A further Discovery of the Mystery of the last times; As an Addition to a little Book, called Some Discoveries of the Mystery of the last Times, bordering upon the Coming of the Lord Jesus.  
Set forth for the good of all men; but especially of those who in these dissenting times (wherein Ephraim envieth Juda, and Juda vexeth Ephraim) know not where to settle themselves, or to what society of Christians to join themselves: wherein is (as simply and plainly, as the Author was able to open those mysterious Scriptures quoted in this following Treatise) shown the cause of all our divisions and contentions about matters pettaining to Form and Order in the Church of Jesus Christ; and wherein is moderately proved from those Scriptures these particulars. 

1. The flourishing and building condition of the Church of Jesus Christ in the time of the Gospel.  
2. The slumbering or declining condition of the state of the said Church.  
3. The sleepy or dead condition (in respect of outward order) of the said Church, with an Answer to all the objections the Author hath met with touching this subject.  
4. That there is to be a most glorious Restoring of the said Church by the Lord Jesus himself.  
5. That this Restoring will be most sudden and unexpected.  
6. Is showed the several forms of Governments, which have been enemies unto the people of the Lord Jesus in these several dispensations; viz. the Dragon, the Beast which did rise out of the sea, the Beast that did rise out of the earth; with the time of prevailing of each Government.  
7. Lastly, That the Lord Jesus will by himself destroy all those enemies, and deliver his people, when the Restoration of all things shall be.    Host 2, 2. 3. 
Plead with your mother, plead, for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband; let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts; Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness; and set her as a dry land, and slay her with thirst.  Rev. 2. 5. 
Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do thy first work, or else I will come quickly unto thee, and will remove thy Candle stick out of his place, except thou repent.  Ezek. 16. 3. 
And say, Thus saith the Lord unto Jerusalem, thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan, thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite.  Eph. 2. 12. 
That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenant of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.  Host 2. 14. 
Therefore behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.  Rev. 12. 14. 
And to the woman were given two wings of a great Eagle, that she might flee into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the Serpent.  Rev. 16. 15. 
Behold, I come as a thief; blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.  
London, Printed for W. Roybould, at the Unicorn in Paul's Churchyard. 1651.   

The Epistle to the Reader.  
Christian Reader;  
THou shalt know, that some twenty months since there came out under my name a little Book, entitled, Some Discoveries of the Mysteries of the last Times; which coming into the hands of the men for whom principally it was intended, they, in stead of giving moderate Reasons against it, that so the Truth might be found in these disputing times, (wherein every man almost shows his judgement in one sort or other, and was the thing I aimed at in publishing of it) began, some of them at the least, to vilify both me and the work that I had set forth, that it was a weak and simple thing, and not worth the reading; and for my person, as I was credibly informed, it was said, That they thought I did it against my Conscience; a sin, if in me indeed, against the holy Ghost; so uncharitable were they towards me. Again, there was another sont of men which seemed to approve of the Work; But, say they, You have laid down your judgement so darkly and obscurely, that we are not able to reach your meaning: Which things considered, there came into my thoughts two main ends for which man was created; the one was, to glorify God his Maker; the other, to be serviceable to all men in his generation: Upon the account of which two ends, but especially of the later, I began to consider, that I was a debtor both to the wise and unwise: Therefore to the wise I thus say, that if there be any thing in this following Treatise, that is worth taking notice of, as it is much there should be nothing; that they would esteem it, not according to the worth of the Author, or the manner of the delivery of it, which are both mean and of no esteem; but according to the truth of the thing; Especially, insomuch as Moses being endued with an extraordinary spirit, did not despise the counsel of Jethro, which was a stranger to the Common wealth of Israel: and forasmuch as it pleased God to reveal to shepherds those things which were hid from the great Rabbins and learned men of that time, as may be seen in the Gospel. And to the unwise I say (If there be any more unwise than myself;) that it pities me to see how we contend for the body, until we well nigh lose the spirit; how earnest we are for shadows, which must in their due time pass away, until we endanger to lose the substance; how we quarrel for form and discipline; yea unto blood, in destroying one another; as hath been seen in this nation, and aught to be lamented, until we almost forget that great and new Commandment, which is the law of Love; and all under pretence of Reforming the Church of Jesus Christ: which upon due consideration made me stand amazed; to see such offences committed amongst Christians in profession, and as seemed zealous on both parts; until entering into a most serious search into the prophecies of the last times, not without the outward means of prayer, and humility, and sincere desire to find out the cause; and knowing that the Lord had promised to reveal his secrets to the humble, upon which I found, and I trust by some breathe of the Spirit of God, that these things were foretold; and that Ephraim should envy Juda, and Juda vex Ephraim; and that by negative consequence, they should hurt and destroy in the mountain of God's holiness; and that until there come a Rod out of the Stem of Jesse, and a branch grow out of his root; at which time, the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea; and then the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb; and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid, and the Calf, & the young Lion, and the fatling together, and a little Child shall lead them; and then there will be such a judge, as shall not execute Judgement after the sight of the Eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his Ears; but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the Earth; and he shall smite the Earth with the Rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked; Isaiah the 11. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 13. until which time the defenced City shall be desolate, and the habitation forsaken, and left like a wilderness; there shall the Calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume the branches thereof; Isaiah 27. 10. Now to both the wise and unwise I say, First, what I have done, is in love to the truth, and to all men; not envying the happiness of any in their ways of worship, if they find what they profess; but I fear they build again the things which God will have destroyed; and secondly, to be true to the principles within me; that is, to discover the talon which God hath lent me, and put it out to profit, that when the Lord comes he might have his own with vantage: And to clear myself that I have done it in love, I appeal to the men of every profession that have any commerce with me; if they find any spirit of evil against them in my carriage towards them; but always loving the Image of God in any of them. I writ not this to advance my reputation, but to take off all prejudice from my person; that so my work may take the better effect. Thirdly, in the following Treatise I have not built upon another man's foundation; that is, discoursed of things made ready to my hand; but I have, for the most part, opened such Scriptures as I never met with any exposition, to my best memory, of them; and though I could have wished some abler pen might have opened them, that had been better furnished with gifts and learning, and time convenient for the performance of so weighty a task, being exceeding unfitting for such a labour; yet nevertheless, considering the great necessity of the matter, being a thing of great weight, and not looked into; namely, how the Lord would have his people walk in their waiting for his coming in the last times, wherein I beseech thee to consider, that I have not laid down my grounds and Reasons as infallible verities; but propounding them to the Judgement of all men to examine, with all the meekness I could, fearing to give offence, either to God, or to the Christian in any dispensation; and I hope it will be accepted accordingly. Thus I have made an Apology for my person and practice.  
Now I come to make an Apology to the entrance of the matter of my Treatise; therefore, Christian Reader, I desire thou wouldst seriously consider these few particulars.  
First, that the Lord having established Circumcision in the generation of Abraham; and upon this penalty, that the soul whose foreskin was not circumcised, should be cut off from his people, Gen. 17. 14. yet nevertheless, in case of necessity, the Children of Israel were tolerated touching this duty during their travel in the wilderness; for the space of forty years, as may be seen, Joshua 3. 5. So likewise, though the Lord Jesus did establish the ordinances to be continued in his Church by way of succession; yet nevertheless, they being polluted, and in case of necessity, he will doubtless bear with his people, though they cannot practise ordinances in their purity; especially there being no word for their restoring in that pure way wherein they were delivered.  
Secondly, the Lord having commanded Moses to make all things after the pattern shown to him in the mount, touching the sanctuary, Exodus. 25. 40. And also the pattern of the temple unto David, 1 Chron. 28. 11. and commanded the practice of the worship unto the Children of Israel in their generations; yet in case of necessity, when the temple was destroyed, and the people captivated, he bears with them touching those things; even now doubtless though the Lord did command his people to walk in Gospel order until his Appearing; yet nevertheless they being captivated, and having lost their power to Reform; he bears with them, though they cannot practise ordinances in their purity.  
Thirdly, that as the fews in the time of the standing of the temple did presume upon the promise of God's presence unto that place, yea though their works were most wicked; Crying, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, Jeremiah 7. 4. Even so it is well known, how the Catholics have boasted of the Church of Jesus Christ, that the gates of hell should not prevail against it, applying it to the Church of Rome; yea though their works were most wicked; And I fear me, in all our Reformations we are apt to stick too much to outward order, contenting ourselves if we have but the form, and want the substance; and so suddenly fall to looseness; as the experience of these few years have made apparent.  
Fourthly, as the Jews in the time of the standing of the temple were exceeding zealous of their outward ceremonies, and neglected the weightier matters of the law; as Judgement, and mercy, as may be seen Mat. 23. 23. Even so it is to be feared, that in the time of the Gospel we are more zealous of form and order, then of that great commandment of love, which is the fulfilling of the Law.  
Fifthly, that as the Jews were reproved by our Saviour, Mat. 16. 3. Saying, O ye hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky; and cannot you discern the signs of the times? Even so we in this age are better able to discern what was done in the first age of the Church in respect of outward order; yet neglecting the inward graces of the spirit, as it was then; but noting the order that was among the Christians, in that time, and contending for it now unto blood, and never regard the divers dispensations wherein the Lord is pleased to show himself unto his people in these last ages; nor once to examine the prophecies of the last times, what shall be done then; but still urging for form, and order in outward things, till we endanger losing the life of Religion, namely, Faith and a good Conscience.  
Sixthly, that as the Jews in contending to keep up their Sacrifices, and Ceremonies, and temple, when the glory was departed from that ministration; and in striving so long about it, until their City and Temple was destroyed, and themselves scattered among the nations, the prophecies being fulfilled upon them; Even so we in this age, strive so much for form and order in outward things, when we may plainly see the glory to be departed from it, as it was in the first Gospel times, until we shall give such an encouragement to the rising of the beast out of the Earth; (For we not being content with the Earth's helping the woman, that is, in swallowing the flood up, which the serpent had cast out of his mouth to carry the woman away, which is now well assuaged, blessed be God therefore,) that it is to be feared that our Contentions will be a means to ruin ourselves, and so the beast rise and bring us into bondage to worship his Image, or else to be killed; for the Lord may for a punishment unto us, for our dissension in matters pertaining to outward order, stir up such as may give power to the Image of the beast, that the Image of the beast may both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the beast, should be killed.  
Seventhly, gentle Reader, If none of these Scriptures move thee (which I have quoted in this following treatise) to believe the people of the Lord Jesus must lie in these several dispensations, before the general Restoration of all things by the Lord Jesus himself, then let the experience of the times persuade thee; For if thou diligently consider of the times, thou shalt find that the Church flourished for a time, it then declined or slumbered for another time, the servants have been awake for another time; and for the Jews, they have been asleep or dead in respect of any temple and worship for many ages; and there is a time for the people of the Lord Jesus to be asleep or dead, Matthew 25. 5. in respect of Gospel order, before the great restoring, which we ought with much earnestness to cry unto the Lord for; and this the Scriptures which I have alleged do abundantly prove in my sense; which I am forced to believe, until I see a better given.  
Eightly, all that I shall desire of thee, will be but this; all those Reasons considered in this following Treatise, that it may but work some moderate conformity among Christians; or at least, that enmity and bitterness may be laid aside among Christians in profession, and the edge of hatred abated amongst them, in resisting one another unto blood, for matter pertaining to form and discipline in the Church of Jesus Christ; and let Christians remember, that if what they profess be truth, that it is of a prevailing nature, and will stand when Error falls; and let them remember that Gamaliels' Counsel will prove true; that if it be of God, it will stand in spite of all opposition; and if it be not, it will fall, though we strive never so much to hold it up.  
Ninthly, Christian Reader, I shall desire thee, that if thou find any thing of God in this following treatise, then let him have the glory, which is worthy of it; and let me have thy prayer that have need of it: and if in this work God be but so much glorified, as it be but to the settling of our souls that were distracted, by means of our distempers and contentions about Religion, I have my reward.  
Lastly, I desire thee Christian Reader, whosoever thou art, though the greatest lover of order in this time of disorder, that if thou see that I have erred in the body of this Treatise, or in any branch thereof, that if thou know my face, or canst with conveniency come to the knowledge of me, that thou wouldst admonish me of it; and if thou know me not, that thou wouldst make it appear wherein I have erred; and if it arise to such a sum, as thou thinkest is worthy of an answer, I promise thee by the word of a Christian that I will (to use Job's expression in Job 31. 36.) take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a Crown unto me; and if it weigh too heavy for me, that is, if I be not able to reply to it by arguments drawn from Scripture Rule, than I promise thee by the same word, that I will, God assisting me, as publicly revoke what I have done, as I have now publicly divulged this in print; however, I shall take thine admonition as an ointment to my head, and count the stripes of a friend better than the kisses of an enemy. And so leaving thee to the protection of the Almighty, and wishing thee as much happiness both of body and soul, as I would wish myself, I remain thine in the Lord in the duties of Christianity,  
RICHARD MERCER.   

A further Discovery of the Mystery of the last Times, etc.  
THat great Creator and Governor of all things, the mighty God, which hath in divers manners and Administrations spoke unto the fathers by the Prophets, hath in this last age spoken unto us by his Son, this Son which is the Lord Jesus, hath also spoken unto us by himself, and by his Apostles, in these last ages in divers manners and administrations, which is that Prophet which we ought to hear in all things, Deut. 18. 15. and to observe his word revealed unto us; and to follow him in all his ways and dispensations, in which he delivereth himself unto his people; For the clearing of which, and to show the divers ways of the Lord in his making out of himself unto his people: I shall propound these several particulars unto the consideration of all men.  
First, That there is a building and flourishing condition of the Church of Jesus Christ in the time of the Gospel.  
Secondly, That there is a declining and falling off, or slumbering condition of the said Church.  
Thirdly, That there is a sleepy, or dead condition of all the outward face of the said Church.  
Fourthly, That there is to be a most glorious restoring of the said Church, by the Lord Jesus himself.  
Fifthly, That this Restoring will be most sudden and unexpected.  
Sixthly, I shall show, (according to the light I have received) the several forms and goverments in several ages which shall be enemies unto the people of the Lord Jesus in these several administrations which the Lord Jesus doth suffer his people to lie under.  
Lastly, That the Lord Jesus will by himself destroy all those Enemies of his people at his next appearing, without the help of any humane power.  
Now for my more orderly proceeding in the clearing of the truth of these particulars I shall handle them as they lie in order: and shall answer all the objections I have heard made against any of them.  

And therefore of the first, That there is a building and flourishing condition of the Church of Jesus Christ in the time of the Gospel, is a truth so clear, as it needs no clearing; for all men know that it did abundantly flourish in the first Gospel times: but for time how long, it will be necessary to treat of; therefore pray note, I conceive the Church did flourish and spread during the time of our Saviour and his Apostles, and during the time of the ten persecutions, until the time of Constantine the first Christian Emperor; in all which time, notwithstanding the Church was persecuted and afflicted with sundry miseries, yet by the grace of Christ Jesus she did continually flourish, to the spreading of herself to the utmost parts of the world; and this is that time, as I conceive, of that battle which was in heaven, in which the great dragon was cast out, that old Serpent called the devil, which deceives the whole world, he was cast into the earth; and his angels were cast out with him, Rev. 12. 9 and this flourishing condition of the people of the Lord Jesus is fully set forth in those several places, Rev. 6. 2. & 11. 1. & 12. 1, 2. in all which places there is mention made of a building and increasing condition of the Church of the Lord Jesus; and to this particular I have met with no objection.   

But secondly, That the Church did by degrees decline and fall into a slumbering condition, is a truth which needs some clearing: therefore pray mind; our Saviour Mat. 13. 25. speaks of the servants being a sleep; and in his 25 Chapter, and 5th verse he speaks, that while the bridegroom tarried, all slumbered and slept; which clearly shows, that there was a time in which the peace and tranquillity of the Church by that Riches which did come into her by means of Constantine the first Christian Emperor, did cause her to be negligent, and to forget her watchfulness, and by degrees, to suffer Antichrist to get possession of her; and this is set forth by Saint Paul 2 Thes. 2. 3. where speaking of the day of Christ, he saith that that day shall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; and is further set forth, though mystically, Rev. 8. in the sounding of the 2. 3. 4 and 5 trumpets. I shall speak of the trumpets as they lie in order, where in the 8. verse it is said, And the second Angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the Sea, and the third part of the Sea became blood; and the third part of the Creatures which were in the Sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed; which, as I conceive, at the sounding of the second trumpet the Roman Empire under Constantine being the great mountain (which is a phrase usual in Scripture) was cast into the sea; that is, as I conceive, into the Church; which is compared unto the sea, by reason of the many afflictions, which like waves follow one in the neck of another, burning with zeal like fire; and the same Emperor granting such privileges unto the Churches, as immediately the third part of the Creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed; that is, the third part of the particular Churches of Jesus Christ began to fall away, and decline from the truth of the Gospel, by means of that outward peace and riches which now they had gained in the world by favour of Princes towards them.  
But it may be asked this question; what proof I have to compare the Churches to ships? To which I answer, that Isaiah in the 33. Chapter of his prophecy, compares the Church to a ship, which will be a sufficient answer, as I conceive. And then in the tenth verse it is said, And the third Angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the Rivers and the fountains of water; and the name of the star is called Wormwood; and the third part of the waters became wormwood, and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter; which, as I conceive, the star was the Bishop of Rome, beginning to apostate, and by degrees to corrupt the Scripture with his false gloss and corrupt doctrine; in so much, as many seeming Christians died of the waters; that is, of the corrupt gloss and false interpretation of the Scripture. And then at the sounding of the fourth Trumpet, it is said, And the third part of the Sun was smitten, and the third part of the Moon, and the third part of the stars, so as the third part of them was darkened; and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise; that is, as I conceive, the third part of the spirit began to be darkened in respect of its operation unto the Lord's people, as it was in the first Gospel times, that is, in respect of those miracles and gifts of the spirit which the former Christians were endued with; and the ordinances like unto the Moon, which received their light from the sun or spirit, began to be corrupted with men's traditions for a third part of them; and the third part of the eminent Christians began to lose their beauty and lustre wherein they shined unto the Church; and the day and night not shining for a third part, I take to bethe Church in general losing the third part of her beauty; in all which places is laid down, though mystically, the declining condition of the Lords people; and how by degrees the people of the Lord Jesus did fall to a slumbering condition, and did suffer themselves to fall off from the integrity of the Gospel. And to this also I have met with no objections, being so known as that it is scarce denied by any man, except it be by catholics.   

I shall now come to speak of that third particular, namely, That sleepy or dead condition of the people of the Lord Jesus; and for proof of this, pray take notice of these places, (for to this condition almost all the Prophets bear witness) namely, Isaiah. 6. 13. the Prophet compare the Church unto a teyl-tree or an oak in winter time, when they cast their leaves; showing that the deadness of this condition of God's people will be such, as it will have no outward beauty, but be like a tree in winter time without leaves; yet nevertheless it shall have its substance in it, for the holy seed shall be the substance thereof. So likewise Isaiah the 10. 25. and 28. 22. the prophet foretells that there shall be a consumption in the midst of the land; that is, as I conceive, a sleepiness or deadness upon the outward face of all the Administrations: Likewise in Cham 32. 13 the prophet foretells, that upon the Land of my people, speaking in the person of God, shall come up briers and thorns; yea upon all the houses of joy, in the joyous City; and then in the 14. verse he shows how it shall come to pass, that is, because the palaces shall be forsaken, the multitude of the Cities shall be left, the forts and towers (which I take mystically to signify the Churches) shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks; And in the 15. verse he shows the time how long it shall be; which is, until the spirit shall be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted as a forest: thus much for Isaiah. Now let us here what the Prophet Ezekiel doth speak concerning this matter; for in Chap. 34. 12. speaking of this condition of the people of God, he compares the time thereof to a cloudy and dark day wherein the people of the Lord were scattered; so likewise in his 37. Chapter and 11. verse the Prophet brings the people of God complaining, saying, behold our bones are dry, and our hope is lost, we are cut off, for our parts. They acknowledged that they had lain so long in captivity, and scattered among the nations, that they began to doubt of the promises of God for their restoring: And then in the 12. verse he saith, in answer to their complaint, Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come out of your graves; which shows that they were in a dead condition; and also it shows plainly that all this time they were out of order, as touching the worship, or else as touching any Gospel order: Thus far Ezekiel.  
Daniel in Chapter 7. 25. speaking of that little horn, which I take to be Antichrist, that he should think to change times and Laws, and they should be given into his hands; that is, as I conceive, he should have power to change the times and laws, which are the ordinances of the Gospel, and to sit in the temple of God, showing himself as if he were God; and to deaden all the outward worship of God, by changing the ordinances of God: the like to this effect the same prophet, speaking of the prevailing power of Antichrist over the Church of Jesus Christ, in the last times, in chap. 11. 45. saith, He shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas, in the glorious holy mountain: And thus much for the prophet Daniel, to confirm this thing. Now for the prophet Hosea in Chap 2. 3. of his prophecy; where in the person of God he expostulating with his people, threatens to strip her naked, and set her as in the day in which she was born, and make her like a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst: and then in the 14. verse compared with Ezekiel 20. 35. and Rev. 12. 14. the judgement is fulfilled upon her for her sins. Where pray mark in the Judgement which is threatened upon this people, if they did not repent, the Lord tells them by his prophet that he would make her like a wilderness and dry land; and it is added, and set her as in the day when she was born; now how was it with the people of God in the day before they were born? I mean that new birth, being born by their calling out of the world, being applied to Israel after the flesh, or Israel after the spirit: As for Israel after the flesh, the prophet Ezekiel sets forth their condition in Chapter 16. 3 where he saith, thy birth and thy nativity was of the land of Canaan, thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite; showing that there was little difference between the gentiles and them, until they were separated asunder by his love towards them, and by that outward order, as Circumcision and Sacrifices, and the worship of the law. So likewise in respect of Israel after the spirit, there was no difference between the believers and unbelievers until the Lord called them out by the preaching of the Gospel; as is clear by all the Epistles of the Apostles unto the several Churches: And thus much for Hosea touching this thing. The like hath the prophet Amos, speaking of this sleepy or dead condition in respect of outward order, in his 8. chapter, and 9, 10, 11, 12 verses, where in the former part of the chapter, having set before the people their sins and wickednesses, and their oppressions of the poor; he saith in the 9 verse, And it shall come to pass in that day, speaking of the bloody day, saith the Lord God, that I will cause the Sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the Earth in the clear day; and I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentations; and then in the 11 verse it is said, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will send a famine in the Land, not a famine of bread, or a thirst of water; but of hearing the word of the Lord; and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the North, even unto the East; they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. Lo here friends, what can be more plainly spoken then this prophet speaks of that cloudy day and dark? wherein, as the prophet Micah in chapter 3. 6. and the Sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them; Implying thus much, that in the last ages of the world, during the death of the witnesses, and the time and times and half time, there shall be no appearances of God by gifts and ordinances, but all things in respect of the outward administrations shall be dead and in a barren condition about the woman, that is, the Church in this, dead and sleepy condition of the Lords people. To the like matter the same prophet saith in chapter 9 9 where he saith, For lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, as corn is sifted in a sieve; which showeth their dispersion and captivity among the nations, without any order in respect of Kingdom and Priesthood, or enjoying God in his ordinances in the purity of them: And so much for the prophet Amos. Now for the Prophet Micah, pray hear what he saith concerning this condition of the Lords people in cha. 2. 10. where speaking in the person of God, saith, Arise and departed, for this is not your rest: Why? what is the matter? he saith, because it is polluted, it shall destroy you with a sore destruction; showing, that their polluting of the ordinances of God was the cause of their destruction and captivity; for he saith in the 12. verse, I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee, I will surely gather the remnant of Israel. The like is said to the same effect in chap. 3. 12. speaking of the cruelty of the Princes, and falseness of the Prophets, he saith, Therefore shall Zion for your sake be ploughed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest; thereby showing the desolations which should lie upon all the face of the outward administrations. So likewise the same Prophet in his 7. chapter and first verse, speaking in the person of the Church in her complaint, saith, Woe is me, for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape-gleaning of the vintage, there is no cluster to eat; my soul desired the first ripe fruit; thereby showing, that in the last times the people of God should be like the summer gatherings, and that there should be no cluster, that is, no assembly or Church congregated together in any Gospel order; but that they should be scattered amongst the Antichristian state, as is clear in the 2 verse, where it's said, The good man is perished out of the Earth, and there is none upright amongst men; they all lie in wait for blood, they bunt every man his brother with a net. And thus much for the Prophet Micah. Now pray hear what the Prophet Zephaniah saith touching this day, or the time of this dispensation of the Lords people; in his first chapter and 15. verse he saith, That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wastness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness: and then in the 17. verse, he saith, I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men; and the reason is given, because they have finned against the Lord. Now hear what the Prophet Zechariah saith touching this dead time of the Lords people, in chapter 14. 5, 6. he saith, speaking of the last times, And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah King of Juda; And then in the sixth verse, it is said, And in that day the light shall not be clear nor dark, but it shall be one day known unto the Lord; not day nor night, but it shall come to pass that at Evening time it shall be light; Thereby showing, that in this gloomy day the people of God shall be in darkness in respect of the light of the spirit, compared to the sun, as it was in the first Gospel times; and all outward administrations shall in that day be darkened upon them. And thus much for proof from the Prophecies in the old Testament of this sleepy or dead condition of the people of the Lord Jesus in the last times; in which I have quoted but few of the many places which speak of the desolating of the outward administrations of the Lords people, and the withdrawing of his spirit, and captivating of his people among the nations and antichristian state, before that bright day of the Lords appearing to deliver them out of their bondage and captivity, in which the Earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.  
I shall now proceed, as the Lord shall enable me, to prove the truth of this sleepy or dead condition from the new Testament; therefore pray mind: our Saviour Mat. the 25 in the parable of the ten virgins, saith, While the bridegroom tarried, all slumbered and slept, thereby showing that when the bridegroom should appear, the people of the Lord Jesus should be asleep, as touching any outward worship distinct from other Professors: The like also doth the Lord Jesus foretell, Matth. 24. 15. where he saith, When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, then let them that be in Judea flee unto the mountains; that is, as I conceive, when you see all the outward worship polluted, then shift for yourselves into the mountains, as the Jews were to shift for themselves into the mountains of the earth, or among the nations of the earth: and those mountains unto which those Christians are exhorted to flee unto, I conceive to be the mountains of the Protestant Churches; for as Rome may be accounted a great mountain; so the Protestant Churches may be termed lesser mountains, unto which the people of the Lord are exhorted to flee. So also he saith in ver. 29. speaking of the darkness of the last times before his appearing, The Sun shall be darkened, and the Moon shall not give her light, the Stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken: thereby showing the darkness which shall be upon the outward Administrations of the Gospel. So likewise in the 37, 38, 39, 40, 41 verses, speaking of the dark times at his appearing, As it was in the days of No, so shall it be in the day when the Son of man shall be revealed; then shall two be in the field, the one shall be taken, and the other left; two women shall be grinding at the mill, the one shall be taken, the other shall be left: Implying thus much, when the Lord shall appear, all things shall be in a mingled condition, and the people of the Lord Jesus in the same work with the world, and no such difference as is pretended by gifts and ordinances. So in Luke 18. 8. Our Saviour in his exhortation unto his disciples to watch and pray, foretells that the darkness will be such before his bright appearing, that he puts this question; for, saith he, Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? And if faith be so scanty, then doubtless the ordinances in their purity. So in Luke 17. 22. our Saviour tells his disciples, The days will come when you shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and you shall not see it: which shows, that his people should desire to walk in Gospel order; but saith he, you shall not see it. So the Apostle Paul, 2 Thess. 2. 3. where he saith, Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposeth, and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself as if he were God: That is, as I conceive, in sitting and ruling in the Church of God, and defiling all the whole worship of God; so that by degrees the Son or Spirit forsakes that worship, and so the people of the Lord Jesus are asleep or dead in respect of that outward order which was in the first Gospel times, by gifts and ordinances in their purity; which is clear from the 7. verse, where it is said, For the mystery of iniquity doth already work; only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken away: that is, as I conceive, until the Lord have called back all the outgoings of his Spirit from the outward administrations of the Ordinances. And for the clearing of this to be a truth, pray look back unto the Prophet Ezekiel, chap. 10. 18. where it is said, Then the glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the Cherubims. And then in the 23d verse of the 11th chapter, it is said, And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the City, and stood upon the mountain which was on the East side of the City. So that the glory of the Lord was now departed for the sins of his people, from all that outward worship; which is that sleepy or dead condition which we are now treating of. The like we have to the same purpose Rev. 9 1. when St John saw a star which was fallen from heaven; which star I take to be that star which fell from heaven in the 8th chapter and 10th verse, which I take to be the Bishop of Rome; and, as saith the text, to him was given the key of the bottomless pit; and he opened the bottomless pit, and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air was darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit: that is, as I conceive, the spirit and whole worship of Jesus Christ, compared to the air, wherein the saints lived spiritually, as their bodies lived in the air naturally: so that now all the outward worship of God is darkened, and his people are asleep or dead in respect of outward order. To the like purpose you have Rev. 11. 2. where the Angel saith, But the Court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not, for it is given unto the Gentiles, and the holy City shall they tread under foot forty and two months; thereby showing, that the ordinances, which I take to be the outward Court, should be defiled by men, which are gentiles in manners, and to be trodden down, and the ordinances to be polluted, and the holy City to be trodden under feet forty and two months, during the dead condition of the people of the Lord Jesus. Another text to the same purpose you have Rev. 11. 7. where speaking of the witnesses, he saith, And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that doth ascend on't of the bottomless pit shall make war with them, and shall overcome them, and kill them, and their dead bodies shall lie in the streets of the City, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt. As much as if he should say, when Antichrist shall have prevailed over the worship, why then the Lords people shall be among the Antichristian state as though they were dead in respect of any outward order, as Lot lay or dwelled in Sodom, and the children of Israel in Egypt, waiting for their Deliverer. Another text to the like effect you have Rev. 12. 14. where he saith; And to the woman, meaning the Church, were given two wings of a great Eagle, that she might flee into the wilderness into her place; which shows, that the woman, which was the Church, was retired, and not to be seen or discerned.  
Thus having proved, and I hope cleared that the third dispensation is a sleepy and dead condition, wherein the people of the Lord Jesus must live in captivity under the Antichristian state, without the spirit and ordinances in that purity as was in the first Gospel times; having no other note upon them, but what may be in Earth; or having no other form but as having a face like unto a man; So that here will arise a question necessary to be discussed, and that is, what posture the people of God must wait in until their Deliverer do come, and deliver them out of this captivity?  
To which I answer; That all the posture which I find in Scripture for the Saints to wait in during their sleepy or dead condition, is, waiting for the Lord Jesus by watching and prayer, and this is clear by these Scriptures, Isaiah 8. 17. Micah. 7. 7. Mat. 24. 42. Mar. 13. 35. Luke 12. 36, 37, 39 Rev. 16. 15. and in handling of this particular, that is, the sleepy or dead condition of the Lords people, which is the dispensation which doth precede that glorious dispensation of the Lord Jesus by himself unto his people, I shall, the Lord enabling me, answer all the objections which are made against this discourse. As for objections against those texts I have alleged out of the old Testament, I have not met with any, it being a truth confirmed by experience of all ages, that the Jews and Israelites after the flesh have lain among the nations captivated without any temple, or worship, or kingdom, and priesthood, for many ages; that prophecy being fulfilled upon them, Hosea 3. 4. where it is said; For the Children of Israel shall abide many days without a King, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an Image, and without an ephod, and without a teraphim; which is a Type, as I conceive, of that spiritual captivity of the Lords people under Gospel dispensations, which truth is abundantly confirmed by the Prophets and acknowledged almost by all the learned; only herein, as I conceive, they mistake, in that they endeavour to deliver themselves out of this bondage and captivity by themselves, that is, by their own gifts and abilities, without that pure Anointing of the Spirit, which is prophesied to be poured out in the last times upon the Lord's people, when they shall see Eye to Eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.  
And therefore as to the old Testament I shall pass it by, it being not objected against; and as for objections against those texts that I have alleged out of the new Testament, there are many; as first, it is objected concerning the parable of the tares, that though it be true, say they, that it is the Masters saying, that the tares should grow with the wheat unto the harvest, yet nevertheless this should be in the world, and not that they should both grow together in the Church; for if they should, than it would contradict Scripture Rule; which is, that the Lord Jesus left power unto his Church to purge themselves, and not to suffer the tares to grow among them.  
To which I answer, first, pray mind how the Lord Jesus sowed good seed in his field, and gave his servant's power to water it, and to weed out all such bad weeds as might grow amongst them; now pray mark, those servants in process of time fall asleep, and in time forget and neglect their duty; the Devil taking this occasion, soweth his tares amongst them; which when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit, than appeared the tares also, and in time grew too many for the good seed.  
Secondly, The servants in process of time begin to wake, and finding the tares by their works to be tares indeed, they begin to be offended at them; whereupon they go to the householder and say unto him; Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field, whence then hath it tares? he said unto them, An enemy hath done this: The servants said unto him, Wilt thou that we gather them up? But he said nay; left while you gather out the tares, you root up the wheat also; let both grow together until the harvest, at which time I will say to the Reapers, Gather together the tares first, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.  
It is objected again, True, they may grow together in the world, which, as the Lord Jesus expoundeth it, is the field, but they may not be permitted in the Church together.  
To which I answer, and desire all men to consider the difference of times; for it is not now as it was in the first Gospel times, the servants now have been asleep, and the Church hath lost her power, the number of tares are above the number of the wheat; besides, the servants have lost that spirit of discerning as they had in the first times; the Sun now is darkened, and the powers of the heaven shaken, that is, removed, and there is not that spirit of infallibility, as was in the first Gospel times, wherein the spirit or pure Anointing was able to try who were tares, and who were good seed, as is clear by our Saviour's words in verse 29. where he saith, Nay, lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up the wheat also with them.  
Secondly, The Lord Jesus doth now expound the world to be his kingdom, whereas before it was the Church, which was particularly Christ's kingdom; for in the same Chapter where this parable is set forth in verse the 38. he saith, The field is the world; and then in the 41 verse it is said, And they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire. This is also confirmed in the same Chapter in the parable of the draw-net, which is cast into the sea, which when it is full, men draw to land, and gather the good into vessels, and cast the bad away; Even so shall it be in the end of the world, the Angels shall come forth and sever the bad from among the just.  
It is further objected; that whereas the Lord Jesus saith, that he will gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity, this kingdom, say they, is that kingdom which the Lord Jesus will purge in the new world; wherein there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord.  
To which I answer, that although Antichrist hath gotten possession, and doth Rule and Reign in the Church; yet the Lord doth call it his Church; which I prove from these Scriptures, Isaiah 27. 10, where he saith, yet the defenced City shall be desolate; and the habitation forsaken, and left like a wilderness; there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume the branches thereof: and 33. 14. where he saith, The sinners in Zion are afraid, fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites; who among us shall dwell with devouring fire? which thews that there was sinners in Zion, and hypocrites in them that walked in outward order; for he saith, who amongst us shall dwell in devouring fire? who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burn? he doth not say, he that goeth out of this Zion in this or that order; but he that walketh uprightly, and speaketh righteously; he that despiseth the gain of oppression, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, that shutteth his eyes from seeing of evil; where note, here is no difference between the people of God and the sinners and hypocrites in Zion, but Righteousness, and yet Zion: the like Isaiah chap. 49. 17. speaking of the Restoring of the Church, he saith, Thy children shall make hast; thy destroyers and they that made thee waist shall go forth of thee; which thews plainly, that the enemies of the Church were possessed of her, and did destroy her, and make her waist. The like you have Eezekiel 9 when the Lord sends to mark his people, and to destroy those that had polluted his worship in an extraordinary measure, which will bear a Type of the last times, which I suppose cannot be denied, where he saith unto them in the sixth verse, which had the charge to destroy the city; slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women, but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; which shaweth they were mingled one amongst the other; and begin at my Sanctuary; where note, notwithstanding this people had so much polluted his worship, as is fully set forth in the foregoing chapter, yet the Lord is pleased to call it his sanctuary; and beside, we read of no other sanctuary of the Lords at that time, and therefore the enemies of the Lord were possessed of his Church and sanctuary; the like you have in express terms, the 2 Thessalonians 2. 4. where it is said, speaking of the man of sin, who opposeth and exalteth himself, above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Now what can be plainer spoken, that notwithstanding antichrist had gotten possession in the Church of God, and ruled as God therein; yet the Apostle calls it the temple of God?  
Another objection is made touching the Virgins; for say some men, it is said in the text, Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened to ten Virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom; so say these men, this going forth is as we do now out of Babylon, by the ordinances of the Gospel, as baptising, laying on of hands, and all those ordinances which the Lord Jesus hath commanded his people to walk in until his second coming.  
To which I answer, that I do believe that the going forth of the Virgins was out from the world to profess the name of Christ (and not going out from Babylon, which I shall further clear) but pray mark, it is said, while the bridegroom tarried, all slumbered and slept; so that here was a slumbering and sleepy condition between the going forth, and the bridegroom's coming, which, as I conceive, is that slumbering and sleepy condition which I have proved from Scripture. Secondly, it is said, and at midnight there was a cry made, Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye forth to meet him; where pray mark, here is a midnight spoken of, and I think there is no man will say, that this midnight was either friday or saturday night, that is, one of these natural nights, wherein we take our rest; but I conceive it is that midnight or darkness which lies upon the Church of Jesus Christ, immediately before the Lords bright appearing. Thirdly, it is said, Go ye forth to meet him, I suppose no man will affirm it is meant going forth out of a man's house, but it is that going forth out of Babylon, or the Antichristian state by the believing Gentiles, which lay in captivity among the Antichristian state; and that going forth of the whole Israel of God after the flesh, from among the nations in which they lay scattered so many ages to meet the Lord in Zion, at the voice of the great trumpet, when he shall gather together his Elect from the four winds of the heaven, Isaiah 11. 12. and 27. 13. Mat. 24, 31. and that voice of the second Angel mentioned Rev. 14. 18. and 18. 4. where it is said, come out of her my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and receive not of her plagues.  
It is further objected, that in all ages, there have been such in the Church of God as have been but outward professors; and therefore this makes not but that there may be a Church of Jesus Christ distinct from the world, or that of antichrist, and so his people may be in a Church order notwithstanding those proofs you have brought to the contrary.  
To which I answer, that there was as many foolish as wise, but mark the posture they where in during this time, which was, that while the Bridegroom tarried, all slumbered and slept. Now if it be said, they were asleep in spirit, that is, in such graces of the Spirit, as love to the Lord Jesus, as faith, hope, humility, selse-deniall, and all the graces of the Spirit, wherein they were inwardly alive unto God in this sleepy condition; if so, then sure there was no difference between the wise and the foolish; and then the wise must be in the number of those upon whom the day of the Lord did come and find them sleeping, that is unprepared; which sense being granted, will overthrow the text itself; for it is said, that their lamps were not out; whereas it was otherwise with the foolish; for it is said, that their lamps were out; so that it must needs follow, that the true sense of the place must be this, That both wise and foolish were asleep in respect of outward order, according to the first Gospel times, or pattern; and so lay together mingled under the bondage of Antichrist, and so in that sense the wise were asleep as well as the foolish; ut in respect of those inward graces of the Spirit, as faith, hope, love, selfe-deniall, humility, meekness, and all those graces of the Spirit, they were before the foolish virgins; and this exposition is made good from Canticles 5. 2. where the Church professeth that she is asleep, but her heart waketh. And thus much to this objection.  
Another objection is made against the abomination of desolation, spoken of Mat. 24. 15. for say some men, that the abomination spoken of in that place, is the destruction of Jerusalem, which fell out some forty years after our Saviour's ascension; for say they, it is an answer to his Disciples which made the question touching the temple; and besides, it is said, Luke 21. 20. when you shall see Jerusalem compassed about with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is near.  
To which I answer, and say, that this objection seemeth to have some weight, for I do believe that the destruction of the City and temple is there meant; but that there is another thing meant, I do also affirm; which I shall thus prove; Therefore pray mind, in the beginning of the same chapter, there are three questions demanded by the disciples; one of the destruction of Jerusalem and temple; a second, of the signs of the Lords coming; and a third, of the end of the world: and in the same chapter, there is an answer given to either of them; but in Luke the 21. there is but one question demanded by the Disciples touching the destruction of the City and temple, and an answer given unto it by our Saviour; and some little hint of the signs going before the Lords second coming: And then look into the 17. of Luke and 20, and you shall find a question propounded by the Pharisees, and an answer given unto them; that is, That the Kingdom of God is within you; and that the kingdom of God cometh not with observation; neither shall they say, lo here, and lo there; for behold, the kingdom of God is within you. As much as if he should have said unto them; think not that the kingdom of God cometh with the vain pomp of the world, or with the observation of the Sacrifices of the Temple, or the Ceremonies thereof, which are now ended; but saith he, the Kingdom of God is within you; when you do justice, and love mercy, and walk humbly with your God; and when you fulfil that great commandment, which is to love God above all, and your neighbour as yourself, as it is clear from all the prophets, which call upon them to do Justice, and to love mercy, Psalm 51. 16, 17. Isaiah 33. 15. and 66. 2. Micah 6. 8. Zechariah 8. 16. 17. And likewise ver. 23. there are instructions given unto his Disciples, how they should behave themselves unto his second coming, when once the abomination was set up; for he saith, The days will come, when you shall desire to see one of the days of the son of man, and you shall not see it; Implying thus much, You shall desire to return unto the ways of the Lord Jesus, but you shall not, for they are polluted; And you shall have such as shall say unto you, see here, and see there, but he gives the warning, saying, Go not after them, nor follow them; for as the lightning that lighteneth out of one part of heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall the son of man be in his day: which, compared with Mat. 24. 24, 25, 26, 27. veries, fully agree together. So that to me it seems clear, that there is some other thing meant: besides, pray look in my book called Some Discoveries of the mysteries of the last times, and you shall find five Reasons given why the polluting of the ordinances is there meant.  
It may be further objected, that in regard the Lord Jesus gives warning, when his Disciples shall see the abomination set up, that they should flee to the mountains; how I can give it a mystical meaning, seeing the words are plain, compared with Luke 21. that it is the besieging and destruction of the Temple and City.  
For answer unto which, that there is a mystery in the words, I have partly declared already, and shall further clear it; as first, I desire it may be considered, that the Gospel as touching the believing part, is altogether in a mystery: secondly consider, that all the Prophecies and predictions of the Gospel are mysteries, and not to be fulfilled in the letter; which is clear from those places in the same chapter, as verses 26, 27, 28, 29. with the whole following chapter. Thirdly consider, it had been to little purpose for our Savionr to have exhorted his Disciples, and the Jews to have fled into the mountains of the Earth, for they must then have perished for want of subsistence, or else have fell into their Enemy's hands; for the Romans would not suffer the Jews to inhabit any part of Judea until they had submitted themselves un. to them; for Josephus, Of the Wars of the Jews, makes mention of a part of the Jews which were fled into a wood for succour, and the Romans made war against them, and destroyed almost all of them; as may be seen in the history of their Wars; which place, having not the book in my hands, I cannot direct the Reader unto; therefore it must necessarily follow, that it was to the mountains of the nations unto which they were exhorted to flee.  
It may yet further be objected, how I can prove the nations, or the governments of the nations, either temporal or spiritual, to be mountains.  
To which I answer, that the Prophets usually apply the name of mountains to the nations or government and magistracy of the nations; as may be seen Psalm 72. 3. Zechariah 4. 7. Daniel 2. 45. Rev. 6. 15. with divers the like places; now it being so, that the Jews were permitted to flee unto the mountains of the nations, when their City and Temple were destroyed, to hid themselves from the fury of the Romans their Enemies; in like manner, I conceive, the believing Gentiles have the like permission to flee to the mountains of the protestant. Churches, to shroud themselves from the fury of their oppressing Enemies, the Christian Romans, when once the Abomination makes the whole worship of the Lord Jesus desolate of the Spirit of God, and they cannot in conscience submit unto it; and the fury of the beast being such, as they that did not submit unto his worship, they were to lose their lives; as the Jews were sure to be cruelly handled if they did not submit to the government of the heathen Romans, And so much to these objections.  
Another objection is made against my exposition of Mat. 24. 29. of the sun, moon and stars, with the powers of the heavens; some saying, that there is meant those created lights of the heavens, which guide the times; and by the providence of God enlighten the Earth naturally; others say, the sun signifies Magistracy, and the moon the Ministry.  
To which I answer, and say, that the Scripture is full of such expressions, as the sun, moon, and stars; and for the clearing of this figurative speech, I shall be forced to set forth the several Acceptions wherein the sun, moon, and stars is taken in Scripture.  
First, sometime the sun, moon, and stars, is taken for those glorious lights of heaven, as Josuah 10. 13. and Isa. 38. 8. with divers the like places, where the sun is taken for the light of heaven.  
Secondly, sometime the sun, moon, and stars, are taken in a figurative sense, as that which is most excellent amongst men, as the sun signifies that spirit of government which naturally all men that have any excellency of nature fit for government are endued with, as the spirit of counsel, prudence, and fortitude, and the like; which are virtues fit for government, and may be in a natural man; the moon to figure out the laws of the nations, which are divers according to the policy of every nation; and are changed according as the state of things require, like unto the moon, and receive their light from that spirit of counsel that is in those lawmakers which are endued with it; the stars to signify those eminent counsellors which shine as stars in any commonwealth; the powers of the heavens to be that Rule of government which is especially exercised in any nation, where those lights are applied unto; and of those sort are these Scriptures, Isaiah 13. 10. and 34. 4. Ezekiel 32. 7. Joel 2. 31. and 3. 15. Rev. 6. 12, 13, 14.. with divers other the like places; and for proof of this, that this is the meaning of the holy Ghost in these places, pray take notice of Isaiah 34. where the same figurative speech is used; in ver. 4, 5. it is said, my sword shall be bathed in heaven; behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgement: And then in the 12. verse it is said, They shall call the Nobles thereof to the Kingdom, and none shall be there, and all her Princes shall be as nothing. Which shows plainly what is meant in the 4 verse, where the like figurative speech is used. And observe also Isaiah 13. 10. Rev. 6. 12, 13, 14. in which places there is mention made of the destruction of the nations; but especially of Babylon.  
Thirdly, sometime the like figurative speech is used and applied unto the people of God, and then the sun signifies the Spirit of God, which his people are endued with; the moon, the ordinances of God, as the tabernacle, temple and sacrifices of the law, in that standing; and to the ordinances of the Gospel in the time of that standing; and hath been changed according to the change of times, which the Lord hath been pleased to alter in his Church in several ages; the stars to those eminent Saints of God, which as stars did shine in several ages in the Church of God; the powers of the heavens to be that Ruling power of the Lord Jesus, which his people did act by his Authority in the time of the Gospel, which was in the Church of Jesus Christ, wherein they did receive in, and cast out all such as were meet to receive, or unmeet for their spiritual society; and of this sense are these places of Scripture, Isai. 5. 10. Joel 2. 10. Micah. 3. 6. Matt. 24. 29. Rev. 8. 12. and 9 2. In which places it is to me evident that those things are meant.  
But it may be objected, that this is but my exposition, without any Scripture proof for it.  
To which I answer, and desire all men to weigh diligently those places of Scripture, as Isaiah 60. 19 20. where the prophet speaking of the glory of the Church in her Restoring, saith, The sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee; meaning, as I conceive, when the Lord restores his Church and people, they shall need none of those secondary means to enlighten them with; but the Lord shall be unto them an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory; and then in the 20. verse it is said, Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: in which texts are two things considerable to this purpose; first, that the Church hath a sun and moon; secondly, that this sun hath gone down, and this moon withdrawn herself; and I think that no man can find out any fit exposition to the sense of the text than this is, and to the order of the Church in all ages; which some time hath been flourishing with abundance of the Spirit of God, and the laws of the Administrations touching outward order especially kept, and the Church being crowned with her twelve stars, which abundantly did shine in her, and increase her glory. Sometime again she hath been in captivity, and her temple and ordinances destroyed, and made desolate of the spirit of God; and the glory of God, in respect of outward administrations, by degrees leaving her for her sins; as it is plainly set forth Ezekiel 10. and 11. chapters; besides, the experience of things in all ages doth confirm this truth, as is clear unto us in these days, and explained by me in my book of some discoveries of the mystery of the last times, page the 14. Secondly, pray take notice of Rev. 12. 1. where Saint John saw a wonder in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars; now I think no man will deny, but the Church, which undoubtedly was the woman which was clothed with the sun, when she had such abundance of the spirit that it sat upon them as fire, and they were filled with the holy Ghost, and spoke with tongues, and were enabled with power to distribute the ordinances of the Gospel unto whom they did appertain, and when the Church was crowned with twelve stars; namely the twelve Apostles.  
But it is yet objected, Be it so, that this is true, yet is there no workings of the spirit, are all things so dead, as there is no appearance of God by gifts and ordinances?  
I answer, I do believe that there are some breathe of the Spirit in the Saints; for it is not said, the sun is wholly darkened, but darkened; that is, doth not give that light, as it did in the first Gospel times; and this the very experience of times doth evince; but for the ordinances, which are likened to the moon, they are in a manner wholly darkened, from that they were in the first times; and as for the stars, the third part of them was darkened in the sounding of the fourth trumpet, Rev. 8. 12. and 12. 4. and they which persisted in the faith, are killed by the beast, Rev. 11. 7.  
It is further objected, that though it be said, The powers of the heavens shall be shaken, yet it follows not, that they are removed, no more than trees that are shaken of a mighty wind are removed.  
To which I answer, that shaking in Scripture sense is removing; and this is clear from that of Haggai 2. 6. where it is said, for thus saith the Lord of hosts, yet once, it is but a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; which shaking is expounded by the Author to the Hebrews to be a removing, Hebrews the 12. 27. And thus I hope I have fully answered these objections.  
Another objection is made against that exposition which I make upon that text, Luke 17. 34. where it is said; In that night there shall be two men in one bed, the one shall be taken, the other shall be left; which, say they, is meant, when the Lord appeareth, then shall one that is a Christian be at work with an unbeliever; and where it is said, There shall be two in one bed, the one shall be taken the other shall be left; say they, it is meant, the husband may be a believer, and the wife an unbeliever, as it was in the first Gospel times.  
To which I answer, That the text saith, it is two men, and two women; and therefore it cannot be meant of that matrimonial coupling of man and wife: and touching the two men being in the field together, as it is Matth. 24. that it may be expounded at work together, the one a believer, the other an unbeliever; this the words going before will clear; for it is said, Luke 17. 26. As it was in the days of No, so shall it be in the days of the Son of man: likewise, as it was in the days of Lot, they did eat, and drink, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it reigned fire and brimstone, and destroyed them all. Now we all know, there was no difference between No and the world, and Lot and the Sodomltes in any outward worship, but only they were preachers of righteousness; which is clear by that speech of Abraham, where he prayeth for Sodom, Gen. 18. 24. and saith, Peradventure there be found fifty righteous: so likewise in the days of the coming of the Son of man, those that are truly Christians, and watch and pray, cannot but be preachers of righteousness; forasmuch as that man that is addicted to sin and uncleanness, cannot be said in reason to watch over his actions; and he that is praying, or prepared always to pray, cannot be void of righteousness towards man.  
Another Objection is made touching the raising of the Witnesses; for, say they, It is true, the Witnesses are to lie dead, but there is a time for their raising again, and this is our practice; sor we are raising the Witnesses from death to meet the Lord in Zion.  
To which I answer, That it is true, that the Witnesses are to rise, and to stand upon their feet; but the question is, when this should be, which I believe, upon examination, will appear to be when the Lord appears from heaven: which I shall prove thus, as it is said. Rev. 11. 11. 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 all that saw them; which compared with Ezekiel 37. and Rev. 20. 5. will appear to be that resurrection spoken of in those two places.  
But it may be said, Those places speak of the raising of the dead out of their graves, to meet the Lord in Zion; but this of Revel. 11. must be meant of the raising the people of the Lord Jesus out of that darkness wherein they lay in the Antichristian state.  
To which I answer, It is true, it seems to be so; but mark well the sense of the place, and you shall find, it is at the Lords appearing, as to me it seems clear from the 12 verse, where it is said, And they heard a great voice from heaven, saying, Come up hither; and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld them: which, compared with 1 Thes. 4. it will appear to be when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven with a shout, and the voice of the archangel, as it is in ver. 16. besides, mark the effects that did follow upon the rising of the witnesses; for it is said, verse 13. And the same hour there was a great Earthquake, and the tenth part of the City fell; and in the earthquake were slain of men 7000; and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven; so that I think no man will affirm there is any such effects wrought by any arising from death of the witnesses in these our days; and thus I hope I have answered this objection.  
It is yet further objected, that the changes that are wrought in this nation, are some tokens of the Lords hand; for we may plainly see that there be many men that were before wicked persons both swearers, and lascivious in their lives and conversations, that upon their coming in, are changed in their lives; likewise there are many young men, that were of no gifts and parts in the sight of the world, are now able to dispense the word, and to pray very heavenly, sometime to the admiration of the hearers, insomuch as they are forced to say, God is in you of a truth; and therefore this must needs be a testimony, that the hand of God is in this work, and that he will prosper it.  
To this I answer, and do acknowledge, that this in part is true, and I do acknowledge there are precious Saints among all our professors; neither is it the personal holiness of the men of any profession, that I have any thing to say against, but it is the tying and confirming the presence of God to this or that Administration, out of a good zeal, I hope, but I suppose not according to knowledge; and therefore I would desire all men to consider, that if God be in one profession, he is also as powerful in another, in those things which are alleged; for I am able to see no difference in one profession more than in another; but according as men excel one another in parts, education, wit or learning, so they excel one another, but no otherwise; yea those men whose principles are in esteem of most of our professors damnable, have many men amongst them of excellent parts outwardly; besides, take notice, at the most, this is but the day of small things, and the Church is to increase in glory, as it is confessed by all: but I find no text tending to any increasing condition before the Lord appear, which will be most sudden and unexpected; which I shall, the Lord enabling me, prove in its due place: Besides, I pray mark, the first anointing was with abundance of success, insomuch as thousands were converted at times: but this is no way comparable to that for gifts and graces, neither for powerful conversion; and therefore it falls short of the first anointing; whereas the later glory is prophesied to exceed the former, as is plain from these Scriptures, Isa. 24. 23. and 60. 20. & 66. 11. Zech. 12. 8. Rev. 14. 1. and 18. 1. with divers other the like places, which I could produce for proof, if my leisure would permit.  
Therefore I conclude, that the times of the Reformation of the Church, as they call it, which have happened since the servants have been awake out of their slumbering condition, wherein they have endeavoured with much heat to weed out the tares out of the Church of Jesus Christ, sometimes by the sword of the spirit, when they had no other means; sometimes with the temporal sword, by which occasion hath followed all those miseries which have befell the Christian world, since the first falling off from the Church of Rome, which if they had on both sides followed the householders direction, to have let the tares and the wheat grown together, there would not have been so much good wheat rooted up with the tares in that manner; nevertheless this hath happened by the Lord's permission, so that by this means the mountains of the protestant Churches are established, which though it must needs be acknowledged, that as touching their ministry and in respect of their ordinances, they fall short of that purity which was in the first Gospel times, they retaining their office of ministry and ordinances through that corrupt channel of the Church of Rome, yet touching their doctrine, which are the things to be believed, they come near unto the first times unto which the people of the Lord Jesus are exhorted to flee unto, (though mystically) when once the abomination of disolation standeth in the holy place.  
It hath further been objected against me, how I being a man of such weak parts, and having no other learning then my Mother was able to teach me, dare meddle with the opening of those dark prophecies, in the Prophets and Revelation.  
To such men I answer, and desire all men to consider, to what end those prophecies were unsealed, Revel. the 22. 10. and left as a monument to the people of the Lord in all ages; and whether they were to lie as a dead letter, or for God's people to examine, and with humility to gain the sense of them; And if all Scripture were given by inspiration, and is profitable to instruct; then doubtless the prophecies are given to the same end, as well as the other more plainer places of Scripture, especially in those last times, when the prophecies are in part fulfilled, and therefore the more easy to attain the sense of them; besides, take notice, the Lord is pleased to give encouragement unto his people to search them, that so they may understand the meaning of them, as may be seen Isai. 8. 20. Habak. 2. 2. Rev. 13. 18. and 17. 9 upon which account I took encouragement to open those places of Scripture quoted in this Treatise; neither can any man, I hope, accuse me with arrogancy in delivering the sense of them; for I have done it with humility and much modesty, still considering the depth of those places, and the mysteriousness of them, so that I have been fearful in a great measure, lest I should happen to be deceived in the sense of them. And this I hope will satisfy those men.  
It is further objected against me, that the matter is high I treat of, and beyond the reach of ordinary sense; and say they, there is no end of making of many books: And this objection is made by such men as have been very forward to open their principles in this way of weiting, in the beginning of these dividing times.  
To such men I answer, that the more height there is in the matter treated of, so much the more we ought to search into it, provided it be with humility; especially the matters being such as are not hidden things, but things revealed to us and our children, and encouragement given unto us to search them; moreover, if the Scripture be the rule by which we ought to square all our actions, and this Scripture contains some dark and mysterious prophecies, whereof it is full; if we will have none of them, then sure we will leave out some part of our direction, and make use of no more than suits with our affection; and will be guided but with part of our duty, which we pretend to follow; and then this is no sure way, but our practice which we pretend we fetch the rule from the word for, it may haply, it further searched into, (I mean the Scripture) speak against, and so we may be deceived; therefore it is most sure and certain, if we will have our practice warranted by the word, to search into the whole will of God, yea though the places be mysterious and doubtful. But I have observed in some men, and those eminent too, that what they profess they labour with much diligence to propagate and to gain disciples to, and when once they have obtained to any considerable number, and have gotten possession and footing, than whatsoever crosses their practice, and doth not suit with their principles is matter of height, or else frivolous, and not worth the looking on: Whereas those very men in their beginnings were the greatest setters on of others to search the Scriptures.  
It is yet further objected, that this is strange doctrine; what, are you a man alone? hath God hidden those things from all, and only revealed them unto you? this is most strange and contrary to Reason, that all men should be deceived, and you only know the truth.  
To those men I answer, and do acknowledge the doctrine is strange, and I do confess I do not remember that I ever read of any such thing treated of, and for the most part of the places I have opened in some measure, I do not remember that I ever heard any exposition upon them; yea, I acknowledge that the matter seems sometimes strange to myself, having nothing in me that deserves that the Lord should reveal any thing to me rather than to another; I see in myself so much weakness and deadness to any thing that is good, that it seems to the contrary; but when on the contrary I consider the harmony and agreement which is among the prophets, tending to the same things; and when I consider the experience of the ages past, confirming it, and making it to appear a truth, in part, without contradictions; and when I consider that the Lord hath in several ages taught some of his people, yea his prophets by men of inferior parts to them, as may be seen in Jethroes counsel to Moses, and by Amos, which was a herd-man of Tekoa, which taught Amasiah the priest of Bethel; and when I consider the Lord confounds the wisdom of the world by things of no esteem, and brings to nought things that are, by things that are not; I then take encouragement, and am constrained to believe that this is the meaning of the holy Ghost in those places, and shall believe until I do perceive a better sense given; which being done, I hope I shall not be so selfconceited, as to prefer my sense before a better, if it begiven.  
It is further objected, that we are commanded to come out of Babylon, left we are partakers of her sins, and so receive of her plagues, which is a duty required of us; and besides, we have now an opportunity given us to come out, for the States give us liberty to walk according to Gospel order, and according to our conscience there in, and to gather ourselves into bodies.  
To the first I answer, That it is true, that we are commanded to come out of Babylon; but it is necessary to know the time when we are to perform that duty, lest haply we should lose our labour; and I could wish that some man that is so zealous for the performance of that duty; would labour to demonstrate by the Scripture Prophecies, that the time for the performance of this duty were fully come, lest the practice of this duty have no better success than those men in Jeremy 29. 21. namely, Ahab the son of Kolajah, and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which were two false prophets; which did persuade the people that they should speedily return from their captivity; contrary to the prophecy of Jeremy, which had prophesied their captivity to continue seventy years; which were a duty necessary to be done, for so much as the prophet Daniel did understand by books the number of years, where of the word of the Lord came to Jeremy the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem, Dan. 9 2. and accordingly did make his prayer for their return. So likewise in the Revelation there are set times for the people of the Lord Jesus to lie in this and that condition, as may be seen in the 11. 12. 13. chapters, which I shall endeavour, the Lord enabling me, in the sequel of this treatise to make appear not to be fully accomplished. Besides, take notice of those places which speak of the people of the Lord coming out of Babylon, and you shall find that Babylon is first fallen, before the Lords people are exhorted to come out of her, as may be seen Rev. 14. 8. and 18. 4. But we do not yet see Babylon fallen, nay rather we see her as high as ever almost; only we have seen one of his heads wounded to death, but his deadly wound is almost healed; neither do we see any glory, like unto that glory which is spoken of in those two places, to precede the fall of Babylon; neither do we see the Lamb upon mount Zion with his hundred forty and four thousand, neither an Angel come down from heaven, having great power, and the earth was lightened with his glory; which are things which go before the people's deliverance: besides, pray mark, that Babylon in the letter was destroyed before the people of God were delivered; and his people had a Leader to go before them out of Babylon: Even so likewise, I conceive, that the people of the Lord Jesus are to have a leader or diliverer to go before them, to call them out of Babylon in the mystery, and to send his Angels to gather together his Elect from the four winds of the heaven, according to those Scriptures, Isai. 11. 11, 12. and 52. 12. and 66. 19, 20. Joel the 3. 11. Obadiah 21. Zechariah 2. 5, 8. Matt. 24. 31. compared with Rev. the 14. 6, 7, 8, 9 and 18. 1, 2, 4. In all which places is mention made of the Lords deliverance of his people by himself, and of sending forth his Angels to declare the fall of Babylon; and to exhort the people of the Lord to come out of her.  
To the second branch of this objection, I answer; It is true, that the State gives liberty to tender consciences; for which they deserve much honour; but these men must also remember, that as the State gives them liberty, so must they have liberty of God also, which I desire to see proved; for first, if they will come out according to order, they must have their Leader with them, which is the Lord Jesus; for it is said expressly Isaiah the 52. 12. for you shall not go out in haste, nor go out by flight; for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rearward; But in this reformation which is professed in this nation, in any profession, I see no glory that comes near the first Gospel times; whereas the coming of the Kingdom of God with power did exceed the first glory, as may be seen Mat. 17. 2.  
Secondly, it must be granted, that the nations of Christiandome are all of them at the least Christians at large, as I may term them; that is, professing the name of Christ; now if we follow order, we must reform by the major or greater part, as is the order in all assemblies; as also in the Church of Christ, whilst they had power, as may be seen in the Churches of Asia: but we cannot reform that way, because the major part will keep their customs still, be they never so ill; and therefore we cannot this way reform according to order, because the best part is over-voted:  
But thirdly, seeing that all our reformers do acknowledge, that the ordinances are corrupted touching Church discipline, and if we will reform we must bring them to the first standard; and because all our ministers have derived their office of ministry through that corrupt channel of the Church of Rome, therefore it must needs follow, that insomuch as the Scripture is acknowledged to be our director in all things, by all Reformers; and for so much as all that enter not by the door are thiefs and robbers, John 10. 1. and for as much as none can preach except they be sent, according to the doctrine of Paul, Romans the 10. 15. and for as much as the prophet Isaiah sends us to the Law and to the Testimony, and saith, If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them, Isaiah 8. 20. and the Apostle Saint Paul, in the aforesaid text of the Romans allegeth Scripture for his and others preaching the Gospel, and saith, As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things? therefore I say, If we will reform, being the lesser part, we must necessarily have some Scripture for our warrant, to show that the time is out for our deliverance, and some mention made in Scripture of some Anointing to reform the Church of Jesus Christ after the ordinances are corrupted or changed, as is acknowledged; which if it can be produced, either by plain letter or by consequence, that when once the ordinances are changed or corrupted that they are to be restored in their purity, and that the people of the Lord Jesus are to gather themselves out of Babylon or the Antichristian state, wherein they lay in captivity among all sorts of men in visible bodies, with all those officers, as Apostles, Pastors, Teachers, and Elders, as they were in the first Gospel times before the Lords appearing to restore his people; I shall by the help of God subscribe unto them, and confess my Error; yet nevertheless there are some texts alleged for the maintenance of it, I shall name them, as I go, and examine them according to my understanding, and leave them to the men that alleged them to judge.  
The first text which is aleadged for the raising of ordinances is from Psalm 75. 2. where the prophet speaking in the person of God, saith, when I shall receive the congregation, I will judge uprightly; whence is inferred, that when the Lord Jesus doth appear, there will be a congregation.  
To which I answer, and do confess, that the Psalmist in that place speaks of the appearance of Jesus Christ, as is plain from verse the first, where it is said, for that thy name is near, thy wondrous works declare; but touching that 2 verse from whence that inference is taken, I conceive the true sense is no other, but that before the Lord appear, the congregation is judged unrighteously by the men of the world, or by such as Rule in the Church of Jesus Christ, having no commission from him, or as it is in Matthew the 24. 48. and Zechariah 11. 16. by that evil servant, which saith in his heart, my Lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; but when the Lord doth appear he will take the government of the congregation to himself, and will judge uprightly; Agreeable to those texts of Scriptures Isa. 11. 4. Micah 4. 3. The second text is from Isaiah 10. 27. where it is said, And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulders, and his yoke from off thy neck; and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anyonting; from whence is inferred, that in the last days, the Lord will anoint his people by his Spirit, so that they shall by degrees gather themselves out of Babylon, or the antichristian state, into bodies or single fellowships, to meet the Lord in Zion.  
For answer unto which, pray note the text itself; for it is not said, thou shalt deliver thyself because of the anointing; but it is said, In that day his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and the yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing: which argueth thus much, that the Lord will deliver his people by the hand of some extraordinary messenger that he will appoint for that purpose; which, I conceive, is the Lord Jesus; for he alludes unto the deliverance of his people out of Egypt, and to that deliverance from Midian at the rock Oreb, as it is in the foregoing verse, being the 26. Now it is known to all men that in those deliverances there was Moses and Gideon extraordinarily sent to deliver his people; and can it be thought that in that great deliverance of all the deliverances that have happened unto the people of God, that deliverance from sin and death only excepted, wherein Ephrahim shall no more envy Juda, nor yet Juda vex Ephrahim; and that from thenceforth the wolf and the lamb shall feed together; and that from thenceforth they shall hurt nor destroy no more in the mountain of God's holiness, that the Lord will deliver his people by themselves, contrary to his practice in all ages, as may be abundantly proved from Moses, Joshua, Jeptha, Deborah, Barak, unto Zorobabel, which were all types of that great deliverer of his people, as may be seen Haggai 2. 23. where Jesus Christ is set forth under the name of Zorobabel. Beside, pray mark the 33d verse of that 10. of Isaiah, where it is plainly said, Behold the Lord, the Lord of boasts shall lop the bough with terror, and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the mighty shall be humbled; and he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one: Now let any man judge, if this be meant his people by themselves, or else the deliverance to come by some extraordinary messenger.  
The next two texts which are alleged for the raising of ordinances, I put them both together, because I suppose they aim at one and the same thing, are the 2 Pet. 2. 11, 14. and the Epistle of Judas ver. 20, 21. where it is said, Wherefore, beloved, seeing you look for such things, be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot, and blameless; And then in Judas it is said, But ye beloved, edify yourselves in your most holy faith, praying in the holy Ghost, and keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. From whence is gathered, that in the last days the people of the Lord Jesus Christ must walk in Gospel order, being baprized, and gather themselves into visible bodies to meet the Lord in Zion.  
To which I answer, and desire all men to take notice of the scope of the Apostles in these two places; namely, to arm the Christians unto whom they wrote to take heed of false teachers which were crept in amongst them; to beware of them, and to be watchful over themselves, and that they should build up themselves in their most holy faith; and therein they do admonish them, as is clear from the second of Peter 2. 1. and from the Epistle of Judas the 4. and this I do acknowledge was writ unto such men as were in gospel order, and they are admonished to persevere and to continue in love unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. But these Churches have since fallen asleep, Matthew 13. 15. the ordinances are corrupted or changed, as is acknowledged by these men: now let themselves judge, what is in these Epistles and verses aleadged for the restoring of them; these Churches have lost their power, the sun is gone down over the prophets, Micah 3. 6. and I look for some place of Scripture for their raising again before the Lord appear. And thus I hope I have fully answered to those Scriptures.  
A fourth Scripture which is alleged is Revelation the 2. 23. where it is said, speaking of the woman Jezebel, which did teach and seduce his people, he saith, And I will kill her children with death, and all the Churches shall know; Thereby arguing, that when the Lord appears and destroys Jezebel, that then all the Churches that are in being shall know, and see his judgements upon her.  
To this I answer, and desire all men to take notice of the contents of this second chapter, which is to approve and to reprove sundry matters among the Churches unto whom St. John wrote; and amongst the rest, the Church of Thyatira is reproved for suffering the woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a Prophetess, to teach and seduce his people: and having spoken of the judgements which he will bring upon her, he saith, and all the Churches shall know; that is, say they, all the Churches that are in being when the Lord doth appear shall know how he will punish this woman: now pray take notice, in the first chapter and 11 verse, St John is commanded to write this Revelation in a book, and send it to the seven Churches that are in Asia; and so fulfilling his commission in his exhortation unto the several Churches, he still concludes with this admonition, Let him that hath an ear hear what the spirit saith unto the Churches; now what Churches are those that are exhorted to hear, the Churches which shall be at the end of the world, or those that St. John wrote unto? I think it is unlikely that St John should write unto Churches in being then, admonithing them to hear, and this to be applied for the raising of Churches at the end of the world or near that time; and in this verse it is said, and all the Churches shall know: now what shall they know? Why, they shall know, that if this Church of Thyatira will not restaine this woman Jezebel by her power while they have it, that the Lord will execute his power himself, and they shall know it. And where it is alleged that those Churches here spoken of, are those Churches that are in being when the Lord doth appear, I answer, where is the least colour for it in the text? for these Churches are no other but those Churches which are writ unto, which are the seven Churches of Asia, which still are admonished; Let him that hath an ear hear what the spirit saith unto the Churches.  
Moreover he doth admonish this Church of Thyatira, that if she did not exercise her power, that then all the Churches should know, that I am he that searcheth the reins and the heart, and will give unto every one of you according to your works; that is, as I conceive, if you do your duty, while you have power, and if you neglect your duty having power, the time will come when you shall know that I will reward every one of you according to your works: moreover, experience teacheth us, that those Churches have the candlestick removed from them, and have no being, and therefore in my judgement it is but a weak foundation to raise ordinances upon, and to gather Churches upon, when once they have lost their power, and are polluted, and Antichrist seated in them. And so much for this Scripture.  
A fist and last Scripture which is alleged is from Rev. 18. 20. where the destruction of Babylon is set forth, and an exhortation given unto his people, in these words, Rejoice over her thou heaven, and ye holy Apostles and Prophets, for God hath avenged you on her; from whence is inferred, that when the Lord doth destroy Babylon, that then his people being in Church order, having Apostles and Prophets, shall rejoice for the destruction thereof,  
To which I answer. First, it is not said heavens, that is, Churches; but heaven, that is, as I conceive, the Church of God in all ages, being now a triumphant Church, their enemies being destroyed, and is exhorted to rejoice. Secondly, pray mind what the people of the Lord are incited unto; namely to rejoice, which is fulfilled in the 11. chapter and 16, 17, 18 verses, and in the 15. chapter 2, 3, 4 verses, and 19 chapter 2, 3, 4 verses, compared with Isaiah the 12. chapter: In Rev. 11. 16. you have the four and twenty elders mentioned, and in for 19 you have the four and twenty Elders and the four beasts mentioned, which cannot well be expounded the Churches, and Apostles, and Prophets which shall be in being when the Lord doth appear; now let themselves judge whether here be any thing towards the raising of ordinances or gathering of Churches, for which these Scriptures are brought; for I profess with reverence to all just ways of God, that to me these Scriptures seem to be a weak foundation to build such a structure upon as is pretended, namely, that the raising of ordinances, as is practised in these days, is the only way by which the Lord will by degrees draw and deliver his people out of Babylon to meet him in Zion.  
It is yet objected, that is it the Lords own precept, mentioned Matth. 28. saying, Go and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost; and the promise is annexed, and lo I am with you unto the end of the world; whereupon is concluded, that his people are to practise the ordinances in their purity until the Lord appear.  
To which I answer, first, that it is acknowledged by these men, that there hath been an interruption both in the succession of the Ministry, and in the corrupting the purity of the ordinances, and I look for some proof from Scripture Rule for their raising, Secondly, it is affirmed by Mr John Saltmarch, who had knowledge in the Greek copies, that the words, unto the end of the world, if truly translated, is but to the end of that age, or administration; and he quotes the Greek text in his book called, some beams of the morning star, in the margin of the same book, page 134. But thirdly, it is usual in Scripture phrase, that for End is meant but length of time, and not to the end of the world, or of all ages; as is plain by those places, Leu. 6. 22. and 7, 34, 35. Jer. 33. 21. and 35, 19 But fourthly, if all these considerations fail; then let this answer suffice, namely, by these men's judgements confessed, that whereas there is a promise annexed to the commission, that they, meaning his Apostles and their successors, that if they failed not to do their duty in going and teaching all nations, baptising them in the purity of the ordinances; that the Lord would not fail to be with them unto the end of the world; but they having failed, as is acknowledged by all our reformers, therefore the Lord is not engaged to his promise; and is not with his people, as must be acknowledged by all men, as he was in the first Gospel times, in respect of the purity of the ordinances.  
It is yet further objected, that if the ordinances are polluted or changed, some of them, than it is likely they are all corrupted, and then watching and prayer being also ordinances of Jesus Christ are also corrupted.  
To this I answer, and shall make a distinction between the ordinances, as first there are ordinances which for the performance of them, there were officers appointed to the dispensation of them; and these officers had a peculiar charge given them, and had more than an ordinary Spirit given them for the performance of that work, as may be seen Acts the 2. 4. and their office was to preach, baptise, lay on hands, and administer the Sacrament, and these also were to choose able men, and to appoint ministers from hand to hand to after times by way of succession; which is clear from the first of Tim. 4. 14. and 2 Tim. 1. 6. and 2. 2. in all which places there is mention made of the Apostle, and Presbytery in ordaining others for the Ministry; and these had a singular ministry and commission given them for this work, as may be seen Matthew 18. 19 and those that came not into the fold this way, were thiefs and robbers, John the 10. 1. Romans the 10. 15. now if those that restore the ordinances, and are the reformers in this age, can show that they received their office of ministry for the dispensation of ordinances, from hand to hand by succession from the Apostles without interruption or without corrupting both the ministry and ordinances by coming through that corrupt channel of the Church of Rome; why then I do believe they have power to set up the ordinances in their purity; and we are bound to submit unto it; but it being acknowledged there hath been an interruption and cessation in them by most of our reformers, therefore it remains that there should be some text or texts of Scripture which should speak of their Restoring after the cessation or corruption, at the least by way of consequence; but as yet I find none produced, or else we go not to Scripture Rule for all our practices.  
But secondly, concerning watching and prayer, that although I do confess them to be ordinances; yet they were not delivered by way of succession, but may be in any man, it being a gift given by God's Spirit without any outward means concurring with it, and was bestowed upon the Gentiles as well as the Jews in the time of the Law, witness Job and Elihu; and was bestowed indifferently upon all men, without the outward means of laying on of hands in the time of the Gospel; either in a gueater or lesser measure, according as the spirit of God was pleased to breath in them; and this may be seen in the example of Cornelius, and of the Eunuch of Ethiopia; though I do acknowledge those gifts and graces of the spirit were highened and enlarged by the practising of the ordinances, God's Spirit concurring with the outward means whilst the ordinances remained in their purity, and also did continue to breath in the people of God after their ordinances were corrupted, and doth yet without the ordinances in their purity.  
It is further objected, that if the people of the Lord Jesus are to lie scattered among the antichristian state without the benefit of ordinances in their purity, or without any Gospel order, contrary to the common multitude of Christians; that then how can that saying of Saint Paul be fulfilled, which saith, he that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution.  
First, to this I answer, that persecutions in some measure shall cease, and this is no more than what hath been foretold by the Prophets, and by Saint John in his Revelation, as may be seen Hosea 2. 14. compared with Revelation 12. 6. 14. where it is said, therefore, Behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her; now what can be here meant, but that the Lord having poured out upon his people the fierceness of his wrath, and visited upon them the days of Balaam, and hath executed his judgements upon them, as it is in the former part of the Chapter; now he gins to speak comfortably unto her, and gives her leave to fly to the mountains, and to nourish her in the wilderness for a time, times, and half a time, from the face of the Serpent? Zech. 14. 5. Mat. 24. 16. Revel. 12. 14.  
But secondly, though persecution in some measure doth cease, yet it doth not fully cease; for it is said, Revel. the 12. 17. and the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her Seed which keep the Commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ: in which text pray note two things; First, that the Church is retired into the wilderness, and but a remnant left; Secondly, this remnant keep the Commandments of God and have the Testimony of Jesus Christ. From the First I observe, that there is no being of any visible Church having the Ordinances in their purity, upon the face of the Earth, during the time, times, and half a time: and from the Second I observe, that notwithstanding there be no visible Church upon Earth; yet there is a remnant that keep the Commandments of God, and have the Testimony of Jesus Christ: which Commandments I take to be, to love God above all, and our neighbours as ourselves; or if you will, having Faith, Love, Self-denial, Humility, Meekness, Temperance, Patience, Justice and Righteousness; and by these things give testimomy that they own Jesus Christ: and to such men it is impossible but that Satan will raise up persecution; for that of Solomon doth in all ages prove true, Prov. the 29. 10. 27. the bloodthirsty hates the upright, and he that is upright in his way, is abomination to the wicked; and this we find by proof in these days, that let men be upright in their conversation, these men are always envied of their neighbours, and the good man is always hated of the wicked; for there is a great difference between them: but for that persecution which doth arise unto men because they walk contrary to the practice of the common multitude, that by degrees ordinarily ceaseth, either by length of time, according to the old proverb, being but 9 day's wonder, as we are apt to speak, or else by the multitude which come in and profess it, which makes it cease to be persecuted, which proved true in Constantine and the Roman empire becoming Christians; or else by the looseness of the practice of those that profess it, which causeth wicked men to cease to hate them; but for equity, justice, goodness, sincerity, righteousness, holiness; these never want persecution in some measure, and this the Apostle Peter seems to intimate unto us in his first Epist. 4. 3, 4. where admonishing them, what their conversation was in times past, which saith he, may suffice you to have walked in those lusts which he there names, wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you; where he shows plainly, that the cause of their evil speaking was because they were not so lose in their lives as the common multitude.  
It is further objected, that if the people of the Lord Jesus must wait for their Masters coming by watching and prayer, without gathering themselves into bodies, and must lie in captivity among all sorts of men, then how shall the people of the Lord Jesus edify themselves, and build up one another, and gather people unto God by preaching and administering the Sacraments, without some Church-order?  
I answer, first, all the posture that I can find by a most serious search in the word of God, is watching and prayer, after the abomination which maketh desolate is set up, they being spiritually captivated under mystical Babylon as the Jews were temporally captivated under literal Babel; and as the Jews were to remember and pray unto God in their temporal captivity, so also are the believing Gentiles to remember their Lord, and to pray unto him in their spiritual captivity.  
Secondly, As the Jews in their captivity waited without order in respect of their temple and worship in the time of the seventy years, and also do now in their scattered condition; even so the people of the Lord Jesus must wait without order in their spiritual captivity by watching and prayer until their Lord appear to deliver them.  
Thirdly, Let no man in this condition misdoubt the providence of God, for his hand is not straitened, Isaiah the 50. 2. although the Lord suffer his people to lie in a scattered condition without the outward means of Church order in its purity; for the same God which fed the children of Israel in the wilderness with quails and Manna from heaven, and suffered not their raiments to wax old upon them, nor their foot to swell for forty years, and preserved Moses in the wilderness to an 120 years of age, yet his eyes were not dim, nor his natural strength abated, Deuteron. 8. 4. and 33. 7. can preserve his people, if they wait upon him according as he hath prescribed in his word, although they want the outward means of ordinances in their purity: And this is no more than he hath promised his people in their wilderness condition, Hosea the 2, 14, 15. Revel. 12. 14.  
Fourthly, Let men be answered, that though the ordinanees cannot be practised in their purity, yet nevertheless the name of Christ will be taught in the world, and people converted unto him by this means; for this is most certain, let men be never so wicked, yet they will profess the religion of Christ, and some will be converted unto him by that means; for Saint Paul rejoiceth that there were in his time some that preached Christ through envy, which I suppose he would not have done, if there had not been people converted unto him by this means.  
The last and grand objection which is brought against the people of the Lord Jesus waiting by watching and prayer for their Lords appearing without the benefit of ordinances in their purity, is this, For say they, as the Jews were captivated under literal Babylon, and did at the 70. years' end return and build the second temple: so the believing Gentiles having been captivated under mystical Babylon, are to return when the 42 months are at an end.  
To which I answer, that it is true, that the Jews were to lie in bondage, and did return at the end of 70. years, and this is according to the prophecy of Jeremiah, for he had prophesied their captivity, the time how long, and when they should return and be delivered; and the prophet Isaiah points at the king by name, which should destroy Babylon and deliver his people, Isaiah 45. and the Prophet Daniel in chap. 9 ver. 2. doth acknowledge that he did understand by books that the time was fulfilled, in which Jeremy had prophesied the desolation of Jerusalem, and accordingly doth direct his prayer for their return. Now if there can be brought any such clear proof as this amounts to for the time of the believing gentiles to be delivered out of mystical Babylon, or the Antichristian state; yea, if it may be gathered by consequence; then I say, the people of the Lord ought to endeavour their deliverance. And I suppose that those that are most zealous for their delivery, should labour to demonstrate the time to be near or fully accomplithed for their deliverance, lest they should go about that great work before the time were fully ended, and so fall short of their expectation. Secondly, pray mind, this people were to have a leader and conductor, which should be as a governor to go along with them, which was of the Kingly stock of David; and he did lay the foundation of the second Temple, as is clear from Zec. 4. 9 and Hag. 1. 14. Now what leader or governor is there of the Kingly Stock of David to deliver his people at this time, whereof this first deliverer was a type? neither is there any glory in this restoring that is pretended, like unto that first glory, which was in the first Gospel times, notwithstanding the Lord Jesus speaks of his second coming to be like lightning; nor like unto that appearance of the Lord Jesus in the holy mount, mentioned the 2 Pet 1. 17. 18. compared with Mat. 17. 2.  
But it may be objected that the prophet Haggai saith, Who is left amongst you, that saw this house in his first glory, and how do you see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? Haggai 2. 3. And the prophet Zechariah puts the question in chapter 4. 10. Who hath despised the day of small things? So who is this that despiseth these days of small things in this building of the second mystical Temple?  
To which I answer, That it is true, the people were reproved for despising those poor beginnings in the building of the second temple, and good cause; neither do I despise any poor beginnings in this restoring; but this I admonish those bvilders of this mystical temple at this time, that they be sure the time is fully out for their restoring; and to show some proof from Scripture Rule for their practice; lest haply they may lose their labour, and their work prove but a spark of their own kindling; and this is profitable counsel unto them: besides the Lord did not build the second Temple under the law immediately by himself, but stirred up Cyrus and zorobabel for to perform that work, which were men of infirmities: besides, they had many Enemies which did resist and discourage them, as it is clear from Ezra and Nehemiah; but for the deliverance of the believing Gentiles out of mystical Babylon, the Lord Jesus hath promised to do it by himself, when he comes to destroy Babylon by the Spirit of his mouth, and with the brightness of his coming, of whom literal zorobabel was a type, as is clear from Haggai 2. 23. where it is said, In that day saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee O zorobabel my servant, the son of Shealticl; which speech hath reference to the foregoing verse, where the Lord saith, And I will overthrow the throne of the Kingdoms of the heathens; which was not at that day performed, therefore it remains to be preformed when the Lord Jesus shall appear from heaven with his mighty Angels to destroy Antichrist, and all those nations which have been enemies unto his people, Rev. the 6, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17. Thus I have answered all the objections I have met with, to my best memory, touching those Scriptures I have alleged, to prove the people of God to be in no other posture in respect of ordinances in their purity but watching and prayer, until the Lord appear and deliver them out of their spiritual captivity under the Antichristian State, after the abomination that maketh the ordinances desolate is fully set up, and the sun darkened; Therefore I shall now come to prove this truth, namely, their watching and prayer during this sleepy and dead condition, from certain promises of God unto his people, they being out of order.  
As first, the Lord promises his protection unto all such of his people, as during this desolate condition, did sigh and mourn for all the Abominations that were committed, which is clear from Ezekiel 9 4. compared with Revelation 7. 3. where the Apostle seethe in a vision a man with a writer's Inkhorn by his side, and the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the City, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the forcheads of the men that fie, and cry for all the Abominations that are done in the midst thereof: where pray note, he doth not say, go and set a mark upon all those, or some of those that walk in outward order, which the Lord himself hath set up, and appointed his people to walk in; but upon all those that sigh and cry for all the abominations that are committed by those that did walk in the order, or should have done, which the Lord hath appointed; as is clear from verse the 6. where he saith, And begin at my Sanctuary.  
Now if it be objected, that we do acknowledge that the Church in all ages have had such as have done abominations in the midst of her; and therefore this makes not but those men that did sigh and mourn did walk in the outward order of God in his Temple and worship.  
To this I answer, that this people which the Prophet speaks of, had corrupted the Temple of the Lord, as is clear from Ezekiel 43. 8. and 44. 8, 9, 10. and that the glory of God was departed from his Temple and worship, as is plain from the 9 chapter and 3 ver. where he saith, And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the Cherub, whereupon he was, unto the threshold of the house: And from chapter 11. 23 where he saith, And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the City, and stood upon the mountain which is on the East side of the city: where pray note, the glory of God, notwithstanding it was departed from his whole worship, and from his people, being departed out of the city, yet notwithstanding the Lord is pleased to call it his Sanctuary; and that also although the high Priest, and such as were leaders of the people had corrupted his ordinances; as it is in chap. 44. 8. where he saith, and ye have not kept the charge of my holy things; but ye have set keepers of my charge in my Sanctuary for yourselves; which I suppose bears a fit resemblance in the Church of Rome.  
Secondly, the Lord promiseth his people that he will not reprove them, when he comes to judge them, although they did not at all times perform his outward worship in offerings and sacrifices; as is plain from Psalm. 50. 8. where he saith, I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices and thy  offerings to have been continually before me; as if he should have said, notwithstanding thou hast at sometimes neglected my commandments, in respect of outward order, in regard of the ceremonies and sacrifices thereof, so as thou hast offered God thanksgiving, and paid thy vows unto the most highest, and call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me, in the same Psalm, 14. 15. verses, Much more then, I suppose, the Lord will not reprove us in this sleepy and dead time of the Gospel (wherein all things are corrupted and changed in respect of outward order, and not so much as one text to be found for their restoring) if we walk without the ordinances in their purity by watching and prayer, keeping Faith and a good Conscience, waiting for the Bridegrooms coming.  
Thirdly, the Lord threatens all such as walk in outward order, and are wicked, Psalm the 50. 16. and promiseth salvation unto such as without order, walk uprightly, in the same Psalm, verse the 23. Where he saith, whoso offereth praise, glorifieth me; and to him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I show the salvation of God.  
I shall now proceed, as the Lord shall direct me, to prove that the people of God must wait for the Lord Jesus by watching and prayer without order in the purity thereof, in this sleepy and dead dispensation, from the Lords dehortation of his people from setting up any temple and worship during their captivity and desolate condition wherein they lay scattered among the nations; which to me is clear from Isaiah. 66. 1. where it is said, Thus saith the Lord, the Heaven is my throne, and the Earth is my footstool, where is the house that you build unto me, and where is the place of my rest? for all these things hath my hand made; and all these things have been, saith the Lord. Where pray note, this people are dissuaded from building again any Temple or house of God, when once the glory of God is departed from it; for he saith, all these things have been; now what can be more plainly spoken then here it is? for you had a Temple, and it was the place which I did own for my worship; but now he saith in the 3 verse, He that killeth an ox, is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol; yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their Abominations. From whence we may gather this instruction; that when once the Lord hath forsaken his own ordinances, and that the glory is departed from that administration, that the same worship is most abominable before God; and that peoples own ways are as wicked in killing an ox, thereby to sacrifice unto God, if he have left that worship, as to kill a man is most wicked before God and man; as is clear from the plain letter of the text. And for confirmation of this exposition, because it may seem odious to some men, not well weighing the meaning of the holy Ghost in this place, pray turn to the Acts of the Apostles the 7. 48. 49. where the martyr Saint Stophen allegeth the same prophecy of Isaiah against the Jews, which laboured to maintain their worship and Temple when the glory of God was departed from it.  
But I suppose it will be objected; that we acknowledge that concerning the Temple and worship of the Jews, the glory is departed from that administration; and it is most wicked for his people to practise it; but what makes that to us, that are under the administration of Gospel order?  
To which I answer, that I do conceive this was a type of that desolate condition which should befall the Christians under Gospel administrations; And I believe it will be acknowledged, that the glory is departed from the outward administration; for very experience teacheth us, that the sun is darkened in respect of that glory it did shine in in the first Gospel times; and the ordinances changed and corrupted from their first purity.  
I shall now secondly prove the people of the Lord ought to wait by watching & prayer without the ordinances in their purity, after the glory is departed from them, by our Saviour's dehortation of his people from the use of them in their purity, from his own words, Matthew 24, 25. 26. where he saith, Behold I have told you before; wherefore if they shall say unto you, behold he is in the desert, go not forth; behold, he is is in the secret chambers, believe it not: where pray mark for our instruction, what he saith, behold I have told you before; as much as if he should have said, take notice of my words, for I have admonished you before hand, that there should be a time wherein you should be persuaded to go out of your desert condition in some order, which shall seem to be the ways of God; but he saith, if they shall say unto you, he is in the desert, go not forth; which thews that they were in some desert condition at the same time, which as I conceive, was among the men of the world, or in captivity among the Antichristian State; but saith he, go not forth. I shall show my thoughts, what I take this desert to be, which I think to be that condition of men which go under the profession of Ramers, or as some call them, Notionists, which walk without order; or such as profess they enjoy God, and have the spirit above the common sort of men which walk in order; which I do believe the experience of things in short time will prove this to be a truth, if we consider what hath come to pass already, if we look upon no other thing but that book lately come forth, Entitled A fiery flying Rol; which seems to me, that the Author was not guided by the Spirit of God, neither by the word of God to do any such actions as he is not ashamed to boast of in that book. By secret chambers, I take them to be those single fellowships of men which boast so much of Gospel order, under what title soever they be called; the word in the original (as say the learned in the tongues) signifies an upper Room; which may be a state above others, as they boast themselves; I shall show my proofs and reasons for this exposition. The first is from Luke the 17. 22. where our Saviour saith, The days will come when you shall desire to see one of the days of the son of man, and you shall not see it. Now what can be there meant, but that you being in a desolate condition, and in captivity, shall desire to return unto the freedom of the Gospel, to walk in the ordinances thereof, but you shall not?  
Secondly, my second ground for this exposition is from the glory being departed from the outward administrations. For after once the abomination is fully set up, the Church becomes desolate, and is left like a wilderness, Isaiah the 27. 10. There shall the Calf feed, and lie down, and consume the branches thereof; compared with Rev. the 12. 6. 14. as much as if the prophet should have said; there is a time when the holy city shall be left without defence, and shall be the habitation of calfish and beastly men, which shall consume the people thereof.  
I shall now proceed to my third Reason, taken from Matthew the 24. 24. where it is said, For there shall arise false Christ's, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, as if it were possible, they should deceive the very Elect; and from Revelation the 13. 11, 13. where speaking of the second Beast, he saith that he had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like the Dragon; and also he doth great wonders, so that he maketh fire to come down from heaven in the fight of men; where pray note, here is something that is like to the ways of Christ, for he saith, that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect; and here is fire made to come down from heaven in the sight of men; now what is this fire, but the Spirit of God, as is pretended, which those that have as they say, attained to the highest perfection, do so much enjoy as that they boast of perfection in this life?  
A fourth reason is taken from the text itself, where it is said, Behold he is in the secret chambers, believe it not; which chambers, as say the learned in the tongues, in the original, signifies an upper room, or state above others; now I appeal to any man whether these men, especially those that do profess to come nearest to the ways of Jesus Christ, do not boast to be above others in the ways of the Lord Jesus: and this is the professinn of all men that reform in those ways, for every profession to esteem his own way above others.  
A fifth ground or reason for my exposition of this text to be this, is taken from Matthew the 24. 27. where the coming of the Lrod Jesus is compared to lightning, now what form hath lightning, but only glory? now what glory do we see in any one of these professions above others? only as one man exceeds another in gifts of nature, education, or learning, so they excel one the other; but not as I am able to comprehend, in any other outward glory. Besides, mark, in the first times there was abundance of outward glory, the Spirit sat upon the Apostles like to fire, and they were filled with the holy Ghost, and did work miracles; but this second appearing of the Lord Jesus, will have much more glory; as was seen by Peter James and John in the 17. chapter of Matthew; but among these professions I do see no glory, to be compared with these first times: And therefore I do conceive, this is not the appearance of Jesus Christ: And thus much to these texts.  
Thirdly, I shall come now to prove that the posture the people of the Lord must wait in in this sleepy condition is watching and prayer, without the benefit of ordinances in their purity, until the Lord appear, from the Lords threatening to overturn his own dispensations; which is clear from Ezekiel the 21. 27. where it is said, I will overturn, overturn, overturn, and it shall be no more until he come whose right it is, and I will give it him: now what can be more clearly spoken then here it is; that the Lord will for the sins of his people, destroy all his outward dispensations? and it is with a threefold overturn; which I expound thus; first the Lord will overturn his first Temple built by Solomon; secondly, the Lord will overturn his second Temple built by zorobabel; and thirdly the Lord will overturn that outward worship which was first set up in Gospel order; and all this for the sins of his people: and all this experience teacheth, if there were no other proof for it in Scripture; and saith the text, it shall be no more until he come whose right it is, and I will give it him: from whence I conclude, that the Lord will overturn his own worships for the sins of his people, then much more these worships which are set up by men, without any Scripture Rule; which I can as yet see produced for their practice. And it shall be no more; from whence I infer, that there is a time wherein there will be no outward worships and dispensations of God in their purity, but his people must lie in bondage and captivity, and to wait by watching and prayer until he come whose right it is, and then the Lord will give it him; and this is fulfilled unto the Jews without contradiction; for they are dispersed among the nations: and touching the believing gentiles, I hope I have sufficiently proved it already in my answers unto all the objections I have yet met withal, and shall go on further to clear it.  
But it may be objected, that this is not meant the Lords overturning his own dispensations, but such as are set up by men without any warrant from his word.  
To which I answer, and desire all men to consider the text itself, where it is said, And thou profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end; thus saith the Lord God, remove the diadem, and take off the crown, this shall not be the same: where I appeal to any man's conscience, if any thing can be here meant, but the taking away both of kingdom and priesthood: Beside, the very experience of the doing of it will evince this to be a truth. Secondly, the Lord having by Zorobabel builded a second temple, which for the sins of his people is destroyed, and his people captivated. And for the third, which is that mystical temple, I mean those outward dispensations wherein the people of Jesus Christ did walk in Gospel order in the first times, hath not antichrist defiled them, and set up that abomination which hath made all the outward worship desolate, and so the glory is departed from it, as experience teacheth also? so that now it remains, the third overturn being past, that it shall be no more until he come, whose right it is, and then the Lord will give it him: in the mean time let his people be but diligent in those two duties of watching and prayer, and then I suppose we need not so much press for outward discipline, as to make it so essential as that the people of the Lord cannot be delivered out of Babylon without it.  
Fourthly, I shall now come to prove the posture the people of the Lord are to wait in, is watching and prayer, without the benefit of ordinances in their purity, from the Lords being weary (as it were, speaking after the manner of men, with reverence be it spoken) of setting up any more shepherds over them, in any outward order or dispensation; which I shall prove from Zechariah the 11. 9 where it is said, I will not feed you, that that dieth let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest cat every one the flesh of another. Where note in the 4. verse, the Lord Jesus takes upon him to feed the flock, whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty; now saith he in the sixth verse, I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land; as much as if he should say, I will no more take care over you by shepherds, but lo I will deliver the men, every one into his neighbour's hand, and into the hands of his king, and they shall smire the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them, and this I suppose is spoken touching the destruction of the Jews and their worship. Now mark what he saith in the 7. verse, And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock: And I took unto me two staves, the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; by Beauty and Bands, I understand the ordinances of the Gospel, which were Beautiful and binding then saith he in the 8. verse, Three shepherds also I cut off in one mouth, and my soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me; as much as if he should say, those shepherds which I set up in Gospel order did in time forget their charge, and neglect their duty, and I cut them off; now he comes to say in the 9 verse, Then said I, I will not feed you; that that dieth let it die, and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest cat every one the flesh of his neighbour; the residue of the chapter shows the breaking of the two staves, and a prophecy of raising up a shepherd in the land which should not visit the flock; which I take to be that man of sin, spoken of in the 2 Thessalonians 2. 4. where pray note, for the sins of the people of God, he leaves them void of shepherds that shall take care of them, and suffers a shepherd to rule over them, which should destroy them: and of evil shepherds you may read fully in Jerem. the 23. and Ezek. the 34.  
I shall in the fifth place come to prove the people of God's posture to be watching and prayer, without the benefit of ordinances in their purity during the dead condition, from the Churches own confession walking in outward order; which I prove from Isaiah 26. 19 where it is said, we have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind, we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth, neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen; as much as if the Church should have said, we have strived to deliver ourselves out of our captivity by walking in that order which we have set up, but we have brought forth nothing but wind, neither have we wrought any deliverance in the earth, neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen; we have desired to destroy Babylon, and to deliver ourselves, but it comes to nothing and to no effect. And then in the next verse, The Lord Jesus, as I conceive, answereth her, saying, Thy dead men shall live together, with my dead body shall they arise; Awake, and sing, ye that dwell in the dust; as much, as if he should have said, although that you now seem dead, and lie in the dust, in respect of outward order, according to the first Gospel times; yet when my dead body, that is, the Church shall arise, why then awake and sing. Now if any should ask any of our professors if they did not travel to bring forth our Lord Jesus, and to destroy antichrist by their walking in those professions, doubtless they would answer, yea; for it is the principle of every profession.  
Sixthly, I shall prove the people of God's posture to be watching and prayer, during the dead condition, from the condition the people of God shall be in when he appears and destroys all their enemies and restores them, they being like a wilderness, and all false ways in a flourishing condition; this is proved from Isaiah 29 19 where it is said, Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be counted as a forest? compared with Revelation the 12. 14. and Isaiah the 32. 15. where it is said, Until the spirit be poured out upon us from above, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted as a forest; now what can be more clearly spoken then this, touching this thing? for it is the principle of every profession at this day; for they say, that the ways we now practise, are the ways by which the Lord Jesus will more and more draw out his people into Gospel order, until he have fully brought them out of Babel, and prepared them to meet him in Zion; and this is the saying and tenant of every profession; whereas, contrariwise he saith by his Prophet, that at the time when the spirit is poured out from on high, his people shall be like a wilderness, and the false worships be counted as a fruitful field; and then is that great change wrought.  
But it may be objected, that before we took upon us the profession of the Gospel, we were like a wilderness; but since we came into Gospel order, we have been like a fruitful field, and this change is now a working.  
To which I answer, that this change shall not be wrought until the Lord destroys Babylon or the antichristian state, and this is clear by Isaiah the 35. and the first, and so forth; for in the foregoing chapter, being the 34. the Lord sets before us the destruction of all nations, but especially of Idumea, which I conceive in the mystery to be antichrist or false brethren, as Edom was to Israel; and in the 14. verse he comes to say, as it were, that now the people of God are delivered out of her, The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the islands, and the satire shall cry to his fellow; which compared with Revelations the 18. 2. doth fully agree: now mark what follows in the 35. chapter, where it is said, The wilderness and the solitary place shall he glad for them, that is, for their destruction, and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as a rose; So that I conclude from this text, if there were no more, that before the Lord destroys antichrist with the spirit of his mouth, and the brightness of his coming, the people of the Lord Jesus shall be, in respect of outward order and discipline, like a wilderness; and desert, and Babylon; and all false ways shall be in a flourishing condition like a fruitful field. And thus much to this proof.  
[While my cogitations were exercised about this Treatise, there came to my hand a little book written by Thomas Vane Doctor of Divinity, and sometime Chaplain to the late King of England, entitled, A lost sheep returned home; or the Motives of the Conversion to the Catholich Faith of Thomas Vane, penned in Paris in the year 1648. Which book having read and diligently considered, I found that he did propound to consideration several marks of the true Church; where in the 17 and 18 chapters he makes conversion of Kingdoms and Monarches, and sanctity of doctrine and life to be marks of the true Church, and applies it to the Church of Rome: which having diligently considered, I was at a pause; but weighing well what this sanctity of doctrine and life was, I found it was chief in instructing her children, in not only confessing themselves to God, but also confessing to the priests; not only sorrow for sin, but also doing penance for the same, and such as the Church enjoineth, obliging to set times of fasting and prayer, and magnifying the merit of good works, commending the sublime acts of voluntary poverty, chastity and obedience, and the exercising of other great acts of austerity for to subdue sin in the slayeth, and to profess our love to Christ in these things: which having diligently considered, me thought he had almost forgot the true duties of christian Religion, mentioned in those two places, Isai. 58. 6, 7. and James 1. 27. where the Prophet saith thus, Is not this the fast that I have chosen, to lose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that is cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hid not thyself from thine own flesh? Where note, one of the duties of Christianity is to do good to our own flesh; which cannot well be done by afflicting our bodies by unnecessary fastings and great austerity. And the Apostle St. James saith, Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted of the world. Which having further considered, I began more fully to understand the sense of those three places of that most Evangelicall Prophet Isaiah, in his 29th chapter and 17th verse, where it is said, Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a Forest? and that text in the 32. chapter, and 15 verse, where it is said, Until the Spirit be poured out upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted as a Forest: and that text in his 35. chapter and 7 verse, where it is said, And the parched ground shall become a pool; and the thirsty land springs of water; in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass, with reeds and rushes; In all which places, the Prophet testifieth, that in that great change, when the Lord restores his people by pouring out his Spirit from on high, there shall be a fruitful field which will then be counted as a Forest; which according to this doctrine, I suppose, cannot well be applied to any but to the Church of Rome, it so flourishing by converting of nations, and by the sanctity of doctrine and life of the chief professors thereof; and this I am induced to believe from those two places, Matthew the 23. and 15. where it is said, Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites, for you compass sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he is made, ye make him two fold more the child of hell than yourselves; And that of the Apostle to the Romans, chapter 10. 2. where he saith, speaking of the Jews, For I bear them record, that they have zeal of God, but not according to knowledge; from whence I infer, that in a corrupt Church, there may be a zeal of God, though not according to knowledge, which may reach to the converting of nations, and to abundance of zeal in works of the flesh, such as man is able to devise of himself; and also in that great change there will be a people that in the esteem of the world, and in these actions which are set forth as marks of the true Church in this book, and place thereof, that before men will be counted a fruitful field; which shall then prove the Forest; so much doth the Lord reject men's performances devised by themselves. But I am not ignorant that it may be readily objected, that those places of the prophet Isaiah have reference unto the Jews, which esteemed themselves as a fruitful field, and counted the gentiles as a Forest; and by our Saviour's and his Apostles preaching were converted, and became the fruitful field, and the Jews became the forest.  
For answer unto which; I do acknowledge that the prophet Isaiah hath prophecies touching the same thing; but those three places speak of that great change at the Lords bright appearing to restore all things; which I shall prove from the texts themselves: where note in the 29. chap. and 20. verse he saith, for the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off: which is not yet performed; for there are many that yet watch for iniquity, and many scorners not cut off. And then in the 22 verse it is said, Therefore thus saith the Lord who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob; Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face wax pale: which shows clearly that this change was to be wrought when the Lord restored the house of Jacob; and I believe no man will say, that Jacob is yet restored: And in the 32. chapter and 13. verse, it is said, speaking of that desolate condition of the Jews, and I conceive mystically also of the believing Gentiles, Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea upon all the houses of joy; in the joyous city: and in next verse he shows the reason; because the palaces shall be forsaken, the multitude of the city shall be left, the forts and towers, (which I conceive are mystically Churches) shall be dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks; But after the Spirit is poured out in the 18. verse he saith, And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places; which cannot yet be applied unto the Jews, nor yet to the believing Gentiles. And touching that text in the 35. chapter pray take notice, that the prophet having in the 34. chapter spoken of the destruction of the nations, but especially of Idumea, or mystical false brethren, comes in the 35. chapter to say, The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them (that is for their destruction) and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as a rose: and then in the second verse it is said, The glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it; that is, to the wildernesst; and I am sure this is not yet performed, neither to the nations, nor yet to the Church, which in this chapter is compared to a wilderness and parched ground; therefore I conclude, these texts are no way appliable to the Jews and Gentiles at the Lords first appearing. And thus much by way of digression: now again to my former matter:]  
Seventhly, I shall prove that the people of the Lord Jesus must wait for their Master by watching and prayer in this sleepy and dead condition, without the purity of ordinances, by that deaf, lame and blind condition that they shall be found in when the Lord destroys Babylon, and delivers them; and this I shall prove from Isa. the 29. 18. and 35. 5, 6. in which places it is said, Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped; then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing, (and why? what is the cause of this great change?) he saith, for in the wilderness shall streams break forth, and waters in the desert; and all this to follow the destruction of the nations, and false brethren, as in the foregoing chapter. Now if it be thus, that when the Lord delivers his people by destroying their Enemies, they shall be blind, lame and deaf, and like a wilderness, which I think no man will be so impudent as to affirm, that the people of the Lord Jesus shall be blind, lame and deas, and like a wilderness in respect of the graces of the spirit, as faith, hope, love, self-denial and meekness, but in respect of outward order and discipline; how comes it to pass that we have so many men that boast of the spirit, that they be come to Zion, and enjoy God perfectly, and are not sensible of any sin? and how comes it to pass that we have so much boasting of the purity of ordinances, and of Apostles and Prophets, as it was in the first Gospel times? I profess that if any have such gifts, as they profess that they do enjoy; and have such abundance of the spirit, as that they are perfect, as is boasted of, really and indeed, I do acknowledge I come short of them, for I feel no such thing in myself; in the mean time, God assisting me, I shall not envy their happiness: but nevertheless, I advise them that they look diligently about them, and be sure on their hand, that they be so indeed, lest they prove to be such as our Saviour forewarneth us of, Matthew the 24. 24. where he saith, For there shall arise false Christ's, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, that if it were possible, they should deceive the very Elect. And I suppose it is contrary to those Scriptures I have alleged, and many more.  
Eightly, I shall prove that the people of the Lord Jesus must wait by watching and prayer out of Gospel order in its purity during their captivity, for their deliverer, by the Lords own speech; where he wondereth that there was no intercessor, and saith he, I looked, and there was none to help, Isaiah the 59 16. and 63. 5. thereby showing the scarcity of such as should intercede for their deliverance, and how few there should be of such as should lay to heart the judgements of God: now if it be so that the Lord, when he comes, puts a question whether he shall find faith on the earth, Luke 18. 8. and that there will be none of the great ones, which are as shepherds upon the earth, to be an intercessor for his people's deliverance, and that he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey, Isaiah 59 15. Then how comes it to pass that we do vaunt of such Revelations, and of such perfection, and of such Church order, as is pretended? Which if the principles of those men be true, which say, that the order which we practise is the way by which the Lord will draw by degrees his people out of Babel into bodies, or single fellowships, to meet the Lord in Zion; which if so, there will be abundance of intercessors, and many to help forward the work, which the Lord professeth in those two places he is left to do alone; namely, to deliver his people.  
Ninthly, I shall prove the people of the Lord Jesus must wait by watching and prayer without the benefit of ordinances in their purity during the sleepy and dead condition, by the Lords promising to bring the blind by a way that they knew not: and I will lead them in paths that they have not known, Isaiah the 42. 16. now the ways that are now practised are not ways which have not been known, but they are such ways as the people of the Lord did walk in in the first Gospel times, or at the least, an imitation of them, and these may be in a sense called old ways; but the ways which the Lord will deliver his people by at that great restoring, will be new ways, and such as have not been known; therefore according to this text, these are not the ways the Lord will deliver his people by.  
Tenthly, I shall prove by way of probability, that it is the will of the Lord Jesus that his people must wait by watching and prayer for their Lords appearing, during this dead condition, without the benefit of ordinances in their purity; from that evil success and those sad effects which have befallen the people of God in all their reformations since the rise of Antichrist. I shall begin with the evil success.  
As first, where is that Reformation begun in Bohemiah in that Kingdom? is it not come to nothing; or at the least wise grown to a customary performance; and much short of that perfection which we now talk of, and strive so diligently to obtain?  
Secondly, what is become of the reformation begun by Waldus of Lions; of whom came the Waldenses and Albigenses, which spread abroad in the country of France, Tholouse, Piedmont, and other places of Germany? is it not come to the bare name of Protestants? and though they are something refined from Rome, yet do they fall short of that true reformation which we do see apparently to be necessary, if we could attain unto it.  
Thirdly, if we look upon that reformation begun by Martin Luther, which was the most excellent of all other; being, as I conceive, that wound which was given unto the beast, Revel. the 13. that did arise out of the sea, which nevertheless did live; of which reformation we in this nation have had proof that it was grown to nothing a most, but formality; and we are returning back with haste to Rome again, as is witnessed by many godly men observing it, and complaining of it in our days.  
Fourthly, I appeal to any man's experience, what is become of that reformation which was pretended for in the beginning of our troubles, how zealous were our Ministers, for a Reformation, in stirring up the Parliament and people for a Reformation, by displacing our popish and Episcopal Ministers? which being in part performed, and those Ministers got up in their places, how soon did the generality of them grow cold and negligent in their duty? how busy have they been to look after their profits and preferments, and what hunting of men for tithes and other duties? and what complaints put to the Committees against such men as would not answer their demands in things pertaining unto this life; I leave it to the magistrate, and to any godly man to judge.  
Fifthly, Notwithstanding that I honour and love the image of God in men of every profession, yet should the State take part with any one of our several professions, and set it up as a State Religion; I much doubt lest in compass of an age or two, it would decline, and grow into formality, as hath been seen by the foregoing Reformations. I writ not this to undervalue men's persons or religion that they profess, but lamenting the miseries we lie under, and grieving to see the little trust that is in man; and how few there be that having attained to that they desire, stand steady in their profession without wavering; I mean not in their profession of outward discipline belonging to outward order; but that Essence and life of Religion, I mean faith and a good conscience.  
Secondly, I shall prove it by the sad effects which have followed upon all our Reformations: as,  
1. What miseries did befall that Reformation begun in Bohemia; what cruel wars and bloodshed did follow upon it in that nation, and the Germans in opposing them, is best known unto those that are acquainted with their history; Insomuch as their captain Scisca doth boast unto his soldiers, that he had led them to eleven battles, and in every of them he went away victor; and yet after his death those Bohemians were overcome, not without much bloodshed on either side.  
2. What miseries did befall the people of the Waldoys or Waldenses in the valleys of Angrogne, Luscerne St. Martin, peruse, and others in the country of Pledmont? what wars and bloodshed there happened, what extremity the poor people were put unto by the Lord of Trinity his Army, may be seen in Acts and Monuments the 2 volume page 202.  
3. What misery hath befallen in the realm of France, touching dissension about Religion between the Papists and Protestants, containing some Kings reigns: what blood was shed in those battles and wars between the two parties, may be seen in the Sovereign power of Paliaments and kingdoms, the 3d part, written by Mr. William Prin, page the 34, and so forth.  
4. What wars and bloodshed followed in Germany of late years about Munster, between the common people and the nobility, about matters touching religion, is best known unto those that have read the history.  
last; What wars and miseries have followed in this nation within this few years, experience hath taught us, the principle quarrel being about religion: and although I do not dispute the lawfulness of the Parliaments just war in respect of civil rights, having myself taken part with the Parliament, and by their Authority born arms to defend my civil rights; yet touching religion, when I consider the Lord Jesus being king of peace, me thinks there should no arms be taken up to defend religion: and although I do acknowledge, that it is our Saviour's words, that he came not to send peace on the earth, but the sword; that is, after the preaching of the Gospel, there would follow wars and combustions among the nations; yet I do not find, that he left any example by any of his messengers, that private subjects should defend their religion by the sword: neither do I question but that lawful Authority may defend their religion by arms; but this I find, that in most of our Reformations, England only excepted, where the change hath been made by the Prince or State, that at one time or other the subjects have taken arms to defend their religion against Authority. These things being considered diligently, I leave it to the judicious reader to judge, whether that of the Prophet Isaiah may not be applied unto all our Reformations, I mean in outward discipline and order, in his 50. chapter, verse 11. Behold all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks; walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled; this shall ye have of my hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow; and I shall leave it also to the people of God themselves to consider, if the reformers in those several ages may not justly take up that complaint of the Church in that 26. of the Prophet Isaiah, verse the 18. We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind, we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the earth fallen: which experience doth fully teach in all those Reformations, for the inhabitants of the world are not yet fallen, which all the foregoing premises diligently considered, makes me undoubtedly be persuaded that the Lord will not deliver his people by themselves, in any of those ways which are now practised, but will deliver his people by himself, in some extraordinary manner, at his next appearing, which will be like lightning.  
Now the sum of all that hath been said, gathered up together, is this, that during the sleep of the people of God, the enemies came and sowed tares among the wheat, the servants neglecting their duty of being watchful; these tares are grown too many for the good seed, and have got possession in the Church, and have captivated the people of God, and have brought them into bondage, under which they must lie until the great deliverer come to deliver them.  
But me thinks I hear a question put, which hath already been put to me, that is, What profession is this man of, for he seems to be contrary to all men? this seems to us to be strange doctrine, that the people of God must lie in bondage under the antichristian state, and may not deliver themselves by Gospel order; what profession is this man of?  
To which I answer, that I am a man which desires, so far as my infirmity will give me leave, and the Lord enable me against it, to keep faith and a good Conscience, and by watching and prayer to wait for my Masters coming: and if for my admonition I gain nothing from the men of every profession but evil will, and it may be reproaches, which have happened already, I pass not, if I be judged; leaving the matter to God. However I have not hid my talon in a napkin, but have declared that light I have received, wherein I have not presumed to a prophet's office, that is, to declare hidden things; but what is, I conceive, revealed in the word, (though mystically) and I do not remember that ever I heard or read of any that treated of this matter, which did encourage me in the work. And if, as I say, I gain evil will for it, it is no more than what the prophet Jeremiah met with, which he complains of in chapter 15, 10. where he saith, Woe is me, my Mother, that thou hast born me a man of strife, and a man of contention to the whole Earth; I have not lent on usury, neither have men lent to me on usury, yet every one of them doth curse me; which shows that he had done nothing in the world worthy of blame, but had behaved himself honestly among all men; yet nevertheless, because he taught them to submit themselves, where God had subjected them; therefore he complains that every one doth curse him: which if it be my lot, I have done my duty, and shall leave the issue to God.  
But it may be objected; if we may not look to have the ordinances restored again in their purity, because the glory is departed from them; why, what is then to be done?  
To which I answer; that I have propounded my light that I have received, desiring no man to follow it further than he seethe it to be truth; in the mean time I leave every man to walk in humility according to the dictates of his own conscience; and where his conscience leads him, let him practise; but let him beware he do not say, See here is Christ, and see there is Christ; for the next appearing will be a glory so excellent, as it will bury all earthly administrations; and let him also remember, that it is not Circumcision nor uncircumcision that availeth any thing; but a new Creature. And for as much as I as yet can find no Rule in Scripture concerning outward administrations for the people of God to walk in after the abomination is set up, which makes the ordinances desolate of the Spirit of God, and drives the glory of God from all outward administrations, as experience teacheth us; therefore my admonition will be this; That let every man strive earnestly by watching and prayer, giving the Lord no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth: and if we in outward carriage towards men do watch over our own corruptions, and order our lives and conversations aright, and in our worship towards God, use prayer and praises from a pure heart, which is the only sacrifice he accepts, we have his promise, which cannot lie, that unto such he will show the salvation of God, Psalm the 50. 23. And so much for this sleepy and dead condition of the people of the Lord Jesus Christ.  
It hath been a question put by some to me, how I proved the four beasts which did give glory to God, upon which I grounded my book, called, Some Discoveries of the mysteries of the last times, to be four dispensations of the people of God, under which they lie in several shapes or conditions; which, to satisfy all men that doubt of the truth of that exposition, I desire such men to look Revelation the 5. 8, 9, 10, verses; where it is said, And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and the four and twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb, having harps, and golden viols full of odours, which are she prayers of the Saints; and they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God Kings, and Priests, and we shall reign on the Earth; which proof through a mistake was left out, which now I have inserted to satisfy all men which doubt the truth of it.   

I shall now in the fourth place, speak of the fourth particular in order; That the Lord Jesus will appear most gloriously to deliver his people by himself; And this all the prophets bear witness unto.  
As first, the prophet David in the 50. Psalms and 2. verse, where speaking of the Lords glorious appearing, saith, Out of Zion the perfection of beauty hath God shined. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him: The like in Psalm 45. 3. he saith, Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, o thou most mighty, withthy glory and majesty, and in thy majesty ride on prosperously. The like he saith in Psalm 72. speaking of the peace and righteousness which should flourish in Christ's kingdom in the type of Solomon, the 9 verse, And blessed be his glorious name for ever and ever, and let the whole Earth be filled with his glory, amen, amen. So in the 97. Psalm the prophet saith, (speaking of the glory and majesty of Christ's Kingdom) The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice, let the multitude of the 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 all his enemies, his lightnings lightened the world: the earth saw and trembled. The like Isaiah, speaking of the glory of Christ's kingdom, in chapter 4. 2. and 22. 22, 23. and 63. 1, 2, 3. in all which places of the same prophet, mention is made of abundance of glory, at the Lords appearing to deliver his people. So likewise Ezekiel chapter 43. 2. and Daniel chapter 7 14. Hosea 6. 3. Micah 4. 1, 2, 3. Nahum the first and 3. Habakuk 3. 2, 3. in all which places there is mention made, that when the Lord appears and restores his people, there will be abundance of glory.  
Secondly, I shall proceed to speak of that glory that is set forth in the new Testament, as Matthew 17. 1. Mark 9 2. Luke 17. 24. Matthew 24. 27. 2 Thessalonians 2. 8. Rev. 14. 15. and 14. 1. and 18. 1. and 19 11, 12, 13. In all which places there is mention made of that glorious appearing of the Lord Jesus, when he comes to deliver his people.  
Now it being so, that the next appearing of the Lord Jesus will be with abundance of glory, according to his own speech unto his disciples, Matthew the 16. 28. which was performed unto Peter, James and John, in Matthew 17. 2. and according as those texts before mentioned do abundantly prove, It will be therefore necessary to see and consider, whether there be any glory at present any way answerable to these texts of Scripture above quoted; or any way coming near unto it, among the several professions of this age; as for those single congregations which go under the name of Independent, or Baptist, or any other which profess to walk in the way of the Gospel, no nor yet the Seekers, they ascribe unto themselves not such thing. But for those men which go under the vulgar name of Ranters, they do ascribe unto themselves a great perfection; namely, that they are come to Zion, and enjoy God perfectly, and that God is all in all unto them, and that the Son in them hath delivered up the kingdom unto God the Father, as may be seen in their books; therefore let us examine what sign of glory is so excellent amongst them; As first to begin with their persons; as they are men, I am not able to discern as yet, but that they are men subject to the like passions as other men, and therefore in that respect no such glory; as for those miseries which are incident unto man's life, as hunger, thirst, cold, heat, sickness, and diseases which are common to men, they have their part, as other men, for aught I can yet see; and therefore no such glory: As for those gifts and graces of the spirit, as faith, hope, love, self-denial, meekness, temperance, patience I see no greater measure in them then in other Christians; and therefore no such glory: As for perfection and a life free from sin, and uncleanness, I see no such excellency in them more than in other sorts of Christians, as it were boasting that they can do such and such things, which are in themselves wicked, and yet unto them without sin; therefore in that respect no such glory: As for any spirit of infallibility in them, speaking as the oracles of God, more in them, then in other Christians, I see no difference; nay what prophesies of theirs are come to pass? therefore no such glory in the least degree. Therefore I conceive I may conclude with this argument against them, that the first appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ both in himself and in his Apostles was glorious, witness the spirit descending like a dove upon him, and also upon his Apostles there did appeal unto them cloven tongues, like unto fire, and sat upon them, and they were filled with the holy Ghost, Acts 2. 3, 4. But the second appearance of Jesus Christ will be with much more glory, as may be seen Matthew 17. 2. But that perfection and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in those men as they pretend, comes short of the glory of the first times, as experience witnesseth; therefore I conceive, I may safely conclude this is no appearance of that second glory which shall be revealed, which the Lord hasten in his due time.   

I shall now in the fifth place speak of the suddenness of the Lord his appearance, therefore pray mind the Prophet Isaiah in his 66. 7, 8. where speaking of that marvellous change, which shall be wrought in the world at that great restoring of all things; saith, before she (that is, the Church) traveled, she brought forth; before her pain came she was delivered of a man child; and then he calls upon all to take notice of this strange work, saying, who hath heard such a thing, who hath seen such a thing? shall the earth be made to bring forth in a day, or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion traveled, she brought forth her children: showing the suddenness of that marvellous work which the Lord will perform, when he delivers his people out of their captivity, wherein they have lain captivated among the nations for so many ages. So the Evangelist Matthew speaking of the suddenness of the Lords appearing in chap. 24. 27. saith, For as the lightning cometh out of the East, and shineth unto the west, so shall the coming of the son of man be; now what can be more sudden than lightning? for mark the effects of lightning, it is a glory so sudden and so quick, as a man cannot compare any thing to be so sudden; for it spreads in a moment so speedily, as a man's thought cannot be more sudden or speedy: so in the same chapter the 44. verse, he saith, therefore be ye also ready, for in such an hour as you think not, the son of man cometh; The like Mark 13. 35. speaking of the sudden approach of the Lord Jesus, he exhorteth them; watch ye therefore, for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh; at even, or at midnight, or at the cock crowing, or in the morning, lest coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. So Luke the 12. 39 where exhorting them how they should carry themselves in regard of the Lords sudden appearing, he saith, And this know; that if the good man of the house had known at what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to have been broken up; be you therefore ready also, for the son of man cometh in an hour when ye think not on. The like warning gives the Apostle Paul, the first Thessalonians 5. 2. in his exhortation unto them he saith, For ye yourselves know perfectly, that the day of the Lord cometh as a thief in the night; for when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction as travel upon a woman: so likewise the same Apostle Paul in the first of the Corinthians 15. 52. where speaking of that great change which should be wrought upon those that are alive at the Lords appearing, saith, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. In all which places, it is clear from the word of God without contradiction, that the Lords appearing will be sudden and unexpected.   

I shall now in the sixth place speak of the several enemies the people of the Lord Jesus have had in these several dispensations;  
As first, no sooner did the Lord Jesus appear to go about to exercise his ministry, and to gather disciples, and to make himself known to the world, but the devil, under the notion of the Dragon, by his head, which I conceive were the Emperors; and by his tail, which were false Ministers, with the Scribes and Pharisees, did go about to persecute him, until he had by his instruments wrought his death, and so he was caught up to heaven, Revel. the 12. and 5. So likewise, after our Saviour's Ascension into heaven, and the promise of the holy Ghost being come upon the Apostles, and the Church being clothed with the sun or spirit, and having a crown of twelve stars, that is, the Apostles beginning to exercise their Commission in distributing the Ordinances, and in gathering of Churches, immediately the Dragon transforms himself into an Angel of light, and creeps in amongst them, and doth trouble and afflict them in their Ministry; and this all the Apostles complain of in their several Epistles: And these false Apostles which were crept into the Church, I conceive to be the tail of the Dragon, by which he did draw the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them unto the earth.  
Secondly, the Dragon not being content in persecuting the Church by false Ministers which were his tail, but he likewise falls to persecute them by his head, which is the Emperor, and the Magistrate of the Empire, which lasted three hundred years, all the time of the Ten persecutions, and by troubles and afflictions he doth waste and spoil the Church of Jesus Christ; which time I conceive to be that battle which was in heaven, wherein Michael fought and his Angels, and the Dragon and his Angels; in which battle the Dragon is clearly cast out of heaven: For whereas before, when there was but little persecution in respect of the heat which was during the later persecutions, the Dragon had still some false Ministers among the saints, under the vizard of true Christians; now in the heat of this persecution, they all not being sincere, did not abide the trial; but like as chaff in a fresh wind is divided from the good seed, so in the violence of persecution the good seed continued immovable, but the chaff was scattered, and so the Dragon was cast unto the earth, and his Angels were cast out with him. And yet notwitstanding all this, the Church increaseth, and goeth on conquering in despite of the dragon; for it is said, Revel. 12. 21. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto death: Which shows plainly, that notwithstanding the Dragon did what he could by his head and tail, yet nevertheless the people of Jesus Christ did still prevail, to the overthrow of the Dragon and his Angels, by the help of Michael, which is Jesus Christ, and did cast him and his Angels out of heaven unto the earth. And for the exposition of the Dragon's head to be such as are in Authority, and for his tail to be false Ministers, it is the exposition of the holy Ghost by Isaiah, in the 9th chapter and 15th verse, The ancient and honourable he is the head, and the Prophet that teacheth lies he is the tail: And thus the Dragon did afflict the people of the Lord Jesus in the first dispensation, which lasted, according to the account of Mr Fox in his Acts and Monuments of the Church of England, to the year from the Nativity of Christ 324, in the first Volume, pag. 520.  
Now the Dragon having received this repulse, being cast unto the earth, he now tries another course: for whereas he failed by his subtlety in thrusting in false Apostles amongst the Churches, and also failing by his open violence of persecution; he now out of that afflicted estate of the Church wherein persecution followed upon persecution, like the waves of the sea; I say, out of this sea of persecution and troubles of the Church, raises a beast: for no sooner did the Roman Empire become Christian under Constantine, but immediately the Church falls asleep, and loseth her integrity, and by ease and riches, pleasure and profit, she in time becomes of a sufferer a persecuter; and what the devils could not attain one way, he now tryeth another way, and prevails; and whereas Satan acted by the Roman Empire heathen by open violence, and could do no good; now by the Roman Empire becoming Christian he gains his desire; and the Roman Empire or beast Christian in conclusion under the name of Christ, persecutes as much as did the Roman Empire, being heathen. But this being a matter of great consequence, needs much proof, which I shall endeavour to prove, as the Lord shall direct me.  
As for proofs from history of time, I have but little, being a man unlearned, therefore my proof must be from Scripture, therefore pray mind; you have the dragon in the 12. of the Revelation and 3. verse, set forth by those marks, viz. A great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven Crowns upon his heads; which, I conceive, was the several Emperors which were Enemies to the people of God, and did persecute them; signified by the number of seven; and the Crowns were upon these heads, that is, the government rested upon them; he had also ten horns, which signified the several nations which were a strength to the Roman Empire, and were under the subjection of the Roman Monarch; now pray mind, in the beginning of the 13. chapter it is said, And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise out of the sea, having seven heads, and ten horns; and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the names of blasphemy; and the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion, and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great Authority. Now pray mark, that whereas the dragon or Roman Empire heathen had his crowns upon his heads, that is, the government remained among the Emperor's touching the administration of the common wealth, and had the ten horns or ten nations as a strength to the Empire, subject unto them; so the beast which did rise out of the sea, or the Empire Christian, had his crowns upon his horns, that is, upon the nations, which were a strength unto the Empire Christian, and had authority in all civil things, so far as to do the commandments of the Roman bishops; and whereas the heads of the beast had upon them the name of blasphemic; this I take to be the Popes of Rome, being the heads, did arrogate the name of supreme bishop, and did begin to sit in the temple of God, showing himself as if he were God, forgiving sins, and doing what he listed in the Church of God; which, without a sufficient warrant from Scripture rule for him to do so, was no better than blasphemy: this beast also was like unto a leopard, that is, all spotted with sin and uncleanness, as his do in future times makes it appear; his feet as the feet of a bear, scraping together the goods of the nations unto himself, as is witnessed in Acts and Monuments of the Church of England, the first volume in many places; and his mouth as the mouth of a lion, speaking cruel things, and commanding all men by his Excommunications, and cursing them to hell if they did not obey all his commandments; and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority, and this the experience of things testifieth; for the Emperors by degrees did give unto the Pope's great power, insomuch as in time the Popes began to depose Emperors, and set up others in their stead, and left them in time wholly their seat, which was Rome.  
Now I am persuaded to believe that the beast which did arise out the sea, to be the Empire Christian under the Pope, by these ensuing reasons; first, because this beast which did arise out of the sea, is as it were a compound of the three beasts which did arise out of the sea, Daniel the 7. having his body like unto a leopard, imitating the Macedonian Monarch; and his feet as the feet of a bear, like unto the Persian Monarch; and his mouth as the mouth of a lion, speaking with such a commanding voice, as did the Babylonian Monarch; now these put together, will make the fourth beast, which was dreadful and terrible. Now what people or government hath been in the world, that hath had and exercised the like cruelty as hath the Roman Empire Christian, under the Pope, especially upon his own subjects? for when I consider what blood hath been spilt by that Romish beast, upon such as any way differed from him in Religion, being put to death with all the rigour that could be imagined, whereof burning is the highest; and all to uphold that blasphemous title of Head of the Church; and also when I diligently ponder that infinite blood which hath been spilt among Christian Princes, stirred up thereto by the Pope, sometime for the patrimony of the Church, as they call it, fight for the temporal possessions of the Church; sometime raised to destroy Heretics, as he called them, which were protected by their Princes against his fury; sometime by means of schism which happened between the Popes, there being sometimes two, and sometimes three at one time, which amounts to such a sum, as I think cannot be paralelld in the world for infiniteness; no not among the most barbarous nations. And which is to be much more lamented, it being among such men and such people as acknowledge themselves to be subjects to the Lord, Jesus, which is King of peace; which, how well it hath agreed to their profession I leave it to themselves to judge; so that I conceive that the description of the fourth beast, cannot in all likelihood be applied to any other than the Roman Empire heathen; but more especially to the Roman Empire Christian, Daniel 7. 7.  
A second reason moving me to believe that the beasts which did arise out of the sea to be the Empire Christian under the Pope, is from the dragon giving him his power, and his seat, and great authority; for how can we expound the dragon to be any other than the Roman Empire heathen? and did not the Empire, as soon as it turned Christian almost, come into the Pope's hands by degrees, at the least spiritually? So also was not Rome the seat of the Emperor? but it quickly became the feat of the Pope; so likewise how quickly had the Bishop of Rome such Authority as he made Emperors, and again deposed them?  
A third reason I ground from these prophecies, as Isaiah the 13. 10. and 14. 13, 14. Ezekiel 28. 2, 14, 15. with the whole chapter, Daniel 11. 36. 2 Thess. 2. 4. Revelation 13. 5. In all which places there is mention made of one that shall exalt himself above all, yea above God himself, as the most of these prophecies witness. Now if there can be any Monarch found, or any government upon earth that doth exalt himself as the Pope doth, it may be applied to him; but I never read of any that came near unto that blasphemy which the Pope hath applied to himself, and that hath been by his favourites applied unto him, as to be the universal Bishop, to be the head of the Church, not to be subject to error, with divers other the like titles; as you may find in part in the Acts and Monuments of the Church of England; but at large more fully set forth by Bishop Jewel in the Apology of the Church of England, in his answer to Mr. Harding.  
A fourth Reason which induceth me to believe, that the beast that did arise out of the sea to be the Empire Christian under the Pope, is grounded from that glory and outward riches which is to be seen in the Church of Rome, which was prophesied to be enjoyed in these Scriptures; as namely, Isaiah 13. 19 and 14. 4, 11. and 47. 7. Ezekiel. 27. read the whole chapter; Revelations 17. 4. and 18. read the whole chapter: now when I consider the outward poverty and contempt which was upon the Lord Jesus, and his Apostles, and upon the whole Church in the primitive times; and that glory and outward pomp which is and hath been in the Church of Rome, ever since the empire became Christian, I cannot find but that the Church of Rome must be the beast which did arise out of the sea, and is that woman that was decked with gold, and pearls, and precious stones, Revelation the 17. 4.  
A Fifth Reason which moves me to believe the beast that did come out of the sea to be the Empire Christian under the Pope is by those prophecies, Isaiah 47. 7. Zephaniah 2. 15. Revelation 18. 7. In which places is set forth the flourishing condition of the Enemies of God's people, and their boasting of their Rule and Authority, and that it should abide for ever; and this I found to be performed in a book lately come to my hand, called, A lost sheep returned home, written by a new converted Catholic, wherein he glorieth in that flourishing condition of the Church of Rome, and that the gates of hell shall not prevail against her, in the latter end of his twenteth chapter, page the 296.  
A sixth Reason that induceth me to believe the Church of Rome to be the beast that did arise out of the sea, I ground from these Scriptures, Isaiah 14. 20. Rev. 17. 6. and 18. 24. in which places Babylon is reproved for destroying of her land and slaying of her people, and in her was found the blood of the prophets, and of Saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth: which thing considered; where hath there been more blood spilt of the servants of God then in her? being as it were nothing but destruction attending upon them that in anything transgress any of her decrees, and canons and constitutions.  
Seventhly, I am moved to believe the Church of Rome ruled by the Pope, to be that beast which did arise out of the sea, which I prove by these Scriptures, Isaiah 24. 5. Daniel. 7. 25. Ezekiel 34. 18. in which places is mentioned those that should change the Laws, and alter the government of the people of God; as is clear from those places. Now when I consider how much the ordinances of Jesus Christ are changed in that Church from the first constitutions, I cannot see to whom or to what government these Scriptures can be applied better than to the Church of Rome.  
The eighth Reason which persuadeth me to believe that the Church of Rome under the Pope to be that beast which did arise out of the sea, I ground from these Scriptures, Isaiah the 65. 5. and 66. 5. in which places mention is made of a people, that should boast themselves to be the people of God, and should despise others, and count themselves more holy than any other, and should cast out all other which did any way differ from them; and saying in pretence thereof, Let the Lord be glorified. Now to whom may this be more fitly applied then to the Jews in the letter, being once the people of God; and the Church of Rome in the mystery, havinig also the people of God? and under that notion persecute the people of God both with excommunication, in casting them out of their society, and also not suffering of them to have a being among men? and all this under pretence of glorifying God. Now if there can be any society found in the world which doth so fully agree to this thing, as doth the Church of Rome, why then let it be applied unto them; but I conceive there will be none found that come near to that people in those things, therefore I conclude and may safely suppose these Scriptures may be applied unto them in the mystery.  
The ninth Reason which moves me to believe the beast which did arise out of the sea to be the Empire Christian under the Pope, I take from Revelation the 17. 5. where speaking of Babylon, he saith, The mother of harlots, and abominations of the earth. Now when I consider that Jerusalem in the letter, did commit so much spiritual whoredom against her God, Ezekiel the 16, I conceive there is in the mystery some people, which in the Christian Church should commit Idolatry and spiritual whoredom against their God, to answer the type before spoken of; and I know not where to apply it so fitly as unto the Church of Rome, which ascribes unto herself a title to the Church of Jesus Christ, and was once the people of God.  
Tenthly, and lastly, I am persuaded that the Church of Rome is that beast which did arise out of the sea, from that text Revelation the 17. 5. where it is said, And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT; where note, all this is done in a mystery; this is not Babylon in the letter, that is, Babylon in plain terms; but it is Babylon in a mystery, the Church of God, as is pretended, which under the title of Christ's Church, persecutes his members: and yet not so in a mystery, but that he is discovered of some, and would be of more; but that the word of God must be fulfilled, which saith, For this cause God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe a .  
Thus having discoursed of this beast which did arise out of the sea, which is an Enemy unto the people of the Lord Jesus in their slumbering and declining condition, I will, God enabling me, speak some thing of the standing and time of this beast; therefore pray mind; It is said Revelation 11. 2. But the court which is without the temple (meaning as I conceive the ordinances) leave out, and measure it not; (that is, take no care of it) for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot 42. mouths. By Gentiles I understand not gentiles in profession; for so much as it cannot be said that the Gentiles or heathen do tread under foot the holy city; but by Gentiles in this place I understand men that are gentiles in manners; having in effect forsaken the faith of Christ; which I take to be the Church of Rome, having possession of the Church, or holy city of God, and tread under feet the people of God, and dispense with the ordinancts of God at their pleasure, which is the court or outward part of the temple, which is given to them to tread under feet 42. months. And it is said in the 13. chapter and 5. verse, And there was given unto him (speaking of the beast which did arise out of the sea,) a mouth speaking great things, and blasphemy; and power was given unto him to continue 42. months, (which two texts I conceive do mean one and the same thing) which is, counting a day for a year, 1260. years. Now if this time do begin at the ceasing of the persecution by Licinas' Emperor of the East, as I suppose it doth; which was according to Mr. Foxe's Account in the year of the nativity of Christ 324. then the time of the Reign of the beast was complete according to this account 1584. which is since according to the account of the Church of England 66. years; so that all this time of the Reign of this beast from the year 324. at the ceasing of the persecution, until the year 1584. this beast did go on and increase in power, and did persecute the people of the Lord Jesus.  
Now if it be said, That there was a time between the raising of persecution by the Dragon, or Empire Heathen, and the persecution by the beast Christian; which, according to Mr Fox's account was a thousand years.  
To this I answer, First, That this was the slumbering or sleepy condition of the Church: For as soon as the Church began to have case and riches given her, she fell asleep, and declined; which opportunity being offered, the enemy sowed tares amongst the wheat; and as the tares sprung up and brought forth fruit, they shown themselves. In which time of the Churches declining the tares were not discovered, and therefore for that time there could not be in reason any persecution, because of the sleep of the servants; and these tares by reason of the sleep of the servants, grew too many for the good seed, and had gotten possession of the Church of God, and did in time grow so wicked, as they caused the servants to awake.  
But secondly, Although there was no persecution for causes of Religion; yet the Pope or beast Christian was an enemy unto the people of the Lord Jesus in these particulars; as First, The Pope or bishop of Rome was an enemy unto the people of God, by intruding himself into the Church of God, in claiming to himself to be Universal Bishop, and thereby doing injury to his fellow bishops, and causing contention to arise in the Church of God, contrary to any rule of Scripture. Secondly, he having gotten this universal title unto himself, was an enemy unto the people of God by his negligence in suffering and permitting such gross errors by degrees to grow in the Church of God; and thereby the Pope was an enemy to the people of Jesus Christ in claiming to himself to be head of the Church of Jesus Christ, which is a title peculiarly belonging to the Lord Jesus; and having gotten this title, to suffer the people of the Lord Jesus to be seduced.  
But than Thirdly, Though there was no persecution in the Church of Rome, or during the reign of the beast christian, for near one thousand years, in respect of religion, and in respect of any people walking contrary to the common multitude; yet nevertheless, the Pope with his Clergy, were enemies to the people of the Lord Jesus, and did cause abundance of blood to be shed by the wars which were raised in the Empire, by means of the Pope striving with the Emperor and other Princes for temporal possessions, and also in striving with the Emperor and other Christian Princes to gain them to submit unto the Pope's yoke for many temporal matters; in disposing Emperors and Princes, and setting up others in their steads; whereby followed miserable wars and devastations in the world, which is lamentable to relate; and in striving with the Emperor and other Christian Princes, to gain out of their hands the election of Bishops, and other head officers in the Church; which the Pope by degrees did wrest out of the hands of the Emperor and other Christian Princes, contrary to the ancient custom of the nations, and for which there was much contention and bloodshed in the Christian world; besides the oppression of him and his officers and legates, in raking together the goods of the Churches in the nations, and setting up of aliens and foreigners in the benefices of the nations, but especially here in England, to the impoverishing of the nations, and to the ruin of the people, for want of teaching, as may be seen at large in Acts and Monuments of the Church of England, volume the first; in many places.  
Fourthly, The Pope or beast Christian, were great enemies unto the people of the people of the Lord Jesus, in respect of divisions and schisms which were in the Pope's Church by means of several Popes; there being sometime two, sometime three, as was in the beginning of the council of Constance the Emperor, and Christain Princes falling in dissension and taking parts about them, each maintaining his Pope which that government had set up, insomuch as King Henry the fourth of England, writing to the Pope to be a means to cease the Schism in the Church, relates to him, that by the vote of men there were to the number of 200000 men slain in the parts of the world, among Christian Princes about the division of the Popes, by means of wars raised up in that quarrel: As also 30000 soldiers slain in war about the Bishopric of Leodiem, between two set up, one by the authority of one Pope, the other by the authority of the other Pope, which relates to such a sum, as I think all men will acknowledge that the Pope or beast Christian hath been an enemy to the people of God, before he began to persecute for the cause of religion; as may be seen in the same letter of King Henry the fourth; Acts and Monuments, page the 720. the first volume.  
Then fifthly, After the abomination was fully set up, which I take to be in the year 1215. then began to follow persecution for the cause of religion; it being the time that the people of the Lord Jesus were mystically commanded to fly to the mountains, Matthew the 24. when speedily followed the waking of the servants, in which they did desire to deliver themselves, and began to see the gross and wicked idolatry which was committed, and began to fly and avoid it, and did hope to gather thetares from the good seed, or at least to separate them, and to draw themselves out from amongst them; but alas too late, for antichrist had gotten possession; then immediately followed persecution in such a measure, as I think there was more blood shed for cause of conscience, than there was in any time of the persecution of the Empire heathen, as it is yet fresh in memory, and may be abundantly seen in the Acts and Monuments of the Church of England.  
Now sixthly, as the servants began to wake and to look about them and to increase in knowledge, and the time of the prosperity of the beast began to be at the height, and should decay, Martin Luther steps forth, and fulfils that prophecy Revelation the 13. 3 for he gives a wound unto the beast; for whereas the doctrine of merits by works was one of the principal heads of the beast, and the greatest of all his power, this Martin Luther did oppose with great might, and with much success, insomuch as he gave a deadly wound unto the beast; but we have since eseen by experience this deadly wound healed, and all the world wondereth after the beast in a manner; for they see order in the Church of Rome, though by a wrong power, but amongst us nothing but disorder; and this we may speak with grief of heart, and there is reason for it, which I have abundantly proved already, and may further, God assisting me, clear it hereafter: besides, the looseness of Protestants at large, as I may term them, and our divisions and looseness in our practices makes him get heart, and to hope to gain all again of what he hath lost; or at least to hold that which he hath; and this St. John seems to intimate unto us in Revelation the 17. 8. where he saith, When they beheld the beast that was, and is not, and yet is; showing, as I conceive, that at the change of the beast he should so lose his power, as he should as it were seem not to be, and yet after he should recover strength again, and have a being, until the Lord destroy him with the spirit of his mouth, and with the brightness of his coming, Isaiah the 11. 42 Thes. 2. 8. which can in reason be expounded to be no other but Rome under the Pope, as I have proved by ten reasons.  
Now forasmuch as there is one principal text Matthew 24. 15. upon which text dependeth almost all the following part of the chapter, as an exhortation of the Lord Jesus unto his disciples, how they should carry themselves when once the abomination which makes desolate is set up: and therefore I shall show what I take this abornination to be, and therefore pray mind; I take this abomination not to be the destruction of Jerusalem, which did follow within 40. years after the passion of Christ, as I have already proved. But I take this abomination of desolation to be that Idol of the bread which in the Church of Rome is transubstantiated into the real body of Christ as the Papists teach, or in short, the real presence of the sleshly body of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar, as they call it; which Idolatry I take to be the grossest Idolatry that ever was committed by any civil or religious nation or nations, and about which there hath so much blood of the Saints of Jesus Christ been spilt in the kingdom of the Pope, as the like hath not been seen in any age for one thing. But because this is a matter of much consequence, I shall produce several reasons for the proof thereof.  
Wherefore my first reason shall be from the text itself, where it is said, When you shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet, standing in the holy place; that is, something that standeth in the holy place, which drives the presence of God's spirit out of that place that was once holy.  
A second reason I take from that text Daniel the 11. 31. which is the place of the prophet, as I conceive, which our Saviour meant, where it is said, speaking of Antiochus, And armies shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the Sanctuary of strength, and they shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate: Which text was fulfilled the first of Maccabees, the first chapter 54. ver, which was a type of that abomination which our Saviour speaketh of, meaning, as I conceive that of Daniel the 11. 31. now as Antiochus by his power did pollute the temple of the Lord, by commanding the daily sacrifice to cease, and did set up the Idol of abomination upon the Altar of God, where by the spirit of God departed from that worship; even so in the mystery the Pope hath changed the communion into the sacrifice of the Mass, and real presence in the Sacrament, and caused the people to worship it, so that by reason of that idolatry, the spirit of God is departed from that administration.  
Thirdly, that whereas the Lord Jesus having instituted his last supper to be practised in Remembrance of his death till he come, and made no mention of worshipping it, the Pope contrarily maketh it a sacrifice, and commandeth the people to worship it, thereby forcing the spirit of God from that worship, Luke 22. 19 1 Corinthians 11. 24.  
Fourthly, That whereas the Lord hath commanded Exodus the 20. that his people should make no graven image, nor the likeness of any thing in any place, thereby to worship it; the Pope contrary to his command maketh the real presence in the Sacrament daily, under the form of bread, and commandeth the people to worship it, without any warrant from the word for their practice, thereby forcing the people to commit Idolatry; and so driveth the spirit of God from that dispensation.  
Fifthly, That as the Jews, in time of the standing of the Temple, by their Idolatry, and by their setting up the image of jealousy in the temple, did cause the spirit of God to departed from that worship, Ezekiel the 8. 5, 6. even so the Pope and his clergy in the mystery hath set up the image of jealousy in the Church, in turning the communion of the Lords supper from its first Institution, into the real presence of Christ's fleshly body in form of bread in the Sacrament, and commanded the people to worship it, thereby grieving the Spirit of God, and causing it to departed from that worship.  
Sixthly, that as the pastors or shepherds of the Jews in the time of the standing of the Temple did eat up the good pasture, and drank the deep waters; which I conceive was the ordinances of the Temple with the sacrifices, and did tread down the residue of the pasture with their feet, and foul the water with their feet; and caused the people to eat that which they had trodden, and to drink of the water which they had fouled with their feet, Ezekiel the 34. 18, 19 Even so I conceive the Pope's Clergy have defiled the ordinances of Jesus Christ, by altering them from their first constitution, and polluting them with their ceremonies, and causing the people to back them, and use them as they are pleased to command, and to commit Idolatry by them, and especially about the real presence in the Sacrament;  
Seventhly, that as Antiochus having set up the Idol of abomination that maketh desolate in the temple of God, and commanded the people to offer upon the Altar; and those that refused, he put to death; even so the Pope of Rome having placed the abomination of desolation, that is, as I conceive, the real presence in the Sacrament, did persecute and put to death all those that would not worship it, and confess this doctrine to be truth.  
Eightly, that as when Antiochus having placed the abomination that maketh desolate in the Temple of God, and in the cities of Juda; that then Mathias and his sons fled unto the mountains for succour, the first of Maccabees 2. 28. Even so the Lord Jesus adviseth his disciples, that when ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, whoso readeth let him understand; then let them that be in Judea fly unto the mountains, Matthew 24. 15, 16. likewise, I conceive, the people of the Lord Jesus in the mystery, are at this present to come out of the Romish Church, and to fly into the mountains of the protestant Churches; where though in respect of the purity of the ordinances; they come short of the perfection of the first times, having lost their power, and their greatest number being Christians at large, that is, having little else but the bare profession of Jesus Christ; yet in doctrine, which are things to be believed, they come near to the first times, and I do conceive they are the earth (as I shall hereafter show, God assisting me, when I come to speak of the beast which did arise out of the Earth) unto which the woman fled, Revelation 12. 16.  
Ninthly, that as Antiochus after he had set up the Abomination which maketh desolate in the Temple of God, had such as resisted, and withstood him, and did exploits, as Mathias, and his sons and brethren, with such as regarded their God; even so when the Pope and his Clergy, having corrupted the ordinances, and set up the abomination which maketh desolate, and commanded the people to worship it; had such as did soon resist and withstand him with the loss of their blood; and that not a few, but many, as may be seen in Acts and Monuments, at large treated of.  
Tenthly, and lastly, that as Antiochus, when he did defile the Temple of Jerusalem, and set up the abomination that maketh desolate, had arms to stand on his part, which were the nations that were Enemies unto the Jews; and had such as did wickedly against the covenant to join with him, Daniel the 11. 31, 32. 1. Maccabees 1. 50. Even so the Pope, when he did defile the Church of God, by setting up the abomination that maketh desolate in the Church; I mean the real presence in the Sacrament, and command the people to worship it, had arms to stand on his side; and doubtless all that forsook the covenant, being many of the order of Monks, that were the first devisers of transubstantiation; for in a council which was held in Lateran at Rome, under Pope Innocent the third, were gathered together through the christian world of several nations to the number of 1300. Bishops; which enacted transubstantiation as a Law to be set up throughout the whole Church in the year 1215. and then in the year 1220, Pope Honorius the third, in another Council, enacted Elevation and Adoration of the Sacrament; and thus was the Abomination of desolation set up in the Church of God as a law, and all men commanded to worship it; and so the Spirit of God forsook that Administration, as you may see at large Acts and Monuments, the second volume, page the 457. 460.  
So that from these foregoing Reasons, I suppose, I may safely conclude; that it is something in the mystery in the church of God, which the Pope is prossessed with, that is, the abomination that maketh desolate, and drives the Spirit of God from his own worship; and I know nothing in the church of Rome whereunto this may be applied so fitly as to the real presence in the Sacrament, or the fleshly body of Christ under the form of bread; and if this in particular may be applied unto the abomination that maketh desolate, then much more when all the ordinances of Jesus Christ in that Church are corrupted from their first purity; either in substance or in form, by adding many ceremonies unto them, and the people forced to receive them as they command.  
Thus having finished the description of the Beast which did arise out of the sea, and spoken of the time of his standing and prevailing in the Church; we will now come to speak, God assisting, something of the beast which is to arise out of the earth: and because I am not certain whether this beast be up or not, I shall not speak much of him, only I shall speak something of the earth from whence this beast doth arise. It is a principle amongst men, that earth in Scripture phrase signifies men of earthly condition, being flesh, and not guided by the spirit of God; or if you will, by earth you may take men of the meanest rank and quality in the world, that is, the vulgar multitude; whom Mr. Prin in his Sovereignty of Parliaments and Kingdoms, makes to be the original of Authority in temporal things; Reasoning thus; that there was a people before there was a King; And this people did originally choose their King. Now according to this principle; If the Sovereignty of Authority remain in the people, from whence the government ariseth, and this Authority, be it a King or commonwealth, which you will, have power to make Laws in the church of Christ, and have derived their Authority from the multitude, and ascribe unto themselves the title of Head of the church of Christ; it will come to pass, that the multitude in general originally, and the King or state derivatively will be the head of the church of Jesus Christ; which hath come to pass already in the several nations of the protestants; and this Saint John seems to intimate, Revelation the 16. 19 where it is said, And the cities of the nations fell; where note, I conceive Saint John doth not treat in this place of the civil government or state of the nations, which may be applied to the national cities; nor yet of the material cities of the nations; as London, Paris, or Madrid, which are the head cities of these three nations: but Saint John treats of things in a mystery, speaking of material things which have a spiritual sense; and this is eleer in Revelation the 10. 7. where he saith, But in the voice of the seventh Angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God shall be finished, as he hath declared by his servants the Prophets; wherein is plainly declared that the prophets in several ages of the world, have for the most part declared their prophecy in a mystery: and for proof of it, I shall allege two places of many, namely Mat. 2. 15. where it is said, That it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophet, out of Egypt have I called my son. And in ver. 17. it is said, Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, In Rama was a voice heard. In which two places can in reason be no other but a mystical sense meant, and are taken out of Host 11. 1. Jer. 31. 15.  
Now to speak something of this Beast, I desire that these several places of Scripture may be considered, as touching the rising of this beast; for it is said, Rev. 9 11. speaking of the Locusts, that they had a King over them, which is the King or Angel of the bottomless pit; and then in chap. 11. 7. it is said, And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that did ascend out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them; And in chap. 13. 11. he saith, And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like the dragon; which three places, I suppose, mean one and the same beast; which may be seen by the coherence and the agreement of the three texts, being duly considered. Now whether we may take the two horns to signify strength, as two Kingdoms, or whether we may take the two horns to mean some mystical things, I dare not judge; for so much as I suppose, the beast is not yet fully appeared, but only a preparation for him; but this we may remember, that in the last times, according as our Saviour foretold, there should arise false Christ's, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, that if it were possible, they should deceive the very Elect, Mat. 24. 24. and Rev. 9 7. And the shapes of the Locusts were like unto horses prepared to battle, and on their heads were as it were Crowns of Gold; and their faces were as the faces of men; and they had hair as the hair of women; and in chap. 13. 13. And he doth great wonders, so that he makes fire to come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men; and in chap. 16. 13. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the false prophets. In all which places there is mention made of false prophets, which should deceive the people, and should stir up the nations to fight against the Lord Jesus in his people: saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an Image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword and did live, and he had power to give life unto the Image of the beast, that the Image of the beast should speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the beast should be killed.  
All which things considered, and insomuch as we are fallen into the last times, (notwithstanding I dare not a ffirm any thing of certain, by means of the darkness of the mystery, so that until the prophecies are fufilled, we cannot attain to the opening of them; yet nevertheless) these exhortations will be necessary for all men to take notice of; first, that insomuch as there shall come such false prophets, as if it were possible, they should deceive the very Elect, and that the beast which did arise out of the Earth had two horns like a lamb; and that by Saint John's words, he should cause fire to come down from heaven in the sight of men, that is, the spirit, as he pretends; therefore that they would be very wary whom they trust. And secondly, that within the compass of this ten years, we have had such fair pretences made of reformation among the clergy; and yet I believe, had the time suited with them, they would something have spoken like the dragon in persecuting such as could not submit themselves to their reformation; as may be seen fully, if men diligently consider their carriages in this age. And thirdly; I shall admonish all those of the nations, which have the rule of the government in their hands, that they would beware what government they set up in the worship of God, and that for these reasons; First, left they make an Image of the beast which had a wound by a sword, and yet did live; Secondly, that they beware of all such as come in sheep's clothing, and inwardly are ravening wolves; left by their persuasion they cause the Image of the beast both to speak; and to cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the beast, should be killed; that is, by inciting the magistrates to fall to persecuting and killing the servants of the Lord Jesus, which cannot submit to their government, in spiritual things, which is set up. And thirdly, for so much as the government of the nations ceases to bear the image, or any image of the beast, so long as they do Justice, and relieve the distressed, and defend their people committed to their charge, and for bear to persecute for cause of conscience in spiritual things: because it is the nature of beasts that prey upon others, to devour and kill the innocent sheep, and other creatures that are subject to their tyranny. And thus much by way of Exhortation to all men, that they be no occasion of setting up the beast.  
I shall now come to speak of the time of standing and prevailing of this beast, which I take, hath his time of beginning, though not yet discerned, at the decaying of the beast which did arise out of the sea; which was, according to my former account, in the year 1584., according to Rev. 13. 18. which will be the year of our Lord, according to our vulgar account 2250. And this I shall prove from the prophecy of Daniel, in chap. 8. 13. where it is said, Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spoke, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, unto 2300 days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed: And it is said, Host 6. 2. After two days will he revive us, in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Where pray take notice, a day for 1000 years according to Scripture account, and I suppose these Scriptures mean one and the same thing, accounting two days for 2000 years: and where it is said, In the third day he will raise us up, it is meant, the beginning of the third day the Lord will deliver his people. Now if we give 1260 years to the first beast, than there will remain but 1040 years for the second beast; and this time is shortened, according to that of Matt. 24. 22. and is but the number of 666. according to Revel. 13. 18. Now whereas the prophet Daniel in chap. 12. 11. speaks of 1290 days, and promiseth a blessing unto him that cometh to the 1335 days, this I suppose will be the time when there shall be such troubles in the earth at the Lords appearing, wherein he shall destroy all his enemies: but in the number of years, I do acknowledge that I cannot bring them to a just sum, forsomuch as the 2300 is not double so much as 1290. But this thing I shall leave to the all-seeing Providence, as all other things are to be left unto him; but this I conceive is certain, that if we take that Idol of desolation set up by Antiochus in the temple to be it, than the 2300 years are not yet out; and if we take the desolation of Jerusalem by Titus to be it, than the 1290. days are much passed; and if we take the polluting of the ordinances to be it, than it is not yet fulfilled. However, I must leave it as a secret touching the time, waiting when the Lord will deliver his people.   

I shall now come to speak of the seventh particular in order, namely, the Lords delivering his people by himself, and destroying all their enemies: and this all the prophets bear witness unto; insomuch as Baalam that false prophet speaking of it, Numbers 24. 17, 19 saith, Then shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall arise out of Israel, and shall smite all the corners of Moab, and shall destroy all the children of Seth: Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city: So the prophet David, speaking of the Lords appearing to deliver his people, Psalm the 50. 2. saith, Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, hath God shined; Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: and then in the 5 verse, he gives out commission, saying, Gather my Saints together unto me, those that have made a Covenant with me by sacrifice; compared with Matth. 24. 31. and generally almost all the prophets speak of the same thing; as Isaiah the 11, the whole chapter; and 63. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. verses, and 66. 15. Jeremith the 33. 15. Ezekiel the 34. 11, 12. where he saith, For thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I, even I will both search my sheep, and seek them out, as a shepherd seeketh out his flock, in the day when he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places, where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day; where the matter is laid down so plainly, as cannot be laid down plainer: So the prophet Daniel in chap. 12. 1. Host 6. 2, 3. Joel 3. 2, 12, 16. Amos 9, 11, 12. Obad. 17. 18, 21. Mic. 4. 1, 2, 3. and chap. 5. Nah. 1. wholly. Hab. 3. from ver. 3, to 16. Hag. 2. 22, 23. Zech. 9 and 12 chapters, and 14. 3, 5. Mal. 4. wholly, Mat. 24. 31. and 25. from ver. 31 to the end, 1 Thess. 4. 16. and 2 Thess. 2. 8. Rev. 1. 7. and 14. 1. & 18. 1. & 19 11. to the end: In all which places, and many more, if the prophets were diligently searched that speak of the same thing, is mention made of the Lords appearing to deliver his people, in judging and destroying their enemies, and to destroy all those governments which have been enemies to the people of the Lord Jesus, as may be seen Isa. 13. 10. & 34. 4, 5. Ezek. 32. 7. Rev. 6. 12. to the end, where, as it were, the enemies of the Lords people are summed up in the opening of the sixth Seal, saying, And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there was a great earthquake, and the Sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the Moon became as blood, and the Starts of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a figtree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind, and the heavens departed as a scroll when it is rolled together: that is, as I suppose, the church of Rome, which was once the heaven, when that all her power and glory, with her merchants, shall all be destroyed; compared with Rev. 18. And every mountain and I stand were moved out of their places; that is, as I suppose, all those governments of the nations which have been enemies unto the people of God in all ages, shall be destroyed, which are compared to mountains; compared to Ezek. 32. where the prophet speaking of the destruction of the nations, he still prophesies that they shall be destroyed, and go down into the pit, notwithstanding they had caused their terror in the land of the living; which, as I conceive, was by being enemies unto the people of God, as may be seen Ezek. 32. 23, 25, 26, 27, 32. By I stands I understand all those spiritual governments of the nations which are gone off from Rome, and practise contrary to her, and yet nevertheless make an image of the beast, and cause all to worship it, by persecuting them for cause of conscience in spiritual things: And the Kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief Captains, and the mighty men, and every bond man, and every free man hid themselves in the dens and rocks of the mountains; which show that the mountains in ver. 14. were mountains in a mystical sense; and said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us, and hid us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?   
FINIS.