restoring, even in Christ him­self, [Page 90]it is but to declare him to be a fitting sacrifice, a Lamb without spot, and to furnish the matter of that sacrifice, and every saint hath something of this spot­lesse lamb (as I may say) though not in perfection, he is not without spot as Christ, but he is without spot in Christ, not in himself, for if you examine the acti­ons of the best men, and take a tryal of them, and weigh them, they cannot hold weight before the Lord, though a saint in his minde, hath a more noble principle, be­ing renewed after the image of him, that created him. But if it were so in Christ, that he, at the very heighth of his legal righteousnesse was only thereby qualifyed and furnished to be a sacrifice to his father, it is that which instructs us, that in all our attainments in that first image, we should look upon it to be only given us, for a sacrifice.

There was you know several offerings under the law, some were but a pair of young pigeons, yet it was accepted, so that (I say) whether we have more or lesse of that active righteousnesse in the force of our first life, and principle restored (this is a great short­ness in our knowledg, not to know that there is in Christ himself a first covenant-life, a first covenant-principle) this must all be laid down and parted with, Christ did so himself, and so must all his.

And this is that, that the Lord is carrying on, through this life. we are dying daily, and offering up our bo­dies, and I pray, what is that body which is dead be­cause of sin, the Apostle speaks of men that were in the body of the flesh, therefore this body is the body of the first creation light, it is that image of God that was presented in it's perfection, by Christ, in as great and absolute a perfection as in the first Adam.

And it is restored in principle, in all that believe in Christ, there is somthing of that lise, whereby they tend to a greater exactnesse and perfection, then they can attain unto, but this body is dead, and all must be broken off from this husband, as in Rom. 7. you have it there very plainly declared, know ye not brethren for I speak to them that know the law (says he) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth, that is as long as the man lives his own life (for a believer is crucified with Christ, but Christ lives in him) what is the husband here? it is the law you will say, the law is not capable to be a mans husband, as it is only a doctrine, or as it is a form of words, what is that to be ones husband? Therefore you must consider, herein, that it is Christ (mark ye) that is the husband even under the law, for he hath a first covenant wise, and first covenant children, he is a husband under the law, is it not said, though I was a husband unto them, Ier. 31.32. I beseech you accept of these hints, and weigh them.

I desire not to speak my own words, and if I did not think, that there was that in these things which doth mainly import our souls, I durst not speak them; but if you consider, you will find that there is a world of professors, that have only relation to Christ as a first covenant Lord, and husband, for it is Christ that is the person in both, in law, and Gospel.

Moses was but a typical mediator, it was Christ that was the true Mediator.

There is an appearance in which Christ comes forth, which is not to abide, but is to go away, as he ac­quaints his disciples with the expedience of it then, yet he was a Bridegroom then, but he was a Bride­groom [Page 92]in the flesh, and that covenant-relation was to be exchanged for a better covenant-relation, Rom. 7.4.

Do you not see here, that Christ is the Bridegroom, his flesh was shadowed out by the law, what do we mean by his flesh? my beloved brethren let us wait upon the Lord for light in these things, there hath been a great deal of pudder about the flesh of Christ, as if Christ had no body now: because the Apostle to the Hebrews reflects on the days of his flesh as past.

Alas! this is not the meaning of Christ flesh, for the flesh properly, and the law and sin, and death, all these are relative one to the other, so that the flesh, as it is considered in us, is the free hold of sin; now Christ, he comes in the flesh, and he therein fulfils all right­ousnesse, and so doth (as I may say) recover that ground which the first Adam had lo [...]t, sin was entred upon the flesh, Christ he comes and plants righteous­nesse in the flesh (marke ye) it is but in the flesh, the flesh is that active sate of first-covenant life, and righteousness in conformity to the law and letter, which was the state which was restored in Christ though lost in Adam, and this is that which believers themselves are brought forth into, in order to a pas­sage through it into the righteousness of God, the first stone of which building is laid, in the dissolution and passing away of this first strength, this first activiry and power, that the creature finds himself invested withall, and in which he thinks himself a gallant peice.

I say the first stone of this new building, is laid by the pulling down of all this, ye are dead to the law, that ye night be married to another, even to him that is rai­sed from the dead, there is our new husband, that is a [Page 93]believer hath now given up, as Christ did, when he gave up that first life and righteousnesse to his fa­ther. When he had done all, and the law could require no more from him, he had another piece of obedience which was a note above all the law, what was that? why he must be obedient unto death, as much, as if God had said unto him, canst thou now my son forgo all this glory, canst thou strip thy self, canst thou put it all off, canst thou trust me to raise thee again, and bring thee forth in another glory, in a heavenly image? I can, says he, there is none but Christ could do it, were it not for our captaine, we should never have gone through, he was marryed (as I told you) unto the original glory of God, he was marryed to his head, and he having the presence of eternal life with him, he is able to charge through these legions of devils, this land of death and dark­nesse, though it was that made him sweat drops of blood, and cry out, my soul is sorrowful unto death; yet he was so enabled, and supported, that through he goes, and had that glorious issue, that the Gospel is the report of, this is one husband; now mark ye, he being raised from the dead walked a while with his disciples upon the earth, about 40. days, then he ascended, he was not in that glory where he expected to be, while he was on the earth, for he would not let Mary touch him, saying touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my fa­ther, as who should say, I am not yet, where I would be, nor where I shall be, I am not yet the object of that new converse, which thou shalt have with me or at least I am not yet manifest in it.

Therefore (I say) his ascending was, that he might marry our natures in his own person, unto his glori­ous [Page 94]head, though he was marryed unto the father in eternity, yet not as the son of man on earth, but this was the marriage of the son of man on earth.

And so he carryed up our nature, out of this state of poverty, beggery, in sin, death, yea out of legalor first covenant-righteousnesse into the glory of God, that is the third marriage, that I have been speaking of wherein, you see how it differs from the first mar­riage.

The first was the marriage of the son of man, in hea­ven unto the godhead, but this is the marriage of the son of man on earth unto the son of man in heaven, that is clear by our Saviour his own stating of it (let us not slight that) for he says, before Abraham was. I am, this glory, is to be the covering, the clothing to the son of man, on earth, this is the wedding from which he comes.

You possibly will say, why did not Christ come all this time, hath this wedding lasted this 16. 1700. years? my brethren, our Lord Jesus Christ is presen­ted as our head, so that Christ was married as a pub­lique person, and we must all follow to this wedding, this hath been the work ever since, through all times and ages; from Christs assention, it hath been (I say) the preparation of the Bride the lambs wife, for this fourth and last marriage Christs 3d marriage, the hea­vens must receive until the restitution of all things, till his Bride be ready.

And all the saints have been hastening out of them­selves, out of his fleshly fallible state and image, into the resurrection life, they have been hastning by a mistical death; this is the work of all ages since Christ, to prepare the Bride (that is such a number of men and women as God hath fore known, in his eternal counsel, [Page 95]that are to come up successively upon the stage of this world, in their generations and times, to be the wit­nesses of our Lord, and of his death, his sufferings are to be fulfilled in them, and so is his life to be manifested in them (as the dyings of Jesus, so his life) this hath been his work since his a scention, and when his num­ber is eompleated, then will the Lord reveal himself from heaven in our persons, in that glory, which our natures have been invested with from his ascention; then will Christ and his bride, the lamb and the lambs wise, plant, and model the world, and they will have a new seed after that which shall be born, in Christs own image (as Adam is said to beget a son in his own image) which will be the new race of men and women after this glorious marriage.

For Christ will have generations of saints, that shall be brought forth unto him in his kingdom, in another glory, then we have known all this time; Thus I have been carryed, whether I would not, for what I desig­ned to speak, I am not come to, I should have shew­ed you by the example and pattern of his wedding on Christs part, the glory of his marriage, and I should have come to the application, but I must take another time for this.

The Seventh Sermon.

YOu see, though I am off from my former text, yet not from my subject, this text benig of a kin to it, and bordering upon it, and having many things in my mind upon it, though not digested into such a method, as more leisure and time might have afforded: I shall abruptly present to you the 2. heads, upon which we shall spend this opportunity, without more curious survey of the text, or context, and briefly they are.

1. That blessed and glorious hope, which is laid up for the Saints, at Christs appearing, and 2d. the evi­dence of it.

These are the two things that I shall pick out of these words, the hope is, that we shall be like Christ when he appears, the evidence of this hope, is, that we shall see him, as he is, for the hope it self, you see, it concerns us, our persons, and our spirits.

And that is the immediate and great concern and ex­pectation of believers, in Christs glorious kingdom, and at his glorious appearing, the change that shall be brought upon our selves, the glorious change that shall be brought upon all things, ( for he that sits upon the throne (says) behold I make all things new) is to begin first upon us, it is to begin upon the Saints and when they are changed not only will all things be [Page 97]changed to them, but all things shall be changed with them, though not presently, yet in due course and order, for the Apostle says that the whole creation grones and travels in pain, expecting to be delivered into the glorious liberty of the sons of God; they are to be de­livered into our liberty, and the Gospel throughout, in all the priviledges both of grace and glory (in both states of the kingdom, both that of grace, and of glory (the militant, and the triumphant state) do hold forth first fruits, that shall be first visited and first saved, and then the Lump and body, first the root, and then the branches, and I do the rather put a note upon this, because we are apt to be carried forth into other contemplations and expectations of the change of times, the change of kingdoms, common-wealths, Churches, and overlook the fundamental change, this head change, this right change which begins in the persons of Saints, of believers themselves, which may be called the beginning of changes, as we read of the beginning of revenges, in Deuteronòmy, or the head revenge of the enemy, so this is the head of change, and in vain do we look for a happinesse to come unto us, by the change of our circumstances, and of our con­ditions, if there be not this Radical, this fundamen­tal change in our persons, and spirits. Now this change, I shall first present it to you in the substance of it, and then shall consider the arguments, the illustrating ar­guments, in the text, and in the context. First the substance of this change, into a likenesse of Christ, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, the like­nesse unto Christ is that which cannot but speak for it self, and commend it self sufficiently to our desires, can there be any better thing then to be like Christ? can [Page 98]there be a greater thing then to be like Christ? Let us but consider who, and what he is, he is the likenesse of God, the brightness of his glory, the character of his person, in whom god hath drawn forth himself, to the life, he is the image, he is the glory of God, there is not any excellency in God but it is displayed in our Lord Jesus, most beautifully; most divinely, most ad­vantagiously; and therefore it may well be a hope that may bow the vastest desires, and fill and satisfy the most enlarged hearts and expectations, surely if there be so much beauty in this first creation, in this natural image, which is but the first draught, but the rude lineaments (as I may say) of that glorious image of God, then what must there be in the very life-image it self: if the shadow be so beautiful, on what is the person!

As it is said, he that made the eye, shall be not see, so (I may say) in this case, he that hath by a shadowy relation that he hath given the creature, put so much beauty upon it (as in the first creation before it was marred by sin, which had a great deal of beauty in it) hath he not a choicer beauty, hath he parted with any thing from himself, and hath he not retayned better things with himself?

But I shall not go on to expatiate upon this, for it would quickly engulph us, and take up all our time, but that which I would further say, is this, and it will arise out of the arguments of the text, which will shew us the greatnesse of this glory, we wait (for the glory of this image which we shall be conformed unto) there are several arguments in the text, and in the context v. 1. Behold what manner of love, &c. And it doth not yet appear, &c. The first ar­gument [Page 99]is the present non-appearance of this-life, of this glory, some philosophy makes privation a prin­ciple, and so here in the text; This non-appearance, which is in a sort a privation, is a principle, or a de­monstration of the glory of our future hope and expe­ctation: It doth not yet appear; now when the Apostle says it doth not et appear, you must not take him, as speaking of a saint, when he is at the worst only (when he is at and under in his spirit) but you must take him as speaking to (or taking in within the ex­tent, or compasse of his affirmation) the best state that ever any saint did appear in, that it was rather a non appearance then a proper appearance of this glo­ry, it doth not yet appear, take it from Adam, and all the first creation-glory, take it from Abraham, and all the new creation-glory that ever yet appeared, it is a non-appearance, it is a hyding rather then a dis­playing of this glory, it doth not yet appear.

None of the saints in their attainments in their most lively and raised apprehentions, or actings ever did, or could give any tollerable account of this glory; I shall make forth to you my meaning by a Scripture resem­blance, the present state of the saints is but as the state of most rich and beautiful flowers in the seed, or of a most flourishing and fruitful tree in the kernel; you know what the Apostle says in the 1 Cor. 15.36. and so on.

As much as this, that the natural body, take it in a saint himself that hath the highest communications of God, it is but the seed of the spiritual body, and of the true appearance into which he shall break forth, and so our Saviour calls himself in that present state of his in the flesh, in Job. 12.24. a single seed.

In all his ministries and miracles he calls himself but a single seed; now what may we learn from this; why that the present state of a Christian bears no greater proportion to the future, it bears no greater simili­tude, and resemblance of the future, then a seed, or a single grain, or kernel doth of the flower, the plant, the tree, the fruit.

There are three things in a seed which do forbid it to glory, first, it is a narrow, contracted thing, it is a dark thing, and confused; it is also a dead thing, ex­cept it fall into the earth, it abides alone. I shall speak of these three a little; that so we may from the disad­vantages of the present state, be a little enlightned into the glory of our future and enlarged hope.

1. A seed is a contracted thing, what is a kernel to a tree, a poor little narrow thing, you know what our Saviour says, of the mustard seed, that it is the least of all seeds, but the true body of that seed (when it is grown up) the birds may rest in the branches of it; so are we in the present state, narrow, and contracted, Oh! we have neither room for God, nor room for one another in our hearts, we are such pittiful poor narrow contracted things, as single seeds abiding a­lone.

I have lately been thinking touching the resurrecti­on, how we in the present state do espouse (mark ye) but a few dusts of the earth, as our peculiar bo­dies, and we are seperated and divided from all others, as well as from the globe, the Masse, and body of the earth; and this body, we not only live in, but live to it, all our care and concerns is for it, and let all the earth be miserable if we can be happy.

This is the pittiful narrownesse and contractednesse [Page 101]of man in the present state, and although the seed of God, which is cast into us, is (as the Lord says of his people) a noble vine, a noble seed, and is witnes­sing, and testifying in us, of a greater largeness and breathing after it, yet we cannot break from our pri­son, but here we are confyned and shut up in the nar­row bounds of self, yea shut up against God, and we would be content to be a vail upon God, though he did loose his glory thereby.

Oh! there is this pitiful narrowness, in this present state, but when the body is sown in the earth, then it mingles and incorporates with it's mother earth, into the dust of the whole creation, then it marries them all, so will it be in our risen state: oh! then there will no more be a particular concern, a particular life, a par­ticular glory, but we shall have the body in communi­on, be in fellowship with all our fellow-members; we shall stand in one body, in one joy, with our head, and all our fellow members, as you see in a seed of corn, when it hath dyed in the earth, it comes up in an ear of corn, wherein there are many seeds, 20.30. a hundred fold, living in fellowship together.

Secondly, a seed is a dark thing, dark, and confu­sed, there is in a seed radically, vertually the tree, the plant, the flower in that poor little seed, but if you will go to finde out the arms of this tree, it is not the most skilful Anatomist that can finde them out, but there they lye wrapt up together in a dark state not explicate, not brought forth, so is it in the present state of the saints.

There is heaven, yea what do we say heaven, there is God, and Christ, and the spirit yea there are all the Angels of God, there is all the train, all the Reti­nue, [Page 102]all the gory of heaven, in every saint, so as that they do dwell mutually in one another, and every spi­rit is a house, and habitation for all blessed spirits, and all graces, all vertues, all excellencies; they shall display themselves gloriously even out of this seed, but at the present they are only here in a confused masse, nay a masse I may not call it, they are but in a principle not brought forth. We have sometimes hints, notions, apprehensions of great glory, but where are the integral parts that should make this an entire piece: here is a glimps, a glance, and eye, a little finger, as it is said of one of the twinns that put forth his hand and drew it back (in the case of Zarez, and Pharez.) So there is a putting forth of the hand, but alas the body is yet in the dark, and keeps behind all those glorious parts, they are but in seed, yea

3ly, As seed is not only dark and confused, but it is dead as our Saviour says, and we all know by experi­ence. You may take that seed, which will sow a whole field, and bring forth a plentiful harvest, you may lay it up in your garners, years, and yet you have not one seed more at the years end, then when you laid it up; for alas! the seed is a dead thing, unlesse it falls into the earth, as our Saviour says, so are we, we are dead, as the Apostle says, and our life is hid with Christ in God. There is the earth, we must fall into, there is our mother earth, our principle with which we must unite, must be in union with it, by a mistical death; you know that this natural death is but an ordinance to serve in the knowledge and doctrine of this mystical death unto us, it was ordained for this end unto be­lievers, it came in originally by sin, yet being come in, God makes use of it for this service, to represent to [Page 103]our eyes and sences, that we must thus dye out of our selves, as the body dyes into its original, that so it may be in union with the fulnesse of the whole earth: So we must dye out of our particulars into our own source or principle: the new Jerusalem that is from a­bove, that spirit of which we are, from whence we were taken: as Adams body was taken from the earth, so we are taken from a divine ground, and into that must we dye and fall, that so (I say) we may be in uni­on & in fellowship with the fulness of that principle. I might observe other things from the seed, as being course in it's appearance, a course covering. all of you know that the husk of a seed is but a course thing, so is the present form and appearance of the saints; I do not speak of the bodily appearance only, though that is but a course thing in comparison of the glori­ous body that we shall have, when Christ appears: But the body of our works, and righteousnesse, and all our actings as we are professors or saints, it is but a course thing in comparison, you know there is, if you take off the husk of a kernel there is a fine white kernel within, so I say there is a pure thing, lyes un­der a dark, and course covering in us, it doth not yet appear that is the first argument.

The Second argument, of the glory of this state, that we look for, is from these words, now are we the Sons of God, compared with the first words of the 1st vers. behold what manner of love hath the father bestowed upon as, that we should be called the sons of God; my argu­ment from hence is this, if we are the sons of God, that doth import a greater glory, then we indeed can con­ceive, for it doth import a similitude unto God, and a bearing his image, as the son of a man bears the image [Page 104]of his father, and is like unto his father; and the Apo­stle in that Rom. 8.17. builds very high upon this bottom, upon this foundation, If children, then heyres heyres of God, and joint-heyres with Christ, that if we suffer together, we should be also glorifyed too ether; and so he goes on, he builds all this upon this foundation that we are children, that we are sons: you know that the father doth communicate not only his worldly sub­stance, not only his goods, his riches, his inheritance, but his life, his spirit and his nature, unto his children; now if you would but take in the strength of this con­sideration, we must (I say) consider the 1st vers, behold what manner of love, &c. Love, you know is the principle of propagation in the creature, and so is love in God, and it is such a kinde of love, this propagating love it doth intend the bestowing of the dearest life and joy to the begotten, we are said to be born of the will of God. Now you know that every mans will is called his pleasure, because indeed the will is the very subject and source of all pleasure, and in all comparison be­tween the understanding and the will; they agree in this, that the understanding doth form and draw (as I may say) the lineaments of truth, But the will gives the life, touches the life of intellectual creatures, is the pleasure of their will in the draught of their un­derstandings; so that the saints, as born of the will of God, are the very pleasure of God, they are the very love of God, they are the breath of this love, the pro­duct of his love, upon which he doth designe to dis­play all the lovelyness that is in himself; and therefore now, what think you? hath the love of god given that glorious account of it self in the present state of the saints? is this all the love which God hath to shed [Page 105]down upon us? this that we experience in this pre­sent state? why! if God loves he will love like himself, and the effects of this love shall resemble that great love, which is the author of it, and the fountain of it, it must resemble it, it is said, that they shall say, Be­hold how he hath loved them, men and Angels shall say so, behold how he hath loved them, God will write forth his love in a greater character, and in a fairer letter, then yet it hath been read in, nay then yet it hath been conceived by any saint; the prophet tells us, no eye be­sides thee, hath seen, or conceived the things, that he hath prepared for them, that love God, Esay. 64. I may from hence glide very aptly into the evidence of this hope, though there are several other arguments of the greatnesse of it: I now come to the evidence of it, the evidence lyes partly in what God hath done, and partly in what he hath declared himself, that he will do. First, in what God hath done, God hath al­ready (you see) loved us, and he tels us in the pro­phets with an everlasting love, and that everlasting love is not only to everlasting, but was from everlast­ing; now there is more in this, then you are aware of, God hath set up this glory with himself (this glory in­to which he will bring forth the saints, he hath set it up with himself) before the world was, he hath set it up in Christ let me tell you, there is nothing lesse then eternal life, that God thinks worthy of his people, or that they are to account an interest: Therefore now, if the things we hope for, be eternal things, then they were before the world was: in hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lye, promised before the world began, yea he not only promised it, but he did exhibit it in the person of our Lord Jesus, 2 Cor. 5. We wait to be clo­thed [Page 106]upon with our house from heaven the building of God, eternal in the heavens, this eternal habitation is that that Job speaks of, he shall know his habitation and not sin: This eternal fair record of our persons, and of our life in Christ, is that which was by him, when he made the world, as in Prov, 8. Let me tell you, this state of ours, this contracted dead state, which we are in at this present time (which is as the rude draught of that suture state that we expect (why this state of ours and this seed) was comprehended in that state, in glory above, and did flow, as it were from that state, grew from that glorious plant and tree; it descended by cre­ation into this state of nature that here it might dye, and might rise again through a mistical death into it's first state, for Christ that is our pattern hath declared the divine processe of this mystery.

Christ tells us, that he was in the bosome of the fa­ther before he came into the womb of the virgin, and while he was here on earth, he had his apartment in glory: his rooms, his Lodgings, in heaven, nay the whole was his, he was the son of man in heaven, though he did come forth from that state into this poor narrow thing, the son of man on earth, yet he had his relation to that still, therefore he says, glorify me with that glory that I had with thee before the world began, this is the no­blenesse of a Christians relation, and that consists in two thins especially.

The one is, that the whole work is transacted in the person of Christ, we are saved in him, circumcised, raised in him, and the other is, that there is the pattern in the mount of all that we shall be, that is eternally existent with God, in which he doth behold all his works, his very last and concluding scene, and that is [Page 107]the righteousnesse that sustains him, under all the riskes and the adventures that his works do run through, in this world, and it is a great ground of hope to the saints, that they descend from such a state. if you could suppose a spring in the city, that was as high as the highest tower, though it might fall as low, as the lowest part of the ground of the whole city, yet it would rise again as high as the place, from whence it comes, and so (I say) this is a great confir­matiou unto us, that we shall arrive at such a pitch, be­cause we set forth from such a glory. Let others call this a notion, if they will, I am sure. the Scripture gives ground for it, I will be bold to say, that all that glory, as it is in heaven above, so it is likewise shut up in narrow bounds in that principle of regeneration, that is in the heart of a saint; these heavens, as they lye in the spirit, and person of our Lord Jesus, so do they in the principle of regeneration, of saith and love, as it is in Christ Jesus: faith and love you must not un­derstand to be only of Christ efficiently, but to be in Christ subjectively, our graces would never endure, nor keep sweet, if they were not kept in Christ, be­cause we derive our selves from those dear bowels of the father; when he brought forth Christ who is the eternal son of god, he brought forth his whole body in him, all his members were with him, and all the glory that ever they shall have, was put upon them there, in that pattern in the mount.

The Second evidence of it, is, The interest of our Lord Jesus in this, whose children, whose branches, whose seed we are, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, if so be that such poor inconsiderable things, as we might alwaies be whelmed under a bushel; is [Page 108]Christ so inconsiderable think you, shall not he be set on a Candlestick, shall he not have his time to appear

Till we appear with Christ, Christ will not be com­pleatly glorifyed, and when Christ doth appear, we cannot but appear with him, why so? because as we are called in a body so is Christ called in a body too: Christ cannot avoid being afflicted in our afflictions, I tell you there is no weather-glasse that shews changes in the air, as Christs glorifyed person shews all the changes that befals his members, and so they repre­sent his glorifyed person, as in a glasse, and there ill be spots in this moon, till the saints are glorify­ed with him; therefore it is Christs interest the glory of the saints, when he shall come to be glorifyed in his saints, and admired in all that believe not, by them, but in them, 2 Thes. 1.

Therefore let this be the comfort of poor saints that travel under a load of corruption, a body of sin, and of death, of it shall not always be so with the sons of God, they shall not always be so kept, it shall not always be so with the son of God, with the son of righteousness, he shall not always be hid with a cloud; no, no, he hath his time to appear, the great and only Potentate, king of kings, and Lord of Lords, he must shew this great sight, and he will shew it in it's ap­pointed time; 1 Tim. 6.15. and lastly, now to shew you a little of the power by which it shall be done, which possibly will not get an easy entrance into our belief (what is the reason we stick at the believing of things, but because we do not credit the power by which it shall be done) it shall be by Christs appearing. It is no more but for Christ to look forth and to pre­sent himself, and to shew himself, and the work is [Page 109]done, we may truly say, let God arise, and his enemies shall be scattered; you see every day, how that cham­pion, the sun comes out of his quarters as a bridgroom out of his chamber, and how he no sooner sets forth, but all darknesse flyes before him. Oh! it is not the stoutest of enemies, that thou hast, nor that the Church hath, can bear the presence, and the looking forth of the Lord Jesus, but they will presently cry, hide us from the face of him, that sits upon the throne, and from the presence of the lamb; my brethren, this glory in which Christ shall appear, if you do but consider it, that the state in which he was upon the earth was but as the seed, and in that first appearance bore no greater a proportion to the glory of his person, and his spirit now in the 2d appearance then a sed, a little dark sed, doth unto it's plant or tree.

Do not think your Saviour will be seen by you, as in the days of his flesh, no he will come in the glory of his father, what do you think your Saviour to be, is he not God as well as man, he will come in the demon­stration of his Godhead, and what shall be hard or un­possible unto Almightiness it self, he spake the word, and they were created. Thus will God plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the new earth, even by the word that he hath put into the mouths of his poor witnesses in sackcloath, when he shall appear to back this testi­mony, Oh! how will this living word back this testi­mony, and how will it kindle and set on fire, the foun­dations of the mountains: and whatever doth cover this glory? when the Lord gave the word, great was the company that published it, not only the Angels, but eve­ry creature shall take the word and publish it, and transmit it to the very end of the world: I will give [Page 110]you but a little demonstration of it, and that is from all your experience, look what power the hitherto appearances of Christ have had in and upon the world, upon the saints in the world, Christ dwelling in their hearts by faith, what great things hath it done, see what those worthies did by faith in Heb. 11. By faith Enoch was translated, through faith they subdued king­doms, wrought righteousnesse, stopped the mouths of lyons, quenched the violence of the fire, women received their dead raised to life again, &c.

Now faith, you know is but seeing at a distance, but when Christ shall draw near, when he shall hold forth himself immediatly to the soul, oh! what a glorious power shall we be sencible of from thence: so if we should reflect upon revelations what great things have revelations done: ye know when Paul was by the re­velation of the Lord, as he says 1 Cor. 12.3. taken up I knew a man in Christ (says he,) he was not sencible whether he was in the body or not, as much as to say, I was not concern'd about that, now, this is all, that I would say unto you, I would have you to under­stand me aright, it is not only a bodily sight of Christ that I drive at, though that shall also be, and the bodily eye shall be able to take in the glory of his body and person.

But there is an intellectual sight of Christ, taking him in, by spiritual sences, Christ is God, as well as man, and this is that I would only say, that the sight of Christ is the power, whereby we are changed into the similitude of Christ, by a true sight of him in the spirit, in the glory of his spiritual person, this is that which will transform and change us: so that we are changed after a divine manner, I say it is not by any [Page 111]methods, or ways of the creatures acting, I cannot put you into a way, and tell you of such a process as your Chymists do, that you must proceed thus and thus, no but I say it is his exhibitting of himself, in a clear light; upon the soul, enables it to copy him forth, as I may say; and to be brought forth into the same si­militude.

Ʋse, first, let us bear up under our present unlikeness unto Christ. truly the present unlikeness is made ma­ny times more unlike by temptations, which God sends upon his people, and by desertion, as if they were not low enough by the general common and con­stant attendants of the fall, God so dispences his peo­ple, many times, as to fall into deeps, and darkness, that they have no sence of what they were, or of what they are, or of what they shall be, bear up under these for there is a day of brightning promised.

And my second word is this, it is Christs work and not yours, you are passive in it, and under it, pray what do the heavens do to their own enlightning, but lye under the beames of the sun, when the sun (which knows his time) ariseth, and comes forth into the fir­mament. Let this comfort poor souls that are concern­ed for holyness, that are concern'd for the image of God, and likeness unto Christ. Let it comfort us for the Church, and for the whole creation, all which have promises: first, the first fruits the Church first, and then the world, first the dead in Christ are to arise, e­very one in his order: now I say, that is our hope, and our hope is laid upon our Lord Jesus, and upon his appearing, and therefore do not dispond, do not say, how shall this be done? consider but the word in Phil. 3. chap. According to the power whereby he is able to sub­der [Page 112]all things to himself, I tell yon there is no such power in matter, or in body as there is in spirit, the Lord Jesus Christ he changes us after a spiritual man­ner, we are changed by the spirit of the Lord, that spirit which works in an instant, therefore it is said in a moment, or in the twinkling of an eye.

My second Use is this, Oh! travel, travel in the knowledg of Christ, and in the discoveries of Christ, oh! wait to know Christ, and to have him open'd and revealed to you in the Scriptures, and by the spirit in all the means you are under, I say wait for this, when we shall see him, as be is, we shall be like him; Oh! it is nothing but the hiding of Christs glory from us, that makes us to partake so little of his glory, because I live, ye shall live also, the very sight of his life will im­port life unto us, so the sight of his glory will put glory upon us, for when he shall appear, we shall appear with him in glory.

The Eighth Sermon.

I Have been long upon these words, but the subject is very copious, which will excuse me, my aim in first pitching upon them, was, both to acquaint my self, and you (I say that we might all of us be acquain­ted from the Lord, and from his spirit amongst us) with that preparation that becomes us for the Lords appearing: to this end, I have spent much of my time in holding forth to you, the grounds of my expectati­on of the Lords coming to be neer; very neer; begin­ing with the signes which our Saviour himself gives us of his day: in handling of which I was cast upon that phrase of the days of the son of man, which I endeavou­red to clear up unto you, that they did hold forth a tract of time, from the end of the beasts term which we meet with in Rev. 13. (where we fynd it precisely, limitted within the space of 42 months) unto the com­ing down of the new Jerusalem, and Christs glorious ap­pearance; and having dispatch't that I came to the ap­plication, and the last time, I spent the whole in an use of exhortation, to watching, to watch for the Lords coming, thinking to have gone on, with other duties, that this season calls for.

But it hath been cast into my thoughts since I was here, that there may remain some doubts touching the times, and I may be thought too forward and early a reckoner, and that chiefly upon the account of the Vyals, which many, very serious and enquiring souls (many that are very much enlightned in the works of God in this day, and have great hopes for the kingdom of Christ, and do wait heartily for re­demption in Jerusalem) yet cannot get over the stumbling block of the Vyals, thinking they are not yet poured out: whereas I have intimated often, that we are under the 6th Vyal, and have been so long; Therefore, though it may seem to be a great under­taking to remove this obstrnction, and to give satisfa­ction in this point, and I cannot say, that I have so prepared my self for it, that I can promise this will be the fruit of it, yet I am willing to appear, though in weaknesse, and hold forth that light which I have for this thing, that the Vyals, most of them are pou­red forth; I shall first give you my grounds for this and then I shall answer an objection or two, that are come to my knowledge against it, and so we shall go on afterwards with one application.

Now in discerning this point (as indeed in discern­ing all prophetical mysteries) there are two rules, that do exceedingly avail to the guiding of us in fynding out the minde of God in prophetical truths: and the first is this, to look to the type, and compare the type, and the antitype together, and the second is, to compare the works of God in the world with his word, for these works of God are the comment upon his word, and the best comment that we can have: Now for the first, I would premise this, that there is not any thing [Page 115]in the new Testament, not any period of time, nor any scene that concerns us Christian gentiles, but there is the prototype, the resemblance of it, in the antient Church of the Jews; these times of the new Testament, are called the fulnesse of times, they are the times of the fulfilling of prophecies; prophecy, though not as to fulfilling, yet as to delivery, was compleated and made up in the times of the old Testament, and therefore it is said the prophets prophecyed until John, and our Savi­our, when he began his ministry, says the time is ful­filled, now then to the point in hand, what are the types of the Vyals.

We do finde that expositors have not amiss paralel­led these Vyals with the judgments that God did ex­ecute upon Egypt, when he brought forth Israel, for they are a manifest allusion unto those judgments, as you may see, if you do compare them, though they do not correspond in point of number, yet they are called plagues, here is the scab as was in Egypt, as when Moses threw up the dust into the air, so it is in the first Vyal, there is a scab, and a sore upon those that worshiped the beast: then another plague was upon the rivers and fountains, as here in the Vyals, the 3d Vyal turns the rivers into blood, and there was darknesse over the land of Egypt: so under the 5th Vyal the kingdom of the beast is darkned, so that I say, there is a warrantable ground for an allusion of the Vyals to the plagues in Egypt, but yet withall I say the allu­sion is not only unto the plagues of Egypt.

For the Vyals are poured forth by the witnesses, and we shall finde that there is an allusion to 3 se­veral pairs, all in that vision of the witnesses (or that doctrine of the witnesses, as you may call it, [Page 116]if you will, Revel. 11. there is (I say) an allusion to three pair of witnesses, the first pair is Moses and Aa­ron, Elijah and Elisha the second, and Joshua and Ze­rubbabel the third pair, and as they were called two witnesses so they did fulfil their testimony in 2 parts, there was 2 parts of their witness, and two seasons of the fulfilling thereof, the first part was in a time of suffering before they were escaped from under their suffering-state, that was their first part; but in the se­cond part, they were upon the upper ground, they were (as I may say) the heyrs apparent of a king­dom, and an interest which was upon the rising hand; I shall shew this to you clearly in all the three.

First, you know that Moses and Aaron before they lest Egypt (while Israel was under the yoak) they did pour out several plagues upon Egypt, but this was not all the work they had to do, there was the greatest plague of all was powred out afterwards, when they were escaped ont of Egipt, at the red-sea, there was the destruction of Pharaoh and all his hosts.

And Joshua who was indeed for a supply unto Mo­ses, when Moses was taken off, to carry on and com­pleat the work, he led Israel into Canaan, and gave them that land: so that he did enter upon the labours of Moses, and he knew the work, there is the first pair, and from the time of the red-sea, Israel was a prevailing in terest, untill they were settled in Cana­an: so likewise, you may see in the second pair, Eli­jah was a man of contention all his days and fled for his life, yet before his death, he had power to restrain the heavens, that they should not rain, and he slayes the Prophets of Baal, I might shew you how that Ahab, and Jezabel and her prophets were exceeding apt [Page 117]types of the Beast, the false Prophet, and the whore, under the times of the new testament, as Elijah was a type of the witnesses.

Now Elisha comes with a double portion of Elijahs spirit, he anoints John, and brings down the house of Ahab, and he perfects the work of Elijah in the spi­rit of the kingdom, Elijah represents the time of the witnesses under their persecution, and his ascention was a type of the ascention of the witnesses, these are the second pair.

But the last pair is Joshua, and Zerubbabel, Joshua he was clothed with filthy garments as were the wit­nesses that prophecyed in sackcloth, Zach. 33. Joshua was the priest, the high priest and Zerubbabel, he was the Prince, the civel ruler. Now you know, that it is said in the Revelation that he hath made us kings and priests to God his father, and the witnesses come first as priests in a suffering state, and thereia they do part of the work, they do execution against Babylon by pow­ring out several of the Vyals, but from the time of their slaughter, and their ascention, then Christ comes forth in his witnesses as acting immediately towards his kingdom, and then he anoints them with the spirit of the kingdom, that so they appear not now any longer as Joshua with filthy garments but as the Lord says there, take away the filthy garments from him, and set a fair mitre upon his head, and they did so.

Now by all this, it doth appear, that there are two parts of the witnesses work, there is one part under suffering, during the times of the beast, and there is another part after the times of the beast are expired, this is the first ground.

The second ground is this, from comparing the [Page 118]word of God, with the works of God, and that which I have to say upon that account, is this; that we shall be injurious to the works of God, if we do not ac­knowledg the Vyals to be powred out, there have been such works done, as do justly challenge this glory unto them, to be the fulfilling of this word of God, in execution of the Vyals. Every degree of reformation hath powred forth a Vyal upon the Anti christian state, and hath done considerable execution upon that state; as I might referr you to the times from Wickliff down to Luther, John Huz, and Hierom of Prague, and so down from those times, if we shall not acknowledge those works to be the execution, and powring out of the Vyals, upon what account shall we place them? what word of God was fulfilled in them? for Antichrist did receive a considerable detriment and imparing by them that is clear and manifest, whole kingdoms rent from him, by that reformation. And the work hath proceeded yet further to the detecting of him (I mean of Antichrist) in his most specious ap­pearances, and to the darkning of his kingdom in our day; so that they did as the Scripture says, gnaw their tongues with pain these two are general grounds.

Now more particularly, I would speak two or three words unto you, to clear up this, that the Vyals are to be powred out by the witnesses, and not as some do think by some extraordinary instruments that shall be raised up in the very end of time, near Christs com­ing, and that may appear from hence from the very name that is given unto Christ, in whose power all his instruments do act and work, this is the name that is given unto him, the faithful witness: in the beginning of this book of the Revelations in the salutation, so [Page 119]that I say, Christ, and all his, do their work by wit­nessing, and therefore, pray do but mark how the ho­ly Ghost doth pursue the phrase in giving an account of all the successes of Christ, he uses this word of testi­mony, I know not what the Vyals are to do, but to overcome the beast, and the overcoming of the beast is by the word of their testimony; I grant that term in Revel. 12. is spoken of the Dragon, and of the primi­tive Churcn under the seals, when under the 6th. seal, they obtained the day against the heathen dragon, whom they overcame by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony, but so also they overcome all Christs enemies, they overcome the beast, and the false prophet as well as the dragon by the same means; and therefore in Rev. 19. you will find there, that the beast, and the false prophet (and the kings of the earth that did manage their interest and assist them) they were slain and their party, by the sword of him that sate upon the horse; which sword proceeded out of his mouth, and so it is said in 2 Thes. 2.8. v. speaking of the wan of sin, whom (saith the Apostle) he shall con­sume with the spirit of his mouth, so that you see, it is the witnesses that are to powr forth the Vyals, and that it is the word of their testimony that doth the work, it is not kings nor parliaments, but as they shall be raised and influenced to be helps in the work in that which is proper for them to do.

But the chief, the influencing cause of all is Christ and his witnesses, therefore says the Lord, I have put my words in thy mouth, the words of his mouth shall bring down the old state of this world, and plant the new, and therefore in conformity to this, we find four of the Vyals powred forth by the witnesses, during [Page 120]their suffering-state, as in Revel. 11. turning the water into blood, were two of the Vyals, and the plagues o [...] the earth, and the fire two more, so it is easy to shew you, in Revel. 14.18. that there also is mention made of 4. Vyals in the vintage, now this harvest, and th [...] vintage are (by the judgment of those that have wai­ted upon God in these things) apprehended to signify (though they do distinguish them indeed) to signify that conversion and bringing in of nations in the begin­ning of the reformation, where some of the Vyals are hinted, and then there followed another Angel saying, Babilon is falne, is falne, which they do apply unto the ministry of Luther, who preached, that all were in a state of damnation, that did abide in the doctrine of the beast, and did not come out of it, that was the harvest, and then the vintage follows, the gathering of the vine of the earth, and casting it into the winepress of the wrath of God, which is that fourth Vyal Angel doth cry for, so that (I say) by these things, it is made probable, that the Vyals are powred out most of them before this time.

There is an objection or two, which must be an­swered before we can carry this away in peace. And that is,

Obj. That it is said, that the Vyal-angels come out of the temple, and this temple was not opened untill the 7th. trumpet sounds, as you may sinde in Rev. 11.15. where you reade at the 15 vers. the seventh Angel sounded, now in the 15. chap. it is said, that the 7th Angel came out of the temple, now this is that which many do ground upon, that therefore the Vyals are none of them poured out, because we reade not of the temple being opened until the 7th. trumpet.

Answ. Though Mr. Brightman delivered his judgment that it sounded an 100. years ago, yet it is not so apprehended by others after him; now that which I shall say to you, is this, that the temple here spoken of, is not that temple out of which the Angels came (the Vyal Angels) that is one thing, and then the other is this, that that temple which is here feon to be opened, was not opened at the coming out of the Vyals, but was opened afterwards, first that it is not the same temple, mistake me not, I mean not, that there are several temples, for there is but one temple; But in the temple you know, there was the holy place, or the tem­ple of the priests, and the most holy place into which the high priest alone entred; now the temple of the priests, that was open all along, that I prove thus from Revel. 11.1. where you finde, that the Angel com­mands John to go and measure the temple of God, and them that worship therein, this was the temple of priests, for there was the Altar in the holy place, now the other temple which was the most holy, there was the Ark, and that is the temple, which is opened after the 7th trumpet sounded. The holy of holies, the temple of God was opened, and there was seen in his temple, the ark of his testament Revel. 11. last.

The ark was not seen in the temple of the Priests, where the Altar was, but it was seen in the most holy place, for thither was the ark carryed, and so in that chap. 15. Behold the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened. This is not that state of the Church whiles they were under suffering from Anti­christ; but it is that state that the Church enters into after the expiration of the term of Antichrist, when they are just going up into the kingdom, that is the [Page 122]temple that is opened at the 7th trumpet, and there it is called the temple of the tabernacle of testimony. Be­cause the ark was called the ark of the testimony and the tables that were in the ark are called the tables of testi­mony; so that (I say) these temples were distinct, that is the first thing. The Second thing, that I have to prove is, that this most holy place is not opened for the Vyals to come out, but is opened after they are come out, for when the Angels are said to come out of the temple, there is no specification, that that temple was the tem­ple of the tabernacle of the testimony, but I heard a great voice out of the temple, chap. 6. v. 1. now to prove this he says in the beginning of the 15th, chap. I saw a great signe in heaven, and there is a summary account of the Vyals pouring out, and the victory of the true Church of Christ over the Antichristian Sinagogue in the four first verses, before you hear of the opening of the ten ple of the tabernacle of testimony, for this is a chara­cter that is observed throughout the Revelations, where you meet with that word after these things) as you do in 5th vers. there is always another vision of distinct new matter, and that which follows in time af­ter the former; as for instance, after the Lord had dis­patch't his minde unto Johu in those Epistles, in the 2d and 3d chap. It is said, chap. 4. After this I looked and behold a door was opened in heaven: so likewise in the 7th chap. after the 6th seal had brought the heathen dragon down, and cast him to the earth, it is said, af­ter these things I saw 4 Angels standing, &c. Now this is an evident token of things that do succeed and fol­low, and are not contemporary, so here, chap. 15. v. 6. It is said, after the Vyals, and not before the Vy­als, of which he had given a summary account in the [Page 123]former verses, and indeed, if we do but consider the nature and import of Vyals, that will help us in the discerning of this point that is before us, which will serve for an answer to another objection, and that is this;

You will say the Vyals are the judgments of God upon the beast, now this is the order of divine justice, that sin when it is finished, brings forth death; but the beast had not finished his sin, at the begining of the times of reformation, and therefore it is not to be expe­cted that he should have his reward, till he hath done his work.

Answ. Yet he had done work enough to be rewar­ded for, before the Vyals began, he was not idle, he fell to work immediatly, when once he had power given to him, he opened his mouth in blasphemies.

He had ravished the Christian world from Christ, before these Vyals began to be poured forth: did he not deserve something for all this? was he not ripe for judgments? all the work that he did afterwards, was very much occasioned by the Vyals, by the com­ing forth of the light, and the truth against him, which did sorely vex him, so that he behaved himself like a beast indeed, with great rage, more then before.

But consider in the 2d place (mark ye) the import of the Vyals, of which word we read but once, as I know in the old Testament, viz. of a Vyal, and that was Samuels taking a Vyal of oyl; but the Vyals we read of in the Revelations, are full of odours, or the prayers of the saints: now there are but 3 things that can fill the Vyals, either the sin of the enemies, or the judgments of God for those sins, or the prayers of the saints, and I think, they may be all in the Vyals.

It is certain, the prayers of the saints are there, they cryed from the primitive times, and so down all along.

The sins of the enemy, they also fill up these Vyals, you know what God says of the Amorite, The sins of the Amorites are not yet full, for so God tells Abraham, as much as to say, the Vyals are not yet full, I shall give you one place here, the Lord speaks much in this kinde of phrase, Deut. 3.34. Is not this laid up with me in store, or sealed up among my treasures? he says before, Their wine is the poyson of Dragons, is not this laid up in store with me? you know there are seven seals, and six of them were opened before the heathen Roman was destroyed.

So that all the whole time from Christ unto his se­cond coming, is all under the seals, we are under the seals to this day, the 7th seal is not sully opened, till Jesus Christ in person be exhibited to the joyful view and beholding of those that look for him. All this while God is registring and recording all the sins of the ene­my, all their bitterness, it is sealed up amongst his treasures, that is the 2d. thing that fills the Vyals, the sins of the enemy; Consider that antichrist had been at work about a 1000 years before ever a Vyal did stir against him, before the beginning of the Reformation. And as there was the sins of a thousand years treasured up against him, and the prayers of a thousanp years for vengeance upon him, so there was the wrath of God distilling into these Vyals, for every sin brought a drop of wrath into these Vyals still, therefore you need not say, that antichrist had not done his work, and so was not to have his wages, for you fee he had done a great deal of his work, yea his sin was full, that is so much as was to precede the Vyals.

Now because the time is so farr past, I shall spend the remainder of it, in a word or two of application, it is a word of exhortation to us, To be waiting for the return of our Lord from the wedding, and I would not have you think this is th same word altogether with that I spake the last day, thongh if it were, yet it were worth the while, I exhorted you then to watch, and that was against sleeping and security: I told you in all things, you must be as looking for your Lord; you may do business, but with a wakeful ear and eye, to be in a readiness, to knock off from all affairs, to enter with the Bridegroom, and open unto him imme­diately, but now I say we are called to wait for this Bridegroom; for I tell you, he may be nearer to us, then we are a ware off, and though the present time is such a time, that puts the saints upon a great disad­vantage as to this waiting, and that in two respects.

First it is a dead time, a dull time, a silent time, it is a time that hath such a complextion as is most disad­vantagious to the saints; it is like the midst of sum­mer, and the midst of winter, there is no fermentati­on in the blood (as I may say) but all is quiet in the body, so it is with us, a still time, our faith doth not work, nor we are not exercised but are strangely be­calm'd, like a vessel at sea, neither winde nor tide with it, no waves to waft it over, but there it lies still, so is it with a saint at such a time.

Secondly, it is possible, it is a time of great confi­dence to the enemies of the Church, who say we have them in a nooze, and they cannot escape us yet, and therefore I think it most necessary thus to apply to the saints at this time, and to encourage them, and call up their faith, for I tell you, this is the very complexion [Page 126]of the time, wheerein Christ may be expected.

It is a time wherein the Church feels least working of any providence towards these issues, but all things are still, and it is a time wherein her enemies are most confident, but this is no other, then what the Lord acquaints us with by the Apostle, in that 1 Thes. 3.5. When they shall saypeace and safety, that is, when the enemy shall say so, &c. Now whether this be such a time, or no, judge that your selves, wherein the Lords enemies do cry peace and safety to themselves; I confess to you, I am continually alarumed in my own spirit, and I cannot be out of the hearing of this voice in my ear continually, that the Bridegroom is coming, and that the day of decision is nearer then most men do expect.

I could tell you somthing touching the place, which I know is a great objection against these things: the place where the Lord will begin the glorious discove­ries of himself, and the setting up of his kingdom; we do expect that it should be in the great continent of the world, and that it should be all over the world at once, but we may be very much mistasten in that, the Lord doth begin his judgments in a particular place. Revel. 16.16. Armageddon is a particular place, what need they be gathered to Armageddon, if Christ should take his enemies wheresoever they are all the world o­ver? then it were not proper to say they were gathered to a particular place; so Joel. 3. There you have the vally of Jehoshaphat, that is the judgment of Christ, which he will exercise before the final judgment of the dead, be­fore the raising of his dead enemies, that have dyed from the begining of the world to that time. We must first look for the judgment of the quick for they shall [Page 127]be judged before the dead, and I tell you, that it may be made out, that the seat of this judgment is not to be all the world over, but in this Roman monarchy, or the seat of the 4th. Monarchy. And perhaps we may bring it into a narrower scantling then so too, where the witnesses resurrection doth first appear, there is the lamb, that is the vally of Jehoshapbat, there will this decision be, it is not only the Western Empire as you have it in Esay. 59.

But it is, the Isles of the west, yea yet closer, it is the north west Isles, chiefly as I might shew you from Esay. 24.15.

It is by the Jewish Rabbies themselves applyed to the Isles of great Brittain, this being the only north west Isle of note in the world there is not any people in the earth, that God hath so owned and hononred and tryed, and set up such a cause and interest among them, as in these nations, where his son hath been owned as king of saints, his claym hath been put in for these kingdoms, these things might be made clear to you; so that I say there may be a begining of that work of God in these nations, which other nations are not ready for; I might shew you this, from the last of Esay. where it is said, that they that shall escape (in that day of decision) shall go, and be instrumen­tal to bring in other nations, and the nations of the Gentiles must be brought in before the Jews come in; this seems to be the method of Gods work, and there­fore how neer may the Lord be to the begining of this work, when all this is to be done before Christs ap­pearing, which is but a little time the 1335. days being within a little of coming up.

I should now come to shew you how we should wait for the appearance of the Lord.

First, we must wait patiently.

Secondly me must wait with a concern, be so con­cerned for this, as to forget all things else in compa­rison not to be satisfied with ought else, though God throw in many things of another nature yet let this be the concern, else all is nothing.

Thirdly, wait in poverty of spirit.

The Nineth Sermon.

SInce the Lord perswaded me to answer the desires of some of his people to come sometimes and ap­pear amongst you; I have endeavoured to acquaint you with the grounds of my hopes and perswations, that the day of the Lord is neer. I have (I confesse) through the need I have found of it in my self (as well as from the survey that I have taken of the condition of my fellow members in the body mistical, needing some relief, I have I say engaged my minde, and have been wayting upon God for light in the point, that I might have some satisfaction, what time of the day (or of the night) it is, that we are in, and might have some discerning of the times, and what God doth in­tend to do with us: and you know, that I have im­parted to you, (what satisfaction I received in my self) that the times of the man of sin (that is the 42 monthes which were alloted to him) are expired, and that they did end with Daniels first number of 1290. days men­tioned in Dan. 12. And that we are now in the middle of those 45 yeares, that were to run out from that time until the time that he speaks of, when he says, blessed is he that wayteth, sand so comes unto the 1335 days, or years; that is the 45 prophetical days, from the expyring of the first number; so that by my account and reckoning the time of the beast expired, about the year 1650 or [Page 130]1653. (for there is that difference between Gronolo­gers from whence to begin the account from Julians time, wherein (some say the one and some say the o­ther) If you take it from the earliest account, there are 24. of the 45 years past, but if from the latter 21 past, and 24 to come. I confesse, I have found a great exercise in my self to digest so long a delay as 21 or 24 years, it is a great while, especially for men that are in years (and according to the course of nature, may drop before that time) to wait, which hath put me upon, searching exceedingly, if I could finde any thing that might relieve in this case, if we might yet bring the day of Christs glorious appearing neerer; There being such a promise left us of shortening the days (the days of the last calamity) but ( I say) it is not for us, upon our own desires (that would fain do it,) to shorten the time, we may not presume to do it) and therefore for my part I am fain to give that up, I cannot bring the post neerer, then the Scripture sets it; there may be some relief, which I do not see in other places of the Scripture: Therefore I have cho­sen this text at this time, here in relief, if the Lord shall give us, the experience of it, that is, if he shall be with us in the exercise of patience, patience will tyde it out, patience will secure a good issue unto us, and therefore the Lord be with us now, and enable us to be exeroised upon these words profitably.

Let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing; I shall not take the or­dinary way of discoursing this point of patience to you, to raise a doctrin and handle it by reason and use, but I shall propound first to open to you what this pati­ence is, and Secondly to shew you how it is required [Page 131]of us, and thirdly to speak something that may, if the Lord be with it, and in it, call up this grace in us and help us in the erercise of it.

First, what is patience, the word here translated pa­tience is hupomene, and it signifies a standing under, and abiding under the yoak, or the tryal, with continuance, and perseverance, and with hope, and expectation; there are 3 things in patience, there is to­lerantia or bearing, and there is perseverance, and there is expectation.

Patience is not proper, where there is not a burden, where there is not a deferring of good or bearing of some evil, now there is both in this occasion, that calls for the saints patience; here is evil present, and here is good absent, here is hope deferred, and here is great tryal and exercise present, I need not speak of these particularly, you know that in the Revelations (in two chapters, to speak of no more) the holy Ghost doth reflect upon the great exercise that must be expected would be given unto the patience of the saints, by the course of the man of sin, that he runs, as 1st in Revel. 13. Where you have the two beasts described, it is said, at the end of the description of the former beast, here is the patience, and the faith of the saints, and 2ly in Reve. 14.12. where he speaks of the fall of the beast, and of his worshipers, he says, here is the patience of the saints, both these texts (and the latter especially) imply both the exercise by a pre­sent evil, and the expectation of deliverance, and of an absent good, to be given in due season.

Secondly, As there is bearing, so there must be a continuance a perseverance in bearing of this tryal, and in expecting of this good, there must be a continuance [Page 132]in bearing, as the Apostle says in Heb. 10.36. Ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise, and so all the comfort is to them that endure to the end, they shall be saved, there must be a perseverance; because thon hast kept the word of my patience (it is said to the Church of Philadelphia) I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation Rev. 3.10. And unto another Church he speaks of keeping his works unto the end, there must be perseverance in suffering and in doing, and in the aforementioned place in the Hebrews, ye have need of patience, that af­tor ye have done the will of God &c.

Though, indeed, this doing of the will of God, is not only the active part of a Saints life and obedience but his very suffering is a doing the will of God, a Christian is active even in suffering, for yon may re­member this expression by our Saviour is assumed un­to himself, says he, Lo I come to do thy will, O God; he also says sacrifices and offerings thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me, that will that he came to do was to be a sacrifice, therefore a Christian is active e­ven in suffering, and indeed this is the glory of a Christians patience; Christians do not bear evil as a stock, or a stone, or as pillars that are made for por­ters to set down their burden, but a Christian is said to be exercised by the things that he bears, and it is said, that they bring forth the peaceable fruits of righte­ousness, to them that are exercised thereby, a Christian is a lively stirring thing, he is exercised in suffering the will of God.

Thirdly, the third thing is expectation, this is also in patience, as the Criticks upon the word say, it doth import a tollerantia, & persever antia cum expectatione, [Page 133]there is a trouble they are sensible of, in the deferring of their hopes, and in the continuance of their tryals, but this trouble is joyned with a comfortable expcta­tion, they bear it with an expectation of an issue, ac­cording indeed as God hath provided for all his, in all their tryals, whether they be publick or personal try­als, God is faithful that bath promised, and will not suf­fer you to be tempted above what ye are able, but with the temptation, will make a way to escape; so that a Christian is subjected in hope, as it is said the creati­on is, God forbid that a Christian should not have his part in that priviledge, that the whole creation shares in, they are subjected in hope, how much more the Saints, they shall have the first mercy, as they are the first fruits of his creatures, so they shall have the first fruits of redemption, the rest of the creatures shall be delivered, but how and when? why? iuto the glcrious liberty of the sons of God, even as Christ is the first begot­ten from the dead, so the saints are the first fruits of the creation. Christ entred into heaven, first, the foreruner entred for us, and we follow him, we are called up by him, and received into the same glory with him, so that (I say) there is an expectation in this patience, even as the hireling waits for the end of the day, and the watchman watches for the morning, so do the people of God wait for the promised redemption, we through the spirit do wait for the hope of righteousness by faith, for we are saved by hope, as the Apostle says in Rom. 8.

But hope that is seen is not hope, so as that now from henec, we gather this, that where there is not an ex­pectation, there patience will be found very weak, and impoteut, and indeed, that will be found to be the account of our impatience, want of faith and hope, [Page 134]so is the strength and firmness of our patience, Abra­ham saw the day of Christ, he waited with a great firm­ness of patience, because he saw my day and rejoyced, and was glad, and therefore let me tell you, friends, upon this account (before I pass from this particular) it is your interest, as well as your duty (I say it is your interest) to study the promises, to study the pro­phecies, and to study the times, these three things are to be studyed, it is your interest as well as your du­ty to do it. I know that you will grant the first, that it is your interestto study the promises, but alas! this is a lame business the studying of the promises, if you do not study the prophecies, and study the times, for to have a promise that some time, or other, there shall be a new state of things, and not have the time disco­vered to you, this is but a languishing tomfort, alas! say many, it will not be in our days, as that good man comforted himself, that the evil threatned would not be in his days. So patience is very lame upon this account because they know not whether it will be in their days or nor, that is the cause of so great slightness, in this respect they leave these things to others, say they, you have leizure you can study the times and the pro­mises, and so they take it upon the words of other men; but we may speak long enough, ere we can bear a solid ground of comfort into your hearts, if you have it only from our words, unless as the Sama­ritans said to the woman, ye have heard and seen it your selves, and so know that the time doth draw near.

And if you say, how should we (alas how should we) discern those difficult, those obscure periods that are delivered so darkly in the Revelations, and other places, let me tell you (I desire to be free with [Page 135]you) I know not whether it will suit with me or no, to speak oft among you; espetially this winter time (though if I were among you, I should embrace the call to be often among you, for it is my comfort) but let me tell you, I have in these my poor labours a­mong you, directed you to Dan. 12. that you might take it, and make somthing of it, which you may if you wait upon God; the words are plain, that from that time of taking away the daily sacrifice, and setting up, the abomination of desolations it should be 1290 days.

If one should tell you, that at such a time, or at the end of such a period, such an estate should fall to you, or such a kingdom beyond sea, would you not study it, when this time would come up, though it were set a little darkly, it is nothing, but that you have not a heart to it; I beseech you bear with me, it lies upon my spirit as a grief, that people complain so of the times, are so weary of the times, and would be at bet­ter things in that regard, and yet they will take no pains to look into the times of the promises, if any should give you bonds, will you lay them up in your desk, will you never look when these bonds will be due.

I confess it is too plain, and I have no ground to re­call my word, I stand to the reckoning that I have made among you, that from the time of Julian the Apostate who in opposition to Christianity was engag­ing to repair Judaism from that time to 1650. or 1653. the 1290. days came up, and that from thence there are but 45 years to come to the blessed period, would you have any thing plaincr, and if the Lord hath so considered us in such a Scripture as this, we ought, in thinkfulness to him, to set our hearts to the under­standing [Page 136]of it, if all the interpreters be out, yet we may fetch the sence of it from heaven, strive then with God, that he would give you some account of the prophecies, as to the times, having brought this glo­rious hope so near, as I have done, or as God ha [...]h done to me, and I to you, as within a little more then 20 years, now I lay aside all my books, and all my reckonings, (though the evidence thereof abids with me still, I cannot bring it nearer, nor can I fee how it is further off) I am now studying the times, and there is a self evidencing light in the times, in the dispensa­tions of God, and in his dealings with his people, and his manifesting himself in their spirits and forming them, it is a self evidencing property, that is in the dispensations of God to acquaint us, what they are, and what Gods connsel and purpose is in them. And I have sound great comfort in this reflecting upon the times; our Saviour says it is, that that may afford us light, yea heathens can discern the face of the sky, and yet cannot we discern the signes of the times, there is as much light to be gathered from the times, if we wisely consider them, as our Astrologers gather from the face of the sky, as our Saviour instances of them, in some things, as in a cloud arising out of the west, and the blowing of the Southwind &c. and have we not now a notable cloud arising in this western part of the world (so that I say, there is a light in the times, and truly to give you one iustance, I do apprehend, that we may clearly see in the times, both dissolution and restitution: though more of the former, then of the latter: you know it is said, that there must be a disso­lution before there be a restitution, the first heaven and earth fled away from the face of him, that fate upon [Page 137]the throne, and seeing all these things must be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be.

Then I pray, answer me this in your own spirits, whether this generation or age, that we have lived in from the times of our childhood (at least the most of us that are here) whether it hath not been a dissolving age. Remember the first Scripture that I pitch't up­on to give evidence of the times from that Mat. 24. There shall be signes in the sun and in the moon, and how I opened them, this is that I say we have seen in this part of the world, a little model of the great dissoluti­on of Churches and states, oh how have we seen them disordered, we have seen a first heaven, and a first earth passe away, though you may say it is come again, yet there was a dissolution; no man can deny, but that is not all, the dissolution continues, and it works still, the interest of the kingdom of God, works in the bow­els of all interests and of all affairs, as it is manifest at this day; why, we see, there is no glory is able to hold it long but it waxes dim, it passeth away, it is but like the mushrom, that runs up in a night, and but for a night, or like Jonahs gourd, as we are told, it shall be before the day of the Lord.

What dissolutions have there been in Churches, how hath one glory of things risen up after another, and passed away every one of them, they have had their day in Churches, in gifts, in administrations, in discove­ries, I tell you, the heavens and the earth are visibly passing away. If you should follow it to the affairs of men in the world, why you will finde it there; what breakings of trade, what confusions are there; I tell you the very joy of the earth is gone, and except it be in a sew that are resembled, by the gleaning after har­vest, [Page 138]as you have it in Esay 24.13. Except it be in a remnant, that have hope in God, there is no joy in the earth, when thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an Olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done, they shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord, &c. and as it is Esay. 30.29. They shall have a song as in the night, I grant there is such a song, as in the night, in a dark season, when all things are dark round about us, there is a song as in the night, which these gleanings have, I mean this poor remnant, which God says in Zephany 3 12. he will leave (he will leave an afflicted and poor people) they sing indeed in the spirit, but alas as to all out­ward things, they mourn, as well as others, they see all things to be sinking, and dissolving, so that all our rejoycing is in hope, is in spirit. I say moreover, if you will consider, as indeed we ought to do, there is not any particular providence towards any of the saints, but there may be an intimation in it of Gods visiting the rest of their brethren, therefore I say, study the times, and study the dispensations of God to your own particulars, and see what light you can finde, for this is that which will be exceeding helpful to you, in the work of patience.

Now having thus opened patience what it is, I come now to the second particular, And that is the requiring of it; how it is required of us, and with this quality, Let patience have her perfect work, what is this work of patience and the perfect work of patience, why you know that patience, is a work it self, it is the work of faith, the tryal of your faith worketh patience, says the Apostle Jam. 13. and tribulation worketh patience, Rom. [Page 139]5.2. now patience hath a work too, a work of its own, and patience, experience, and so the one worketh or begetteth another all along, and hope maketh not asha­med: now mark you here, all that follows from the first work, that tribulation, worketh patience, all the rest is the work of patience, the perfect work of patience, it works experience, patience is to make us experien­ced Christians: this you know results naturally from patience, from the long enduring of tryals, going through many of them (many for kinde; and many for number) we have great experience there by, as a traveller that hath gone through many countryes, he hath gotten great experience thereby, having under­gone many hardships, and tryed several tempers of people, he gets experience; now this is a great ac­complishment unto a man, and we commonly menti­on it as a very great honour to a man, for a man to be greatly experienced, this is part of the riches of a Christian, you will stand for a man of experience in point of Physick, the practise is the thing that enables a man most to do good, and to answer your end, so it is with a Christian, it is part of his riches and of his glory, experience, David was such an experienced Christian, (for they are all Christians that did be­lieve in Christ to come, but I say, he was so experien­ced a Saint) that you could not turn him to any thing; but he was able to answer you, saying, God was with me in such and such circumstances, I was able to encourage my self, in the Lord my God.

So I say we have not only all the experience of the Saints that are gone before us, but God will have us have a treasure of our own experiences, this is a great matter.

But then secondly, this perfect work of patience (let patience have her perfect work) indeed I had rather sum it up in the general, and have you particularise at your leizure, and as God shall bring them into your minds, in your reading of the Scripture, and in your spi­ritual race, I say this same perfect work of patience is the perfecting of a Saint, and making him an absolute piece, in whom nothing can be desired more, this is imported, or implyed here, in those wor [...]s, let pati­ence have her perfect work, nay further it's exprest that ye way be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. So that it should seem that patience doth sustain, or supply the place, and do the part (as I may say) of all manner of tools to the polishing and perfecting of a faint; there is the rough plain, where with you plain at the first, and after wards the smooth plain, when the rough­ness is taken away, all is in this work of patience.

I tell you, there is a great deal to be done in a Christian, to fit him for that glorious converse with Christ in the new Jerusalem, and therefore you reade in Revel. 19.7. the marriage of the lamb is come, that is good news you will say; bnt mark what is joyned with it, the Bride hath made her self ready, his wife hath made her self ready, the Apostle tells us; that flesh and blood cannot enter into the kingdom of God, alas! we have been looking for the kingdom of God, but when it did draw a little near unto us, we were as fit for it, as a child is to mannage the affairs of men, and therefore the kingdom of God withdrew from us, a­las we were not fit for it, flesh and blood cannot enter into the kingdous of God. What is the meaning of flesh and blood there? It is not meant that men in the body shall not enter into the kingdom of God, for they [Page 141]most certainly shall, we shall not all sleep, but be changed, it is not a putting off the body, but flesh and blood in the falne and corrupt state, wherein there is both weakness and corruption, and both these must be re­moved, or else we cannot enter into the kingdom of God, now the Lord give us a sence of this, how unfit we are in our present fram and temper, for that which we are so earnestly calling for, may it not be said unto us, as the prophet speaks, it is not for you to desire the day of the Lord, the day of the Lord is darkness and not light, what will you do in the day of the Lord?

I tell you my brethreu, the day of the Lord is a trying day, alas! when it comes to demand of us the giving up of such and such interests, or lusts, we cry, O let me fly unto this, it is a little one and my soul shall live O; let not the Lord dsscompose this part of the old building, we are for keeping up of one, or other shedd of the old building: I have been more, within these two days, thinking upon those words, (the carnal minde is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be) then I ever was in my life, that I know of, and it is that I should be glad to hear others sensi­ble of, even the enmity that is in the carnal minde, it is enmity aga nst God, it is not subject, neither can it be: I tell you, if yon do not know this by your selves, you know not your own hearts and do we think, that we shall pass into that new state of things by translation (we might iudeed have done so if Adam had not sinned) out of that which is natural into that which is spiritual. But now believe it there must be knocking work, there must be dissolving work, and you will feel this, it will put you to pain, I would not discourage you, for the Lord will be ut the whole [Page 142]charge of taking down the old state of things, as well as the setting up of the new, and he doth, and wil make his people a willing sacrifice, as Isaac was, he can make this cup to pass from you, or otherwise he can sweeten it to you, though it be a cup that Chrish natutal flesh it self desired might pass, yet I say the spi­rit is willing, and if the Lord please to call up his spi­rit in us, it will make us a willing sacrifice, but then is a great change to be brought upon us.

Now hen having spoken so much of the time, let me come a little to minister of this strength and help unto you, we should look up, to God, that we might be ministers of the spirit, when we converse in the things of God.

I shall propound two or there things unto you to help you in this tydeing it out with patience. The first is this, to reconcile you, to all he hardships and try­als, all the bitter things that God sees good to exer­cise his people with all, consider the harmony that there is in all the ways and works of God, how all of them conspire, and work together, they clash not one with the other, but they are all of them by his wise con­trivance set in their places, as he says, he hath set prosperity over against adversity, he hath set evil days over against good days, and they all of them deliver us up, as from Constable, to Constable, one dispensa­tion hands us unto another, and that to a third, and so they all bring us in our journey as the waves, and bil­lows of the sea do, that makes the passage rough but yet they carry on the vessel, so do all the waves and works of God, and although you may think here comes a providence that will set me quite back again, as Israel was set back in the wildernesse, they were [Page 143]within a little of Canaan at their coming out of Egypt, they were over against the land of Canaan, where unto they did passe at the last, and then they were brought back again) yet God calls this a strait way, yet if you had seen it delineated, as I have done, and observed their wandrings in the wildernesse, you never saw such a crooked line in all your life, but the rubbs of a bow I make it run so much the stronger.

And this I will propound to your further considera­tion, that all the whole schem, and all the scenes of Gods providences and dispensations to his people, when they are set before us in an entire view (as in some parts of the Scripture they are) they are called a song, as in that Deut. 32.

Where Moses speaks of the several changes that should befall that people, he calls it, a song so like wife the book of Canticles which doth prophetically hold forth the feveral changes of the state of things from Solomons time to Christs coming, it is called a song, so if we could but look upon the whole body of divine counsel, and of divine dispensations, as a peice of poesy or a song, it would sweeten it unto us, you know this age is much given to plays (to Comedies especially which begin tragically but end very satisfa­ctorily) so do the ways of God, but if you should in a song leave out some, or any of the feet in any of the lines, the song will be lame, it will hobble (as I may say) so I say, if any thing of Gods dispensations, if any of his purposes should fail, and should not have their accomplishment, alas! ye whole would want something of its beauty, so here in my text: Let pati­ence have it's perfect work that you may be perfect, and entire, lacking nothing, men would be contented, might [Page 144]they come to the end of their journey though they lost a great deal of the glory that God intends them by the way, though they lost the advantages that afflictions would work out for them, as that text says, a far more exceeding wait of glory.

Look upon the contrivance of God, the project of God, there is not any one passage, in his whole con­trivance that can be spared, not any one trouble either to the Church, or to any particular member, but all conduces to the beauty and the entrance of the whole.

Secondly, consider this (and it is a main thing, and I pray set your hearts to it) withdraw your own con­cerns out of the work of God, and wholly look upon it, as the Lords concern. Let God alone be concerned, do you engage him by your faith, as the himself is enga­ged in his own glorious counsel and purpose.

That which makes things so troublesome, is, that we take Gods part upon our selves, and that makes it so heavy, we set our selves like Atlas to bear up the heavens, and the pillars of the earth, alas it is not our work to do it, it is wholly Gods work, it is his pro­ject, and his undertaking, and it is that which he would have us wholly to concern him in, it is his work, it is him glory; so that he himself is concerned, and he would suffer, it any of his work should fail, or miscarry, pray consider that, I desire to draw out my heart to you, it is the greatest comfort I have, when I finde weaknesse in my self. I have a great desire to live to see the glorious time of the Church, and when at any time (as the devil is wonderful busy to cast in his fiery darts and discouragements into the soul, when I finde I am either assaulted with a sudden fear, or that I cannot see how that little vigour, and strength I have [Page 145]should hold out, I finde a great deal of comfort in re­flections of this nature, that the Lord is more concern'd in and for me, then I am in, and for my self; and whoever can do so shall finde and feel the benefit of it, hath not the Lord given his son for me, and he that gives his own son, how shall be not with him freely give us all things; are we not his peculiar treasure then? I say leave your selves to God, and say look thou to it, we may with a holy freedom say to the Lord, look thou to it, it is not for us, though we are to serve the pro­vidence of God, and the publique, yet it is Gods concern, he is to look to it, cast it upon God, but

3ly, A third consideration is his, I have told you, once and again, and now also that I cannot bring tho time neerer (the time of our hopes) then I have done; but yet consider this, this time that is yet to run out before that very period comes, wherein he is pronounced blessed that waits & comes to that time, I say those times that are to run out will be filled with wonders, and with glory that shall give strength un­to us, from day to day, from year to year, to await the end to the last issne; for although it is not said, that Daniel shall stand in his lot, until the end of those days (and then it is promised he shall) ye I say there may goundedly be an expectation of higher, more trans­cendent and wonderfull works of God that shall en­tertain his people during their watching and waiting; for you know, who is there that needs watchers at any time, but will provide them entertainment du­ring their watching, they shall have strong-waters, or something by them, and so shall the Lords people, you will say what entertainment shall we have? I must tell you I look upon the 45 years as well night half ex­pyred, [Page 146]which is the time, in which Christ employs instruments for the throwing down of the remainder of his enemies, throughout this whole western world, and the Eastern too, the great Turk, the whole seat of the 4th Monarchy, all the enemies in these two Em­pires the Eastern, and the Western, Christ takes this time to bring them down, and wonderfully brought down they must be, and come to their end, this abun­dance of Scriptures tels us, he will shake heaven, and earth, and the desire of all nations shall come; and so he says in Joel, he will gather the heathens to the vally of Jehoshaphet, and so Zach. 14.3. But in Revel. 16. you read, that at the pouring forth of the 6th Vyal the great river of Euphrates shall be dryed up, he is drying up Euphrates at this day, and this will be a glorious work to see how Christ gets ground of his enemies, and how the house of Saul grows weaker and weaker, indeed it would be very little comfort to see destru­ction and desolation, if the new state did not put off the old state, as the old nail gives way to the new, or as Jacobs supplanting Esan, though that new state is not to be seen vulgarly, or visibly, yet the saints finde it coming on in the spirit (and this if you be reasona­ble men will satisfy you, God will satissy his people ere he hath done, and it is your mistake if you are not satisfyed with this way he takes, so did Israel dig up fouutains, and their rock followed them.

The 4th consideration is this, that if we did under­stand things aright, we should rejoyce with all our souls, it would turn to us for a testimony, that the Lord holds us in so long suspenee, being an argument of the greatness of the transcendency of the things, that are promised, otherwise God would not exercise his [Page 147]people so long in the wayting for them, think you that God will exercise his people with waiting for a trifle Esa. 64.4. From the begining of the world men have not beard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath any eye seen besides thee O God, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him, if you expect Christs glorious kingdom any otherwise, you will be mistaken, there is no common or ordinary thing; in that day expect no­thing but wonders, things that are to put your faith to it to acknowledge them when they come to passe, that you will be ready to say, are we in a dream? as when the Lord brought back the captivity of Sion, this is that which makes our patience so lame, we represent the kingdom of God, in such a pittiful poor way, and manner, what is the utmost glory that men present it in, why? that it will be a time of pure ordinances, and the ministers shall recover themselves, with their peo­ple, alas, alas, is this all? is this the kingdome of Christ? I saw no temple there, God will bring his people to immediate converse with himself, they shall see eye to eye, God intends to bring his people to a state without sin, past this state of infirmity.

I confess men may give such an account of Christs kingdom that may not ballance the charge or trouble of working it about.

Do you think that God would have suffered Para­dise to fall, but that he had a better state to bring forth? Do you think that the temple had been suffered to miscarry, but that he had a better state to present?

Do you think that the primitive state had been suf­fered to decline, but that he had a better state yea bet­ter then the Apostles, better then the Prophets? We see (say they) through a glass datkly, but in that day, [Page 148]Christians shall be known to whom they belong, you know a waterman by his badge, the name of God shall be written in the foreheads of his people.

If you look for any thing but wonders in that day you will be mistaken, things being working to that issue, I say you will see wonders.

One word more, till Christ comes in person, let us emprove his spiritual presence with us, which by pro­mise, shall never be taken away.

And I tell you, as I have told you formerly, it is the spirit of Christ in the Saints, that is the power by which they shall be changed, Christs personal appea­rance from heaven bears a part, it is the glorious ex­ample to which we shall be conformed, and it hath a ministry likewise of enouragement and strengthning; it will call up our faith, and the life of the spirit into exercise in us, but they must both meet, the shout of our faith with the shout of the Angels, when Christ comes from heaven, the spirit is that power by which it is done, and that being with us, what advantage might we make to this day of God, through the af­fistance of the spirit! It is possible for men to have the name of the new Jerusalem written upon them, be­fore the new Jerusalem comes down from God, out of heaven, else what means that promise Rev. 3.12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the house of my God, and the name of the Citty of my God, even of the new Jerusalem, &c. The overcomer is the person to whom this promise is made, we must fight the good fight of saith, we must be over coming all our spiritual enemies, and this is the work of this present day, let the Dutch and others grapple with their enemies, we have other enemies to deal with, though we desire that [Page 149]God would fight the battels of his people every where, and give them the advantage in every battle, ye I say we have other enemies that we are engaged with; I tell you this overcoming is only by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, he is the overcomer that hath suffered in the flesh.

To this overcomer is the promise made of writing on him the name of the citty of God, what is the mean­ing of that? why! he shall walk in the name, in the power, in the spirit of that new state.