unto us certaine monstrous things faining them to have been revealed unto him by Angels that the Kingdome of Christ after the resurrection should become earthly that in Jerusalem our flesh again should serve concupiscence and the lust of the flesh And being wholly set to seduce as an enemy to the word of God he said there should be the term of a MILLENARIE feast allotted for marriage Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria in his second Book after he had remembred the Revelation of Saint John received by tradition of OLD he reporteth of this man CERINTHUS thus CERINTHUS which founded the Cerinthian Heresie gave his figment a name for the further credit thereof His kind of Doctrine was this he dreamed the Kingdome of Christ should become earthly and set upon those things which he lusted after now being covered with his flesh and conpassed in his skinne that is the satisfying of the belly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eum quae sub ventre sunt with meat with drink with marriage And that he might the more colourably bring his devillish devices to passe he dedicated thereunto Holy-days Oblations and slaughter for Sacrifices So far Dionysius But IRENAEUS in his first Book against Heresies layeth down certain more detestable opinions of his And in his third booke he reporteth an history worthy the memory as received by tradition of Polycarp saying That John the Apostle on a certain time entred into a Bath to bathe himselfe and understanding that CERINTHUS was therein bathing himselfe John started aside and departed forth not abiding to tarry with him under the same roofe signifying the same to his company and saying let us speedily goe hence lest the Bath come to fall wherein CERINTHUS the enemy of the truth batheth himselfe Thus Irenaeus And thus you have heard at full Eusebius his report of the whole matter To prepare and make way for an answer whereunto let the Reader take notice that if Cerinthus did say that the Kingdome of Christ after the resurrection should become earthly yet we say not so though we affirme that the Church shall be resident on earth for a thousand years after the first resurrection as t is called Rev. 20. that is the resurrection of all beleevers as t is explained Rev. 11. For the true Church of beleevers hath been on earth from the creation to this day and yet as beleevers not earthly but the spirituall body of Christ The holy Angels and Christ Jesus have conversed on earth and yet they were not thereby earthly And if Cerinthus said That in Jerusalem our flesh againe should serve the concupiscence and lust of the flesh c. Yet our soules abhor any thought thereof But indeed Cerinthus for ought we can find by diligent search into the ancientest and most approved antiquity did not say any such thing nor did he meddle with our opinion at all in the particulars thereof And therefore wee have more cause to suspect Eusebius Gaius and Dionysius to be guilty of too light credulity then to accuse Cerinthus of that we cannot groundedly charge him withall We deny not Cerinthus to be an Heretick as the Ancients call him holding divers great impieties But we cannot beleeve Eusebius Gaius and Dionysius that he was guilty of those things they charge upon him in relation to our opinion To this purpose hear Mr. Medes * Opuscul Lat Ad rem Apoca spect par 2â— p 55. answer An non hinc merito quis suspicari possit Gajum istum c. i. e. May not one justly hence suspect that same Gaius to have been one of the number of the heretical Alogi ** Alogi are according to the signification of the word men without the word or without reason And therefore by the Ancients oft called Brutes and charged with denying the word of God both the axiomatical in the etter and the substantiall viz Christ in the flesh which Alogi or Alogians denied saith Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei THE WORD OF GOD and therefore they ascribed to Cerinthus as well the Gospell of John as the Apocalyps The time doth altogether agree to that For Theodotus the Champion of the Alogian Standard was cast out of the Church by Pope Victor and Gaius flourished in the time of Zephirus who next succeeded Victorius Neverthelesse the words of Gaius †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. loâ— citat § 1. hujus Sect. 3. may bee taken in that sence as if he had said Cerinthus had feignedly fathered upon the great Apostle I know not what Apocalypses beside that one and onely Apocalypse out of which feigned Apocalypses that forging fellow endeavoured to prove that after the resurrection the Kingdome of Christ should be earthly wherein men should serve the lusts of the flesh and the inticements of carnall pleasures But what ever was the mind of Gaius it is very likely he was deceived concerning Cerinthus For if this had been the Heresie of Cerinthus how could it be that Justin Irenaeus Melito Tertullian and Hippolytus should be ignorant of it of whom Irenaeus and Tertullian have purposedly numbered up the Heresies of Cerinthus but of that heresie deep silence How therefore came it to be knowne to Gaius Neverthelesse it seems that the words of Gaius an obscure fellow gave occasion to Dionysius Alexandrinus Eusebius and many others in the heat of contention with the millenaries to doubt of the authority of the Apocalypse Thus Mr. Mede § 4 That which I have to adde or illustrate is this that the words of Gaius and Dionysius and the story of Eusebius alleadging them are not to bee weighed in this matter My reasons are ¶ 1. If Eusebius and Dionysius yea and Gaius himself doubted of the auâ—henty of the Apocalyps in opposition to our opinion of the glorious state of the Church with a visible yet spiritual glory for a thousand years yet to come they must needs be mis-led thereunto by mistakes untruths and false reports For there is no just reason to doubt of the divine authority of the book of the Revelation Nor is there any thing in our Tenet unbecoming that divine book nor dissentanious there-from but is more evidently held forth there then in any other book of the Scripture ¶ 2. Irenaeus and Tertullian and I adde Epiphanius naming Cerinthus and particularizing his hereticall opinions have not one word of his holding any thing of our opinion * Iren. lib. 1. ca. 25. quoting in Marg. Euseb l. 3. cap 25 and Iren l 3 c 3 1. Irenaeus mentions Cerinthus and his wicked opinions and wickednesse twice yet hath nothing of his holding our Tenet either in the same words with us or in others of any proportion although Erasmus or Grineus or both in their marginall notes doe well mind what Eusebius had said quoting the place All that Cerinthus held as Irenaeus reports the matter was Cerinthus autem quidam in Asia c. i. e. And there was one Cerinthus in Asia who taught
plaine text without sophistication or allegorising contrary to the scope of the pace as far as possible or light can lead us Thirdly That the consummation of the world doth gloriously begin at the beginning of these thousand yeers as wee have demonstrated out of severall texts and so it rather hastens then prorogues Fourthly turning to Cornelius Alapide on this 20. of Rev. according to the Doctors direction thinking to finde some great matter I found onely this of that businesse That he saith we approach very neer the end of the world First because we see the Gospel preached almost to all the world Secondly the Saint Vincent who dyed one thousand foure hundred and eighteen did confidently preach this and that by the command of Christ as it is in the History of his life Thirdly that it is a constant oracle among the Turks that Mahomets sect is to endure a thousand yeers which yeers are now neere expired Fourthly so is the Prophesie of St. Malachy A.B. of Hibernia whose life St. Bernard did write Thus you see what Cornelius Alapide saith and what stuffe it is Two arguments out of the Popish legend Another from the Turks Alcoran or Tradition The other intimates a Scripture viz. that Mat. 24.14 But there is no Almost I would the Jesuit said true that almost It is not yet preached to the vast Kingdomes and places of China of the Turke of the Indians of the Tartars c. We do indeed grant that the consummation of the world is neer and we said so but now But that we set it backward or forward beside Scripture neither the Doctor nor his Alapide hath proved it one jot Nor can it seem lesse then some kinde of contradiction for the Doctor to say we doe prorogare ultra mille adminimum annos indefinito auctario That we do prolong the time at least a thousand yeers with an indefinite argument For if it be for a thousand yeers how is it indefinite If indefinite how is it for a thousand yeers And Alapide confesseth it is uncertain when the world shall end Ibid. ¶ Third Inconvenience the Doctor urgeth is That this opinion in our point feigneth a state of the Church militant in or at the comming of the Lord in adventu Domini triumphant and tranquillous contrary to Luke 18.8 When the Son of man shall come shall he finde faith on earth Answer wee doe not say that the Church shall triumph at the very first appearance of Christ which is to call the Jews yea we have said the contrary on Dan. 12. that for five and forty yeers will be a time of trouble to the Jews after their call and afore the triumph comes But when Christ hath once appeared to destroy all the Churches enemies the Church shall triumph and bee tranquillous many yeers as we have seen innumerable places in O. T. and just a thousand yeers according to St. John in Rev. compared with Dan c. of which afore That place of Luke is evidently of the weak faith not of no faith of true beleevers at the sight of the great troubles that are the sad Antecedent to the joyful Comedian Catâ—strophe of the Churches deliverance as Dan. 12. and Rev. 11. to the end of 19. set it out But when Christ comes it is at a pinch to raise their faith and after to settle that their triumph on earth As he appeared in incarnate when the Saints faith was low as wee see in Nathanael And at the Resurrection as we see in the two Disciples Luke 24. and in Thomas John 20. But when manifest he raised them high So at his next coming ¶ Fourth Inconvenience is saith the Doctor it doth interpose at least a thousand yeers between the ruine of Antichrist and the dissolution of the world which Antichrist Paul foretold should be destroyed with the bright comming of our Saviour and by the breath of his mouth We answer first That if he means before the last dissolution at the last judgement even so doth St. John most emphatically interpose Compare Rev. 19. the two last verses with Ch. 20.4 compared with v. 12. And so methodically and exactly Antichrist shal be destroyed by the brightnes of Christs first coming His breath of his mouth viz. his Word and Spirit having made the Kings of the earth to hate the Whore Secondly we answer that at Christs appearance at the beginning of the thousand yeers there is a kinde of dissolution of the world 2 Peter 12.13 compared with Isaiah 65.17 ¶ Fifth Inconvenience is That this opinion as the Doctor affirms inventeth such an assumption of bodies as the Papists feigne of the blessed Virgins or brings downe from heaven soules to be united to bodies that perhaps they may get children possesse earthly things and be subject to other conditions of mortall men Wee answer first for the Drs. assumption of bodies feigned by the Papists the Dr. doth not tell us what he means and we cannot divine what the Papists may dream This arrow doth not appear ergo we need not hold up our buckler Secondly for the bringing soules downe from heaven to the body upon earth what wonder is this more then the returning of the soul of Lazarus and of those at Christs Passion and those in the Prophets to their bodies on earth especially seeing they that returne in the other world to their bodies upon the inhabitable world for that time of the thousand yeers Heb. 2.5 is to a glorious estate Indeed unlesse we can overthrow a world of places which we have urged this must be granted Thirdly For their begetting children at that time We doe not affirme it But if wee should I know not what grand Inconvenience would follow seeing Adam once might have done it without sinne or carnality of mind when his soule came new out of Gods hands which are more glorious then heaven and the Virgin Mary so conceived Christ And the Apostle Heb. 2. implies our state then shall be as innocent Adams was All earthly things that the Saints then shall enjoy shall but increase their happines not sin or carnality in the least That shall be fulfilled Matth. 19.29 If the full of happinesse in glory shall fill all the senses with joy and comfort sutable to that place why may not the Preface upon earth proportionally But the Doctor objects but with a fortasse perhaps Fourthly for their enjoyment of earthly things though the things bee earthly yet the Saints shall enjoy them in a spirituall manner under a spirituall notion and to a spirituall end as Adam in innocency For fifth of being subject to the condition of mortal men I doe not know that they that are Saints shall dye in that thousand yeers or any more seeing they that are alive shall only be changed ¶ 6 The sixth and last Inconvenience the Doctor urgeth is as hee saith that this opinion doth raise up againe Papisme at the end of the world viz. then for men to dye with the rest of
both in the representation in the first eight verses and in the Song the summe of all the Revelation and state of the Church as some most learnedly observe in the tenth verse the Saints sing praise to the Lambe that Hee makes them unto God KINGS and PRIESTS AND that they shall REIGNE on EARTH the selfe same words as in Rev. 20. v. 6. onely the thousand yeers are not in Chap. 5. and on EARTH not expresse in Chap. 20. Reigning in both places is brought in with a copulative AND as an additionall to Kings and Priests to God I onely alleadge these Scriptures now but to give you an hint of the Saints most eminent reigning in the thousand yeeres in Scripture-language rather then in mine owne words I shall after Christ assisting in a more proper place of this Treatise amply discusse these Texts to your content Meane while the Reader cannot but see if he observe well and hee must observe the Scriptures more accurately then ever if hee will see this truth now in hand that these places hold forth a GLORIOUS REIGNE of the Saints on earth over the whole earth in soul and body upon the fall of the fourth Monarchy and its two limbs of seven and three Hornes Dan. 7.24 Pope and Turke Rome and Babylon And by this a meditating minde may presently divine much of the preeminence of the Saints state on earth yet to come above former conditions SECT II. Analecta de Sanctis hos mille annos in terrâ REGNANTIBUS § 1 1 SAncti dicuntur Apocal. cap. 20. v. 4. non solum Vivere verum etiam REGNARE mille illos annos ad distinguendos palam impios illo tempore non mortuos religione Hypocritas candorem simulantes ob latum Ecclesiae imperium in toto terrarum orbe cujus vel gloria eorum oculos vel â—ama aures tremore intus occupante obtundit HI dum VIVUNT haud REGNANT cùm totum illud MILLENARIUM serviant peccato Ecclesiaeque sint mancipia § 2 2. Sancti verò ità eodem tempore REGNANT ut praesens eorum conditio omnes supereminet ante MILLE annos transactas Cujus faelicitatem hic tangere solùm licebit cùm pleniorem de eâ tractatum in quintum librum ut proprium illius subjectum detulimus Regnabunt summatim dicere hos MILLE annos tum animâ tum corpore in terris gloriosissimè Hanc summam per partes è quatuor Scripturarum loc is habemus absolutam quas jam recensere sufficiet Dan. cap. 7. v. 26. Sed judicium considebit dominatus EIUS quartae nimirum Monarchiae auferetur profligando perdendo uâ—que in finem REGNUM autem DOMINATUSQUE amplitudo REGNI sub TOTO CAELO dabitur POPULO SANCTORUM excelsorurn cujus REGNUM erit perpetuum omnes DOMINATIONES EI SERVIENT AUSCULTABUNT Cujus testimonii verba phrases ordo locus tempus observanti animo rem nostram facilè comprobabunt Apocalyps 7.9 ad finem Turba multa ex omnibus gentibus tribubus Lingus quae unica est in Caelis amicti stolis albis PALMAE in manibus eorum quarum vel similium in Empyreo nullus planè usus clamabant voce magnâ Salus a Deo nostro c. Tum me compellavit unus ex illis SENIORIBUS quam relationem ignorant Caeli isti amicti qui sunt undeque venerunt quos in Caelo si vidisset Johannes inutilis fuisset quaestio Hi colunt Deum die nocte in Templo ejus qui proteget eos umbraculo sic Beza Grecè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 phrases ad beatitudinem Caelestem depingendam ineptae Non esurient nec sititient amplius c. Agnus pascet eos ducetque eos ad vivos aquarum fontes abstersurus omnem lachrymam Quarum rerum quod ad ipsum Caelum haud opus fuit Johanni pignore aliquo vel narratione Apocalyps 14. v. 1. c. Agnus stat super Sion cum eo centum quadraginta quatuor millia habentia nomen ejus patris ejus scriptum in frontibus sancti proculdubio sunt bene noti in Caelo sine notis Hi sequuntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agnum quocunque eat ideò non sunt in Caelo sunt primitiae Deo Agno ergo Massa in Empyreo adhuc est peragenda Deinde Evangelizatur terrae incolis tribuite Deo gloriam nam venit hora JUDICII SUI alius Angelus sequutus est cecidit Babylon c. Trahat haec qui poterit ad ultimum Christi judicium statumque beatorum defendatque si queat Babylonem urbem illam magnam ante illud tempus non ruituram Denique Apocal. c. 5. tum typo tum cantico Doctorum observatione quoddam totius libri summarium Ecclesiaque restitutae status exemplar infert v. 10. eodem pene cum v. 6. c. 20. Sanctos laudantes non tantum quod Christus fecisset eos Deo Reges Sacerdotes sed etiam quod REGNATURI SUNT idque in TERRA SECT III. Something of the Saints Reigning WITH CHRIST this time of the thousand yeers THis REIGNING of the Saints those thousand yeers is emphatically expressed to bee WITH CHRIST Rev. 20.6 as in Rev. 5.10 The Saints are brought in applying it to themselves in faith with joy Thou O Lamb hast made us Kings and Priests TO OUR God and wee shall REIGNE on earth So here in this 20. Chapt. v. 6. it is further Prophetically represented and promised That they shall bee Priests OF GOD and OF CHRIST and shall REIGNE with HIM a thousand yeeres The Booke as I may say exactly answering to the Preface 2. Now as Christ is said to Reigne in that speciall manner after the full fall of the fourth and last Monarchy body and limbes as if in comparison afore that he did not reigne so proportionably the Saints reigning with him at this time their reigning is so glorious as if before that all their reigning was no reigning 3. Let us see a small Landskip of all this together in a Scripture or two alleadged more briefly For wee must adjourne the large discusse of them till after unlesse I should weary my selfe and the Reader with repetitions and disorder Dan. 7. v. 9. c. to v. 15. The Thrones were SET so the original and the Ancient of dayes did sit with a most numerous multitude before him and the judgement or Judicature was set And I beheld then because of the great words which the Horne spake And I beheld even till the Beast was slaine and his body destroyed c. and I saw in the night visions and behold one like the SONNE OF MAN that is CHRIST came with the clouds of Heaven and came to the ANCIENT of DAYES namely GOD the FATHER that hee might be set before him And there was GIVEN to him namely to CHRIST THE Dominion THE Glory and THE Kingdome so the Greeke gives it in emphatically and the intent of the
are inconsistent with glory in the highest Heaven In like manner the residue of this one and twentieth Chapter shewes that the meaning is not of supernall eternall glory according to former common opinion of divines as ver 9 10. An Angel shewes John the Bride the Lambes wife viz. the great City holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God which cannot possibly be meant of a state in the highest Heaven no Angel need tell John or he us that the Church shall bee seen in that Heaven when there it shall be seen without shewing by all the inhabitants there Nor is this a direct but a crosse phrase to expresse the state of the Church ascended by its descending out of heaven from God The soules of the elect must descend to be united to their bodies on earth there for a time to inherit all things as said afore before their ultimate glory And for that description of New Hierusalem by measures c. from ver 11.22 can it meane the spanning of Heaven or the measures of the place of ultimate glory The parts and particulars are all too short and to no purpose wee beleeve more then all in this Text without this Text doubtlesse this Geometricall and Architectonicall Iconiâ—me or description is taken out of Ezekiel from Chap. 39. to the end of the Book in all the Prophet importing thus much that Gog the enemy of Israel shall be destroyed and they themselves shall bee gathered from their captivity and measures out to them their New Testament estate that it shall be more goodly and glorious then all their Old Testament state and therefore when John hath this given to him in Rev. 21. as an exposition of Ezech. 39.40 41 42 c. Chapters it would be but a darke dreame to apply it to supernall eternall glory which many circumstances forbid for if it be meant of that glory why ver 14. are only the names of the twelve Apostles to be inserted in the twelve foundations and not the names also of the twelve Patriarchs of the twelve Tribes What need was there to tell us ver 11. that the place spoken of here hath in it the glory of God and a light like a Iasper cleare as Chrystall or to minde us ver 17. that the cubits were according to the measure of a man or to warn us ver 22. that John saw there no Temple and for that in ver 23 24. That God and the Lambe are the light of New Hierusalem â—nd they that are sazed shal walke in it and Kings shal bring their glory and honour unto it I aske any ingenuous man whether he can keeping his reason with him apply these things to ultimate happinesse in the highest Heaven Is there a walking or conversation of life in spirituall light Is it not a quiet injoying and beholding the unspeakeable manifestation of Gods speciall presence Doe Kings and Princes there goe and come and bring their honour and glory to heaven Or doe they bring as ver 26. the glory and honour of Nations unto it Thus take altogether quarrell not peecely with this or that fragment but take the whole entirely and then tell me ingenuously whether this one and twentieth Chapter can meane any thing but a glorious state on earth before the ultimate Judgement at which time is rather a destruction then an extruction or building and therefore this Chapter clearly containes the admirable state of the Church of Jewes and Gentiles for the space of that thousand yeares in the twentieth Chapter the exposition whereof is the work now in hand to which we returne § 5 The third passage in this twentieth Chapter of Revelations is that the Saints reigne with Christ a thousand yeares or the thousand yeares This number of yeares is expressed six times in the first seven verses twice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and foure times with an emphaticall Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can any judicious man take this meerly Allegorically and not Historically and litterally Can he upon good grounds make it to signifie lesse then a thousand yeares It is true a thousand yeares in Gods account 2 Pet. 3. in regard of his present knowledge of all things or knowledge of all things as present and his eternall entity before and beyond all things are but as one day but still a thousand yeares are a thousand yeares in themselves how ever they be as nothing in comparison of God But can man make a long time and a short time all one Are a thousand yeares to him but as one naturall day or to the Saints here reigning surely then the Saints priviledge of reigning or the binding of Satan for their sakes will amount to a very small matter Then on the morrow Gog and Magog shall rise against the Saints for at the end of the thousand yeares they shall rise against them Or can any considering man make these thousand yeares to signifie more then a thousand yeares viz. eternity the Scriptures have no such phrase that I know And divers of the Fathers afore the Floud though in a worse life-cherishing state lived within a few yeares of a thousand Is there not a notorious eminent punctum or point of the beginning and period of the ending of these thousand yeares They begin with the fall of Antichrist the destruction of his Army Rev. 19.19 20. and the wonderfull binding of Satan chap. 20. ver 2. And they end with the loosing of Satan and the warre with Gog-Magog Is it possible now that any should referre this to the eternity of supreame glory therefore as ver 4. it must needs be meant of reigning with Christ on earth at least a thousand yeares properly understood as it is expounded Revel 5.10 for all the Saints that are found on earth at Christs next coming never reigned with Christ in heaven and after the last Judgement Christ doth not reigne as Christ but layes downe all 1 Cor. 15.28 § 6 Let us in the next place take some maine particulars of this twentieth Chapter and compare the mystery of the things with the history of times Johns science with our experience and see whether we can make these all hold together unlesse wee understand them of a glorious Kingdome of Christ on earth before the ultimate day of judgement We will cull out but three particulars 1 The resurrection of the Saints vers 4 5. They must so live as the dead wicked that while did not live But the dead wicked did live that while in soule therefore the Saints must live more then so viz. must live that while in soule and body too Againe the Saints must so live at this first resurrection as the dead wicked shall at the second resurrection But the dead wicked shall live in soule and body at the second resurrection therefore the Saints at this first resurrection live in soule and body Let the Reader piercingly weigh the Text and he shall finde these syllogismes little lesse then demonstrations As for the difference
wit in the conversion of Constantine the Great and of his followers SECT V. § 1 THat wil surely come to pass which God pre-impresseth on mens spirits according to his word presignifies in the wonders of nature and prepares for and makes way by the transactions of men â—ut so hath God from time to time done especially of later times towards the fall of Antichrist and all the intestine enemies of the Church and consequently towards the restauration of the Church Therefore these things will surely come to passe I might enlarge much upon the proofe of the premises of this Syllogisme but for brevity it being high time to shut up this third Book When the Lord intended Israel should conquer Canaan he put a valour into their heart and sent before among their enemies the Hornet of fear and the Moth of decay and weakness Ex. 23.27 28. Deut. 20.21 Josh 24.12 Isa 50.9 Isa 51.8 when the two witnesses are about to stand upon their feet to the terror of all their enemies there shall a breath of life of resolution and boldnesse for that end enter into them Rev. 11.11 Before the thirty yeares of the late German wars against that tract of Antichrist and the Churches enemies the Lord sent eminent signes appearing many daies over the Country as Christ prophesied there should be such prodigies and prognostick signs over Jerusalem which had been an arch-enemy to Christ before the destruction thereof Mat. 24. which accordingly came to passe as Josephus largely relates There is mention also in that 24. of Mat. of Earthquakes before the destruction of that Jewish Antichristian Jerusalem As before when the Prophet Amos prophesied the destruction of the enemies of the Church viz. of the Syrians Philistims Tyrians Edomites and Ammonites he emphatically sets down that that prophesie was committed to him two years before the Earthquake as if that Earthquake were a kind of seal to his prophesie that it should come to passe Amos 1.1 c. And it is prophesied that before the fal of the Antichristian enemies and of their nest the great City an Earthquake should precede Rev. 11.13 And we are assured by good information that of late yeares there have been divers terrible Earthquakes in the Popish Dominions How the Hornet and Moth have been among the enemies of Christ terrifying and weakening them both abroad and at home I leave the wise Reader to make up of his own observation As also what a spirit of resolution and action there is in all wise good men against real Antichrist and Antichristianisme I say real for I utterly disavow those whimsies of Phantasticks that call every thing Antichristian that soders not to their dreamed opinions nor centers with their interest Finis Libri tertii THE FOURTH BOOK Holding forth the judgements of all sorts of men almost of all Nations whether learned or unlearned viz. HEATHENS MAHUMETANS JEWS and CHRISTIANS confessing more or lesse our general THESIS CHAP. I. Containing a Preface to this Book § 1 THREE things I must necessarily here premise ## 1 What I mean by those four sorts afore named viz. I mean by Heathens all those that acknowledge not any part of the holy Scriptures that is eo nominâ— under that notion of the holy Scriptures or Word of God dictated by the holy Spirit and penned by holy men extraordinarily endowed with that Spirit By Mahumetans I minde all that adhere to the Doctrine of Mahomet viz. Turks Arabians Saracens who yet acknowledge some peeces of the Old Testament By Jews all know whom I understand who do acknowledge entirely all the Old Testament By Christians I here intend all that are so named whether they are so sincerely or but seemingly as Papists Protestants Lutherans Calvinists c. who acknowledge the totall of all the Books of holy Scripture both in the Old and New Testament 2 That I must bee briefe in my Collections in this large field â—ounded out in this fourth Book contrary to my intention and disposition § 2 who would most willingly have abounded in this thing But first the frequent fears of my friends so often mentioned in mine ears by that time we had Printed off the third Book have lured me off And secondly I am the more satisfiedly taken off partly by the great bulk of Antiquity and number of Modern Writers I presented to the Reader in the first Book And partly by the urgency of time our friends longing for it and this present gallopping age outrunning rule and reason needing it who boldly presume they have in part entred upon the possession afore indeed they doe in any measure know the thing much lesse the time which yet is many years off § 3 3 That the Reader is not to conceive that I approve of every particular clause which those foure sorts shall assert but he must mind my general intent viz. that directly or indirectly in whole or in part expresly or intimatedly such passages fall from their mouths as argue they had some light more or lesse by some means or other touching our general Thesis in the summary bulk and main matter thereof CHAP. II. Containing the passages in Heathens in favour of our opinion in our aforesaid Thesis § 1 THe Heathens in their Doctrine touching the Immortality of the soule reserved in the other world for happinesse in their description of the Elysian fields their state of blisse on earth in the next world in their discusse of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The state of men in the World to come yet unseen and their professed expectation of the Platonick yeer however they mis-dream the computation wherein as they say all things shall returne to their primaeve perfection And their Tenet of Metempsychosis or Transmigration of souls passing from one body deceasing into another next living and so are cloathed with divers corporal shapes till they attaine the perfectest do speak in substance a glorious state of man on earth after the Resurrection It is wonderfull to read in History how earnestly some of them have sought death being ravished with the desire of enjoying the state of the immortality of souls upon their Philosophers description of the glory of it Their Elysium or Elysian fields they so named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the dissolution of the soul from the body For say they it is the place which good mens souls inhabit after they are freed from the bonds of the body ful of happines feated in the Fortunate Islands c. And it was the great comfort saith Homer of which learned Broughton takes notice that the friends of the Greek Captains slain in the Trojan war gave to their surviving wives that the souls of their husbands were gone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subintellige 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the house of Hades that is to the world unseen that is to the other world of bliss yet not visible to us Of the Platonick yeer restoring all things to their primitive perfection we had something
and female The Rabbins further say that his body was full of light or lightsome and was of a goodly stature Therefore out of doubt when Adam shall rise again for he saith the Rabbi shall be raised first he shall rise according to his first form and stature Yea moreover his body shall then be far more lightsome diaphanous or transparent According to that of the Ancients * In Midras a-Nehelam in Paras Veycra Elau 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. R. Levi saith The soule whiles it is in its glorious estate sustaines it selfe with a superiour light and is cloathed with it when it shal returne to its body in the world to come it shal returne with the same light and then the body shal shine as the splendor of heaven accordinng to that of Dan. 12. They that understand or the intelligent shal shine as the brightnesse of heaven And because saith R. Menasse in that New world SINNE SHALL HAVE ☜ NO PLACE as we shall demonstrate in that which is to follow therefore by good consequence the body shall alwayes remaine in the same glory and splendor and so the whole world to bee restored into the same state wherein it was before sinne entred Mean time note that this renovation of the Lord shall in my judgement differ from the state of the first Creation 1 This world was made of nothing but that to come not of nothing but of the things already created being endowed with a new disposition and better quality 2 At first this world was made in seven dayes But the other shall be new-formed in one day 3 This world began with night the other shall begin with day according to that in Zechary Chapter 14.7 At evening it shall be light There are that wil have all that we have hitherto said to come to passe in the time of the Messiah and to that they think doth belong that saying of the Ancients 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. prepared to come But if any rightly weigh what the Ancients have said as was afore hinted * Viz. In cha 2. of the third Book of R. menasse is the whole matter at large especially that in Midras a-Nehelam he shall finde that these things are to be understood of the New world which begins with the resurrection from the dead The summe of which matter is this That unto the comming of the Messial say the Rabbins is knit on as immediately subsequent the resurrection from the dead Now it is worth the weighing what space there may be of the former to the beginning ☜ of the latter Observe this In the Sanhedrim Chap. 11. divers opinions are propounded R. Eliezer maketh the space to bee foure hundred yeers R. Elhazar Ben Hazaria maketh it to bee seventy yeers R. Elhazar forty yeers These all differ and yet were not altogether rash in their opinions For R. Eliezer computed according to the time of the Egyptian Captivity four hundred yeers R. Elhazar Ben Hazariah according to the Babylonian Captivity seventy yeers And R. Elhazar forty yeers according to the time of the Jews peregrination in the wildernesse And all three of them each to confirm his own opinion bring that of the 90. Psalm v. 15. Make us glad according to the dayes wherein thou hast afflicted us and the yeers wherein we have seen evil For the Rabbins affirmed afore that after the Jews shall be brought back by the Messiah to their owne land they shall be very much troubled by Gog and Magog of which space of time I conceive is the present dispute among these Rabbins but now quoted In Midras a-Nehelem wee finde it written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. THAT THE CONGREGATING or GATHERING TOGETHER OF THE ☞ CAPTIVE Jews shall ANTICIPATE or PRECEDE THE RESURRRECTION OF THE DEAD THE SPACE OF FORTY YEERS And saith R. Menasse if this last opinion bee received and delivered by the Ancients it may be soundly admitted because it implyes no contradiction nor doth it contain any difficulty * Thus R. Menasse out of the Rabbins But I think that it is neer the matter in the sacred compute of the holy Scripture Dan. 12. v. 11 12. if carefully computed and compared with v. 1. Touching the troubles at the time when Michael shall stand up to deliver his people together with v. ult touching the resurrection of the dead Thus wee hear why R. Menasse would refer the glory afore spoken rather to the New world then to the dayes of the Messiah Now hear him go on in this sixth Chapter and that in a way of condiscention of referring it if any will to the dayes of the Messiah If saith R. Menasse it so seem good to any he may refer the glorious things aforesaid in some sort unto the times of the Messiah because both times are connexed the one on to the end of the other as we shewed afore Again because the end of the resurrection is that the raised may enjoy the happinesse of that age therefore they may be taken for one and the same time Those admirable verses of the Kingly Prophet David Ps 104. do not a little serve to our purpose as they seem to me viz. v. 27 28 29 and 30. All wait or hope upon thee Thou givest them their meat in due season c. Thou hidest thy face they are troubled Thou takest away their breath they dye and return to their dust Thou sendest forth thy Spirit they are CREATED and thou RENEWEST THE face of the earth Where the Prophet saith that after death the soule the second time returns to the body and then the earth is renovated ¶ 7 In the 7 8 9 10 and 11. Chapters these questions are put and resolved chiefly 1 Whether then shall be the day of judgement To which the Rabbins answer is out of many Scriptures and allegations of Antiquity That after the world shal be made new and the dead raised then shal be a day of judgement In part God judged afore the living in the war of Gog and Magog EXCEPTING A THIRD PART OF THEM †☞ So that according to the Rabbins also a part of Gog and Magog as was said a little afore are reserved who in all probability are they that shall make head at the end of the thousand yeers Rev. 20. v. 7. And after he shall come to judge the dead 2 Whether then shall be the restauration of the place and parts of worship and a settlement of the fruition of the holy land To which it is answered yea 3 Whether there shall be the use of food and prolification to which Gerundensis answers that then shall be no other then a spiritual life though some other Rabbins are of another minde 4 Whether they that are raised shall dye any more To which the § 4 general answer of the Rabbins is negative Thus far you have heard the opinion of the Jews concerning the glorious state on earth yet to come
highten the spirituality of the Scripture giving a distinct and joynt accomplishment to letter and Spirit each in other the Letter in this state having its fulnesse in the Spirit and the fulnesse of the Spirit taking in the letter Those three principal points are these I The Testimony and entrance to Christs Kingdome shall be the indubitable evidence of our Lords appearance in his owne person whether this appearance shall be miraculous the Lord descending to vaile for a season his glorified body which being ten thousand times brighter then the Sunne cannot be seen by mortal eyes under a meaner form that it may be fitted to our natural senses or whether this appearance shall be mysterious the Lord in the same instant of his appearance transfiguring the dead and living Saints into a conformity to his glorified body that in the same twinkling of an eye they may see their King and he may see them in beauty eye to eye their glorified eye to his glorified eye or whether both these according to those several Scriptures Mat. 24.30 Act. 1.11 1 Cor. 15.51 Ph. 3.20 21. for these several ends of conviction to the world conversion to the Jews glorification to the Saints renovation to the creature The 2. principal point in this Book is That the state of the Saints Kingdom shal be the resurrection from the dead and a change in the living Saints equivalent to the resurrection of the bodies of those that sleep in the dust Thus each particular Saint and the whole Church being predestinated to be conformed to the likenesse of the image of Christ shall in this state answer that state of Christ in his owne particular person between his resurrection and ascension which seems to have been his Paradisical state his soul entring into Paradise at his death his body at his resurrection re-assumed into the same state with the soule The last head is That there shall be a New Earth to be theâ—seat of this New Kingdome If the Earth be made New with the Newnesse of the Spirit if that also be spiritulized then will it be fit for glorified Inhabitants The streets of the New Jerusalem are said to be as gold and glasse Behold the nature of the New Earth and the description of its spirituality It shall be as pure gold for its solid simple substance for its shining glory It shall be as pure glasse for its transparency cleernesse and through-lightsomnesse Octob. 19. 1653. PETER STERRY In pursuance of an Order bearing date the 6. instant for my perusal of this Treatise penn'd by Dr. Homes and to report my opinion concerning the same I certifie as followeth THat all the Saints shall reigne with Christ a Thousand yeers on earth in a wonderfull both visible and spiritual glorious manner before the time of the ultimate and general Resurrection is a Position which though not a few have besit ated about and some opposed yet have gained ground in the hearts and judgements of very many both grave and godly men who have left us divers Essayes and Discourses upon this Subject And having perused the learned and laborious travels of this Author I conceive that the Church of God hath not hitherto seen this great point so clearly stated so largely discussed so strongly confirmed not onely by the testimony of Ancient and Modern Writers of all sorts but by the holy Scriptures throughout as it is presented in this Book Wherein also divers other considerable points are collaterally handled all tending to set forth the Catastrophe and result of all the troubles and hopes of such as feare God as the preface to their eternal blisse And whereas some have been and still are apt to abuse this Doctrine by making it an occasion to the flesh and of beating themselves in the expectation of a carnall liberty and worldly glory I finde that this Author hath cautiously fore-laid and prevented all such abuses by shewing the exceeding spiritualnesse and holinesse of this state To which as none but the truly holy shall attain so having attained it they shall walke in the hight of holinesse And therefore I judge this Book very usefull for the Saints and worthy of the publick view Octob. 13. 1653. Joseph Caryll THE DAWNING OF THE DAY-STAR Largely discussed in Five Bookes THE DAWNING OF THE DAY-STAR QUOTATIONUM quaedam SPECIMINA nec non Epitome totius primilibri compendiaria pro extraneis praesertim Judaeis Latine reddita I. BOOKE Of the Generall and maine Position LIBER I. De generali summariâ Thesi CHAP. I. The Position propounded THe most Sacred Scriptures do frequently in many places affirm that All the Saints shall reigne with Christ a long time namely a THOUSAND yeares on EARTH SATAN the meane while being bound which yeares are not yet begun but do ere long and from thence are at length to be fulfilled in a wonderful both VISIBLE and SPIRITUAL glorious manner at the RESTITUTION of ALL THINGS and their NEW-CREATION before the time of ultimate and generall Resurrection SAnctos omnes diutinè cum CHRISTO regnaturos in TERRA scilicet MILLE annos SATANA tunc temporis ligato nondum incaeptos brevi incaepturos indeque implendos tam visibili quam spirituali mirandâ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gloriâ ante resurrectionis ultimae generalis Epocham a Sacrosanctissimis Scripturis passim asseritur SECTION I. The Position expounded § 1 BY Saints I meane all the Elect from time to time extant afore that time effectually called whose characters that we may know them in relation to our Position are in the Revelation limbed to the life where both it and they are deciphered in one the same table or frame viz. Rev. 20.4 And I saw Thrones and they sate upon them and judgement was given to them and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and for the Word of God and which had not worshipped the Beast neither his Image neither had received his marke upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years § 2 In which words I minde at this time chiefly the three characters of them that shall reigne with Christ The first is Beheading synechdochically signifying all persecution either more particularly as it is here expressed for the Witnesse of Jesus that is for asserting the God-head as wel as the Man-hood of Christ for which many Martyrs suffered in the Arian persecution soon after Constantines time or more generally for the Word of God viz. the fundamental doctrines thereof for which they suffered afore the Arian persecution in the heathen-Roman tenfold persecution and after in the Antichristian-Roman persecution and of late times in severall Countries in the Arminian and Socinian persecution or for both § 3 The second Character is not worshipping the Beast no nor his Image Those that shall reigne with Christ reverence not either apparent grosse Idolatry or specious refined under the
cap. 2. de EXALTATIONE DOMINI bis repetitam de DIE MAGNO an Judicii ut R. Schelomo an MESSIAE ut R. D Kimchi an RENOVATIONIS MUNDI ut R. Asche c. an alio nomine appellaâ— veris deque CHRISTI tunc temporis REGNO articulatim ornateque ibidem depicto apertissimè intellexerunt Huic testimonio secundum ex Midrasch Tehillim exhibetur Ubi semper Psalm 90. v. 15. laetifica nos pro diebus c. sic paraphrasticè emphasi non mediocri legitur LAETIFICA NOS PRO DIEBUS QUIBUS AFFLIXISII NOS scilicet per Babyloniam per Graeciam per Romanos idque Laetifica in diebus MESSIAE quot sunt dies Messiae R. Jehosuas dixit quod sunt duo millia annorum sicut dictum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SECUNDUM DIES QUIBUS NOS HUMILIASTI i. e. secundum duos dies DIES ENIM VNA DEI SANCTI ET BENEDICTI SUNT MILLE ANNI juxta illud QUONIAM MILLE ANNI IN OCULIS TUIS TANQUAM DIES HESTERNA Dixerunt etiam Magistri quod secundum FUTURUM quod Paulus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imò 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1.6 Heb. 2.5 appellat DIES MESSIAE erit una Deus enim sanctus benedictus in FUTURO nimirum seculo faciet ei diem unam de qua dictum est Zechar. cap. 14. ET ERIT DIES VNA ET IPSA EST NOTA DEO NON DIES NEQUE NOX ET ERIT AD TEMPUS VESPERI ERIT LUX Haec dies est SECULUM FUTURUM VIVIFICATIO MORTUORUM § 9 Testimonium numer ato tertium e libro Berachoth lib. 11. c. 1. scilicet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod sic se habet Dixit Benzuma Futurum est ut Israel non faciat memoriam exitus ex Aegypto in FUTURO SECULO ET IN DIEBUS MESSIAE vide sis conjunctam Rabbini interpretationem Et quid est hujus rei probatio Quod scriptum est Jerem. 23. ECCE DIES VENIUNT ET NON DICENT VLTRA VIVIT DOMINUS QUI ASCEND ERE FECIT FILIOS ISRAEL DE TERRA AEGYPTI c. Dixerunt sapientes Non quòd evellendum esset nomen Aegypti de loco suo sed quod mirabilia quae fient in diebus REGNORUM scilicet MESSIae erunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. principale Aegyptus erit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. accessorium § 10 Priusquam nos alia proferamus testimonia animadvertant acutiores oculi inter Rabbinos quoto mundi MILLENARIO dictum JUDICII vel MESSIae vel ut appellant R. Asche R. Abba R. Chanan RENOVATIONIS MUNDI TEMPUS fore non convenit Quippe quod non nulli longiùs in septimum alii propius in sextum Caeteri dignissimum observatu in MILLENNIUM circiter quintum incidere promittunt De quinto consulatur Rabb Asche § 11 Quarta hujus seriei antiquitas ELiae Domo egreditur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. Doctrina Domus Eliae Justi quos Deus RESUSCITASIT Resurrectione nimirum primâ quam Magistri passim nec non Author libri Sapientiae Cap. 3. v. 7 8. agnoscunt non redigentur iterum in pulverem Si quaeras autem MILLE ANNIS ISTIS quibus Deus sanctus benedictus RENOVATURUS est mundum suum de quo dicitur ET DOMINUS SOLUS EXALYABITUR ILLO DIE quid Justis futurum sit Sciendum quod Deus sanctus benedictus dabit illis alas quasi aquilarum ut volent super facie aquarum juxta Jesch 40.31 Expectantibus Dominum innovabuntur vires efferentur alâ instar aquilarum § 12 Respondet ultima primae antiquitatum Hebraicarum quam R. Saadias ex doctiorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eximi is suppeditat Quippe qui in Danielis cap. 7. v. 18. SUSCIPIENT REGNUM SANCTI DEI ALTISSIMI fic prophetat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Eò quod rebellarunt Israelitae contra dominum auseretur ab illis ipsorum regnum Dabiturque quatuor hisce Monarchiis quae regnum possidebunt in HOC SECULO Captivumque ducent subjugabuntque sibi Israelem usque ad FUTURUM SECULUM donec REGNAVERIT MESSIAH § 13 Verùm enimverò MESSIAH nequaquam regnaturus est in SECULO vel duratione in Caelorum altissimo Continuandâ 1 Ep. ad Corinth ca. 15. v. 24.28 Nec dum in terris haec Saadiana vel Caeterorum Rabbinicae praedictiones impletae fuerint testanti experientid Quarum authores eodem fuisse animo cum nâ—strâ thesi netesse est Quae vel hâc de causâ tanquam novitia aut singularis condenmari nequit SECT 2. Of Greeke Antiquities § 1 OUr Greeke Companions in this our own Position are divers That wee over-burden you not in the entrance of this Treatise with such things as are not pleasing to every Reader we will present to you onely three each according to his age The first is JUSTIN MARTYR who flourished about the yeare after Christ 141. so near the time of John the Evangelist this John living till the hundreth yeare after Christ In that 141. yeare after Christ this JUSTIN gave in his Apology for Christian Religion in writing to ANTONIUS the EMPEROUR To allow him a sufficiency of judgement and time to bee a famous Philosopher at that time so famed and to write that Apology wee had need to allow him to be fifty yeers old as he himself testifies and so to suppose him living afore John was dead and so long as he was above one and forty at the time of his Apologizing This man for his great learning renowned with the honourable title of Philosopher witnessed to bee Godly by his pious Apology in those bloody persecuting times and sealed to be so in his death by the after-name and fame of MARTYR I say this man this great Justin Martyr professed himselfe and many other Worthies in his time to bee of the same minde with our POSITION His very words are these I and all that are every way orthodox Christians doe know both the future RESURRECTION of the body and the THOUSAND YEERS in Jerusalem that shall bee re-edified adorned and enlarged as the Prophets EZEKIEL and ESAY and OTHERS doe declare For so Esay of this thousand yeares Isa 65.17 For there shall bee a new heaven and a new earth and the former shall not be remembred neither shall they come into their mindes but they shall finde joy and rejoycing in those which I create For behold I make Jerusalem to triumph and my people to rejoyce c. to the end of the Chapter But of that For the dayes of my people shall bee as the dayes of the tree of life hee giveth this sense viz. In these words we understand saith hee that the one thousand yeeres are pointed at For as it was said to Adam In that day thou eatest of the tree in that same day thou also shalt dye Wee know he did not accomplish a thousand yeers Wee know also that saying That a day with the Lord is a thousand yeeres is
END and the judgement of the immortal God shall come to mortals then shall come upon men the GREAT JUDGEMENT and the BEGINNING c. as 't is in that Sibyl But saith Lactantius speaking to this of the Sibyl Neverthelesse all universally shall not bee then judged of God but those onely which are verst in the Religion of God The Poets saith Lactantius in the 22. Chap. of the aforesaid Book by Poetical licentiousnesse corrupted that which they had received for in that they fang That men having finished a thousand yeers among the dead they should be restored to life again as Virgil saith When all these soules have turned the wheele at the forgetfull RIVER of death by the space of a thousand yeers God cals forth these unmindfull in a great Troup that they may see againe these places that are upon the convex face of the earth and shall againe begin willingly to return to their bodies Herein their understanding deceived them saith Lactantius That the dead shall rise againe not after a thousand yeers of their death but that being restored to life againe they may REIGNE A THOUSAND YEERS WITH GOD. By God Lactantius meanes Christ as he openly explained himselfe but a little afore Of which Resurrection saith Lactant. Chap. 23. the Philosophers also endeavoured to say something as corruptly as the Poets For Pythagoras disputed that the soules of the deceased did passe into new bodies but foolishly as hee said himselfe was made up of Euphorbus his soule Chrysippus spake better who as Cicero saith established the Porch of the Stoicks he in his books which hee wrote concerning PROVIDENCE speaking of the renovation of the World brings in this Seeing * things are so it appears it is not impossible that we also when we have finished this present life after certain wheelings about of times should bee restored again into this very estate in which we now are And the Sibyl saith thus It is hard indeed to beleeve but when the judgement of the world and of Mortals shall come hee shall send the wicked into darknesse c. but those that imbrace godlinesse SHALL AGAINE LIVE UPON EARTH GOD GIVING THEM BOTH SPIRIT HONOUR and LIFE Chap. 24. Lactantius faith I will adde the rest Therefore saith he the SONNE of the Highest and Greatest God shall come that hee may judge both quicke and dead according to that of the Sibyl Then shall there bee confusion of all mortals of the whole earth and the OMNIPOTENT himselfe shall come upon his Tribunal to judge the soules of quicke and dead and all the world But when hee shall doe that saith Lactantius and shall restore the just that have beene from the beginning unto life hee shall * converse among men a thousand * yeeres and shall rule them with * a most righteous Government Which somewhere the Sibyl proclaimes Hear me O yee men the eternal King doth reigne c. Then saith Lactantius They that shall bee alive in their bodies shall not dye but by the space of those THOUSAND yeeres shall generate an infinite multitude and their off-spring shall bee holy c. And they * that shall bee raised from the * dead shall bee OVER THE DEAD AS JUDGES But the Gentile Nations shall not bee utterly extinguished but some shall bee left for the victory of God that they may bee triumphed over by the just and brought under the yoake of perpetual servitude A little afore that the Prince of Devils the forger of all evil shall bee * bound with chaines and shall * bee in hold all the THOUSAND * yeer es of THECELESTIAL EMPIRE under which righteousnesse shall reign over the world After whose coming the just shall bee gathered together from all parts of the earth c. and the holy Câ—â—IE shall bee placed in the * midst of the earth in which the BUILDER thereof GOD together with his just ones ruling shall ABIDE Which City the * Sibyl thus points out And the City which God made the same hee made brighter then the Sunne Moone or Starres Then all darknesse shall bee taken away c. The Moone shall bee as bright as the Sunne and the Sunne sevenfold brighter then it is c. The earth shall abound with fruitfulnesse c. The whole nature of all things shall joy in freedome from dominion of evill All beasts and birds not preying on one another shall bee at peace one with another c. quoting the Poets touching the golden Age shewing their error in this that mistaking the Prophets who for the certainty of things spake of them as past though minded them as to come they thought they were all past Alleadging also the Sibyls that in divers places affirme that men shall live a most quiet and plentiful life and shall reigne together with God and the Kings of the Nations shall come from the bounds of the earth with their gifts and shall adore and honour the great King c. These things saith Lactantius Chap. 25. are those which are spoken by the Prophets that they shall come to passe whose ☞ testimonies and words I deemed not needfullto set downe because it would bee an infinite worke If any aske when those things shall come to passe I but now said above that that * change must needs bee when * SIX THOUSAND YEERS * shall bee compleated and that chiefe day of the last con ☞ clusion of them doth now draw neer Touching the signes you may know them by the Prophets c. when this summe of six thousand yeeres shall bee compleat they teach who have wrote of the quantity of the number of yeers since the Creation according as they have gathered it out of the holy Scriptures and divers Histories which Writers although they vary and the summe of their number differs yet every mans expectation seems to bee not beyond two hundred yeers hence Yea the thing it selfe shews that the fall and ruine of things will bee in a short time * onely the CITY of ROME being now in safety there seems no cause of feare in any such thing But when that head of * the World shall fall and bee * a RUINE instead of ROME * as the Sibylls foretell who * doubts but the end to humane affaires and the whole World is now come Wee said saith Lactantius Chap. 26. a little afore that in the beginning of the holy Kingdome it shall bee that the Prince of Devils shall be bound by God But that same Prince when the one thousand yeers that * is when the 7000 yeers shall * begin to determine hee shall bee loosed againe c. and shall stir up all Nations under the dominion of the just to warre against the holy City whereupon innumerable people shall bee gathered together who shall besiege it Then shall the last wrath of God come upon the Nations and overthrow them unto one man with many terrible shakings c. of the earth and other wonderfull signes c. and infinite
Antichristian how shall wee pitch the compasses of our account so as to pick up a select number of Saints whose soules were just one thousand yeers in heaven before the last resurrection this being spoken of Saints in generall and of their state after the full and finall fall of Antichrist Rev. 19. the Chapter immediately foregoing § 4 Truly to speake my very conscience from cleer light to mee by this their LIVING can be intended no other thing but their LIVING AGAINE Perhaps there may bee some reason of the varying of the phrase as to say the Saints LIVED but the wicked LIVED not AGAINE till the one thousand yeers were finished Because the dead Saints are more alive then the dead wicked For the dead Saints whiles dead are alive not onely in their naturall soules but in their spirituall union with Christ who is their life and in the graces which the Spirit of life implanted in them And the dust of their bodies are decreed and preserved by God for an estate called Eternal life their bodies being said onely to bee asleep And therefore said here TO LIVE as if in a sort never dead But whiles their bodies were dead their soules were willing to live againe in the body Not so the Dead wicked and so a different phrase is spoken of them But the sense I am confident is that the Saints were made to LIVE AGAINE in the one thousand yeers whiles the Dead wicked lived not againe till those one thousand yeers were ended Even as Revel 1.18 most evidently ALIVE is put for ALIVE AGAINE The words are Christs of himselfe now after his resurrection spoken to John I am hee that am ALIVE so the Greek or LIVING and was dead and behold I am ALIVE If hee had been dead and now was alive hee was properly alive againe So in the same sense the dead Saints are here said in this 20. Chap. v. 4. to LIVE to signifie they LIVED AGAINE So the Antithesis and opposition here put between these and those in the next verse gives it in to mee with full evidence But the rest of the dead that is the wicked saith the fifth verse lived not againe so expressely in the * So Syr. Arab. Greek untill the one thousand yeers were finished Whence who that weighs things well can infer lesse then this that those Saints in the fourth verse lived AGAINE those thousand yeers in which the dead wicked lived not againe and the Saints had beene killed as it is vers 4. and Rev. 11. not onely metaphorically but physically in a great part downe to the totall ruine of Antichrist and now a Viol being poured out upon the throne of the Beast Rev. 16. whereupon he utterly falls Rev. 19. two last verses the seventh and last-Trumpet sounding as it is anticipatedly spoken Rev. 11. but methodically to the matter as the cause before the effect the Saints risen reigne with Christ both here in this 20. chap. and in that 11. of the Revel This to bee spoken by the Antithesis Butthe rest of the dead lived not AGAINE That the Saints this while of the one thousand yeers lived AGAINE is further manifest in that it is plaine here compared with vers 12. that the wicked did LIVE AGAINE at the end of the thousand yeers So UNTILL in vers 5. imports explained vers 7. to end of the 12. vers thus When the thousand yeers are expired Satan shall bee loosed and shall goe out and deceive the Nations and they went out and compassed the Camp of the Saints which Saints are all at that time alive and the Devil that deceived the wicked is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone c. and I saw a great white Throne and I saw the dead wicked ones small and great to stand before God So that in regard it is so punctually held forth that at the end of the thousand yeers all the wicked formerly deceased lived againe personally and properly soule and body being re-united I for my part cannot inferre lesse then that the meane while in the said thousand yeers the Saints lived personally and properly in soule and body gloriously reunited on earth Object 5. All that can possibly seem to bee objected to the contrary as far as I can see or heare is this pretended Scruple That this Antithesis BUT the rest of the dead lived not AGAINE carries not so much in it as wee have estimated because LIVING AGAINE is applied to a contrary thing and to contrary persons as if the sense should bee this The rest of the dead wicked ones dead in sinne LIVED not AGAINE all that thousand yeers that is they attained not to the state of Regeneration or Conversion by the Word and Spirit which seems to be called in the fifth verse THE FIRST RESURRECTION All this thousand yeers they continued in an unregenerate estate whiles the dead Saints LIVED in soule in glory in the highest heavens with Christ a thousand yeers that is from their death for ever Answ Wee answer that allegation that LIVING and not living AGAINE are applyed to contrary things and persons speakes for the nature of an Antithesis and for ours If it be said by the objectors that the meaning of contraries is Heterogeneals as spirituall death in sinne and eternall life in glory Wee reply it is indeed said so by them but not proved That is the question now in dispute not to bee begged but to bee won from us by argument if wee must part with our right It cannot sound in my ears to say that the Saints living a thousand yeeres signifies their living in soul with Christ for ever after their naturall death seeing it is confest of all on all sides that at the last generall resurrection if the Saints rise not till then the soules of the Saints are brought downe from heaven to their bodies and not their dead bodies to bee carried up into heaven to their soules And that the last generall judgement of Christ appearing as man judging men so as all men may see the judgement to be just is not a worke of a day or of a short time Nor am I satisfied by any knowledge of the Scriptures that I have yet attained that the FIRST RESURRECTION is any where put to signifie meerly the sole act or condition of our first regeneration I well remember those Texts Col. 3.1 If yee bee risen with Christ seeke those things that are above And Ephes 2.5 When wee were dead in sinnes God hath quickened us together with Christ saving us by grace and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus and many the like places But there is mention onely of quickning and rising and raising There is mention of SURRECTION but not of RESURRECTION much lesse of a FIRST RESURRECTION to signifie Regeneration or the improvement of Regeneration which the Apostle mostly intends Nor do I forget that place Rom. 11.15 That the receiving of the
quin etiam Euphratis exsiccatio cap. 16. Cantilena Hebraiâ—è cap. 19. abunde testantur Quae omnia acutissimè respiciunt grandius aliquod particulari personarum conversione RESTITUTIONEM nempe OMNIUM ut summatim praebet Apostolus Actor 3.21 per sanctos Prophetas omnes praedictam Ossa particularius arida reviviscere in copias maximas redivivas reducesque in terram suam Israelitas Judaeosque ut duo ligna in unum coalescere e medio Gentium in suam patriam reductos Ezeck 37. Multosque ex dormientibus in pulvere expergisci c. quod de ultimâ resurrectione intelligi impossibile infra disputabitur Tandemque ipsum Danielem ad finem mille trecentorum triginta annorum a cessanti juge sacrificio incaeptorum in sorte suâ perstiturum Dan. cap. 12. v. 2.12 13. Quibus sâ—milibusque locis Apostolus affine utitur phrasi ad Romanos 11.15 Quae inquit erit Judaeorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ASSUMPTIO vox longè magis comprehensiva quà m CONVERSIO nisi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vita ex mortuis dignum observatu vitam non dicit ex morte quo il lam solam ex vel a peccato significaret sedphrasi multò pleniore vitam dicit ex MORTUIS quae resurrectioni physicae plurimùm est accommodatior Quam praecedit spiritualis quam concomitatur Civilis a dispersione resurrectio ut versus suggerit vicesimus sextus Ita TOTUS ISRAEL SERVABITUR veniet ex Sion LIBERATOR avertet iniquitates a JACOB Quâ ratione omnia quotquot sub resurrectione sint comprehensa Apostolus tum temporis conspexit ut FUTURA ad TOTIUS ISRAELIS RESTIUTIONEM absoluendam Haec quidemporlè expensa magnam resurrectionem Apocalypticam cap. 20. v. 4. per nudam Metaphoram difâ—lari haud facilè patiuntur 8. Plura quippe mihi videntur adhuc inde effodienda meditatione dignissima Dicitur hìc Reliquos Mortuorum REVIXISSE haud absque respectu fatenti Adversario Sanctorum in Caelis viventium Si verò Caelites hi corpore sint defuncti immediatè ante incaeptum Millenatium per mortem quippe Caelicolae evaserunt in Millenum tum etiam RELIQUI MORTUORUM par ratio est eodem modo corpore scilicet fuerunt defuncti testanti etiam contextu RELIQUOS nimiâ—um eadem ratione non REVIXISSE intra MILLE v. 5. quâ ad finem MILLE nondum rediviui statim excitantur v. 12. Constat veâ—ò ibidem eos post MILLE REVIXISSE Vi divinâ excitaros Ergo manifestâ antithesi RELIQUIS oppositâ Sanctos prae RELIQUIS in MILLE VIVERE dictum est Aequèutorumque alternis vicibus est realis mors physica quà m vita illorum spiritualis minime est aequa Pari intellago ratione reverà Sancti intra MILLE Physice VIXERUNT ut RELIQVI intra IDEM defuncti post ILLUD revixerunt Vox etéâ—â—m RELIQVI non potest non implicare quidpiam quî dicam MASSAE residuum TOTIVS partem GENERISVE speciem Tota generalis massa sunt MOR TVI Residua pars specifica altera sunt mortui impii altera mortui pii utrique ante illud MILLE morte obeuntes Incaepto ut applicemus MILLENARIO Sancti omnes in vivis caeterique morte excitati VIXERUNT Residui verò mortuorum nempe impiorum ante incaeptum illud mille expirantium toto concuâ—renti Millenario corporaliter mortui non ut Sanctorum corpora vel physice sunt redivivi Quin Residuum innuit rem partibus suis non functam eandem cum suo totali metam non attigisse Unde quid minus elici videatur quà m dummodo Sancti olim mortui jam naturalis vitae partibus sunt functi operamque navarunt quam implii anteà mortui jam nunc handquaquam attingentes non functi minimè navarunt 9. Nec non lectorum meditationi committam Satanae ligationem ne seducat Gentes ut augmentum faelicior is in mille annis vitae status promissum Apocalyp cap. 20 vers 2 3 7. Quod sanè frigidum satis jejunum foret solamen animabus in Caelorum altissimo si ibidem triumphantibus frustrà que nominatum 10. Ut vice versâ Satanam illum post istos mille annos solvendum exeuntemque seducentemque Gentes in quatuor terrae angulis Gogumque Magogumque congregantem ad praelium Sanctorum castra urbemque dilectam circundaturos sea ultimo judicio repulsos arguit ut videtur Sanctos illos hic nunc VIVENTES in TERRIS versari inexpugnabili argumentorum necessitate Illic loci VIVUNT qui securi percussi sunt illic curantur percussiones ut illic loci vivant Apocalyps cap. 20. vers 7 8 9 10. c. SECT II. Something of the Saints REIGNING this thousand of yeeres of whih we treat § 1 1 THat the Saints are said Revel 20.4 not onely to LIVE that thousand of yeeres but to REIGNE also it is partly to distinguish the wicked that were not dead at that time who all this while had played the Hypocrites in point of Religion and dissembled their Civility and Peace towards men because of the glorious dominion and reigne of the Church over the whole earth which they beheld or heard of at least afar off Which wicked ones though they lived this thousand of yeers yet they did not REIGNE being inwardly slaves to sinne and Satan in heart and outwardly vassals to the Church through feare of her and so they linger out much adoe a refraining of themselves all the thousand yeers till they bee expired and then Satan being loose and they seduced by him muster themselves together hoping for mastery which the suddaine coming of the GENERAL JUDGEMENT doth utterly anticipate and frustrate as wee have it evidently in the 7.8 9 10 11 12 V. c. to the end of this twentieth Chapter of the Revelation § 2 2. Where also the Saints REIGNING is such as is hereby altogether distinguishable from their best condition afore the thousand yeeres whereof wee shall now give you but a glympfe it being reserved for the peculiar subject of the fifth Booke They shall now reigne in Soule and Body and on earth most gloriously Dan. 7.26 But the judgement shall sit and they shall take away his the fourth Monarchy root and branch his dominion to consume and to destroy unto the end And the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High whose Kingdome is everlasting c. Marke the words Marke the phrase and observe the order and time and place of fulfilling these things of which more by and by in the next Paragraph Rev. 14. v. 1. c. One hundred forty and foure thousand are on Mount Zion with the Lambe they were redeemed from among men being the first fruits unto God and to the Lambe they were undefiled and give glory to God for that the lour of his judgement is come Babylon is fallen Revel 5. which is
he is against Christ in the effect of his processe viz. in his Headship opposite to Christ the onely head of his Church in his Doctrine of Justification by workes enervating Christs merits and his Trentine Anathemaes cursing the fundamentall truths of Christ in the New Testament But these things wee leave as not the maine of our present businesse Now saith this Text in hand of the 2 Thessalon 2. The Lord shall consume Antichrist with the Spirit of his mouth and destroy him with the brightnesse of his coming And although these two Master-limbs of Antichrist should not fall together but that the Pope be first bowed downe as he that by his imagery Idolatry and impurity in his worship of Christ is the great stumbling blocke to impede the Jewes imbracing Christ whereby to contend with the Turke for freedome to owne our Messiah and the Turk bee ruined after him perhaps at the end of the five and forty yeers of the Jewes struggle with him Dan. 12 two last verses yet this text of the Thessalonians stands firme that Antichrist must fall by the Spirit of Christs mouth and by the brightnesse of his coming The Spirit of his mouth is his Word called Isa 11.4 The rod of his mouth and the breath of his lips with which he shall smite the Earth and slay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked one for the settlement of his glorious Kingdom of peace on earth as the context in that 11. of Esa gives it in with this word Christ prefaceth and perfecteth the ruine of Antichrist That is first Christ destroyes him morally as he his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as this Text in the Thessalonians calls him that is exlex as Zanchy renders it the lawlesse one For he leaves Christs word and substitutes his owne viz. Alcoran Legends Traditions c. And by them sets up Blasphemy Idolatry Heresie Impiety and Tyranny and that over consciences as well as bodies Now Christ discovering and discarding confuting and confounding these by the breath of his mouth viz. his word he destroyes him morally Secondly Christ by animating men by the same Spirit in his Word to a corporall War against Antichrist destroyes him Physically that is with a corporall destruction By that Spirit of his mouth he rouseth up mens spirits to take up armes and fight down Antichrist with a corporal War So it is emphatically set forth Joel 3.9 to 17. inserted between two Prophesies the first immediately preceding v. 1. c. to v. 9. the other immediately succeeding touching the glorious Kingdom of Christ on Earth v. 17. to the end of the Chapter weigh the place with which compare Rev. 17.16 Rev. 18. the whole Chapter Rev. 19.17 to the end In which places the Holy Ghost with all endeavour as we may say after the manner of men by all circumstances fitted to humane capacity sets forth the corporal War that must personally destroy Antichrist The scruples of men about those places of Scripture wee shall remove when wee come after to the full discusse of the Quod sit viz. That there is such a glorious state to come I say Christ shall with a corporall Warre excited by his word destroy Antichrist personally For when notwithstanding that Christ hath rendred the wickednesses aforesaid of Antichrist odious to the generality of the world and hath dissected and cut them up by the roots with the sword of his mouth that they take not with the myriads of men enlightened yet Antichrist will act as Antichrist like himselfe opposing Christ in the power of his Gospel the purity of his Saints and worship and the glory of his Kingdome then I say shall Christs word the sword of his mouth put the sword of his hand into the hands of his people the rod of his mouth shall proceed to the use of his rod of iron in his hand Rev. 19.15 And then as the Prophet speakes touching the corporall destruction of the bodily enemies of the Church Jer. 48.9 10. The Cities of Moab shall bee destroyed Cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently and cursed is he that keepeth backe his sword from blood So that Christ with this breath of his mouth prepares or begins the ruine of Antichrist The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is shall waste him as an estate is wasted or consume him as a body by a consumption pines away But by the brightnesse of his coming he shall make a full end of Antichrist as to the preparation for his glorious Kingdome on Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall abolish as Beza renders it shall make him a nothing as the Greeke word is often used Which brightnesse of Christ coming to doe this is more closely to the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred by the manifest appearance of his coming And so our last Translators could finde the way to render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in relation to Christs Kingdome by the word appearance 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quicke and the dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at or according to his APPEARING and his Kingdome So likewise 1 Tim. 6.14 Keep this Commandement c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill the APPEARANCE of our Lord Jesus Christ Sutably it is our common phrase to call the day of the appearance of the starre at Christs birth Epiphanie By all that we have said it is manifest that as the first Schene of the ruine of Antichrist is acted by the Spirit of Christs mouth so the second is performed by the appearance of his person or else what need that be added AND by the appearance of his COMING The breath or Spirit of his mouth doth not make an end of the worke without the appearance of his coming As in that of 2 Tim. 4.1 First is his appearance and then his Kingdome For Antichrist must bee downe ere Christ shall have an apparent Kingdome And Christ must have his Kingdome before the ultimate day of judgement or else he will have no Kingdome For then it is the Fathers Kingdome not his 1 Cor. 15.28 § 4 And most likely the method will be this The Pope shall bee destroyed by the breath of Christs mouth that will prevaile with Christendome as they call it that will be effectuall to all the Christian world that owne Christ to bee come already in the flesh to excite them seeing his mystery of Abominations afore-named to be discovered to pull him downe root and branch But to the Jewes that to this day doe not owne the coming of Christ in the flesh Christ must manifestly appeare at least in the Clouds as Zech. 12. Rev. 1.7 of which afore to convert them as at once and so are brought in as a Nation borne at once Isa 66.8 and thereby are stirred up as one man to set against the Turke from whence proceeds his ruine § 5 Nor may any man phantasie to himselfe that he can put off what
TIME NO LONGER but in the dayes of the voyce of the seventh Angel the Mystery of God should bee FINISHED 2 This time or times are said to be spoken of by all the Prophets § 3 since the world began they therefore that pretend to be skilled in the Prophets shame themselves in denying that maine thing which is in all the Prophets Now all the Prophets since the world began have not spoken of the last Day of Judgement but of the Kingdome of the Messiah they all have spoken and so much and so plainly that the Apostles mindes did much run out upon it even at the first appearance of Christ in the flesh besides their Doctrines afterwards in their Epistles c. concerning it So it seemes by Matth. 20. ver 20. in the request of the Mother of Zebedees Children that is two of the twelve Disciples ver 24. intreating Christ that her two sons might sit the one on his right hand the other on his left hand in HIS KINGDOME and by the strife among the twelve Luk. 9.46 who of them after Christs Passion should be the greatest The same wee have Luk. 22.24 when Christ was ready to suffer And by the question of the Apostles Act. 1.6 touching Christs restoring the Kingdome to Israel in all which places Christ doth not in the least hint any negative to the thing it selfe And the Jewes yet much expect the coming of the Messiah to restore them now not long after one thousand six hundred and fifty Insomuch that one ancient learned Rabbin on his Death-bed exhorted the Jewes that if the Messiah did not come about that time they should imbrace the Christian Messiah as the true Messiah And you heard afore in the first Book the hope of the learned Jewish Rabbins concerning that thing with their quotations of the Prophets upon which they grounded that their hope And to this day that is a stumbling block to the whole dispersed of the Jewes that Christ is not yet come because he yet takes no care as they thinke to restore and settle them according to the many Prophesies and Promises of the Old Testament For this cause therefore Christ will appeare at lest for a time in the clouds personally to convince and convert and settle them 4. One would wonder to see how many of the Prophesies and Prophets of the Old Testament godly and learned Dr. Alsted and § 4 others doe cleerly alleadge for this Kingdome of which we speake And therefore it must needs be our ignorance if we make a wonder at this point questioning whether there be any such thing in the Prophets 5 Peter also speaking to the Jewes in his 2 Epistle doth severall § 5 times quote the Prophets and their Prophesies for this state of the Church which we speake chap. 1.19 We have a more sure word of PROPHESIE whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as to a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day star arise in your hearts Now that the Lord Christ had come in the flesh finished our redemption the effusion of the Spirit had been abundantly fulfilled the Gospel openly promulgated to the world and in part they to whom Peter writes converted v. 1. and Christ ascended the Apostle calls it a darke time in comparison of the rising of the Day-star that is the Sonne of righteousnesse Mal. 4. in their hearts which cannot be meant of eternall glory after the last judgement to which the Prophesie of Old Testament doth lead them to wait for it till it be fulfilled And chap. 3.13 Wee according to his PROMISE looke for new Heavens and a new Earth c. which promise is Isa 65.17 And by the context there of inhabiting the earth cannot be understood of supernall glory after the last judgement § 6 But what is particularly here mentioned in this third of Acts that these Prophets speake of There are foure notable things 1 That there is now so long since Christs ascension a time of refreshing to come for the Jewes to whom these words were spoken as well as for others At which time their sins should be totally blotted out For the state of the Church we speake of by all we can gather from Scripture shall bee a sinlesse time as to the Church 2 That this time of refreshing shall be as proceeding from the PRESENCE or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the FACE of the Lord which evidently signifies a sight of Christ 3 That God shall send Jesus which was before preached to them He had sent him already by Incarnation But yet notwithstanding God will againe send him The Jewes had yet many sorrows therefore he shall be sent againe for their refreshing And they had their spirituall condition in part restored but God will send againe for the restitution of all things 4 It is said Christ comes for the restitution of all things Therefore this cannot signifie Christs coming for the destitution or dissolution of all things And therefore it altogether sounds of an happy time before the all-destroying last judgement Restitution signifies restoring Restoring signifies an attainment of that perfection that was lost viz. in lapsed Adam either in men or things Rom. 8.21 c. The CREATURE it selfe ALSO shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God For the whole CREATION GROANETH c. untill now and not onely they but we our selves also c. that have the FIRST FRUITS of the SPIRIT waiting for the Redemption of our BODIES Lay all together that both men and things groan after this estate And that the Creatures shall share in it as it relates distinctly with an emphasis to the bodies of the Saints and then meditate whether it be likely that a supernall state of glory in the highest Heavens is here meant No the New state of things below the New heavens and the New earth which Peter speaks of 2 Ep. Chap. 3. v. 13. quoting it out of the Prophet Isa 64.17 is the meaning of this Rom. 8. The Heavens above need no making New Nor have they earth in them The New Hierusalem to which the Kings shall bring their honour comes downe from heaven Rev. 21. So that it is a new state of glory below § 7 This also would be well weighed in this place of Act. 3. that in as much as it is said Until the restitution of all things the state of things here meant must of necessity be before the ultimate end of the world as our opponents conceive of the end of the world Because at the end of the world according to their opinion shall be the dissolution of the earth and no need of the Heavens If then shall be the restitution of some men namely the Elect to supernall glory yet that will not amount to the phrase in the Text viz. the restitution of ALL THINGS But the Apostle tells us as wee touched but now in Rom. 8. That all the Elect and all the Creation
conceived by the most learned through the Red Sea So when Israel was to re-edifie the Temple and to settle in their owne land after the captivity Christ appears as a Commander of an Army on horse back with troops behinde him Zech. 1. And as the Sonne of man sitting in judgement as a King Dan. 7. Some will perhaps say these were types of his incarnation If that so in some generall semblance yet these did more distinctly set forth his visible Monarchy to come And therefore his incarnation is made a type or platforme of his coming as a Monarch Act. 1.11 And therefore as the Prologue to his visible appearance againe as a Monarch to reigne as Revel 20. he appeares as a glorious King Rev. 1. with all circumstances to set forth the glory of his Royalty much more therefore in consideration of all that Christ hath said and done in relation to that in the New Testament may we expect him to come and visibly appeare at the setting up of his Monarchy He tells Pilate he was borne to be a King and therefore must be a King But he would not set it up yet afore his ascention Act. 1. Hee must first goe into a far Country and after that receive his Kingdome as wee heard afore out of Luke 19. Chap. 1. Sect. 7. of this second Booke Hee must first ascend up on high and then hee leads Captivity captive spiritually as a Preface to his visible appearance to make the Church spiritually and Corporally glorious which the Apostle immediately hints in that fourth of Ephes Untill wee come to a perfect MAN unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ which by and by after that in the same Chapter hee calls THE NEW MAN WHICH AFTER GOD IS CREATED IN RIGHTEOUSNESSE and HOLINESSE As alluding to the state of innocent Adam And therefore as the first Adam did visibly appeare as a glorious Monarch over the visible world so shall the second Adam according to the Prophets and Apostles Doctrine in Psal 8. Hebr. 2. being divine Commentaries on Adams Monarchy Gen. 1. vers 26 27 28. Of which place God assisting you shall heare abundantly in the next BOOK FINIS LIBRI SECVNDI THE THIRD BOOK PROVING That there shall be a most glorious state of the Church and of all things in relation to the Church and that on earth yet before the ultimate day of Judgement CHAP. I. The partition of the ensuing Discourse HAving cleared the visible appearing of Christ personally In the second place we proceed to the proof of his reigning in this visible Kingdome on earth by his mysticall body his members the Saints Wherein we have two things to doe 1 To prove That there is such a Kingdom yet to be on earth as aforesaid in the generall Proposition 2 What that Kingdome will be in the particulars We shall manage the first by foure meanes 1 By Texts of Scripture 2 By Arguments drawne from Scripture 3 By the common consent of all sorts of men as if a law of nature 4 By solution of all the maine objections against it CHAP. II. Containing the Scriptures to prove That there shall be yet on earth before the last Judgement such a Reigning such a visible Kingdome of Christ such a glorious state of the Saints and of all things as is before propounded THE drift scope and sinues of strength of all which places fall into this demonstrative Syllogisme Those things which are prophesied in the word of God and are not yet come to passe must bee fulfilled But the great sensible and visible happinesse of the Church on earth before the ultimate day of judgement is prophesied in the word of God both in the Old and New Testament Therefore it must be fulfilled that such a state be extant upon earth before the ultimate day of judgement The major is granted by all that beleeve the word of God The minor is proved by the ensuing Scriptures SECT I. The twentieth Chapter of the Revelation fully discussed with a demonstration of the true meaning of the one and twentieth Chapter being the exposition of the twentieth § 1 BEfore we take all the choice places of the whole Scriptures in order as they lye in our English Bibles I shall pitch the foot of my Compasse to draw a right and clear circle upon the twentieth Chapter of the Revelation It being the manner and method of the Holy Spirit to declare things especially of this nature gradually as the Church is meet to heare the state thereof requires and the time of fulfilling it drawes neerer and â—o speaks most and plainliest at last Many other instances might be given but that the subject under hand is vast enought of it selfe All these advantages falling to the share of this twentieth Chapter of Revel touching the point in hand as the Catastrophe result and designe of all that God hath spoken before in the Old and New Testament it makes this twentieth of Revel no lesse then a golden key to unlocke the Bible especially the Old Testament that we may look further into other places of Scripture then meerly to make morall observations out of them and mean while doe over-looke the Prophetical intent of God in them § 2 In this twentieth Chapter of the Revel vers 1. it is said AND I saw an Angel come downe c. which AND or as the Translator of the Arab. furthermore or as in sense it oft signifies then imports that John saw immediately afore something in order to this what was that even that which our late invented distinction of Chapters and verses puts in Revel 19. v. 19. I saw saith John the Beast and the Kings of the earth and their Armies gathered together to make warre against him that sate on the horse and against his Army namely against Christ and his members or Saints vers 11 12 13 14. And what was the issue of the War That John goes on to tell us in the twentieth verse of this nineteenth Chapter And the Beast was taken and with him the false Prophet that is the Antichrist either under the notion of humane Imperialty or of Ecclesiasticall Prophesie or Teaching were cast alive into the lake c. And the remnant were slaine with the sword of him that sate upon the horse AND saith John in this twentieth Chap. vers 1. after this I saw an Angel come downe from heaven having the key of the bottomlesse pit and a great chaine in his hand and he laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devill and Satan and bound him a thousand years c. which can meane no other thing but Christ and his Saints conquest over the Beast and the false Prophet and their Armies on earth notwithstanding all the power and policy of their seducing Generalissimo the Devill Here then in all is Christ and his Army and Anti-christ and his Army conflicting and they conflict with the Sword and Antichrists Army is slaine with the sword
Nations of the earth shal be blessed is that they that bee of faith shal be blessed with faithful Abraham That the blessing of Abraham shal come upon the Gentiles That the promise to Abraham that he should be THE HEIRE OF THE WORLD was not to Abraham and his seed through the Law but through the righteousnesse of faith that it might be by Grace to the end the Promise might be sure TO ALL THE SEED not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham WHO IS THE FATHER OF US ALL. ¶ 4. For the sealing of all these three likewise in the New Testament Christ as incarnated is called the Mystery or Sacrament as some Translate of godlinesse 1 Tim. 3.16 because in his flesh is the glorious representation of God Heb. 1.2 and the effectual communication of the excellencies of God to us by union with him and us Joh. 17.2 Joh. 1.16 Christ as testified unto from Heaven Mat. 3.17 Mat. 17.5 is the sealed one or the sealing to us Ioh. 6 27. viz. That he is the only name under Heaven whereby we must be saved Acts 4.12 and he as the meaning of all types Joh. 1.17 is the impletion or fulfilling of all the Promises to us take him and take all 2 Cor. 1.20 And to the end that we might be more sure of all these he hath change of names as a seale interpreted to that sence Matth. 1. Immanuel that is God with us which the Apostle notably applyes to our Salvation Rom. 8.31 and Jesus ibid. Mat. 1. for he shal save his people from their sins And thus Christ is a seale of our Salvation 2 ¶ Againe as Christ the true or Antitypicall Abraham or Isaac is the everlasting Father of all to be saved Isa 9.6 tooke our nature on him Heb. 2. suffered and ascended Mat. Chap. 27. Chap. 28. so he is a seale interest or assurance that there shall be a multiplication of them that shall be saved by him 1. By his FATHER-HOOD PATERNITY or Father-ship Isa 53. ver 10. He shal see his SEED ver 11. he shall see the TRAVELL of his soule He shal justifie many Heb. 2.11 c. He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are ALL ONE Behold I and the CHILDREN which God hath given me the Children partaking of flesh and bloud he partook of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil ver 16. For he took not upon him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham for it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithfull High-priest to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people verse 10. For it became him FOR WHOM ARE ALL THINGS and BY WHOM ARE ALL THINGS in bringing MANY SONNES unto glory to make the Captaine of their salvation perfect through SUFFERING And that we might know that Christ is the seale or interest by his taking our nature not onely to save the Jews as in this second to the Hebrews but also the Gentiles the Apostle discusseth that his taking our nature in another root universall to all mankinde viz. Adam called the second Adam 1 Cor. 15. and mightily extends it as wide as the ruine that came by Adam Rom. 5. v. 15. If through the offence of one MANY be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded to MANY verse 18. As by the offence of ONE judgement came upon ALL MEN to condemnation even so by the righteousnesse of ONE the free gift came upon ALL MEN unto justification of life 2 He is a seale or interest of the multiplication of beleevers by his suffering Heo 2.9 We see Jesus made a little lower then Angels for or by as it is in the margine the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that he by the grace of God should taste death FOR EVERY MAN And Joh. 12.32 33. And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw ALL MEN unto me this he said signifying what death he should dye 3 By his ascention Act. 1.11 compared with Act. 3 21. This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him goe into Heaven whom the Heavens must receive UNTILL the TIMES of restitution of ALL THINGS c. 3 ¶ Christ by reason of relation and union is the seale or assurance of the possession Rom. 8. Coheires with him Eph. 2.6 Set in heavenly places with him 4 ¶ As Christ is the seale or sealed one of all those three so also the Holy Spirit Baptisme and the Lords Supper are seals of all those The Spirit Eph. 1.13 14. first in generall is a seale of all the promises therefore called there the Spirit of promise saying ye were sealed with the Spirit of promise For as the promise promiseth the Spirit so the Spirit dictated to the Penmen of the Scriptures to leave us those promises and the Spirit brings home and applyes those promises to every mans particular heart 2 Cor. 3.3 1 Thess 1.5 Secondly In particular 1 The Spirit is a seale of salvation in the same Ephes 1.13 14. After ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your SALVATION after ye beleeved ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise 2 A seale of multiplication of Believers For in that respect it is also there called as we hinted but now the Spirit of promise in that it is promised And how Thus that it shall be Joel 2.28 poured upon all flesh A large promise of innumerable effusions 3 A seale of the possession So in the same Ephes 1.13 14. ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of your INHERITANCE untill the redemption of the purchased possession The redemption of the soules of the Ephesians was past already therefore the redemption of the body of which the Apostle speaks Rom. 8.22 23. saying That all the creation as well as all beleevers groan after it must be meant The Apostle calls it in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The redemption of much businesse which more sounds of a state on earth then in the highest Heavens And that our Coheirship with Christ Rom. 8. the Apostle Paul there saith verse 21 22 23. it must begin on earth And the Apostle John saith We must reigne with Christ on earth Rev. 5.10 a thousand yeers Rev. 20.4 Till Satan be there let loose and Gog and Magog thereupon make opposition verse 7.8 9. Next Baptisme is a seale as of salvation as all know so of the possession which that innumerable company of Jewes and Gentiles Exod. 12.37 38. passing through the Red sea Exod. 14. should have if there baptized beleeved 1 Cor. 10.1 c. wherein God sealed to them among other things that his power should be Omnipotent and his mercy
absolutely for ever 2. If any hanker and long after the sence that our translation hints as if the three former Beasts had a kind of life allowed them after their dominion was taken away to give these content we can give them this faire answer which may likewise be handsomely improved as to the illustration of the ruine of the fourth Beast and so of the glorious remaining of the fift Monarchy That though the three former monarchies were dis-robed of their Monarchicall paramount Emperiality the former by the latter yet those three divine providence permitting had continued unto them some degree of regality untill some good space of time that the fourth had been in being and power which is the more probable 1. Because how else could it bee said that the third trampled the second and the fourth the third yea all the remainder of the former unlesse they had some entiry or being to be trampled 2. Because the whole Image is broken by the ruine on the feet of the fourth and last And therefore probably there were certaine broken limbs of the three former remaining to be beaten into dust with the fourth 3. Because wee have some such account given us in the faithfullest humane Histories First For the Armenians part of Chaldea as some learned affirme had a King and Kingly dignity even unto the dayes of the Roman Monarchy Tigranes King of Armenia was subdued by the Roman Pompey and his Country made tributary and so stamped under foot But after a while even in the reigne of Tiberius the same Armenia was fortified against the Romans whom the Emperour rather pacified with promises then subdued with Warre who after got the staffe so far into their hands againe that in the reigne of Jovinian they were called Friends not Vassals to the Romans Secondly For Persia they had great power in the time of Antiochus the great and of his sonne Antiochus the vile of the Greeke Monarchy downe unto and farre into the times of the Roman Emperours Of whom Julian lost his life Valerian went under ransome and Jovinian put to the shamefull foyle of the losse of foure whole provinces Thirdly For the Grecian Monarchy after the Romans had trampled Egypt Anthony and Cleopatra being subdued by Augustus and their Countries reduced to Provinces yet after the Greekes did so far shake off the Roman yoake as that they withstood divers of their stoutest Emperours viz. Galienus Aurelian and Dioclesian And this last answer doth also well illustrate the prophesie That whereas somthing of the former Monarchies remained in the days of the later yet the fift should leave nothing of the fourth and so nothing of the former All being to be broken in the feet of the fourth So glorious should the fift Kingdome be Now let the reader take which answer he pleaseth § 11 Having cleared we hope this knot let us now goe on with Daniels visions wherein he having already shewed us towards the discovery of the Who and what that destroyed the fourth Beast the posture and Acts of the Session of Judicature next he represents to us the person or persons the Captaine and his Army that tooke from the fourth Beast the Roman Monarchy and all other Kingdoms into their owne hands of power and these are Christ and his Christians vers 13 14. Daniel saw in the night-visions fitly signifying the Antichristian darknesse that then clouded the Church one like the Son of Man come with the cloudes of Heaven This is Christ who relatively as a King and Captaine Generall as the Scriptures set him forth and Mystically as he is by union of the Spirit head of his Church doth infer as soon as he is come an Host of Christians at his heeles as part of his Session when hee sits all which must necessarily bee here understood as the 18 26 and 27 verses being of the interpretation of the vision give sufficient warrant vers 18. But the SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH shall take the Kingdome for ever Zech. 1.8 Heb. 2.10 Revel 19.11 12 13 14. even for ever and ever ver 27 28. But the Judgement shall sit and they of the Judgement viz. as it is in this vision the Son of Man and his ten thousand times ten thousand of all Nations Languages and Peoples that beleeve in him shall take away his the fourth Beasts dominion to consume and destroy it to the end And the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole Heaven shall bee given to the PEOPLE OF THE SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH whose Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and all Dominions shall serve HIM Where most evidently Christ called here the Son of Man doth as a publicke person and a representative as the second Adam of all mankind that beleeve include and signifie all the sonnes of men that beleeve and they and he are so one mystically by faith and relatively as a corporation or united Emperiality that it is indifferent to the Holy Ghost to mention HIM or THEM to be the Ruler of this fifth Monarchy As for that his coming we mentioned but now Daniel expresseth it in the said thirteenth verse The Sonne of man came with the Clouds of Heaven Upon which words Mr. Parker saith thus The Sonne of man is Christ the Head including also his Body the Church as appeareth ver 26 27. He is said to come and this is his second coming in a large sence comprehending his coming to beare rule on earth by setting up his Kingdome breaking down the enemy and this is the space of forty five yeares and then his visible appearing at the Resurrection immediatly ensuing to finish the New Jerusalem begun in heavenly perfection And in this large description his second coming is usually taken in the Prophets He is said to come in the Clouds of Heaven that is on high above the glory and power of the Kingdomes of the earth in the supereminent Majesty of his Kingdom Rev. 11 12. Isa 52.13 Mat. 24.30 Thus Mr. Parker I only adde this that by the current and tenour of Scripture this phrase of his coming in the Clouds signifies withall that he shall visibly and really appeare in the natural Clouds at that his second coming but now mentioned as Christ himselfe and Saint John expounds the Prophets Matth. 24.30 Revel 1.7 Then shall appeare saith Christ in that twenty fourth of Matthew ver 30. the signe of the Sonne of Man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourne and they shall SEE the Sonne of Man coming in the CLOVDES of Heaven c. And saith John in that Revel 1.7 Behold he cometh WITH CLOVDES and every eye shall SEE him and they also that pierced him § 13 He is said in the same thirteenth verse both to come to the Ancient of dayes that is as he is Mediator to the end to obtaine the Kingdome for his Saints being removed from the enemy So the Lamb is said to approach to him that
OUR GOD for ever and ever Which words are not only a promise but a prophesie as to signifie the piety they should practice at the time when the Lord should performe the aforesaid prosperity unto them For as for Micha and his generation of religious men they were soon dead And the generality of the Jewes and their Common State as to religion now at this present of Micha's prophesying were mightily corrupted and stood heinously guilty of Ignorance Idolatry injustice oppression cruelty and the falsehood and security of Princes and Prophets as the first second third and sixt chapters abundantly testifie expresly reckoning up and charging them with those sins and threatning Gods wrath upon them for that cause Nor was that prosperous time in which they should so serve God for ever yet come The Prophet minding both Judah and Israel of nothing they were to expect at present but devastations and captivities in the forementioned chapters if the ten tribes went not into captivity afore that Micahs prophesie was at an end Who prophesied as t is expresse chap. 1. ver 1. in the reign of Hezekiah who reigned nine and twenty years 2 King 18.2 in the fourth yeare of whose reign Salmanasser besiegeth Samaria 2 King 18.9 and in his sixt yeer took it ibid. And for after times ensuing that returne of them that was granted by Cyrus the Persian from that day to this they were under a forreign power in a constant succession the hand of the succeeding oppressor being upon them afore the predecessors was taken off Yea the following tearing them out of the hands of the former to the great prejudice as well of their piety as of their prosperity In the time of the Maccabees great prophanation was brought in as a flood upon their Jewish religion 2 Maccab. chap. 5. chap. 6. and chap. 7. And in Christs and the Apostles time first For the Jewish religion we find that the whole body of their law according to their interpretations and the bulke of publike worship according to their traditions and practise to bee exceedingly corrupted as our Saviour laies them open in the fifth sixt thirteenth fifteenth and three and twentieth chapters of Matthew Besides the many Sects mentioned some in the four Evangelists viz. the Pharisees Sadduces and Herodians and others mentioned in Ecclesiaticall stories as Assideans Essenes and Gaulonites whose single several errors were these The Pharisees held 1. That they were the holy ones Of the Pharisees and all else vile Luk. 18.11 God I thank thee I am not as other men John 7.49 This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rabble of the common people that know not the law are cursed Suitably their common Hebrew phrase was to call the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 people of the earth 2. They ascribed many things to Fate and many to free will Joseph l. 13. c. 9. 3. They held that the soules of good men deceasing passed by a kind of Pythagorean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or transmigration of soule successively into the bodies of those good men that were next borne Thence is that speech as the learned conceive touching Christ risen that he was John Baptist or Elias or Jeremias Matth. 16.14 4. They stood mainly for Traditions Matth. 15.2 Mark 7.3 4. Matth. 9.11 Luk 18.12 Matth. 23.5 Therefore our Saviour calls the Pharisees so often Hypocrites in that one chapt Matth. 23. The Sadduces first Of the Sadduces Denied the resurrection of the body or any reward or punishment in the world to come Matth. 22.23 Luke 20.27 Act. 23. ver 6 7 8. Concerning their opinion that the soules of men were annihilated at their deaths see Joseph de Bel. Iudaic. l. 2. c. 12. Secondly They denied all the Bible but the five Books of Moses which is the reason why our Saviour Matthew 22.32 waves all other plainer places of the resurrection in Iob and the prophets and proves to them the resurrection out of Exod. 3.6 Thirdly They ascribed all to mans free will Ioseph l. 13. c. 9. The Sect of the Herodians mentioned Matth. 22.16 were a sort of Iewes Of the Herodians that complied with the Court of Herod in grosse flattery and a compounded piety of Iudaisme and Herodianisme * Beza in Mat. 22.16 For they ** Epiphan Heres 20. Theophyl in Matth. 22.16 alii held that either THE Herod that is Herod the great was THE Messiah or at least that â— Herod v. 9. Herod Tetrarch of Galilee alias Antipas or c. was a Messiah to them in that the Scepter was then departed from Iuâ—ah the mark of the time of the Messiah's coming and the then Herods government so wel pleased them So that he and his Court concurred with them to crucifie Christ Mark 3.6 and they complied with him and his Court touching the equity of the Jewes paying tribuâ—e ‡ Hieron in Mat. 22.16 Matth. 22.16 And in the celebration of Herods birth say with superstitious solemnities At which Persius who flourished about sixty years after Christ hath a sore jirke in his fifth Sayr v. 10 c. Herodis venêre dies unctâque fenestrâ Dispositae pinguem nebulam vomuere lucernae Portantes violas rubrumque amplexa catinum Cauda natat Thynni tumet alba fidelia vino Labra moves tacitus recutitaque Sabbata palles When Herods Birth-day's come the Lamps are plac'd In ranks in the oyl'd window all be-greas'd By a far mist which they had spued out Though with sweet vi'lets pranck'd and crown'd about And whiles in a red pan doth swim a Thyne The white stone Pitcher floateth'ore with wine But pal'd with fasts thou muttringly dost pray All the Circumcisions Sabbath day * On this of Persius learned Lubins note is this Herod the Asealonite saith he reigning over the Jewes they called the Herodiens adored his Birth day as Sabbaths On which day they put lamps lighted up in the windowes filled with oyle and trimed with Violets adorning also the doors with flowers The Jews being wont to put on the Eve afore their Sabbath Enneamyxon a lamp of nine Branches of lights in their window The swimming of a Thyne or Tunie in a dish or platter of red clay signifies that though the Jewes used plaine vessels yet they had varieties and dainties well sauced in their Feasts which is more illustrated by the abundance of wine in the next verse And their Feast daies are called Circumcised or circumcision Sabbaths because the circumcised Jewes did celebrate them The sacred Text doth intimate that a great number of the country of Galilee were at the celebration of Herods Birth day Mar. 6.21 where you have the sad event of that merry-making viz. Iohn Baptist is beheaded in which the Jewes no doubt had an hand by that our Saviour speakes Matth. 17. ver 9. c. to 14. where he having mentioned his resurrection and the Disciples thereupon objected why then say the SCRIBES ** Scribe was a name of Office not of
FACE of Christ but hereafter upon the appearance of Christ at the coming in of the fulnesse of the Gentiles and the call of the Jewes into one universall visible Church God will shine forth most gloriously through the WHOLE PERSON of Christ upon OVR WHOLE PERSONS so that we shall be like him in glory Phil. 3. 21. and we shall know as we are known 1 Cor. 13.12 we shall put off all corporall imperfections and shall apprehend him as well perfectly by our sences as by our graces as will appeare more by that which followes For ¶ 4. We shall behold him with open face or unvailed countenance or uncovered or unmasked persons as the Greeke comprehends all and this being spoken indefinitely and unlimitedly either to the beholder or thing beheld it is safest to take in both answerably opposing the two vailes afore so that 1. All we Jewes and Gentiles that shall partake of this glorious state on earth shall behold with uncovered sences with uncovered reason with uncovered graces Our eyes and mindes shall not be held as Luk 24. that our Phantasie should peirce no further then sence or that sence should apprehend extraordinary things in an ordinary notion And our reason shall not be covered nor cumbred with errour and mistakes and sensible desires and our graces shall not be blind-fold with inordinate carnall affections 2. Christ shall be beheld as altogether uncovered he shall not be covered as to be seene only in Aenigmaticall expressions as the Apostles phrase is in the Greek 1 Cor. 13. 12. or in typicall seales as in receiving the elements of the Holy Supper we are said to shew his death till he comes 1 Cor. 11.26 or in the heavens as now he is or in a personall state of humiliation as when he was on earth in afflictions and sufferings but he shall be wholly uncovered to be seene as he is in his great glory in that time of the Churches restauration on earth at his appearance as it is here said in the next particular ¶ 5. Beholding the glory of the Lord. At his first coming we beheld his ingloriousnesse Phil. 2. Isa 53. After at his transfiguration some two or three saw a glimps of a prelude of his glory After that a few saw at his ascension his entrance into supreame glory Acts 1. But here WEE ALL Jewes and Gentiles in generall whosoever and how many soever converted unto Christ shall behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THAT SAME glory of the Lord. ¶ 6. And so behold as to be changed into the same image A wonderfull and efficacious beholding which shall transforme the Embryon of the new Creature conceived in the wombe of the Soule into the glorious Image of Christ by beholding him in his glory in this state on earth The divine Plants of God in this new Paradise on earth shall so see the Sun of righteousnesse that they shal blossome and flower and fructifie into like colours stripes an rayes as are in that Sun We must as the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies be Metamorphosed from our corrupt and inglorious image into the glorious Image of Christ So this text So againe the same Apostle hath it 1 Cor. 15.51 52. The introductory both of the discourse and of the thing leading to this change in verse fifty one begins at vers 22. which we have laboriously opened afore but in the seventh Section immediatly preceding To which adde this memorandum that Paul expresly treates there only of the resurrection of Beleevers as that at Christs next coming When saith the Apostle we shall not ALL sleep but we shall ALL be changed The dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed This corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality then death is swallowed up And this change is said to be glorious vers 49. As we have borne the image of the earthly so we shall beare the image of the heavenly Adam viz. Christ Which suite to our present text in this 2 Cor. 3.18 That we shall so behold the glory of Christ that we shall be Metamorphosed transformed into the same image By which parallel ye perceive what the Apostle meanes by this transformation into the same glorious Image viz. to our glorious state on earth at the first resurrection of the Saints at Christs next coming At our first conversion we have some spirituall inward change Of this our Apostle made mention afore in this 2 Cor. 3. viz. vers 16. in that phrase of turning to the Lord. And vers 17. in those words where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty But in that clause in the last verse of Metamorphosing into the same Image some greater thing must be intended For ¶ 8. It followes we must be changed into the same Image from glory to glory which sounds of a future For from glory to glory must signifie more then a processe from one degree of grace to another as it is intended in Psal 84. from strength to strength and Rom. 1.17 from faith to faith for though that be the beginning and touched vers 16. 17. of this 2 Cor. 3. yet here the Apostle drives at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the exaltation of a Saint to his height and must import that the former glory is suitable to the latter glory which is true of personall glory on earth at Christs next appearance that it is like to the latter viz. ultimate glory both glorifying the whole man whereas the glory of our imperfect sanctification doth glorifie only the inward man and that too but in part There is also a difference in the cause as it is in the last clause viz. ¶ 9. By the Lord the Spirit as we touched the Translation afore whereby it is plainly held forth that whereas our inward glory of Sanctification in all the processe thereof is from the inward power of the Spirit of the Lord our personall glory of soule and body at the said coming of Christ is from his personall presence transcendently and efficaciously radiating on our persons to a change and filling the earth with the beames of his glory Now weigh all together and see whether the whole minde of this text can be terminated in our conversion and sanctification or can be wholly extended to ultimate and supreamest glory Or can be fixt upon that unsuitable time of converting Israel at the day of the ultimate Judgement And if not then it is yet to come before the ultimate generall day of Doome SECT IX The Ninth place in the New Testament for the glorious state of all things on earth at Christs next appearance is Phil. 2.9 10 11. God hath highly exalted him Christ and given him a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow of things in heaven and things in the earth and thing under the earth and that every tongue should confesse that Jesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the
afore in our first Book in Lactantius his Quotation Rectification of the opinions of Heathens And if any be not contented with that and our necessitated brevity here but are restlesly further inquisitive I refer such to Plato himselfe and to the Platonists viz. Ficinus and other zealous Commentators and followers of him But that Metempsychosis added and joyned to all these did compleat them up being fairely interpreted with meet allowance to Heathens into a system or body in the maine sense of our opinion casting up as the high way leading thereunto a resurrection or reunion of soules with their bodies Pythagoras saith that the soule of Euphorbus a noble Trojan slaine in the Grecian wars against Troy transmigrated itselfe into his body Ovid * Ovid Metam l. 15. Fab. 3. juxta Bersmani editionem c. sets forth a briefe of all with great eloquence and learning after his way O Genus attonitum gelidae formidine mortis Quid stygia quid tenebras nomina vana timetis Materiam vatum falsique pericula mundi Corpora sive rogus flammâ sive tabe vetustas Abstulerit mala posse pati non ulla putetis Morte carent animae semper priore relictâ Sede novis domibus vivunt habitantque receptae Ipse ego nam memini Trojani tempore belli Panthoides Euphorbus eram cui pectore quondam Haesit in adverso gravis hasta minoris Atridae Cognovi clypeum laevae gestamina nostrae Nuper Abanteis Templo Junonis in Argis OMNIA MUTANTUR NIHIL INTERIT ERRAT ILLINC Huc venit hinc illuc quoslibet occupat artus Spiritus c. Which I shall give you in English O men whom horrors of cold death affright Why fear you Styx vain names and endlesse night The theam of Poets and fear'd miseries Of a false world If fun'ral flames surprise Or age doth pine your bodies they nor grieve Nor suffer pains Our souls for ever live Though evermore their ancient houses leave Yet live in new which them as guests receive In Trojan wars I I remember well Euphorbus was Phanthöus son and fell By Menelaus lance I knew my shield Born on my left arm in Mars his field Beleeve me you may for this againe At Argos late I saw in Junos Fane ALL ALTER NOTHING FINALLY DECAYES Hither and thither still the spirit strayes Guest to all bodies Out of beasts it flyes To men from men to beasts and never dyes Nihil est toto quod perstet in â—â—be-Cuncta fluunt omnisque Vagans formatur imago Corpora vertuntur nec quod fuimuâ—ve sumusve-cras erimus Id est inquit Commentator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As Pliant wax each new impression takes Fixt to no form but still the old forsakes Yet is the same So souls the same abide Nought in this circled world is fix'd we view Each fading form at last is form'd anew So change our bodies without rest or stay Nor what we yesterday nor what to day We were or are hereafter we shall be c. They that can read Heathen Poets Philosophers Orators Historians c. in their owne languages shall finde aboundings of this what hope they had of a glorious blisse on earth in the next world Or they that will read but Morneys truenesse of Religion translated into English shall receive satisfaction enough in these things The holy Scriptures themselves take some notice of the minds and meaning of the heathens in these things We will note but two places § 2 The first is Matth. 14.1 2. At that time Herod the Tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus and said unto his servants This is John the Baptist he is risen from the dead and therefore mighty works doe shew forth themselves in him or as it is the Margent mighty works are wrought by him We might here againe take occasion to repeat the Gentiles Theologie viz. Pythagoras and Platoes and others doctrine of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The change of the state of souls passing into bodies the change of bodies into better forms and as the New-creation of both and might produce much out of * Plato in l. 10. Poli In Timaeo In Phaedro Cum concinnâ ut ait Chemnitius interpretatione cum amantium Plato †August de Civit. D. l. 22. c. 18. ex varronis libris Austin ** Lactant. l. 7. Ex Chrysippi Stoici libro de providentia Lactantius and *âŽ* Joseph de bello Judaico cap. 7 Josephus to that purpose But brevity puls me by the ear and therefore I shall onely note that which indeed is the main expressed in this Scripture with that great emphasis That John the Baptist being risen from the dead THEREFORE mighty works are wrought by him where plainly to me this Scripture with an intentive eye takes notice that Gentilisme or the doctrine of Heathens whence Herod had his opinion did hold that the soules of good men deceased after their returne to their bodies did put them into a far better condition on earth then they were in before For we read not that John Baptist did in his life time work any miracle or mighty worke at all But wee have a text to the contrary Joh. 10.41 But now that he is risen from the dead as Herod conceived hee judged that he was very able to worke miracles on earth This collection of mine by good providence I found seconded by Great Chemnitius that most pious and learned man and by our received New Annotations Chemnitius his words are Credidit insuper ipsum c. i.e. Furthermore Herod did beleeve that John Baptist that before his death wrought no miracle now as if made more divine and by reason of the sanctity of his former life he could do those works which did surpasse humane power Our New Annotations on the Bible say thus He is risen from the dead Syr. from among the dead Some note here Herods opinion of Johns sanctity as concurring with the Pharisees who thought that the Holy did easily returne to life againe See Josephus Antiq. l. 18. cap. 2. The meaning is as if Herod had said HE HATH MORE POWER NOW THEN EVER HEE HAD For John wrought no miracles John 10.41 Thus our New Annotations § 3 The second place of Scripture is in 1 Cor. 15.29 Else what shall they do which are baptised for the dead if the dead rise not at all why are they then baptized for the dead The Apostle here takes notice of the opinion of the Heathens that they had a dim hope of the Resurrection in that they washed the bodies of such as were deceased to lay them trimly and decently accommodated to that end among the dead For if the dead rise not saith the Apostle why will they doe it that wash over the dead or pour water over or upon the dead that is wash the dead as the Greek very wel bears For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both in the Text are
a thousand yeers The yeer thereof four hundred thousand yeers Possibly the thousand yeers intend the limited felicity on earth the foure hundred thousand yeers the eternal in ultimate glory And then the said Tract of Theologie goes on saying They that possesse this estate shall be all perfect in STATURE to wit in the STATURE OF ADAM and in FORM viz. in the FORM OF JESUS CHRIST never suffering any increment or decrement They shall have all sweet contentment and all at their pleasure without difficulty or delay § 5 It is there added concerning the day of judgement That the day of judgement shall continue a long time Three Trumpets shall bee sounded At the last all shall be gathered together to Jerusalem § 6 Thus you see what glimmering light the Turks had of the future state we speake of If they erre in the manner of their discourse it is no wonder being such Barbarians as I may say in many respects We have in substance confessed by them what wee contend for A wise man hath been sometimes cloathed in a fools Coat We told you before we should not justifie all the words the Heathens Turks and Jews should speak of this point Yet let not this as Mr. Mede saith touching the rubbish mixt in the Fathers and others touching this opinion make us cast away the substance of gold The Turks you see in part and I might have shewed you more sometimes speak in substance according to Scripture And sometimes they speake in effect touching our point against themselves wherein they are to be regarded As in that touching Jagog and Magog who are they themselves and touching Jesus Christ his comming againe to confirme the Law and to be the patterne of our perfection at the Resurrection and not their Mahomet And that the children of Isaac shall at last overcome them Great is the power of truth and it shall prevaile as Cardanus said and in a demonstration thereof as he professeth he wrote the disgracefull story of his owne birth and life CHAP. IV. Containing the Doctrine of the Jewish Rabbins concerning the state of the godly after the Resurrection and the Scriptures they alleadge for their Doctrine § 1 FIrst we will present to you some passages out of a collection of them compiled learnedly by R. Menasse Ben Israel * In his Treatise De Resurrectione mortuorum libritres As for the Rabbi himselfe in the first Book hee doth very orthodoxly assert abundantly out of many Scriptures of the Old Testament and the consent of some Rabbins therein the Resurrection I will touch one because according to his allegation the inference thence naturally flowing looks more particularly with favour on our Thesis Moreover saith he * Ibid. lib. 1. cap. p. 13. 101. Jacob in Egypt would be buried with his Fathers in Canaan and Joseph commanded his brethren that when they should depart out of Egypt they should carry his bones with them All which are of that nature that by them it easily appears that they believed the soule to be immortal or else that care had been ridiculous Yea it had been ridiculous if they had not hoped for an happy estate among the godly in their bodies upon the earth at the Resurrection Else they needed not take any regard of places on earth neer the faithfull or c. of this inference as allowed by the Rabbins see after in this Chapter § 2 In his second Book he brings us many resolutions of questions out of the learned Rabbins 1 That men that were monsters here shall rise againe without all monstrousnesse because else their monstrosity would terrifie the minds of men c. * Ibid. lib. 2. cap. 5. p. 163. which reason argues a conversing of men on earth after the Resurrection 2 That the dead shall rise cloathed ** Ibid. 2. c. 6. p. 164 165. c Thus saith he R. Meyr in Tract Sannedrim asserted when Cleopatra put it as a Question to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He gives his answer in summe thus If the Wheat-corne sowne in the earth doth not need for its putrefaction so many wrappers as it springs up with yet it ariseth out of the earth with a blade and ear How much more convenient is it that pious and good men for decorum sake shall rise cloathed with garments And in the Jerusalem Talmud it is said under the name of R. Natan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. with the same vestiment with which a man is buried shall he rise againe according to that Job 38.14 He is changed as a lump of clay and stands as a garment To the same effect R. Johanan in Beresit Raba R. Irmihah These things I doe not take time to dispute whether true or false but this I inferre that those Rabbins that beleeved this must needs thus thinke upon this ground that there should be an happy estate of good men on EARTH at their resurrection Howbeit for mine own part if you will needs presently know my inclination what to thinke herein remember that Adam and Eve being both naked in innocencie and our estate at the Resurrection shall not bee more imperfect they were not thereby obnoxious either to sinne or shame 3 How the world shall be able to containe all that shall be raised and particularly the land of PALESTINE Ibid. l. 2. c. 10. p. 186 187. c all the JEWS To which the Rabbins answer That there are now many Tracts of the world which are not habitable but either are at present unknown or if known yet through too much heat or too much cold are not inhabited Which things shall not be so at the Resurrection For then all parts of the whole Earth shall be known and all shall be made habitable And for the capacity of PALESTINE or the Holy-land promised to the ISRAELITES as the place of their entertainment this Isaias excellently explains Chap. 54.2 3. Sing O barren c. Enlarge the place of thy Tent and let them stretch forth the Curtaines of thine habitations Spare not lengthen thy cords and strengthen thy stakes For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on thy left and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles and shall make the desolate Cities to be inhabited By the place of the Tent saith the Rabbin is meant Jerusalem and by the Curtains of her Tabernacle are meant the Cities of the Holy-land Moreover faith the prophet those Curtains shall extend themselves too far In which matter this Prophet agrees with the words of Zachary Chap. 9. v. 1. That Jerusalem as the Rabin renders it shall be extended unto the gates of Damascus and Hamat with Tyre and Sidon shall enter into the borders of the Holy-land even as the Chalde Paraphrase doth expound which also may be confirmed out of Jeremiah Chapter 31. v. 38. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that the City shall be built to the Lord from the Tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the
in the general vote of their Rabbins laid together by R. Menasse Ben Israel Next hear learned Mr. Mede give you the summe of them Diatriba pars 4 pag. 461. Though the ancient Jews whilst they were yet the Church of God had no distinct knowledge of such an order in the Resurrection as first and second but only of the resurrection in grosse and general to be in die judicii magni yet they looked for such a resurrection wherein those that rose againe should reigne some time upon earth according to that Apocalyps 5.10 we shal reigne on earth as appeareth by Wisdome 3. from the first to the eighth verse inclusivè where it is expresly said That the soules of the righteous which were departed should in the time of their VISITATION shine and that they should judge the Nations and have dominion over the people and their LORD SHOULD REIGN for ever See the place and consider it This opinion is also here and there dispersed in the Chalde Paraphrase and in the Talmud as of ancient tradition and in the opinion of the Jews at this day who as they look not for the Kingdome of the Messiah untill Dies judicii magni the day of the great judgement so they expect that their fore-fathers at least such as were just and holy should arise at the beginning of the same and reigne in the land of Israel with their off-spring under the MESSIAH I can hardly beleeve saith Mr. Mede that all this smoak of tradition could arise but from some fire of truth anciently made knowne unto them Besides why should the Holy Ghost in this point speak so like them unlesse he would induce us mutatis mutandis to mean with them In fine the second and universal Resurrection with the state of the Saints after it now so clearly revealed in Christianity seems to have been lesse knowne to the ancient Church of the Jews then the first and the state to accompany it § 5 Let us close this discourse of the suffrage of the Jews touching the glorious state on earth yet to come with the Prophesie of Tobit or Tobias about to dye concerning the twofold Captivity of the Jews and the last state of things according to the most exact Hebrew copy * Not that of Munsters tempered and patched up out of the Greek and Latine Translations But that most ancient Constantinopolitan copy purely Hebraising set forth by Paulus Fagius So that this Copie differs something from that in Greeke◠and that we have in English formerly annexed to our English Bibles Should seem this Copie wee alleadge was originally in Chalde and was translated most faithfully by some Jew that was singularly learned in the Hebrew Dialect We shall with the Translation give you a taste of it in some main parts in the Hebrew That we intend is in the Prophesie of Tobias according to this said copy in Chapter 14. v. 3. c. And it came to passe when Tobias was old that he called his sonne Tobias together with his six sonnes which were borne to him and said unto him My sonne thou knowest that I am now spent with old age Take heed therefore after my death that thou stay no longer at NINEVE For certaine it is and cleare to thee that it shall come to passe that the Prophesie of the Prophet JONAH shall bee confirmed Wherefore take thy sonnes and all that thou hast and goe into the Land of the MEDES for THERE shall bee peace unto the appointed time But the rest of our brethren of ISRAEL 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are in Jerusalem all of them shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goe into exile and Jerusalem shall bee for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or into heapes * For so and in the very same words the Prophet Micha had now prophesied about the beginning of Hezekiah in which time Tobias was carried away into Captivity See Jer. 16.18 Micha 3.12 and the mountaine of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 House for or into high places of a Forrest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall remaine desolate for a little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And then shall the children of Israel go up and rebuild it and also the Temple but not according to the former structure and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall remaine there MANY DAYES UNTIL A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CERTAIN SERIES OF AGES BE FULFILLED †In the Greek tis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Till the seasons of that age or world be fulfilled Then shall they againe goe forth into a Captivity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by farre the greatest they were ever in * Those words Then againe they shall go into Captivity by far the greatest they were ever in are left out of the Greek Copy either by mischance or of purpose because it savoured of our opinion which the times then when it was expunged likely in Jeromes time could not bear it And therefore Jerome even for that cause left out not onely that clause but also two whole Paragraphs in that place to the utter routing of the coherence of the sense even as he translated the whole exceeding perfunctorily by his own confession For in his Prologue to that his Translation he saith Because the Chalde tongue is neer in kin to the Hebrew finding a ready man of speech in both languages I snatched the labour of one day and what he expressed to me in Hebrew that by a notary I expounded in Latine But the blessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy God shall remember them and shall gather them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the four quarters of the world Then shall Jerusalem the holy City be restored with a beautifull and excellent structure as also the Temple shall be built with a famous structure which shall not be destroyed nor demolished for ever as the Prophets have said Then shall the Gentiles be converted to worship the Lord and shall cast away the graven Images of their gods and shall give laud and praise to his great name The horne also of his people shall be exalted before all Nations and all the seed of ISRAEL shall celebrate and glorifie his great Name Then shall his servants that serve him in truth be glad all that do righteousnesse and godlinesse shall rejoyce and triumph before him If all that I have produced touching the Jews suffrage for the glorious state of all things on earth yet to come be not sufficient for some though perhaps I have quoted too much for others let such read the Chalde Paraphrase on the Bible if but in the Latine Translation the Rabbins at least as quoted in Mercer on the minor Prophets Petrus Galatinus Buxtorfs Jewish Synagogues and the fourth book of Esdras of which last Mr. Medes censure is worth the hearing especially in that it relates to the point in hand Whereas you say saith he in answer to Mr. Haines that the Jews since Christ brought in this opinion of
thousand that is to the universal Church who are verse 14. but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comming or about to come out of tribulation not come out They were washed afore in the bloud of the Lamb ever since their beleeving but that was from sinne but they are not yet come out of great tribulation but that shall bee ere long So that that which follows to the end of the Chapter cannot now bee applyed to their persons viz. That they shall hunger no more nor the Sun light upon them any more And God shall wipe away all tears which are spoken in the future Tense as of things to come And it cannot be applied to their future state in heavenly glory For the Heathens that knew but the immortality of the soule never dreamed of hunger or thirst or feare to befall good men in the world to come Nor did the Philosophers thinke that the Sunne did shine above the highest of the orbs of the material heaven Therefore there is no probability in the least that this is a description of everlasting glory but of a state on earth where the Sunne hath smitten and there hath been hunger and thirst and have been tears So that still I minde you this Chapter is but a parenthesis of comfort put there by way of anticipation For it is put between the sixth and seventh Seal between which must be a methodical succession The sixth Seale is in chapter 6. which is most terrible obscuring heaven shaking the earth terrifying the sonnes of men And the seventh Seale is in Rev. 8. verse 1. In which eight Chapters whiles Christ intercedes over the prayers of the Church in regard of some slaine as it is in Chapter 6. The seven Trumpets appear in order to sound at their time Rev. 8.6 c. so that the calamities of the world goe on in the world upon earth and from hence forward till Antichrist be downe As for the 11 Chapter it is plaine that it is but the summary of all that which John prophesies of the more Ecclesiastical state of things in his ensuing Book of the Revelation as in the former he had prophesied of the more Political I say a summary For there is set down the more pure state of the Church v. 1. and more corrupt verse 2. And of the two witnesses in sackcloath one thousand two hundred and sixty yeers and their lying dead in the grave three yeers and a half as well as rising and ascending And there is Babylon falling viz. The tenth part of the City c. as well as Babylon trampling and triumphing over the Witnesses So that unlesse we will jumble all into a confusion this 11. Chapter is but the summary of what follow in the whole book of the Revelation And in the 12 Chapter there is as much for the loosing of Satan as for binding For the 13 Chapter it plainly sets out the time of Satans power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two and forty months or a thousand two hundred and sixty dayes viz. yeers which power he hath not when his master Satan is bound as we have and shall heare For the 14 and 15. Chapters the Churches triumphant songs of victory over the Beast are but in hope of a thing to come Another Parenthesis of comfort proleptically inserted For before and behinde their song in Chapter 15. is mention of the Angels having the seven last plagues to fulfill the wrath of God viz. The pouring out of the seven Vials as it follows Chapter 16. I need goe no further in my Antithesis to the Doctors instances ¶ 2 We answer to his Antecedent or first Proposition that if indeed as Doctor Prideaux would have it from the 6. Chap. of Rev. to the 20. Saints are in their reigning condition and Satan is bound according to St. Johns true intent Rev. 20. what means all that while all that adoe against the enemies of the Church of seven Seals Chapter 6. and 7. of seven Trumpets Chapter 8. of seven Vials Chapter 15. and 16. and in 17. is described the sin and the judgement of the Whore and in Chapter 18. the manner of her utter destruction and Chapter 19. the destruction it selfe And then and not till then in Chapter 20. S. John speaks of binding of Satan so as the Saints may be said to reigne indeed After which no Seals Trumpets or Vials onely there is a proleptic or anticipation of the ultimate day of judgement mentioned verse 11. of Chapter 20. because it is the period of the thousand yeers but the state of times in Satans binding and the Saints reigning is after described in Rev. 21. and 22. Chapters ¶ 3 We answer to his said Antecedent or first Proposition That by the Doctors tenet and proof that Satan is bound from Rev. 6. to Rev. 20. for he saith that the beginning was in Constantines time that the Saints began to reign And John tells us that the thousand yeeres doe end at the ultimate day of judgement Rev. 20. it will follow that from Constantine M. which the Doctor puts in three hundred yeers after Christ to the day of judgement is but a thousand yeers For the Doctor in his stating the question confesseth that the thousand yeers must be taken properly and precisely But wee and most Nations doe compute from three hundred yeers after Christ to this yeer one thousand three hundred fifty three and yet the day of the last judgement is not come No nor the War of Gog and Magog which precedes it No nor the fall of Antichrist and Babylon which precedes that c. Next we come to answer to the Argument or Consequent or last Proposition § 3 To the Proposition it self That therefore all this while the Saints reigned wee say that though they reigned over sinne which is no more priviledge then every Saint hath had since the beginning of the world yet they reigne not on earth over their corporall enemies as the fifth Monarchy or power which is the minde of the Scripture as we have before abundantly proved ¶ 2 To his first proof viz. So are they Kings as they be Priests But they are Priests spiritually Therefore c. We say to the major and minor ten Millinary yeers that they shal be Priests on earth therfore joyntly they shall be Kings on earth And they shall in body sensibly offer up sacrifices on earth of praises and Hallelujahs Rev. 11. Rev. 14. Therefore they shall in the body sensibly reigne on earth The notion is changed but the place and thing is the same Therefore it is said Rev. 5.10 He hath made us Kings and Priests unto our God AND we shall reigne on earth And Rev. 20.4 shall reigne with Christ a thousand yeers The time and place sheweth what reigning it shall bee even such as to whom Kings and Nations shall bring their honour Rev. 21. But in heaven the Saints enjoy but not reign with Christ because Christ as Christ doth not there reigne as we have
be raised incorruptible viz. never to dye any more and we shall be CHANGED viz. all in the same moment ¶ 3 This glorious state of all things on earth yet to come is as a creation in regard of parts That as the whole creation is in Gen. 1. distinguished into six dayes worke so this New creation shall be perfected though not in that successive order of time but rather as I conceive at once in all those things that are enumerated to bee the workmanship of the six dayes workes You had the opinion of the Rabbins in this afore * In 4 Book 4 Chap. 3 Sect. 6 Pat. f. 428. Mine is this First For light answerable to the extraordinary LIGHT created on the first day for the Sunne and Starres were not extant till the fourth day The light of the Church at this time shall be a supernatural light above any created light according to Isa 60.19 The Sunne and Moon shall be no more light but THE LORD shall be unto thee an EVERLASTING LIGHT Sutable to St. Johns Vision and Prophesie Rev. 21.23 The City had no need of the Sunne or of the Moon for the GLORY of GOD did lighten it and the LAMB is the light thereof For it God shall be the Churches Sunne Psal 84.11 as he is likewise light it selfe 1 John 1.5 yea dwels in unspeakable light 1 Tim. 6.16 And Christ is prophesied to be the Sunne arising on the Church Malach. 4.2 That he comes as the Apostle saith 2 Thess 2.8 with a brightnesse yea as Christ himselfe promiseth his comming shall be as lightning shineing from the East to the West yea with GREAT GLORY Matth. 24. verse 27. and verse 30. then will their speciall presence or manfestation be a transcendent light to the Church which must be supernatural far above any created either that which was made the first day or after contracted upon the fourth day into the body of the Sunne as the waters extant the first day were couched into the Channels of the seas on the third day For both these were created But the light of the Church now shall be elucidations and emanations from the Deity overcomming and as it were drowning the glory of the Sunne c. And therefore though the Sunne and the Moon and Stars that now receive their light from the Sunne shall in that New creation be extant existing in their Orbs yet they shall not be there to give light to the Church Both these are distinctly mentioned in both the fore-quoted places Isa 60.19 The Sunne shall be no more thy LIGHT by day neither for brightnesse shall the Moon give LIGHT unto thee Observe it is not said they shall not exist they shall not be but they shall not be for the light of the Church Just so Rev. 21.23 it is not said the being of the Sunne and Moon shall bee nulled or annihilated but there shall be no NEED of the Sunne nor of the Moon to SHINE in New Jerusalem And the reason is because God and the Lamb shall lighten it and be the light and glory thereof So that though according to the creation of the Sunne and Moon and Stars in the fourth day those lights with the rest of the universe shall bee perfected in this New creation Isa 30.26 The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne sevenfold as the light of seven dayes in the day the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people yet not used for a light to the Church at that glorious time For then there shall be no nights and dayes as is intimated in that 60. of Isa verse 19. afore quoted mark it well The Sunne shall be no more thy light by DAY c. but the Lord shall be unto thee an EVERLASTING light i. e. perpetuall without interruptions by vicissitudes of nights succeeding the dayes and for ever But it is expresse in Rev. 21.25 St. John having said as afore quoted in the 23. verse There shall be no need of the Sunne neither of the Moon he addes in this 25. verse The gates of the New Jerusalem shall not be shut at all by day for there shall bee NO NIGHT THERE And if we should suppose that the motion of the heavenly orbs and all the planets and fixed Stars which is the onely cause of night should cease at this glorious time of REST seeing that all motion as saith the Philosopher truly is for rest which these heavenly bodies never had since their creation whiles the Plants have had theirs in the Winter the Sonnes of men in the night on the seventh day and in the grave the Wilde-beasts in the day c. And it is recorded as the most glorious time when the Sunn and Moon stood still Josh 10.12 13 14. There was no day like that before it or since that And if we should conceive that it is not contrary to that text of Isa 30.26 The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sunne sevefold greater c. to understand it as well if not rather of the extension of those bodies of light then of the intension of their beams of light their very bodies being called lights Gen. 1. And the sevenfold intensivenesse and strength of the beams might be an affliction and so the little globe of the earth would not be of bulke to interpose and eclipse the sight and prospect of any Starre from view and looking upon the rest especially on the magnified dimension of the body of the Sunne so that there should be a continued natural light round the world yet all these should be but for a comely ornament not a naturall concernment to the Church because the paramount presence and elucidation of God and the Lamb should be their light sutable to their paramount condition swallowing up as it were all other glories as the said text of Isa 60.19 Rev. 21.23 hold forth So that as the world began in the first Creation with an extraordinary light so at the end of this world in the New creation there shall be a supernatural light And thus of the state of it in regard of light in parallel with the first and fourth dayes worke in the first Creation Secondly As on the second day was created the Firmament as our Translators render it following the Greeke alias the Expanse according to the Hebrew that is at least the whole element of the ayre so in this New creation it shall be re-created anew that is perfected that there shall be no noysome fumes or vapours or any other noxious exhalations fiery or watery c. to cause sicknesse death it selfe being now swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15. And all sorrows removed Rev. 21.4 And the aire shall not be an habitation for devils over the Church as formerly for which he was called the Prince of the ayre Eph. 2.2 But the devill shall be chained up Rev. 20.2 and every unclean
spirit shall be removed farre away from the Church Zach. 13 2. Thirdly For the rest of the dayes works of Creation as in them were created the dry-land the Plants the Fishes and Fowls and Animals c. So in this New creation there shall be a perfection of all those then in being for of a resurrection of irrationals I know nothing and they shall be freed and set at liberty from all danger and hardship Isa 11.6 7 8 9. Rom. 8.19 20 21 22. I speak now short to these things because I am not yet come to the qualifications of this future glorious estate into which this Head would sometimes faine draw me but I will not be anticipated ¶ 4 This future glorious estate on earth is a creation in regard of the end viz. that as man was created last of all most perfect in soule and body as the subordinate end next under God for which God made it viz. that man might have the possession and use of all and dominion over all Gen. 1.26 So in this New creation Christ restores all things to their perfection and every beleever to his to that end that all beleevers being raised or changed as afore described may joyntly and co-ordinately rule over the whole world and all things therein next under Christ their Head I say All and not apart onely as some unwarily publish And I say joyntly not one part of the Saints to usurp authority over the rest as many dream And co-ordinately All upon equall tearms not some Saints to rule by Deputies made of the rest of the Saints as the practise of men seem to interpret And all to be true Saints not seeming Thus we read in Dan. 7. verse 14. and 27. And Rev. 20.4 And Chap. 21. verse 24.26 Study the places well and you will easily picke it out CHAP. III. Measuring out the DIMENSIONS of this glorious estate to be on Earth afore the ultimate universal Judgement § 1 HAving done with the Creation of it we come next to the Dimensions Quantity or Extent of the glorious Kingdome of Christ on Earth yet expected viz. That as the other foure Monarchies did over spread all the inhabited world as it is said of Nebuchadnezzars Assyrto-Chaldean Monarchy Dan. 2.37 that he was King of Kings and that WHERESOEVER THE CHILDREN OF MEN DWEâ—T the Beasts of the field and fowles of the Heaven GOD HAD GIVEN INTO HIS HAND and had made him RULER OVER ALL and of Caesars Roman Monarchy Luke 2.1 That there went out a decree from him that ALL THE WORLD should bee taxed So this fifth Monarchy of the Saints reigning on earth under Christ must be as large as those Monarchies as large as the whole world for ample Dominion though not for sincere conversion That is the generality of men in the time of this Kingdome being converted into true Saints they shall rule over all the whole world of men swallowing up the other former Monarchies So that if there be remaining a secret seed of hypocrisie in â—ome which shall at last God so foretelling Rev. 20.8 breake out in the Gogican War at the end of our THOUSAND yeers shall yet mean while all men all the time of the thousand yeers shall be demurely subject to the Dominion of the Saints Touching the latitude and largenesse of this Holy-Kingdome read Dan. 2.34 35. The stone cut out without hands smote the Image on his feet that were of iron and of clay and brake them to peeces Then was the iron the clay the brasse the silver and the gold broken in peeces together and became like the chasse of the Summerthershing floore and the wind carried them away so that NO PLACE WAS FOUND FOR THEM and the stone that smote the Image became a great Mountaine and FILLED THE WHOLE EARTH Dan. 7.26 27 And the judgement shall sit and they shall take away his the preceding Monarchies Dominion c. And the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome UNDER THE WHOLE HEAVEN shall be given to the people of the Saints c. And Rev. 10.7 St. John having said In the dayes of the voyce of the seventh Angel when he shall BEGIN to sound the mystery of God shall be finished he goes on in the 11. Chapter verse 15. saying The seventh Angel sounded and there were great voyces in Heaven saying The KINGDOMES of this WORLD are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reigne for ever That is no Monarchy shall ever be on earth after his Adde Isa 2. In the second verse c. whereof yee have the propagation of the Gospel of Christs Kingdome and mens obedience to it In the 11 verse repeated againe verse 17. yee have the Lord Christ exalted and his overthrowing all worldly powers prostrate before him in these words The lofty lookes of man shall be humbled and the haughtinesse of men shall be bowed downe and the LORD ALONE shall be exalted Which words though covertly for feare of provoking worldly Monarchs are alleadged by the Jewes to the same end as you have heard afore at large To the same effect of the largenesse of Christs Kingdome is that notable place in Isa 24. verse 21 22 23. In that day it shall come to passe that the Lord shall punish the Host of the high ones that are on high and the Kings of the earth UPON EARTH and they shall be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit and shall be shut up in the prison and after many dayes they shall be visited Then the Moon shall be confounded and the Sunne ashamed when the Lord of Hosts shall REIGNE IN MOUNT SION and in Jerusalem before his Ancients gloriously His Ancients are his ancient people the Jews And as the material Sunne and Moon shall be then nothing in comparison of the light of Gods presence as afore-shewed so the metaphorical Sunne and Moon for the same Scripture may have two subordinate senses Rev. 17.9 10. I say the metaphorical Sunne and Moon of higher and lower humane Majesties shall be confounded with shame So Jacob a Prince in those times and his wife are called by the name and interpreted to be the meaning of that name of the Sunne and Moon in Josephs dream Gen. 37.9 even as we had but now in that 24 of Isa both name and thing metaphor meaning expressed And by the same rule and proportion we may admit of others annexing a metaphorical sense to that Revelation 21. verse 23 24. that in Christs Kingdome to come upon earth there shall be no need of the Sunne or Moon i. e. of Emperial Royal or Princely Potentates to keep the peace as we have expounded it also in a litteral sense of the obscuring of the glory of all the Stars by the paramount glory of Gods presence For God and the Lambs presence shall be in stead of and more then the Sunne and Moon in both senses One both learned and godly doth likewise to the
reading though it doth a little differ from the Arabick and Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And there shall not be any more an infant of dayes and an old man that fils not his dayes because the youth that offends at the age of an hundred yeers shall dye and he that transgresseth in the age of an hundred yeers shall be banished which reacheth thus far to our purpose to signifie that the sinners not the Saints shall dye at this time of the glorious visible state of the Church But do not I stretch the sense of the Chaldee Paraphrase To answer this and to give you a further account of the sense of that place according to the opinion of the Church at Geneva and of the Rabbins hear the great Critick Ludovick De Dieu his Animadversions on the place bringing in his report of their opinions those things I have before asserted with an addition of his own thoughts upon the place Video Genevenses c. I see saith he they of Geneva doe refer this same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THENCE to time translating De la en avant that is From henceforward But Rabbi D. Kimchi refers it to Jerusalem saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THENCE that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Jerusalem whom Vatablus and Junius follow and I thinke ought to be followed * I for more safety according to the Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 referred it to both in that both time and place concur to the thing Moreover the Genevenses or they of Geneva translate the rest as if the sense of the Hebrew were this At that time so great shall be the length of mens lives that he that is now an old man shall then be counted as an infant And I see the Hebrews as R.D. Kimchi and Sol. Jarchi in their Commentaries yea and Jonathan in his Chalde Paraphrase to take the sense of this place to be That no man at that time shall be carried out of Jerusalem to burial who is but a boy no nor an old man unlesse he hath filled up his dayes that is hath lived to that length of life WHICH MEN HAD BEFORE THE FLOOD c. Thus far De Dieu his report of others viz. The Genevenses the Hebrews and the Chalde Paraphrase which how closely they concurre with us afore I need not multiply words to open the intelligent eye Next for De Dieu his own opinion upon the place it is true that he looks upon those hopes of the Jewes to use his owne words to be but dreams wherein they do imagine such a marveilous Kingdome of the Messiah and such a most happy life of the Jews AT THAT TIME ON EARTH But whiles he turnes us quite about we are but AS WEE WERE for he speaks but tantamount the same in effect which hath been already affirmed His words are these Nos haec spiritualia esse novimus c. That is wee know that these things are spiritual and so we interpret There shall not exist from thence any more an infant of dayes and an old man that filleth not up his dayes that is At that time there shal be another manner of the state of the world then there is at present For in this world many dye Infants others as it were old men of sixty or seventy yeers of age few finish their just space of life to attaine to an hundred yeers old But THEN there shall be the same condition of all whether of young or old for all shall fully make up their dayes The Prophet proves it For the child shall dye an hundred yeers old that is A childe shall not die a childe but shall fulfill the due space of his life But the sinner an hundred yeers old shall be accursed that is A childe will be happier in the Kingdome of Christ then an old man in the Kingdome of the world For a childe in the Kingdome of Christ SHAL ATTAINE A BLESSED OR BEATIFIED PERFECTION OF LIFE But the sinner in the Kingdome of the world shall be accursed even whiles hee SEEMS to have attained to a perfection of life Thus De Dieu for his own opinion By which supposing our consent to all he saies how far hath he carried us from where we were He saith he knowes these things of the Messiahs Kingdome shall bee spiritual We say so too The efficient the form or manner the end shall be spiritual and the injoyment shall be spiritualized But mens soules and bodies shall not be altered in kind then they were not men And the earth shall be earth or else how is it called a new Earth An earth though renovated And upon this must Christs Kingdome exist for he shall have none in the supreamest heavens after this on earth 1 Cor. 15.24.28 And he confesseth that in the Kingdome of Christ shall be happinesse I say no more let the Reader judge of the rest § 5 Some make another argument out of a Text that speaks no such thing viz. Heb. 9.27 It is appointed unto men once to dye therefore men in the thousand yeers must also die To which wee answer First It is not said to all men but onely to men Secondly All men are not appointed to die So the same Apostle expresly in 1 Cor. 15.51 we shall not all dye that is the meaning of sleep but wee shall be changed Thirdly Note the distinction of times It is true in that 9. of Heb. 27. that before the judgement men ordinarily die But when the judgement comes which begins at this thousand as we proved afore because the living wicked are destroyed and the dead Saints are raised and rewarded I say when the judgement comes there is no more death but changing 1 Cor. 15.1 Thess 4. There is yet behinde one objection sc The last enemy that is destroyed is death 1 Cor. 15.26 as if this Text did argue for death in the thousand yeers but it doth not For we answer Though that be the last enemy yet that is not the last thing done in the seventh Trumpet or thousand yeers but death is destroyed to the Saints at the beginning of the thousand yeers as we have largely shewed afore For verse 23,24 is said every one shall rise in his owne order Christ first AFTERWARD viz. above one thousand six hundred and fifty after they that are Christs AFTER that comes the ultimate end sc after a thousand yeers As he destroyes the death of sinne at the beginning of the sounding of the last Trumpet v. 52. sc the seventh Rev. 11. So after the sound of it many things are to be done afore the ultimate judgement Ibid. sc as afore shewed At the ultimate judgement death is not destroyed to the wicked but re-inforced in a worse kinde or degree Rev. 20.14 SECT IV. THe future glorious state on earth shall be such as wherein there shall be No humane ruling Majesty No Church-censures No superiority of persons No fears
shall not If we might be tempted this were not a sorrowlesse condition It was a part of Christs great humiliation that he was tempted though he could not be prevailed against If wicked men the instruments shall not be neer to tempt them then nor Satan the Author So the Text Rev. 19. The wicked are removed Chap. 20. Satan is removed bound up that he should not seduce the Nations any more which phrase would be weighed more then it is I have before shewed in our answer to Doctor Prideaux That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies any the least temptation And now I adde that for ought I know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may fitly be rendred Satan shall not to that end wander up and downe among the Nations The Greek may beare it And the context speaks for it For were all those expressions and acts sc laid hold on and bound him cast him into the pit and sets a seale onely to that end that he might not seduce If God had onely laid his command it had been enough to restrain his acting as when Christ commanded him out of the possessed Rather therefore the meaning is that hee might not have so much as the liberty to peragrare Gentes to wander up and downe over the Nations It must not be with him as in the dayes of the Churches afflictions Job 1.7 and 1 Pet. 5.8 Now he is held chained cast down sealed that he may not wander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the active is to wander as planets that compasse the Earth And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the middle voice signifies to wander from place to place viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greek Criticks give instance obire multa loca to travel over much ground And Christ saith Now is the houre of temptation and the Kingdome of patience Then the Kingdome of perfect peace purity and exultation Rev. 11. Rev. 20. Rev. 21. The Serpent then shal only eat his dust Isa 65.25 in opposition to Gen. 3.14 And the devill that abused his body shall be shut up Now shall be fulfilled that promise Rom. 20.16 The God of PEACE mark Gods title shall tread Satan under your feet c. Now that Satan is in the pit he must be under their feet while the Saints stand on their feet on earth Satan must be under them As all things under Christs feet Heb. 2. As for Satans utter prevailing that was subdued when the Apostle spake those words For this purpose the Sonne of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devill 1 Joh. 3.8 Observe it is said works c. therefore now Satan himselfe must be under their feet as that text speaks Rom. 16.20 now is to bee fulfilled perfectly that Heb. 2.8 c. All must be subject to Christ And he must destroy death AND HIM THAT HAD THE POWER OF DEATH WHICH IS the Devil verse 14. So that that time that is a Deathlesse condition is a Devil-lesse a Satanlesse time And as in Rev. 20.7 the letting loose of Satan and Satans tempting go together so by an Antithesis Satans binding and his Non-tempting goe together verse 3. Indeed it is said so frequently in the Revelation that at the seventh Trumpet at this first Resurrection when Christ reigns and the Saints with him on Earth that their businesse shall be to joy praise triumph and sing Hallelujahs Rev. 5. Rev. 7. Rev. 14. and Rev. 19.5 or six times in the beginning of that Chapter that it cannot enter into the thoughts of the purest reason that there should be any sad songs of Satan sung to the ears of a Saint Sin and temptation are more sad then death to a Saint and therefore if the lesser sorrow and death shall be gone at this time then much more temptation If nothing that defileth shall enter into this state then not the unclean spirit as Christ calls him O glorious time when there shall be no disposition within nor temptation without to sinne but so full of God and happinesse in manifestation of Christ that there shall be no thoughts but in relation to him The souls of the Elect shall not returne to their bodies to be tempted that were their losse And the living Saints are changed therefore to a state of grace beyond that now which at present is liable to Temptation SECT VI. The next Quality is the RESTAURATION OF ALL THE CREATURES AS Isa 65.17 it is said there must be New Heavens sc a New Church-state so a New Earth a New naturall politick state of persons and things For there is mention of plantings and injoying of them And verse 25. of the Wolfe dwelling with the Lamb c. and that dust shall be the Serpents meat no devouring or hurting So the close They shall not destroy nor hurt in all the holy Mountaine Of this of the Wolfe c. we spake once afore largely on Isa 11.6 7 8 9. which Lactantius takes litterally See before and after the Text it is intended for the time we speake of And the reason of all is For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Knowledge signifies oft all spirituals and here imports that there shal be such an abundant manifestation of Gods presence that all whether taken litterally or metaphorically shall be as in Paradise before Adams fall So Psal 8. makes Gen. 1.26 A Prophesie or Type or both of what man shall injoy in after times And Heb. 2. applies Psal 8. to the time we speak of And Heb. 4. applies Gods resting the seventh day to a Sabbatisme on earth yet to come So the 2 Pet. 3. and Rev. 21.1 apply the New Heavens and New Earth to the said time and call it the New Jerusalem comming downe from God out of Heaven And the addition to the glory of this New Jerusalem shall be a lustre of all creatures materials of building shall be like all manner of precious stones and men shall be like Angels Kings honouring the Church No sea sc to devoure but adorn and comfort man if it be not in a great part crusted into a chrystal body like heaven above consolidated for men to travel upon and come together and to shine to adde an inlightning to the earth for more glory Adde to all this that of Rom. 8.18 As vox naturae THE VOYCE OF NATURE for our point full to our purpose though it may be not heeded for this purpose For Peter gives us a good item when being about to speak of the New Heavens and New Earth 2 Pet. 3. He tels us in v. 3. That before that shall be scoffers and slighters of this opinion of Christs comming they will be as heedlesse as men were before the renovation of the world by Noahs flood Chap. 2. And then having spoken of the New Heavens c. according to Gods promise verse 13. then in the 14. verse he exhorts men to be diligent to bee found blamelesse
Majesty Ezek. 7.20 Yea the Church is called Christs body Christs fulnesse presented without spot Eph. 1. Eph. 5. Now all these in the thousand yeers must be fully fulfilled Rev. 21. throughout SECT II. The Second Priviledge is A superabundant pouring out of the Spirit § 1 THe Saints ever since they beleeved have had the Spirit in some measure sc as a Spirit of Adoption and Sanctification so these are in Rom. 8. viz. v. 10. and v. 15. But now they shall have it in a more exceeding abounding manner and measure both for gifts and graces § 2 Joel 2.28 Afterwards I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dream dreams and your young men shall see visions and also upon the servants and upon the hand-maids in those dayes will I poure out my Spirit I did before in the Quod sit prove First That this did relate to the time we speake of Secondly That that pouring out Act. 2. was but the first fruits sc Spirit was abundantly poured out but upon some few And Dan. 12. verse 2 3 and 4. it is prophesied of this time Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake c. and they that bee wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse as the stars for ever and ever And knowledge shall be increased The demonstration of this place to belong to this time we speake of you have heard afore SECT III. The third Priviledge A wonderful returne of prayers § 1 ISaiah 65.24 It shall come to passe that before they call I will answer and whiles they are yet speaking I will heare That these words are within the body of a maine Prophesie of the visible glory of the Church in the time we speake of we have abundantly proved afore And you your selves may see by weighing verse 17. afore sc I create New Heavens and a New Earth c. compared with 2 Pet. 3. and 25. after The Wolfe shall dwel with the Lamb c. they shall not hurt nor destroy in all the holy mountaine And this same verse sc 24. which I urge Mr. Archer also urgeth to the same purpose in his Book of Christs Reigne on Earth page 31. saying That at this time there shall be a full and present answer to all their prayers At this time the reversion of all the prayers of all former ages will come into the Churches hands the effect of all those will flow in upon the Church unto a sea of happinesse And if this Church at present makes any prayers they shall have a present answer The Text saith Before they call The Hebrew is rendred both by the Latins Greek Syr. and Arab. Before they cry out So that before they pray as men in extremity or distresse God will answer which is plaine by that which follows For whiles they are speaking even in their hearts whiles they are but thinking prayer their desires shall be fulfilled Mr. Bolton saith that whiles the Saints are but thinking the desire of moving from one place to another from one company of Saints and Angels to another whether in heaven or on earth or both for most probably heaven and earth in common shall at last be the Sea of blisse both being made equally glorious they shall move thither even in an imperciptible time that is very suddenly Now every thing must bee compleated in its prime and therefore whatsoever requests the Saints may then make as comporting with that state it shall bee to use Christs words which then must be fulfilled to purpose But ask and have It is true this state shal be a state of perfection but it doth exist on this side the last loosing of Satan the rising of Gog and Magog and the ultimate general judgement What requests the Saints may then make we cannot affirm But sure if they make any they shal be without sinne or sorrow as before we have largely intimated The word prayer in Scripture comprehends praises and praises prayers as David calls his Psalmes Thillim Praises though they contain many Prayers That in this state the Church shall abound with praises the Revelation doth often hint as Rev. 11. Rev. 14. Rev. 19. And even as Christ layes not downe his Mediatorship till the end of the thousand yeers in divers respects of which afore so perhaps the Saints may make some kinde of prayers As for the exercise of their communion with God the use of their graces the receivall of reciprocall impressions for the continuation of their present state though God hath assured them it shall not faile prayer being the conduit of the fluxive River-like flowing in of it And for the finishing of their present state to the utmost supernal eternal glory I tenderly propose these things wherein my light is dim Most probably Adam in innocency should have spoken to God in some way of prayer And the Angel made a request to Christ Dan. 12.6 But I cease SECT IV. Upon those there former Priviledges followes this that in this glorious time the Churches Ordinances shall be in an higher Key either in Quality or Degree § 1 CHrist still holding his Mediatorship not to be laid downe till the end of the ultimate day of judgement 1 Cor. 15. and hee appearing in his glory to the Church as the great ordinance of Ordinances shall by speciall communion with the Church manifest to it the mind of God So that as God spake to Adam in Paradise and gave him the Ordinance of that seale the tree of life so here is this second Paradisian state of the Church there shall be a special manifestation and communication of and through Christ who is the maine tree of life Rev. 22. The Saints shall have such manifestations of the presence of God through Christ that now mainly is that fulfilled they shall be all taught of God as Adam was instructed in Paradise § 2 They shall have the high Ordinance that Angelical Ordinance of praise to God Rev. 11. Rev. 14. Rev. 19. Praise is as well an injunction as Prayer and as formerly Fasting was an extraordinary worship in misery so now praise in time of all mercies § 3 Their meditation which is an injoyned Ordinance I say their meditation and contemplation of God shall be as a vision of God or sight of his face Rev. 22.2 3 4. In the midst of the street and on either side of the river was the tree of life yeelding fruit the participation whereof comes not in without meditation acting or receiving and there shall be no curse there but the Throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve him which sure must be by meditation minding what they doe and THEY SHALL SEE HIS FACE So that their meditation and contemplation of God shall be as in a continuall vision of God Glorious sights cause meditation and meditation takes in
16 17 * a large discourse Page 492 Ch. 5. § 1 c 2 Ep. to Thess Cha. 1. v. 1. c. to v. 9. p 86 88 c. * p 487. v. 8. p 49 Cha. 2. v. 8 p 45 * p 491 Sect. 9 1 To Timothy Chap. 6. v. 14 89 2 To Timothy * Chap. 4 v. 1 95 89 V. 6 * p 487 Hebrews Chap. 1. v. 5. p * 160 ¶ 2 V. 6. p 9 * p. 133 134. See also in the margin largely and p * 160 ¶ 3 Chap. 2. v. 5 paralleld with Gen. 1.26 and Ps 8.131 V. 5. c. 9 73 94 V. 8 9 165 ¶ 4 Chap. 3. v. 7. c. to the end of the Chapter p 171 ¶ 1 c. V. 17. p 173 br 2 Ch. 4. v. 1 2. c. to v. 12 p 171 ¶ 1 c. p 176 l 1 c. Chap. 10. v 11 12 13 p 168 ¶ 7 c. * Chap. 11. v. 8 c. to 17 paralleld with Gen. Ch. 12 v. 1. c. ch 15. v. 4. ch 17.1 2 c. ch 18 v. 18. ch 22 18.26.4 ch 48. v. 19 26 137 Cha. 12. v. 26 p 124 § 2 James Chap. 1. v. 1 43 1 Ep. of Peter Chap. 1. v. 8 81 2 Ep. of Peter Chap. 1. v. 17 c. and from thence to the end of 3 chap. in general B. 3. c. 2 S. 51. § 5. ¶ 2. V. 19 97 Chap. 3.10 49 V. 13.14 V. 17 and 19. B. 3. c. 2. S. 51 § 5 ¶ 2 Jude V. 14 125 126 Revelation Chap. 1. V. 1.4 p 61 * p 486 § 2 V. 6.81 * V. 7. Ps 80.81 c. 90 * Chap. 2. v. 25 26 27 28 B. 3. C. 4. Sect. 10. * Chap. 3 21. B. 3. C 4. Sect. 11 Chap. 5. v. 10 p 67 73 74 76 Cha. 7.1 2 3 c. to the end p 204 br 6. c. Chap. 9. v. 1 2 c. 49 V. 11 87 Chap. 10 6 7 p 96 * p 530. Sect. 7 Chap. 11. v. 15 16 17 18 p 3 49 58 72 91 V. 19 * p 536 Chap. 12 9 10 94 Chap. 13 v. 18 87 Chap. 14. v. 1 2 3 4 c. p 3 67 73 74 V. 15 16 17 18 19 p 307 § 5 ¶ 1 * Ch. 16. v. 12 13 14 15 16 p 309 l 22 Ch. 17 16 p 88 90 Chap. 18. in general p 88 in particular v. 2 3.4 B. 3. c. 2. S. 45. § 3 ¶ 4. * This Chapter throughout B. 3. c. 4. Sect. 12 § 1 c. Chap. 19 v. 1 2 3 4 5 6 p 62 74 And this Chapter throughout B. 3. c. 4. S. 12. § 2 V. 15 p 74 89 V. 19 20 21 p 56 58 90 * Cha. 20. throughout 116 c. * Chap. 20 v. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7.8 9 c. p 2 55 56 c. 66 c. 61 65 68 76 226 c. * Chap. 21. throughout p 116 viz. lib. 3 Ch. 3. Sect. 1. § 4. viz. partic p 118 * V. 3. p. 144 § 3 145 § 4 Chap. 21. v. 1 p 14 v. 1 2 3 4 p 106 br 1. c. V. 24 49 Chap. 22.11 15.94 A Table of the things contained in the TREATISE A Authors Alledged for our Thesis to take off the supposed singularity and novelty of the opinion Page 4 Authors Alsted Page 36 Authors Alapide Page 41 Authors Mr. Archer Page 46 Authors Rabbi Arisba in Agadot Page 421 Authors Aben-Ezra Page 425 Authors Austin Page 435 436 Authors The Turkish Alcoran Page 418 Authors Alphonsus Conradus Page 439 Authors Benzâ—ma in Beracoth Page 9 Authors M. W. Burton Page 36 Authors R. Abrah Bibag in his Derech Page 422 Authors Cyprian Page 436 Authors T. Crispoldus Page 35 Authors Mat. Cotterius Page 440 Authors Carolus Gallus Page 40 Authors Chemnitius Page 416 Authors The Cabalists Page 423 Authors The Cabalists alleadged by Lactantius for us Page 426 Authors Alphonsus Conradus Page 439 Authors Great Councils and ancient formes of Catechisme for our Tenet Page 431 Authors Johannes de Combis Page 439 Authors John Dobricius Page 441 Authors Eliezer the Great a J.R. Page 6 Authors Epiphanius Page 15 Authors R. Moses Egyptius Page 421 Authors Epiphanius in that Section beginning at p 372 435 Authors Rab. Eliezer Page 429 Authors Rab. Elhazar ibid. Authors Ra. Elhazar Ben Hazaria ib. Authors Funccius Page 439 Authors Glimpse of Sions glory Page 53 Authors Rab. Moses Gerundensis Page 421 424 Authors R. Jos Galilean Page 426 Authors The Hebrew Antiquities Page 4 Authors E. Huet Page 54 Authors Dr. Hakewel Page 40 Authors Rabbi Huna Page 426 Authors Homer the Poet considerably alledged Page 414 Authors Irenaeus Page 13 434 436 Authors Justin Martyr Page 11 Authors Jonathan Chald. Paraph. on Hos Page 6 Authors R. Isaack Abravanel Page 421 Authors R. Ketina Page 7 Authors The Jerusalmy de Kilaym Page 43 Authors King Edw. 6. Catechisme for our Tenet Page 438 Authors Lactantius Page 16 Authors Lorinus Page 33 Authors Luther Page 53 Authors Rab. Levi Page 429 Authors R. Menasse Ben Israel Page 410 Authors R. Midrasch Tehillim Page 9 Authors The Maccabees alleadged by Cyril Page 436 Authors Mr. J. Mede Page 40 46 Authors D. Mayer Page 43 Authors M. Maton Page 45 Authors R. Meyer in Tract Sanhedrim Page 420 Authors L. Napier Page 54 Authors R. Natan in Talmud Page 420 Authors Nidras a Nehelem Page 430 Authors Council of Nice for our Tenet Page 430 Authors L. Osiander Page 434 Authors Ovid the Poet and that considerably Page 415 Authors Stephanus Panonimus Page 440 Authors Peter Martyr Page 30 Authors D. Pareus Page 32 Authors Piscator Page 440 Authors Theophrastus â—aracelsus Page 440 Authors Plato Page 414 416 Authors Rivet Page 42 439 Authors Of the Rabbins See in their several names and see a multitude of them alledged p 419 c. 4. throughout Authors Ruffinus Page 452 Authors R. Saadias Page 10 Authors Jewish Tract Semot Page 428 Authors The J. Treatise Siphra Page 428 Authors Sozomen Page 451 Authors Michael Sendivogius Page 440 Authors The great Synagogue Page 442 Authors P. Simsons History of the Arian persecution Page 449 c. Authors Targum Babylonian on Genesis Page 5 Authors Targum Hierosolimitanum on Genesis Page 5 Authors Targum Manuscrip of Ester Page 4 Authors Talmuds the Jewish and Babylonian Page 7 425 Authors Theodorit Page 451 Authors Tertullian Page 16 437 Authors Dr. Twisse Page 40 46 Authors The Prophesie of Tobit alledged by Mr. Mede Page 431 Authors Paras Voyera Elar Page 423 Authors Wendelinus Page 439 Authors H. Zanchy Page 40. 439 Authors The Rabbinical Zoar Page 423 426 Authors Antichrist includes Turke and Pope as the body doth all the limbs Page 86 Authors Alexandrinus confuted see Dionysius Five Arguments to prove that there is yet to come a most glorious state on earth Page 406 Authors The Arguments of the Adversaries answered Page 443 B Authors Mr. Baylies arguments against the general Position fully discussed and answered Page 472