be part of the Restitution which God will then effect as we hope in due place farther to manifest from this Text. But for the clearer discovery of what hath been said let us a little look back again to the beginning of this Chapter where it is said this Holy Man had the Visions of the New Heavens and the New Earth which as to their time was not after the last Judgment as was said neither is there placed before it that usual expression in this Book when things which follow are spoken of After this I saw as chap. 18.1 chap. 19.1 but are 1000 years before it as is very evident neither is it any New making of the Material frame of them but they will be Prophetical Heavens and Earth as was said suitable to that Kingdome wherein Christ will reign with his raised Saints as the wood witnesseth of which Kingdom these are to be considered as the integral parts for never came such a King into the world before that must not only have all Nations to do him service and the Heathen to be given to him for his Inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for his possession but when he comes all the Elohim Angels or Gods must Worship him yea all knees in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth must then bow and be subject to him owning him to be Lord but he must also then have those New Heavens and New Earth then made for him and his Spouse As Satan had his Mystical Heavens before when the Pagans worshipped Sun Moon and Stars Their Mercury Jupiter Mars Apollo with the multitudes of their Heathenish false Deities And hence it was under Christs spiritual Kingdome of the Stone that there was in the primitive times a great Battel in Heaven betwixt Michael and his Angels and the Dragon and his Angels Rev. 12. but the issue thereof was that the Dragon was cast down from his Heaven to the Earth And as God very remarkably by the Ministry of the Prophet Jeromiah caused it to be proclaimed before the Captivity of Babylon chap. 10.11 and that verse is only written as Mr. Mede well observes in the Caldean Language whither that People was shortly after to be led Captives The Gods said he that made not the Heavens nor the Earth even they shall perish from the Earth and from under these Heavens and accordingly chap. 25. God sent by him a Cup of Wrath to be drunk by those many Nations that owned such Gods And afterwards neither Bell nor Merodach of the Caldeans could save themselves or their Worshippers from their Enemies nor the Graecian Monsters and multitudes of feigned Gods and Goddesses could deliver themselves or those that served them and when Pagan Rome had ingrossed the Idol Gods of all Nations which they subdued they were at Christs first coming struck dumb and ceased to deliver their Oracles as formerly and after by Constantine the Dragon was cast out of his Heaven to the Earth and likewise that Beast that rose out of the Earth afterwards with all his Paganized Christianity of Popish Idolatry will shortly also find Jeremiahs Proclamation true That such Idol Gods shall perish from the Earth and from under these Heavens for not only all such supposed Heathen Gods but all Pagano-Christian Idols also will be then totally and finally casheired for ever out of the World Psal 97.7 Esa 2. And such like Heavens were ascribed in Scripture to Kingdoms and States according to many Oriental Notions as Mr. Mede observed who reckoned what was Superiour in their States were their Heavens as Monarchs and Governours and what was Inferiour their Earth But these New Heavens and New Earth being of an Heavenly Excellency not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Opinions or Customs of the vain World but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Truth are to be taken for what God hath promised then and as his Word sets them forth the Heaven of Angels will come with Christ then to wait upon him and to worship him and Christ coming personally with them then will make it an Heaven indeed and then also he brings all his Saints that sleep in Jesus with him so that there will also be then an Heaven of Saints also as he speaketh at the Whores Destruction chap. 18.20 Rejoyce thou Heaven ye Apostles and Prophets and even that Mystical Heaven the New Jerusalem shall then come from God out of Heaven as is explained v. 2. which is called the Bride the Lambs Wife ver 9. and for her also with the Lamb be made then also the New Earth wherein will dwell Righteousness 2 Pet. 3. when not only the Tabernacle of God will be with men as ver 3. but her Officers shall be Peace and her Exactors Righteousness Esa 60.17 and all that happiness in that time of refreshment from the presence of the Lord Acts 3. and as follows ver 4. that God will not only wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death nor crying nor pain but Christ will personally dwell with them in that Tabernacle wherein he was before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only for a little while made lower than the Angels as we said but then he will be exalted far above all Principalities and Powers and every Name c. and continue to dwell with them and be their God and they shall be his people and for the assured making of these Integral parts of Chtists said Kingdome viz. the New Heavens and the New Earth is Gods great glorious and gracious undertaking at that time set forth in this text and he that sate upon the Throne said Behold I make all things new c. Now having thus prepared the way by removing these former difficulties and opening the context we shall by Gods assistance proceed to consider the Text it self both in respect of the words and sence thereof which is a farther step and degree of that most excellent Vision given to this beloved Apostle and saith he he that sat upon the Throne said behold I make all things New In which words we have a most excellent declaration of the compleating of Christs outward visible work of Redemption in the world with its Illustration and Confirmation the Declaration is of the happy Renovation of all things in that very determined point of time and occurrence of affairs which the Series and order of this Vision leads to I make that is I now make when the great Enemies are destroyed and Christs Davidical Kingdom is to take place and the Saints raised even in that state of things I make all things New for Christs unalterable order of these things is a doctrinal Foundation as was said and this most Divine Declaration is first Illustrated from the person that spake the words and undertakes the work whole speaking then will be doing as at first so said the Psalmist He spake the word and they were made he commanded and they were created so when the
us the world will then be dissolved chap. 20.11 all Creatures destroyed or removed the Saints rapt in a moment to meet Christ before and all be changed and thenceforth ever to be with him the Lord the Devil cast into the Lake of Fire and wicked men sent into Hell c. What use can be then of the New Heavens and New Earth after the great day of Judgment But these Heavens will not be the making a new frame of the material Heavens when the old are passed away as after may be shewed but will be Prophetical Heavens grounded upon Gods Word both for the Nature Times and Use of them when as follows there will be no Sea viz. such an unsteady state of things as the seven headed and ten horned Beast rose out of when the Barbarous Nations had broken the Western Empire in pieces to make way for the ten Crowned Horns or such Waters as the Whore sate on ever since unsteady rolling Wayes No such Mystical Sea will have room then in that Kingdom of Christ and his Saints that cannot be moved or shaken Heb. 12.9 as the frustrating of Satans attempt with his last Gog and Magog will certainly manifest But the New Heavens will be those Heavenly Creatures coming with Christ when he removes his Court from Heaven into this World for the time of his great day of Judgment which were formerly the Inhabitants thereof in which sence our Saviour upon the Whoren destruction calls upon the Heaven of Saints to rejoyce Rev. 18.20 Rejoyce over her thou Heaven then to manifest what Heaven he meant he adds and ye Apostles and Prophets which shall be Inhabitants of the New Jerusalem chap. 21. v. 2. So also the Heaven of Angels that comes thâ—n with Christ to attend on him in his Davidical Kingdome when the Tabernacle of God will be with men And where Christ will then be there Heaven must needs be And there will also then be such a Prophetical New Earth too wherein will dwell Righteousness as the Apostle Peter speaks 1 Pet. 3. for a King shall then Rule in Righteousness as the Prophet speaks and Princes in Judgment Esa 30.1 among the Nations of them that shall then be saved their Rulers shall be Peace and their Exactors Righteousness Esa 60.17 which will be the stability of Christs Throne then and such Heavens and Earth appear to be the Object of this Holy Apostles Vision ver 1. and the 2d verse confirmes the same I John saw the Holy City descending c. as we may have occasion afterwards more fully to shew and the Tabernacle of God is then said to be with men and he to dwell with them viz. for that said 1000 years reign in his personal presence in that body which God gave him Heb. 10.5 which was typified by the Tabernacle of old wherein the then acceptable services of God were performed and that body whereby at Christs death all acceptable Sacrifice for sin was wholly fulfilled to which purpose is that expression of this holy Evangelist John 1.14 of Christs living but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little while here lower than the Angels as Heb. 2. that he Tabernacled amongst us as the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do properly signifie Now that Tabernacle of his body in the Type and Antitype being perfected in glory at the Fathers right hand in this said state and time personally comes in the Clouds of Heaven in his own glory and of the Fathers and of all his holy Angels and that is the blessed Tabernacle there said to be with men c. as we have many wayes proved namely that that coming will be personal his appearance to the Jews personal his feet standing on Mount Olivet personally his bringing his Saints with him his personal act his command to slay his Enemies before him personally his raising the said Saints his peculiar personal act his sitting on Davids Throne as the Son of David personally and the many great things wherein he will be admired of his Saints then in all his said great day of Judgment will be all personal 2 Thes 1.10 Se farther Assert 7. of our Key for his Personal Appearance and Reign A second Question may be Why the Reign of Christ in his Davidical Kingdome with his raised Saints being the last promised to the Posterity of Shem Abraham and David is here the first spoken of as performed in the 1000 years Answ It is the chief thing promised to Christ as the Son of David And the Promise of Canaan made to Abraham and his spiritual Seed before wherein the Holy City Jerusalem is said to be prepared for the Fore-fathers was also contained therein as Heb. 11.16 and hence the state of his people in Canaan did by degrees grow up into a Kingdome as the Scripture manifests as the main thing intended for after the Promise to Abraham both he Isaac and Jacob were Pilgrims and Strangers in the world a long time and their natural race long after in bondage in Aegypt 400 years in their Wilderness condition and when they possessed Canaan they were under many oppressors above 400 years in the times of the Judges but at last they grew up into a Kingdome in Davids and Solomons time c. but when their Posterity had forfeited both Land and City c. they have since remained in bondage all the times of the Gentiles Monarchies almost 2300 years and so must probably do till Davids Tabernacle as the Apostle James speaks from Amos 9.11 shall be raised up again for Christ with his raised Sts. at the times of Restitut of all things that therefore being the last chief thing promised and the rest seem to make up the glory happiness thereof it is therefore here first spoken of again in the table of the good times So that where God left off before in fulfilling Antient Promises to the Fathers for the sins of their natural Race in that chief Mercy of the Kingdome there likewise he here in revealing his Restauration for the comfort of their spiritual Race begins with again in that said glorious Kingdome of Christ to come in both which respects it being the chief thing promised and also shortly now to be performed for Christ and his Saints it may appear very meet and congruous that it should here be set in the Table of these good times in the first place as the measure of all the rest that follow which do all but make up the happiness of that Kingdome as Christ reckoned his Sufferers and two Witnesses chief in the bad times Rev. 11. which times also are chiefly measured by the 1260 dayes of years during their Prophesying in Sackcloth So in the Renovation God seems to begin chap. 20. where in their natural Race by reason of their sins he had left and in chap. 21 and 22. proceeds backward to speak of the rest and lastly of the Paradise of God the first lost and last to be restored by Christ the second
Adam in that state in the world 2. And for the bringing on of this Kingdome of Christ the Son of David with his raised Saints God hath ever since the fall of that Tabernacle overturned all the Gentiles States and Kingdoms successively in their orders as in Nebuchadnezzars Image Dan. 2. and Daniels Visions of the four Beasts destroying each other Dan. 7. was signified and will still do so till the God of Heaven set up this Kingdom as the top of these Mercies that should never be destroyed but as the Kingdome of the Stone should destroy all others in the world till it became a Mountain filling the whole Earth which Christ hath now almost fulfilled and which will be that state thereof in the 1000 years of the reign of Christ with his Raised Saints for which the said Restitution of all things will be accomplished which was spiritually and powerfully begun at Christs first coming upon his Resurrection and Asoention when he led Captivity Captive tryumphing gloriously over all the powers of Darkness Col. 3.15 and though ever since the Prince of the power of the Aire that ruleth effectually in the Children of Disobedience hath prevailed in all the suffering times under the Dragon and Beast now almost for 1700 years to bring on Persecutions and Sufferings of the Saints who notwithstanding by Christs Divine and Powerful Grace have been carryed on to suffer with him or for him yet in that state approaching he will not only free them from all such Miseries and Evils now in the world through Sin but bring them into that happy state of Reigning in the world with himself as his Spouse that with him shall then in her it all things with their sure Mercies of David in this Univer salo and perpetual Kingdome in the world in reserence unto which the Renovation of all things will then be made by God himself as in the Text. The third Question But how doth it appear that such a coming and Kingdome of Christ shall be above 1000 years in the world before the last general Judgment when he will descend with a shout c. 1 Thes 4.16 Answ It will most manifestly appear not only from our Saviours Table of the good times which we spake of but now and from the litteral sense of the 1000 years which we spake sufficiently of pag. 38. of the Saints bodily Resurrection which is constantly granted by all sound Expositors to be litterally so understood neither is it other vise taken in the Beasts 42 months nor are the Prophetical dayes of the two Witnesses Rev. 11. or Sons of Oyl Zech. 4. standing before the Lord of the whole Earth ver 14. to which that Prophesie seems chiefly to have reference c. understood otherwise than for 1260 dayes of years and there is much less reason to pervert Christs words of his own and his said Saints Reign from their litteral sense when he most plainly saith they are 1000 years and where are any numbers of years in Scripture to be found but for that individual number they are set for the lives of all Antients Patriarks and Fathers the times of Judges Reigns of Kings continuance of States are set down by their peculiar number of years without which nothing could be resolved of and in ch 20. as Mr. Mede observed that Christ set down things more plainly there than in all that book before because men have been averse to think so of these last parts there have come up many mistaken conceits of anticipating Satans binding in the primative times of Persecution the Saints reigning under their greatest sufferings but not in the sence here intended which will also be performed and the taking the New Jerusulem state for the Kingdom of Heaven and the New Heavens and New Earth to be after the last Judgment and the like which being resolved by the Scripture Foundations to which this part of the Revel hath particular referonce they will upon due consideration appear very evidently to belong to this set time of the 1000 years us by our 15 Reasons why they shall be in the world may also be manifest and by our first Convincing Arg. of 36 Particulars to be according to Scripture before in after the said 1000 years and by our many distinctions of Christs appearance or coming at Antichrists destruction and of his descending above 1000 years after with a shout and the voice of an Arch-angel and the Trump of God at the Saints General Rapture and Resurrection of the wicked peruse them seriously they have Scripture warrant c. And as Mr. Mede observed it to be the usual Errour of the Jews to confound the first and second coming of Christ overlooking the Humility of the first which was not often before clearly distinguished except by Daniel and in some few places so Christians do much in these times over look the Mercy of the Jews at Christs second coming little regarding Christs irrefragable resolutions of many things of the last times which were given to him alone by the Father to instruct his Church in yea though they be founded upon many other parts of Scripture and refer unseasonably to what concerns both Jews and all promised Mercies to the raised Saints to the times of the last General Judgment above 1000 years most evidently after their set times Object But many Learned men have conceived that gloriouss City decyphered Rev. 21. and the Paradise of God to be the Kingdome of Glory in the highest Heavens Answ Besides our former said approved Reasons that it will be in the World the Apostle Paul Gal. 4. calls that the Jerusalem that is now above the Mother of all Saints being the peculiar Mansion at present of all the Spirits of Just men made perfect where they remain in happy Security Peace and Blessedness in their present state expecting the time of the said first Resurrection of their bodies which when Christ comes and brings them with him to raise and unite their Spiritual Bodies with them will be the Jerusalem here said then to come down from God out of Heaven which glorious place and City is prepared by God for the Fathers then and all such as the Apostle teacheth Heb. 11.16 40. that without us shall not be made perfect or perfect in one as our Saviour prayed John 17. which are called the Lambs Wife of the solemnity of whose Marriage the Kingly Prophet David foretold Psal 45. when that Bride instead of Fathers shall then have Children whom she may make Princes in all Lands and as Solomon in his most excellent Song in the book of Canticles divinely illustrateth it of the return of the Shulamite and the like which will be the fulfilling of the Covenant to Abraham and his Spiritual Seed by that one Divine Seed Christ in that state and time and for the Paradise of God annexed to that state which Christ will then restore instead of that lost before in the world by the first Adam it will
regard that the words were true as antiently delivered by the God of Truth that cannot lye or deceive or be deceived but secondly they are likewise faithful grounded upon many gracious promises and Covenants as we hope farther to manifest Come we now to consider the main thing declared that God at such a time or state of things occurring in the world makes all things new being Emphatically called by the Apostle Peter The times of Restitution of all things which Renovation of all things is three wayes considerable first Negatively what it is not Secondly Privatively in respect of what God will then remove or take away Thirdly Positively in respect of what God will do in the performance of that great and gracious work 1. Negatively in respect of what he will not do it doth not imply that God will then bring a total destruction upon the Created World by destroying it and the Creatures in it with wicked men then to be destroyed out of it and other Creatures to be placed in a New world which we have no Scripture grounds for but for the contrary for that is to be done at Christs sitting upon the great white Throne at the dissolution of all things Rev. 20.11 above 1000 years after neither in reason can it be conceived for what use Creatures should serve when good and bad men were removed before out of it c. 2. Privatively by Gods removing and taking away many evil things out of the world which have been brought into it since he first in 7 days Created finished his great and good work of Creation by Satan Sin and wicked men such as the Curse Corruption Bondage and Enmity of the Creatures since abiding in it in an eminent degree with the causes thereof by destroying many wicked men out of the Earth Rev. 11.18 and binding Satan for the 1000 years in the bottomless pit that he deceive not the Nations any more till that 1000 years shall be finished therefore I say with the causes thereof for sublata causa tollitur effectus and contrarily to bring the world into a capacity to be made better and to be put into a New and better frame than when they prevailed in it he will then also eminently remove and take away those many evils caused and brought into the world by them first the curse brought in by them will then be taken away for saith Christ there shall then be no more curse Rev. 21.3 the earth which was cursed by these means upon the Fall shall be eminently restored unto its native fruitfulness peculiar to that time and state Ezek. 34.26 27. There shall then be showers of blessing upon it and the trees of the field shall yield her fruit and the Earth shall yield her increase and with that fruitfulness they shall then have safety and peace for they shall be safe in their Land and shall know that I am the Lord being delivered from their Enemies as there follows c. So also Ezek. 36.8 Ye Mountain of Israel ye shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to my people of Israel and ver 11. I will multiply upon you man and beast and they shall increase and bring fruit and ver 29 I will call for the Corne and increase it and lay no famine upon you c. yea their Land shall become for fruitfulness like the Garden of Eden ver 35. and Joel 3.18 The Mountains shall drop down with New Wine and the Hills shall flow with Milk which are high expressions of the fruitfulness of those times also Hos 2.21 In that day will I hear saith the Lord I will hear the Heavens and the they shall hear the Earth and the Earth shall hear the Corn and the Wine and the Oyle and they shall hear Jezreel Again the Enmity of men and other creatures will then be also removed which have prevailed in the world from the fall first among men there hath been since the fall Murther Slaughter Blood shed prevailing and so will still untill those times amongst them but then Nation shall no more rise against Nation neither shall they learn War any more yea they shall beat their Swords into Plowshares and their Spears into Pruning hooks Esa 2.4 and Hos 2.18 I will break the Bow and the Sword and the Battel out of the Earth and will make them to lie down in safety and for the peaceableness of other Creatures which not only Allegorically as some understand the Promises to that purpose but they will litterally be performed when that Savage Cruelty in their corrupt natures since the fall will then be taken away that the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lamb as the Prophet Esa speaks chap. 11.6 and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid c. and they shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy Mountain and Esa 65.25 The Wolfe and the Lamb shall feed together and the Lyon shall eat straw like the Bullock c. So the hurtful influence of the Heavens and the distempers of the 4 Elements and the noxious qualities of the Creatures will be then wonderfully refined that the Heavens as God promiseth may hear the earth and they hear the Corn and Wine and Oyl c. And the Inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not then say I am sick when the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity Esai 33.24 The Creatures which since the Fall have been held under the bondage of corruption under which the whole Creation still groaneth shall as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 8.21 in that state be delivered from it and that also into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God The bodies of all Saints saving some few as Enoch Moses Elias have lien rotting in the Grave and so will till then but they shall all in that time and state receive the Adoption Rom. 8.21 the faithful Gentiles then receiving that with all benefits belonging to them as the spiritual Seed of Abraham Gal. 3.29 as well as to his faithful natural Seed both Jews and Israelites which he explains in the next words even the redemption of our bodies N.B. which as was shewed before will be the inlet to all those Saints into the happiness of that time and state c. And thus briefly of Gods removing the said evils or the like with the causes thereof When Christ the Universal King of Kings and Prince of the Kings of the earth Rev. 19. and Rev. 1.5 will not only rescue the great and excellent building of the World out of the power of the Prince of the Air but repair the ruines and desolations he and his retinue of wicked men and Devils have wrought in it and reduce it for himself and his Spouse the Saints into a far better condition than ever it was in before which will be by Gods said removal of the said evils then when he makes all things new Thirdly this renovation is to be considered Positively in respect of Gods conferring good upon
them at those times of restitution of all things Acts 3. viz. upon Christ the Lamb and his Bride then which I conceive is taken for both sorts of Saints both then raised and in the natural life though then in their proper different states yet by gracious dispensation will probably be both of one Communion which we are taught to believe according to Gods Word sutable to that of Christ and his Disciples forty days after he rose from the dead Secondly The Positive part is included in the same declaration Gen. 13.15 after explained by many gradual Promises and Covenants We shall begin with the last at first in this Divine Key of our Saviours viz. the Kingdom promised to David and his Seed for ever which is the main thing here spoken of that Christ with his Saints should enjoy in that state comprehending all the rest which all the other tend unto and are to be conferred with it before the enjoyment of which the raised Saints have their spiritual bodies then whereby they are put into a capacity to enjoy all the happiness of that time and state and the Jews Israelites and Gentiles shall be converted and united into one sheepfold c. This Kingdom was foretold by Jacob Gen. 49. and by Balaam Numb 24. and often prophesied of by David confirmed in Nathan's Message seen in Vision by Daniel at what time Christ should receive it over all Nations under the whole Heavens Dan. 7.27 with many other confirmations by the Prophets and declared by Christ that it was his Fathers pleasure to give it to his little little flock Luke 12.32 that they suffering with Christ should reign with him which in the 1000 years they are said to do Rev. 20.4 of which more is said in our twelve foundations of the faith thereof and in the Word written and elsewhere from Scripture-Authority For this great King are the New Heavens and earth to be made without such a mystical moveable Sea out of which the Beast arose in the times of the Barbarous Nations Cmmotions the Whore hath sitten upon those many troubled waters ever since but this Kingdom that Christ with his Saints shall receive is such as cannot be shaken or moved Heb. 12.28 this said Kingdom is the first and main thing here spoken of by Christ though the last promised to David and his Divine spiritual Seed which the Apostles expected should be restored Acts 1.6 and will be at that time of the raising up of Davids Tabernacle which had been fallen in his natural Race 2300 years probably before Acts 15.16 Amos 9.11 The next thing belonging to this Kingdom for which the integral parts thereof the New Heavens and the New Earth are then to be be made as Rev. 21.1 is that which is contained in the Covenant to Abraham and his Seed respecting the promised Land as the Mother City thereof typified by that Jerusalem of old which is now in bondage with her Children Gal. 4. And is now above till the time of the descending of it from God out of Heaven when Christ comes in the Clouds of Heaven and brings all his Saints with him till the Marriage of the Lamb spoken of Rev. 19. and 21. which is called the great and holy and beloved Jerusalem that City with foundations that Abraham expected and is said to be prepared for the forefathers and all the faithful since Heb. 11.16.40 whose Maker and Builder is God which appears to be in great part the New Heavens as Rev. 18.20 as we in part shewed before with the Heaven of the glorious Angels coming to attend on Christ when his Tabernacle of his bodily presence will be with men not for a little time as Heb. 2. at his first coming but he will dwell with them the space of the 1000 years Then will also be according to many Promises to the Saints in the natural life of all the Nations that shall then be saved the New Earth wherein will dwell righteousness when Christ that great King shall reign in righteousness and Princes shall rule in judgment Esa 32.1 whose Officers shall be peace and whose Exactors shall be righteousness Esa 60.17 when Christ sits upon the Throne of David to order it and to establish it with Judgment and with Justice from thencforth and for ever viz. unto the end of the world Esa 9.7 the Prophesies and Promises which respect that state of Gods peoples mercies benefits and Priviledges therein are exceeding great and manifold that would require a large Volume to explain them respecting Saints then in the natural life both in being greatly freed from the evils we now spoke of with the manifold enjoyments of good but especially in regard of their large measure of Grace then promised as in the New Covenant first made in their Book of Deuteronomy after the first Tables had been brok on remarkably set down Deut. 30. to ver 11. for circumcising the heart of that people and their Seed after all their great dispersions who shall be setled in their own Land then and remove no more as 2 Sam. 7. and Gods Sanctuary shall be with them for evermore Ezek. 37.28 when God will pour his Spirit on them generally Joel 3. as he did upon his Disciples and some few at his first coming and those expressions of the New Covenant Jer. 31.33 34. and 32.39 40. and Ezek. 36.25 26 27 c. do chiefly belong to that people and such as are united to them in the natural life in those times that shall then walk in the light of the said beloved Jerusalem Rev. 21. though we Gentiles have now our share in them through faith in some degree but they then in the times of Restitution much more by far and this will then be that special great foundation of all other temporal enjoyments as the strong entail that Christ will make them of all promised good And to all Saints in those times it is probable will arise that great enlargement of Joy for the inlarging Christs Kingdom with praise to God in Christ for it by the powerful operation of the Holy Spirit in that together with the inheriting of all promised mercies to themselves they will see and know then the great confluence of saved Souls then abundantly coming in upon the like foundations from the Word of God when all Nations shall see the salvation of the God of Israel and the Heathen shall be given to Christ God 's King then set upon his holy hill of Sion for his inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession Psalm 2. for if the Angels in Heaven rejoyce at one sinners conversion now how will both Angels and Saints then rejoyce when so many thousands and millions which will then be saved in the prolonging of Christs days when he shall see his numerous seed as promised to the Fathers and the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand Esa 53. and his City prepared will be large enough to contain all raised
Noah in our late Systeme preceding the Saints Resurrection 1. respecting Noah as a Type of Christs saving his as their true Ark at the overflowing de uge of the wicked worlds destruction at the beginning and end of the 1000 years Secondly in respect of that Covenant made with Noah for the worlds and Creatures preservation till those last times when the Scriptures also testifie the greatest fruitfulness also will be And thirdly in respect of his Prophesie Gen. 9. that the Posterity both of Shem the Jews and of Japhet the Gentiles as now we hinted should both in those times at both their second calls spoken of in Scripture Deut. 32.43 rejoyce together applied also Rom. 15. to those times with other Scriptures respecting the same c. The same times were pointed out by our four Computations of the Jews deliverance and the great enemies destruction out of Daniel and Revelation formerly explained in our Parallels The like may be observed from what we said before of the Tabernacle of God at the same time being with men and his dwelling with them c. ver 3 4. wherefore also the name of the City then seems to be called Jehovah Shamma the Lord is there Ezek. 48 last And at the same time the Sun is ashamed and the Moon confounded when the Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his Antients gloriously Esa 24.23 which all â—â—spect the same times The New Covenant upon the New giving of the Law after the first Tables were broken Deut. 30. to 11. especially respects Gods People the Jews in those times which seems to be the antient foundation in Moses writings of which divers like in the following Prophets are the confirmations and explications as Jer. 31.33 Ezek 36. more especially belonging to that people after their reduction from their great dispersions though applicable to all Abrahams spiritual Seed in the times of the Gentiles also Heb. 8.9 10 11. These times are also pointed out by the great solemnity of the Marriage of the Lamb with his Bride the 1000 years at the New Jerusalems coming down from God out of Heaven which great solemnity was prophesied of by the holy Kingly Prophet David Psal 45. when she shall have Sons whom she may make Princes in all Lands To which purpose is that excellent Song of Songs by Solomon as respecting the return of the Shulamite in the Book of the Canticles probably about the time the Bride is said to make her self ready Rev. 19.7 And Solomons peaceable Kingdom of old was but a Type of that peaceful and glorious Kingdom and state which Christ with his Saints at the said times of restitution of all things shall enjoy the 1000 years The Scepter and Dominion prophesied of by Balaam Numb 24. and according to Jocobs Prophesie placed in the Tribe of Judah said by him to be a Lyons whelp and the Ensigne thereof was also the Lyon accordingly Rev. 5. Christ is stiled the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah and in Ch. 22. stiles himself so when in those times he shall be as a strong Lyon to destroy his enemies Ps 110. who also is both the Root and Offspring of David Rev. 5. as will wonderfully 〈◊〉 manifest in the same times c. The first Adams casting out of Paradise compared with Christs Key for the restoring all the spiritual Seed to a Paradise in that State manifests it to be Gods designe from the beginning by that Goel or Deliverer promised to be at his second coming a more perfect Restorer of all things then than the Serpent Satan was or could be a corrupter or destroyer before it was called Abrahams bosom whether Christ said the Angels carried Lazarus his Soul but after by our Saviour was called Paradise at his death when he had purchased it and promised the Penitent Thief as we noted that he should be with him there that day and so the Apostle Paul said he was rapt up into the third Heaven or Paradise 2 Cor. 12. called after the Paradise of God in the world the 1000 years of Christs Reign with his Saints and so is coincident in the same times of the Restitution with the other The same times are also set forth by the world to come Heb. 2.5 and 1.6 as the general Deluge ended the Old World and began the New so the ruine of that last wicked Roman Monarchy in respect of each of those long God-provoking States therein viz. both Civil and Ecclesiastical with all the broken parts of the three former Monarchies Dan. 2. will end this world in the present state of things and Christs said 1000 years Reign in those times will begin that World to come and the Apostle Paul Ephes 1.21 uses the same distinction which by our Saviour had been laid down before when he taught that the sin against the Holy Ghost should neither be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Matth. 12.32 which will begin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the Father brings the Son again into the world viz. the second time as both Ancients and even Papists understand it when all the Elohim Angels shall worship him as Psal 97. Likewise the 42 Stages in the Childrens of Israel their passing through the Wilderness to possess the Land of Canaan was a Type of the womans the Christ ans's Church passing in her wilderness condition in the times of the Beasts 42 Moneths to attain in the issue to the New Jerusalem state in the said times of the restitution of all things or that redemption of the purchased possession as it seems Ephes 1.14 The restoring the Dominion over the Creatures lost by the fall of the first Adam was foretold by David to be obtained by Christ the second Adam Psal 8.4 5 6. c. as is explained and so applied by the Author to the Hebrews Chap. 2.6 7 8. which is another part of the Restitution of all things in the said times as we shewed And the said Creatures freedom from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Rom. 8.21 will be another ingredient to make up that blessed state and although the same holy man Heb. 2.7 did acknowledge that they did not then see all things in subjection unto him yet he declares in due time Phil. 2.9 10. That every knee of things in Heaven and Earth and under the earth shall bow and be subject unto that great King of the whole world And can it be conceived by rational men that these Divine truths are written in vain and that Christ when he takes to himself his great power shall not reign in these respects also unto the end of the world and have that honour reserved for him by Angels men and all Creatures in the world then It appears also to be the end and drift of all Revelation Prophesie by that general Doxologâ—â— Ch. 5.10 to the end by Angels men and all Creatures upon the fulfilling of the contents of
the Book given unto the Lamb. We might be 〈◊〉 in many particular Promises to this purpose respecting the 〈◊〉 in that time with many excellenties respecting tha◠〈◊〉 as we have specially shewed how concerning Christs Dividid a Kingdom and people then God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began as is manifest by the third of our 8 Conving Arguments in the Word written And the great designe of the All knowing and All working God in giving such Prophesies to his Church from the beginning concerning such great things to be fulfilled at the end of the world in that said Great Day of Judgment appears to be made manifest by such Divine Chronology first set down by Moses and other Penmen thereof before the Captivities of Israel and Judah but after that are in their discoveries chiefly carried on by those Mystical Prophesies of those two beloved Servants of God and Christ the Prophet Daniel and the Apostle John but chiefly by the last to whom these hidden secrets of God respecting those times wore particularly as we shewed commisted to open Danichs sealed Mysteries to Ch. 19. and from thence to the end the most antient Predictions and Promises c. when God would raise unto David that righteous Branch that King that shall reign and prosper and execute Judgment and Justice in the earth in whose days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely Jer. 23.5 6. when they shall have the Mercies promised to their Forefathers performed to them as Zechary is taught Divinely to sing out and in such a manner he would grant unto them that being delivered from the hand of their enemies they might serve God without fear of them in righteousness and true holiness all the days of then lives Luke 1.7 c. which will be the stability of all the happiness of that state when that New Kingdom of Israel will be restored the Tabernacle of David that was fullen new raised up again for that said righteous Branch which God then said he would then raise unto David for whom with his Bride God will then make New Heavens and a new earth in that new world to come wherein shall be that New great holy and beloved Jerusalem that City that hath foundations whose Maker and Builder is God for those new Inhabitants that came from God out of Heaven and came with Christ to receive their spiritual bodies at the first blessed Resurrection of the Saints where also will be the New Paradise of God Also the converted Jews and Israelites shall then enjoy their New Jerusalem also built upon its own heaps when strangers shall build her Walls as the Prophet foretels upon the return of the Shulamite who instead of Fathers shall have Children whom she may make Princes in all the earth being the Seed then which the Lord hath blessed Esai 61.9 then shall be her new guides and watchmen upon her Walls probably the new raised Saints that shall not hold their peace day nor night new dispensations new peace plenty security new priviledges new pleasures delights in heavenly visions comunion discoveries in the revelation of such things as are appointed then to be known in the restitution of all things promised then to be done as in the forenamed particulars we before set down and the times of these things are chiefly made known in their fit latitudes by Revelation-prophesie for when we read of the coming of Christ at his appearance and Kingdom the times thereof are so set forth as was shewed by Revelation-prophesie We read of the Saints first bodily Resurrection but the time thereof is only deciphered by Revelation Prophesie we heard of raising Davids Tabernacle which was fallen but the time is only pointed out by Revelation prophesie and that the Saints shall receive their sure mercies of David Esa 55.3 but when can only be resolved by Revelation prophesie we read of Gods setting up the Kingdom of the Stone that should destroy all others and it self become a Mountain filling the whole earth but the times and order of his carrying on these great works by Jesus Christ is in the fittest proportion made known to the Church by Revelation-prophesie The Lord said to Davids Lord Sit at my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool which he hath long expected Heb. 10.13 and the Heavens must receive him till the times of the Restitution of all things but the best resolution of both is to be had from Revelation-prophesie Glorious things are spoken saith the Psalmist of the City of God of the new the holy the great the beloved Jerusalem but what and when and where and for whom we are chiefly informed from Revelation-prophesie We read of the ruine of Gog and Magog the Churches greatest enemies before that City Jehovah Shammah shall be set up but when it shall be we chiefly learn from Daniel and Revelation-prophesie Object But did not Christ reprehend his Disciples Acts 1.6 for inquiring the time of his Kingdom c. Ans Though this and such like hath been sufficiently answered yet know it is only whilst God keeps such things in his own power and in the next Verse he said But ye shall be indued with power which was done about ten days after at the Feast of Pentecost and all that wrote after speak something thereof but chiefly the beloved John And though Christ as man then said he knew not the day and hour of his coming which none now pretend to yet in a fit latitude Christ hath revealed the near approach thereof with many things to be done before very useful for the Church to know and wherein all Saints are greatly concerned which are great mercies in many respects to be known and believed in these later days for which there is great cause of thanksgiving but no reason of cavilling with our mercies or the goodness of the Author of them Thus for the Doctrinal part of this Text wherein we have considered this most gracious Divine Declaration of the set time of such its performance with the glorious illustrations and confirmations thereof and shewed from Scripture wherein it doth consist and the many decipherings of the times of the renovation of all things with Scripture evidences accordingly referring thereunto both manifesting the thing and shewing in a latitude the near approach thereof We shall now by Gods gracious assistance endeavour to make some pertinent improvement thereof 1. We may hence be informed of the many mistakes that have been both of this Text and the Context thereof as respecting the matter time and place thereof the matter not the making new these visible Heavens and earth but the Prophetical Heavens and earth as we have shewed For the time not after the last Resurrection and Judgment but in the interim betwixt the first and last wherein the anciently declared and promised mercies are to be performed to the faithful Fathers and their spiritual Seed through the Promised Seed of the
Woman alone without man the Mighty One to save which God hath laid help on for that purpose Psal 89.19 Thirdly for the Place not in the highest Heavens for that time during the Judgment of the Great Day but in the world until Christs Kingly Office and Business fore-prophesied of in the Word be there sulfilled in destroying or removing the causes of evil in the world viz. wicked men and Devils out of it with their evil effects by sin namely the curse bodage corruption emnity brought upon the Creatures therein under which both men and other Creatures have long 〈…〉 do groan and accomplished all that promised good appoâ—ved for that time and state in the parts of that great restauration and renovation respecting both the raised Saints and those in the â—â—â—ural life according to Predictions and promised Mercies belonging to both sorts then c. which are all most surely confirmed Doctrines to be true and faithful by him that is said to sit upon the Throne in this Text and all as belonging to the Davidical Kingdom of Christ into the possession whereof the raised Saints are brought by the first blessed bodily Resurrection as their Inlet thereinto Secondly This may inform Christians first of the Divine excellencie of this Book 2. Of the incomparable usefulness thereof in those many great respects of the Saints great concernments in that time and state leading them into and securing also unto them their eternal happiness in the highest Heavens upon the compleating thereof and thirdly thereupon of the great Reasons they have to stir them up to the frequent reading diligent study and profitable improvement of the matters set before them by God and Christ therein First the excellencie thereof appears from the Author of it and the manner of delivering it for the benefit and information of the Christian Church God the Father gives it to the Son and he to the beloved Apostle John when he was in the Spirit on the Lords Day in time of his banishment for the word of God and the Testimony of Jesus to be sent unto the Churches being also for that end sent and signified by his Angel Chap. 1.1 Secondly It was given with wonderful great solemnity in respect of things then to come to the end of the world Chap. 4. and 5. God the Father as sitting upon his Throne the Church represented by the 24 Elders and four living Wights about him representing all faithful Christians and Church-guides with whom is the Lamb and the seven Spirits ever present and when none could be found in Heaven or earth worthy to look into that Book or open the Seals thereof it was given to the Lamb to open and fulfil who by his infinite wisdom and perfect power hath and doth and in due time will both perfectly open and fulfil the same in the set order for the accomplishment thereof which will bring unexpressible rejoycing and praise by Angels Saints and all Creatures in their capacities thereupon c. Chap. 5.10 to the end Thirdly The matter is profound and contains highly profitable Mysteries the form is very excellent in a wonderful Divine contrivance as in some small measure we have pointed out as we have in Mercy received c. Secondly for the usefulness it gives encouragement in the worst times of sufferings from many memorandums of Christs Kingdom for the suffering Saints and of the New Jerusalem-state observable in all these times as in our 7th Argum. of the Word written is shewed Secondly Useful in opening the hidden Mystical part of the Gospel and the great Subjects of the last things respecting the first and second said Resurrection of the bodies of just and unjust in their orders and of the first and second Acts of the Judgment of the great Day contained in general in Enochs Vision or Prophesie and in many things explained by Christ and his Apostles but in many other could not be understood without this Book therefore called the Book of Revelation with an Emphasis as the whole holy Scriptures called the Bible and the name of Christ is added to it being the Revelation that only could be made by Jesus Christ the Son of God the eternal word but as manifest in the flesh therefore much is to be looked for from it not to be attained by any other Writings nor many things in the Holy Bible understood aright without the explications of this most Divine Book c. And therefore in the third place hence may all serious and found Christians see what great Reasons there are for them to use all careful endeavours to understand the weighty matters held out and revealed therein they are not secret things forbidden as some in the Old times when men might not look into the Ark of Gods Testament nor things shut up and sealed as many of Daniels Mysteries that were reserved for Christ thus to open in the times of the end or Gospel-times but they are of things whereunto a blessing is annexed to the due reading and search into them and therefore the beloved Apostle is commanded contrarily not to seal them Chap. 22.10 This Book with Daniels Prophetical Visions the hidden part whereof this in good measure is a Divine explication viz. during the Revelation said suffering-times to the 19th Chapter and they are both together given to regulate all Chronologie in the world for 2300 years and more to the end of this sacred Book without which little truth in all times since in that respect could have been found or discerned by all humane Authors so that all Prophetical Chronologie by the Revelation of God the Spirit is given in them both for so long a time viz. from the Captivity of Babylon to the end of the world even as Moses had likewise received his Divinely revealed Chronelogy of all times past to and in his own time for the space about 2490 years when there was nothing but Tradition to have supplied that want which was after in the Books of Joshua Judges Kings and Chronicles contiued upon record until the said Prophetical Chronology of Daniel and Revelation took place which have been since Divinely carried on and so will be as was said unto the end of the world and because Moses and many of those that followed had likewise as the Apostle Peter teaches distinct Prophesies of those last times in the Book of Revelation therefore God in wonderful wisdom faithfulness and goodness hath in that last Table of of the happy times of Christs Church in the world revealed unto us those sure foundations of such unspeakable goodness then to be performed and accomplished not otherwise to be known or believed in many respects which are the peculiar excellencies belonging to and benesits accrewing to the Christian Church by this so Divine Book and are not these great engagements to the study of the same In this Divine Book we have the revelation in a latitude of the end of two special great Mysteries viz. the end of the great Mystery
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR The TIMES of RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS WITH THEIR Neer Approach upon the RUINE OF THE BEAST MANIFEST By two Tracts on Rev. 20.5 Rev. 21.5 Containing the main Scope of all Revelation Prophesie Upon both which our former whole work is now by Divine Disposal become a very Useful Commentary 1. For Explication 2. Confirmation 3. Illustration and Application As will after more appear Which said two last Tracts may fitly be Entituled An Alarm to this present World Bidding adiew to all wicked Grandure and all sinful enjoyments thereof Not of 120 years as Noahs but now of about 20 years in a fit latitude upon many weighty Scriptural Considerations following Therefore First I. Lay not up for your selves Treasure upon Earth Mat. 6.19 II. Kiss the Son least he be angry and ye perish from the way Psal 2. III. Make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting Habitations Luke 16.9 And that ye may not hear Christ say to you Go ye cursed for I was hungry and ye fed me not c. Mat. 25. IV. Seek first chiefly constantly the Kingdome of God and his Righteousness Mat. 6.33 By William Sherwin Minister of the Gospel London Printed in the Year 1675. Clauis abstrustoris SS ti Euangelij partis opera et vigilijs Guilielmi Sherwin ejusdem ministri et assidui quibusdam abhinc annis ind agatoris excusa tandemque propitio 〈◊〉 et hominum adjuuamine hucusque Ecclesice vsui prolata jamque dicata Cujus effigies â—â—em praefigitur Anno Dom 1672o. Annoque Aetatis 65o. Ex dono Guilielmi Sherwin filij ejus natu maximi adhuc superstitis ac Insculptoris Regio Diplomate insianiti et auctorati The Contents of the ensuing Treatise 1. THe Parallels of the Text Rev. 21.5 with Acts 3.19 20 21. in four respects 2. Is shewed how the first Bodily Resurrection of the Saints is their inlet into that happy state of the 1000 years Reign c. 3. Some Questions Answered shewing 1. That all Saints deceased until then shall arise and not Martyrs only of which seven Reasons are given 2. Who are the rest of the dead that rise not till the said 1000 years be finished and that they are many ways distinguished from the former 3. Such Texts of Scripture answered as seem to speak of one Resurrection and one Judgment and that at once not so distant whence it may appear that it is a Divine Rule from Christs Revelation ch 20. that those last things viz. concerning Resurrection and Judgment are from thence to be surely resolved in what was not so resolved before in other Scriptures for sundry reasons 4. Some Answers to other Questions to remove some difficulties upon former mistakes and to make way for the clearer handling of that Text of Gods Renovation of all things and reasons why the last Judgment ch 20.11 to the end is set before the said Renovation and the New Heavens and New Earth which are proved to be in time 1000 years before with the consideration of the dependency which the three last ch have upon ch 19. wherein the general heads of them are briefly hinted with divers pertinent observations in the explication thereof and that ch 20. is especially to be considerdered as the Table of the good times as ch 11. to v. 15. was of the bad times with many other matters affording much light to many things in those four last ch preparatory to the Text. 5. The Consideration of Gods declared Renovation in the Text with its Illustrations and Confirmations 6. The Explication thereof shewing what it is and wherein the said Renovation consists three wayes 1. Negatively That it is not Gods making a new material frame of the World c. 2. Positively What it is and that two ways 1. By Gods removal of the evils brought into the world by Sin Satan and wicked men as the Curse Corruption Bondage Enmity c. 2. Positively By making Prophetical New Heavens and new-New-Earth viz. in what is to be renewed or restored by and for Christ with his said Saints the Lambs Wife at that great solemnity c. according to former Predictions Promises or Covenants agreeing with Divine Revelations concerning the same in sundry particulars c. 7. Many Scriptural Explications setting forth what the said times of Renovation are vpon several accounts decyphering the same in many parts and portions thereof and what Scriptures chiefly manifest the neer approach of the said times and how they do it in sundry computations in Old and New Testament 8. The Vse and Improvement of all to several purposes 1. To discover the manifold errours and mistakes concerning this Text and Context 2. To set footh 1. The Excellency 2. The Vsefulness And consequently the great and weighty Reasons for the studying of this sacred Book and especially in regard we have in a fit latitude from thence the ends of two great Mysteries first of Mystery Babylon and her great Mystery of Iniquity and secondly the finishing of the great Mystery of God c. The former many ways pointed out and especially by her ending term of 666. as by the wisdome of the holy Scripture for divers reasons it appears to be not from Christs Birth but by a necessary addition of the whole number of one thousand for other reasons to begin from his Ascention as we published twice An. 1665. as follows c. 3. And after some reference to other former improvements in former parcels A Vse of Admonition to all sorts to beware of insnaring themselves in the too eager persuit of worldly affairs and projects 2. To sit loose from them 3. To do good with them whilst they are theirs viz. only for a short time 4. To exhort all that bear the name of Christ upon them from the consideration of the neer approach of the said times as Esa 1. to be very watchful and diligent 1. To cease from evil 2. To learn to do well which that they may perform they must be very industriovs in the use of all good means to be madegooad that they may be able acceptably to do good and that they may be capable of all kind of promised good here in the world to come at the said times of Renovation of all things and thence-forward unto all Eternity An Addition to our former Comprisal and Systeme of Promised Mercies c. WHereas our former whole Work of this Nature as we said is now by Divine disposal become a very Useful Commentary to Explain Confirm and Illustrate c. what of these Divine Mysteries is contained or briefly couched in our two last Tracts on Rev. 20.5 of the Saints bodily Resurrection whereby they will be made capable of the happiness of Christs Davidical Kingdome and also in this Tract upon Rev. 21.5 which sets forth the particularities making up the happiness thereof It being the main scope of all Revelation Prophesie after the
former only in this said Key of Christ's we have the last promised mercy of Christ's Kingdom as the Son of David First set down as being the chief thing which all the rest serve to make to make up into the possession whereof the Resurrection of all his Saints which he brings with him as his Spouse or new Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven Rev. 21.9 is the Inlet as we noted to bring them into a capacity to partake of in such restitution of all things so speaking first of that restoring the Kingdom to Israel as Acts 1.6 or raising up Davids Tabernacle Acts 15. and then speaking of the said new Jerusalem Chap. 21. which contains the Marriage of the Lamb spoken of Chap. 19.7 wherein will also be that Paradise of God in that state and the pure River and Tree of Life Chap. 22. and all these in the times of the new Heavens and new Earth when God will as in this Text make all things new Quest But here a Question may arise which it may be requisite to resolve at present viz. If the said Resurrection be such an Inlet to the said Saints to enjoy the happiness of that state why are only the Martyrs that suffered death for Christ here said to live and reign with him the 1000 years as some have conceived Ans It is true that Ch. 20.4 speaks only of two sorts of Revelation-Martyrs as was answered to the cry of those Souls under the Altar Rev. 6.10 to whom it was said that they should rest till their fellow-servants and brethren should be killed the Souls are there said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of such as were before beheaded under the red Dragon in the Pagan Persecutions of the Sts. but those that were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fellow-servants Brethren after to be killed were such as suffer'd since under the Beast as Ch. 20.4 describes them of which though very many suffered death yet not all neither are they only Martyrs of Christ that suffer death actually but all such as have had a willingness and resolution of mind to suffer for Christ if called to it are reckoned by him for Martyrs and though others have suffered in a less degree than death yet are also to be counted such We know Ishmael's mocking of Isaac is called Persecution by the Apostle and all the Saints have suffered one way or other for God and Christ for which cause they are all to be esteemed Martyr as they have been sufferers under the Beast or under any other Persecutors in any times before that all suffering Sts. deceased before the time of the Beast shall also rise at the first said Resurrect of the just when both the Martyrs blood will be avenged as Deut. 33.42 43. and they all rewarded as may from these following considerations be made to appear 1. Because when Christ comes he will come with all such his said Saints whether they have actually suffered death for him or othertherwise as the Apostle speaks expresly 1 Thes 3.13 with Zech. 14.5 He comes with all his Saints And again saith he All that then sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 1 Thes 4.14 namely to raise their bodies from the dead the Scripture then is clear for the resurrection of all then Secondly That parallel Text Rev. 11.18 that respects the time and occasion of judging the Saints viz. with a Judgment of reward or recompence at Christs appearance makes a full enumeration of all sorts to be then rewarded of Old Testament Saints or sufferers as well as of the New yea of all Saints in that capacity as sufferers and Prophets as well as Apostles and even all that fear Gods Name both sinall and great shall then have their peculiar reward though in the natural life then which I conceive is meant of the last sort of all such as are said to fear Gods Name So saith Christ then Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every one according to his works But all deceased Saints are then made capable of their proper reward in that state they rise into by the first bodily Resurrection viz. to reign with Christ the 1000 years in his Davidical Kingdom Thirdly In Chapter 21.2 When the new Jerusalem comes down from God out of Heaven which v. 9. is called the Lambs wife as containing all the Spirits of just men made perfect upon that Resurrection to be united to their own bodies to inhabite that City which God himself then makes for them when that great Voice saith Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them c. Now that Jerusalem will contain all those raised Saints which had died before and it will be the general priviledg of them all which God had given to Christ that they shall behold his glory which his Father hath given him in his said Kingdom John 17.24 Fourthly All Saints that have lived in suffering times as all times have been and will be from Abels death to the Saints said Resurrection who as they have suffered with or for Christ from the world and Devil so all such sufferers saith the Apostle shall then reign with him 2 Tim. 2.12 and they must all first rise bodily before they can be capable of reigning with him in that state or of enjoying the promised mercies belonging thereunto Fifthly All the 24 Elders and the four living Wights which represent the whole Church of Christ Rulers and People exult aforehand Revel 5.10 that in the issue of Revelation-prophesie they shall reign upon earth who acknowledge themselves to be such as Christ hath redeemed by his blood out of every kindred tongue and people and Nation who shall have their part with Christ in the sure mercies of David according to the promise Esa 55.3 which they must be made capable of by the said first Resurrection Sixthly All Christs overcomers since the Revelation-prophesie began to take place in all that is said there shortly to be done that is in the due order of times to be accomplished they are all encouraged by something belonging to the Jerusalem state which only by the said Resurrection they attain to their shares as is particularly manifest in our seventh convincing Argument in the Word written now all faithful Christians are Overcomers though they suffer not death as those said Martyrs Rev. 6.9 10 11. but only by lesser tryals Seventhly Christ who is appointed by the Father then to be heir of all things promiseth in special to each Overcomer without exception that he shall also inherit all things with him v. 7. which priviledg belongs to all Saints as the Spouse of Christ or Lambs wife and therefore belongs to them as Saints to which purpose saith St. Paul If children then heirs and joynt-heirs wich Christ which without the Resurrection they cannot enjoy no more than the separate Spirits of good men enjoy them now Quest If Christ to the said purpose
bring all the Saints with him to raise their dead bodies that they may reign with him the 1000 years how are the rest of the dead said not to live again till the 1000 years are ended ver 5. are not some of those called the rest of the dead Saints at least I say some of them Answ All Saints that died in the suffering times before Christs coming he then brings with him to raise them to reign with him but such Saints as live or die afterwards seem not to be in that rank or capacity but at last when Christ descends with a shout and the voice of an Archangel will in a moment be rapt to meet him and be changed with all other Saints raised before 1 Cor. 15.51 52. it is twice there asserted by the Apostle and we shall all be changed and the wicked then to be raised after them at the last Trump seem to be some of those called before the rest of the dead that lived not again till the 1000 years are finished and the former raised suffering Saints are many ways distinguished in Scriptures from the other Saints First they are expresly termed all such as slept in Jesus before that his coming when the new Jerusalem comes down from God out of Heaven c. 1 Thes 4.14 Secondly they are distinguished by their sufferings for Christ in the former suffering times upon which account they must reign with him as was said Thirdly the Scripture describes them by the meek that have a promise to inherit the earth and delight themselves in the abundance of peace Psal 37. which yet is not fulfilled but our Saviour saith shall be Matth. 5.5 Meek Moses Abraham Jacob David yea Christ himself and all his Martyrs so killed as was said Rev. 6.10 11. as meek Lambs were led to the slaughter c. who neither inherited the earth but were pilgrims and strangers in it nor much less delighted themselves in the abundance of peace therein c. But as for all other Saints that shall live in the following peaceable happy times and all that die before the last Trump and that live then shall enjoy the benefit of that promise who were not numbered with the former sufferers in the suffering times but yet as the Seed of Shem and Japhet or of Abrahams or Davids spiritual Seed at least if not of their natural race also as many of the converted Jews and Israelites will then be shall all enjoy their proper portion by promise and Covenant whence the Apostle seems to call redemption of the Saints bodies especially Gentiles the receiving of the Adoption even the redemption of their bodies viz. by the first said Resurrection Rom. 8.23 and such as these that shall die in those future happy peaceable times the same Apostle seems to intend by those dead in Christ that shall rise first 1 Thes 4. though in a general sense it is true likewise of those that rise at the said first Resurrection but I conceive the particular intent of that Text respects the later sort of the Saints last raised at the general rapture and change at the last Trump Object But are not the Resurrections of good and bad joyned together both in Old and New Testament and both are said to arise to Judgment as that noted Text Dan. 12.2 3. where some are said to awake to life and some to shame and everlasting contempt and our Saviour also joyns them both John 5.29 They that have done good shall come forth of the Grave to the resurrection of life and they that have done evil to the resurrection of Damnation Answ As for Dan. 12. that seems particularly to respect the restauration of Israel as appears by the end of the former Chapter concerning Gogs the Turks destruction spoken of also Ezek 38 39. who then shall come to his end none shall help him when Daniels people shall be delivered Chap. 12.1 and ver 2. it is only said many shall then awake viz. out of the dust of their dispersion and bondage like the dry bones Ezek. 37. but not said all which should have been said if all good and bad were to be raised as at a general Resurrection as some use to speak and whereas that Text speaks of turning many to righteousness which will not be done at any general Resurrection but is to be done at such Civil Resurrection of Jews and Israelites to own a Righteousness of Justification by faith in Christ which they did not before and the wise that are there said to do it are in the Original said to be Teachers which cannot be supposed to do any such thing for any upon such general Resurrection when all time of Grace will be past from the death of all that were not converted before for as the tree falls so it will lie c. But if it were granted that this Text and that of John 5. and many other-like Texts did comprise both first and second Resurrection to the first and second acts of both said Judgments of the great day as Jude was directed by the Spirit of God to style it and our Saviour in a general sense speaks there of both for ver 27. he saith the Father had given him Authority to execute Judgment because he is the Son of man and as the Father gave him the Son to have life in himself to raise the dead in sin spiritually ver 26. so he had power also hereafter to raise both good and bad out of the graves bodily to Judgment For answer whereunto and many like passages in Scripture we are to consider that many such Texts deliver only some general truths of the whole Doctrine delivered in this Book by our Saviour more fully and particularly concerning both the said Resurrections and Judgments with what is to be known of matters to intervene betwixt both which are always to be referred to such future explications of them as the holy Spirit hath from time to time given forth to any of Christs servants to make further known for the Doctrines of these last things have been made known but by degrees Of the first Resurrection Esai 26. spake darkly shewing the Heathen Tyrants that oppressed the Jews were dead they should not live they were deceased they should not rise ver 14. but Gods Saints should live and with his dead body they should arise ver 19. which with other Texts in our Treatise on Rev. 20.5 could not be understood without Christs Revelation of the first bodily Resurrection of the Sts. there decyphered in many particulars at what time to what ends how long before the rest of the dead as was shewed and so for Judgment after God had at the fall declared the Seed of the woman so to be true man and only of the woman and not of the man and so was to be necessarily the Son of God that is God to be manifest in the flesh which is the first part of that great Mystery which was 4000 years in
carrying on to lay the sure foundation of breaking the Serpents head at his first coming that by the Judgment of the great Day he might break it 1. eminently at the first and 2. totally and finally at the last Judgment the next antient Prophesie for removing the power of Satan c. was given to Enoch in the old World recorded by Jude ver 13 14. concerning Christs coming to Judgment which hath direct reference to Daniels Vision of the first Session of Judgment at the destruction of the Beast Dan. 7. which our Saviour confirms and explains in part Rev. 11.18 and Rev. 19. but Daniel speaks not there of the last general Judgment that is left for Christ to do Rev. 20.11 to the end 1000 years and more after the former and hence as Daniel of the said first act had said The Judgment was set and 2dly the books were opened and the Apostle Paul who had much of these mysteries revealed to him tells us 3. Christ would judge the quick viz. temporal destruction and 4. the dead Saints with reward as was shewed so saith the Apostle Christ will judg the quick dead at his appearance Kingdom in 2 Tim. 4.1 and all these four marks of that part of Judgment are the proper Characters of the Judgments of the said great Day which belong also to the last Judgment above 1000 years after Daniels as Rev. 20.11 to the end after the last Gog and Magog shall be destroyed and here we finde not any of these marks of that Judgment at any other time when the Old World or Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed though these are both in some respects made patterns of the other by our Saviour Luke 17. Sodom and Gomorrah probably of the first when many terrible Judgments will finde out many sorts of wicked men c. and the other a pattern of the general destruction of the world by fire as the other was by a Deluge of Water Jerusalems first and second destructions are also patterns and the Pagan-Idolators and Persecutors destruction which is set forth like a day of Judgment Rev. 6.12 to the end and so in that large description of the desolation of the Churches enemies Esai 34. throughout the whole Chapter but in none of these or any other do we finde these four Characters peculiar to the Judgments of the said great Day but only in Dan. 7. and Rev. 20. we read of many excellent points Christ informed such as lived in the visible Church or such as have to do with his Servants there as by him that had not the Wedding garment Matth. 22.11 shewing that nothing will serve Professors but being by faith invested with his righteousness and by three Parables together Matth. 25. First that the foolish Virgins were shut out for want of true faith and grace though they were formal Professors and his own Servants whether Ministers Magistrates or other Christians in the Church to whom the Talents were delivered to improve when he went into a far Country viz. to Heaven as he expounds it Luke 19. when one failed he was condemned and in that 3d which is more general but yet restrained to the visible Church likewise or such as had to do with his Servants whom in their afflictions or persecutions they should have fed clothed visited which he looks as done to himself but for the want of this all such will be condemned And alas alas how few consider any such proceeding of Christ in Judgment that are deeply in such case concerned men are in these days far short of the love compassion and zeal of the Primitive Christians who sold their possessions Acts 4.37 But to omit many passages to like purposes as some to be condemned by the Law some without the Law by their own Conscience some by the Gospel c. but above all Christ hath in the said Revelation made many great points known not known before of the said Judgment of the Great day as that there is a second act or general Judgment to be celebrated by Christ as well as that Daniel had the Vision of and he had before confirmed and shews what distance of time shall be betwixt them viz. above 1000 years and what things are to intervene betwixt them in the 1000 years and how the last shall be brought on by Gods raining fire from Heaven upon the last attempt of the last Gog and Magog and at his sitting on the Throne Heaven and Earth should be dissolved and the Earth the Sea and the Grave shall give up their dead that they shall be judged by their several distinct books the elect out of the Book of life and the Devil first be cast into the lake of fire where the Beast and false Prophet were cast before 1000 years and more and so should death and hell afterward which in such respects seems to shew their utter end in the world as in Chap. 17.11 but more to them that are capable of more these by Christ are Divinely delivered of the said Judgment no where in Scripture so made known before and so of both Resurrections after Esay and David then Daniel had much mystically shewed him in Vision that they sat on Thrones set for them and Judgment or power of judging was given then to the Saints but that the suffering Saints should come at that time with Christ coming in the Clouds of Heaven and be raised by Christ to reign with him 1000 years before the raising of the rest of the dead good or bad and that all the promised mercies should then be fulfilled to them none could reveal these but Christ who had this Book with seven Seals given to him by the Father in such a glorious manner when none else in Heaven or earth was found worthy to open it or look into it or much less to fulfil the contents of it but only the Lamb that had as it were been slain and lived again but will then appear to be the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the Root of David as well as the Branch the Father only reserved these things to be made known by his Son the Wisdom of the Father the Eternal Word in the bosom of the Father and therefore these his Divine Oracles concerning all such last things are chiefly to be attended to as Gods and Christs utmost infallible resolution of all such things as were not so fully and particularly explained concerning Resurrections or Judgment of all sorts before or what is to be fulfilled upon the foundations of the Prophets in the interim of the 1000 years betwixt both the Apostle Paul who was rapt into the third Heaven reveals many things of the Resurrection shews some Mysteries of that the Judgment 1 Cor. 15 1 Thes 4. and elsewhere but much thereof cannot from thence be rightly expounded without Christs said Revel ch 20. which therefore seems in these respects much more clearly and distinctly delivered than any of that Book before or after as
we hope to shew and therefore these Revelations of all such last things are not to be explained by other Scriptures that speak not of such things but all others that either speak in general of them or not explicitly of many of the said particulars are in those respects to be explained by our Saviours Revelation whose wisdom is infallible his truth unerring being the saithful and true witness and all such his Revelations are utmost resolutions in the case and sure foundations therein to rest upon and the rather because of the Divine charge to the contrary with the terrible penalty annexed unto these Doctrines which is very evident doth respect the same especially Chap. 22.18.19 concerning willing at least or much more willful adding to or taking away any thing from the Prophesie of this Book which ought not slightly to be overlooked besides many other considerations which might be added that of 1 Cor. 15. ver 23. as the Revelation explains it Christ was the first fruits of the Saints Resurrection above 1600 years before his coming at Antichrists destruction when the suffering Sts. shall rise which he brings with him ita deinde as saith the Apostle then cometh the end as in Rev. 20.1000 years after and more and a reason is added all Christs enemies must first be put under his feet viz. first Ezekiels Gog Magog Turk Pope as we shewed and all taken then out of Christs Kingdom that offend and 1000 years after when the last Gog and Magog Rev 20. shall be destroyed and the Devil that seduced them cast into the lake of fire then will the last enemy death also be destroyed but in the interim all the said thousand years saith the Apostle he must reign till that last enemy death be also destroyed after which he will deliver up his Davidical Kingdom to the Father as was said ver 24. but at ver 51 52. he declares certain mysteries not known before concerning the general sudden rapture and change at the last Trump and last Resurrection which suit with Revelation order also though those mysteries and Christs last descending with a shout at the same time 1 Thes 4. seem to be only revealed to the Apostle Paul yet the distinction of Christs bringing his said Saints with him at his next coming 1 Thes 3.13 and 4.14 and his sudden rapping them up above 1000 years after to meet him in the Air when he descends with the said Trump of God v. 16. at the coming of the Lord as it is also called ver 15. from which time they shall ever be with the Lord which was not true from the former as by Revel 20. is manifest which is also another evident ground of distinguishing the same and by the Revelation-order so to be explained which is not to be understood according to any mens apprehensions of other Scriptures but other Scriptures to be explained by that in all such matters as God hath given unto Christ in that most Divine Book to resolve his Church of in such particulars therein held out and as for that of Peter 2.3 upon which some mistaken apprehensions of some seem to have put some difficulties by the help of the Revel may easily be resolved if we consider he speaks both of the Scoffers of the last times and to faithful Christians likewise and suits considerations useful for both to the Scoffers he offers the consideration of the day of the Lord that is the great day of Judgment wherein is the morning Judgment contained when Christ is said to come as a thief at the end of the 6th Vial Rev. 16.15 about the Armageddon battle as here he is said also to come as a thief in the night then will be the consuming of the body of the Beast by fire Dan. 7. and ver 10. a fiery stream issued from the Ancient of days at that Judgment but this seems by our Saviour besides other considerations to be a partial destruction chiefly falling upon wicked men compared Luk. 17. to Sodoms and Gomorrahs destruction that will find out such where they are But then the deluge of fire and the passing away of the Heavens as Rev. 20.11 both which by Revelation-Prophesie are manifest to be above 1000 years after the Armageddon-battle when the Beast and salse Prophet were taken and said to be cast into the lake of fire burning with Brimstone Rev. 19.20 but both these burnings the first partial the second general and ultimate are contained in the day of the Lord or the Judgment of the Great Day as Christs Revelation also teacheth without which this Text with many others could not be soundly resolved for his bringing in the exception of the New Heavens and New Earth v. 13. that is on the Saints part to comfort them against the Scoffers in these bad times not that they will be after the last destruction of the World but that there was such an happy state coming on wherein they were interessed though both at the beginning and ending of the day of the Lord such fiery Vengeance was in store for such wicked Scoffers hardned by Gods long sufferance in these last Days which the Apostle prophetically spake of and this Exposition from the warrant of this Divine Book given particularly for many such purposes and therefore stiled the Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to shew unto his Servants c. is more satisfying to my Conscience than all the differing apprehensions of men whatsoever concerning the same Quest And whereas it may be questioned by some whether these Interpretations being mysterious be according to the intent of the Writers of those or the like said portions of Scriptures Answ That is not so much to be respected as that they be according to the minds of the Inditer of them who taught all his Messengers and Amanuenses to write and deliver what was Divine and sacred truth whether he gave them full Interpretations of them at the same time or not sometimes it is evident he did not as when Daniel was denied the knowledge of the times of the end therefore he said I heard but I understood not Dan. 12. and the Disciples could not understand the fulfilling of the Prophesie of Hosea Ch. 1. of the calling of the Gentiles then till by Vision to Peter and and gifts of the Spirit and the like he had resolved them and it seems probable that neither Moses in his Song for Posterity Deut. 32. or threatnings in order Lev. 26. or in penning Jacobs Prophefie or Balaams Parable as they all respected the last times did so understand them so whether the Apostle Paul or Peter in those things being guided by the Spirit of Christ to write concerning matters directly respecting the last times did know the particular meaning of them in those respects as they are explained since by the Book of Revelation I must ingeniously acknowledge that in things which were so by the same Spirit of Christ further in due time to be
revealed I believe they did not for first it is probable they would then with the said things have given the Interpretation of them if they had then known them And secondly the Holy Spirit of Christ would not have given particular Revelations to open and explain the particular meanings if they had not been necessary so to have been revealed in respect of the hidden parts of them and especially that God the Father in a glorious wonderful manner Rev. 5. should so give that most Divine Book to his beloved Son the Lamb so to reveal them as he hath done without which the Church had been in the dark in regard of many excelent points of Heavenly Doctrines now only knowable by the help and use of the said Book especially in what concerns the main Scope of all Revelation-Prophesie which is therefore highly to be esteemed and diligently to be studied by all wise and good Christians for the right understanding of the darkest portions of Scripture which are not rightly discovered by any other means but by these Divine Oracles of Jesus Christ and let it henceforth stand as an irrefragable Rule amongst all sound Christians that all those Texts of holy Scriptures concerning those last things viz. Resurrections and Judgment are to be explained by Christs Revelation and not the Revelation by them From the former said sure Rule and the many foundations formerly laid down in the whole work these Divine Conclusions or Christian Doctrines will evidently follow First That Christs Davidical Kingdom on earth will begin with the first act or session of the Judgment of the Great Day above 1000 years before the Last Judgment Esa 9. Luke 1.32 with Dan. 7. Rev. 11. and 19.6 9 11 to the end 2. That at the first said Session the quick namely the Beast fals Prophet with other great and small enemies then living will be judged by temporal destruction from the earth Dan. 7. Ezek 38.39 Dan. 11.45 Matth. 13.41 And the deceased Saints will then also be judged with a Judgment of reward or recompense at their holy and blessed bodily Resurrection when they shall rise to reign with Christ who will then so Judge both quick and dead at his appearing and Kingdom Dan. 7. Rev. 11.18 2 Tim. 4.1 Thirdly Christ will reign with his said raised Saints on earth in his said Kingdom all that same 1000 years wherein as he hath both strongly and emphatically taught us that Satan shall be bound from deceiving the Nations any more until the said 1000 years shall be sulfilled See Treatise on Rev. 21.5 page 37 38. and page 8. of this Fourthly The said 1000 years space to be so fulfilled beginning from the first said Session or Matutinum Judicium as Mr. Mede speaks or a greater than he Psal 49.14 and a greater than them both Luke 19.18 19. Rev. 2.26 before the little space of Satans loosing again is that interim before the last Judgment wherein shall be the performance of Gods most antient promised Mercies and Covenants to the faithful Forefathers and to their spiritual Seed viz. the then raised Saints and others then converted through their Divine promised Seed Christ by whom they shall all then have their sure Mercies of David Esa 55.3 and as the Lambs wife then inherit all things with him Rev. 21.7 Fifthly The New Jerusalem state the Marriage of the Lamb the Paradise of God with the pure River and Tree of Life therein and the Nations of them that are then saved walking in the light of the said great holy and beloved New Jerusalem wherein consists the New Heavens and new earth when God will make all things new as in this Text are the contemporaries of the said happy times and state in the said 1000 years and will make up that happiness in the said Davidical Kingdom of Christ both to the said Saints then raised and to the then converted Jews and Gentiles in the natural life when also the two second great calls of them both will be accomplished Deut. 32.43 Rom. 15.10 that Jews and Gentiles will rejoyce together Sixthly Satans last most wicked attempt with his last Gog Magog against the said holy City and the Camp of the Saints after the said 1000 years are ended will occasion fire from Heaven to consume them and probably the earth and the works upon it c. and thereupon also the destruction of the last enemy death when all the Saints both raised before and then living or lying in the grave to free them as is probable from the destruction with wicked men then shall be rapt up together and all be changed in a moment or twinkling of an eye to meet Christ in the Air c. when also all the wicked shall be raised at the last Trump to the last general Judgment and final sentence c. upon whose sitting upon the great white Throne will be the utter dissolution of the whole created world as Rev. 20.11 c. And these I believe are upon the many said accounts from holy Scripture the Divine truths of Jesus Christ not contradicting any thing taught in Gods Word before but only explaining many things formerly darkly yet Divinely couched therein and especially things respecting the said first and second bodily Resurrections and the proceedings of the Judgment of the great day of the Lord at above a 1000 years distance with the performance of the promised mercies in the interim as was said And thus have I given an account of my faith as respecting these things for which I bless and magnifie the glorious Name of God the Father Son and Holy Spirit three Persons and one true and everliving God and I do believe that all Saints will do the same here or hereafter Amen And thus for the Questions concerning the first Resurrection as being the Inlet to the Sts. that Christ brings with him when he comes into the happy said approaching state 1000 years before the said rest of the dead shall live again and that answers to sundry portions of Scripture that are by some otherwise expounded but are only to be understood by the help of the most Divine Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ as we have shewed And now before we proceed to speak particularly of the words or matters of this Text of the Renovation of all things which are to make up the happiness of Christs said Reign with his Saints upon the said first Resurrection we shall consider the preceding and following context thereof with its dependencie to remove some other seeming difficulties which for the greater evidence we shall endeavour to do by Answering some other Questions and resolving some doubts upon weighty reasons concerning the same Quest 1. Are not the New Heavens and the New earth the renovation of all things the New Jerusalem and Paradise of God c. Ch. 21.22 to be after the last Judgment wch is set down before them in Ch. 20.11 Answ Although the last Judgment is there placed in the
end of the foregoing Chapter it doth not follow that it will be in time before those great things spoken of in the two following Chapters but it will appear to be there placed upon other special reasons One Reason is from the reference of divers things spoken of Chap. 19. which are further explained in their order in the three following Chapters and consequently of their dependance thereupon A second Reason is from the special consideration of Chap. 20. to ver 11. as the Table of the good times of Gods Church as Chap. 11. to ver 15. was the Table of the bad times as after we hope to make manifest in the Divine contrivance of this sacred Book to the good advantage of right enquirers But first for the Reason of such things Chap. 19. as refer to the three following Chapters The first is from ver 6. after many great Hallelujahs for the the Whores destruction ver 1 2. redoubled again ver 3. and again they said Hallelujah Thirdly of the representative 24 Elders and four Beasts or four living Wights worshipping God and adding their Amen to their Allelujah for such will be the high praises of God in the hearts and mouths of Gods people then for his destroying of Babylon called here his judging of the great Whore for her great provocations mark that expression for then will begin Christs great day of Judgment v. 2. v. 5. there is a Divine general enforcement to the like praise to all Gods Servants not only for this said ruine of Babylon but for the ensuing reign of Christ thereupon set forth in wonderful expressions ver 6. saying Allelujah for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth which is the first general referring to the future Chapters and this is further explained Ch. 20. of Christs reign with his Saints 1000 years and the same 1000 wherein Satan was to be bound which for its certainty is six times said to be so three times absolutely and three times relatively The second general Chap. 19. ver 7. is the coming of the Marriage of the Lamb which is explained Chapter 21.2 9 10. in the New Jerusalem state unto which matter of joy and thanksgiving there is a third addition in general that the Lambs wife hath made her self ready in the same verse which seems specially to respect the calling of the Jews then to be betrohed for ever when the Tabernacle of God is also said to be with men c. 21.3 4. at that his coming which the many Hallelujahs in the Hebrew tongue then to be sung seem to point out to us and not only Jews and Israelites will then be brought into Christs sheepfold but all the Nations of them that are saved and shall all walk together in the light of the Jerusalem that came from God out of Heaven being all to be then of one Communion of Sts. though in several capacities celebrating accordingly the Marriage of the Lamb the said 1000 years v. 2.9 10 22 24 26. and as from the Throne of God and the Lamb then and there proceeds that pure River of the water of Life viz. all Divine Grace John 7.37 38. so in the middest of the street of the City then will be the Tree of Life in that blessed state of that Paradise of God chap. 22.1 2. as chap. 2.7 is also explained which will be more gloriously restored then by and for Christ the second Adam than the state of that was which the first Adam lost in many respects when God as in the Text makes all things new Now concerning such a neer Union of all Gods Saints and Servants at the said Marriage of the Lamb according to their several capacities we have much in the Prophets observable we shall only name a few texts as Hos 2.19 20. I will betroth thee unto me for ever in Righteousness in Judgment in Loving Kindness and in Mercies the whole 45th Psalm and much in Esa 60 62 65 66. all respecting the same time and state and is in part applyed Rev. 21. And thus much of the reference of these three last chap. to the said general heads mentioned chap. 19. of Christs said Reign the Marriage of the Lamb and his Wives making her self ready which is usually in Scripture and especially in this book to mention Generals and after particularly to explain them and beside these observe that there is no distinction of order or times in the three follow-Chapters by first second or third or after this I saw as chap. 18.1 at the Whores destruction or after these things I heard chap. 19.1 but from thence to the end of the book all the Visions are of the same time as we may after shew But because the opening of this Rereference in chap. 19. is of great use to the understanding of all the rest of this book to the end we shall endeavour according to what by Divine Grace we have received to resolve these Questions following 1. Why these great things should here be inserted chap. 19.5 6 7. after Babylons destruction 2. Why the destruction of the Beast and false Prophet from ver 11. to the end of the Chapter is decyphered before them 3. What is meant by that in v. 9 where it 's said Blessed are they that are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb which is set forth with so much Divine Illustration Much after the manner that Gods Renovation is set forth in this text The first is to teach us that Babylons ruine is the beginning of Christs Reign chap. 11.17 he then takes to himself his great power and reigns as here ver 6. which seems to be the that beginning of Revenges Deut. 32.40 c. and when God begins then he will also make an end for by this God prepares for a greater and more general revenge upon the Enemies by provoking them to gather to the Armageddon Battel as chap. 16. ver 13 14 15. by sending the three unclean Spirits or Spirits of Devils afterwards to the Kings of the Earth and of the whole world to gather them to it which is here gloriously decyphered ver 11. to the end 2. To manifest to the Churches Consolation that as the Beast had scattered the power of the holy people Dan. 12.7 for his time times and half a time so then his power should be so scattered that there remains no more but to prepare for the greatest Vengeance at his last destruction he shall never more hurt or molest them 3. To instruct us how the Morning Judgment of the great day described by Daniel chap. 7. will be brought on First by judging the Whore 2dly the Beast and false Prophet with their Followers as is written Deut. 32. Psal 149. Rev. 19. the last for Christ saith the Apostle shall destroy the man of Sin at the appearance of his coming so when Christ comes from the right hand of his Father he makes his soes his footstool Psal 110.1 whom the Heavens receive till the times of Restitution
half a time contemporating therein with the twofold Beasts 42 months chap. 13 raised out of the Sea and Earth in those fluctuating times of the said Barbarous Nations as also with the Witnesses 1260 dayes 〈◊〉 â—ears till the seven Angels have poured out their Vials to destroy the Beast likewise chap. 15 16. concerning which matters there is an explication chap. 17. executed chap 18 19. when the last head is ruined of that Ecclesiastick state also unto both which Schemes of both Civil and Ecclesiastick state the same Table of the bad times hath reference and links them so together as Contemporaries But besides the said Series or order of the first said Table in the Divine contrivance thereof referring to the said double Scheme of the times thereof beginning with the Regular state of the Church that was as was said chap. 11.1 these things are farther to be observed from chap. 1.19 first concerning the things the beloved Apostle John had then seen viz. how Christ in all those times walketh in the midst of the Candlesticks the Churches and holds the stars the true Ministers thereof in his right hand chap. 1. and 2dly the things that then were concerning the then present seven Churches of Asia chap. 2.3 which are also conceived to adumbrate or shaddow out seven Intervals contained in the said first Table of the suffering times and 3dly the things to be hereafter which are Epittomied in some sort before the 24 Elders and 4 living Wites in chap. 4 and 5. first in chap 4. is set the Prologlue and Chorus of all that Tragy-Comody as Mr. Mede speaks and in the 5th is representzed the glorions manner of the Father's delivering this Book to his Son the Lamb that had been as it were slain and lived again to reveal and fulfil the contents thereof with a glimps of the ishue of the times of the said first Table of Revelation Prophesie when the Representative say they shall Reign upon Earth ver 10. whereupon Angels Saints and all Creatures in their kindes shall adore and magnifie the Lamb as worthy to receive Power and Riches and Wisdome and Strength ver 8. to the end and in chap. 7. we have the Sealing of the 144000 spiritually in the East under the Tyranny of the Saracens and Turks as chap. 9.4 in the times of the two first Woe Trumpets from about Anno Dom. 600. to about 1700 for we must conjecture in a Latitude perhaps of about a decad under or over the said times by reason of some defects in Chronologie and in ch 14. wherein with the same times of the Beasts said 42 months the true Church had her 144000 Spiritually Sealed also and preserved in the West All which with the Angels warnings there following Christ hath now almost accomplished in this so excellent a contrivance of this Divine Book in all these respects And therefore Faithful Christians need not much trouble themselves as to the remaining Prophesies of this Book in respect of the suffering times save only they must watch and keep the Garments of Justification and holy conversation as Christ warnes ch 16.15 when the Whore or Babylons end draws neer as chap. 18. and chap. 14. only after is to be expected the gathering to the Armageddon Battel chap. 19. before which some good time I conceive will be the falling of the tenth part of the City wherein the 7000 names of men as in the Original are foretold to be slain to the strange affrightment probably by some Divine appearance of that remnant that are thereupon said to give glory to the God of Heaven chap. 11. v. 13. by acknowledging his hand therein to such I would commend St. Peters counsel Acts 17.18 19 c. Brethren I wot that through ignorance ye did it as did also your Rulers c. who were the Leaders and Guiders of the rest as hath been usual at least by the Engineers of such evil contrivance who are skilful to draw into them more innocent persons c. Repent ye therefore c. and the rather because the remnant when affrighted v. 13. hopefully shall so do for the thing is to be done upon a great Earthquake or Commotion of Nations when the last finishing Witnesses decyphered from ver 6. to ver 13. did begin to ascend upon their hearing of the great Voice viz. of a person eminent in publick Authority saying come up hither in the Plateia or street of the City where they were before civilly killed in the second war of the Beast of which Mr. Mede conceived there was only one resembled to Jerusalem in Judea many ways where our Lord was Crucified rose again and ascended c. being then a tenth Province or tenth part of the Dition of that great City c. of which many things may appear considerably evident if the said Plateia prove to be the said tenth part of the City which in its final falling off from Rome shall utterly cast out of it all Romish Idolatry Superstitions and Errours c. which for many Reasons may seem more probably and whereof an account may probably be after given And not the falling of the City Rome it self as some have conjectured because it is but a tenth part now of what it was in the Heathen Emperours time as Mr. Mede from Lipsius declares which latter more probable by some computations may seem to be about a dozen years after this falling or more upon which the gathering to the Armageddon Battel may be expected for Romes ruine is like highly to provoke the Beast and false Prophet to that Battel though to their own ruine Rev. 19.20 although they will not believe it which is the means to bring it on them But upon the falling of the tenth part here the said 2d Woe or sixth Trumpet is said to be ended ver 14. under which Mr. Mede most probably placeth most of the Vials during the Turks 396 years who is usually reckoned the 2d Woe and if this falling of the tenth part of the City was meant by the 5th Vial upon the Throne of the Beast as some have conceived whereby seems more probably to be pointed out that antient Apocryphal Episcopacie as the Mystical Throne of the Beast upon which he hath sitten to kill Christs Witnesses from first to last viz. in respect of the old pretended Jus Divinum thereof as being more suitable to the mysteriousness of the Vials and to experience as the 4th was upon his Universality whereby all Popish Prelacie with many Errours depending thereon have been pretendedly supported all along which seemed much to be shaken by that 5th Vial and neer to falling c. upon advantage whereof the Pope afterwards as Bishop of Rome it being the chief City hath since most falsely pretended to be Peters Successor who yet from Scripture is manifest never to have been Bishop there and Christs Vicar general on Earth though Christ promised he would never be non-resident from his Church there but present with them to
the end of the World Mat. last and last So that as he needs no such so he ordained no such Officer as shortly he will be taught to know and all the deluded part of the world that follow him to their cost But if that had been this tenth part of the City I conceive it would have been past before this time But it seems there will be some good and peaceable times in that Plateia at the fall of this tenth part of the City in the West though though the 2d Woe continue longer in the East because at the end thereof before the 7th Angel begin to sound it is said the 3d Woe cometh quickly no remarkable occurrents then and there said to intervene for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quickly or swiftly is in this book to be understood in the due order of accomplishment whereby Christ hath inseparably linked together the first and last things of neer 1700 years distance hence he saith in the beginning Rev. 1.1 that they are things which must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shortly or swiftly come to pass viz. in the said-determined order which due order N. B. is in this Book Doctrinal being the Divine purpose of setting it so down c. and likewise it is again said Behold I come quickly or swiftly the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being used about the end of 1700 years after in the end of the last ch the most of which said 1700 years from Christs birth is contained in the 19 first chap. of this most Divine Book before the 1000 years being chap. 20. but is not said to come presently or immediately and the ending of the great Earthquake before the fall of the said tenth part of the City with the 100 slain in the West and that glory then to be rendred unto God by that said remnant there all which imply the compleating of the said ascention of the finishing Witnesses and therewith some respite from former sufferings before the 7th Trumpet called by some the Woe joy Trumpet shall actually begin to sound besides the time of that coming quickly not presently may be considerable there for when that sounded ver 15. great Voices of Joy were heard in Heaven saying the Kingdoms of the world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and at the beginning thereof as we shewed from chap. 19.9 11 c. Christ will destroy the Beast and false Prophet the interim before which after the said fall of the tenth part of the City when the second Woe ended v. 14. seems I say to import some intermission of the Churches trouble in the West before that time oppressed by the Beast there though some of those Sealed ones in the East chap. 7. may continue that interim under the pressures of the Turk during the second Woe there c. Which brings in also the good times of the 2d Table which we spake of in chap. 20. wherein is contained Satans binding Christs and his Saints Reign so exactly strongly and clearly asserted by Christ to be 1000 years with its Contemporaries first before it chap. 19. viz. the coming of the Marriage of the Lamb and his wifes making her self ready ver 7. and after it also chap. 21. 22. when will be the New Heavens and the New Earth the New Jerusalem with the Nations saved walking in the light thereof also the pure River and Tree of Life in the middest of the street of the City all to continue that said 1000 years in the world until Satans loosing which are after expounded c. 21 22. as depending on c. 19.7 it is agreeable as was said to that Antient Prophesie Deut. 32.41 42. of the beginning of Revenges upon the Whore and Beast before Jews and Gentiles then rejoice together c. when many Halelujahs will be Sung upon those accounts in the beginning of chap. 19. to ver 7. when the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth So then these two excellent Tables have their distinct considerations in the said Divine contrivance for divers excellent purposes and the said boundaries of the times of each are not to be taken into them as set in their proper order and place so as what follows must needs therefore be after them in time It was not so in the experience of the former Table and it will not be so in the latter which being well understood with what we have here said upon that occasion may accordingly be as we desire and endeavour whilst time and opportunity serveth to give light to this part of this most Divine Book and the rather being of late very sensible of the Infirmities of old Age now fast incroaching upon us and this more especially because the very Cream and Marrow of all faithful Christians Interest included in these mystical parts of the Gospel of Christ may hereby be made more conspicuous and comfortable unto them which also we hope by resolving other following Questions may farther appear and hereunto Mr. Medes judicious Synchronisms are very subservient as in our Scheme of the whole Revelation may be observed but the main business is there set down in this last table viz. the reign of Christ with his raised Saints for which Reign their said bodily Resurrection makes way as was shewed being the chief thing in reference whereunto all that are after explained chap. 21 22. to belong to that state as to their time are determined by Christ to be to continue 1000 years and from thence he sets down Satans loosing with the last Gogs Magogs destruction leading in the last judgment which seemed necessary to be so explained according to our Saviours Divine Wisdom as the most full Revelation of what should be useful to be known by his Church for the most full explication of Enochs Prophesie or Vision of the great day of Judgment as Jude speaks of which Daniel chap. 7. seems only to explain the first act or matutinum judicium at the destruction of the Beast above 1000 years before but by this Divine Table we are directly brought in this order of Prophesie to the last act or Vespertinum judiâ—ium of all sorts good and bad much more clearly than was revealed before in sundry particulars c. but he then returns back to the predictions of the Propheâ—â— concerning the said 1000 years reign of Christ with his said Saints or times of Gods making all things New as the Context before and after manifest And this will appear in that which concerns the first particular viz. of the New Heavens and New Earth Esa 65. from ver 20 21 22. where many things are nam'd respecting those in the natural life as is observable for antient Prophesies are the Foundatiocs of them all c. But 2dly if it were supposed they were after the general Judgment it might then be enquired what use in reason they could be conceived to serve for since Scripture gives no ground for any such matter but contrarily resolves
Christ by faith wrought in believers Souls by the powerful operation of the Holy Ghost but these times of restitution of all things we speak of are quite another thing to be fulfilled for Christ and his Saints at his second coming which the first made way for when the outward visible total and final Redemption will be fulfilled as well as the inward for Satan remains still the God of the world and Prince of the Power of the Air and works effectually in the Children of disobedience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which will not believe and he they both bring much suffering and persecutions upon the Saints but in the following renovation they will both be taken off so that the Servants of Christ shall then serve him in righteousness and true holiness before him without fear of their enemies all the days of their lives which is the mercy promised to the Fathers as Zacharias sweetly sings out Luke 1 72 74 75. for then the inward and spiritual work of Redemption will be much more perfected in the Saints as well as the outward and visible for the Saints And thus much for answer to that Objection Now to proceed to consider what these times are how set forth in Holy Scripture and how it doth appear that they are now near approaching for the resolution whereof we must chiefly make use of this most Divine Book of Revelation with some of Daniels Visions respecting the same times as they are by Christ more fully explained in their due series and order which is a matter of very great use in all the sufferings times of the Church to Chap. 19. but after of much advantage and benefit for the Church of God in those good and happy times to which our Saviours Divine Key of these things hath special reference and is graciously given by him to open the Mysteries of them for the great use and consolation of his people in these later days to which purpose we shall consider those principal Texts of Scripture that have their reference unto those latter days The first is that great declaration of God upon the Fall of man Gen. 3.15 which is the most comprehensive of all others both containing removal of evil conferring of good in the Restitution of all things upon which accounts Christ hath ever since proceeded in the execution of all his three great Offices of the great Prophet Priest and King for his Universal true Church as the work his Father gave him to do until he make his great enemies his footstool eminently by destroying of wicked men that destroyed the earth and binding of Satan so to still the enemy and the avenger and finally at his casting him into the Lake of fire as was shewed from Holy Scripture when he will be utterly stilled for by reason of prevailing sin he brought the old world to suffer the Vengeance of the Deluge by Waters and Sodom and Gomorrah to be consumed with fire and brimstone from Heaven and even Gods people to be led captive by the Assyrians and Caldeans with all other miseries befalling for sin before and since Christ stilled him in good measure at his first coming when he was struck dumb and his Oracles put to silence and more stilled him under the sixth Seal when he was cast down from his Regencie of Heathenish Idolatry in his Heavens under the Pagan-Rulers unto the earth whereupon in his great wrath he betook him to his last designe of setting up the twofold Beast to continue till the said great stilling of him in the 1000 years also that great Oracle of God Psal 110.1 much spoken of in the New Testament hath also direct relation unto the said times when Christ shall cease to sit at his Fathers right hand in Heaven and his enemies as was said be made his footstool till which times saith the Apostle Peter also Acts 3.31 the Heavens must receive Christ viz. till these times of restitution of all things deciphered in the Text by him that sits upon the Throne when his Church will be refreshed with Christs presence and the Tabernacle of God then be with men and he dwell with them that space of the 1000 years c. in the third verse of this Chapter till which times the Apostle saith Heb. 10.13 Christ sits there expecting till his foes be made his footstool when Turk and Pope who stand in the way to hinder Christs said Kingdom shall be destroyed Unto these times also relates that great promise made by God unto Abraham upon that great act of his faith and obedience in sacrificing his Son Isaac Gen. 22. that his seed should possess the Gates of his Enemies though it was partially and typically performed in subduing such as would have stopped their passage or hindred their possession of the promised Land above 400 years after when the iniquities of the Amorites were arrived to their fulness but the great possessiou will be given to the Divine Seed Christ at his second coming and by him to all the spiritual seed and that so as never to be cast out again as 2 Sam. 7. when they shall remove no more from it as also many other Scriptures manifest Then also shall be performed from the beginning of revenges upon the Whore of Babylon and the great vengeance upon the enemy Antichrist fore prophesied by Moses in that excellent Song for Posterity Deut. 32.41.42 when God will whet his glittering sword and make his arrows drunk in blood that Jews and Gentiles may rejoyce together as Rom. 15. then also will be fulfilled that great Promise Esa 51.20 21 22 c. respecting those times also made upon occasion of the destruction of old Babylon the Type of this and much of Jeremies Prophesie there is by the Spirit of God applied in the Revelations to mystical Babylons destruction but we read not of Gods peoples being then Gods Battle-Axe and Weapons of War then c. for they came home then by Gods working powerfully upon the Spirit of Cyrus and they were ever low upon that reduction but when they shall be again restored all that great prevalencie over all enemies will take place fully for they as saith the Prophet Malachy shall then be as ashes under the soles of their feet Chap. 4.3 and all Nations that will not then be subject to the beloved great and holy Jerusalem shall be destroyed Esa 60.12 And when the same Prophet Esay chap. 26.19 shews that Gods Saints shall rise at the first bodily Resurrection explained by our Saviour Luke 20.35 36. and Rev. 20.5 Esay declares the contrary of such as tyrannized over Gods Church before ver 14. they saith he are dead they shall not live then they are deceased they shall not rise then c. for the enemies shall be so taken away for ever from the Land of the living that they shall ever after be uncapable of good with the Saints in the world and to all eternity when those Children of the Resurrection as
Emperor the Epoca whereof was about 365. or as Learned Bishop Vsher conceives 363. to which the said 1335. being added probably makes up the times of the great restauration of Jews and Israelites at Christs appearance when the Turk is destroyed Dan. 11.45 and Chap. 12.1 2. which is further explained by the 1700 years of Revelation-prophesie until that time viz. about 320 years under the six first Seals until Constantine the Great cast Satan from his Heaven to the earth by abandoning his Heathenish Idolatries of his Sun Moon and Stars worshipping his Jupiter Mars Mercury c. with the Pagan Worshippers and Promoters thereof unto which sueceeded the other Christian Emperors for their short space spoken of Rev. 17.10 viz. about 80 or 90 years till the Dragons flood about the Womans the true Churches entring into her wilderness condition and from thence under the four first Trumpets proceeding out of the seventh Seal when began the sealed Judgments of the Trumpets which carry on the ruine of the Roman Civil state for their Persecution of the Saints in the Primitive times which four first are conceived to take up about 200 years more wherein the barbarous Nations by degrees broke in many pieces the Western Roman Empire giving opportunity for the Crowning of the ten Horns turning the Provinces thereof into so many Kingdoms whose Power hath since been given to the Beast But for the 2 first woe Trumpets of the Locust Mahumetans first under the Saracens in the East from their beginning about An. Dom. 600. to the beginning of the Turkish Mahomitans in the Ottoman family about 1300 which was 700 more and the Turks day and hour and month and year since prevailing over the Easterm Empire which by computation are 396 years more altogether will make up the whole account of about 1700 years till the seventh Trumpet begin to sound when the Kingdoms of the world will become the Kingdoms of our God and of his Christ Rev. 11.15 And the same 1700 years of Revelation Prophesie may also be computed by the Table of the suffering times under the Dragon and the Beast as they were pointed out before from Rev. 11. to ver 13. viz. the regular Primitive times Chap. 11.1 contained about 320. when was the Battle betwixt Michael and the Dragon and their Angels Chap. 12. whereupon the Dragons flood was poured out but dried up by the earth at the womans entrance into her Wilderness-condition about 90 years when with her time times and half a time begins the Beast to trample under foot the holy City for his 42 months and also during the two witnesses time of 1260 days of years for all these 3 are contemporaries and end with the second Woe ver 14. when it is said the third Woe cometh quickly at the end of the last Gentile Monarchy the first of which Monarchies viz. the Caldean by Scripture is reckoned to continue 70 years the Mede or Persian computed in Chronologie about 230 years the Grecian about 280. until about 48 years before Christs birth saith Helvicus or according to our former Computations of them in our Parallel of the ruine of the Roman Empire in the Caldean 70 about 70 or 80 more in the Persian Monarchies to Daniels weeks which are 490 years more in all 640. to the end of the last week An. Dom. 5.38 years after Christs birth which last 38 years are to be deducted on our usual account in which Parallel consider well that conjecture of 1666. to the ruine of Antichrist from Christs ascension though as Bishop Vsher conceives we have lost therein four years c. See there also our four mystical numbers leading to the Jews deliverance Dan. 12.1 and the great Enemies ruine at the end of the 4 Monarchie all which have their periods about Ann. Dom. 1700. But as there were different conjectures 1. about eleven years or more as before said of the Jews deliverance from Babylon so should some like latitude be allowed to probable conjectures now Thus having set down a scantling of these times by which it may appear upon these and many other accounts that the times of the restitution of all things cannot be far off which should make all men be careful to prepare for them thereupon to be engaged the more to fight against their spiritual enemies the flesh the wold and the Devil and as Christ upon that account exhorts to exercise Christian watchfulness that their hearts be not overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness and cares of this life lest these times come upon them unawares Luke 21.34 35 36. and the rather because as he tells us they will come as a snare upon them that are in the whole earth See to this purpose the 9 Uses after the Tract on Rev. 22.20 Now as God created the world at first as the Apostle speaks by Jesus Christ the Spirit moving upon the face of the Waters Gen. 1.2 And as God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5.12 and also upon Christs Resurrection from the dead whereby he was declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of holiness Rom. 1.4 hath committed all power to Jesus Christ and accordingly afterwards gave him the Book with seven Seals Rev. 5. to open and execute the contents thereof to the end of the world and last Judgment So at the times of this New State God creates this New World for and gives it to his Son as a boon or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for doing all his Wills as was said of David and to his spiritual Seed with him as joynt-heirs thereof which will also be their sure Mercies of David Esai 55.3 and therefore it is said at his coming in the Clouds Dan. 7.13 14. there was given to him viz. by the Father Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all Nations People and Languages should serve him and therefore he also saith John 17.24 that the Glory he hath therein his Father hath given him and upon this great account also he bids his little flock not fear for it is his Fathers pleasure to give them the Kingdom and in reference unto both will all things then be made new for as God hath appointed him heir of all things so then he shall actually possess them as also ver 7. he promiseth to his overcomers that they shall inherit all things and the Apostle teacheth 2 Tim. 2.12 that those that suffer with him shall reign with him So that New State and Kingdom then is first and chiefly given to Christ which comprehends all the rest and is then prepared for Christ and those he then brings with him as his Spouse or Bride the Lambs Wife as her dowry at that great solemnity of the 1000 years And this the Fathers New Creation as it is deciphered Esai 65. will be a greater work than the first as the making of the spiritual New Creature is 2 Cor. 5.17 because here is a great incapacity in the world