Some Flashes of LIGHTNINGS OF THE SON of MAN.  
Being the substance of eleven Sermons upon several Texts, Preached in London;  
By WILLIAM SEDGWICK of ELY.  PSALM 97.4. His Lightnings enlightened the World: the Earth saw, and trembled. 
LONDON Printed by H. For Giles Calvert, and are to be sold at the sign of the black-spread- Eagle at the west end of Paul's. 1648.   

A PREPARATORY word, touching the Saint's union with God; a main point spoken of in this Book.  
FIrst, 
a Primun in unoquoque generi e● causa reliquorum.  The first in every kind being the Cause of all the rest, there is no perfect 
b Causa ●eflendi e● causa cognoscendi  knowledge of inferior or subordinate distinction and union, without the knowledge of the supreme. The supreme distinction and union is to be seen in God, in the blessed Trinity; where in the word, the Father brings forth himself in all distinction; and in the Holy ghost, the Father and the word mutually conspire into the closest union. The glory of unity is variety, and the glory of distinction is union. (ie) The glory of the Father is the word, and the perfection of the word, is his union with the Father in the Spirit. Unity is barren without variety or distinction, and distinction is a withered branch without union.  
Secondly, Whatsoever things the Father doth, the same things doth also the Son; bringing forth his fullness in all variety and distinction; and yet retaining the same in perfect Union with himself as doth the Father. Only with this difference, that the Object of distinction there (viz. The word, which is the fullness of the Father) is entirely the object of union in the Holy ghost; though not under the same respect as he is distinct. But here the Son sends forth one World, or the first World as a Lord to his left hand, being in union with it only as a Creator; and a new World to his right hand; slaying the union of the fairest covenant or creation, or rather perfecting it in this later and better union of the second covenant, or new creation: And so that different respect that the Father hath to his own fullness, as He considers it first in the word, and then in the Holy Ghost is manifest to us (after a manner) more real and substantial to us, in the Kingdom of the Son, being exemplified on different subjects, Sheep and Goats. For this is the honour the Father hath given to the Son that be hath made Him both Lord and Christ, as be is Lord, he is the Flower of the whole Creation, having all that beauty and strength in himself and being the root and original of it to every other creature. As he is Christ, Himself is returned to his Head and Original, and possesseth all in the in-created glory, and draws up the new world thither.  
Thirdly, And as the first is the Cause of all the rest, which being known, the rest are known, and not perfectly till then, So the first is the last, as will nessessarily follow from thence; If the last be not known without the first, then at least, the first is in the last: But the first is the last; For what else should the first seek to bring forth ultimately but himself? And therefore, though God do Embroider his appearances and coming forth with all Variety and fullness of distinction, Yet his design is by ALL to declare Himself, and not to be vailed always: His design is to beget and draw forth his own Form in and upon all this variety; to bring forth himself in it, and it in himself; and yet this Variety and Unity to remain in the highest Consistency each with other in the Union; and all these subordinations both to serve Supreamacy and to be Supreme; the first to be the last, and the last first, which is the mutual glory of them both. And so the Scriptures speak, 2 Ephe. last verse, Ye are the habitation of God through the Spirit. And sometimes they speak in the language of the subordinate, 3. Eph. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. Christ is in God, and God is in Christ, John 13.8. knowest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me. And they that do not so know God and Christ, they know Christ after the flesh, as a branch of the first creation, and not as the root of both creations. And they that do not know themselves thus, as dwelling in God and God in them, are still under the Law; stick in the first Covenant, and know not the Regeration but weakly. If ye see not the blessed face of Unity drawn throughout all distinction in God, in Christ, in Saints, ye see the Devil and an Antichrist, and are in the smoke of the bottomless pit; though yet ye may be the children of God. And therefore none may so securely descend into the valley of distinction, as they that have been in the mount of Union: For they only will, and can carry the Union along with them through all distinction, and that glory of the first Unity, that hath seated himself and dwells in their Eye, will bring forth himself in and upon all things, and in what various forms soever they present themselves.  
Union is the interest, the delight, the Food of Saints: Distinction, is the sauce, or savour of Union. The Saints could not enjoy God, if He were not one with them: & where were the delight, and wherein should they be the richer by enjoying him, if he were not another from them? There could not be such a ravishing Concord and meeting between God and the Creature, without the parting and discord, first, of a created and un-created nature, and this discord and distance proceeding and let down through many subordinations (as between a Base and Triple in Music there are middle Notes) If we were not so low, and God so high, neither should we be so transported with this Match; nor would the condescension of God be so manifested, and then where would be one of the greatest glories of God's love, and one of the quickest grounds of our joy? Therefore we cannot confound things, for so we should offend against our own interest: and who do this so much, as they that call themselves Christians, and yet make Christ in Heaven, and themselves upon the Earth, confounding the things that God hath not only distinguist, but separated; even the mystery of Godliness, which is God manifest in the flesh, And the mystery of iniquity, which calls Christians, and denies the Anointing?  
And as we cannot confound things that God hath distinguist, so we cannot separate the things that himself hath joined: who hath joined himself and Christ, and Christ and US; the highest, with the lowest; the first, with the last; the top, with the bottom; and therefore we the lowest, cannot glory in less or lower, than the highest of all. We joy in God (saith the Apostle Rom. 5.) through our Lord Jesus Christ. And God who is Lord, descends, and gathers up the very lowest things, even our flesh: makes the place of his feet glorious: will lose nothing: is present with the lowest things as well as with the highest; though not after the same manner, or in the same manifestation, while they abide in their jownes: but he will raise the lowest to the highest; and the lowest shall be in the highest, and the higest in the lowest: the whole creation in Man, and Man in Christ, and Christ in God. The Rule therefore for things is this. To retain the distinction in the union, and the union in all distictions. And the Rule that God leads Saints by is this, to listen to God as he brings forth himself within them: to rejoice in each degree of his light; waiting still till be Fashion every formless lump into its right shape; and bring forth every imperfect Embryon to its full growth, and settle the Chaos into its distinction: not to outrun the appearances of God, and lust or languish impatiently after Meats, when God is establishing our hearts with grace. I charge ye, O ye daughters of Jerusalem that ye stir not up, nor awake my love (in his present desingnment) until he please.  
But not to forget the end of this preface: It is in a word, to give a brief account of the drift of the ensuing Discourses, and of the cause of publishing of them.  
As for the discourses you will find them pregnant with the glory of Union, union with God and Christ, and Saints: This is the Mount into which this Discourser hath been taken, and yet ye will find the subordination and distinction so clearly acknowledged by him, as might have satisfied the observing and unprejudiced Reader though I had animadverted nothing upon it.  
To what I have said concerning it, I shall add only this. That Distinction is the Wife, and Union the Husband. Distinction the weakness, Union the strength. Distinction the Law, Union the Gospel. Distinction the first Creation, Union the second Creation: and therefore Distinction as the Woman, is barren and uncrowned, unless Union rest upon it: But if the supreme Unity will multiply and bring forth Himself in and upon each distinction, in and by Union, than indeed is distinction glorious. Distinction is as an Instrument of ten strings, that in the hand of Union will make most delightful Melody; otherwise it is but a jarring sound. I am sure, and have found out by experience these two things. That while a man's head is fraught with the riches of Distinction, leannes may enter into his soul. And that if we know a glory higher then that we are in union with, we cannot be happy.  
This for the discourses. Now for publishing them. Ye are to put this Office wholly upon the account of the forward affections of some of the Hearers, who out of the best notes, compared together, have drawn forth this Copy, with a desire to impart them for a more public benefit, which invited me to prefix this word.  
If the Author, or rather he by whom these discourses be ministered to us, do pardon the adventurers, so the Reader may receive good thereby, then there is all the reason, that ye for whose sakes it is undertaken should pardon the faults escaped.  
For a farewell, Remember it is the finger of God only that writes God in the heart. The writings of men are but a witness of God in flesh. Thus I leave it with you who am,  
Yours all of ye that are the Lords. joshua Sprig.   

THE TITLES and Texts of the several Sermons.  

Sermon I. and II. THe Reign of God, on Psalm 97.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. verses.  
Sermon III. The coming of the King of Zion. on Zechariah, 9.9.  
Sermon IIII, and V. The coming of the Kingdom of Cod. Luke 17.20, 21, 22.  
Sermon VI, and VII. The excellency of the love of Cod. on Psalm 36.7, 8.  
Sermon VIII. God the head of Christ, as Christ of his Church. on 1 Cor. 9, 10, 11.  
Sermon IX, X, XI. The Witnesses death and Resurrection. In a short exposition of the eleventh Chap. of the Revelation.    

To the Reader.  
Friend,  
THese Sermons did abruptly press into the world in the Pulpit, and gave us no warning at all: they are Abortives, borne before their time; and therefore you can expect little shape or comeliness in them. They are sudden and lively actings of the Spirit that disdains the help of Art: and dare profess their incomposednesse to study; and choose a Rude nakedness of their own before a clothing of humane industry.  
They have stolen into the Press also without my knowledge and in my absence: Coming to Town I find them where I looked not for them, Printed and ready to come out; and thought wholly to have disowned them, but finding some sweetness in them, I could not wholly turn my back upon them.  
Being thus, thou wilt say, I spoke what I understood not. I may cofesse that; and that the Writer and Printer put forth what they understood not: let it be so, and then you will not wonder if you read what you understand not: there were faults in Speaker, Writer, Printer, and will be in the Reader.  
'tis a Thief steals out in the night and carries night upon him; and if thou find him plundering thee of thy reason and understanding, use him as thou pleasest.  
'tis like all the World, a ruinous heap; light & darkness fight together. Yet they that have love and light to see God in every thing, will meet him here in clouds and rejoice in him.  
'tis a cry at midnight, Behold the Bridegroom cometh: Haste and disorder may best suit such an occasion: and if thou understand but that in it, it will be both profitable and pleasant to thee. I am sure to him that loves The appearing of the Lord, the tidings of it will be welcome from any man, and in any fashion; But if thy spirit be not yet awakened to expect the Lord, I am persuaded here is so much light in these as to trouble thee, and alittle to disturb thy worldly rest: and if I do but disquiet thee at this time, it will be a kindness to thee.  
In a most rich enjoyment of his gracious presence, and certain assurance of his perfect fullness, do I rejoice; and in this joy I desire thou mayest enjoy thyself; and then, this and every thing will be sweet unto thee; In this farewell.  
WIL SEDGWICK.   

READOR.  
If thou resolvest to travel through these discourses thou shalt do well to facilitate thy way, by removing these rubs with thy 〈◊〉 before hand; As for other literal fa●●●, the Printer presumes upon thy pardon of course.  
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THE REIGN OF GOD.  PSALM 97.1, 2. 
The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice: let the multitude of Isles be glad thereof.  
Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgement are the habitation of his Throne.  
HEre's good news; glad tidings: [The Lord reigneth.] It cannot be published without praise, without rejoicing, without singing without blessing. We should dishonour this truth, if we should not publish it; if we should with silence suppress it; if we should not speak well of it. It is so sweet and comfortable, that it fills the whole world with joy; and calls in every ear, and every tongue, and every heart, to be glad, to rejoice, and to praise God.  
[Let the Earth rejoice, and the multitude of the Isles be glad]  
As though he should say, Let nothing fear but hell: let nothing be disquieted but devils. Let the lowest, the poorest of the People of God, though but Earth, yet let them rejoice in this; [The Lord Reigneth]  
First, Here is the thing affirmed. The Lord reigneth]  
Secondly, Here is the use of it, or the inference that is made from it. [Let the Earth rejoice, and the multitude of Isles be glad]  
Thirdly, Here is the means by which he ascends into the Throne. [Clouds and darkness are round about him]  
First, Here is a plain and certain Proposition affirmed, [The Lord Reigneh] The Lord saith it, and the Lord is it. What ever the Lord saith, it is a Kingdom: what ever he is, he is a Kingdom.  
Men have Reigned; and when men Reign, God Reigns to by men: and it was always true, That all the Kingdoms of the Earth were the Lords and his Christ's: and so all the Kings of the Earth, have been the Reign of God in figure: God hath Reigned in them, as in types; but that which we must now affirm, & which the Lord affirms, is the immediate Reign of God: such as that is which is expressed, Rev. 11. Thou who waist, art, and art to come: hast taken to thee thy great power, and haste Reigned. God did Reign invisibly, while men Reigned. visibly; or God Reigned, because he gave Reign to others: but as there is his Reign in giving, so there is his Reign in taking. Thou hast taken to thee thy great power.  
The Lord takes Reign, and Kingdom, and Power, into himself: he takes off the Crown from the heads of Princes, and sets it on his own head. It was administered before by instruments; now God administers power immediately by himself. The other Reign was a less, this the great Reign.  Hast taken to thee thy great power. 
The greatest Power that ever the Lord gave to men, is nothing, to that power which Christ will put forth, when he Reigns himself. And observe the companion of this power: When thou reignest, the Nations are angry. When God Reigns, the devil rages: when God comes to set up his power; there is wrath and violence in the minds of the men of the world: and when you see this violence and rage in the minds of the men of the world, it is a sure sign, that God hath taken the Kingdom, Power and strength from them.  
Here's two things of very sweet consideration,  
1. The Reign of the Lord: and  
2. The Reign of the Lord in the Saints.  
First, This Kingdom that God is now setting up, is his everlasting Kingdom. It will not be administered by the weakness of man, but by the power of God; not by the folly of man, but by the judgement of God. God will in this Kingdom, nakedly manifest his own righteousness, his own compassion and pity; his own love, his own peace: He will do all things immediately by his own self. And therefore all the pride and ambition, all the oppression and tyranny, and miscarriages that hath been in the government of men, shall be wholly taken away. Pure righteousness, and judgement, and equity shall be infallibly dispensed; and infinite power, strength, holiness, goodness, and authority, shall shine forth nakedly in the face of God: and that shall be, the Judge of all men.  
We shall no longer be abused and oppressed, by the will of men, by the lusts of men. The poor people shall no longer groan, under the burden of men's lusts, nor sweat for the pleasure and contents of men; nor their faces any longer be ground, by the hardness of the spirit of men: but they shall be under the protection of God.  
The great cry now of the people, is, Let's have a King! Ye shall have one, one that will reign in righteousness; the LORD himself.  
Secondly, And this Reign of the Lord shall be in his Saints; according to that in Dan. 7.27. And the kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve & obey him. As this kingdom shall be administered in the glory of God: so also in the sweetness and gentleness of man, by brethren, by friends, by the Saints of the most High. God lifting up himself in the Saints, will administer this Reign; and as he will do it by the Saints, so he will do it by the softness and tenderness of the Saints, The kingdom and dominion under the whole earth, shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High. It● now doing; that ye shall obey none but the Lord; ye shall know no other laws, but the Law of God; ye shall know no other Master but Jehovah. He hath made us Priests and Kings, and we shall reign with him on earth. This nature of ours, this body of ours, shall reign with Christ, with God, and that upon earth.  The Lord reigns 
The Lord hath served, hath been hitherto much (yea mostly) in the form of a servant. It hath been, as it were, the business of the Lord, whilst this world stood, to give supplies to men; to serve men; to give men strength, and wisdom, and riches, and authority, and power, that men might be great and happy, with the goodness of God: and (in this) God hath been King too, but in an under way; As saith the Lord, I have served with your sins, and lusts: now he will no longer serve but Reign.  
God will take all the Power and Authority into his own hands. He will not be any longer under men: but above all men.  
It's time He should be so: Its reason He should be so: It's just He should be so.  
Every thing now must bow, stoop & submit, to the Law, and rule, and will of God. No man shall any longer say, it shall be so, because it is my will to have it so: there shall not be found an heart, or tongue, that shall move against the Dominion of the Lord.  
Satan hath been a Prince; he hath made Laws of your captivity and misery: He hath kept you to his task, to do him service. He hath said, Be angry; and than you have been full of rage. He hath said, Be covetous; and than you have been full of covetousness. He hath said, Be Dark; and than you have been full of blindness. He hath said, Be proud; and than ye have been full of haughtiness. And so he hath (but by Divine will) tormented the world.  
The sting of Satan's whips are in your consciences I know. His errors & mistakes, have been in the kingdom of darkness in you, that you do not know God; the holy will of God. You would come into the enjoyment of God; Satan will not let you: you would know God; he will not suffer you: You would be wise unto Salvation; he will not permit you: He hath fettered you with his chains of darkness; he hath captivated your judgements; he hath made you to grind at his mill, and to drudge in his service; and hath made you to cry-out, O when will the Lord come! But now his wicked Reign is at an end; what ye had, ye shall want; and what ye want, ye shall have: what hath been, shall not be; that which shall be, must be; and cannot choose but be: ye shall have Love, because the Law of God is Love; and ye shall have peace, because the Kingdom of God is peace; and ye shall have light, because this Inheritance is Marvellous light: ye shall have righteousness, because this state is true holiness: ye shall have liberty, settledness, stability, and every good thing in this Kingdom of God.  
It's always ill with us, while Satan reigns; It's always well with us, while God Reigns: when our Husband is King, we shall have Preferment, and honour, and riches, and greatness, and power, and authority; because our God Reigns.  
The Lord Reigns, for us; the Lord takes his Kingdom, and it is for us: the Lord hath Reigned in himself all this while; now he Reigns by us: the Lord counts himself not to have a Kingdom, till We have it with him: The Lord thinks himself mean, and despised, till We are exalted. He is poor without US. He is weak, while absent from US. He is not himself, unless he enjoys US. Thou art my Excellency, my Firstborn: The power of God is in weakness, till We become almighty. The Kingdom of God is in darkness, till We shine it forth. The treasures of God were of no worth to Him, if We were not his richest jewels.  The Lord doth Reign 
This is not to be passed by; it's in the present tense. This is the Song that we hear, and see Angels sing. The Elders and Saints in Heaven sing it perpetually; we daily hear it. Hallelujah, Hallelujah, The Lord Reigneth. There is administered into our hearts and ears, An Hallelujah; The Lord Reigns: indeed every creature speaks it; all in Heaven and Earth.  
All these powers and darknesses on the face of the Earth, speak out this aloud; The Lord Reigns. Your King hath taken power to himself; and from every thing else.  
The Lord doth Reign] and saith, I AM UPON MY THRONE. I AM GREAT. NONE IS GREAT BUT MYSELF. I AM KING: I HAVE THE SCEPTRE IN MY HAND. I AM POWERFUL. NONE IS POWERFUL BUT I  
All the power of men is broken. All the Thrones of men are shattered into dust. All the wisdom of men is turned into folly. All the strength of men is melted into weakness and water.  
The melt and mouldering away of the powers and dignities of the world, speaks it aloud, The LORD Reigns]  — Let the Earth rejoice, and the multitude of the Isles be glad 
This Reign torments none but wickedness, and wicked men. The devil and his children may be dismayed: but let Heaven and Earth rejoice. The Heavens they do rejoice. All Saints, all Angels, Christ and all his members, they sing in this Kingdom. But that's not enough, that Heaven shall rejoice; but Earth too. Poor Adam! That's his name, Earth! Poor man! poor earthy man! low Earth! The lowest of the creation; the basest and meanest of the whole world: Poor dark Earth: Let this creation which is Earth, let it rejoice. Let men and women and children, relations, and comforts, estates; all the things of this World; Religion, worship, gifts, trading, dealing, eating, drinking, let all these things rejoice.  
Object. Why, must not all these things be done away that God may Reign?  
The evil of them shall be done away; the sinfulness, the baseness, and filthiness of them, shall be done away: the corruption, the vanity, the infirmity of them shall be done away: but this Earth must not be lost. The Kingdom of God must be established in this Earth: but the ways of men, and men, so far as they are acted by the devil, so far they shall be done away, and destroyed by the breath of the Lord; be burnt up by the fire and Spirit of the Lord. As they are in enmity with God; as they shut out God; as they are below God; as they do not own and acknowledge God, so they shall be done away: And they shall all be taken up into fellowship with God; purified, and sanctified, and restored. Every thing shall be brought up into the holiness of God, the nature of God, the being of God, the Spirit of God. Therefore let the Earth rejoice.  
It's good news for the poorest creature that dwells in darkness; that lives below; that are strangers from Heaven; that dwell at a great distance from God.  
You that live below in the world, in the meanest or lowest condition, rejoice. God is come to dwell amongst you: God is come to restore you; to make you all new. A new Heaven and a new Earth: and nothing shall be troubled but the Sea: The confusion of the devil, that shall roar, be vexed and tormented: but the low, poor, simple Earth: The mean Earth: whatsoever is pure Earth; those whose hearts are not set against God and Christ: so far as there is submission to the Lord, and subjection to God. If ye are not fierce, violent, and mad against the appearing of a holy God, rejoice, though ye be never so low. But if ye quarrel with God, or are angry with him, ye cannot rejoice, That the Lord should Reign.  — Let the multitude of the Isles rejoice] 
There is a continent of Earth, and there are Isles that are naturally divided from the firm land, by water. They are in a lower, a weaker condition, then firm Land. And so here is a fuller discovery of the poor people of God, that be as the multitude of Isles separated by the Sea, from the firm land.  
As Isles are divided from fellowship with the firm land, by Sea, and cannot pass to it without danger: so there are people that are at a distance from God, that are cut off from that firmness and stability that others have in the Lord; the Land of the living. There are divisions between them and God; and they are broken one from another, by the Sea of darkness, that is in their world: Broken in their understandings; broken in their apprehensions; broken in their peace; broken in their strength; broken in their joys; broken in their ways; and they float in the Sea, and waters of fears, cares; disquietnesses are round about them, and beat upon them, that know not how to have fellowship with God in a settled state. Yet, Let the multitude of the Isles be glad.  
Indeed all the states of the Earth are broken in pieces, by floods and inundations: And therefore let the multitude of the Isles be glad.  
It is the Kingdom of the Lord that makes you to be Isles. It is the flood of the Spirit of God that divides you, from that stability and firmness that ye had.  
The Isles shall hear the Word of the LORD: The divided and broken state and condition of men, shall hear the word of the LORD. Those persons that are at the greatest distance from God; from constant trading and dealing with God; let them be glad and rejoice. It is the LORD hath broken US off from the Earth: from that stability and firmness that we had in ourselves, that we might have it in himself; that so he might make US a new Kingdom: He hath divided US from the Land, that He might plant himself a Kingdom in US; that He might make many Kingdoms for his own glory and righteousness to dwell in.  
Neither is this without respect to a literal sense: This Reign of God, first, gins in Isles, it rises up in little Isles, before it appears in the great Empires of the world. God will appear first in these lowest parts of the Earth.  — Let the multitude of the Isles rejoice] 
Let the whole bundle of Isles, England, Scotland and Ireland, rejoice: Let the multitude of Isles be glad.  
It is visibly and sensibly, a time of the greatest sadness that ever was; but really and truly, and in a spiritual sense, it is a time of the greatest joy and gladness that ever was: To see things in the Lord is the time of the greatest rejoicing, and truest gladness.  
This is the time of the LORDS Reign, and the time of England's rejoicing: If England knew her own time, but we know no● our seasons; and this is it that makes us uncomfortable and unsuitable to our conditions, The Lord Reigns, and this is the greatest cause of mirth and joy that ever the earth had.  [Let the earth rejoice] 
Poor earth hath been in bondage and captivity, but now let the earth rejoice. We have been under the protection of men, yea, under the government of Satan (for so long as we are governed by any thing at a distance from God; there is a mixture of Satan in it) now we are under the protection of God, The Lord hath broken the rod of the oppressor. And now we shall have the end of our hopes and expectations; the end of our prayers, now we shall have peace, now we shall have settlement and stability, now we shall have Reformation indeed, now we shall have every thing that we have desired, and our hearts have longed for; freedom from oppression, love, quietness, righteousness, justice, propriety, full trade, all in an heavenly, holy, glorious, righteous, spiritual, eternal, sure, everlasting way; for this kingdom of God hath in it, all greatness, fullness, freeness, riches, pomp, state, goodness; and to this end it is said,— He shall come that is the desire of all Nations.  
Therefore sit down, and say what you will have: If you will have it in God, in an heavenly way, ye shall; but if in a way of flesh, and darkness, and fear (out of the pure light of God) ye shall not.  [Clouds and darkness are round about him] 
God that is the greatest light, dwells in thick darkness; God is surrounded with darkness. And this is your joy now, that in that darkness that ye see upon the face of the Earth, ye see God dwelling in it; and yourselves with him. While you are without it; its sad. Do but come in thorough this darkness, and there is light within it; The light of God; And these Clouds of darkness, are clouds of Witnesses, that manifest and testify the presence of the Lord.  
— Christ comes in the clouds] O how visible these clouds are now to the eye of reason! What a thick cloud hangs over the City! What a gross thick cloud hangs over the Parliament! What a black, dark cloud hangs over the Army! There's none of them can see where they are; what they do; or one another: The clouds are so thick that one neighbour or friend knows not another: can not trust one another. What a cloud is there in the Country! How these clouds do gather every where! If you will not see, you may be ignorant; but if ye will see, the Lord is in these clouds. What darknesses and clouds of opinions are there in the spirits of men! What strange darkness there is in the minds of men! Most men grope and feel after God: and truly there are none can set a right step towards him. What dark affections are there in man! Dark fear, dark anger, dark disquietness and confusion?  Clouds and darkness are round about him] 
Every where, where God is not, you will find clouds and darkness; but in the face of God, there you shall see glory and brightness. There is nothing to be seen but clouds in all things, save in the face of God; and there it is bright and clear day. God gathering in all fair weather, light and brightness into himself: So that indeed, if you will live any where but in God, you must live in clouds and darkness: Every where else there is not a beam of light, but every thing grows thicker and darker, till it come to a very hell, an eternal night: only there is light in the face of God.  Yet now rejoice] 
These clouds are round about God; and though you do not see him, because ye are in the dark, yet he is near you, and he dwells secretly and sweetly in the midst of these clouds, that shade and darken all the earth: and you shall find that God will suddenly step up into his throne, and reign in light and brightness. Will you not receive God in a cloud? Are ye not contented with a cloud of darkness, that so ye may meet with God there? God comes clothed in this darkness. God comes in a cloudy day, with fire, wasting and consuming all the world; yet O who would not leap into those flames to meet God? Be not startled at these dark clouds, because God is in them, but rejoice. Let these clouds come into your estates, houses, means and enjoyments: Let them come in, for God is there: Welcome them, rejoice in them, and be comforted, for God rides upon them: He rides in triumph upon them. These clouds are his Gharriot, and all the powers of the Kings of the Earth, he beats into dust, and it flies about him; therefore go and meet the Lord in these clouds and dusts.  Righteousness and judgement are the Habitation of his Throne. 
Thorough clouds and darkness you approach the throne; Righteousness and judgement are there: That is it you look for.  — Righteousness] 
Shall put an end to sin. Dan. 9.24. Righteousness and holiness shall dwell so stabilly with us, as it shall blot out all iniquity, and make an end of sin: That wretched thing that hath been the reason of all plagues, the root of all mischief, the ground of vexation in all families; he shall make an end of all this, of all sin; God will be revenged of it, by putting an end to it: Ye shall not find a sin out of hell, nor a sinner out of hell: Sin shall be in its own place; ye shall see wickedness no where, but in the devil and wicked men; and them ye shall see in hell, for their sin shall carry hell apparently with it. But the Saints shall be free, The LORD reigns] Not so long as sin is amongst US, and abides with US: so long as sin is, there is a Traitor to his Kingdom, and he hath no quiet reign: But the LORD will have a constant habitation of holiness, that sin shall appear no where but in the devil and hell. And where ever you shall see sin, you shall be able to say, There is hell; sin and its torment together. Sin shall carry hell in its bowels. The very face of hell and devil in every sin. The light of God shall break forth so clearly, that it will judge and manifest all the works of darkness.  Are the Habitation of his Throne] 
All these ways of God that he is now dispensing come from the throne of God. All these Clouds and judgements, against King, Parliament, Cavaliers, Army, they all flow from the throne, and are all dispensed in most exact righteousness and judgement, there's no fear of ruin, of those that are the Lords. All is in judgement and righteousness, to destroy the wicked, but to save his own people, and to bring them out of the powers of darkness unto the throne of God.  
There is no reason to be offended at that which comes from the throne of God: these dispensations are confusions to men, to the reason and wisdom of men: but they are the wisdom and judgement of God; and God doth dispense them with an exact hand, with a watchful eye, with a tender care towards his own people; not a hair of their head shall fall to the ground: Nothing shall suffer in any of you, but unrighteousness and sin: so fare as you are unrighteous, worldly and wicked, so fare yea shall suffer, and no more.  
God is in every spark of this Fire, in every corner of this Flame, in every inch of these clouds, in every jot of this darkness; therefore rejoice and be glad all ye Saints, the weakest, the poorest, the lowest, the meanest of Saints, Rejoice, for the Lord Reigneth.  
The end of the first Sermon.   
Psalm 97. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. verses. 
The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice: let the multitude of Isles be glad thereof.  
Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgement are the habitation of his throne.  
A fire goeth before him: and burneth up his enemies round about.  
His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.  
The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord: at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.  
The heavens declare his righteousness: and all the people see his glory.  
THe great point we have in hand, is, The Reign of God.  
Which is first asserted, The Lord doth Reign. And then made good.  
In the Second verse, Clouds and darkness are round about him] testifying that he is come, and he doth Reign. We have a Cloud of witnesses testifying this truth; The Lord doth Reign. And darkness itself speaks him. That which is farthest from him, that declares him: and if we come within him, and come nearer to him, we shall find a consent of righteousness and judgement, as the habitation of his Throne.  Righteousness] 
The righteousness of God the Father in whom all things are righteous, and to whom all things in righteousness doth belong; all things in righteousness are in him; all things in righteousness are due to him: here's judgement too: that is the excellency of Christ, Psalm 94.15. Judgement shall return to righteousness; the Son returns to the Father.  
All things are in the Father in righteousness: all things are in the Son in wisdom, in judgement: all things are in the Father, as in their proper centre: all things are brought forth in Christ, in their right order, in Judgement.  Righteousness and judgement, are the habitation of his Throne.] 
These two are the Foundation of his Throne.  
The Spirit of God, or God exalted and lifted up in these two, Righteousness and Judgement; is a Throne: or the Righteousness of the Father; and the Judgement of the Son exalted, and triumphing in the Spirit: is the Throne.  
The Righteousness of the Father, and the Wisdom of the Son, Reigns in the Spirit; is enthroned in the Spirit; is exalted and lifted up, and established eternally in truth, in the Spirit. And we are made, saith the Apostle, Eph. 2.22. ver. through the Spirit, the habitation of God; the words are, In whom ye also are builded an habitation of God, through the Spirit.  
The Spirit building up man in its own holy form, and enlarging of him into himself, is this habitation of God: Righteousness and Judgement Enthroned in US: In man: this is the inward and spiritual view and sight of God: if you stand without in the world, there is darkness; if ye come higher into the clouds, there is no clear view, sight, and enjoyment of him. If ye are in any thing that is about him, there is nothing but darkness round about him; but come within him; into his Throne; into his presence; and there you will see righteousness and judgement set up, exalted, In-throued.  
Righteousness in the Reign of God, is Enthroned. Iniquity and transgression is done away, in the holiness of God: and he makes us, by his own Reign in us, holy, as he is holy.  
He doth wholly blot out Iniquity; and makes US the seat and habitation of Righteousness: and gives us righteous judgements; righteous understandings; a clear and sound judgement in all things. These two, righteousness and judgement, raised and exalted, are the greatest glory, and purity of the Kingdom of God, in the holy Spirit.  
But here are yet further testimonies, that (it may be) will be more effectual to most Christians: most men being without; those proofs of the Reign of God, that are without, are foonest, and easiest accepted: fleshly signs, much take fleshly Christians.  A Fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about him] 
The forerunner of God Now is fire: not John the Baptist, that went before the flesh, of Christ, and ushered him in; but an Elias, in a Fiery Chariot. The messengers that go before God now, are all fiery: he makes his Angel's spirits, and his ministers flames of fire. And therefore it's said, he comes in flames of fire rendering vengeance to all that know him not.  
And this fire of God is not a material, but an Angelical fire. Those gross conceits of a material fire, are chaff, and must themselves be burnt up.  
The fire that Ushers in the holy God, and goes before God, is like himself; Spiritual, Heavenly. The 〈◊〉 that men dream of, is like unto themselves, earthly, gross, fleshly: but the fire of God is like himself; spiritual, heavenly.  
Now, this testimony doth the Lord send before him; abundance of fire: this fire of God, and indignation of God, is kindled, and burns hot amongst us; we see there is no earthly thing is able to stand against it; and although we see yet, but the feet of God (we know he hath not yet let down his face into your view) yet ye may see (as Habakkuk saith) Coals of fire kindled at his feet.  
The LORD is walking amongst you; trampling with fiery indignation, upon all the excellency, beauty, and strength of this Creation; filling all things under his feet with wrath; burning up the Order, the peace, the comfort, and joy of the whole creation into ashes.  
And the fire of hell, which is Confusion, Wrath, Death, torment, horror, breaks forth exceeding thick, and fast upon the World: and it burns up Nations, Kingdoms, Cities, Governments, Religions, Ordinances, Knowledge, Peace, Love, and every thing here below.  
It's more than bundled, it flames-out: and you will see very suddenly this whole Creation nothing else but one flame; burning up that which goes before it.  
These burn, these everlasting burn, speak the presence of the LORD, the face of God; and tells the World, If they will hear and understand the LORD is come; they do eminently publish and proclaim the LORD of glory, to those that are awake; they that are asleep in security and darkness, they hear it not.  
These are the fires that God alarms the World with all, and burns up his enemies round about: wheresoever there appears enmity against God, there appears fire; that indeed being the greatest part of Hell. Wrath against God, and God's wrath against men: enmity and hatred against God, and God hating wicked men and devils: So that indeed there is no enmity but did we understand it, we should see plainly that its hell; it is fire; and the discovery and breaking forth of it, will consume and burn up the World. there's not a mouth belching out Oaths or blasphemies against God, but it is kindled by this fire of hell. There's no man expressing rage, envy and cruelty against another, but it is from this fire of hell in them: His tongue is set one fire of hell: passion, infirmity, weakness, do for a while hid, cloth and mask hell, and wrath: but hell is too hot and too big to be kept any longer in such bounds: God loosens the bounds of hell, and says to them. Now go forth, show yourselves. God bring forth his own wrath in his own enemies, as well as his love in his friends.  
There is not an enemy of God, but the fire of God hath already kindled upon him. There's not a devil in hell, nor a wickedness in the mind of man (which is hellish) but gins to gnaw their tongues, and to fret and vex and feel their torments! And though people are not fully sensible of it; yet those who are quicker sighted than others, may see and easily smell the brimstone, & taste the saltness of hell, breaking forth in the rage and violence of man. And this fire burneth up the wicked into the fire of God's wrath, even as fire burneth up all that's in it, until it hath made it to be fire.  
And this fire of God, that is already kindled upon US, will never leave burning, till it hath burnt US all up into itself; into Heaven; into the pure divine Love of God; so that there shall remain no dross at all, but all pure gold; no rag of infirmity, weakness, or earthiness, shall be left in us.  
And the same God in wrath, will so burn up all his enemies, that they shall be nothing at all but pure wrath: nothing at all but perfect misery; nothing at all but utter destruction. There shall not remain upon the Saints of God any thing on Earth to molest them: All their enemies shall be burnt up; sin, Satan, and flesh, shall be cast into the Lake of fire; and there shall be nothing to molest or hinder their joy. And so much of the wrath of God shall fall upon wicked men, that there shall not be, The least drop of water to cool their tongues; the least refreshment, the least mitigation; but all they shall have or enjoy shall be in the fire of God's wrath burnt up.  — Burneth up his enemies round about him. 
This wall of fire, is called in Scripture, Our defence; it compasseth US about on every side. The holy, pure being of God; the Holy Ghost and fire compasseth US round about, and burns up all things into itself; that whatsoever hath been our enemies or adversaries, sin, Satan, flesh, man; we see this fire of the Spirit of God feeds upon them, is in them, and keeps them at a distance from US, and they cannot approach and come near US, We living in the LORD our God; but this fire of God lays hold on them, and destroys them: Nay, they cannot approach in any malice against US, but its clear, it is in God's wrath: We do not hear a word of Anger, nor a word of distaste that's uttered against the appearance of God in US, but it's this fire of God's wrath: this We are sure of; and We delight and rejoice in it; We delight to declare it abroad, That there shall not be left a heart thinking, a hand moving, a tongue speaking, but it is in the fire of God, in the wrath and displeasure of the LORD.  
This fire doth grow and increase, and burns up round about; and all that are not in God; that do not dwell with this everlasting burn; that live not in and with God; shall be consumed and burnt up: for this fire of God burns round about him: and whosoever is not within Him, shall be consumed and burnt up by Him. Therefore there is no rest, no peace, no safety, any where else, but in this everlasting burn, in this fire of God: in the LORD: in the presence of the LORD: This is a bright and hot testimony of the Reign of God.  — His lightnings enlightened the world, the earth saw it and trembled. 
Here's another testimony manifest to the world, the lightnings of the LORD our God: there is in the face of God, in the day of the LORD; a most constant bright shining light.  
But besides this, there is a distance from him, and in the world lightnings, certain quick flashings, sudden motions of the Spirit of God upon the world, in the world; and upon the minds of worldly men: and as it is said of Christ, speaking concerning his coming, That it is like the lightning that shineth from the East to the West, so should the coming of the Son of man be.  
The first, and the remotest, and the furthest appearances of God, are like lightnings: this the Lord hath testified abundantly amongst Us: What strange flashings of God have been upon men, and upon the spirits of men? There are few that have slept so sound these times, but this lightning hath broken in upon them into their beds betwixt their curtains: There's none have shut up themselves so close in the world; locked up themselves so close in the earth, and in the love of earthly things: but I know these lightnings of God have flashed in their consciences, and have in small, quick blasts and discoveries of God, told their hearts, it is the day of the Lord. I say, if men could see, or would see, the most worldly men have had some flashings of these lightnings upon them. Many sudden, quick throws, pangs, hot melt, break, soul-terrifyings; telling them clearly, It is the LORD: And though they recover again out of them; and the world heals itself again: and makes haste to forget them (because these lightnings are sudden and quick: suddenly opening themselves, and suddenly again enclosing themselves: for God hath suddenly flashed Himself forth, and suddenly extinguished Himself again) yet God hath to all men more or less, given enlightenings into their spirits; telling them plainly, they must give an account that He is come to judge them; that He is come to exalt & lift up Himself: that the end of their world, their profits & pleasure is come: That all their earthly comforts and contents are a dying: That there is no rest or peace to be had here below. These and such like motions, have been in the minds of many men. But especially these have been in the hearts and spirits of Gods own people; though they are in the world, and though in a worldly state, and at a great distance from God: yet they have had some glances of the light of God. I know your own spirits are able to lead you to those flashings and lightnings: And if ye are not quite drunk with the world, and have not lost your reason and memory, you must acknowledge, that the lightnings of God have shined upon you, and enlightened the world.  
— And the earth saw it and trembled]  
So visible, so manifest, are the lightnings of the Lord, that poor earthly man exceedingly trembles and quakes: poor man, Adam, earth, the poor earthy frame of man hath seen and trembled; The earth saw and trembled. you have seen the Lord, though I know there's that in you that says ye have not, you do not. I know you have seen the Lord; the earth hath seen; God hath set His feet upon the earth; all the earth have had a view of God; there's never a door at which God hath not knocked: every eye shall see Him; although when they see him, they turn away from him, and would forget him; for so soon as ever the door is opened, and they see the Lord, they run away from him, and cannot endure the sight of him.  
Amongst all the things of the world, its most dreadful and and terrible, to see the lightnings of God.  
I know ye had rather run into the hottest fire, then into the fire of God: and though ye have seen; ye say ye have not; because ye have no mind to see him: but the whole earth hath seen the Lord; though they have been sudden start, and quick motions, and flashings: yet the earth saw it: And that it hath seen; here's the effect, it trembles.  
— And trembled]  
It's a constant, universal effect of the sight of God; this quaking, this trembling; there is no man hath the least view of God, but it strikes death to him. Oh man! earthly man must die. This sight kills man. Oh now I must seance to be! Now all is going! Now all is lost? Now every thing is drawing into the sad pit of destruction! Now every thing is swallowed up into the horrible pit of nothingness! I have (saith the earthly man) seen, and known, and been: but now I shall know, and see, and be no more.  
We know how dreadful and fearful, the view, and sight of God is! and though nothing more joyful to the spiritual man; yet nothing more joyful to the earthly man! What shall we do, we have seen the Lord, said they that saw an Angel The Lord clothing himself with an Angel, was very terrible; for they said, we shall die. The appearance of the Lord is terrible to the flesh of man.  
The mountains leap and fly away, the waters roll back, the foundations of the deep are discovered. The whole Earth shakes! A general Earthquake seizes upon the Nations! What ail you, ye mountains to be removed? What ail you, ye waters, to divide asunder? What all you, ye Son, and Moon, that your lights are put out? What ail you, ye Stars, great and small, that ye drop down from Heaven, like untimely Figgs? What ail you, all ye People and Languages, that your Faces gather paleness, and blackness? What ail you, that ye are afraid, and do tremble? What's the reason you so shiver, and quake? The reason is, ye are before the God of the whole Earth.  
The presence of the LORD, is present Death to all but Himself: when the LORD comes, every thing retires: and as he comes near; so all things Fly packing before Him! The Rod of God, is shaking over the hearts of men; which makes them exceedingly to tremble and quake! and if ye will not yet be sensible; here's that which is more visible, more sensible: he that hath an ear, must Hear, and doth Hear, what this Rod speaks.  
— The Hills melted]  
Suppose there should be that stoutness in the spirits of men, that they are become like mountains and hills: suppose that there should be that hardness, and brauninesse of hell and death upon the spirits of men, that they will not see: yet the hills do melt! The hills melted like wax]  
If any Creature be upheld and strengthened, it is by Satan; like Pharaoh's heart, that was hardened by the wrath of God, that he might be destroyed.  
I know no man ignorant of this, but it is through his suffering the Devil to seduce him: but though a man be seduced by Satan; hardened by hell; and do not see: yet the mountains do see, and feels, and melt before the LORD.  
Hills, Mountains, What are these? Not material mountains, or material hills: the mountains of the Earth, are Great-ones, Strong-ones, Kingdoms, Nations, Governments; these are Great mountains, which the men of the Earth (ye may call them the beasts of the Earth) have continually lived upon; fed upon, and been nourished by.  
And those Churches that have called themselves the hills and mountains of the LORD; mount Sinai, and mount Zion; these everlasting hills, that have stood so long time, shall melt.  
That Justice, Wisdom, Power, Strength, Order, Religion, Ordinances, Obedience, and Love, which hath been set up by God, and by the Ministers and Angels of God; which have been the safety, peace, and comfort of the World; these hills will melt like wax: Those glorious Angelical Excellencies; those Excellent good things, that Angels have produced in the world, and which are nearer to God, then Poor, base man.  
WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING, JUSTICE, ORDER, GOVERNMENT, these Hills melt like wax! There is not an Angel in Heaven able to maintain any of his works.  
Those excellent hills, before spoken of, melt down before the brightness of the LORD: And though man will not see; yet the mountains and hills, upon which they live, sink under them; Secretly, and unsensibly do the mountains of all humane confidence melt under them!  
There is a fearful desolation of all the Powers and strength of the world: And those High exaltations of them, how they melt away! How low doth the high spirits of men fall! How doth our strength and confidence, and that staff which we leaned upon, waste and consume away! And in what a deep consumption are all the good things of the world!  
— Melted like wax]  
The glory of man, or man refined (as we may say) is like wax. The LORD makes poor earth, fine Images of Himself in wax! He doth set up, and draws poor Earth in some likeness to Himself! Gives him His own Image, Wisdom, Justice, Holiness: But when he comes Himself, He than melts this picture, melts these Images. And therefore where humane strength is in its greatest power exalting itself, in it greatest height: It now appears, what it is to be Earth; to be wax; and when God in his glory and brightness appears, it gives place to the heat of God, to the fire of God: That which as yet ye have seen of God, is but waxed Images of God; and God hath hitherto upheld them by his absence; but now, because he comes, they go, they give place.  
— Like wax at the presence of the LORD]  
Man would be, if God were not present: You would enjoy whatsoever you enjoy, if the presence of the LORD did not melt it away; if the light of God did not come, if a greater light did not outshine this Creation, The Sun would not be turned into darkness, nor the Moon into blood. If the presence of the LORD the Son of righteousness, did not rise, it would be still the day of man: nothing would destroy the glory of the world: Satan hath been at the work a great while; he hath been hacking at it to bring the world to confusion; and the men of the world have been digging at the root of the world, and would fain over-turn it; though they would fain keep it for themselves: but it hath stood till now, and now it melts; now the presence of the LORD shall cause it to melt away; Rev. 20.11. At whose face the Earth and Heavens fled away, and there was no place found for them. Kingdoms, Powers, Governments, Dignities, Righteousness, Justice, and all at this appearance of the LORD, say, Come let's go into confusion and darkness; for here is a light come, that consumes us; our work is done; we were to give a representation of God, till He came; and now He is come, there is no more place for us: There is no place for Images and Pictures, where God is: Where the brightness and majesty of God comes, no place for man! no place for creatures! no place for worldly and earthly things! The majesty, brightness, and glory of the LORD cannot endure them, nor they it; but GOD sits them flying, and they themselves hasten away.  
— At the presence of the LORD of the whole Earth]  
It is the presence of the LORD: nothing but the presence of the LORD; it is the LORD Himself; the LORD Himself in His own presence: It is My own Face (says the LORD of the whole Earth) the Earth I made My footstool; it hath had some print of My feet; and as it hath served Me, in its being till I came: so now, it serves Me in its departing. The earth is Mine, I made it; it's Mine, I dissolve it: I am LORD of all these things; by My presence, I gave them a being! by a greater presence, I dissolve them! They obeyed Me in their being: they obey Me in their not being. I by My Word brought them out of confusion, out of nothing, and now they obey My Word, in returning to that emptiness and confusion again! They served Me, when I brought them forth; they serve Me, at their return: Satan hath had the Earth, he shall have it no longer: Men have had the Earth, they shall possess it no longer (says the Lord) I will possess it Myself: I will enjoy it My self: I will redeem it from that bondage it hath been in by wicked and ungodly men and Satan. I am LORD of the whole earth.  
Here are quick, short, dark, low, remote hints of God, of the presence of God: but if ye are not yet sensible of it, come up higher and further, and you shall have a clear Discovery.  
— The Heavens declare the righteousness of God, and all people see his glory]  
Come to the open heavens, creep out of the earth of worldly affairs and businesses, and come into the open state of Heaven, and you shall see the righteousness of God declared; the heavenly discovery of God, the Spirit of the LORD, and the true presence of the LORD are so visible, that all the people that are therein do see the glory of God.  
For truly, if you be men, you are there in this heaven; otherwise you are not worthy the name of men, but beasts: In heaven the righteousness of God is so fully declared, that there's no question to be made of it; it's so openly, so fully discovered, so largely declared, that there is nothing else done, nothing else spoken of, but the Kingdom, righteousness, and glory of God: and all the people, and all the spiritual people that have got out of their fetters, their banishments, that are got home to their own places: See this glory of God.  
The most earthly craatures, have some heart-melting, break, shake, terrors, troubles upon their spirits, by the appearing of God; by the lightnings and enlightenings of God; this fire of God: but those who are heavened into the spirit of God, who are awaked into the true life of God, where the righteousness and glory of God are openly discovered; where there's a full declaration of things, as they are in themselves; they clearly and manifestly see the glory of God, Beholding with open face the glory of God, and are changed into the same image from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the LORD.  
The end of the second Sermon.   

THE COMING OF THE KING of ZION.  Zechariah 9.9. 
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: Behold thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation, lowly, and riding upon an Ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an Ass.  
ZION, hath long suffered; but must be delivered: Zion hath long mourned: but we have here a Voice, that turns our mournings into joy: A Voice so powerful, so effectual, that doth indeed cause sigh, and sorrows to flee away: eternal and everlasting joy, says, Rejoice: A Fountain of joy, filling US with joy, saith, rejoice! Joy it self, speaks it self in US, and saith, Rejoice! I would not have you be troubled any longer! I shall not be satisfied, till I have wiped all tears from your eyes! So long as you sigh, you wound and pierce my heart! I cannot be merry my self, till my Spouse do rejoice with me! So long as you are afflicted, I mourn; and your mirth, is my rejoicing! Therefore come, let's rejoice together! Let's sing together! Let Me be the matter of Thy joy! Knowing Me, Thou canst not but rejoice! I know nothing troubles you but the absence of GOD. And there is no grief but this, That GOD is absent. Nothing displeases you, but that GOD doth not Reign. Nothing can disquiet a Saint but this, That GOD is not exalted: And therefore you shall be eased of your saddest thoughts, and greatest perplexities: and Ye shall see that which will abundantly comfort you; Ye shall see your King; Ye shall see the LORD Reign: This Reign shall be in you. Thy King cometh unto thee]  
Our God knows our troubles, and knows how to apply a remedy: He knows what mounds US; to see sin and Satan, lifting up their heads so high: to see the honour of our God in the dust: to see this, that Christ is crucified: to see that we are any thing but GOD: this is our sorrow; this is our mourning: and our God comes to US, and removes this sadness.  
Indeed we will not rejoice, till we see our KING; we refuse to be comforted, because We are not: Rachel mourning for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they were not. We will renounce all comforts without the presence of a God: We will not rejoice: but in this Joy: and yet in obedience to this voice, to this Lord, we cannot but rejoice: We have all joy in speaking; We rejoice at the heart, with joy unspeakable and full of glory: We are full of the glory of God; and therefore We rejoice greatly.  
— Rejoice Greatly]  
Every thing in US must rejoice in God: every thing must be satisfied and filled with joy: there's no true mirth, except it be universal mirth; universal satisfaction: if every part be not filled; the whole cannot be pleased, if we have not all Joy; but if our God gives US all Joy, it is so great, as to fill US every one; and fill every one full. This joy and rejoicing, is the Infinite End, and Answer of fullness: and when God doth fill us full; the Rebound of this fullness, is joy. The Lord filling us so with Himself, that we return back again into himself; filling us so full, that we flow out: this is our joy, when we have so much as we can hold no more: when we are weary of receiving; pouring back to Him, that gave us all. This is our JOY, and Rejoicing.  
So long as there's a defect and want, we cannot rejoice: till all are completely satisfied. Indeed all Heavenly joy is great; hath a greatness and glory and Majesty in it: we are never so awful and terrible to our enemies, as when we are singing and rejoicing: we are mighty, strong, and powerful in joy: the joy of God makes US to be Great persons: Eminent persons! and our joy is heightened, and doth daily rise higher and higher; it grows continually fuller and fuller: and the Spirit of the LORD doth screw us, and wind us up to the highest note of joy: great, HIGH and Excellent joy.  
It pleaseth thee, Oh Lord our GOD, to hear our voices lifted up! Oh how it pleaseth the Lord to have a Triumphing joy in US; as that we should wholly forget all sorrow: that we should be even wild, and drunk with joy; that we should even forget ourselves, in great rejoicing!  
Rejoice greatly; leap, dance and sing greatly! Let's have the largest of your hearts; the largest of your affections; and we will fill them with joy: do not live like low, mean, and base persons: but Great persons, in the greatest height! Not the joy of Common Men, or Common Creatures: but the highest joy, the fullest joy: Rejoice greatly!  
— O Daughter of Zion]  
The Affections, and love of God, makes us rejoice. And finding God a heart full of love, makes US to have hearts full of joy: to hear God break forth in expressions of love, makes us break forth in expressions of joy: when he cries, Oh my love! then we do sing with joy: and when he is in pain to deliver Himself into us; to deliver us into Himself, then do we rejoice: when We find our God ravished with love, taken & enamoured with us, Oh Daughter! We cannot but rejoice, when we see great love; large expressions of the favour of our God: then we are well pleased.  
— O Daughter of Zion]  
What a sweet Name is this! It shows our relation, though at a distance from him: it shows our tenderness and weakness; yet the delight and pleasure that the Lord our Husband, takes to us, and in us.  
Zion is the mountain of GOD: Mount Zion, the mountain of the LORD; and we are the Daughter of this mountain; the Daughter of the LORD. Take it as in a generation removed; and the further we are removed from God, the more need have we of consolation, and the greater love.  
The heavenly state of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Apostles, ye know is called, mount Zion; Ye are come to mount Zion, to Jerusalem, the City of the living God. GOD dwelling with His people in a manifestation of his own Spirit and presence, is, mount Zion: Jesus Christ exalted in the resurrection, and His people walking with Him, and in Him, is mount Zion; and the poor Saints of God at this time, are but the daughter of this: in the purest and best estate, it is but the daughter of Zion, dwelling with the daughter of Babylon; the daughter of Zion in captivity.  
The uttermost that you have, and enjoy, and know of God, it is but that Gospel-state removed, or something that the Spirit of the LORD begets in you, in some proportion and suitableness unto the state that Christ and his Apostles had.  
That uttermost Spirit of the LORD, forming in you, and begetting in you something of Himself, and of His own grace, that hath (though in weakness and infirmity) some likeness to that state the Church lived in in the primitive times; and that is, I acknowledge and confess the daughter of that, the daughter of that faith, the daughter of that love, the daughter of that Gospel, and the daughter of that presence of God; though in infirmity and weakness a child, and that a female, and in captivity in Babylon: None hath this state and condition pure and perfect, but mingled with darkness and weakness, with much Antichristianisme.  
This we own, there is some similitude and likeness of the state, which was in deed and in truth in the primitive times, a child of it, a daughter of it, amongst the Saints of God now.  
Ye have not Zion, but a daughter of it; and ye are not Zion, but a daughter, a generation descended from Zion, or Zion descended; a daughter of a Church in weakness and in infirmity, in captivity: and this message unto you is, Rejoice greatly.  
To the poor, low, weak, infirm Saints of God in bondage and captivity; they are the daughter of Zion, the beloved of God, owned to be the seed of Zion, the children of Zion: and when ye shall be nourished and fed with the bread of life, and the milk of the Word, ye will grow up to be Zion: but as yet ye are tender, weak, feeble; weak vessels, subject to be spoilt, tempted, carried away by the deceits of Satan, by the vanities of the world; yet tenderly beloved, and much affected by God, owned and acknowledged by Him to be His own seed, His own children, bearing the Image of the heavenly Zion, and having the nature of the mountain of God in You; and are indeed (though in extreme weakness and infirmity) the seat, and habitation, and the rest of God: Therefore, Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! and ye are not only called to rejoicing, but also to shouting.  
— Shout]  
Your language you know is poor, weak, broken, feeble; the most that is heard amongst you, is vain disputes, Genealogies, boastings and gloryings in the spirit of Antichrist; humane and fleshly wisdom, exalting and glorying in itself: but a savoury, sound and spiritual voice, is much in fears, doubts, demands in ask questions (by people in the wilderness) Which is the way to Zion? How shall we do to know God? Just like one that's blind, asks which is my friend, which is God? How shall I know God from Satan, Christ from Antichrist? How shall we do to understand the voice of the LORD? Here's a low, poor, mean voice; How is it? What shall we do? How shall we live? And what shall we do to get this and that? And what's the matter? These and such kind of questions, demands, complaints, are the voice that is here amongst you: but ye are called to shouting, shout, shout, let's hear the voice of God amongst you; the voice of a King. Israel shouted, Balaam prophesied, That the shout of a King was in the midst of them. The King is in you, the King is with you, and in you in victory; triumphing in the meanest and lowest state and condition. Ye may see by the Spirit of the LORD and faith, the mighty power of God; there is with us, and in us, the fullness of God: all wisdom, all righteousness, all certainty, all good, conquering all evil, all joy, removing all sadness, all sin taken away, therefore shout: Turn your complaints into triumphs: turn your demands and questions into liftings up the heart and spirit, & rejoice in such acclamations as these: I have found; I am; I enjoy Kingdom, glory, life; Christ, and every thing that is good. Shout; speak out, speak aloud, in the name of the LORD, and say, Ye are the children of the living God; say, God lives in you. Let's hear it aloud, speak boldly, confidently; open your hearts largely, and say, Christ is in you: I have Him; I am with Him; He is in me; I am in Him; here He is; He dwells in me; I am His Temple; I see Him now; I see the LORD my Saviour, I have heard of Him with the hearing of the ear, but now mine eyes see Him: I have Him: I enjoy Him.  
— Shout O daughter of Jerusalem]  
Though the daughter of Zion, and in weakness and lownes, yet the mountain of God; begotten by God, and though as yet in infirmity, descended from heaven, yet the daughter of Jerusalem, and the City of God, though very poor, and very weak; yet this is the state and condition of the daughter of Jerusalem; that is, the Jerusalem that is descended from above, Come down from heaven. The glorious state of the Church, in which are twelve foundations of the twelve Apostles; twelve gates, and twelve Angels, all of precious stones, all of pearls, all of pure gold transparent as glass, all righteousness, beauty, glory: all this is in us, and We are the daughter of it: all the glory, and all the excellency of Jesus Christ, and all his Apostles and Prophets are borne and brought forth in us: all the beauty, glory and excellency of Jesus Christ; of all the Saints, Prophets, Apostles and Angels are brought forth in us: thou art the daughter of it, the daughter of Jerusalem: a little Epitome of the heavenly Jerusalem, a low and little child, and a babe of the heavenly Jerusalem; and when thou growest up to know thyself, and what thou art, thou shalt be the mother of us all; and the mother of all the riches of God: thou art as (I may say) Christened: and in this day of the LORD, called by this name, the habitation and riches of all the fullness of the LORD; the place where the infinite Deity, the divine excellency, delights to fix, to settle, to live; this is thy state; thou art that building that is not made with hands, that is eternal in the heavens, the daughter of it: and when thou shalt grow up in the name and strength of the LORD, then wilt thou appear to be the Zion and Jerusalem of God. O what need thou hast now of great joy! How should thy heart be enlarged, when thou art the seat and habitation of all the glory and excellency of God, that ever shined forth in all the Saints, Prophets, and Apostles, and Angels! All this joy, glory, and excellencies, must come forth from thee, must be Produced from thee, must be enlarged in thee. O then what cause hast thou to rejoice, and to shout greatly!  
— Behold thy King cometh unto thee]  
This Scripture hath been fulfilled once, in the first appearing of the Lord Christ, (when there was great joy in Jerusalem at his triumphant riding through Jerusalem upon an Ass; the multitude of people spread their garments in the way; and others cut down branches of trees, and strewed in the way, crying, and saying, Hosannah to the Son of David; Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the LORD, Hosannah in the Highest) And it's now fullfiling the Second time, by the Second appearing of the Lord; by the Second and GREAT appearing of our Jesus: by the coming of the Son of God: not in infirmity and weakness; but in the Majesty and Power of the Father; in the Kingdom and Power of God: and therefore, Behold it! Look out for it: Look out of your bondage and captivity: Look forth of your fears, and dark and troubled thoughts: See who is here: Open your Everlasting doors: stand open ye Everlasting gates: Open your everlasting eyes: Open your spiritual eyes: Look up: Look up, O ye lights of God, Behold the KING of eternal glory! Arise, Awake and stand up out of your carnal, humane and fleshly state, into your heavenly and spiritual light; and see here: (What's here?)— Behold thy King cometh unto thee!  
— Behold thy King]  
Thou poor afflicted Zion; Thy Lord is a KING! Thy light is a KING! Thou shalt see this: Behold and see the KING in his glory! Jesus Christ glorified: thou shalt see Jesus Christ upon his Throne! Come see the Majesty of your Saviour: see him made KING! He that a long time hath been subject to the enmity of Satan, and the world in you: Now He is setting His feet upon Satan: see Him, whom men hated and despised, exalted upon the Throne! Come and be acquainted with a glorious Christ: Come and see the Reign of your Saviour: see Him in His Highest kingliness, lordliness! see Him taking His great Reign! He will now take His great Reign; He hath Reigned in infirmity and weakness: He will Reign (now) in power: He Reign's Greatly, Mightily! I know this will make your hearts rejoice; and nothing but this.  
I know you will never see good days, until ye see the KING upon His Throne: till you see Christ upon THE Throne: and you will never see shouting, and rejoicing, till you see your KING, your Own KING: KING Jesus, KING Christ, upon the Throne: till ye see Him whom ye love: till ye come to see Jesus Christ Your LORD, Your Saviour; that died for You; that hath been dead in you, living in you; quickening you, and doing whatsoeve He will, in Heaven and Earth.  
He hath been called a King; but now He will be a KING indeed: you have said, He hath been a King at a distance; but He will be a KING come; Reigning here: Come see, A KING cometh to Thee; Reigning in Thee; manifesting Power, and Glory, and Majesty in us, with us.  
What joy can it be to us, if our KING reign elsewhere, and be Enslaved in us, Captived in us? No, but He comes to Reign in Thee, poor man; He cometh unto Thee, poor Daughter of Zion! He cometh, He cometh, saith the Psalmist, (Psal. 96. last ver.) to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the People with His truth: He comes; He comes; He makes haste; He is already mounted into His Chariot; He hath got up already; He is not here, he is Risen; He is free from the grave; He is ascended: He Rides upon the wings of the wind: He is in the Clouds, hasting Mightily to US: and you shall see Him, and enjoy Him; and He comes to be with thee; He shall reign, and thou shalt reign with Him, and sit upon His Throne: You shall enjoy His great power; and Reign with Him.  
He comes to man, poor man; and make● man a King: He comes to Thee, to glorify Thee; to fill thee with Royalty; to make Thee a KING. He doth not speak righteousness and comfort to thee, if he do not speak this; He comes to thee; Thou shalt live the life of a KING: and thou shalt have the power of God and Christ; All power in Heaven and Earth.  
— He is just, having Salvation, lowly, and riding upon an Ass]  
The first thing is, that we shall see him in his Justice. He will slay all his enemies: He is just, holy and righteous; a holy God: He hath the very extremity of Justice: He will not spare one: there shall not a wicked one stand before him: He will severely punish his enemies: fear it not: the sword of justice is in his hand, and its extreme sharp: He will take away all filthiness, and filthy things; all iniquity and wickedness. Justice is the habitation of his Throne. Nothing but pure justice shall dwell with our LORD: He will give to every man according to his works; so shall they receive at the hands of our KING: the hypocrite shall have a hypocrites portion: and the unbeliever, an unbelievers portion: the proud shall be brought down: the poor shall be lifted up: the low, exalted: the high, laid in the dust: men, evil men, wicked men, shall be slain; shall be plagued with the vengeance of the Lord.  
The holy men, heavenly men, shall be raised and restored: Who are righteous, shall be known: Who are wicked, shall be discovered: there shall be a just and righteous administration of all things: all the Goats shall be culled out from the Sheep; and the Sheep from the Goats: and though the Saints are with wicked men, & dwell together; yet they shall be set at a wide difference: Come ye blessed: Go ye cursed: and the Righteous and Holy-ones, shall be Highly Exalted, to the Highest Heavens: and the evil and good that so cleaves to you, shall be perfectly drawn forth, the Gold from the Dross; and be refined with the exact Justice of Jesus Christ; so that nothing that's holy and good, shall be lost; and nothing that's evil and wicked, shall be saved: Every thing that's holy, shall be saved: just, just to a hair.  
None of the elect shall be lost; and none of the wicked saved. No evil shall remain to trouble our good any longer: the righteous shall be rewarded, the wicked punished by exact Justice: we shall be Just in Christ; He shall make US Just; and He shall do Justice to all the flesh, and all the power of the flesh, and the strength of the flesh, and the wisdom of the flesh; He shall likewise do Justice to God: God shall have all the honour that is due to Him: Just honour, Just praise, Just wisdom; and His Enemies shall be Justly plagued.  
— And having Salvation]  
Ye shall be saved by Justice: ye shall be saved with Vengeance: If the Lord Jesus be not Just, He cannot be a Saviour: but He is perfectly Just; therefore a perfect Saviour: If He were not Violent against iniquity, He could not save: If he were not an implacaple enemy to flesh, sin, Satan: if flesh, sin and wickedness, could possibly deceive the eyes of Justice, we could not be saved by Him: If any iniquity could hid it self from his eyes, we should never be saved: If he were not Just for to pull down all wickedness, all antichristianism, there could be no Salvation: but this is your KING; this is your Saviour; one who is free from Iniquity and Sin: one who is just, and having Salvation.  
— And having salvation]  
People now a-daies talk much of a King, and much is spoken every day of a King: but yet ye are not saved; here's no salvation appears: but here's a King that hath salvation; ye shall be saved: Salvation is heaven, glory, redemption, deliverance; to be in a state and condition where we are safe from sin; safe from trouble, safe from enemies, within and without; ye shall have justice done too: yea Justice done against your enemies; and ye shall be advanced up into salvation, made safe, all saved in Justice. His name is a Saviour: He saves Israel from their sins: from all our enemies, from all that hate us: having Christ, we have salvation: and our Lord hath salvation the height of salvation; glory, the height of glory; so also He is very lowly. And that particularly take notice of the meekness and lowliness of our King, our Lord, our Saviour: This high and lofty One, this King is very lowly, very meek, very mean, very poor; though a King, though Lord of all.  
And these two cannot consist in the thoughts of man, that he should be a King, and yet very lowly. The narrow heart of man cannot match these two together; the highest of glory, in the lowest of man: but though man cannot reach this, God can: He dwells with poor, low, broken man: The greatest glory in the highest Majesty, lives in the brokenest spirits; and you will find and see the LORD breaking forth, shining forth in those that are the lowest of people; those whose wisdom is dashed in pieces; those who have lost their strength and confidence, their Religion, their form of knowledge and worship; that are fallen (as some maliciously say) from grace: they had thought they had had some knowledge and acquaintance of God, but now they see they know nothing: they thought they were in a safe state and condition, but now they see they are in a wilderness, in a desolate, barren estate: they had something, but now they are nothing.  
Thy King cometh to thee in this low estate, in this darkness, in this nothingness; Thy King comes, and hath humbled Himself in that state and condition, and delights to take up His residence in thee: He comes to thee, as a thief, having stolen away the riches and treasures in the house, goes and lives in a poor cottage: So the LORD hath stolen away the glory and greatness of the creature, and then chooses it for his Habitation, and then lives in lowness, in meanness; a lowly Lord hears the King. I see the LORD (saith the Soul) in emptiness, in nothingness, in weakness, and infirmity: Behold, What's here? A Mighty GOD, a Mighty KING, clothed in rags! One that hath all things, and yet ye hear nothing but complaints: Possessing all things, and yet poor and begging His bread: The LORD of Glory, and yet in pitiful infirmity, in a mean, low estate, and none regards Him: This is the pleasure of the LORD; This is Thy good will, Oh LORD!  
— Riding upon an Ass]  
It was once fulfilled in a grosser way; in a more literal way; now we find the Lord in His Second Coming, fulfilling of it in a more Spiritual way.  
An Ass is the dullest of all the creatures; the slowest, dullest, basest creature: and that by which we express fools; a creature of scorn and contempt; and it was that creature, which in and under the Law, was refused; it might not be Sacrificed: the Law would not be satisfied with it: the Law was so choice, so wise (as I may say) as it would not accept of an Ass: yet this the LORD Chooses of all other Creatures: This is the lowliness of My LORD, to come in such a Mean state and condition, upon a dull, heavy, poor, scorned and contemptible Beast: Riding upon, exalting Himself upon a Poor despicable creature; the worst of Creatures; dull, heavy, slow, beastly, poor, mean, and low Creatures: These the KING OF GLORY makes use of; and not of the High, Stout, Lofty Horses: You shall have some that are very quick, nimble and light of foot; highly carried up in the excellencies of the letter, knowledge, professions and forms; and now they are as lofty as Horses; and can be leaping from text to text, from truth to truth, and outrun, and run round, a poor, dull and heavy Christian: and knowledge hath so puffed them up, that a poor, mean, low Christian is refused, despised, and scorned at.  
But these are not they which the LORD Chooses: but it is such as are in a low, mean, and dull way: The wisdom of the LORD is condemned, rejected, and refused, by the wisdom of the World; and it's counted foolishness: But the Lord will Ride; will be Exalted in the poor, mean, low despicable things of the world.  
— Riding upon an Ass]  
Me thinks Christ should choose a better beast, saith the Law, we will not accept of him; and saith the letter, we will not accept of an Ass: Doth not the Scripture say plainly, we will not have an Ass? But the Lord Christ chooses to come to such as are despised; and in such a way, as the Law rejects, and as the letter disownes; and as men contemns.  
— And upon a Colt, the foal of an Ass]  
An Ass, an ignoble Beast: and upon a Colt too, The foal of an Ass; the weakest of that poor creature: the foal; the Colt, sets forth the weakness, insufficiency, indiscretion and foolishness. The foal of an Ass, is simpler than the Ass itself: The poor creature that hath no discretion; no judgement; no understanding of things: so simple, that he knows nothing; understands nothing; is not acquainted with any thing: to these Christ comes.  
We looked for Christ to come in another way then so mean, so low; we now a days look for great things: Signs, Miracles, Wonders, Professions, Ordinances, Ravishments, Astonishments; such as may take up our affections, wisdoms, and judgements: This was the manner of the Jews; they refused Christ's in lowness, and would not accept of him in such a mean estate: even so, the Jewish estate in our days, is not forwarn'd by their fall, to lie down and be humbled: but this Jew doth in a more mystery of iniquity oppose, refuse, and reject Christ.  
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion; shout O Daughter of Jerusalem; for, Behold thy King, thy Lord, thy Saviour cometh to Thee; is with Thee; in Thee, Riding upon an Ass]— He hath the Highest of Severity and Justice, Glory and Power, in the lowest state, in the meanest condition: He comes, Riding upon an Ass]— His way, though disallowed, disapproved of by legal perfection, and looked upon by humane wisdom, to be simple and foolish; yet, Behold thy King cometh; having justice, and salvation: Come rejoice greatly!  
He that will not take Christ upon an Ass, shall never receive him. Thou that wilt not let him in, coming in a low, mean estate, shall never enjoy him: This is the way My Lord chooses to come. I choose this state: I Ride in a simple, foolish way; disregarded, disesteemed, despised by the wisdom of the world and by the strength of man: yet I am thy King, thy Lord, thy God, thy Saviour: and having Justice, and Salvation.  
The end of the third Sermon.   

THE COMING OF THE KINGDOM of GOD.  LUKE 17.20, 21, 22. 
And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them, and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation.  
Neither shall they say, Lo here, or lo there: for behold, the kingdom of God is within you, etc.  
THis Scripture is proposed to be opened; wherein we find the Pharisees and Disciples, all enquiring concerning The kingdom of God. A parallel Scripture with this, is that in Mat. 24.3. A little of the appearing of God in Jesus Christ, makes both Disciples and Pharisees inquire after the Kingdom of God: and you may observe how the Pharisees as well as the Disciples are enquiring after heavenly things.  
We are troubled with the perverseness of the Pharisees, as well as the weakness of the Disciples; the Pharisee is most in question; they that are highest in their own conceits, and most confident of their own wisdom, do most abound in proposing questions, do most desire to grow in notions; Therefore 'tis not every one that asks shall have, nor every one that seeks shall find, but he that asks aright, We shall find no question, but we may see a Pharisee in it, though withal a Disciple.  
The enquiry is after the kingdom of God. While it was present with them, they were in dispute and question concerning it; Christ telleth them, The kingdom of God is within you; it was in him, it was in them; 'tis in me, 'tis in you, and yet ye inquire after it: therefore there is no question but there's unbelief, there's darkness: Take away unbelief, and darkness, and enmity against the kingdom of God, and ye shall see nothing, but the kingdom of God: For there is nothing but the kingdom of God, that shines from East to West; and while every man questions it, and proposes doubts, he shows in that what the kingdom of God makes him, and discovers the evil & punishment of his own flesh.  
But here is proud flesh, wise Pharisees, ask after the highest glory, The kingdom of God.  
While flesh is up in questioning, the kingdom of God is trampled upon: and yet so cunning is the flesh, that when with cruel enmity they hate and persecute, yet with seeming zeal they inquire after the Kingdom of God: and while the LORD saith— You are of your father the devil (you are murderers) they say, We would fain see and enjoy the Kingdom of God.  
Wretched man, while he is climbing high in his notions, in his understanding, to search and pry into the greatest mystery of God (of God in his Kingdom) he stands then at the greatest distance from God.  
The kingdom of God is the subject of every man's discourse, the object of every man's hatred: all men talk of it, and no man loves it; every man says, How, and when, & where is it? how shall I know it? how may I see it, and no man can endure it?  
The Kingdom of God is the destruction of the world (so the Disciples knew) When shall thy coming, and the end of the world be? So long as the world is, The Kingdom is not. God reigns not, or there is a Kingdom of God in the world, which is not THE KINGDOM, or, The Kingdom Come. This Kingdom as it manifests itself, the world is not.  
And as every man dreads (every man corrupted by Satan dreads) and hates the end of the world, and the destruction of all things: so every man hates the Kingdom of God. There is nothing so much flattered, nothing so much abused, as the Kingdom of God. Men would see it and know it (because they cannot be saved without it) but are enemies to it, because it comes with the destruction of the flesh.  
There are many now further off from the Kingdom of God than these Pharisees. If any thing of the Kingdom of God break forth, they fly from it, they will not endure it. This is the Kingdom of God so far as it manifests itself— God reigning, God triumphing all in all: Where nothing is but God, nothing lives but God, none speaks but God: Where God is upon the throne (of his own glory) where God lives alone, speaks alone, saith, I am, and there is none besides me; When I have conquered and overcome every thing to myself, by the brightness of my own glory, made every thing light like myself, when all things speak me, and acknowledge me, and every thing declares me: This is my Kingdom.  
And this man hates, this man dreads, this is death, death to all the world. This man cries out against as Blasphemy: Man can be well contented that God should be his Pillar to bear him up, but not that God should come uppermost, and say, I am the LORD: He can be content that God should support him in his weakness, and give him the hopes of a Kingdom, but cannot be content that he should be a King.  
— When the Kingdom of GOD should come]  
It comes, it must come. They were not so wicked (nor is there any Pharisee so wicked) as to say, it shall never be, but they would not have it as yet: They love to talk of it, more than to hear it, or see it: and are great pretenders to believing, but great opposers to view and sight. Pharisees are most certainly concluded in faith, to believe it shall be, they care not for the sight. The Kingdom of God is good at a distance, but hard and intolerable in presence, because it discovers and judges good and evil, it shows men where they are, what they are. The wretchedest Jew in the world will offer sacrifice in token of God to come, Christ to come; though when he comes they do oppose him, The same do men now.  
— He answered, and said unto them, The Kingdom of GOD comes not with observation.  
By that reason, that judgement whereby you would comprehend and understand heavenly things; ye shall not. The kingdom of God is no way subject to your observation; it's not the Kingdom of God, if you could see it, if you could observe it; you are darkness, and cannot know the light.  
None can observe this Kingdom, but the Kingdom itself; when ye come to it and enjoy it, ye shall see it: None can say this is the Kingdom, or that is the Kingdom, or this is not the Kingdom, or that is not the Kingdom, for it comes not with observation. It's not to be observed by the most studious, the most inquisitive, the most thirsting men after the knowledge of it; not by the best reason, the clearest judgement, the largest comprehension, the most curious speculation of man: compare times with times, seasons with seasons, Scriptures with Scriptures; all this is but observation, and according to this way, the Kingdom of God doth not come: to say, this is not the Kingdom of God, because it doth not agree with this and with that, is to go by observation; but The Kingdom of GOD, cometh not with observation.  
Wretched man, silly ignorant man, blind man, that dares subject this Kingdom of God to his observation! But it comes not so. Men talk and babble, and argue amongst themselves; we know this the Scripture saith, and this the Word saith, and therefore the Kingdom of GOD must be so, and so (this is observation and) by this the Pharisees rejected Christ; and by this a spiritual Pharisee, a more subtle Pharisee, the heir of the Pharisee doth daily, and continually reject Christ.  
Away then with observation: The Kingdom of God is not so mean, and so base as to be subject to humane capacity, to men's Reasons— Christ was this, did this, wrought this; and therefore we expect in the second coming he should do this, and work this, as he did then; this is the common vote of men, of reason;— If thou be'st Christ, do this, for God saith this, and Christ doth this: all this is observation. Christ a Servant (indeed) comes with observation; but Christ a LORD, comes not with observation: Christ in meanness and lowness, is subject to your reason; Christ in height and glory, is far above it.  
Christ doth the same in the Second appearance, as he did in the first; but not with observation: not visible and manifest in the flesh; as thus, he raised the dead, opened the Eyes of the blind, cured the lame; all this is done in his Second appearance; but in a higher, in a heavenly way, above and beyond observation.  
Christ will not (you would have him, but he will not) come again in that Low Mean way, subject to Observation; and so, subject to the baseness of the Creature.  
If any thing take notice of Christ, besides himself, it's not Christ. He saith, That which men approve of, I will not own; that which man commends, I abhor.  
The Lord will not continue in such a state and condition, wherein the Jews shall cry Hosannah to him; But will presently pass into such a state, wherein they shall Crucify him: He will be what the world hates.  
You will find false Christ's, coming with signs and wonders, Mat. 24.24. There shall arise false Christ's, and false Prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that (if it were possible) they shall deceive the very elect. You shall have Christ's according to your desire (I speak to Parisaical man, carnal fleshly man) you shall have Christ's to do what you desire; false Christ's: & this shall be your judgement: false Christ's to show you such signs and wonders, as you gape after: God (in judgement) hath false christs: for false seekers, for false inquierers: This is the plague of the flesh, it shall have what it doth desire: such things as you would now be glad to see and do inquire after, ye shall have; one that will open Scriptures, do mighty miracles show great gifts; and yet all this but a false christ; and the very elect, so far as is possible, shall be deceived therewith.  
So long as ye live in observation, and not in the pure being of God, ye shall be abused and deceived. It's easy for Satan to bring forth such a form, such delusions as shall beguile & deceive, the subtlest of your observations.  
— Neither shall they say, Lo here, or Lo there]  
Neither shall they say, and yet they will swear (at the 23. ver.— They shall say unto you, see here, see there: These two verses contradict one another; they shall, and they shall not. They shall say, but they shall not say it rightly: they shall speak it, but they shall be discovered to speak it falsely; not groundedly and truly: though they shall speak it, yet they shall not be able so to speak it, as to perform it: They shall speak it an hundred times over; Here is Christ, now I have him, here he is, this is he; and yet they shall quickly after, be forced to unsay it again: Oh 'tis not he, I thought this was Christ, but now I see 'tis not; or ye shall say, but not be able to make it good: ye shall say it with much carnal confidence; but not say it certainly, with any stability or assurance.  
The brightness of the shining of the LORD GOD, will out shine all false christs: will utterly confute, and judge all the Imaginations of men; that say, now I have Christ; here he is, it is he, I enjoy him in this faith, I have him in this comfort, I enjoy him in this ordinance: all this ye shall say, and ye have said (and I know your consciences witness it in you) and by and by, quickly after, ye (have and) shall unsay it again; and say, O I am mistaken, I am deceived, this was not Christ; it looked like an Angel of light, but it is not Christ, it is a delusion; I thought it was the Messiah, but it is a Judas; I thought it was a shining-light, but it is but a Meteor; it is not what I took it for; I was beguiled.  
Most men's finding, and enjoying of Christ, it is but observation; for a while (or time) men think, and say, they have Christ (by observation and experience, and the like) but they shall learn another language, they shall not say so long: ye do (and shall) often say it, and unsay it again; I have Christ; here is Christ: and yet this is not he.  
Before the Kingdom of GOD appears, every one must have acquaintance with false Christ's; it must be so: offences must come, be not offended at it; ye must be deceived; ye shall be deceived (GOD hath a great design of glory in this) ye will be, ye cannot but be deceived, till all your observation be worn out; till ye are gone beyond observation, ye will be cozened: with much joy ye shall say Christ is here; and then by and by unsay it again.  
— Neither shall they say, Lo here, or Lo there]  
False Christ's are here described; and this is their Language— Lo here, Lo there, Mat. 24.23. If any man shall say unto you, Lo here is Christ, or Lo there; believe it not: The sum is this, Christ will be spoken by no man; no man shall be able to Speak Christ; to say here is Christ: and if you hear any say (any man say) here is Christ; or if you (man) say, this is Christ, or there is Christ; that's a deluder, that's a deceiver.  
Christ will be understood and known by no man, while we are man, we cannot understand and know Christ; till we are dead and raised up into Christ, we understand not Christ: None but Christ, can speak Christ; none but Christ can declare Christ. It's not the Kingdom of GOD, if man be able to utter it and declare it. Christ comes and slays, and throws off all man; and speaks himslf,— I AM.  
— If any man shall say to you, if man in you shall say, this is Christ, or that is Christ, it is a liar; or if you think you hear man speak Christ, ye are deceived. Ye shall never be free from deceit, till the Lord Jesus comes forth and declares Himself in every one of You: I AM The LORD.  
— NO man shall say]  
Let not man say, Lo here or Lo there: This is the wretchedness of man, to be something in himself; to take part himself, and to give part to Christ; or to say, here I AM, when HE is not, or This is Christ, when it is not Christ. And thus every man must speak, and cannot speak otherwise.  
It's the speech of some; I am in Christ, and Christ is in me: he is in spiritual things, he is in preaching and praying; but he is not in outward things: lo here he is, when I am wrapped up in heavenly enjoyments; but when I am in my businesses, in my calling, I cannot say he is there: I have Christ in me, there is something of Christ in me, he is in my spirit, there he is spiritually, but I have flesh, and a body, there he is not. This voice is the same with that in the Text, Lo here is Christ, and there is Christ, and here he is not, and there he is not. To shut Christ out of any place, out of any thing; this is to say, Lo here, or lo there; these are false Christ's.  
This is the wickedness of man to include and exclude Christ, to imprison him into one thing; to make him to be one where, and not another where; but Christ is, and there is none besides him; he is weakness as well as strength, darkness as well as light, evil as well as good; Christ in me, Christ in all; the LORD in triumph, the LORD crucified, the LORD exalting, the LORD humbling, the LORD in life, the LORD in death, the LORD saving, the LORD destroying, the the LORD here blessing, the LORD there cursing: this is Christ: if ye cannot see him in one thing as well as another (in wicked men as well as good men, in this death as well as his resurrection, in lengths and depths, and breadths, and all) ye do not see him at all.  
Here's the narrowness of the heart of every man (a sensible creature, full of observation, and his own reason) saying, Lo here is Christ, there is Christ, here he is not, there he is not; narrowing of him into their own observation; he is in me, when I am so qualified, and he is not in me, when I am not so qualified; not knowing or understanding, that he is in some, trampled on under the feet of his enemies, and yet there in glory; in some he is at the top, in some he is at the bottom; in some withering them; in some, bringing forth fruit; in some, sweetening and moderating their nature; in some, letting forth wrath and enmity.  
— For behold the Kingdom of GOD is within you]  
God will be all or nothing; ye shall not think him like yourselves, The kingdom of God is within you, in every one of you. The kingdom of God is amongst you; ye are possessors of it, it is not without ye, ye have it: while ye are led out by your carnal reason to observe it without, it is neglected within.  
Behold, Behold (saith he) the kingdom of God is within you] Heavenly blessedness is within ye, and ye do not see it till ye see it there; If ye had eyes to see (saith he) ye would see yourselves in the kingdom, and the kingdom in you.  
This is a sweet Behold, and a word of special grace and favour: Those thoughts that lead you out of yourselves for God, for Christ, believe them not, hate them, abhor them: O lay down all those wicked imaginations, those carnal observations, those cursed reasonings of the kingdom of God within ye.  
Some men think to see the Kingdom of God coming in such and such a person; to see the Kingdom of God coming in such and such sights and voices, these are delusions, Behold the kingdom of Christ, the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven is within you; use it as you will, deal with it as you please, but in you 'tis; 'tis in you suppressed; 'tis covered over with a deal of desperate wickedness, with a thick vail; and none knows that it is there, but itself; there 'tis seen only, and enjoyed only by itself. Or give me leave to say, I am within you, all that I speak, am, and do, is within you: all the light and glory that I have, is within you, and ye do not understand me, if ye do not see me within you. There is another comes between me & you, if you hear me without you.  
If ye hear not this LORD speaking within you, ye understand nothing, and so the words that I speak they are cast into another form, before they reach your ear; the evil one takes them from the Spirit (which is in you) and carries them about to you, thorough the ear. While I speak and am understood in that sense, I am abused and wronged. That speech that I will be understood (in & must be understood in) is to speak in the heart within you. That life that I live is in you, and speaks that that I speak; and I do nothing but interpret and open, what your heart speaks.  
Let me not be another from you, for than ye oppose me, and resist me, and ye will not hear not receive the truth that I declare, which is my own heart, my life, my bosom, myself. These are the things than are lodged and wrapped up in my heart to eternity; these are my very soul; only I have been asleep, and now (being awakened) I see they are all in me: If ye hear with the inward ear, and see with the inward eye, you will say, This is not a man, but the Son of God; This is my bosom friend, my LORD, and husband, that gins to awake and rouse me: This is a fountain and no stream.  
I do you injury if I speak of a Kingdom of God without you (that is, I myself without you (that is I myself without you) for the true spiritual new man is the kingdom of God; what I am indistinction from you, is an evil to you: if your unbelieving spirits say, I am a man, and another, woe be to that distinction; but if ye say, this is my LORD and my Father, happy is that union.  
— The kingdom of GOD is within you]  
It is not without you, in Ordinances, in Scriptures: The kingdom of God. The whole kingdom, all is in you; all Truth, all Scriptures, all Wisdom, all Power, all Strength, all that I AM, all that God is, all that Christ is, all that Heaven is, all that God in Reign and Kingdom is, is within you.  
I hear, I see, the kingdom of God coming forth, breaking forth in every man; and every man always is (but now gins to appear to be) what God is in him, The Kingdom of God, either justifying or condemning, either punishing or rewarding; punishing man & flesh with darkness, or rewarding Man with light, glory and blessedness.  
He that lives indeed, I know hears me, and smiles at this, and rejoices in his soul: The true life, the true man, the true ear rejoices at this, and speaks itself, That all the Power, all the Excellency of God is in me, it's with me, it's not out of me, it declares itself in me; all the Majesty of God, the Kingdom of God, All, Every thing, it's here, it's in this man, in this creature, in you, within you, and reigns there, its King there, though a King crucified, though on the Cross, yet he is King of the Jews: Though denied for a while and opposed, yet a King, and a Kingdom.  
This is the bravery and nobleness of this Kingdom, it is not lessened by hatred, by death, it's as glorious in the grave, as it is in exaltation; as glorious in rejection and persecution, as it is in height and glory.  
The Son of God, this Kingdom, it passeth thorough lowness and meanness, to excellency and honour; and therefore all the reason and parts of man (in this generation) are set against it, that this may be fulfilled— He must suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.  
The end of the fourth Sermon.   

THE COMING OF THE KINGDOM of GOD.  LUKE 17.22. 
And he said unto the Desciples, The days will come when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.  
QUestionings Occasion this Scripture.  
They that are least knowing, are fullest of disputes.  
They that have something to satisfy them, are lest in questioning.  
To the Pharisees there's a rebuke, ver. 20. The Kingdom of God cometh not with obsevation. And then a comfort, ver. 21. Behold, the Kingdom of God is within you.  
But now to the Disciples, there is a sharp sentence; The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.  
This is spoken to them that desire to see Christ: The Disciples: You that acknowledge Christ present with you, your Master: you that are called to an owning and confessing Christ to be come; To you that have believed and do believe, and have published this— This is the Messiah: This is he whom we looked for; To you it is spoken: for you are the Disciples.  
What is a Disciple?  
One that hath devoted himself, and given himself to a constant, and continual attendance upon Jesus; or, one that is separated from the world, and liveth in the family of Christ; who always is with the Lord. Then, there is a sharp fentence to beloved Disciples.  
In love to you, I could be content to conceal it, were it not love to you, to declare it; That the days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.  
Such tribulation, such darkness, such confusion, within and without, every where such trials and combustions, that ye shall desire to see something of God, something of the arm of God, of the appearance of God, and ye shall not see it. Such floods of darkness, will be let lose upon you, and so drown all your understandings, your senses, your experiences, your hopes, your enjoyments, your comforts, your confidences, within and without, That ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not be able to see it: ye shall desire to see, and shall not see, the least spark of the light of one of the days that ye have had.  — The days will come] 
It cannot be avoided: Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but not one tittle of my word shall fail. Night's will follow days; and the best day that ye have ever yet seen, is not Eternal; and therefore it will be pursued, and followed with a dark night.— The days will come] Nothing can withstand them. What is to come, must come, before the word of GOD can be fulfilled.  
All that ever you have known and understood, is no more able to resist them, than a poor straw is able to resist the greatest river; or dry stubble, to withstand fire. These days are so firmly Decreed, resolvedly Purposed, in the Holy Conncell of God, that all that ye have and know, shall not be able to resist it.  
These things I tell you before hand, that when they come to pass, ye may remember that I told them you— It's appointed for man, once to die; etc. It's appointed for your lives, the life of all that ye have and are, the life of man to die, and come to judgement. and in these days, ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man etc.  
Ye think ye see GOD, ye see Christ; the time will be, when ye shall desire to see, and shall not; when ye shall confess ye are in the dark; when ye shall confess ye know nothing: when ye shall not say, ye see, but ye desire to see. People that now are very confident that they do see, and know something; it will be manifest that they do see and know nothing.  — YE shall desire to see] 
Though Disciples, yet YE shall desire to see. An earnest hunger and thirst, shall be after the view and sight of Christ: when you will long not to hear but to see Christ: You are now satisfied with the report of him; that's nothing, you shall desire to see him. After all your enjoyments, there will come a heavy thirst; a grievious parching heat and thirst; and nothing will satisfy but this, I must see GOD, and Christ. Ye shall be in such tribulation and desolation, that nothing but the sight of Christ can cure you; at such a loss, that if all the gifts and comforts of men & Angels should be presented to you, ye would throw them at your feet: and nothing will content but This, I must see the LORD; all that hath comforted you, now will be nothing; ye will not be at peace, unless ye see the Lord Jesus; ye will be in such a straight, that ye shall desire to see [one of the days] of the Son of man. Marry would see Christ, though a Crucifi'd Christ; and would see the Son of God, though in the grave. You will desire to see him, though in the meanest and lowest condition. O, that I might have but one glimpse of the light of God: If he would but look through the lattice, through the keyhole; but without sight and view of him, I can never be at rest: If I may enjoy himself, his Ownself (though in never so small a degree) it is well.  
Now ye are full, ye shall be empty; ye are rich, ye shall be poor; ye say ye see, ye shall be made blind; ye think ye have all, and are rich and have need of nothing, but ye shall find that ye are nothing, and have nothing.  
Ye are contented new with the days of man, with the works of man; these things make a good man; ye think ye do well, if ye do like wise men, honest men, and holy men; this will not always satisfy you, this will not always be desirable; that which ye now rest in, will be unsatisfactory: and ye will desire to see, one of the days of the Son of man etc.  — One of the days of the Son of Man] 
The Son of GOD, is the Son of man; Christ borne of a woman: Jesus Christ, the Anointed of GOD, descending from Man, springing forth from Man: This fruit of the Spirit, This Holy Child Jesus, growing out of man.  
There is first The day of man, wherein man liveth, and liveth upon faith, and expectation of Christ; and lives in looking, and waiting for the Son of man, the Son of GOD. In this state the Disciples and John were: and they that be in this state, are (by the knowledge that they have of Jesus Christ) washed from the pollutions of the world, have fellowship and communion with Christ; are given up ●o obedience to Christ: But this is but the day of man. What's this if I go Childless; if I may not see the Son of Man, that springs forth of man; if I may not see the Heir brought forth; if I may not see Jesus Christ borne; This Man Child born in to the world, I cannot be Satisfied?  — The Son of Man] 
This Holy Child, is contented to acknowledge man to be his Father, or his Mother rather; to succeed man. But when He comes forth, He lives, and man gives place to Christ; and though in another respect he is called the Son of man, yet He is the Son of GOD. (He is also called the Son of man, as he is born of man, borne of the flesh, taking our nature.) This is that the Desciples must thirst after; to see the generation of Jesus Christ; to see the birth, and bringing forth into open view, the Son of God: shall I give to conceive, and shall I not bring forth.  
Though ye are as that Woman in the Revelation (in an excellent condition) Gloathed with the Sun, and the Moon under her feet, yet she traveled to bring forth the Son. Though ye are never so glorious, and clothed with brightness and light, and are above the World, and above the Letter, and above Ordinances; yet ye must Travel to bring forth the Man-child.  — Ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and shall not. 
When ye have conceived him, and have felt the Babe stirring in you, Ye shall not be satisfied till ye have seen him brought forth. Ye shall have many desires, & shall not attain your desires, many long and lose your long; and ye shall cry and thirst, and thirst and cry so long, that ye can cry no longer; ye shall cry till the tongue cleaves to the roof of your mouth; ye shall be parched with thirst; ye shall be as Dives in hell, cry for a drop of water, one drop; so here in the Text, one day. Ye shall desire to see one day of etc.  
Many rejoice in their desires, and I know God in desires is sweet: but there are desires that shall not be satisfied; there are desires, and of seeing the Son of man. What will God deal so hardly with the Disciples? so harshly? Can the LORD hid himself from his own flesh? LORD, Canst thou be so harsh as to deny those that do so much desire to see thee? Yes, I can and will be so hard, and so cruel, as when they shall earnestly desire, I will deny their desires; though they be mine own desires, begotten in them, yet to purify their desires, I will burn them, I will deny them.  
Is there nothing in Christ but kindness and mercy? No! there is extreme severity: If there be but a grain of flesh come forth in your greatest desires, he will nip all for that one, that there may be pure desires to a pure Christ; If there be a thousand-fold heavenly Angels in your desires; and but one carnal, fleshly evil in them, he will deny all, till he hath killed that evil. He knows in the greatest severity, how to fift every grain of dust from the wheat, and to burn up all the dross from the gold. He is most cruel to flesh, but most merciful to spirit; and when he doth most reject desires, he doth most answer desires: But you must not, nor shall not enjoy Christ so easily as you thought for. Such days come as ye shall not see Christ; ye shall have inflamed desires, and they shall be unsatisfied, and there shall be nothing but darkness within you, and without you, earnest parching, thirsting desires, and yet not satisfied; but all your desires shall be thrown into the fire; and you with them.  
There is a boldness and sauciness in the flesh, grown up in a literal and fleshly acquaintance with Christ. Men come to have a little acquaintance with Christ in the letter and flesh, and then they think all evil is pall, all sorrow is done away, and they think they have Christ at command, and they shall no sooner ask then have; but that will not always last: there will come that which will check this vanity in the flesh: Ye shall pray, and seek, and hunger, and thirst, for one little glimpse, one view of the Son of God, and ye shall not have it: If the Son of God were not as wise to deny, as free to give, I could tell what men would do, if God did not as well kill as make alive, men would be Judge, and not God: If he knew not how to afflict and scourge, as well as reward, every one would abuse him, and be Lord over him: If Christ had not a knife to cut off evil branches, all the juice and sap of God would run waste: If he knew not how to lock up & conceal himself, as well as to open himself, he would be scattered, shed abroad and lost.  
Object. But, saith the flesh, this is not God, he is not so sharp and fierce, he is mild and gentle.  
Sol. But if the LORD were not fire to you, to burn up evil dispositions in you, he would not be water to refresh you. And here is not all your evil neither; The Sun shall be turned into darkness, and the Moon into blood.  
In these evil days, the light and comfort of all your enjoyments, within and without shall be darkened; and then they shall say to you, Lo here, and lo there; that's the time when your false Christ's shall be seen. (Now) the Father is so merciful to you, as not to let you (Yet) know what a false Christ is, what an Antichrist is, but doth forbid Antichrist to appear: They shall not say, Lo here, lo there, ye are not yet acquainted with such a temptation as a false Christ is. But when the day of tribulation shall come, and when the desires of seeing and enjoying the Son of God, then shall be the discovery of false Christ's, and then shall ye be tempted with false Christ's, Mat. 24.23. Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world, to this time, no, nor ever shall be,— and except those days be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the Elects sake those days shall be shortened,  
Hitherto your desires were never much drawn out after an immediate view and sight of God: People look for that when they die: in the mean time, they will talk of God, they will hear Sermons, and go to Church; yet there are some Disciples, that secretly long after Christ, to see Christ; but false Christ's never appear till we are gone beyond man, and above all the ways and days of man: There are temptations suitable to all conditions, and when ye are coming into the highest condition, ye shall have the highest temptation; when ye come fare from and above all men, and long to see Christ, than ye shall have Antichrist stir and appear. While ye would be sober men, ye are tempted to intemperance, While ye would be knowing men, ye are tempted to err. While ye would be honest men, ye are tempted to deceit: but when ye would live the life of Christ, than ye are tempted with Antichrist, and have false Christ's presenting themselves to you. When ye come to thirst after the day of the LORD, then will be the trial of these false Christ's: Then ye shall have false Christ's, presenting themselves unto you, ye shall have Christ come upon you more than you would have. If ye go into the desert, there's Christ; if into the City, there's Christ. Some shall say, Lo here; others, Lo there; Ye shall have false Christ's every where, a false spirit, a false resurrection, a false glory, a false God, continually offering themselves unto you, Lo here, lo there.  
Such excellent, glorious, high, ravishing, delightful, comfortable, wonderful, admirable discoveries of spiritual things, that they shall say plainly to you, I am Christ. Such things so fare excelling all that ever you have known, so heavenly, so glorious, as thereby ye shall be able to judge all men, to judge all Angels, and to say with open face, Here's Christ. Ye shall have a light above men and Angels, and all; and yet all this shall be but a delusion. I know you are not acquainted with this, as yet; but you shall have such glorious discoveries, in such illustrious brightness, Majesty and authority, that shall absolutely say in you, I am the Christ, I am the LORD, I am the Son of the living God. It is that which I have been acquainted withal. In Ezek. 28.2. there is a type of the wicked appearance of the God of this world;— Thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am God, and I sit in the seat of God, yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God; Behold thou art wiser than Daniel, there is no secret that they can hid from thee, etc. Ye shall be so transported and carried up out of the world, that all men shall be as dwarves to you, as beasts to you: such heavenly mighty, inlargements shall be in you; such a spirit as shall say, I am the LORD; such a majesty as now ye dare not approach to, that shall say, I sit in the seat of GOD; but though thou set thy heart as GOD, yet thou art a man, and not GOD etc. Ye shall be so enlarged in understanding, that ye shall be wiser than Daniel, that ye shall see through all the mystery of Daniel, through all the dark Prophecies of Daniel, as a clear thing: yet there will be a false christ, an Antichrist under all this.  
It is that man of sin, we have not yet been acquainted with all; we have not yet known that man of sin; we have a long time known the woman of sin; sin in that sex, s●in in its weakness; but we have not known the man of sin.  — Go not after them, follow them not. 
Such appearances will present themselves unto you, and invite you to the discovery and clear understanding of the dark places of Scriptures: but (saith GOD) follow them not. They are such, that if it were possible, they should deceive the very elect: so glorious and so beautiful, as for a while (so far as ye are men) ye shall be deceived.  
That wisdom and knowledge in which you live, that experience you have of the way of God in your hearts, the utmost light and understanding that ye have attained unto by reading, and searching, and knowing the Scriptures, is no more able to keep you from falling down before (and worshipping) these false christs, than a little Child is able to withstand a mighty giant.  
Al you that seem to be knowing men, shall be deceived; only there is an elect (a secret seed of the blessed GOD) that will keep you from being utterly deceived: nothing but the seed of God, nothing but the chosen elect one can preserve you, and secure you from being beguilded by them.  
The Son himself saith— Go not after them, for as the lightning shines from one part of heaven, unto the other etc. Here is a greiveous condition; Evil days, such as never were before, nor ever shall be: earnest desires after Christ, and yet no sight of him; seeking and hunting after the true Christ, and beautiful and glorious false Christ's coming and saying, I AM HE: This is he whom ye seek. Hungry to death, and excellent meat (in appearance) offered, and no daring to meddle with it; thirsty and panting for refreshment, and a river of pleasures presented, and yet not daring to venture on it. A sad state, much darkness, great troubles, an earnest seeking after deliverance, a voice from one that stands by, speaking thus, here is one will save thee, and show thee light; shall I follow him (saith the soul?) No saith Christ. Shall I lie in this darkness and trouble and torment? Yea. Why? For as the lightning lighteneth from one part under heaven to the other, so shall the coming of the Son of man be.  
Here's the reason why we must wait in these unheard of tribulations, because Christ will come on a sudden, as lightning; and then Hea will Show US the truth of ALL.  
Christ will immediately come, as quick as lightning; though he doth withdraw himself and deny our desires, yet he will come suddenly; and no flesh (in its fleshly condition) shall be saved; and except those days should be shortened, no flesh should be saved: it shall be intolenable for flesh.  
This coming of Christ (or this day of Christ) it is beyond all the patience, and hope, and comfort, and strength, of all flesh: He will come as quick as lightning; and though he doth delay to come, at many disires, yet now he will come at the first desire; even then when ye are in the depth, under heaven; below heaven; under the earth, in the depths of the earth; even than the light of the brightness of the Lord (Jesus Christ) shines from one end under heaven to another: and ye shall see and know then, that ye are in Christ.  
When ye most desire to see, and your desires are unsatisfied and perplexed for want of it; even then, The light of Jesus Christ shines into the bottom of that ye are; in the darkest night of that Sun set, (that West:) even in the most unsatisfied condition that ye can pobssile come unto, shall Jesus Christ break forth, and shine in that dark pit.  
Go not gaping after another, ye are in it already; The kingdom of heaven is within you. All this is but himself; His light shines from East to West. He is as glorious in the Setting, as in the Rising. Ye cannot be any where out of him. He saith, When you think I am farthest off, than I will be nearest; when ye are hungry, I will give you bread; when ye are thirsty, I will give you water; when ye are in darkness, I will be you light: and this only shall be your rest and satisfaction: the Lord is salvation, where ever he is.  
Saith Antichrist, I'll give you a clear discovery of all things; I'll give you peace: No saith the Elect, I am already with Christ, I am nothing but what He is, He is nothing but what I am; I am with Him, and in Him; He is with me and in me: why should I go out after another? For as the lightning etc.  
Jesus Christ is the lowest state and condition in which you can be; and he comes quick as lightning, and then as lightning, will give you, and is giving you, the full discovery of all things. When he is in you at the depth, the lowest point, the centre of hell, the bottom of the grave, it is that he might give you a full Restoration of all things.  
The lightning from east to west, makes east and west meet together: so this appearing of the Son of God, darkens, flesh, confounds man, and makes the highest glory of God to be in the lowest pit; and takes the lowest state of darkness, into the highest pitch of light.  
By these flashes, flesh shall be blasted, and destroyed, and consumed. These blasts of the Spirit of the Lord doth open US, and enlarge US to a large comprehension of all things; of all in the East, of all in the West, of all above, and all below: Till we be low, we can't be high; till we be the worst, we cannot be the best; and we are best, when we are worst; in the greatest darkness, He is present; in the bottom and heart of such tribulations, that all before it is nothing to it, and nothing is like it, that comes after it.  
In this tribulation, not to see and know Jesus Christ; in this tribulation to have longing desires, and then to have peace and deliverance seemingly tendered to us by a tempter; we cannot but obhor it: to have joy and gladness sounded in our ears, and not be able to touch it; What an extremity is here? The absence of the highest good, the presence of the greatest evil; our desires not answered by God, and answered by Satan.  
Out of this darkness, will Christ arise; out of the extremity of deaths and confusions, doth the Son nf God arise: it is as nesesary ye should be brought into this state, as it is that the Night should go before the Day.  — But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. 
The Desciples of God, shall not enjoy Christ, till they have rejected him. Ye must forsake him and leave him, and (be Pharisees) and persecute him, before ye can be Coroned with Him. That which is, in a high degree, malignity in the Pharisees, is in a less degree (and qualified) in the Disciples: the Pharisees killing, the Disciples departing; it's all flesh, man, weakness and ignorance.  
Before any man see The Kingdom of GOD, he must first reject it. Do ye long to see the Kingdom of GOD? Do ye say, When will it come? How shall I see it? Where is it? Ye shall not see it, till He suffers by you. Ye shall do him many injuries before ye know him. Ye shall be offended at him; ye shall stumble and fall, and reject him, before ye find him. Ye shall never be acquainted with Christ, till ye know that ye have Murdered Him; till ye have killed Him, and beheaded Him; and hanged Him; He must suffer many things of YOU: He must be rejected of the best of you, and the best in you; and the best of the best, of you. Ye shall reject, hate and persecute Him, before the kingdom of GOD can come in you.  
Object. I know you will say, Must we be guilty of this wickedness? Is there such wretchedness in the heart of man, to do thus? Why have you such hard thoughts of us? Thus speaks the flesh. But thus saith the LORD— The Son of man must suffer many things from this generation.  
Christ must suffer from some, and be rejected by others: some are so wicked, as to kill him; others so unbelieving, as to forsake him; some so cruel, as to slay him; some so faint, as to leave him and not to own him; some revile him; others shake their heads, and cannot tell what to think of him: some cry out violently against him; others are not able to speak a word for him: Ye shall never see the LORD, till ye can say, this is he whom we have pierced; this is he that I reviled, that I hated.  
Thus speaks Christ, If ye stand upon terms and say, What, we crucify Christ? O, God forbidden that we should crucify our Saviour, the LORD of glory? What, we that are Gods own People, Jews and Disciples, we that are his own dear Children, and shall be saved by him?  
To whom Christ will say, If I suffer not by you, I will not be deliverance to you: If ye are so nice and curious, that ye will not make me a sacrifice, ye shall never feed upon me. If ever you see me, you will see you have pierced and murdered me. I will save none, but those that kill me: If ye will not own that ye have slain me, ye shall not enjoy me; ye shall never eat my flesh, and drink my blood, unless ye slay my flesh, and spill my blood.  
Jesus Christ suffers by all men; which is clear in this, That in all ye have, in all that ye do, in all that ye are, and in all that ye speak, nothing is free from the blood of Jesus; nothing that ye do, speak, live or act, in the highest, devoutest, and most glorious way, ye will find is nothing but Murder; Murder and Blood; killing the LORD of life. Yea, It is necessary, he must suffer by you: he will not find a throne in you, till he hath found a grave in you: he● will not be raised in you, till he hath been dead and buried in you: ye shall never see him in the resurrection, till ye see him killed; and then he will rise again in your hearts: this Son of righteousness will arise with healing in his wings, to your everlasting joy, peace and comfort.  
The end of the fifth Sermon.   

THE EXCELLENCY OF THE LOVE of GOD.  PSALM 36.7, 8. 
How Excellent is thy loving kindness O, God therefore the children of men, put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.  
They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasure.  
THis Psalm doth fitly set forth unto us the estate and condition of these times, wherein wickedness increaseth: and so in the former part of the Psalm, is a discovery of wickedness, ver. 3. the words of his mouth are iniquity and deseit, he hath left of to be wise and to do good: Men now speak nothing but wickedness and deceit, and have left off to be wise: they have left off to do good, and set themselves in a way which is not good; abhor not evil. And what should we do when there is such wickedness in the earth? In the fift verse, Thy mercy (O Lord) is in the heavens, and thy faithfulness reacheth to the clouds. God is gathering up all goodness, mercy and peace from man, to himself: and though there is cruelty, mischief and wickedness in the world; in the earth; yet there is mercy, truth and faithfulness in the clouds: and its good that wisdom, goodness, truth and righteousness leave the world, and cleaves to God; that so we may follow it: and what goodness, mercy truth and faithfulness we formerly enjoyed in man, we may enjoy it in God.  
And when wickedness increaseth, righteousness increaseth likewise; Thy righteousness is like a great mountain. When the world tears and breaks itself in peeses, then is the righteousness of God a great mountain. Thy judgements are a great deep; when the whole world is become one Sea of confusion, then are the judgements of the Lord a great deep: where not only man, but beasts may rest safely, Thou preservest man and beast: And though this time, is a time of growing and spreading of wickedness in man, yet it is a time of sweetest admiration and love in God: and when men that sin, do cry out O, woeful man! they that enjoy God, cry out O, happy man! And though men that live in the earth, cry out O, miserable! What times are here? Men that live in heaven cry out, How excellent is thy loving kindness O, God The LORD makes all things naked and bare, that we only may have him to be our safety.  
In the first part of this verse, our God sets up a standard, and proclaims the excellency of his own name, in these troubleous times; O how excellent is thy loving kindness▪ and he doth it to this purpose only, that the children of God should put their trust under the shadow of his wings: and when they are abundantly troubled, They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house.  — How excellent is thy loving kindness O, God] 
We have thought men and creatures, have been excellent; and we have been much taken up with them; but now we see all creatures fallen, and nothing but GOD exalted: Thou O, GOD! dost exalt all things: thou dost exalt all treatures. The Lord our GOD sets forth the vanity, emptiness and weakness of the creature, that so he may set forth his own excellency.  
The Lord our God is not only good, but exceeding good; not only gracious, but exceeding gracious; O, the loving kindness of God and the grace of God is most sweet, it is most satisfying, most precious: How excellent, How great, How good it is! Come tell us, you that have large hearts, how excellent and good he is; come tell us the glory and riches of our God; you that have the liveliest, quickest inversion, set your hearts on work in setting forth the loving kindness of God: it is so full, so glorious, so complete, that instead of murmuring, it sets us on rejoicing.  — Loving kindness] 
That thou shouldest impart all thyself to us, make us so hppy as thyself; O, here is a kind heart indeed! doth all for us, suffers all for us; we do not suffer, thou sufferest; we are not reproached, the world reproacheth thee in us; we are not hated, no, thou art hated, thou takest all upon thy self; only we are grieved to see thy sufferings: so kind art thou that thou dost empty thyself into us; and dost unheaven thyself, unglory thyself, that thou mayest make us heavenly and glorious: It's thy kindness to dwell with us, and to dwell with us these evil times; and to dwell in afflictions themselves to make them speak kindly to us; to come down into a shadow of death, that we might receive no hurt there: to come and dwell in a tempest of storms and earthquakes, that they might be kind and gentle to us.  — Thy loving kindness] 
Thou dost not only show us kindness, but loving kindness: not only kindness to such who are in distress, but the loving kindness of a Father to a child, a Husband to a wife: not only kindness to us as strangers, but loving kindness as a Father and Husband: Thou dost not only show us kindness, but love, that binds thee to be kidnesse to us: The fountain of love, the cause of thy kindness.  
Ye are my Children, I love you; my love begat you; ye are descended from me; I must needs use you kindly: ye came out of my loins: ye were once in me, yea, ye were always in my loins: ye are my spouse, my wife; ye were taken out of me: ye are my companions, my friends: My Fellowship is with you; I am solitary when I enjoy you not: ye are my House and habitation; I must preserve you: ye are myself, and when I hurt you, I hurt myself, when ye are wronged, I am wronged.  — O, GOD] 
This is excellency of love, because its O, GOD! It would not excel if it were not GOD, if it were not Divine, it were not excellent. Thou givest us thyself O, GOD! to give us thy love in thyself, to be as kind to us as to thyself; to bind us upon thee, and to write thyself upon us O, GOD!  
We speak the same thing with joy, comfort, confidence and triumph, that once we spoke with fear, sorrow and doubtfulness; O, God When shall we come unto thee; O, God when shall we see thy face, and enjoy thy loving kindness? When shall we be filled with thy beauty O, GOD?  
Now, How excellent is thy face O, GOD! How excellent is thy loving kindness O, GOD! We beg that thou wouldst love us O, God  
Now thou showest us that thy loving kindness is excellent O GOD, now we can do nothing but admire the goodness and loving kindness of our God: we delight in nothing else: We fix here; we live here; we will sit down here; we will rest here. This song we will sing, O, GOD! the Excellency of our GOD: This shall be our safety, our Castle, our protection, The loving kindness and goodness of our God.  — Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. 
God is so excellent that he preserves man and beast; and yet men are but the children of men and the devil. Thy loving kindness is so excellent, so sweet, that all the children of men, will put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.  
There will not be found a man that shall be groping and looking after any Idol, any creature to be saved by it: It is and would be found inhuman to trust in any thing but in the LORD; for the LORD will write so visibly and manifestly, Folly, Vanity and Fashood upon all creatures; that it shall not only be manlike, but devil-like to look for any good from man.  
The LORD doth so visibly appear in judging and condemning the creature, that children; the lowest and weakest, shall trust in nothing but in God: the veriest babes in knowledge, shall trust in the LORD: a man shall scorn to look after any creature; a man shall scorn to own any creature in the world: every babe, every child shall scorn the glory of the creature: he that hath the least acquaintance with God: though a babe and child, yet he shall be able to puff at them to despise all the glory and strength and power of the creature.  — The children of men] 
The new man, is the LORD from Heaven: children and men, and the children of men, all believe the great God of Heaven and Earth: children with Christ, the holy child Jesus.  — The children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings] 
Grown men shall come into the light of thy countenance: but Children shall trust under the shadow of thy wings.  
The LORDS wings take the near unto himself: but the shadow of his winds takes in the most poorest, and weakest: the shadow of his wings reaches very far.  
The excellency of the loving kindness of God makes every one glad to gather near unto him, and glad to get under shelter of the name of the LORD: glad that they can in the least manner be shadowed and kept by the goodness of God; it is that which the LORD saith. How often would I have gathered you together as a hen gathereth her chicken under her wings etc. It is an expression often used in Scripture, covering with wings; the wings of God: I will carry you upon eagle's wings: As birds flying so will the LORD defend Jerusalem: It shows the excellency of the goodness of God; his spirit, his power, is to his in the worst times soft and tender as feathered wings: when God is the hardest and ruffest to the world, then is he gentlest, as feathered wings to his people: or that great darkness that is upon the world and upon the enemies of God, is but shadows of God's wings, to his own people: and we seeing these troubles that are abroad in the world, we know they are but the shadows of God's wings with which he doth cover his people: and when God opens and spreads forth his wings, and causeth that darkness and confusion to be upon the people; its cause of joy and comfort to his people, for they see them to be the wings of God, in which they have peace and rest; and therefore that which is the world's trouble, is our safety; that which is the world's grief, is our joy; and that which is the worlds and the men of the earth's disquietness, is our comfort and consolation.  
When we see these motions and commotions, wars and tumults in and upon the earth, than God is risen from his seat and he is flying, he is upon his wings; and therefore as the world, the flesh, the earth, dreads these things and runs from them: the children of God shall run to them, and put their trust in them: what though we do not see the face of God in brightness and clearness, yet I see this is the shadow of his wings: though I do not triumpt with him upon the Throne, yet I see this is the shadow of himself.  — Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings] 
The weakest, and poorest Saints of God shall be able, neigh are able to put confidence and trust in God in trouble: and that which darkens the joy and comfort of others, is a comfort and shelter to the Saints; and that which they so much complain of, That the Sun is turned into darkness, all our ligts, created comforts and peace appears to be nothing but darkness; yet this is a shadow, a shelter unto them, and they shall see that this is the wing of God, by which he will carry us up into himself: And though God doth not walk with us in the settled way of creatures as he hath done, yet we see him flying about us with the wings of his own Spirit, with the wings of his own favour and love; so there is a shelter and safety for us: but that is not enough; though this be good for children, for the children of men; but they shall also be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house.  — They shall be abundantly satisfiid with the fatness of thy house. 
I shall rejoice a little to speak of these words: Protection is very sweet: to lie down in the shadow of God: the hollow of GOD'S hand is very comfortable: but not only so, But they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house: here's not only protection and safety, but food and plenty: satisfaction, abundance of satisfaction, and that of the richest and chiefest of all [Fatness] and that in the [house of God] we shall be always full: we shall always feast: we shall always have our table richly furnished: we shall continually have bread enough; and our waters shall not fail: we shall want nothing: we shall not say of any thing, I would we had this, or if we had this or that it would be well with us: we shall see completeness, not a desire unsatisfied: not a longing expression, unless longing itself may have its satisfaction in itself: not a desire but shall be satisfied; and then the desire shall be satisfaction itself: and this is the greatest happiness that is satisfaction: and dissatisfaction is the root of unquietness: to look for and long for that which you have not, is restlessness: but in this enjoyment of God we have always what we would have: the LORD will so manifest himself that we shall not say of any thing, we would have this: we shall never be baging and craving, but always enjoying: never be hungering, unless hunger sets an appetite to heavenly things, and so makes them more delightful to us: we have nothing present that shall be absent; there shall be no corner of our heart unfilled: but every thing shall be completed: every thing shall have enough; so we shall be satisfied.  — And abundantly satisfied] 
Not a little: but very large satisfaction: abundant of satisfaction: we have enough and shall have enough and to spare: we shall have overflowings of light, peace, joy, power, strength and of every good thing.  
The LORD our GOD feeds us not in a nigerdly way; but gives us abundance, enough to spare: we have more than we are able to receive; more than we are able to carry, or makes us know such abundance, that if it were not a abundance it would be a burden to us: so thronged with joy, comfort, peace, wisdom, power and strength, that if it were not GOD, we might complain we had too much: it doth superabound all nessessaries, all wants; it's even more than we desire, only we have a desire created in it: if there be any difficulty, it is because it's too much; too great; too large: if we have any reason to complain, it is because it's excessive: and if any desires come from us, it is that God would withhold: and if any pain, it's because we cannot stand under the weight of glory. But this is goodness to be overcome with this fullness, drowned with mercy. We are even laden with blessings, and because they are blessings, they are no loads, else it would be a huge load indeed; if that they were not bessings, we should be undone with them; and to be undone with this, hath its satisfaction.  — With the fatness] 
These blessings and mercies are not the meanest: but the fattest of thy house: it's not common or ordinary food; but the fattest, richest, preciousest.  
We have made shift to live with God in creatures, but that's poor food. We have made shift to live with morsels and crumbs, that have come from the table. We have made shift with things that have been scattered out to us: but now the chiefest, the best, the fattest: The fat Calf; the fat Lamb Jesus Christ: the Lamb, the Calf fatted with the fullness of God; Jesus Christ raised up, highly exalted in the fullness of God: Jesus Christ long prepared fed and fatted with the excellency of the majesty of the LORD our God.  — With the fatness of thy house. 
This plenty is not in the field; though it were good there in a Tent, in a Tabernacle: but we have it in the house; and in a house not made with hands: and not only a house; but the house of God. To have a little comfort and refreshing when we are wandering in a desert, in a wilderness is good: but to come to a settled house and habitation where God dwells;  
The riches of God become, a house, a house to us, A house whose builder and maker is God, a house whose foundation, building, roof, top and covering and all is GOD: The Saint's habitation is God. Now what provision is laid up for us in the lowest estate, in a shadow, in a shed or shelter, it's very safe, comfortable and pleasant; it's great safety to be under the tender feathers of the Father's love; compassing us about with his loving kindness; and this when ye were children, and children of men; then we found great joy and comfort and safety in God, which caused us to put our trust under the shadow of thy wings: but that's not all, but here's also such a rest, peace, comfort, such abundance of satisfaction, and that with the chiefest, and richest excellency of God our Father; and those sure and settled, for it's in the house, and in the everlasting house and habitation of our God: Lo this is the good will and loving kindness of of our God.  
The end of the sixth Sermon.   

THE EXCELLENCY. OF THE LOVE of GOD  PSALM 36.7, 8. 
How Excellent is thy loving bindnesse O, God therefore the children of men, put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.  
They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.  
For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.  
O continue thy loving kindness unto them that know thee, and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.  
GOD will excel; GOD doth excel. Every thing goes down, that God may go up. God abaseth the creature, that his own name may be seen.  
The loving kindness of the LORD our GOD, is now breaking forth; and it will be so, and must be so, that every one shall have cause to trust in Him.  Therefore the children of men shall put their trust under the shadow of thy wings] 
Children of men. The weakest babes do trust in God. There is the little child Jesus in the heart, that doth trust in God; and that will trust in God. Jesus Christ and his People, will find shelter in a shadow; in a shadow of the wing of God. The Lord our God is so rich in mercy, that the shadow of his wings, afford comfort and support.  They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house] 
We go on in the strength of GOD, in the power of GOD; we delight ourselves in the LORD our GOD.  — Thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures. 
There, There's abundance of satisfaction and excellencies of God, that are in to house of God; But how shall we do to partake of them? The well is deep, How shall we draw out the water? Or, being broken eisterns, we cannot keep, or retain this water when we have it?— Thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. The Lord will make us to drink of his own rivers of pleasures, whether we will or no. The Lord will not only discover heavenly things to us, but make us receive them. When Hagars eyes were opened, she saw a fountain; and if our eyes were open we should see a fountain round us. And as the Lord taketh away the veil, that keeps us from seeing, so he will remove every thing that keeps us from drinking; He will make US to drink.  
The LORD will, by the parching beas of his own wrath, dry up all other streams; ye shall have nothing to drink of, but God. And as he will dry up all other streams, so he will dry up every desire; those filthy lusts shall be consumed in that wrath, that there will be no water to drink; or any appetite, to drink any other but God. And the LORD will not only give us drink, but desire and love to it, and a great delight in it. The Lord opens the mouth and fills it. The Lord opens the ear and speaks in it: and the word of the LORD, and the presence of the LORD, is both mouth, and water to drink.  — Thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. 
God is a river, a constant stream; a river into which many streams continually empty themselves, a large river; there we have water enough: an exceeding sweet river; every drop of this is life; it's the river of life. Not a river only to satisfy our thirst, but to swim in; the waters that came from under the threshold of the Sanctuary arose so high, that men might swim in them; waters in which we may wash ourselves, and bathe ourselves continually: pure waters, that cleanseth us from all sin, from all iniquity; water that makes us white: water that washeth, and refresheth us to: and this we have in abundance.  
We need not force, nor can we force the love of God; it comes so naturally, we need not pump for it; it flows of itself: we need dig no wel●, we have a river near us; we need not strive to keep the water in, its best when it runs, and passeth away.  
This water is troublesome when it is stopped, but quiet and still when it runs without disturbance: When earthly and carnal things hinder the running, it swells and is angry, Never ceaseth till it hath broke down every thing that standeth before it: It is such a River as will not be kept in a standing state: such a River as comes freely from the Osian, and is never at quiet until it carries us into the Osian: and when the Earth opens itself to it, it doth most willingly, and readily, pour forth itself into it: And this is a River of an High nature— of (Thy) pleasures.  
We have been acquainted but with little pleasure in the world; much labour, and little pleasure. If some times, we have found some sparks and drops of pleasure, how sweet have they been unto us! But Man is borne unto sorrow, as the sparks fly upward. But here, in the LORD our GOD, There are Rivers of pleasures.  
The whole age of a Spiritual life, is a holy day, a feastical day; a Sabbath day; a jubily, a marriage day; a time of continual delight and pleasure.  — The River of pleasures. 
Wherein (as I may say) we may tumble in pleasures, we may Swim in pleasures; wherein we have constant and continual pleasures; pleasures without cessation; Rich and exceeding great pleasures; a sweet and full pleasure; a River of pleasure: A sweet and full expression; a River of thy pleasure. And— Pleasures; Not only pleasure, But pleasures.  
Many things must concur to make one pleasure: Man is not pleased except many contents meet together: Except he hath good Company, good Cheer, good Conditions, a good House, a good Conscience; Many delights; a heap together, doth but make one pleasure. But here are many, multitudes of Pleasures meeting together: where there are Varieties of pleasures; GOD pleasing Man, Man pleasing GOD: God in his greatest Variety, opening himself, un-folding himself, to the Variety and state of Man, to Man, many pleasures; And many pleasures united together.  
There is nothing in God but is pleasant; and there is nothing that we drink but the pleasure: every thing hath music in it: every thing hath spirit in it: every thing laughs and smiles: every thing hath a harmony and agreement in it: every thing doth tickle and please us, and administers joy and content to us. There's no smart, no torment, no vexation, no disquiet; but exery thing speaks God; it's pleasant.  — And it's the Rivers of thy pleasures] 
If God were not pleased, we could not be wholly pleased: and if it were not the pleasure of our God, we could not be satisfied: and if God and we did not take pleasure together, there were no pleasure in it; o● if it were not divine pleasure, it were but a winckling simbal; it would savour all of madness, if it were not all divine; if it were not thy pleasure: What everlasting and eternal way and pleasure our GOD hath in himself, that he continually streams out by us, to us: ravisheth us with pleasures: the whole mystery of the LORD our God, discovers itself in one River of pleasure to us: God says in every thing that he is to us, and in every thing that we are, He is well pleased: and that is our delight and pleasure, that still our LORD and God smiles upon us; and still our LORD and Husband hath pleasure in us: and all that our God doth to us it's still in pleasure; and all his ways that he walks in unto us, it's in the light: We do not from one end of the week to the other hear him chide; we do not see one discontent or other in his brow at any time; but in pleasure shows himself unto US. We are in the LORD our God a River of pleasures: The LORD our God delightfully pours out himself into us. It pleaseth God: God takes pleasure in it, to pour out himself into us; or the pleasures and delights of God, continually stream in us. This is that— Thou shalt make themdrinkt of. Take into thee these divine pleasures, these pleasures of God: God freely communicates, and makes us free to receive.  
Some time this River flows out of us. Out of their belly shall flow Rivers of living water: and when it flows out of us, it delights to return again into us; and we again return what flows from us. As this River of life turns and winds itself into various postures, or gives us delight and content: it flows out from us, and goes again into us; and pleaseth itself to return whence it came; and so takes pleasure in giving out, and pleasure in receiving in.  — For with thee is the fountain of life] 
We drink it, and shall drink it, as the Earth drinks Rivers. The whole stream of divine love, shall continually run in us, as the water when it finds a passage, through the Earth, it still winds it passage, and weaves away its passage, till at last it finds a way easily to pass along: so this River of life makes its own way thorough the passage of our hearts, & continually wears the banks of the heart larger and larger, till quietly and peaceably it passeth thorough us: and this is the joy of our heart, that the glory of God will still wash and were open our banks, till it makes us receive all its fullness; till it hath widened and made a passage thorough us: and for this reason; For with thee is the fountain of Life] Ye shall drink of the fountain of the great deep. God is open. the Spirit of God is abundantly poured forth; ye shall drink or drown: ye must receive this water into you or perish; For with thee is the fountain]  
The fountain doth now burst open, and makes it way, and never ceaseth running till it hath made itself a way to pass.  — For with thee is the fountain] 
The Spirit of the LORD is not a winter stream; It's a Fountain. It comes not by fits it flows constantly. We find it always working; always flowing forth; alwies powreing forth itself.  
You may lie down and sleep in carelessness; this Fountain runs whether we sleep or wake; We cannot possibly bind in this Fountain from running: O, it gusheth forth, and will not be stopped! Always sends forth its streams: We are no more fearful or thoughtful of the want of water, because of a Fountdin: Nay, We are rather thoughtful, what We shall do with this abundance of water; and our greatest care is to widen a passage for it, lest it overflow and drown us; but grace and mercy in Jesus Christ, is the most excellent Fountain. Ye have lived upon the stream, and ye have tasted the water of life at much distance: If ye will follow this stream, ye will at last come to the Fountained Where's that?— WITH THEE]  — With thee is the fountain] 
There is danger and fear so long as We live upon a stream; there is only rest and satisfaction in God.  
— With thee is the fountain] and being brought to the LORD our God, we are brought to the fountain: Now we enjoy that original that hath always refreshed us: Now we see that Rock, being clean by Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ coming forth, we see that passage out of which the waters flow: and this is our exceeding satisfaction, that we are with the fountain, in the fountain, and the fountain of life.  
Our sweetest life, it's in the pleasure of pleasures; Life, it is the great pillar upon which all comfort hangs; Life, it's that which gives subsistence and being to every thing in us, and the life of man is but a shadow of the life of God; and when we come to God, we come to Life: Now we can say we live: Now indeed we live: We are Life: Before we were living; but now we are life itself: We were quickened, or life was derived to us: but now we have that which did derive life to us, and is life itself: We were acted; but now We have that life that acts us: or we had the stream; but now We have the Fountain. And this life is called immortality and life.  
The best life of this life is mortality; that which is made to live by another, and cut off from the original, dies, or that which receives life (if the conveyance be stopped) loseth its life: but that which is Life itself, cannot die; or that which receives the life itself, must needs be mortal: now every thing that is acted, is immortality, and every thing that is seen and enjoyed is immortality; life itself. Now if there be so much in a living soul; how much is there in a quickened Spirit? The least life is better than the most excellent death: A living Dog is better than a dead Lion: How sweet is life? It's that which indeed is proper to us in God; and to GOD in us. And is is proper to me to live in GOD.  
None truly lives, or lives indeed, but GOD; who is indeed the author and fountain of life; yea, that is life itself.— With thee is the fountain of life.  — In thy Light we shall see light] 
Life and Light: next to Life, nothing so pleasant as Light; or Life is pleasant when Light is in it: darkness and death go together: and Life and Light go together. Where ever there is darkness, there's death, and where ever there's death, there's darkness.— In thy light we shall see light] This Fountain of life and light is ours; or this life and light takes us into it: We are in this light, we walk in this light; or this light is in us; it's not another from us, it's one with us: We are not another from it; We are in it: O, this light is comprehesive and large like the light of the Sun, the true light indeed! The light of the Stars and of the Moon is but a borrowed light.  
Is the light of a Candle true light?  
But this light of GOD, is most comprehensive, most large! This is called dwelling in the light, living in the light: being in be light, We are altogether light: We are in this light as Crystal, or Gold transparent, Revel. 21.21. The streets of the City were as pure gold; as transparent glass: This is the nature of Glass especially if be that is pure it doth not at all obstruct the light; but willingly takes the light into it: Nay, in a crystal the light shines clearer than in the Air; the brightness, and clearness of a crystal, makes the light itself more manifest; or gives a lightning to the light; or if it be rightly composed by its thickness, it doth gather up the light into itself.  
The Stars are the thicker part of the Orb, therefore the light gathers into them fixes there: so the Lord prepares us (though Earth) by himself; that we are apt to receive in the light, and the light gathers into us, and becomes in us more light: so We naturally opposing the light of GOD, and maintaining ourselves, as Earth in darkness, till We be purified in the fire, and made gold transparent; crystalized: till by the Spirit of Christ We are made true Crystal; so rarified by the Spirit of God; so rarified, that the light of the Godhead doth as it were gather itself in an heap together; embodied itself, & so shines clearly in us; that as we are from the light, so we are in the light; and God doth in this vessel as it were lose itself; infuse itself in such a vessel as Christ is; there it fixes and settles, and gathers itself together, and shows itself delightfully.  — In thy light we shall see light] 
We are in the light of God, and our light is the light of God: The day is broken; The Sun of righteousness is risen, with bealing in his wings: What We see, We now in thy light, which is certain, clear, most sure; it cannot fail us: It's Thy light.  
The judgement that we have, is the very judgement of God; and the light in which we walk, is the light of God; though it be but early day, yet it's day: and the light of thy righteousness, shall shine unto the Perfect day, unto high noon: In this light, we see light. It's light by which we see, it's light we see, the light of God; or, That which we see, is that by which we do see: We see nothing but God. In all things we see light, we see God. When we see any thing, any thing separated from GOD, its darkness; and though darkness in us, as separate from God, yet, as it is in God, its light.  
The light of God shining upon us, doth so lighten us, that we see nothing but light: and walking in his light, we walk with confidence: There is no fear, where there is no darkness.  
If we saw men, we would not be afraid of men; and herein we are like starting Horses, seeing things unperfectly, we fly from them; And if we had a perfect view of things, we should start at nothing: It's weakness and dimness that fears. When God vails himself, when he dims and shuts up himself, there is fear: When he opens himself, it flees away; so that, In the day of the LORD, There is neither fear, nor stumbling. As by the light, every thing is discovered: as things are discovered to be good, and so desirable; so things are discovered to be evil, and to be avoided.  
There is not a Bait or Snare, but is discovered; and being discoveeed, it's out of danger.  — In thy light, shall we see light] 
We see nothing but what God is: we see what God d●th, and nothing but what he doth: being in the light of God, we see and enjoy the light of God: that light that our God is, that we have, that we enjoy: it doth not exclude us from it, but willingly receives us into it.  
What thou hast, we have; what we are, we are in thy light; we see nothing but thee; and when we see ourselves in thy light, we see thee: we see nothing but that which is good, for we see nothing but God; and nothing, but in the light of God.  
Our eye made light, is in the light; and it being in the light, it cannot be dark. The light that we receive, is not from another, out of us; but we are gathered up into the body of the Son, the light; and So the Light goes from us: Not the Light to be judged by others, but the light to judge and discover others.  
'tis the great presumption of those that live in darkness, to say in the face of the light, they are not what the light makes them to be.  
That which stood up for truth, is mannifest by the shining light of God, to be falfhood: and that which called itself by the name of God, is Idolatry: and that which stood up for Christ, is Antichrist.  
It's boldness for darkness to stand up in the light, and say, It's not so. None knows the light, but they that are in the light: nor none can make a judgement of any thing, but he that is in the ligdt. If the LORD hath not gathered up our judgements, and understanding into himself, we cannot judge between good and evil: being gathered up, and seeing as God sees, now we see what men do, and are: Men cannot (now) possibly keep themselves from this light, that now breaks forth; but every man's heart shall be as open, before this light, as his face before the Sun.  — O continue thy loving kindness unto them that know thee] 
A supplication upon good ground. We have enjoyed mercy, and would have it continually; it shall be to them that know Thee. The LORD GOD will not do us less good, but more good: God is enlarging, and increasing in his love to us; not lessening, and decreasing.  
The loving kindness of our GOD, grows upon us; it doth not fail. We have tasted a little, we shall drink Rivers: we have seen a little of the Streams, we shall have the Fountain. GOD hath been merciful to us in a low estate, he will abundantly satisfy us, in a high estate: and this he will do, to you that know God. You that know God, know him a Fountain, that cannot be Exhosted: and you that know GOD, know that in all his dispensations, he is good; you that know Ood; know that there is life in every thing that God doth: and they that know the fountain, know the Fountain to be Sweet; and was Sweet, when shut up in the Earth, in Prison, in the deepest love and mercy.  
Therefore the loving kindness of GOD, doth, and shall for ever continue; it shall here, for ever abide with us: for there is nothing here, but abiding: Here every thing is stable and firm. In the world every thing is unstable, and infirm: And therefore, your fear of the discontinuing of love, is in the going away of the world; and that which made you enjoy God by times and fits, in the world; These are going away, that ye may always enjoy him. GOD is cracking every vessel: that which had before water, shall have none: And he is thowing them away, that he may be a continual stream.  
God is doing great and wonderful works unto us; he is taking away those vanishing shadows that we did enjoy, that he might give us an everlasting enjoyment of the substance.  
The world, flesh, men, they do fly away, they shall fly away; but thy loving kindness shall continue, and all things else do go away, that nothing but, love may be for ever: And it is the perpetuity and constancy of love, that throws away the inconstancy of those things that we did enjoy.  — To them that know thee] 
If ye have known God, ye know him unchangeable, ye have known him a Fountain: if ye have not known him, ye have known nothing but broken Cisterns. Therefore they that know God do not fear changes; and they that do know him, know that loving kindness shall continue.  — And thy righteousness] 
We can spare the love of men, the love of the world. The righteousness of men, we can spare it, let it go: but then, let thi●● continue: We are contented to see men unrighteous, but GOD is Righteous for ever; that shall abide: And God is Righteous in all that he hath done, and now doth: and therefore we say, In the way that thou art going on, go on, do not stay.  
We may doubt the Righteousness of men, when we see men great; but we doubt not the righteousness of God, when we see it not in men.  — And thy righteousness to the upright in heart] 
To them that know thee, and to the upright in heart. As none know Thee but Christ, so there is none upright but Christ: every man is a lie; Every Man: There's not one righteous, no, not one: They are all gone out of the way. They have left off to be good.  
Wicked men, deceitful men, do no good at all; they are fools, they are ignorant; astonished fools, they have no wit to do good; wise to destroy, to confound; but to do good they have no wit: Therefore, there is none upright but Christ: he is The upright one, The holy one, that looks only to God, that eyes only the Lord.  
The heart of Christ came from GOD, and returns to GOD; knows whence he is, and whether he goes; and is an upright heart, an honest heart: and as this seed acts in any, it discovers God.  
I came out from him, I go to him: I am in my Pilgrimage whilst I am out of him: I came from him, I live not till I be in him; and though I lose all, yet thither I am bound.  — And thy righteousness to the upright in heart] 
It's righteous, that the holy Christ should enjoy the whole GOD. Is it not righteous that God should enjoy his own Son, and his own Saints? Is it a righteous thing that the Saints should be always Captives in the world?  
The end of the seventh sermon.   

GOD the HEAD OF CHRIST, AS CHRIST OF HIS CHURCH.  1 Cor. 11.10, 11, 12. 
For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head, because of the Angels.  
Nevertheless, neither is the man without the etc.  
SO it pleased divine providence, to stamp and imprint itself upon his lowest creatures. And the glory of the LORD our God being cumpleate and full itself: desires to make out itself; to break forth and show it self in various and several shadows; And therefore is the highest and most glorious Fellowship of the Father and the Son, of GOD and of Christ, sweetly and fairly written out in that relation of the Man and Woman. What Man is to the Woman, that is Christ to the Church. That is GOD to Christ. Christ is a woman to GOD; the Lamb, the Wife, the Spouse: GOD the Head, the Husband of Christ: Christ the Head, the Husband, the Lord of Man: Man the Spouse, the wife of Christ. So in direct terms saith the Apostle in the third verse, The head of every man is Christ, the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God. And this is the happiness of the creature to be restored and brought back to that fountain whence it comes; and so this Earth is married to live in love with that which made it. And as it is itself a shadow of that substance; to lose its being and subsistence in the shadow, and be found in the substance. And there is true Man, true woman; true Husband; true wife, in God and Christ.  
Sin and iniquity perverts and overthrows that fellowship and comfort which is between these two; the Man and the Woman. It disorders and breaks in pieces the harmony and consent that God makes:  
There's an excellency in both: both in some respect excel each other; and both are superior (as we shall see) yet both equal; and the superiority and inferiority of each, doth mutually perfect each other.  
Now the discovery of the original of these two, is the only way to rectify the disorder and discontent between these two.  
The man is the head of the woman] he may exercise too much of that headship.  
The Woman is inferior to the Man: She may be denied that honour that's due unto Her.  
The Woman hath an honour: she may assume too much to herself. The Man hath a head-ship, that may denied him. This is all reduceable to that original type that makes these two; God and Christ, or Christ and the Elect.  
First, here's the subjected part of the Woman set down; which shows Jesus Christ in subordination to the Father: and therein must the woman expect that her duty and place should be as Christ's; Covered; and only let the Head, the LORD God be uncovered.  
Christ veils himself, covers himself in infirmity, that the glory and majesty might be by right uncovered; and so shows that Christ, and that man and woman, are in subordination to a superior end.  
But Christ is not, appears not; but for the Father: as Man appears not, is not, lives not; but for Christ. As the Woman is not; but is made for the man.  — Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man] 
The end being more noble and excellent then that which aims at the end. GOD being the Head, the end of Christ; and therefore more noble and excellent: Christ the Head and end of his people, and therefore more excellent. Man the Head, the end of Woman, and therefore more excellent.  
Yet there's another ground of the superiority— The woman is of the man]  
God sends forth Christ; Christ is of God; Man is of Christ. The woman is of the man.  
The first is above the second; and is that which causes and gives being to the effect, therefore greater than the effect. Christ descends from God; is of him. Man is of Christ: Woman is of the Man.  
But this is most common and evident, and People are best acquainted with it. God descending down to Christ; Christ ascending up to GOD. Christ decending down to man: Man ascending up to Christ Man descending to the Woman: Woman ascending to the Man.  
But there's another mystery: How, or in what respect the woman hath honour? Or in what respect she may be superior to her Husband?  For this cause hath a woman power on her head— 
GOD hath given a power to Christ, over himself. And Christ hath given a power to Man over himself. As man doth give a power to the woman over himself. Though GOD be the original of his own power, yet he is pleased to give it to his Son.  
It pleaseth God so to exalt Christ that he sets him on his right hand. It pleaseth Christ to exalt Man and do as much for him; set him at his right hand. And so it pleaseth Man to honour Woman, and set her at his right hand.  
The Love of the Father is so great to his Son, that as he is for his nature equal with him; so for his love he sets him above him. He delights to see him Honoured whom He loves; to set Him above himself.  
Christ is so delighted in Man, that he gives him that honour, as to set him at His Right band.  
God hath not the less Honour because he gives it to Christ, or to Man. The Husband hath the greater glory, when he gives it to the woman.  
The love of God hath this design upon Christ, and through Christ upon us; and Christ hath this design upon us, which the Man hath over the Woman; to give us Power over Himself.  
Though all Power be in the Lord our God, yet he is pleased to give us Power over Himself. And this is the reason, Because of the Angels.  
The Question is Stated, and Confirmed in the two former Verses, For this Cause ought the woman to have power on her head.  
there's not a full harmony between God and Christ, and Christ and us, till by the grace that he gives us, we have power over him; or the Father hath not done all that he hath to do, till he hath set his Son at his Right hand. The Son hath not done all that he ought to do, till he hath set us at his Right hand.  
The Father oweth to Christ the Kingdom, the Throne; and he doth not right till he gives it him: and saith, Son take the Throne, It's thine: I have exercised dominion and power hitherto; Now do thou take it, do thou reign. And Christ hath not done all that he hath to do, till he hath set us down in his Throne, as he is set down in his Father's Throne.  
And (saith Christ) though the Father be greater than I, yet through the love of the Father, I have power to say to the Father, Father, I will; and I will have it so and so. and though we are creatures below Christ, yet we have the same privilege to say, I will; and I will have it so.  
And if GOD exerciseth his Dominion without this free, and volentary submission, he doth not all the work of a Lord, of a Husband.  
Except Christ doth descend from his greatness in some measure; I say from His greatness, and come down a little from strict terms of his Highness, he doth not what he should do.  — For this cause ought the woman to have power over her Husband] 
It's the duty that the Superior owes to the Inferior, to love, to give honour and respect.  
GOD hath written out this exceeding plain and clear; as he saith to Moses, Let me alone. The loving opportunity of Moses was exceeding pleasing to God, and held him by a kind of violence; a power and strength under which GOD suffered, Let me alone. Jacob was admitted to the same privilege, Let me go, saith God; no, saith he, I will not let thee go: he had that power to chain God to his pleasure, No, thou shalt bless me; I will not let thee go. Yet this will in us, is the will of our husband and head; and it pleaseth him to put this will into us, that it might overcome himself.  
That which a Husband loves, and is agreeable to his nature, that he loves should come from his wife.  
Though a thing seem never so good and pleasant to God, yet it delights him to have it come from our requests: Nay, our requests do not please Him, so much as our violence: It pleaseth him to be held by violence by that love which he gives; He was held in the galleries. He is contented to have his own will to be subjected to the will of those that he delights in.  
And in plain terms, He hath given out this privilege— Concerning the works of my hands, Command ye Me.  
A loving Husband gives all the power that he hath over his Family, unto his wife; and saith, They are at thy command, all in thy power; though they are mine, yet I freely bestow them upon thee.— And concerning the works of my hands, Command ye me.  
The greatness of God never manifests itself more, then in coming down and being a Servant; or, his power appears most in Subjection.  
If power can only Reign, and not Serve, it is not Excellent power: but when power exerciseth itself, Now in a Command, and then again sends forth itself into obedience and Subjection, there's the Excellency of it.  
To give Laws, and only to give Laws, were to be a Tyrant; and to make Laws to keep us under, were Slavery: But to enable us to give Laws to Him; and rule us so, as we may rule Him, to communicate to us so, as that He himself can take the place of a Servant, This is Excellent Power and Lordship.  
When the LORD hath exercised the part of a KING over us, towards us, he delights then to descend from his Throne, and to see us (as KINGS) act our part, our power over Him.  — For This Cause ought the woman to have Power over her head] 
For this cause, That there may be a Harmony and an Agreement between them. For this cause, That the Woman's yoke may be easy, delightful and pleasant. For this cause, That there may be no discontent: for this cause, That there may be perfect love.  
There could not be such a Harmony, if the LORD should always shut up himself in Power, and we always Serve him in Strictness of Authority, and▪ he always hold forth himself unto us, in Commanding us, do this, and do that, and the other; What delight could He have in us, or we in Him? If it were nothing but thus, we should always stand at a distance, or run away way from him in fear. Would he? No he could not take content in us, because we should be to weak and low for him; if he did not give us Power, we were not suitable for him: And if the LORD did not open himself to us, and show us our power over His heart, as well as His Power over us, we could not so approach to him as we do; we could not so take pleasure in him.  
And we know this, That it pleaseth the LORD our GOD, that our fellowship with him, should be delightful and satisfactory to us. If we were below Him, below the greatness of God, if he did not greaten us, and heighten us, we were not fit for his Society.  
If he did not give such privileges to us as these, we might say to him, as the Woman did to David, shall I wash the feet of the servants of my LORD. If God did not  us with his own garments, his own Power and glory, put upon us his own Majesty, his own self; if it were not his own greatness with which we come unto him; if he did not make us fit, with that which he makes for himself, we should not be fit society for him. He owes this to Christ upon this ground, that Christ is equal with himself. And Christ owes this to Man upon this ground that man is equal with himself.  
There is a certain equality between the Father and the Son— He thought it no robbery to be equal with God.  
And we are exceeding bold (in the presence of God) to say, it's no robbery, in some sense, that we are equal too: Therefore Christ is entered into a low estate with us, that he might be one with us in a low estate. And we are raised to a high estate, to be one with him in power and great glory; that it may be counted no robbery to be epuall with him; To sit down with him in heavenly places; to be as he is; to be where he is; to sit at his table; to eat as he eats; drink as he drinks; drink and be merry. But this is readily confessed, the equality between the Father and the Son.  
If the Father gives not power to him over himself there were no equality.  
If I did not give that power that I have to command thee, unto thee, that thou shouldest by this power command me by way of love; and as I have ruled thee as a Father, thou shouldest rule me as a Son: And as I have ruled thee as a Head: If I were not contented now to lay down my bead-ship, that thou may'st as a wife overrule me with thy Love; there were no equality.  
But there is a lesser reason, yet a great one; Because of the Angels.  
This power of the Wife over the Husband is but what he gives, and what he allows.  
Yet there is a reason for it, and that is the Angels. The Angels are friends to this truth: or this is the Angel's privilege.  
When the great God brought forth his Son: (Mark) as he did in this lower creation so he did in the Heavenly creation; he brought forth male and female, in that Heavenly▪ creation he brought forth the first borne, he brought forth male and female; or he bowght forth head and members: Christ and Angels.  
And that which I shall say is this: In this state doth all the Sons of God sing together; here was that the Son took pleasure in; in the habitable parts of his Earth Christ was brought forth: and Angels are as it were his body, or his Spouse. Now in this state and condition the Angels and Christ they sung together, or the Sons of God sung together; as job saith.  
There is no note that Christ the head of Angels sung, but they sung too: there is no praise that Christ gave to God, but the Angels that have fellowship with him, gave to God the the same. There's no favour that Christ received from his Father: but they received the same in their proportion; and by virtue of that, they had that which we speak of; power over Christ.  
Oh, there was such an intimate, dear and sweet fellowship between Christ and them, that they had power over him, as he had power over them.  
Now when the LORD makes an Image of this heavenly creation, in this lower World; and brings forth that world into this World; he makes here as he did there; Man and woman; therefore doth the Apostle require that the woman should have that power over her head, that her antitype Angel had. Or Angels will secure and make this good: the excellent Angels will make this good: That the woman should have power over her head, because it is their privilege, to have power over Christ their head.  
Though the devil would debar the creature from it, yet the Angels, good Angels, do defend it; they secure it, it's their place, their privilege. So that Christ who is the great Angel, the Angel of presence; it is his privilege to have power over his head.  
He is an Angel, a Messenger, sent out from God: yet can say, I am such an Angel, such a Messenger sent out from God, that I have such privilege, such favour to have power over him. Angels come forth from him; may say, Thou hast sent us forth from thee, thy Messengers; yet we have this privilege, to have power over thee. And man may say freely to, Lord thou hast sent me forth, thy servant: I am thy Messenger, thy Angel, and though sent out from thee, yet still I have power over thee.  
The Father sends out the Angel, Christ to do his will; yet is still contented to take wisdom and council of Christ, and to be instructed by him:— Thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.  
Christ comes out as a Messenger from God concerning men. God takes council of Christ of the things of man.  
Christ sends out Man, and Man is his Messenger; yet is willing to take instructions from him, in managing the affairs of the World.  
To confirm this truth. That there is a kind of honour, true honour, that the woman hath given her by the man over the man. So Christ over God: And we over Christ.  
Yea, the same thing affirmed, and the reason of it, in the last chapter of the Proverbs at the tenth verse and so on.  
Who can find a virtuous woman, for her price is far above rubies.  
The heart of her Husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil; she will do him good and not evil all the gays of her life: She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh diligently with her hands. She is like the Merchant's ships, she bringeth her food from afar. She considereth a field and buyeth it with the fuit of her hands. She planeth a vineyard etc.  
We know the figure; how woman is to Man she is made a meet help to him. How solitary and alone is Man without the woman: how desolate, wanting that society; how unable he is to multiply himself; to perpetuate a generation to himself without her. How lose, airy, and wandering a thing is he, till he fixeth and fasteneth by marriage. Such benefit hath God by Christ: such benefit hath Christ by us. Such reason hath the Father to exalt the Son. Such reason hath our Lord to exalt us.  
— Her price is far above Rubies.  
Woman is the glory of the Man: The Church is the riches of Christ. We are the glory of Christ. Christ the glory of God.  
A man shines not gloriously, but in his wife. Christ shines not gloriously but in his Church. God shines not gloriously, but in his Son.  
God is poor without Christ; mean, hath no riches if he have not his Son.  
Christ is a poor head, if he hath not his Church.  
God is alone, solitary, wanting society, till he entertains his Son into fellowship with himself.  
Christ is alone and solitary, till he entertains the Church into fellowship with himself.  
GOD certainly gives all his power to do his Son good.  
I know that my glory thou art. I have it not except you have it. I can freely and sufely commit it to you, for you are myself.  
So saith Christ. I have no glory except you have it. Yea, I have it in the sweetest way when I have it in you. (I mean a chaste Church; a chaste Spouse, married to Christ) Christ can as certainly commit his power to her, as to himself.  
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her.  
As we are safe no where but in GOD, so GOD is safe no where but in US; as GOD is our keeper, so we are his. And this treasure would be lost (the treasure of God) if not found in Christ. The treasure of Christ would be lost, if not found in the Church: The Heavenly liquor, or wine of Heaven, GOD, would be lost, if there were not this vessel, Christ, to put it in.  
And this Heavenly liquor, or wine, Christ, were lost, if there were not you to but it in.  
God needs such a vessel as Christ, to put himself in; Christ needs such a vessel as you, to put himself in.  
GOD would run every way, settle not where, be bounded in nothing, if he did not settle in his Son. The Son would rest no where, have no content, if it were not in thee. Men would run every way, rest not where, if not bounded by a wife.  
God is not well, or safe, till he is committed to you, in you— The Gospel is committed to you.  
The Glory of the Godhead is committed to Christ, and there 'tis safe: Christ is committed to you, and there is safe.  
The God of all excellency and treasure, is most safe, when he is committed to us.  
So that he shall have no deed of spoil.  
Being made virtuous by the Spirit of our God (for therein we are made virtuous) being one Spirit, He shall have no need of spoil: God hath no need to use the Sceptre and Sword, to arm himself against us, but in love and kindness; there need's not forcing of us: When we are subdued into himself— there's no need of spoil. This assurance that he hath of us, by giving Himself unto us, is the quiet that He hath in us. And when He hath charmed us with Himself in us, than He is become our Rest and quiet.  
She will do him no hurt, but good all the days of her life.  
Thou mayest well give thy Power to us, thou knowst that Power will never hurt thee: Thou mayest well give that to her, thou knowest that will Command thee.  
When the LORD our GOD opens Himself most to us, than we are most his Servants: Wh●n he stands upon terms of Authority and Lordship still, than we reserve something; but when he opens himself to us, than we reserve nothing— we do him no evil but good.  
When he doth us all good, than we do him all good; for we are all good in Him: We are so filled with that goodness (Himself) that we can do him no evil, but good all the days of our life.  
She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.  
A Woman whilst she is a Servant, a Maid, is not so profitable to her Master, as a wife: when our Lord is Married to us, then have we power to give ourselves too Him. With what Care doth the Woman answer her Husband's love; with what diligence doth she labour for him, when filled with love.  
When the LORD our GOD over-comes us with love, than we seek wool and flax: Now we can be willing to labour; before we did it, but now we willingly do it; now we seek it— she seeketh wool and flax.  
All her household are clothed with scarlet.  
The fruit of the Woman's labour, is the Husband's clothing.  
The LORD our GOD is Clothed, God and all the People of God, are clothed by Christ: And Christ and all his Family, are clothed by the Church. Let the Church have this Fellowship, None shall go unclothed, every thing amongst us shall be full of the Spirit of our God; all the Family of God now, is Clothed in Righteousness.  
She is like the Merchant's ships, she bringeth her food from fare: she considereth a field, and buyeth it; with the fruit of her hands, she planteth a vineyard.  
When Christ hath this fullness of the Father, He putteth forth and plants a Church, and eats the fruit. When we have this fullness, we plant and eat too. Christ comes down to us, as into a far country, to carry us to God. Christ comes down to us; we come down into the world, to trade, traffic and deal for God.  
So in all this, the favour that God gives to us, is to give US a Propriety with Himself, over Himself.  
Nevertheless, Neither is the Man without the Woman, nor the Woman without the Man in the LORD.  
For as the Woman is of the Man, even so is the Man also by the Woman.  
These two are unseperable, Man and Woman: In the LORD, they are unpartable. It's Sin and Satan, the accuser (of the brothers) that makes a breach between these two.  — The Man is not without the Woman, nor the Woman without the Man] 
Ye never see God, but with Christ in his bosom; you never hear of a God, but you hear of a Christ too. GOD will never speak, or act any thing but with Christ.  
And ye never see Christ without his Church. Ye never see the Son of God, but ye see the Spouse in his bosom.  
If ever Christ be torn ffo from God, it is by violence of Death, of Satan, and of Sin.  
If ever we be rend from the bosom of Christ, it's by the Devil, Death and Sin. Yet then when we are rend from him, are we with him.  
When Christ was in the lowest estate, in hell, he was in Heaven also; No one is descended from Heaven, but he which is in Heaven.  
Ye never find God without Christ, nor Christ without the Church, nor Man without Woman.  
Ye never find the Church without Christ, nor Christ without God, nor Woman without the Man.  
If ye find a Church without Christ, 'tis a Harlot; if you find a Christ without a God, 'tis an Antichrist. The true Church is always as the Woman, never without the Man; you never find her but in banishment, in sin without the Man: you never find Cirist without God, nor the Woman without the Man, in the LORD.  — In the LORD. 
If these two are partable, it's not in the LORD, it's without the LORD; but if they are reconciled in the LORD, they are never parted— Neither is the Man without the Woman, Neither is the Woman without the Man.  
Therefore give us leave to disclaim a God without a Christ; or a Christ without a People. Ye do not see God, except ye see Christ; ye see not Christ, but ye see GOD also; ye see not Christ, but you see yourself.  
It is not true Christ, only Christ, THE Christ, except thou seest him in thy own person; except thou seest thyself with him. If thou seest him one, and thyself another, it's a Sad sight, an Ill sight, it's no true fight: you cannot see the Son, but you must see yourself with him: see him in the highest glory that you can, you see him not right, except you see yourself there— Man is not without the Woman.  
If you would give God an exaltation above yourself, he will not. God saith, I will not be exalted except my Son be there: God will not exalt his Son where you are not.  
And the Son saith, I will not be where you are not; I cannot be where you are not, I cannot be without you— The Man is not without the Woman.  — Neither the Woman without the Man] 
You cannot be without Christ; you cannot possibly be The wife and spouse without Christ: And if thou art sick, he is sick with thee; if thou art tempted, he is tempted with thee; if thou art afflicted, he is afflicted also.  
Christ cannot be any where but the Father is with him, I am not alone, the Father is with me: when he was in the lowest condition that could be, when God seemed to leave him, y●t he was really with him; and when he was in death than he was in death too: when Christ suffered and died, God suffered and died; it was the blood of GOD: If I go down to hell, thou art there.  
And when thou knowest thyself to be the wife and spouse of Christ, than thou canst say, I am in hell indeed, but my Lord is with me; I am in hell, in death and sorrow, but Christ is with me— The Woman is not without the Man.  
All the violence of Satan cannot take the Son from the Father; If he doth take him any whither, the Father will go with him: yea, though the Son doth go away, the Father goes along with him into that humiliation. Neither can any thing rend us from the bosom of the Father; but if we be, or hereafter may be by temptation rended from him, yet we shall see our Lord in temptation: Where the one is, the other is: where one is, both are.  — The Man is not without the Woman] 
He saith, I have no glory, but what thou hast; we say, we have no weakness, but what thou hast. Thus doth the LORD our GOD interchange with us; He makes US High and great with Him: and makes Himself Low and Nean with US.  
And this is another reason that secures that power which is given to us.  
And though she rule over me; yet I rule, because she is myself.  
And though I give her my power, I give her my will too: Foyes 'tis what I please. And (saith Christ) though I give it you, yet 'tis mine; and there is nothing in you but my will; yea, for my good.  
And as I give you my will, so I give you my power; and you cannot abuse me, be cause you are myself. (No one hateth his own flesh but loves and cherisheth it) And when you exercise this power over me, it is myself.  — The Woman is not without the Man] 
In communion, you are now the Man, and I the Woman; as I was the man, and you the woman: as I was mighty in you; and you weak in me: as I was weak in you, and you mighty in me.  
If the Husband should reserve any thing from the Wife; then the Husband would be without the Wife.  
If God should reserve any thing from Christ, and did not communicate his uncommunicablenes; And with all things his power: then God would be some where where Christ is not; or Christ some where where God is not.  
Or if Christ had power without, the Father; then he would be some thing that the Father is not: If the Father were not in subjection with the Son, the Son would be some thing that the Father is not. If I did not give you that power that I have by my spirit, I should still be something without you. And if you should be the subjector, and I not servant; then would you be some thing without me; which I cannot endure.  
I be nothing but what you are: and you shall be nothing but what I am. There would still be some jars between us, if there wrre any thing un-made-over, ungiven.  
If thou did est not take every thing that we have into Thee, and set it on high; we could not be exalted. And if thou didst not take our meannes and subjection upon Thee, and walk in the flesh; we could not enjoy Thee.  
here's another reason. As the woman is of the man, so the man is by the woman: but all things of God.  — The Woman is of the Man] 
Christ saith, I am of the Father. The Church saith, I am of Christ. I have nothing saith Christ; but what I have of the Father. I have nothing saith the Soul, but what I have in Christ. I do nothing of myself, but what I see the Father do, saith Christ. I do nothing of myself, nothing of my own, but as I see Christ do; what I have or am, I am of him, saith Man: I am all of him and in him. This is more easily confessed. But then,  — Even so is man by the woman] 
As I am of Christ (saith the Soul) even so is Christ by me As the woman saith, I am of man I confess; so is man by me, and he hath his being from me.  
Question. How comes this to be so?  
Answ. First, Thus: Man is by the Woman in the stubstance, in Jesus Christ: As Wisdom borne of a woman. He is therefore called the Son of Man, descended from Man.  
As Christ descends from God in a way of descending (the Father begets the Son; the Son begets us) so the Son ariseth out of us. The Father out of him.  
As Christ receives substance from the Father, and we from him: so Christ ariseth out of us: The Father out of him. And as we borrow ourselves of him; so he is borrowed out of us.  
As by his travel we are brought forth, he labours six days and brings forth us; so by our labour he is brought forth by us. And he doth as freely confess us to be his Mother, as he is willing to be our Father. He hath his original from us, and doth confess that it is his glory, that he hath his birth, rice and growth out of such a poor mean stock and root as Man. Jesus Christ is by us; he is of man, he is called the Son of man.  
First, Nan is in the World, than Christ, than God: as God is first in Heaven, than Christ, then Man. And so if ye will take the point of the lowest from the Earth: Then first, Man is begotten; Man is; Man lives; and after man is, then comes Christ borne of Man: an age after Man, the second unto unto Man: when Christ hath lived here a time; then is God.  
As we are of him, so he is of us:— Even so is the man by the woman]  
God doth so empty Himself of all that he hath into the Son, that he doth as it were receive a new being from the Son.  
God doth so love Jesus Christ, that he doth deny himself for his sake. I do even spoil myself of my glory, my Son, to empty it into thee. I do divest myself of my glory, to put it upon and in thee.  
Christ comes and empties himself by his humiliation into us. I will pour out my Kingdom into you. I will suffer my Kingdom to be wholly emptied into flesh, into man. And the next Kingdom that I have, shall be in Man, in you. And if I am not emptied enough into you by my incarnation, then I'll come forth on the cross and be slain, that I might be more in you. And the glory that I had distinct from you, I have lost it. And ever I be raised again, it shall be by you, and in you, or in you and with you.— Even so is Man also by the Woman]  
That seeing it hath pleased me to humble myself so low; or it hath pleased thee for my sake, in obedience to me, to be abased, therefore in reward to this righteousness and subjection of thine, I'll have my glory out of thee, by thee.  
And then, when our Lord Jesus hath brought us into subjection, and slain us. Now (Mark) That out of an empty and dying state, I will arise into glory, and I will come to my greatness and majesty by this means that you are in.  
Though Man be the head of the Woman, yet Man is by the woman; and though this be the greatness of Man, yet he must have his being by the Woman.  
— A woman shall compass a man. And he is swollowed up and lost even in this weakness, that he might receive another glory, out of us, by us and in us.  — But all things of God] 
Now if ye meet with this mystery in any piece of it, if you meet with this truth in in any parcel of it, or if you meet with this in a side-look, it will have no comeliness at all in it, or nothing to be desired: but if you see this in open face, as in God; if you see God below. and God above; God in you, and GOD without you; God in Christ; GOD in his People: If you see God fill all in all; how he is the highest in the lowest, the lowest in the highest; how he is gift in taking, and taking in giving; that what he gives, he hath, and what he hath, he gives: O, this is order and harmony! there's no strife or jar in this tune, every string speaks to one another, and embrace each other; all points are good in their place, and every period if you take them in God: as all things are in God, O, now 'tis excellent, here 'tis precious!  
Heavenly mysteries are pleasant, reconciled; sweet, no where but in God, of GOD; but out of him they are full of weakness, obsurdity and mere vanity.  
And any of these enjoyments, outward beings, inward speculations, outward actions etc. if they are not all as of God, in GOD, they are all nothing. In being broken off from the whole they are killed and slain: but in the head ye see them jointly embrace one another: as many, and yet one; being two, and yet one: being two, and yet the same: being one and yet divided: divided, yet whole. This is sweet.  
The end of the eight sermon.   

THE WITNESSES DEATH AND RESURRECTION.  REVEL. 11.11, 12. 
And after three days and a half, the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon-their feet: and great fear fell upon them which saw them.  
And they heard a great voice from Heaven, saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to Heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld them.  
THere is much talk and discourse of the two witnesses, and of the slaying of the witnesses, which hath occasions the opening of this Scripture at this time.  
I shall briefly pass through the former part of the Chapter, which shows the mystery of these two witnesses in a lower and sadder state, Prophes●ing in sackcloth, together with their death, and the lying of their dead bodies in the streets of the great City: And shall hasten to that which (to me) is the most pleasant and delightful, Their Resurrection and Ascension; which are expressed in the verses now read.  
It's said in the first verse of the chap. There was given to me a Reed like unto a Rod, and the Angel stood, saying, Rise and measure the Temple of God, and the Altar, and they that worship therein.  
We know concerning the Revelation in general (John saith) It was The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which was given to him of the knowledge of things that should shortly come to pass. The state and condition of the Church of God, from the Apostles time to the end: or, the discovery of that wickedness and apostasy which was to come in upon the Church, and we see is come into the Church since the pouring forth of the Spirit of God after the Ascension of Jesus Christ. with the nature, kinds, and effects, of this Apostasy.  
And (saith he) there was given me a reed like unto a rod, and the Angel said, Arise and measure the Temple of God, and the Altar, and they that worship therein.  
It's that which every one would be at, the measuring of Heavenly things, the Temple of God; but before ye are able to give the measure of Divine things, ye must have a Rule given into your hand.  
Every one presumes to have this faculty to judge all things, to try all things, and yet have not that Standard or Rule given them, where by they should Judge and Try.  
This Reed or Rod is the standard of the Spirit of GOD, It is the Rod of God's mouth. And until ye have this standard, this Rule, to try and measure things by, all ye do is vain, and ye shall in measuring, measure only the outward court, and neglect and leave out the inward Temple of God, and Altar, and they that are the True Worshippers.  
And as we must have a Reed or Rule given us, wherewith to measure Divine things, so it must be an Angel, I say, an Angel at least, or the Spirit of an Angel that must measure; for that is the lowest estate that can be admitted to measure Divine things.  — And he calls [Arise] 
Arise out of flesh, Arise out of the world, Arise out of your own reason; Arise far above the traditions of men; Arise from that you have known, from that you have heard of men; come up far Higher and far above that dark, deceitful, lying world in which ye have lived.  
And what must be measured?  
There are three things to be measured: The Temple, the Altar, and they that Worship therein. The Lord hath afforded his presence in the midst of that general Anti-christian Apostasy that hath befallen the Church.  
The Temple is the presence of God, the indwelling of God with his People; or such a measure of the Spirit of the Lord in his People, as makes them a fit Temple for the Lord to dwell in.  
An Altar is such a presence of God, as makes us kill and, slay, and shed the blood of those beasts that are in the Church.  
And they that worship therein: That is, All that inwardly, & spiritually do worshid in the Temple, and Sacrifice upon the Altar, that have an assurance of the presence of God dwelling with them; GOD dwelling in flesh, and crucifying flesh; God dwelling in flesh, is the Temple; GOD killing, slaying and offering up flesh, is the Altar: and God in these is known and worshipped.  
They in whom GOD dwells, in whom God kills and crucifies flesh, They are the Temple; They are the Altar; They are the true Worshippers of GOD. This is that which must be measured; the Temple, the Altar, and they that worship therein.  — But the Court that is without the Temple leave out, and measure it not] 
All your outward, visible prophessions, wisdom, arts, knowledge, gifts, Churches, ordinances, all that is without the Temple of GOD, all that is without the Spirit of GOD (saith He) leave it out, measure it not; It's that which the Gentiles are exercised in, It's given to the Gentiles. Worldly christians, Gentile christians (for they will be called christians) Gentile Saints (for they will be called Saints, and we will give it them:) It's their business to measure the outward court; for it's given to idem; Ordinances, Scriptures, gifts, Churches, Governments; all these things are the outward court●: they are given to the world, therefore leave them out, measure them not. They are the outward Court, therefore take no pains about it; cast it off, own it not, acknowledge it not measure it not, for it is not worth the measuring.  
There is indeed an inward secret Temple of God, and Altar of GOD; God in the flesh, God offering up flesh; These are to be measured: but as for all visible, outward, earthly things, have nothing to do with them, they are the Gentiles portion, the Heathens, the Nations portion. Those only that are Spiritual, that know the in-dwellings of God with them; the dwelling of God in flesh, and the offering up of the flesh unto God: These are the Temple and Altar that are to be measured; But The outward Court leave out, measure it not.  
Object. But these are holy things (you will say) holy Ordinances, holy Scriptures, holy Prayers holy Faith; These are the holy City of God?  
Ans. True, and yet all these are given to the Gentiles, to be trampled upon and trodden under foot. And all that which worldly Saints, Gentile Saints, worldly professors do with these things, is only to tread upon and trample them under their feet; this is the use they make of them, and of all the holy things of God that are outward; holy ordinances, Scriptures, Churches, etc. they shall tread them under foot, and use them like beasts and swine. And how long?  — Forty and two months. 
It's the time of the Reign of Antichrist, the time of slaying the witnesses: It's expressed in the 11. verse, by three days and an half: and here, by Forty and two months; which is a season or time that is measured by the Moon; and shows, that in all these things there is only a Moon light, a cool, weak light, a light borrowed from the Sun, not the immediate light of the LORD: and ye know the Moon is always changeable, increasing or decreasing, in the wane, full, or at the change; it's always up and down, never at one stay; so is the state of the World, of the Worldly Church; uncertain, unconstant, and variable. And you shall have them in twenty four months, in several moons, in several states; and called by them, several dispensations; one while in Episcopacy, another while in Presbytery, then in Independency, then in Annabaptisme; every one have their several months measured out; in which are various operations of that moon light: but all these Ordinances, Scriptures, Churches, Prayers, etc. are the Gentiles portion. And let them take them, and use them all their months.  — And I will give unto my two witnesses] 
I will give] GOD gives that which the witnesses have. It's said of the holy City It's given: God gives to the witnesses to Prophesy by days, not by months; but it's given to the Gentiles, to Antichrist, to trample under foot the holy City, the outward Court by months, not by days; by a cool weak moonlight; not by the light of the Sun, not by day light. Though the witnesses prophesying in sackcloth, be a sad and dark time, yet it is not without a glorious light, a bright shining light; It's by days.  
But more particularly,— I will give] God Himself will give this inward spiritual glorious light of Himself; He will give to his two witnesses a more Immediate discovery of Himself, a more Divine and Heavenly light then to all the World besides: More Spiritual light, more life, more grace, more glory shall appear when there shall be an explicateing and unfolding of the secret (but sweet) Name of the LORD. The LORD saith it, This I will do; and the LORD doth whatsoever He saith— I will give unto my two witnesses.]  — MY two witnesses] 
The two witnesses are described to be two Olive trees and two Candlesticks, standing before the GOD of the whole Forth. I the LORD will give unto MY witnesses.  — To my TWO witnesses] 
The LORD hath TWO Witnesses that testify concerning Himself; which are Christ and the Spirit, Two witnesses; first the Son, than the Spirit; first Christ in flesh, and then Christ in Spirit. These are the two Olive trees, Through which the golden Oil of the Godhead and Deity runs into the Church; into the two golden Candlesticks: That Holy anointing which runs through the flesh and Spirit of Christ, into the Saints; whereby they come to be the Holy Anointed one's of GOD: and these two testify that there is a God in the Earth.  
The first Witness is Christ in the flesh, testifying in weakness, in lowness, in meanness; and this is the Olive tree on the left hand.  
The other Witness is, Christ in spirit, in more power and glory, testifying, or bearing Witness to GOD, in more brightness, strength and power; and this is The Olive tree on the right hand, Christ in Majesty, Christ exalted.  — And I will give to my two witnesses] 
I, I the LORD will give, I the Father will give: It's the proper nature of the Father to give, to send forth from Himself: And they to whom the Lord gives, are first, Christ in flesh, and secondly, Christ in Spirit. And these testify and show forth what God is.  — And they shall prohesie a thousond two hundred and sixty days clothed in sackcloth. 
Such is the wisdom of GOD, that when he will have the holy City, the outward court left to the Gentiles; to worldly Professors, to be trodden under foot, it's for so many months: It's for a space of time, measured by the Moon.— But he will give to his two witnesses to prophesy by days. They shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days. The course of the Moon is by months. The course of the Sun is by days. A day is measured by the Sun, as a month is by the Moon. And it is to be observed, that though the prophesying of the Witnesses be reckoned by shorter and quicker spaces, days being shorter than months; yet is for a special reason; to signify that this time of the prophesying of the witnesses, is a daytime: it's a day; the day of the Lord.  
And though the Gentiles time is more in bulk, by months, yet it is no more than the time of the prophecy of the witnesses is by days. It's a glorious time; it's the time of the appearing of the Son of righteousness: though it be reckoned by days yet it is the same time, and of as long continuance as the other that is reckoned by months.  
When the outward Court is trampled under foot by the Gentiles forty two months, than the two witnesses are prophesying a thousand two hundred and sixty days. I will give you a particular reason why the time of the witnesses prophesying is reckoned by days. It is to note the infinite variety of dispensations in the prophesying of the witnesses: In which time are many sweet, bright shining days; many excellent discoveries; many glorious mysteries, are voutsafed unto the People of God, in the time of their prophesying; and yet the nature of their prophecy is, They are clothed in sackcloth: It is a dark, mournful expression, holding forth thus much; That they are in a dark, low, course, sad, mean, and poor estate, and but prophesying neither.  
The LORD cometh and sets up his two witnesses, Christ in flesh, and Christ in spirit. He gives two witnesses of himself: the flesh of Christ, and the spirit of Christ; the one to be crucified, the other to revive; the one prophesying and foretelling what shall be, in sackcloth; in a very dark, low, mean estate: the other prophesying and foretelling heavenly things to come. More high, more glorious, more divine discoveries are made known by the Spirit of Christ, then by the flesh of Christ: And these are the two Olive trees and two golden chandlesticks, standing at the right hand and left hand of the God of the whole earth.  — To my two witnesses] 
There are many and various interpretations that People do make of these two Witnesses, which though very remote from the inward and spiritual pith and marrow; yet they may bear some Analogy or proportion with the mind of the Spirit, as they are a dark figure of truth; and in their greatest distance may be gathered up into these two; Christ in flesh, and Christ in Spirit. Some interpret them to be the Magistracy and Ministry: this is a very dark interpretation, and very remote from the Adequate sense and meaning of the place; and yet it may hold forth something of truth in it; it being a dark figure of the Magistracy and Ministry of Christ. Christ a Minister, a Servant, a Prophet, a Priest: So he is in the flesh. Christ a Lord, a King, Reigning, Governing, and so he is the Spirit.  
Some again interpret them to be the two Testaments, the old and the new; which they call, Law and Gospel. A remote and dark figure, still of Ghrist in flesh and Spirit. Christ in flesh, having much in it of the nature of the old Testament; Christ in Spirit, the new man, the LORD from heaven; having much in it of the nature of the new Covenant or new Testament.  
But it's generally understood to be the Saints of God, and (to speak in proper language) these are the Saints of God, or the holy ones of God, Christ in the Spirit: Christ in the flesh, and Christ in Spirit, where these two are bearing witness in any, they are the Saints of God, they are the holy ones of God; These are the two Olive trees spoken of, and the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth. Zech. 4. last verse. These are the two holy anointed one's of God  
If the question be, What be these two Olive trees which through the golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? It's answered, They are the two anointed ones of God.  
It's too much for men, mere men, to be the Olive trees, or the Olive branches arising out of the root of God, emptying the golden Oil out of themselves: for men take oil into themselves: but Christ in flesh and spirit, gives forth the golden Oil into the two golden candlesticks. The Spirit in the anointed ones, or the anointing of the Spirit in the flesh of the Saints, are the two Olive trees, and the two golden candlesticks, standing by the Lord of the whole Earth. Emanuel, God with us. God with man: God in flesh.  — And they have mighty power— If any man hurt them, fire proceeds out of their mouths to devour their enemies] 
If any thing within or without riseth up against Christ and the Spirit, against these two Olive trees, against these two witnesses prophesying, fire proceeds out of their mouths and devoureth it. If any man hurt them he must in this manner be killed.  
They have great power, though but prophesying, and in sackcloth.— Fire proceeds out of their mouths etc. Not material fire: but spiritual fire. The fire of God in the jowest ●state of the two witnesses, though but prophesying in sackcloth, is very fierce and terrible. If any man rise up against the Test money of Christ in Spirit against these two Olive trees; they have power to destroy it: fire proceeds from the Spirit, torments, consumes and destroys it: whatsoever riseth up against these two witnesses in this our age, this fire it hath, it doth constantly destroy and devour it up.  
And I am sure of it, the cause of all the devouring plagues that are upon the world in this age, at this time: the distractions and confusions that are upon all powers ecclesiastical and civil, is for the hurting and opposing the low, poor, and mean beginnings and appearances of the Lord in his witnesses. And this be ye assured of, if any man will hurt or oppose them, be he never so great, be he never so wise, be he never so strong and powerful, be he never so rich & wealthy, be he never so devout and religious, if he or they shall oppose the Spirit of the LORD, Christ in his People: in their prophesying either as they leave out the outward Court and holy City; or as they are measuring the inward Temple and Alier, as they are worshipping God in the Temple sacrificing and offering up their flesh and fleshliness: I say, whosoever shall make opposition against the Spirit and spiritual actings of the Lord Christ and his People, must in this manner be killed. Fire puoceedeth out of their mouths etc. Fire shall destroy the whole world, and all that which is of the world.  
I have found, that whatsoever in me hath risen up in opposition against these two witnesses, the fire of the LORD hath fallen upon it and destroyed it: and I have found that the two witnesses have power to shut heaven, that it rain not.  — These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their Prophecy] 
When these two witnesses testify against any thing, any man, any creature, any way, any ordinances, any judgement, saying, This is hethenisme, this is gentileisme, this is carnal, this is fleshly, this is the creature, this is man, and not God, or of God; presently it is destroyed, consumed, blasted and brought to nothing.  
And in this they shall shut Heaven: through men have formerly been sweetly affected by the power of grace, yet when any thing in them hath risen up against these witnesses, they have power to shut. Heaven against them.  
As they have power to open Heaven upon some, so they have power to shut Heaven upon others: that is, effectually to exclude all carnal, fleshly, earthly man, from the showers and dews of the grace of God. Though they have made never so great a show of holiness, religiousness and godliness, though they have been able to say much, and execute what they say; yet when the two witnesses have declared, that it is not God; it is not Christ, it is not the holy one of God; but it's man, it's the flesh; it's the outward Court that is excluded: not the inward Temple; Therefore measure it not, leave it out, meddle not with it; exclude it from having the dews and showers of Heaven fall upon it; let not the sweet distilling strerms of God fall upon it; for it is not God, nor off God. Presently Heaven hath been shut, and they have had no rain: This we have experience of in their ministration. This me have found with a abundance of justness. When any man, or any thing, hath risen up against these witnesses, these Prophets (and so it hath been frequently seen) though they have been never so glorious in the Word, and under never so glorious professions of Gospel, Christ, freegrace; the light of the knowledge of God, Church fellowships, and such like notions as these; yet, When ever they have risen up against the Spirit of Christ, so soon as the same Spirit hath declared, and witnessed, what they are, presently they have deen blasted, withered, scattered and broken: They have had no more Rain from Heaven; and have withered as a plant, that God hath not planted, as a branch that hath had no showers.  — And have power to turn water into Blood] 
This we have seen to (for we speak nothing else but what we have seen) that whereas professors have formerly had many pleasant streams, many sweet waters, many refreshing comforts and joys: Immediately upon the Witnesses Prophesying all their sweet waters have been turned into blood; ordinances, duties, gifts, when they are not spiritual, and spiritually exercised, the Witnesses Prophesying, have turned them into-bloud; into contention, strife, debate, distraction and confusion.  — And to smite the earth with all Plagues] 
The Earth is Thy creation, the subject on which these Plagues are inflicted.  
Whenfoever the Spirit of the Lord appears, either on the right hand or on the left, that is, as Christ in flesh, and Christ in Spirit: whensoever these Two witnesses, these two Anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole Earth, shall testify and bear witness of flesh to be crucified, killed and slain; presently their testimony smite the Earth, and all earthly things with Plagues.  
These Prophets have the Power of God, and all the Power of GOD; and can smite the Earth with what Plagues they will. I have found them Smiting the Earth with sicknesses, spiritual sicknesses, weaknesses, consumptions, leprosies, plague-sores, running-sores, famine, death, wars, fears, frightings, amazments, wild-beasts; with all these Plagues. The Earth is now full of Plagues, sent forth from the mouths of these two witnesses.  
And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit, shall make war against them, and shall oversome them, and kill them.  
There is a time to Witness, and a time to Finish their work; and you have it here Prophesied, that they must first Finish their Testimony, and that they shall be overcome and killed; but not before they have finished their Testimony.  
But How must they be killed?  
The beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit shall made war against them, and kill them.  
This Beast which ascends out of the bottomless pit, is Antichrist. Many speak of the slaying of the Witnesses, and it is in many people's mouths now, which doth certainly foretell (though in them very darkly) something that is to come. But first let me tell you, that that which shall kill them must Ascend out of the Bottomless pit. It shall be no outward, or visible force that shall slay these two Witnesses: It shall be by no visible Power of Kings or Princes, Papists or Malignants, that these Witnesses shall be killed: no, we may see to the Bottom of all these. That which shall slay these two Witnesses, shall Ascend from a pit that hath no Bottom; that is, There shall such hellish fins, such Hideous Monstrous darkness, such filthy Beastliness, arise in the minds and spirits of men, that shall fight against the very Light of Christ, and the Spirit of Christ in His People: But these Witnesses are above the rage, and reach of all visible Powers. They may indeed kill and slay the bodies of men, and after that can do no more; for (alas) that is not that which is here slain; But the two Olive Trees, Christ in Fesh and Spirit: And that which kills them is a Beast, a Beastliness below the Beastliness of man; It's not man, it's by no power of man; It's Beastly darkness, Beastly lusts, Hellish wickedness; such as ariseth from a Pit that hath no bottom; such as you cannot tell whence it is, nor what it is; such as hath not been visibly manifest amongst the Sons of men. Ye shall see yet more abominable, hellish, hideous beastly, black wickedness, than ever yet appeared.  
Ye cannot yet tell the Father of these wickednesses: Ye are able to say, such and such wickednesses comes from the Pope; such and such from Jesuits and Papists; such and such from your own hearts: But ye shall find such black hellish wickedness, such disorder and confusion, such torment, such disquietment, such ignorance, such base ignorance, come out of a Pit deeper, and darker, and filthier then hath yet been found out amongst the sons of men; such as is without length, or breadth; such as is not to be fathomed, or measured; such a pit shall be opened, and such darkness come in to the world, as never before appeared: such as shall be blacker, and base, and fouler, than hitherto hath been brought forth.  
And these shall make war against the Witnesses, and overcome them: First, fight, then overcome and kill them. First, oppose the light of the LORD, the Spirit of the LORD Christ. I say, oppose these two witnesses and testimonies of the presence of the LORD; of GOD dwelling in flesh, killing flesh, offering up flesh upon the Altar: These shall be opposed.  
Secondly, overcome them, and kill them: There is a continual opposition of the Death, and of the Resurrection of Christ; and of Christ Risen in us; of GOD dwelling with us, and in us. And there shall such a darkness, such a black darkness, arise out of this bottomless pit, that shall fight with this light, overcome it and kill it; So that ye shall not be able to say, ye have God in you. These Olive trees shall not give forth their Oil; they shall not be able to speak their own Language in you; ye shall not enjoy those sweet inward refresh, that some times ye have had.  
The Witnesses shall be overcome, killed and slain: such hideous, monstrous darkness shall arise in you, that ye shall not know that ye have the Spirit of God, that Christ dwells in you: ye shall not be able to see, or say, that ye have the presence of God with you; that ye have the presence of these two Olive trees, Emptying their Golden Oil into you: All their operations shall be quite killed, slain and dead.  — And their dead bodies shall lie in the streets of the great City, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 
The place of the dead bodies, is the streets of the great City, Babylon. The world governed by Satan, the god of the world, is Babylon. In the Streets of the great City, Babylon, ye shall have the dead bodies of the Witnesses lie un-buried. There ye shall have some forms, and figures of what they have said, and done, but dead; without life, without power, without spirit.  
Ye shall have strange workings of the Devil, and Satan, in the streets of the great City, when the Witnesses are killed, to preserve their carcases, forms and figures, spiritless and life-less: And this is the wickedness of the flesh Heightened.  
There are these two Streets in the great City, Sodom, and Egypt, that will be found in you, though they do not yet appear: The filthiness of Sodom, pride, gluttony, fullness of bread, and abundance of Idleness. The wickedness of Egypt, Idolatry, enmity, rage and malice, against the Israel of GOD.  — Where also our Lord was Crucified] 
Our Lord was Crucified at Jerusalem literally, or according to the Letter; But spiritually it was in Sodom and Egypt: It was the filthy wickedness of Sodom, and the cursed enmity of Egypt, that Crucified Christ. And you will find that that spiritual Sodom and Egypt, that filthy wickedness of Sodom, and that cursed Idolatry of Egypt, is that same wickedness which shall, will, and must, kill and slay these two witnesses: or thus, That wickedness in the Scribes and Pharisees, that crucified Christ formerly; I say, that wickedness Heightened, and Spirituallized in the worldly, fleshly part of the Saints; that wickedness grown more vild, and more abominable, then ever was known before. The wickedness of the Scribes and Pharisees that accused Christ, of the High Priest that condemned Christ, of Judas that betrayed Christ, that grown as Sodom and Egypt, as the filthy whoredom of Sodom, as the cursed enmity of Egypt, shall make war against these two witnesses, and kill them: Here the Dead bodies of these two Witnesses lieth.  — And they of the people, and kindreds, and tongues, and nations, shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.] 
Peoples, Kindred's, Nations, Tongues, Gifts, Strengths, Powers, etc. Shall see the dead bodies of the two Witnesses, the outward form, and figure, without spirit and life; The outward carcase that these Heavenly lights, that these two witnesses, did minister in: They shall see them and shall not suffer them to be buried, to be put in graves. The earthly, carnal, worldly part of man, cannot endure that these bodies should be buried: And why? They live upon them, they cannot subsist without them; their very life and being is upheld and maintained by the carcase, by the body, the dead body; by the fleshly part that is in man, in the Saints. The Remembrance and sight of these, is their very life; therefore they will not suffer them to be put in graves: to be buried out of their sight. They keep up all outward, and fleshly forms above ground as long as they can. It is their life, their peace, their comfort, their joy; they are glad that the Spirit and life is gone, that was wont to vex and torment them.  
And they that dwell on the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another, because these two Prophets tormented them, etc.  — They that dwell on the Earth shall rejoice] 
All fleshly powers, and parts, rejoice and are glad in these forms. There is an ease, a freedom, a joy, a rejoicing, that ariseth in, and amongst earthly men, when these two Prophets are slain.  — And shall send gifts one to another] 
Those that were before counted earthly men, are now in their own Esteem, Heavenly. We are (say they) good Christians, Religious men (yea, in their own esteem; and so they judge of themselves in the midst of their merriment) And though we be in the Earth, and on the Earth; yet we have Peace, and Quietness, and gladness; we rejoice and are merry together; Now, there is nothing to vex us, because they that tormented us are dead. This is the manner of their boasting, and glorying over the dead bodies, the Carcases of the witnesses, when they are slain.  — But after three days and an half, the Spirit of life from God entered into them] 
After the death of the witnesses, follows their resurrection: there must be a death, before there can be a resurrection. People would fain ascend into Heaven, and possess Heaven, and attain to the resurrection of the dead: but this they cannot do, until they be first slain. You must die, before you can rise (I speak to those that are spiritual, into whom these Olive trees have emptied themselves) I say there must be a death, before there can be a resurrection. The most excellent, the most glorious christians that I know, must be slain.  — After three days and an half] 
It's a sad time, this, The slaying of the witnesses. The prophecy is mournful, yet very effectual. When the Beast ascends out of the bottomless pit, killing the witnesses, it's a sad time: but when they rise again, it is a time of great rejoicing. Though their death be grievious, yet their resurrection is glorious.  — After three days and a half] 
This is expressed elsewhere, by a time, times, and half a time.  
First, A Time, that's one day. Then times, that's two days. Then half a time, or the division of time, that's half a day. The meaning is this. It will be but a while that the witnesses must lie in this sad and dead condition.  
It will be but a day and two days and half a day: or a time, times, and half a time, and then they shall rise again.  
In this sad condition there will be an expectation of a quick and sudden deliverance. Well (saith the Soul) after one day is past, I shall be delivered and recover again. This is comfortable that it is but a day. O, the slaying of the witnesses (though a sad time) will not be without a day to your spirits: A day wherein ye shall see God. A day wherein ye shall know 'tis day. A day wherein shall be an expectation of a seasonable and sweet deliverance.  
But then (alas) there are yet two dries and half a day, wherein it will grow more dark; there will be multiplied evils; there will be division of times. Now (saith the Soul) let it be when God will; I am contented to wait: I am not careful when it shall be. When the heart shall lose its expectation of a quick deliverance; and shall scarce have a thought of deliverance at all, much less know when it shall be: and shall lie down in a sweet submission, now let it be when God pleaseth.  
When this state (days or times) is passed, then comes half a day, or half a time: And this is a short time, now deliverance hasteneth. He will cut his work short in righteousness: For except these days should be shortened no flesh should be saved: but for the Elects sake they are shortend. They are but half so much at last as they were at first. God will cut his work short in righteousness.  — And the Spirit of life from God entered into them] 
There is not true life, but by the Spirit of life which is in God. When the Spirit of the holy God comes into us, than we live, that's a life in deed. Before, it was the Spirit of God working in a poor, low, sad state; it was a life in sackcloth; a mournful, a dying life: a life next the grave. But when the Spirit of life from God, the Spirit of life (that is life itself) lives in man; then he is well; then he lives; then he hath life indeed.  — And I heard a great voice from Heaven saying, come up hither] 
Until we hear this great voice, Come up hither, there is no life, there is no motion: but when we hear this Voice, than we live.  
I see People are gaping after Heaven, but they cannot come up thither, see the glory of God, or know any true solid joy, or peace, till they be dead and raised again: Then shall they hear a great Voice, saying, COME UP HITHER. And yet this is but the sixth Trumpet. So much briefly for this time.  
The end of the ninth sermon.   

THE WITNESSES DEATH AND RESURRECTION.  REVEL. 11.11, 12. 
And after three days and a half, the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet: and great fear fell upon them which saw them.  
And they heard a great voice from Heaven, saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to Heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld them.  
WE have already opened part of this mystery, of the two witnesses; and have showed you who they are.  
These two Olive trees, or the two golden Candlesticks, that stand on the right hand, and on the left, before the God of the whole earth; are Christ and the Spirit, who do testify and witness concerning the Father. And though other ordinary Interpretations of the two Witnesses may be taken in; as that it is the Magestracy and the Ministry, the old and new Testament, and the Saints; yet all of them in a very far and remote way: and as they have some analogy and similitude with Christ and the Spirit: Christ in the flesh, being the Minister, Priest, or Prophet of the Church: and Christ in the Spirit being the magistrate, King or Governor of his Church.  
Some take them to be the old and new Testtament, which is indeed a dark Figure of Christ in flesh, and Christ in Spirit: The Old Testament, which stood in types, shadows and figures of Christ to come in the flesh, may be taken to be a dark figure of Christ in flesh: and the New testament, or New Covenant, being the testimony and witness of God more clearly, with open face, may be taken in, as a figure of Christ in Spirit.  
Some say they are the Saints, and these are indeed the Saints of God, the Holy ones of GOD, the truly Anointed one's of God: These have power, that if any man will hurt them fire proceeds out of their mouths (fire proceeds out of the mouth of Christ, in the Sdirit) and this devours their enemies, and if any man will hurt them it is death, they must in this manner be killed  — These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their Prophecy, etc. 
To deny the blessing, grace, and favour of God to any man, any creature, or to any thing.  — And they have power over waters, to turn them into blood etc. 
To kill and slay, and to mingle strifes, contentions, debates, envy, malice, and wrath in the minds of men; because they are disobeyed.  — And to smite the earth with ALL plagues, etc. 
Plagues both inward and outward: The Plague of Sword, Pestilence, Famine, Blindness, Barrenness, Nakedness etc. as often as they will.  — And when they have finished their testimony etc. 
We have seen their death, when their testimony was finished, but not before.  
When the Son of Man had finished his testimony, when his hour was come, then must he suffer, and not before: So when the Witnesses have finished their Testimony, they must be killed, and not before. Then, there ascends a beast out of the bottomless pit, out of the lowest hell, the nethermost hell. A new, and undiscovered wickedness and uncleanness of Spirit, riseth out of this Bottomless pit, against the two Witnesses.  — And makes war against them, overcomes them, and kills them. And then their dead bodies lie in the streets of the great City, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt. 
This whole World is this great City, as it's governed and ruled by the God of this World: and in this great City of the World, is the filthiness of Sodom, and the Idolatry of Egypt.  — Where also our Lord was Crucified. 
It was a spiritual wickedness that Crucified the Lord Jesus, and it shall be a more spiritual wickedness, that shall kill and slay these two Witnesses.  — And they of the People, and Kindred's, and Tongues, and Nations, etc. 
Humane, Carnal, Fleshly, Gentile Christians, the Nations of this world, shall see these witnesses lie dead, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves: When the Spirit is with-drawn, killed and slain by the Beast, or cloud of darkness, that riseth out of the bottomless pit: these Gentiles, People, worldly Christians, shall not suffer their dead bodies, (outward forms) to be buried; the natural man upholds the body or form without the spirit; a bare, humane, carnal remembrance; to keep up the form and flesh of Christ, left spiritless and lifeless: this is the nature of the men of the world, or earthly and fleshly men; to live upon the dead carcase of Christ: but they cannot endure the spirit and life of Christ; they can live no longer than they have the body dead and slain; if that revive, they die.  — And they that dwell on the Earth shall rejoice over them and make merry. And shall send gifts one to another, because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelled on the Earth. 
An expression of joy and rejoicing: and this is the wickedness of earthly People, that dwell in the Earth, that dwell in the World; they have no peace, no joy, longer than they get the mastery of the Spirit of God; and when they can by the strngth of that wickedness that ariseth out of the bottomless pit, trample upon the Spirit of God and of Christ, than they are well, than they can go rejoicing from one to another, blessing themselves, and comforting one another, telling vain and foolish stories, of their victory that they have killed and slain the Lord, and denied him to reign over them.  
In these three verses following is the reviving of the two witnesses.  — After three days and an half] 
When these two witnesses shall appear in any, shall finish their Testimony, be killed and slain; they shall lie dead three days and an half (or, as it is expressed in the next chapter of the Woman's being in the wilderness) for a time, times and half a time.  
The time of the kill of the witnesses, shall be a time of great joy and rejoicing to them that dwell one the Earth; eartly Christians, carnal Christians: Yet there shall be in it a day. Jesus Christ makes the grave a day: There is a quiet rest, and a sweet day in the death of Christ, in the kill of the witnesses: and though in itself it be very grievious and terrible; yet you shall see brightness and glory, shinings and twinkle forth of light, so that ye shall be able to call it a day.  
But there is a day and two days, and half a day, or a time, times and half a time.  
First a day and season in which there shall be a comfortable expectation of a seasonable and speedy deliverance, where-we are able to say, These witnesses are now slain; but they shall speedily revive and rise again.  
After that comes times, or two days, wherein there will be less expectation, and more trouble; multiplied evils, time divided; and then there shall not be such an expectation of a speedy deliverance as was before. The Soul shall be able to say, I shall be delivered, but I know not when: for aught that appears I may lie long in this state; but I will wait with patience; I will submit to the will of the Lord.  
Then after this there's half a day, or a season wherein there shall be a sudden reviving, an unexpected deliverance. A short work will the Lord make on the Earth.  — The Spirit of life from God entered into them] 
They had before but the Spirit of prophecy (The Spirit of Prophecy is the testimony of Jesus) wherein, though they liveed, yet their life was but a saying they should live: but a foretelling of a higher, and further state of life to come: but now they have a Spirit of life— The Spirit of life from God entered into them. Not the Spirit of prophecy only, but the Spirit of life: not only to be able to foretell what they should be, but what they are; That they are righteous, holy, happy; that they live. Yea, not only to be able to say they live, but to be life itself. Not only to Prophesy in sackcloth; to be under a veil; but by the reentry of the Spirit of life into them; to see GOD opening, and unvailing his face.  
These Witnesses must, and will Prophesy before they live: First, wear sackcloth, Prophesy darkly, that they shall live, then live. First, be in expectation and Prophecy of live, then live: first, believe, hope and expect, then live.  
We never lose any thing, but we gain by it. If we lose the Spirit of prophecy, we gain the Spirit of life for it: we gain by sufferings; we gain by losing.  
If a spirit of darknese ascend out of the bottomless pit, clouding our comfort, we receive a better Spirit for it— The Spirit of life from God: and so are gainers. This we may be assured of, for the LORD saith it. He will not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer his holy one to see corruption.  
We may be brought to the death, we may be killed and slain, we may be dead carcases; But where the carcase is, thither will the Eagles be gathered together. Thither this Eagle (the Divine Spirit of GOD) doth resort: to this Carcase (I say) to Revive it.  
This heavenly Eagle, or Spirit of GOD, comes and eats up all the deadliness, all the corruption, all the Carcase; that he in us, might live in the Spirit.  
There is no true life, but the Spirit of life. Then may we say we live, when we live in the Spirit of GOD: this is called the quickening Spirit. The first Man was made a living soul, the Second was made a quickening Spirit. Man is a living soul, a living creature; and it is the Spirit of GOD that makes him to live a Spiritual life: but when that life is killed and slain, than he hath a second life for it; a better life, The Spirit of life, life it self; true life indeed. And we know no life, no true life, but in the LORD, our life.— When HE who is OUR life, shall appear etc.  
While the Witnesses prophesy, they cannot say that they live; but when they have received the Spirit of life, than they can truly say they live: Now they can claim that title, I was dead, but am alive. I am the resurrection and the life.  
There is no true life till there be a Resurrection; till then it's but a state of mortality: It is not yet life: But when we revive, and rise again, mortality is swallowed up of life: now we live indeed.  
That's true life that is not subject to death; that is true life, that cannot be killed.  
That life that is under the Power of death, that is under the Command of death, that can be extinguished by death, is no true life. It's life to be set free from death; to be dis-engaged and dis-obliged from the command of this King of fears: when we can say, O death! Where is thy sting? O grave! Where is thy victory? When we can trample upon death; that is life, true Life indeed.  — The Spirit of life from God] 
True life consists in a continual flowing forth from God, a daily pouring out of the Divine life, the Divine nature into us; enlivening and quickening all our actions and services.  
Those are not living actions, living services, living performances, that flow not from the life of GOD in us. We live when every thing we act or speak flows from the life of God in us: Then we live, when all we do comes from GOD, when God sends it forth, God speaks it, God doth it; then they are living words, living actions— In thy presence is life.  
The absence of the soul from the body, is the shadow (and but the shadow) of death; but the absence of GOD from a thing, or person, that's death, Spiritual death.  
You cannot say a man lives, except you see his soul act, move, speak etc. If ye were Christians indeed, ye would not say you live, until ye hear the voice of GOD saying to you, This is the way of God, these are the words and works of God. There is life true life indeed. The reviving and life of these two witnesses is the resurrection and the life, the life of the Son of God.  
God comes forth in these two, in the Son and in the Spirit; the fullness of God showing itself in the flesh of Christ and the Spirit of Christ, this is life. These three are all in union together, the Father, the Son and Spirit, in one conjunction and unity.  
The Father putting forth himself in the Son by the Spirit: The Father acting, quickening and inlivening the Son, by the Spirit; these mutually embracing each other, is our life.  
Concerning this resurrection of the witnesses observe, that it is gradual, The Spirit of life from God first entered into them; after that they live: there was a kind of absence before; but now a presence of the Spirit of God.  
The holy God suffers a kind of parting to be between himself and his Son; neigh, betwixt himself and his own Spirit which is himself; and after this again there is a reuniting. First, There must be an entrance, The Spirit of God first enters into them, than they live.  
The Resurrection though it be quick, though it be in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, yet it is gradual.  
First, There is an entrance of the Spirit; The Spirit of life from God entered into them.  
Secondly, There is a double effect of this entering of the Spirit.  

1. They stood upon their feet.  
2. They heard a great voiyce saying, Come up hither.   
First, The Spirit of the Lord entered into them; while they are dead, while their dead bodies were lying in the streets of the great City, the breath of life from God entered into them. And this is very certain, we shall not lose any thing that we have had. Though the Lord withdraw himself from us a little while, yet he will return to us again, and then he will gather up all that is scattered, and enter into all that's dead.  — And they stood upon their feet] 
This is the second gradation, or the second degree of their Resurrection, which is twofold.  
1. They could own the Lord, they could say, The Lord is with us; our God is with us, and in us. Life is come to us. We are the holy ones of God. We are the golden candlesticks, upon whom the light of God doth shine. This is the Spirit of life from our God.  
And then secondly, they are raised from the earth; and so raised as that they can stand upon their feet; an expression of the dry bones, Ezek. 37. into whom when the breath of the Lord came, they lived, they stood upon their feet, an exceeding great Army. So the Prophet Ezekel when he was overcome by the glory of God in the great vision he saw chapter 2. it's said, The Spirit of the Lord entered into him, and he stood upon his feet. And so Daniel was raised, chapter 10.10, 11. O, Daniel, a man greatly beloved! understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: Which is the same with this: The Spirit of the Lord intring into us, standing up in us, manifesting and showing what we are, making us visibly to appear the anointed ones of God; enabling us to stand up and own a heavenly and spiritual life and light, to appear, to arise, to show ourselves, that we are the holy ones of God.  
And though whilst we were slain and dead we could not own the Lord, or acknowledge him; we could not confess the Lord, who he was, and what he was, because we were in death and darkness: yet now having the Spirit of the Lord entered into us; we now being raised from the dead, we stand up and are able to say, We are the Lords; we are the holy anointed one's of God.  
There is life and strength and confidence appearing in the witnesses standing upon their feet, so that they can say, We (by this life or in this life of God) are able to live amongst men, to walk about in the Name of the Lord; to own and confess God amongst men; and with confidence to look men in the face; Hell in the face; Devils in the face: To out-look, out-speak, outact, all our adversaries. To say, We live, and God lives in us. We dare own ourselves what we are; We dare go up and down, and act and speak in the Name of our God.  — And they stood upon their feet] 
Time was, that the glory of God was carried about upon the shoulders of men. The Prophets did testify and witness in the strength and by the strength of the creature and in and by the means and use of some creature, gifts, parts, Scriptures, experiences, and such like things, wherein God stood upon the shoulders of man; upon the feet of man; was upheld and borne up by the strength, power and authority of the creature; by reason, by judgement, by opinion, by strength of argument etc. but this they are now dead unto, and now there appears in them a high, a more excellent way: the witnesses (Christ in flesh and Spirit) stand now upon their own feet; upon their own strength, simply and immediately upon their own strength and power, not leaning upon cratckes of man, the wisdom of man, the strength of man, the parts of man; not borrowing ought from any creature, but standing barely upon their strength, their own power, their own authority: And because they are the Saints of God,  they stand and require not help from creatures. Now they can say, This authority God gives us; this power doth God administer to us, and this we dare challenge and claim, being the holy ones of God; being the anointed ones of God. We need no strength from others; we care for no crartches; we lean upon none; we stand barely and simply upon the strength and power of our God. We need no arguments to confirm us; no reasons to parswade us; no authority of men to strengthen us; we stand upon our own feet; we dare say, Here we are in the Name of our God. Because we are, we are: because we llve, we live; And because we are the anointed of God, therefore we act, therefore we speak, therefore we live, and upon no other account at all.  — And they stood upon their feet] 
They yet are upon the Earth, and have not wholly put off their earthliness; though they are able to live, to act, to speak in the Name of the Lord, yet they go upon the ground. Though they need not cratches, yet they stand upon the Earth.  
Afterwards they ascended up into Heaven, into a higher and more spiritual life then this; when they hear that great voice from Heaven, Come up hither.  
The Feet, the lower and inferior part of the body, are always subject to defilement by dirt and filth of the Earth, for they have continually fellowship with the Earth. But these two witnesses though living in the earth, though standing upon the Earth, yet have some fellowship with the Lord of Heaven.  
— And great fear fell upon them that saw them.  
Earthly men, and they that dwell only on the Earth, when the witnesses are slain, they look and expect that that state of death and darkness wherein they lie should utterly swallow them up; O, (say they) what a dark, what a sad condition are they in?  
While the witnesses prophesied and testified against the flesh, against the strength and wisdom of man, earthly men were troubled and cast down; but when the witnesses are slain and lie dead in the streets without the actings of the life of God in them: presently they conclude they are wholly destroyed. O, (say they) see what a sad state they are in, they are quite undone, they have lost their life, their strength, their joy, their peace, their comfort, they are dead, they are gone, there is an end of them. Thus they speak, thinking they shall never revive again. These are the thoughts, and this is the language of earthly men: but when they see them stand up upon their feet, revive and live again, O, this strikes them to the very heart: to see the Lord standing upon the Earth, owning himself in his People, is terrible and dreadful to earthly men: the glorious appearance of God, strikes man to the very heart: O, I shall die, I have seen the Lord. So Daniel when he saw the Lord, he fell upon his face. So Job, when his eyes had seen the Lord, he repent in sack-coth and ashes. And know this, that the reviving grace, the reviving Spirit of the Lord, bringing up his holy ones from the depths of temptations and troubles, to a state of life and joy, is terror to the world, a terror to them that see it: When any thing of the appearance of God, of the clear brightness of the Lord breaks forth, and speaks thus; I am the Lord, the holy one of God; man cannot stand, he fears, he trembles, he falls down as dead: when men live only in the light and strength of God, then great fear falls on them that see them.  
— Great fear fell upon them]  
It falls irresistably, they cannot avoid it; every creature that is earthly, within or without, Fear falls upon them, Fear surpriseth them, at the reviving of the witnesses.  
I know paleness and sadness, fears and astonishments, and great troubles, fall upon the flesh of man: It hath upon me, and it doth upon the flesh of man, and upon all that hear any thing of the tidings of the appearing of Jesus Christ: I say, The reviving of the witnesses, the entrance of the life of God into them; the quickening, the appearing of Jesus Christ in the Spirit: God being in man, and man being in God; this life of God strikes horror, terror, and amazement into the hearts of earthly and carnal men: It falls upon them like a Millstone it breaks them to pieces, it grinds them to powder.  
Men are weak things, poor things, base things, fearful things, guilty things, and therefore fearful things; full of bondage and slavish fear.  
The least appearance of the high power and glory of God, doth affright, startle and confound the strongest, the nost stout-harted amongst men. No man, no earthly man, no fleshly man, Dares, Dares look upon God when he appears.  
While man is able to say, it is not God; while he is able (as he thinks) to shut his eyes against him and not see him, he may please himself (at least a while) in having a little peace, and persuade himself that he shall do well: but this appearance of God is so sharp, so bright, that he cannot, must not, shall not be able to shut his eyes: possibly he may do as a man that shuts his eyes against the Sun: the man that lies in the Sun, though he doth shut his eyes as fast, as close as he is able, yet the bright beams of the Sun, do so pierce and work into his eyes that he doth see, do what he can. So when men say, This is not Christ; this is not the Spirit: yet the bright beams of the Sun of righteousness do so pierce into their eyes, into their hearts, that (I know) they see, and cannot but see, and say, This is the Lord; and they tremble.  
— And I heard a great voice saying, Come up hither]  
When we are alive we hear the voice of GOD. And though the voice of GOD be a mighty voice, a great voice, a strong voice; yet when we hear God speak we rejoice: O, pleasant voice! (pleasant because from Heaven) O, Heavenly voice! When Heaven speaks, it speaks love, and life, and joy, and glory, and kingdom, and power, and goodness, and excellency, and majesty: We hear it, we hear it continually; an eternal word: It is always sounding in our hearts and ears; O, this great voice, this mighty voice! Every thing that is in us hears it; every faculty, every part, every gift, Every thing hears this voice: It speaks largely, it speaks mightily and powerfully, it speaks to the whole man: It is so big and great, that it makes us to become all ear; or the ear to be every where, and every thing; the head, the feet, the body, the soul, the spirit, the inward man, the outward man, all hear this great voice: It speaks with Authority and Power: It removes, and sets aside every thought that hinders obedience to it: hile we hear it we obey it, we receive it: It is so great that there is nothing else left but it.  
This great Voice saith, Come up hither; it is so great a voice that it turns us into Heaven; it turns us into the voice itself; we are the voice; it fills Heaven and Earth; so mighty, so powerful, so full of majesty; O, it's the great answer of our prayers, the great end of our hopes, the great glory we look for, the great reward of our sufferings, the great joy of our GOD, the great love of our God O; It's the voice of our beloved, of our Father, of our King, of our GOD! It's thy voice O GOD!  
— A great voice from Heaven saying unto them, Come up hither.  
To them, to none else, none but the Holy ones, the Anointed one's of God, none but they that live in the Spirit of God: though it be a great voice, yet it is spoken to none but them. You my Son, you my Spirit, you myself, Come up hither.  
Rev. 4.1. saith John. A voice said unto me, Come up hither, and immediately I was in the Spirit. So here, When the Witnesses hear the voice, immediately they ascend. The voice takes them up into Heaven, up into itself.  
The voice saiith unto them, Come up hither; Come to Me, live in Me, live in My Power, live in My Strength, live in My Glory, live in My Kingdom; Be as I Am, Be where I Am, Be what I Am; Do what I Do, Do as I Do: Come into My Glory: live not below the glory of God; live no longer like creatures, live no longer in the world; but Come up hither and live in the glory of the Creator, the glory of GOD: Live not amongst men; live not amongst Angels; but live the life of GOD: Come up hither, Come to Me.  
This is not a going from place to place, in a carnal way by a bodily motion; but the true ascending and coming to God, is in the Spirit of God, in the life of God; to live in the presence of God, in the Face of God, in the Kingdom of God, in the Glory of God.  
— Come up hither]  
O, Excellent voice! O, powerful voicel O, precious voice! O, pleasant voycel Transcendent love! Infinite goodness! The bosom of the LORD opened! Heaven itself opened! The LORD Himself opening Himself, and reaching forth his hand saying, Come hither, Come hither. Ye cannot live any longer without me; I can live no longer without you: Let's live together: Ye are a part of myself, I can no longer be parted from myself, myself must come to myself; we can live strangers no longer; ye must come and live with me, in my house: Here's a Throne, sit down; here's a Crown, put it on thy head; here's Glory, wear it; here's a Kingdom, it's yours. We Come, we Ascend.  
— And they ascended up to Heaven in a cloud]  
The third degree of their rising is upon their hearing. We do arise, we do ascend; it is our nature to ascend: and seeing we are now living the life of the LORD, in the Spirit of the LORD; we are able to ascend.  
While we were only men, our faces tended to the earth, downwards; but now our natural course is turned, through the divine life of God in us, we do ascend to Heaven, to God; or thus, our ascending up daily more and more to God, is become our natural course.  
Now we can quit the earth, quit the creature, quit the flesh; all things below the glory of God we let them all go: Now we bid farewel men, farewel griefs and troubles and shame; the companions of men. Farewell earth, farewel weaknesses, cares and fears, companions of the earth farewell; now we ascend to Heaven in a cloud.  
— In a cloud]  
Whilst we ascend in a Cloud something yet of darkness and weakness accompanieth us, Though we are hastening to glory, hastening to God, yet it's in a cloud. God descends, Christ descends, the Spirit descends, and we ascend; yet we meet in a cloud. GOD comes down to us, we go up to meet God, yet both in a cloud. We meet together, we converse together, yet in a cloud. Here's the glory of God in the Saints, not yet breaking forth into naked and open brightness; but covered with Clouds, with some weakness, with some infirmity.  
— And their enemies beheld them]  
Satan, the Nations, Kindred's, Tongues, religious Voices, religious Opinions, Flesh, and World: all their enemies beheld them: look upon them, but its little comfort to them, little joy to them, to see them ascend.  
This is an increase and addition to our glory, that we must ascend in the sight and view of all those that hated us, and persecuted us, and were enemies to us; and as they rejoiced when we were down, so they must be troubled when we arise.  
Hell, death devil, look on us and behold us, and yet cannot hinder our asent; we ascend and go up in the sight and presence of all our adversaries, yet they are not able to hold us down.  
The witnesses that were slain, arise, and ascend into heaven, yet their enemies cannot in the least measure hinder them.  
As we ascend in the sight and view of God, so in the sight and view of all our enemies.  
As heaven is filled with joy at our arrival, so the world is filled with affrightment and amazement at parting with us: we cannot leave the earth, but we carry the life of the earth with us; we take all good from hence, and carry all good and glory into heaven with us. Hell, death, devil, shall all look upon us and shall be troubled, and not be able to keep one rag of us from enjoying this Glory, Majesty, Brightness and Excellency of GOD.  
The end of the tenth Sermon.   

THE WITNESSES DEATH AND RESURRECTION.  REVEL. 11.13. 
And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the City fell, and in this earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of Heaven.  
WE are unfolding the mystery of the two witnesses, which are the witnesses of God: in which, and by which every word of God is confirmed: they are two in their prophecy in sackcloth: but their is a third conjoined with them in their resurrection, as they are in Heaven, Ascended and Risen.  
There are thee that bear witness in heaven, and by these three, is every word established: The Father, the Son and the Spirit; each of them having a sufficiency to confirm each other; and together to put an end to all controversies.  
You heard in the morning that there were several degrees of the reviving of the witnesses, the first degree is the entering of the Spirit of life from God into them, which caused them to stand upon their feet.  
Secondly, They heard a great Voice from Heaven, calling them up, Come up hither.  
And thirdly, There is their Ascension into Heaven: They were taken up in a cloud, and their enemies beheld them.  
And in the 13, verse, there is the effect of all this. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the City fell:  
These works of God are not yet pure, though they are very excellent. Though there be a Resurrection and Ascension into heaven; yet it is in a cloud, covered with some infirmity and darkness; and yet in this there is the greatest glory.  
And the same hour was an Earthquake]  
Or (to speak the language of God elsewhere) A rejoicing with trembling.  
In the greatest appearance and manifestation of God, so long as there is any Earth it Trembleth: and indeed, the more glorious the discoveries of God are, the greater the Earthquake. No Earth can be without moving and trouble, that bears the weight of the glory of God upon it  
In this hour of ascension, there is a mixture of some secret rejoicing; and some trouble occasioned by the Earthquake; or else take the Earth here as distinct from the witnesses, and then their ascending up from the Earth, makes the Earth to shake. Christ and the Spirit of God, those two witnesses are the streneth and stability of the Earth; yea, the strength of the Pillars of the Earth: I uphold the Pillars of the Earth saith the Lord: He it is that strengthens the very foundations of the Earth. And therefore when these witnesses, the strength and Pillars of the Earth, ascend and remove from it, the Earth must needs quake and tremble.  
The witnesses are the corner stone of the World; It was by the word of the Lord, that Eternal word, that the Worlds were made, that the Worlds are supported: therefore when this Word of the Lord Ascends out of the World, the World must needs shake.  
The whole World hath lived and leaned upon Christ and the Spirit of Christ, and now his arising and removal out of the World, must needs prove the ruin and downfall of the World. All your strength, peace and comfort, hath been borrowed of Christ; and now his leaving the World, and carrying the Pillars of the World with him (as Sampson the Gates of the City) makes all the World fall to confusion.  
— A great Earthquake]  
The natural cause of an Earthquake, is the wind penned up in the bowels of the Earth, which seeking vent, breaks forth and so shakes the Earth. So the Spirit, or breath, or wind of the Lord, penned up in the bowels of the Earth, shut up amongst earthly men (as the Son a Man was three days and three nights in the heart or bowels of of the Earth) when it breaks forth it shakes and rends the World: And this is the cause of the Earthquake and commotions that are now abroad in the World: The breaking forth, or ascending of the Spirit of God out of the World.  
An Earthquake is one of the greatest perplexities and evils that can befall the world; the Earth being the Centre and stay of man. The very bottom and foundation upon which all the camfort and good of the life of man stands. When this centre, this rest or stay, this foundation shakes, nothing more affrightens, and astonishes man.  
These Witnesses ascending out of the world, the Bottom and Foundation of people's strength and comfort trembles and quakes: the root of all humane life is cut insunder at once: the bottom of all humane joy is taken away: The foundation of Ecclesiastical and Civil power is shaken; the groundwork of all earthly stability and comfort, of Church and Commonwealth quakes and trembles; I say, the world is losing the foundation and groundwork upon which Religion and Civil-government stands; and this makes the Earth to shake.  
— And the tenth part of the City fell]  
This City is Babylon, called the holy City. This holy City is trampled under foot, as you may read in the second verse of this Chapter. This holy City, or the outward Court, is left to be possessed by the men of the world, by the Gentiles, by men uncircumcised in heart and spirit; by fleshly and carnal men: This is the fate of this City.  
— The tenth part]  
The tenth part (you know) was the Levits' part, which was holy to the LORD, or dedicated to the LORD; it was offered up to the Priests under the Law, it was the chief maintenance of the legal priesthood.  
And here the tenth part of the City, the chiefest part, the devoted part (as you say) God's inheritance, the lot and portion of the Priesthood, this part of the City fell; in sum, the holiest, the chiefest, the excellentest part of the City fell.  
The ways of worldly Prophessors and Christians, are something that is holy, something that is offered up to God, but in the hands of the world, trampled under foot by the world. There is an excellency in this, this is that that's called the tenth part, that part wherein men have thought themselves most sacred and holy, that which they have offered up to God, that which they have separated from the world and their own proper use, and given to God; some of their wisdom, some of their estates, some of their time, some of their strength, etc. the tenth part. This tenth part of the City fell; this chiefest and most excellent part: This tenth part, when they have reserved nine parts to themselves and dedicated the tenth to God: That which hath been men's Religion, and that wherein they have placed their confidence and comfort and by which they have thought to be saved, this excellent part, this tenth part of the City fell in this earthquake.  
I tell you again, When these two Witnesses ascend and leave the earth, than the highest forms of religion, the most excellent separated things of men, those holy things wherein they have most devoted themselves to GOD, and the Temple of God, their hours of Prayer, their Sabbaths their Fast, their Engagements and Covenants to serve the Lord; this tenth part in the Earth quake falls all to the ground: the tenth part etc.  
— And in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand]  
As the tenth part of the City fell, the chiefest part, the best part, the excellentest part of the holy City; so the best part of men, or an excellent number of men, and both understood by this number seven thousand: one thousand is a great number and an excellent number as well as a great number: ten hath an excellency in it, therefore the tenth part was given to GOD; one hundred is ten times ten, one thousand is ten times an hundred, which in the Law is multiplied to hundreds and thousands.  
Seven thousand is the perfection of the creature as it is able to be numbered; or it is the multiplying of all the perfections of man; or man numbered into the highest perfection, or largest number that may be multiplied that is not Infinite, which is God.  
— Seven thousand]  
Seven is a Holy number; and therefore the seventh day was sanctified and made holy. A blessed number, therefore GOD blessed the seventh day. It's also a number of rest, GOD rested the seventh day and appointed the seventh day to be observed as an holy rest.  
Here is humane perfection in the greatest number, in the blessedest number, in the quietest estate, wherein men have thought themselves to be holy men, blessed men, men at rest; wherein they have thought themselves truly blessed, truly holy, truly happy.  
When men have numbered up themselves to such a state, to seven thousand, a holy number, a blessed number, a number of perfection; to such a state wherein they have thought themselves holier than others; more blessed and happy then others: when they have thought themselves at rest; and indeed (in humane account) have had abundance of blessedness, thousands of blessednesses, thousands of blessed hopes, blessed believings, blessed joys and comforts, such a state wherein they have rested and been satisfied; yet now in this Earthquake, in the same hour that the Lord leaves the Earth, that the Witnesses ascend up to Heaven, when the LORD will no longer converse with Earth, but with Heaven, when he will no longer converse with his People in an earthly, but in an heavenly way and manner, he and they walking together and enjoying each other in Heaven; Then those thousands, those seven thousands, all those holy, happy, blessed, resting men, shall be slain.  
— And the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the GOD of heaven]  
The chiefest and choicest part of men are gone, and that which remains now is but a Remnant, a small part; so mean and poor a part as is not worth the numbering, or to be gathered up into order and beauty, or into the account of holiness and blessedness, as other men are; they are only a poor remnant.  
This Remnant was affrighted and gave glory to the GOD of heaven.  
Nothing is more frequent in the Prophets, where mension is made of the judgements of God (through which he brings his people to salvation) than this, That a remnant shall be saved, a remnant shall be brought through the fire. Here one and there another, as the glean of the vintage; like small bunches of grapes upon the uppermost boughs; a small company, and them not regarded, a remnant.  
They are but little, and exceeding little, a Remnant shall come to happiness. The bulk and body, the head, the crown and glory of man falleth and are slain; and a Remnant only escapes: The LORD will take off the head of man, according to that saying, And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus Rev. 20. I say, the LORD will take off the head, the glory, the top, the crown, the wisdom, the excellency of man; the main, the chief, the principle part will th' e LORD slay; all these in man shall be taken away, and only a remnant shall remain.  
The LORD will waste and consume flesh to a very low state; He will bring down man to a fragment, to a very small Remnant, till there's almost nothing left; to a state and condition that shall not be considerable, that shall scarce be fit for any use.  
The thousands, the seven thousand; the excellentest, the greatest, the richest, the most numerous, the most religious and devoted part shall be slain; a remnant only shall be left and those affrighted too.  
— And great fear fell upon them that saw them]  
When they saw the LORD ascending out of Earth, leaving the Earth desolate; leaving Religion, Society, commonwealths, to wasting and destruction; when they, saw stability, goodness, wisdom, righteousness and holiness forsaking the earth, and ascending up into the holiness of God, this affrights men; and it affrights them (almost out of their wits) to see that there is no living amongst such men; that there is nothing to be seen amongst them but death, horror and confusion in the whole creation: And to see that if we do not submit to the Lord, live in the Spirit of the Lord, and follow the guidance and conduct of the Spirit of the Lord, we are for ever ruined. If we are not able to ascend with these Witnesses, go up with them to Heaven and live with Christ and the Spirit of God an heavenly life, we are utterly undone for ever; we shall see hell opening her mouth to devour us; miseries, fears and wrath ready to cease upon us and swallow us up: therefore if we cannot ascend to Heaven with these witnesses, Woe be unto us; for we shall see there is no possible way of subsistence out of heaven. We shall see much hellish wrath and darkness and confusion fall upon men; that they cannot live in that state and condition wherein they have lived.  
— And they gave glory to the GOD of Heaven]  
Strange language, that a Remnant, a poor affrighted remnant, should be able to give glory to God. Yet thither we must be brought before we can give glory to the God of Heaven.  
Whilst we have any glory left, we give glory to ourselves, and not to God; but when we are become a Remnant, Affrighted and dashed in pieces, then shall we glorify God.  
We think that men of excellent wisdom and strength should glorify GOD, O no, they take from the glory of God, and give it to themselves. We think that Assemblies, and Parliaments, and Synods, and Counsels of great Men, should give glory to God; no, none at all; they give glory to themselves: None but an affrighted remnant gives glory to God.  
God neither hath, nor will have any glory till man be brought to an affrighted Remnant— they that were affrighted gave glory to God: Mark it, if you are able to mark it, that such a poor and affrighted remnant should give glory to the God of Heaven; that the God of Heaven should receive glory from so poor an affrighted remnant, a poor fag-end of the world, wasted and consumed by sword, plagues, and judgements; that they that have nothing, should yet give to God: When men are wasted and consumed to nothing, yet that that nothing should be able to add and give to God, this is worth your observation.  
So long as we are any thing, we are still attributing and giving to ourselves; and when we are wholly reveled out into nothing and lost, than we are contented to give all to God.  
It is much that we that are nothing, should give to him that is all things; and it is very much that we should give him glory; that which is most dear to him, and that he should accept of it from a poor affrighted Remnant: Though (I say) the glory of God be that which is exceeding dear to him, and that of which he is most Jealous, yet it is not dear to him until we give it him; and then it's double glory; even then when it comes from a poor affrighted Remnant: When God can come and speak out of the mouth of a poor creature, wasted and consumed to nothing that is his glory. It is not his glory that he hath it from Mighty Angels; No, he lays aside that nature, and is pleased to accept of it from poor flesh, poor man, poor wasted, consumed man. I say, Our God hath his glory from wasted, consumed man.  
God hath glory in wasting and consuming flesh in man: He takes away the glory from the creature into himself.  
God's greatest glory is to repair wasted man. When man is carried out of himself, into the lowest estate that can be; when the glory of man is laid flat upon the Earth, than GOD is gathering it up into his garner.  
And this is certain, till this poor remnant gives glory to God, God hath visibly and manifestively no glory at all. It must be this poor man, this wasted man, this poor flesh, this poor creature, walking through the fire, and passing through many tribulations that must set this Crown of glory upon the head of God; that must make God glorious; a glorious blessed God.  
The root and foundation of the glory of God, is lost and undone man.  — And gave glory to the God of heaven] 
Before (as I said) they gave glory to themselves; or if they gave glory to any God, it was to that God that is the God of this world.  
All that men contend for in the strength or power of man, is to give glory to the Gods of this world, the Gods of the earth. there's is indeed a seed of sincerity in the Saints, that gives glory to the God of Heaven, but it is in a poor low, dark, way; Prophesying in sackcloth.  
These stand before the God of the Earth as the Olive tree on the left hand of God, offering Sacrifice to the God of Heaven, though it is as yet but in an Earthly manner: unto God it is, though in weakness; or, unto the God of Heaven in an Earthly way.  
That which most men in this world do, is to give glory to themselves, or to the God of this world, the devil, as Rev. 9.20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues, yet repent not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils and Idols, of gold, silver and brass, and stone, and wood, which can neither see, nor hear nor walk.  
The greatest care and industry of most men, is only to maintain an outward, earthly power; an outward government, an outward worldly Kingdom a State Religion: which is nothing else but secretly to provide for their own carnal peace, carnal ease, fleshly and diabolical State and so they worship the devil, and give glory to the god of this World: Now when a man is wasted and consumed, and affrighted, and brought to a Remnant, he is contented to give glory to God, to the true God, and to him in Heaven, in a heavenly way: and the matching of these two together, is an exceeding wonderful and glorious thing; that the lower end of man cut down by the Axe of the Spirit to a stump, and left a poor remnant; That this wretched creature, this poor Remnant, should be able to give glory to the God of Heaven: That is, should so speak, act and live, as to be always giving glory to the God of Heaven, or rather, that it should speak, act and live the glory of the God of Heaven, and enjoy continual communion and fellowship with the God of Heaven; that it should be able to set forth, adorn and beautify the God of Heaven, in a heavenly way; to hold forth God in his brightness, excellency and majesty.  
This is the work we are called unto, through death, through slaying, through Earthquakes, through commotions, through temptations, to ascribe and give glory to the God of Heaven; to give up ourselves to the glory of the God of Heaven; to give up that little, that nothing that remains of us, that Remnant to be to the glory, or to be the glory of the God of Heaven, or to suffer the God of Heaven, to render himself glorious upon us; I say, This is wonderful.  
Why have we heads, bearts, hands & tongues to be killed and slain, wasted and consumed to nothing; but to be raised again? What is it for, but that the God of Heaven should enjoy them? So long as we kept and enjoyed them to ourselves, we used them to the glory of the god of the Earth; but now having been wasted and consumed to nothing, and raised again, they are to be employed in the service, for the use, and to the glory of the God of Heaven: And now in this condition, we are in Heaven; now we are in the Kingdom of God, in the presence of GOD, in the Majesty and glory of the GOD of Heaven.  — The second Woe is past, behold the third Woe cometh quickly] 
We are not yet at the higth of our glory, nor past through all our woe.  
It pleased God to divide these woes into three parts, a first, a second, and a third. The first, is not the greatest, the second is (as I may call it) the wofulest it is the middle woe; it is as it were the heart of the woe; it's such a one as is like that tribulation, Mat. 24.21. such as never was before, nor ever shall be like come after; 'tis that which is the very Centre of the woes, and this at the Resurrection of the witnesses is past, than the heart of the woe is broken, and we are fully delivered from the middle woe; then we are broken out of the bowels of the Earth, out of the bitterrest woe.  
As Christ lay three days in the grave, and rose again the third day: so the witnesses having lain dead in the streets of the great City three days and an half; at the end they are raised up again.  — And behold the third woe cometh quickly] 
The great woe of all is the lying of the dead bodies of the witnesses, three days and an half in the streets of the great City: but it is some mitigation of the evil, that it is quick, short, full of dispatch; but three days and an half: Therefore saith Christ (who had the infirmity and flesh of man) to Judas; That thou dost, do quickly.  
Lasting woes, are the worst woes. Then cometh the third woe, which shall last but half a day: And as it is short, so it is that which shall let us into the third state of the glory of God.  
As there is the day of man, the day of Christ, and the day of God; so their is the glory of Man, the glory of Christ, and the glory of God. This Heaven, into which the witnesses ascended, is not the highest Heaven, the highest glory. There must come a third woe, that will carry them thither.  — And it comes quickly] 
It is an happy state the witnesses are in when they are raised from the dead: yet it's not lasting, though their condition be glorious yet it hath a woe stealing upon it; yea, though it be a very blessed state; a Resurrection from a sinful Earth: yet it is such a blessed state as is subject to war; for immediately succeeds the third woe. This clear bright Sun of righteousness is subject to an eclipse: The tenth part falls, and 7000. are slain, yet all earth is not cleared away: There were sweet enjoyments of the glory of GOD, yet it was mingled with some weakness: and this is our happiness, that our God will never cease refining us, till all Earth, till all flesh be quite removed from us; till he hath perfected us into himself.  
The Third woe is a tolerable woe: though it hath its sting, yet it comes quickly and goes quickly: It's such a one as we are well able to endure. And then cometh the seventh Angel Sounding, and he saith aloud,  — The Kingdoms of this world are become The Kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ] 
The two Witnesses, their prophesying, their slaying, resurrection, and ascension, is in the Mystery of the Spirit, Angels sounding: It comes near to perfection, but yet is not absolute perfection; the highest Reign and Kingdom of the Lord, and of his Christ, breaks forth at the sounding of the seventh Angel.  
The seven Trumpets are all but one Trumpet, The last Trump shall sound. The Spirit of the LORD being able either to contract all into one, or to enlarge one into seven, when, and as he pleaseth: He can give all to one, call it one, make it one; discover it and open it into one, or enlarge it into seven. Seven days make but one with him; Seven Angels, and seven Trumpets, make but one Angel, and one Trumpet with him.  
Seven is a number of rest and blessedness: and here is the seventh Angel, or the ange licall nature in et's perfection; Christ the Head of Angels, or the Perfection of Angels.  
Angels are ministering spirits sent forth from God; Ministers and Trumpets sounding forth the Kingdom of glory.  
The excellency or perfection of Angels is to trumpet out the last and greatest glory of God: Yet Christ the Archangel, the head and chiefest Angel, takes pleasure to sound forth the glory of God, before the breaking forth of the Highest and Last glory.  
Trumpeting is a proclaiming or declaring of the glory of GOD. Jesus Christ, the Archangel, the head or chiefest Angel sounds and sends forth a proclamation or declaration of the Kingdom of GOD. And when we hear the sound of this great Trump, we enter into glory; or the sounding of the last Trump by Jesus Christ, the great Archangel, goes before the approach of the highest glory of God. And it's said,  — There were great voices in heaven] 
After the sounding of the Trumpet comes forth the voices; which is a more distinct and excellent note in music then the sound of the Trumpet. No Organ or Instrument sends forth so sweet a note as the tongue of man.  
It's said, There were great voices in heaven: and (as it's expressed afterwards) these voices are uttered by the four and twenty Elders that sat before the Throne, worshipping God.  
Twelve (you know) was the number of the Apostles, who had only the first fruits of the Spirit: We (saith the Apostle) have the first fruits of the Spirit. They had (as it were) a single harmony of music, publishing and declaring the glory of God; But here is not only twelve, but twenty and four Elders; The Spirit of God appearing in a double measure, twice as much as in the Apostles, having the full harvest of the Spirit; a greater company of Saints, and the Apostolical Spirit; or the gifts and graces of the Spirit in the Apostles doubled upon the heads of the Saints; or Jesus Christ appearing in the Saints in a double measure of the Spirit of God. And they are all Elders too; all taken up into the Ancient of days, living in the eternal and everlasting Spirit.  
He is an Elder indeed, who was before the World was made; he is but an Novice, and of yesterday that can speak but from the beginning of the World.  
These are the great voices in heaven, by the four and twenty Elders: In this dispensation you have that measure of the Spirit of God that was given to the twelve Apostles and Church in the primative time, doubled: raised up to the Ancient of days.  — And there were GREAT voices in heaven] 
Some times our God speaks in a low still voice, and indeed His very whisper are pleasant. Here is not only one voice, or a low whispering voice, but many and Great voices: Audible and Mighty declarations; Great and various discoveries of our God When the witnesses Prophesied in sackcloth, Thousands were sufficient; but now here are Thousands of Thousands. Now here's Christ in the flesh, and Christ in the Spirit joined together: Now they are multiplied to Thousands of Thousands in heaven: Many voices tuned, multitudes of hearts enlarged in heaven: they are four and twenty.  
In the former dispensations they were shut up in Earth, they were clothed in sackcloth, they were but twelve; Here they are increased to twenty four: All the voices crying out Now in one Great voice; and that so clear, so shrill, that it shall spread thorrow the whole Earth.— The Kingdoms of this world etc.  
It may be those people that are of the earth, that are of the world, question and doubt what these voices say, and they cannot say after them, or with them, The LORD lives, the LORD reigns; they think it, they dare not speak it; or if they do speak it, it is but poorly and weakly, from a bare letter, not from the Spirit of God: But hear when Heaven is opened, the glory of God manifested, and the Spirit of God doubled. There are great Voices, thousands of voices, consenting and concentering together; all speaking aloud, all singing that heavenly hallelujah, saying, The Kingdom of the LORD; The Kingdom of of the LORD, The Kingdom of the LORD: Now here's full Language; full speech, bold and loud speech in Heaven saying, The Kingdom of the LORD, The Kingdom of the LORD. There are many and great Voices in Heaven, saying, The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of OUR Lord.  
When the seventh Angel sounds; when there is freedom and liberty in the hearts of the Saints, they all now say, The Kingdoms of the LORD.  — There were great voices in Heaven] 
They talk aloud of God in Heaven. Below in the Earth people whisper and speak (as it were) in a corner of God; they speak low and in private, therefore (saith Christ) What you speak in a corns shall be published on the house top.  
All the appearances of God, have been but as in a corner. Though the sending out of the Apostles into the World, did typify that universal, free, abundant declaration of GOD, this Name of God in the World: Yet all that which hath been made known of God hitherto, hath been but a speaking in a corner, in comparison of that which is now breaking forth.  
God hath been spoken of in a corner, here a little and there a little: But now there comes a great Voice, that throws down State, Kings, Kingdoms and all the powers of the Earth; to make way for the glory of God.  
God will whisper it no longer, nor speak with a faint Voice, with a cold language; but will speak so, and come so, That every Eye shall see him; every Ear shall hear him; every Tongue shall speak him, and every heart shall acknowledge and confess him; This is the LORD. Now doth GOD REIGN. Now is Christ exalted.  
This Voice may be heard in Hell, and spoken in wrath: but when ever it is spoken freely and aloud with joy, than it is in Heaven to the Saints: And this is the close of the great Voice The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ]  — The Kingdoms of this world are become etc. 
God heretofore hath had the meanest of this World: A sort of poor, low, mean People only have testified a little for God and Christ: here a little, and there an handful: but do you think it, or can it be thought, That God will always be contented with this? Or do you think the GREAT things of the World were made eternally for the Devil and wicked men? Or can it be imagined that God should fill a World with men, and furnish them with parts and abilities; Greatness, Wisdom, Riches, Majesty, Authority, etc. that wicked men should always abuse them, and devils always have the command of them, and God forever be excluded and shut out.  
No, no such matter: No, the Kingdoms of this World, all the Riches, all the Strength, all the Authority, all the Power, all the Righteousness, Justice, Judgement and Excellency of this World, both in respect of Civel and Ecclesiastical Government: All the Kingdoms of this World, shall become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ: We dare in the power of the Lord speak it: The Voice will be, No man hath to do with any Power, Authority, Wisdom, Riches or any thing in the World: No creature hath any power or privilege to dispose of any thing on the Earth: All Power, Strength, Riches etc. are taken from men; or if any thing be left, that which remains is consuming and blasting, and shall waste away, till all greatness and excellency whatsoever resolves itself into the Kingdom of OUR Lord and of his Christ; The Kingdom of Our Lord they are become. OUR Lord now must Reign: All things now are become his. They were Our Lords from the beginning, and of right all did belong to him: If he did intrust them to other Kings, Nobles, Great ones, etc. it was but only as they were his Servants; they were but entrusted and committed to them as Talents; they are but his Stewards; and woe be his Stewards, when he turns them out of their Sewardship; they must be Stewards no longer; but must give an account of their Stewardship, of their Talents: And these Kingdoms of the World, must immediately become the Kingdoms of Our Lord, and of his Christ.  
We have a Lord that is a Lord indeed, The great Lord of Heaven and Earth, The Lord of Lords, and King of Kings: others are but Images and Pictures of this OUR LORD, they are but his Substitutes; and now OUR Lord comes and throws out all other Lords; He casts these Stewards out of their places; and the Kingdoms of the World return again to Him, whose they are.  
They were of old thine, only they were let out to use for a while: The original right is in OUR Lord; he hath it, and will maintain it; and he himself will Reign. The Spirit of God hath prophesied of this in all Ages, and now he is performing it; The next Age, nay, at this time, this dominion is Our Lords.  
Now for Our LORD, now for the great GOD. Now for Our King: Now all the Kingdoms of the World, are become the Kingdoms of OUR Lord. OUR Lord will take all, and leave nothing un-possessed. He must have all, and we must have all in him: He must Reign, and we must Reign with him. He that upholds us and comforts us; He that is in us and with us; He that speaks this language in us, and puts forth this expression by us, is OUR. Lord, God with us, or Emanuel.  
This LORD shall have all the Kingdoms of the Earth; and he will put us in possesson of all that is good, excellent, rich, beautiful, all that is Kingly and Noble; all that excels; all the Kingdoms of the World.  
And out of the Lord, and from the Lord shall be nothing but desolation and confusion: yea, desolation and confusion itself is our Lord's prison, into which our Lord will cast his enemies. They are all become Our Lords and his Christ's, OUR Lords and his Anointeds.  
It is Christ in the glory of the Father that is Our happiness and Our life. The Son in the glory and power of the Father: God exalting the Son into himself.  
The Kingdoms of the World are the LORDS yet so the LORDS as that Christ is King epual with the Father.  
Christ lays down his Kingdom, that he might ascend into the Kingdom of the Father. And we lay down our Kingdoms of the World and creatures, that we might live in the Kingdom of Christ; that so the Father, Christ and We might Reign together.  — The Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ] or his Anointed. 
There are many Anointed, that pretend to be THE Anointed of God: And many there be that have some Anointing: But none shall Reign, but His Anointed: The holy one of God; the Anointed of God; He that is filled with the Spirit of God; He that is Anointed with the Oil (the Oil of GGD) He shall Reign for ever; no other: None but the ANOINTED of GOD.  
OUR God Anoints US, and We are the Anointed of GOD; the Christ of GOD; the holy one of God; all gathered up into one Anointing, one Anointed, one God: and in this unity, all in one, we shall Reign with him for ever and ever: And so it's said, Revelations 5. He hath made us Kings and Priests to our God: and we shall reign on the earth: The World shall become ours. All worldly things, are taken into Heavenly: they have been divided and distinguished (you know) some things are carnal, some things are spiritual; some things are of God: some things are of the World-But now all things shall be taken up into the glory of God; into the glory of Christ: Which is the redemption of the body, the deliverance of the creatures out of bondage wherein they have been held.  
The whole Earth, the whole Creation shall be taken up and filled with the righteousness and glory of the Lord.  — And he shall Reign for ever and ever] 
Satan and wicked men have Reigned long, but they shall Reign no longer. So long as Satan can Reign over us, we are subject to many evils; but now he is cast down, and now none can Reign over us but the Lord; we shall now receive no good from man, so also we shall receive no evil from man; no good from good Angels, no evil from evil Angels: No man, no creature hath any power over us; none but the LORD. We are the Lords, the Holy ones of God; and none but the HOLY ONE of God Reigns over us.  — We give thee thanks O LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, which ART, and WASTE, and art to GOME; because thou hast taken to thee thy GREAT Power and haste Reigned. 
The LORD, the LORD Reigns, he hath taken to him his Kingdom; that is it for which we give Thanks; His Kingdom, and Our . And we thank not man, but God: Thanks are due to none but GOD.  
Because the Lord Reigns, and we shall Reign, Therefore we give thanks.  
The Reign of Christ is an Eternal Reign; For ever. But the Reign of GOD is for ever and ever; two Eternals.  
The Reign of Christ is an Everlasting Reign, yet he gives it up into the hands of the Father; and God becomes all in all, and Reigns for ever and ever.  
There are two Eternity's in this Reign, the Lords and his Christ's. The LORD delights to double his excellencies; to multiply Eternity's: and there is no minute wherein it can be said our LORD doth not Reign, no season or time wherein it can be said our LORD doth not Reign.  
Whilst the LORD doth give forth favour and grace by man, and man gives thanks to man, it's not the Eternal Reign of God and Christ.  
The Reign of God is without intermission; it's for ever: It is in all things, and at all times: It is in height and depth, in day and night, in summer and winter: It's Eternal, for ever and ever.  — Which art, and waste, and art to come] 
Here are three Eternals.  
First, The Eternal that was before the world. This Kingdom was before all times, and shall be after all times, when times shall be no more.  — Which ART] 
It is present, it's no longer absent: yet it is to come, but not so to come as that we want it; but it is so to come, that we shall enjoy it everlastingly: It takes in all times, past, present, and to come. It is that Circle of Eternity that comprehends all, beginning and ending.  — And HE shall Reign for ever, and ever] 
Now there is a bouble use made of this by the Spirit of God.  
Thanks be to God, by them that dwell in Heaven: Down with all your glory, lay down all your excellency; that is, the excellency of all that are heavenly, to give thanks to God.  
In the 16. verse its said, They fell upon their faces and worshipped God: They lie down in the dust, are base and worth-less in their own eyes, that they may give glory to GOD.  
Now they say, nothing is excellent, righteous or good but God. Worship God, fear none, acknowledge none but God: speak nothing, love nothing, be nothing, do nothing but God.  — We give THEE thanks] 
Here is thanks, here's praises, here's rejoicing; LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, We bless THEE, we rejoice in THEE, we are exceeding glad of THEE; we never expected good from men, if we did, they failed us: There is nothing but oppression in man: But in THEE is deliverance.  
Certainly God will Reign in righteousness, in justice and truth. Men are in tumults, wars, plots, mischiefs: But GOD Reigns in truth and righteousness. And the GREAT Kingdom of the LORD is our joy; Therefore— We give THEE thanks O LORD GOD ALMIGHTY.  — The Nations were angry, and thy wrath is come] 
The World, and the powers of the World are angry; they fret, they vex, they cry-out this is Blasphemy. And we expect nothing but wrath from the world, and it's proper for them that they should be wrath; our joy is their wrath: See how angry man is, freting, and vexing at Gods pulling down the Kingdoms of the Earth. This is the reason of that bitterness and malice, that fury and madness, that is amongst men: What makes them so unquiet, killing and destroying one another: but because God is overturning the glory of the world? What makes men so full of wrath, but because Thy wrath O LORD is come?  — And the time of the dead that they should be judged] 
All the dead shall the judged, Dead Ordinances, dead Authorities etc. all that live not in the life of God, shall be judged.  
Nothing is life and light but the LORD; nothing lives but the LORD, and those that live in the Spirit of the Lord: as for others, they are dead, and shall be judged as the dead: But those who live in the Spirit of life which is in God, they triumph over death, and that destruction that comes upon the Kingdoms of the world: They with joy can speak on this manner,  
Their Wrath, is our Love; their Grief, is our Comfort; their Anger is our Peace; their Trouble is our Reward; their Ruin is our Life.  
This is the application the Spirit of the Lord makes to the Nations, which none can with stand.  
God dvides the world into love and wrath, blessings and curse: he wraps the world up in wrath and curse, and the Saints in thanks givings and blessings.  
To the Saints he saith, Let them say, The Lord our Reward, our Comfort, our Love, our Joy, our Strength, our Heaven, our Life, our Father, our Head, our Prince, our King is Come.  
But to the world he saith, Let them say, our Doom, our Judgement, our Darkness, our Confusion, our Dreadful day, and the Dreadful day of the Lord is Come.  
FINIS.