attonement they expected to be accepted and so spiritually now Christ hath made all his servants in his true Church both the twenty four Elders and the four living wights Kings and Priests unto God and an excellent Kingdom by faith and grace they know they shall even upon earth injoy in due time as may appear in the next Chap. 5. Vers 10. We shall reign upon earth And so we have represented what is here said of Gods true Church under the Old Testament by the representatives thereof praising him as Creatour all which time it is to be observed that his holy Sabbath was kept in remembrance of God as creatour of Heaven and Earth and that he rested on the seventh day from his work of Creation which was by our Saviour in the New Testament changed to the first day of the week in remembrance of the work of our Redemption and for the honour of him our Redeemer who rose the first day of the week from the dead when he had finished that most glorious work c. A few things more I shall commend to your Christian consideration from the Old Testament before we come to speak of the fifth Chap. of the Revelation as to our forementioned purpose for whereas in the Vision concerning the Trinity of persons in the former Chap. the second person viz. God the Son to whom the great work of Mediatorship was committed being set forth as it seems by the Rainbow in sight like an Emerald which Rainbow plainly minds us both of the Flood and the Ark the Flood again holding out 1. Judgement to the Old World 2. Mercy to Noah and the new World Again the Ark both then and from Moses time evidencing Christs gracious presence with his people both in the Old and New world And the consideration of God the Sons execution of all the Mediatours great Offices as the great Prophet Priest and King of his true Church are so frequently set before Gods people in succession of times in the Church as the great thing to be eyed by them therefore besides the general respect of these three offices to the universal Church and the particular to every true beleiver in all times there seems a third respect to be much taken notice of in Holy Scripture of many special manifestations of the said three Offices of Christ in the several ages and conditions of his Church or rather of Christs so setting himself forth before his people in those several times in these three great Offices For as there hath been a most large time of his Prophetical Office under the Old Testament when Christ by a spirit of Wisdom and Revelation till his coming in the flesh revealed all his Fathers will And 2. According to his Priesty Office ever since And so 3. Will do in the third period under or after the seventh Trumpet in his Kingly office likewise as may happily be frequently observable in Scripture how by a remarkable divine hand there have been many shews hereof in many lesser periods First Even before the flood there were some shadowings of Christ in all his offices 1. Of Prophesie in that he revealed himself to the Holy Fathers of the first times by voyces visions dreams and the like what services would be acceptable to the Father 2. As a Priest in Enoch in that Enoch as Christ in the flesh came to do the Will of God in the body Heb. 5.10 Who as Christs type so walked with God he was translated as Christ when he had done his Fathers Will ascended into Heaven 3. As a King in Noah whom he fitted and inabled him so to preserve his Family and all them with him in the Ark when all his enemies were wonderfully and justly destroyed by the Flood Secondly Again after the Flood in Abrahams time Christ revealed his Fathers will to him as his Prophet calling him from his Fathers Idolatry teaching him to serve the true God as was agreeing to his will making him a King by subduing those Kings that had carried Lot captive and rescuing him and those that belonged to Lot yea in that he offered his Son Isaac he acted as a Priest and was blessed by Melchisedeck the Priest of the most high God who was likewise King of Salem of whose order of Priesthood Christ was to be who was without Father without Mother without beginning of days or end of life as the Apostle describes him Hebrews 7.3 But Thirdly more remarkably after God would have an instituted Church in the posterity of Abraham Isaac and Jacob to whom he had made and renewed his promise of Canaan and given them the Sacrament of Circumcision as a sign and seal of his free grace promised to them and had brought their posterity out of Egypt with an high hand and conducted them through the Red Sea to sacrifice to himself in the wilderness not as their Fathers had done formerly but as Moses told Pharoah as the Lord their God should afterwards teach them for they knew not how he would be served till they came into the Wilderness where he afterward appointed his instituted worship for till the making of that Covenant with Abraham and his seed the Sacrifices that had been used all along till then seemed as much to have had the nature of a Sacrament to strengthen and confirm the faith of the beleiving Antients in the Messiah to come for we read not of any other they had till Abraham as to typifie unto them that Christ was to dye for their sins But after Gods instituted Worship by Moses Ministry the said three great Offices of Christ seem to be frequently shadowed out Moses was his Prophet who is likewise said to be King in Jesurun and Aaron who was his mouth unto Pharaoh at first was afterwards actually the High-Priest the first type of Christ in that order and office but all along that Ministration till Sauls worldly Kingdom was set up in causeless discontent by the peoples corrupt will who would have a King instead of good Samuel and of God himself who told Samuel 1 Sam. 8. they had not cast off him but God likewise for they sought a King after their own corrupt will not seeking to know Gods pleasure therein which soon again fell when God had sought him a man even David whom God set up And when the Israelites were actually come out of Egypt and had miraculously passed through the Red Sea whereby was figured how by Baptism and spiritual Regeneration Gods people are brought out of the bondage of sin and Satan and so soon as they were come into the Wilderness which many ways shadows out the state of Gods people in the world c. then Moses as a Prophet makes known the Will of God to them Aaron as a Priest makes intercession to God for them and Christ himself as judicious Burgess proves as the great King gives his Laws in great Majesty and terrour for all things to be observed by his people though Moses was then
thence declares how that the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation both which will be evident at such coming or appearing of Christ To this purpose Peter likewise Act. 3.19.21 First speaks of times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord which vers 21. he calls the times of restitution of all thing where the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Beza notes is not to be referred to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saith he namely times God hath spoken of by the mouth of all his Prophets since the world began and therefore there is great reason and good warrant to inquire into all the Prophets since the world began concerning those things that concerne such Christs appearing and Kingdom the third of those three in the Mount is the Apostle James whose eminent Testimony we have Act. 15. when Peter had declared the conversion of the Gentiles James takes occasion to speak of raising up the Church of the Jews and with them as is probable the remnant of the Gentiles that that fulness might then come in and to this end quotes Amos 9.11 for saith he vers 15 16. to this agree the words of the Prophet After this I will raise up the Tabernacle of David which was fallen that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the Heathen namely when the Jews shall be again converted that the residue of the men saith St. James might seek after the Lord and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called and then adds this excellent foundation v. 18. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world And so for the Testimony of St. Paul to whom after his ascention Christ wonderfully and graciously revealed himself First In that eminent place of the destruction of Antichrist 2 Thes 2.8 Whom he shall destroy with the breath of his mouth and with the appearance of his coming So 2 Tim. 4.1 who shall judge the quick and dead at his appearing and Kingdom the quick destroying the enemies then living the dead by rewarding his servants when he takes his Kingdom as Rev. 11.18 1 Tim. 6.15 Keep saith St. Paul the commandment without spot unrebukeable untill the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ which in his time he shall shew who is the blessed and onely potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords as likewise he is deciphered Rev. 19.16 at the very same time of Antichrists destruction and in divers other places of his writings Now if we understand all such places of a wonderful glorious appearing or coming at that time of the setting up of his Kingdom upon earth as before we said if he will in any such way glorifie himself he can then appear as glorious to his people upon Mount Sion so as he did appear to Moses and Israel to be their Law-giver upon Mount Sinai and what neer and happy communion may be in these blessed times between Heaven and earth when the Tabernacle of God shall be with men under the New Testament as when the Ark was in the Temple in Solomons times when Christ was so glorious under the Old Testament may not be hard to conceive but probably much more excellent in regard of the clearness of divine grace and prevalency thereof If Stephen was so strengthened in faith or sight at his death to see the Heavens opened and Christ in glory sitting at the right hand of God Christ the great God can make all good and bad to behold his Majesty in what ever way he will then manifest himself he can make the beams of his glory besides the divine light of his grace and Spirit stream down and rest as he pleaseth to inlighten his New Jerusalem come down from Heaven as to St. Paul at his conversion to inlighten it I say far above the Sun at Noon-day though his Humane Nature should remain in the highest Heavens he can make his Angels his Heraulds to execute his judgements upon his enemies making those Ministers a flaming fire to them and as Reapers to gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend as those Tares the Children of the wicked one Matth. 13. for what execution of judgement is done by the Kings appointment and authority though he is not pleased to be present in his person is as well his execution as if he were so present or did it with his own hand as Samuel did to King Agag what acts of Soveraignty power or grace are performed according to his pleasure and order though in his personal absence are nevertheless to be acknowledged to be derived from him and as the star at Christs birth though not a star in the ordinary course yet served to lead the Sages to the place where Christ was It was thought by the writer hereof to be the safest way not to determine de modo of the manner of Christs appearing whether personally or mystically yet in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Forerunner which like a porch framed to the house since the building of the house upon more mature consideration determines for the personal appearance especially in the paper Sept. 27. 1664. in the clouds and at least some personal glorious manifestation of himself to the blessed and holy raised Saints in the New Jerusalem on earth in the thousand years he being the visible light thereof In the light of which the Nations that are saved shall then walk Rev. 21.22 and Isa 60.3 11. So Christ can shew any glorious appearance to set forth his kingly Majesty and excellency suitable to his own sacred pleasure and purpose however in what way Gods Spirit hath foretold that his appearing or coming it shall be so accomplished in its time though we cannot fully resolve of the manner but as the two Sackcloth Prophesiers cannot be freed from their mournful condition until the date of the Beast be fully expired so neither can the prosperity of Gods people be hindered one moment when once the time of Christs Kingdom on earth shall take place Object But why should we medle with such mysteries or trouble our own or others heads with things we cannot resolve or what good comes there by so doing Answ To be curious or peremptory in what is not clear to us in the Word of God is indeed hurtful and dangerous but in such things as God hath set down largely and fully in his Word and likewise strongly confirmed as may abundantly be shewed concerning Christs reign on the earth the thousand years to come both in Old and New Testament ought not to be over-looked or neglected by us but concerning the glorious estate of Gods Church upon earth under or after the seventh Trumpet in the said reign of Christ upon earth in what manner soever he will execute it the Scripture is plentiful in asserting the same as in part we have shewed already Doth God by his Spirit of his own goodness reveal so much for his Churches benefit
ΕΙΡΗÎΙΚΟΠOR A Peaceable consideration of CHRIST's Peaceful KINGDOM on EARTH to come Rev. 20.4 Rev. 5.10 To be added to the ΠΡΟΔΡΟΜΟΣ or Fore-runner WHEREIN The Proof and Confirmation that such a Kingdom shal be is abundantly established upon a seven-fold foundation more particularly set down in the next ensuing leaf Whereunto is added an Appendix concerning the first Resurrection spoken of Rev. 20.4 5 6. compared with Rev. 11.18 manifesting it to be of the bodily Resurrection of the Just to begin not long after the glorious appearance of Christ and his said Kingdom Breifly and plainly set down for the benefit of all faithful Christians Ezek. 37.24 25. And David my servant shall be King over them and they shall all have one shepherd they shall also walk in my judgments and observe my statutes and do them And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant wherein your Fathers have dwelt and they shall dwell therein even they and their children and their childrens children for ever and my servant David shall be their Prince for ever Dan. 7.21 22. I beheld and the same horn made war with the Saints and prevailed against them Vntil the Ancient of days came and judgment was given to the Saints of the most High and time came that the Saints possessed the kingdom 2 Thess 2.8 And then shall that wicked be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming Among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or forms of Doctrine in the Council of Nice by Gelas Cyzicen History thereof this is recorded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is We expect according to the holy Scriptures the manifesting unto us the appearing and Kingdom of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ and then the Saints of the most High as Daniel saith shall take the Kingdom Answerably hereunto our Received Nicene Creed From thence he shall come at the end of the world to judge the quick and the dead as it is Rev. 11.18 and then follows Whose Kingdom shall have none end as before explained Hoc Omega suis MVNVS Alpha tulit Printed in the Year 1665. THE CONTENTS THe Proof and Confirmation That such a Kingdom of Christ shall be is established in the sequel of this Treatise upon the sevenfold foundation ensuing First From a frame of Christian Doctrine containing the general consideration of Christs three great Offices of Mediatorship as the great Prophet Priest and King of his Church in seventeen Theses with six inferences drawn from them page 3 to 8. Secondly By a visional representation of Old and New Testament Doctrine suitable thereunto from the fourth and fifth Chapters of the Book of Revelations setting forth God the Fathers glory as Creator and the Lambs as Redeemer whence are also other seven inferences deduced to confirm Christs Kingdom to come on earth p. 9 to 35. Thirdly By divers evidences and expressions in those four Apostles writings to whom Christ in a special manner manifested his Kingly glory viz. to Peter James and John at his tranfiguration and Revelation to John and to St. Paul at his conversion from whose writings six several senses of Christs comings are observable since his coming in the flesh p. 41 to 56 Fourthly From the eminent Chronologers of the holy Ghost who writ of Satans three Babels namely Moses of the Tower of Babel Daniel of the Monarchy of Babylon and St. John of the mystical Babylon all which come to their utter confusions at the said setting up of Christs Kingdom on earth p. 57 to 71 Fifthly From the other Prophets of all times with the Psalms in the Old Testament and all sorts of Gospellers in the New Chap. 6 7 8. Sixthly By other Arguments drawn from the Lords prayer and the three usual received Creeds or Articles of Confessions of Faith p. 90 to 95. Seventhly From the most ancient Orthodox Fathers of the most pure primitive times who owned this truth in its untainted purity p. 96. All which with many other useful particulars to be observed occasionally set down in reference to Christs personal reign with his raised Saints will more fully appear First by the contents of each Chapter premised and then by the Chapters themselves in order unto which for brevities sake I refer the Christian Reader In the Appendix the bodily resurrection of the Saints is first explained from the distinct consideration of those two parallel Texts of sacred Scripture Rev. 11.18 and 20.4 5 6. confirmed from sundry Texts of Old and New Testament and many weighty considerations tendered to manifest that first resurrection there spoken of to intend the bodily resurrection of the Saints at that very time whereunto that Revelation of Jesus Christ for his Churches benefit hath particular reference Further shewing that the Antient Doctors and Fathers of the primitive times of the Gospel were of that judgement A TABLE OF CHRONOLOGIE BEcause the help of some Chronologie is very needful to the understanding of mystical Prophesies in the holy Scriptures especially for such as this small treatise is intended for and to that end they may neither be troubled or discouraged with too large or too many or curious notions or varieties of mens opinions concerning the order of times I shall here labour to set down such a general soantling for the use of ordinary capacities that by the help hereof together with what is all along set down ofttimes in the following Treatise they may in some sort have pointed out to them the times the things they therein read of have particular reference unto And this we shall indeavour to set down First More generally until the beginning of the four Monarchies set forth Dan. 2. and Dan. 7. 1. By the great Image Chap. 2. 2. By the four Beasts Chap. 7. Again secondly To consider particularly the times following them 1. Then more generally In the first place consider what Moses compendiously sets down before the general Deluge for the space of 1656. years of the old world as ordinarily it is computed 2. From Noahs flood to the promise made to Abraham about the year of the world Anno 2030. is 374. years Exod. 12.4 3. From the promise to Abraham to the Israelites departure out of Egypt 2460. is 430. years 4. The beginning of the Assyrian kingdom by Nimrod about 1788. which continued to the Chaldean Monarchy by Nebuchadnezzar about 1700. years 5. Take notice the Temple of Solomon was begun about the 3000. year of the world as learned Dr. Usher computes it from whence to the Captivity of Babylon he reckons likewise 395. years being in the year 3395. And may not the Antitype of Solomon and his Temble be glorious at the end of 3000. years more 6. I shall here adde a general computation of Bucholcherus for the apt concinnity thereof reaching first to the Captivity of Babylon and through all following times 1. Israel saith he
should not enter into that rest Yea Moses himself was so provoked by them that he spake unadvisedly with his lips and they so tempted Aaron the Saint of Lord as Psal 106.16 that neither of them came into the land of Canaan nor any other of the people save Josua and Caleb of all that generation above the age of 20. years that had been delivered out of the hands of Pharaoh yet in Gods own time he accomplished his promise in giving that people possession of that land Josh 23.14 When faithful and holy David was anointed to be the Captain of Gods people even he in fighting the Lords battels found the sheild of his faith so shattered that despondently once he said I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul and thereupon ran himself upon dangerous rocks of temptation amongst Gods enemies from which notwithstanding God graciously delivered him and at last brought him into full possession of the Kingdom over all the tribes of Israel and Judah When Judahs 70. years Captivity in Babylon was almost expired they despise the day of small things and say the time is not yet come to build the house of the Lord Haggai 2.2 by whom God yet foreshewed that the great Mountain of strong opposition that stood before Zerobabel should become a plain and so it came to pass Yea when Christ himself the long expected Messiah came at the time in the place manner condition and in every respect as had been foretold he should come in the flesh how few even in Jerusalem or in Judaea acknowledged or regarded his wonderful birth his holy and wise demeavour and heavenly manner of life after all those divine witnesses of Simeon Zachary Anna Elizabeth c. or the very Angels before and at his birth or any thing afterward that set him forth to be wonderful before the time came wherein he openly manifested himself in the world and after that how was his person despised his doctrine and miracles though such as never man taught or wrought in the world before not only not regarded but even blasphemed by the great ones of those times and by their means likewise not owned by inferiours lest they should be cast out of the Synagogue and though some of the Preists believed in him they durst not confess him If Nicodemus a Mr. in Israel acknowledge and own him it must be in the night when he may not be seen and all the strange wonders before and at his death and resurrection and afterwards for the most part neglected and buried in silence So strangely in the worlds view and even in good mens too many times Gods greatest predictions and promises use to take place And have not since Christ the six first Seals of the Primitive times when Michael and the Dragon fought hand to hand as 't were whose worship should be set up and some of the Trumpets after wards been mystically sulfilled and passed according to the series of their several times which Mr. Mede on the Revelations very appositly applies How have those many Synchronisms of Antichrists tyranny 42. months with the two witnesses prophesie in sackcloth 1260. days of years Rev. 11. The Beast out of the Sea having seven heads and ten horns according to his Politick capacity the other out of the Earth with two horns like a Lamb according to the Ecclesiastical capacity Rev. 13. lyen hidden from most mens eyes And hath not the woman the true Church though gloriously at first adorned Rev. 12. yet since as long been forced into the wilderness Rev. 14. where her place was prepared and all that while the Scarlet Whore the Antichristian or false Church sits as a Queen and not only bewitcheth the Christian World with her Sorceries but also with the Cup of her Spiritual Fornications makes drunk the Kings of the Earth till the will of God shall be fulfilled when they shall hate her and make her desolate and naked and eat her fiesh and burn her with fire Rev. 17.16 17. And how few take notice that the time of her recompence is near Rev. 18.6 7. How many of Gods Vials are already poured out upon her How far she hath done her utmost in killing Christs witnesses even few do seriously ponder And when the second Woe is past how soon may sound the Trumpet of the seventh Angel such who can delare And thence forth many other excellent contemporaries are reveased from Jesus Christ the faithful and true witness and set before us under and after the said Trumpet who as he is about wonderfully to glorifie himself in taking his Kingly power Rev. 19. When the Kingdomes of the world shall become the Kingdomes of our God and of his Christ Rev. 11.15 in a far different manner then they have been formerly So likewise how long the earth shall be blessed with that happy Dominion he as clearly sets before his people Rev. 20.4 namely for the space of a thousand years even near or until the last judgement Vers 7 11 12. c. And after the Chronology of the time and after the time of the said seventh Trumpet in the 20. Chap. vers 7. where first having set down Vers 1 2. the contemporary binding of Satan and casting him into the bottomless pit and sealing him up there during that time having also subdued before the powers of the wicked world while he himself with his Saints vers 4.6 will wonderfully gloriously and graciously more then before manifest his Kingly power in the world the said thousand years wherein in the said following Chapters he evidently and strongly informes his people in the substance of many other contemporaries As first of the new Heavens and the new Earth for the thousand years chap. 21.1 and the New Jerusalem descending down from Heaven vers 10. and the Tabernacle of God being with men for the same time vers 3. again chap. 22. there is set forth the pure river of water of life proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb vers 1. and the tree of life bearing twelve manner of fruits the leaves whereof are for the healing of the Nations through the same period Vers 2. for in all the Book of Revelations where things are not said to succeed one another as the Seals Trumpets and Vials but one Table of Chronoligie is assigned to them all such distinct visions are contemporaries as all that concerned the true and false Church in Antichrists time have the same measure though diverslly computed by Moneths Days and a times time and an half So all these Visions under and after the seventh Trumpet have one Chronological Table to compute their time viz. a thousand years all which particulars being by Christs special order so strongly asserted by the Angel and the antient and latter Prophets as earnestly called in for evidence hereunto as we shall endeavour by Gods assistance to point out afterward yet so Providence hath over-ruled and ordered that though the substance of all these
Sack-cloth for a time and times and half a time In Chap. 13. We have the description of the false Apostatical Church from about Anno. 406. as is probably conceived from Honorius the Emperor and Pope Innocent the first his time set forth in a twofold beast wherein Antichrist and his followers are vers 1. described in their politique capacity as taking possession of the seat of the Roman Emperour in the West into which when the Dragon who was before dipossessed cunningly winds in that his substitute the Beast giving his power and place unto him under a new shape of Idolatry and so he riseth out of the Sea having seven heads and ten horns expounded Cap. 17. having upon his horns ten crowns and upon his head the name of Blasphemy By the other Beast vers 11. he is set forth in his Ecclesiastical capacity making up one body with his Clergy so he is said to come out of the Earth of an earthly constitution having two horns of power Ecclesiastick and Civil like a Lamb but speaks like a Dragon But concerning the twofold Beast Christ the mighty Angel described Chap. 10.1 when he gave the Book to John containing the Beasts forty two moneths speaks vers 6.7 that his time should be no longer And to that end had his two Sack-cloth Witnesses prepared Cap. 11. The Pastours to feed the woman in her wilderness-condition 1260. days of years whom in a seeming disgraceful manner he sets up against this great Beast which in appearance is maxime impar congressus they being contemptible in the worlds eye and yet lets them know they should have all along such power that they shall by the spirit of Prophesie overcome the Beast with all his worldly grandure and greatness and by suffering and dying after the Lambs example at last totally and finally overcome him And yet all the while that false Antichristian Apostatical Church of spiritual Babylon that scarlet whore described Rev. 17. Sits as a Queen not onely bewitching the Christian world with her Sorceries but also making the Kings of the earth drunk with the cup of her spiritual fornications the true Church though in a wilderness-condition yet continues to sing a new song on Mount Sion with the Lamb and to follow him where ever he goeth while the destroying Angels by their judgments surprize the Whore Chap. 14. And therefore while the Whore in all her gay gaudery promiseth her self security that she should see no sorrow Christ hath his seven Angels with their seven last plagues or Viale to be poured out upon her bringing her inevitable destruction by degrees upon what ever was of worth in her accompt even to destroy the Kingdom Throne and Empire of the Beast and even to make those Kings which the Scarlet Whore riding upon the Beast had before made drunken to hate the Whore and make her desolate and naked and eat her flesh and burn her with fire And lastly as a mighty Conquerour Rev. 19. Christ overthrows in the Armagedon Battel all the Hosts of the Dragons substitute and possesseth his Empire there and in all other the Dragons dominious besides and casts the Beast and the False Prophet the Pope and his counsel into the Lake of fire and brimstone and then as the most puissant King of Kings and Lord of Lords lays hold on the Dragon Rev. 20. and binds him likewise with a great Chain and shuts him in his Dungeon the bottomless pit And sets up his own Kingdom Dominion and Soveraignty generally over all persons places and times of the seventh Trumpet and thousand years wherein by his word he declares he will reign with his Saints upon earth Rev. 11.15 and 19.20 where again all time will end And in this last period are set forth as Synchronals the binding of Satan the raign of Christ with his Saints a thousand years on earth The new Heavens and new Earth for the same space of time and the Tabernacle of God with men The new Jerusalem The pure River of water of life and the tree of life bearing the twelve manner of fruits whose leaves are for the healing of the Nations All which are to be during that happy time when the Kingdomes of the world are said to be the Kingdoms of our God and of his Christ as was expressed Chap. 11.15 And when the Lord God omnipotent reigneth as the great multitude of his servants are taught out of the Throne to praise him so enlargedly Chap. 19.5 6. For as we noted before in all the Book of the Revelations where things are not said to succeed one another as the Seals Trumpets and Viols but one Table of Chronology is assigned to them all such distinct Visions are contemporaries as all that concerned the true and false Church in Antichrists time have the same measure though diversly computed by moneths days a time times and half So all these Visions under or rather after the seventh Trumpet have one Chronogical Table to compute their time viz. a thousand years all which particulars being by Christs special order so strongly asserted by the Angel and the antient and latter Prophets as earnestly called in for evidence hereunto for the stablishment of the Faith of Gods people herein since he the Lamb that had power to reveal them to his beloved Disciple Saint John hath likewise power to execute and fulfil them in their seasons till all be done which in his Office of Mediatorship is committed to him having therefore seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth whereby with his perfect wisdom and providence he will accomplish all that his undertaking Which Synchronismes in the last Period according to Mr. Mede in his Clavis Apocalyptiea are as a guiding thread which who so taketh and humbly and faithfully useth may greatly through grace be helped in passing through many otherwise inextricable labyrinths in many dark passages of this book for in this last period the said Mr. Mede hath gone contrary to the stream of Exposituours for many hundreds of years as others since him have done wherein for the substance there seems to be much clearness though the mysteries therein comprised are very high and intricate which in the ensuing and now neer approaching times will doubtless be much unfolded when the mystery of God shall be finished at the beginning of the sounding of the seventh Angel Chap. 10.7 and when likewise Gods Temple shall be opened in Heaven and there shall be seen in his Temple the Ark of his Testament Chap. 11.19 Now seeing in regard of all Christs other actings past since his taking of the book of Revelation at his Fathers hand they have been mystically and spiritually executed though all most really and powerfully so I conceive the mystical manner of understanding his reign on earth the thousand years As I then apprehended seems in regard of the Symetry proportion and suitableness to what hath already been done is here to be understood
though as Mr. Mede observes the Spirit of God sets forth things of our latter times more clearly then in the former Now that this may appear more evident let us diligently weigh and consider what the representative true Church do in the sequel who in the unity of Faith and spiritual Grace through all the times contained in this book looking in a spiritual discovery or vision through all the series of them to the utmost compleating of the Lambs victory over Antichrist and his followers in that excellent Period of his Kingly power solely and for ever thence-forward to be held in his own hand and We say they shall reign upon earth as may appear from the 8. verse of this 5. Chap. to the end First In vers 8. the said representative true Church fall down before the Lamb having every one Harpes and golden Viols and Odours which are the prayers of Saints Secondly Verse 9. They sing a new song for New Testament grace and glory To the Lamb saying thou art worthy to â—ake the Book and open the Seals thereof Thirdly They shew the ground and matter of their new Song Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us by the blood out of every kindred tongue and people and Nation where observe whence those representative four Beasts and twenty four Elders have their original descent successively to the end of the world having all along the same frame of spirit Fourthly They set forth the promotion and advancement he hath spiritually raised them up to in the earth in all their successions by his work of redemption Namely 1. What they were actually possessed of Thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests 2. What more especially fiducially and in vision they saw and say they should have in the last period of time If any forsake father c. Mat. where they had before served Christ or suffered for him in the following words And we shall reign upon Earth as 2 Tim. 2.12 if we suffer we shall also reign with him And hereupon comes in the conclusion in a general doxology set forth in a vision of an innumerable company of Angels round about the Throne and the Church vers 11 12. expressing their high praises to the Lamb and then of all creatures joyning to ascribe all excellency blessing glory and power c. to him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever Whereupon the four Beasts or living Wights say Amen Testifying their faith and assurance thereof and the twenty four Elders to declare their assent and consent like the people in Solomons time when he had prayed at the consecration of the Temple and God manifested his glory there 2 Chron. 7.3 they bowed and worshiped him that liveth for ever Which words seem to have special reference to Christ as having been slain and alive again and lives for ever more as Rev. 1.18 who hath the Keys of Hell and death and in the end will cast the Dragon Satan Hell and Death into the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which brings in the destruction of the world and last judgement Rev. 20.11 When Heaven and Earth will flee before him that then will sit upon the throne and all shall be raised that are then dead to come to be judged c. vers 12 13 14 15. So that the Spirit of God teacheth the representative Church to look upon their reign on the earth as the main thing that is driven at in respect of themselves in the Book of Revelation as a thing all along to be eyed by them from the first giving of it and which shall be accomplished in all time till the consummation thereof And thereupon both they Angels and all creatures break forth into praises as was shewed Inferences from Rev. 5. which will be proved in the Sequel 1. If the beginning and ending of the Visions given by Christ to his beloved Disciple St. John hold out the great glory of Christs kingly Office with his Saints in the last period under or after the seventh Trumpet then such glory thereof is yet to come in the said Period But he hath therein so revealed such his Kingly glory to him both in the beginning Chap. 5. Vers 10. and in the end thereof Chap. 20. and else-where Therefore It shall so be fulfilled in the said third period 2. If the representative true Church are taught by Christs Spirit to look upon such his reign on the earth as a great fruit of the redemption wrought by Christ yea as the compleating of his Mediators office in the world and as a great honour and recompence through grace in time for their service and suffering for him in the world For as they have there suffered with him so there they shall raign 2 Tim. 2.12 Then they shall accordingly attain in due time the end of their expectation and confidence But Christs Spirit hath there so taught them so to look upon such Christs reign on Earth Therefore In due time they shall accordingly attain the end of such their expectation and confidence 3. If Christs taking of his kingly power to himself at the seventh Trumpet be the fulfilling of the Prophesies of the Old Testament and his answering to the types therein contained of David chiefly delivering the Jews and Israelites and in Ahashuerus marrying captive Hester and so delivering all the dispersed Jews and Israelites then it must â—eeds be so undertaken and performed But it will be the fulfilling the Prophesies and answering to the types of the Old Testament Therefore It must needs be so undertaken and performed 4. If the Spirit of God is eminently large and vigorous in setting out the glory of what belongs to Christs Kingly Office upon earth in the said last period then there is the more sure ground to beleive and expect it But he is eminently large and vigorous therein Therefore There is the more sure ground to beleive and expect it 5. If Christs Office of Mediatorship must end when he resigns up the Kingdom to the Father when full reconciliation is made and the perfect union of himself with his Church as her spiritual head is fully accomplished then before that time the eminency of his Kingly Office upon earth must needs appear as there hath been of his Prophetial and Priestly Offices hitherto But there is no Period left for it but that under or after the seventh Trumpet before his Mediators office shall so be finished at the said time Therefore It must necessarily be in that third period to come under or after the seventh Trumpet 6. If the great glory of such reign of Christ will then appear in the multitude of his subjects both of the Israelites Jews and Gentiles As the Scriptures abundantly winess then the greatest glory of his powerful grace and the greatest confluence of redeemed and saved souls shall then come in But the glory of such Christs reign will then appear in the multitude of such his subjects
further considering what is said Rev. 21.22 c. to this purpose of of the same time I observed Rev. 21. at the new heavens and the new earth the Tabernacle of God is said to be with men which may denote a near communion in a more unusual manner then formerly and in the new Jerusalem that came down from heaven the Lord God Almighty the Lamb are said both to be the light and the Temple thereof chap. 21 22 23. which may import some excellency both of worship and discovery then to be in the Church Again c. 22. the pure river of water of life out of the Throne of God and the Lamb which may note the abundant and constant overflowings of the graces of the Holy Ghost with power in that time proceeding from the Father the Son and so the tree of life by that river c. to note Christ will be gloriously and graciously present with his Church then to preserve it in that excellent condition as in Paradise if man had eaten of that tree and like to those in Ezekiels Visions in the nine last Chapters of the Temple the New Hierusalem the waters flowing thence and the trees there c. all which Texts seriously weighed occasioned me to apprehend some wonderful new dispensation of grace under the reign of Christ upon the earth which whether it may be some only mystical appearance of Christ glory and Majesty shining from Heaven upon earth either spiritually wrought or visibly apparent as the lighten-from one end of the earth to the other Mat. 24.27 or in what manner or how long that time only may manifest yet Master Brightman who is large upon a flourishing state of the Church of the Jews hath a learned and large exposition of the precious stones in the new Hierusalem applies them spiritually to such a Church to come in earth wherein Paraeus dissenteth from him upon the ground fore-hinted And that Text Psa 110.1 Sit thou on my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool which in the New Testament seems sundry times to have reference to the ruine of Antichrist and his complices seems to limit Christs sitting there to that season And St. Pauls five parts of the mystery of Godliness makes the last to be his taking up into glory as if in that was the finishing of that mystery 1 Tim. 3.16 as the Angel Christ Rev. 10.7 likewise speaks Antichrists time shall be no more But some Scriptures speaking of the end of the World Lo I am with you to the end of the World Mat. 28. ult and so the parable of the Tares the Harvest is the end of the world seemed to oppose any new way of dispensation but setting against those Texts the Angels viz. Christs swearing time should be no more Rev. 10. which some learned Divines expound of wicked Dominion at the end of the fourth Monarchy by the Popes perdition which agrees with a like vision Dan. 12.7 where likewise he swear for a time times and a half when he that is Antichrist figured before in Antiochus Epiphanes and here again spoken of shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people all those things should be finished i. e. the Kingdom should be given to the Saints of the most high as before and Michael the great Prince stand up for Daniels people vers 1. which evidently agree with the times of the seventh Trumpet But for further resolution I considered Mat. 28. ult and Mat. 13. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the finishing together while the Tares and the Wheat grow together till all that offend be gathered out of Christs Kingdom of the age as Gods finishing his mystery Rev. 10. and in both those places appeared to be remarkably the same in sense with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often used for the present state of things till evil Dominion end as may be seen in many places of the new Testament as first for worldly men Luk. 16.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hujus seculi the Children of this world are wise in their generation so of the Devil 2 Cor. 4.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bujus seculi in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that beleive not So Ephes 6.12 The Rulers of the darkness of this world So Joh. 12.3 Stan is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prince of this world So also John 14.30 which is onely until the same time and so in that sense those phrases seem to be taken till the end of the prevalency of evil men and Devils when Gods mystery shall be finished at the seventh Trumpet when glorious light of grace and truth will shine in the Church of God and for the Parable of the Tares where the Harvest is expounded to be the end of the world it seems manifestly to be meant of such a coming wonderfully at the setting up of his Kingdom where it is said he will then send his Angels to gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and the order of proceeding seems contrary to the last destruction for here the Angels must first gather the Tares and bind them in bundles and burn them before the Wheat be gathered into the Barn the true Church but at the last judgement when Heaven and Earth and all the works in them shall be burnt which is called then the destruction of the ungodly men Christ by a change before in an instant delivers the faithful then alive from that temporal destruction and the ruine of Antichrist seems agreeing with that of the Tares burning first in order by taking of that hurtful brood out of the way c. And in Luk. 17. The examples of the Flood in Noahs time and the destruction of Sodâ—â—m and Gomorrah in Lots time are instance in which were the taking away of ungodly men but not the destruction of the Universe so here 't is said all that offend and work wickedness shall be taken out of Christs Kingdome But as we hinted before of Christs giving the Kingdom to the Saints that it must be his certain gift to them not any mens daring attempts will carry it so if any new dispensations shall be which we but darkly guess at Gods present Institutions must necessarily be observed and prized till in such regard his will is clearly made known to his people for all such affairs are the flowers or jewels belonging onely to his celestial crown that none other may order but himself and in his own appointed time onely and it is a snare of Satan to concieve otherwise thereof and in case Satan know any such truth his malice of late is the more remarkable in his seduced followers who to their own and others mischeif have cryed down and rejected Gods sacred Ordinances in the times when they are most useful and needful for them and others Or by any other ways or means then to make them unprofitable or ineffectual If some Ordinances shall not continue in
those times of light it is like because they will not then be needful as Mr. Archer conceives of the Lords Supper which was to shew the Lords death till he come as when Christ came in the flesh typical worship ceased yet the promise for those times in this is clear Thy teachers shall not be removed into corners any more but thine eyes shall see thy teachers Isa 20.20 yea The watchmen upon her walls shall never hold their peace Isa 62.6 But after all when I was transcribing my said Reasons and was to begin the last page of a sheet unwittingly I wrote them inverso ordine from bottom to top which made me think happily I must retract as to them hereafter which in case of a new dispensation in a way of grace before not known may take off the force of all such reasons Especially if our Saviour promise to be with his Ministers to the end of the world in the foresaid way of Ministration by baptizing and teaching them to observe all that he commanded them before was meant by him but till that time he himself in vision swore time namely of the evil world shall be no more Rev. 10. but at the seventh Trumpet the good new world should begin and such a pattern was that new dispensation to the Israelites when God had by a mighty hand plagued and at last destroyed Pharoah and them when Israel were passed through the Red Sea by Christs conduct then into the wilderness as Moses had signified to Pharaoh we know not with what the Lord will be served there until we come thither but there were new Revelations to Moses new given Laws in Tables of stone again and again new Ordinances of justice in the civil government new institutions appointed for ceremonial and divine worship new orders of priests of Aarons race in several branches in the rooms of the first born besides occasional appointments as the brazen Serpent the Sensors of Corah Dathan and Abiram c. so when God shall deliver his people from the spiritual Egyptian bondage of Popish tyranny and set them in the ready and safe way to the Heavenly Canaan though they have but a moving Tabernacle where he is worshiped in this world yet he may make such new Heaven and earth of ordering matters of Church and State and so feed his Israel while he guides them the sure way to Canaan and the heavenly Sion with Heavenly Manna as in that former type which we may no more know how in particulars then the Israelites did in Egypt and therefore though the thing be most certain that such a glorious reign of Christ is to come on earth which we shall now here contrary to former purpose a little here insist upon yet de modo though I would chuse what is least offensive so far as I may yet I must have an ear an eye open to receive further instruction and light from the word and spirit of grace and truth But at present accordingly for confirmation of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall I say endeavour these two ways to shew the certainty thereof First from the witness of St. John the Angel the Spirit yea Christ and of him that sits on the Throne as ratified in the Revelation Secondly by the other two with Christ at his transfiguration viz. James and Peter and from St. Paul to whom Christ did so eminently reveal himself at his conversion First the Apostle John one of the three at Christs transfiguration which seemed to be with him a secretis as we may say that beloved Disciple to whom the Revelation was given he sets down in sundry places there that the Kingdoms of the world should be Christs Chap. 11.15 And the Lord God omnipotent reigneth Chap. 19.6 And the twenty four Elders give him thunks that he hath taken to himself his great power and hath reigned Chap. 11.17.20 the Saints shall raign with Christ a 1000. years and so often and strongly the things concerning his Kingdom are asserted first concerning the marriage of the Lamb Chap. 19.7 8 and in vers 9. he concludes these are the true sayings of God again concerning the New Heaven and the new Earth when he that sat on the throne had said Behold I make all things new he adds again write for these words are true and faithful Chap. 21.5 and after the vision of the pure River of the water of life and the tree of life by it with twelve manner of fruits with leaves for the healing of the Nations his servants are said to see his face and his name is in their fore-heads and they shall reign for ever and ever Chap. 22.4 5. he adds vers 6. These sayings are faithful and true and the Lord God of his holy Prophets hath sent his Angel to shew unto his servants the things that must shortly be done then in time for eternity hath no such distinction of shortly or long time to come again vers 10. John must not seal the saying of the Prophesie of this book for this reason the time is at hand and Christ concludeth vers 20. Surely I come quickly And further observe how the Prophets Testimony is often called in to these things Chap. 10.7 for at the finishing of the mystery of God it is said as he had declared to his servants the Prophets So Chap. 11.18 that then he should give reward to his servants the Prophets and Chap. 18.20 The Apostles and Prophets are bidden to rejoyce at Babylons ruine because God hath avenged them on her and one of the seven Angels that had the seven Vials full of the seven last plagues that came to John Rev. 21.9 and shewed him the new Hierusalem the Lambs wife the bride descending down from Heaven and after that the pure River and tree of life Chap. 22. and having there asserted the truth of the things he shewed and told her adds and the Lord God of the Holy Prophets hath sent his Angel c. and when St. John was about to worship him he refuseth saying I am thy fellow-servant and of thy brethren the Prophets and of them which keep the sayings of this book and of the new Heavens and the new earth The Prophet Isaiah speaketh plainly Isa 65.17 and Peter speaks of the same with a nevertheless before the last destruction 2 Pet. 3.13 which seems by his words to have been again promised by Christ to him and other Disciples saith he according to his promise and so we have enterd upon the Testimony of another those three of Disciples that were with Christ in the Mount and in Chap. 1.16 he speaks of that power and coming of Christ in that his transfiguration in the Mount as a glimpse of the glory of his coming in his Kingdom vers 17 18. and Chap. 2.5 7. How God delivered Noah from the destruction of the Old world and Lot from the destruction of Sodom which as they were for examples of vengeance to those that live ungodly so he
Testament and other pertinent Texts in the New it may by Gods goodness be easily finished Four main Pillars thereof there have been set up First by a frame of Doctrine tending this way whence sundry arguments according to Scripture might be drawn Secondly By a Visional representation of new and old Testament Doctrine sutable thereunto Rev. 4 5. chap. Thirdly By the passages and expressions of Scripture in the Apostles writings holding out such a Kingdom of Christ in one sence or other Fourthly By the frame of the main historical and prophetical Chronocles of the three eminent Chronologers of all times viz. of Moses Daniel and the Apostle John And now having through Gods special grace proceeded hitherto we shall endeavour a little to represent somewhat of that we hinted before concerning the three Babels in those three eminent Chronicles and according to their several distinctions in the several times made relation of 1. Of the Tower of Babel in Moses story 2. Of the Monarâ—â—y of Babel in Daniels time 3. Of the mystical Babel revealled to St. John being the feet and toes of the great Image Dan. 2. all which with the evil of them by Satans designs Christs Kingdom destroys to all their utter confusions according as St. Johns resolve 1 Joh. 3.8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifest to destroy the works of the devil In all which three we may observe First Satans design in each of his Babels of confusion for wickedness shall not be established upon earth Secondly The way of Gods crossing and confounding his designs in them Thirdly Christs remedy against them all God promised Christ the Mediator to overthrow Satans first and great attempt against all mankind in our first parents Secondly Ever since Christ as Mediator hath been fitted to help his Church against all Satans attempts ever since that in his justice such emnity was put between the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the woman First The building the first Babel another instigation to pride lifting up man against God as at the fall because the people were before of one language and one speech and being then so long liv'd for many hundreds of years could largely relate at all times in all places and to all sorts of persons upon any occasion the works and wonders of God and what they had received concerning the Creation and fall of man and the promises of grace and what worship God had instituted among them from time to time Satan knew this was a great advantage to the first Fathers to fit them to serve God and glorifie his name which was the end of all his mercies and wonderful works therefore his design then seemed to be by tempting them by such pride and seeking their own glory by building a Tower to get them a name and as if they did emulate God himself to reach up to heaven and so to prevent their dispersion on the earth or drowning by another deludge that so by their abusing their oneness of language to provoke God they might by that means be deprived of that great benefit for Satan too well knows if men will be seduced to abuse the greatest mercies it s the ready way for them to lose them thereupon God confounds their pride in building their Babel and so deprives them of their former advantage of knowledge and happiness in their former oneness of language and by that confusion of tongues inflicted the saddest judgement upon mankind that ever befel them since the first fall taking from them thereby the advantage of Piety of commendable Policy and even in a great degree the exercise of Humanity and Civility and Satan hath improved the mischeif of this judgement manifold ways ever since through all ages which the stories of all times may set down large and sad Comments of by divisions quarrels wars and all manner of injuries and violence of parties against parties of several tongues and languages and consequently hindering Religion thereby as also by the hardness to get knowledge even with great study and labour and the danger when gotten to be abused to maintain Errors and Heresies and to eclipse the truth more often then to clear it as experience hath manifested whence endless mischeifs have proceeded through all times which we can now onely hint at But Christs help against this for the Church hath been by sending more largely the holy Spirit of Wisdom and Truth in his Church to reveal unto his servants and by them unto his people in all successions of ages such things as in the counsel of the Father he had to reveal And when he had finished the work of Redemption and once made his perfect oblation for the sins of his people he gave testimony of his helping as by a preludium the confussion of tongues at the first Babel by the gift of tongues to the Apostles Acts 2. when cloven tongues like fire sate upon each of them and by other gifts of the holy Ghost conferred on others in those primitive times as in a glimpse as it were to foreshew what he would do in his Kingdom for that people of the Jews who had but then their first fruits at that time come in to Christ and as it were to declare what he will more plentifully do when all Israel shall be saved and when they shall be a people of a pure language as the Prophet speaketh Zeph. 1.9 and when they shall be of one language and one speech and the Lord One and his Name One Zac. 14.9 as if then when Satan is cast into his prison his design in the confusion of Languages should end and utterly fail and thither seem those spiritual promises mainly to have their drift That they should not need to be taught any more to know the Lord Jer. 31.34 and that they should all be taught of God Isa 54.13 which is now onely in a lesser degree and but comparatively hitherto for the most part fulfilled unless in the Apostles times and such as were extraordinarily inspired but I shall onely here hint at these things 2. Satans design in the second Babel seems to be upon the advantage he had by the first to wit the division of tongues and confounding language for though God discovered and preserved all needful truth for his Church among such as were faithful and holy persons and all such needful knowledge by reason of those long liv'd first Fathers by a very few hands from Adam to Abraham might be conveyed as from Adam to Jared Enoch Noah and Melchisedech in Abrahams time which Melchisedech some conceive to be Shem the Son of Noah or by a few others yet after this when the Israelites became slaves under Egyptian bondage unworthily from men though happily they might have provoked God they might loose much of their traditional knowledge Yet withal it is remarkable that the Egyptians were famous for Hierogliphick learning happily by Josephs means who interpreted many Dreams and Visions which might occasion such
expresly Act. 10.41 But not so glorious as will be after in the highest heavens which the Saints on earth could not abide as being too great for mortal eys c. And in that state our Saviour is recorded to have spoken to them in the 40. days after he arose from the dead concerning this Kingdom of God we speak of as is likely Acts 1.3 which might occasion the Disciples asking Vers 6. whether at this time he would restore the Kingdom to Israel And he also might then promise to them the New Heavens and the New Earth as 2 Pet. 3.13 And whereas some make great stir against the manifest drift and scope of Rev. 20.4 because the souls are said to live besides that in Scripture Idem souls are taken for persons frequently Gen. 40.20 Psal 16.10 Luk. 12.19 c. How fitly may that be resolved by considering them vissionally in the state they were represented to Saint John then and were to be in when they were to have their bodies quickned which is plainly the drift of that Revelation in that textâ— for it had been no Revelation to have said their souls only lived nor that their souls thence should raign unless in a state sutable to Christ with bodies and to be with them on earth And the like Decypherings of the deceased Saints were then also Rev. 7.13 14. where they are said to be arrayed in white robes c. Namely as they shall be when they shall be raised and raign with Christ on earth and so Chap. 6.11 White râ—bes were given to every one of them which is spoken of the same souls but then represented unto him in vision in what manner those souls will appear when their bodies shall be raised at Christs Kingdom And this is further evident from the Antichesis of them that lived not again then namely in respect of their bodies so that these must then live again in respect of their bodies Thirdly They must live again in that respect they were before dead that is of their bodies for their souls always lived only their bodies were dead therefore those and only those then lived again Fourthly They must then so live as will be most suitable to Christs state of reigning on earth as being their head who is therefore the first fruits of the resurrection he eminently shewed his power and pleasure in this at his very death as a preludium what he would do when he came to raign more generally for the Saints Mat. 27. when many dead Saints arose and went into the holy City when Christ for a time after his resurrection was in such a middle condition in regard of his body and who would have thought of such a thing to be done then if the Scripture had not so clearly recorded it So that as Paul said before King Agrippa Act. 26.8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead So why that then he will so raise them when his word fully testifies it sormerly more and more clearly and at last most clearly therefore saith he when the Son of Man shall come namely at that coming we speak of shall he find faith on the earth This was prophesied by Zach. chap. 14.5 typified in the Israelites as buried in the Red-sea Exod. 15. alluded to in this particular case Rev. 15.3 besides the places spoken of above Again on the other side that those souls living or as is said of the other sort v. 6. living again is not to be understood Spiritually lay together all the ensuing considerations First It is not agreeable to the Prophesie for they always so lived since the departing out of this life Secondly To understand it spiritually was no new Revelation for that was a plain known truth ever believed and acknowledged in the Church of God Thirdly The living there is not of the souls spiritually because this is of a living peculiar to that time not to be before nor after but at the last more general resurrection Fourthly Because they can only in a particular manner to that time only live in such sence as they could before be said to be dead not spiritually but only bodily Fifthly They cannot spiritually be said to raign with Christ that thousand years in such a spiritual manner as the Text imports because spiritually they did so before Sixthly They are not suitable to the outward glory of Christs Kingdom in the world then if they have not their bodies Seventhly Many peculiar promises to the Fathers and Prophets c. imply it must be bodily and not â—piritual only Eightly as we before hinted the spiritual raign without the bodily will not be suitable to the state nature and end of Christs Kingdom for then according to his prayer Job 17.24 Father I will that they be with me where I am that they may behold my glory not only spiritually but bodily wherein that vision will much consist Again adde as he is the first fruits of the resurrection in regard of body not soul so they in respect of their bodies will be a great part of the harvest hallowed by that first fruits Again consider the Doctrine of the resurrection as we hinted before hath been set forth by degrees it was but rarely and darkly taught in the Old Testament hence our Saviour to confute the Sadduces out of Moses who would be his Disciples in presence by an inference repells their errour not by plain words God is the God of the living not of the dead but he is the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob therefore they live and little we find but Jobs profession of his own faith and the promise to Daniel and Esays mystical prophesie Chap. 26. and some few miraculously raised by the Divine power of Christ as types of that to come which the most of them if not all seem to have reference unto this very time of Christs beginning to raign as we shall endeavour by and by to make evident and for Saint Paul in the New Testament he sets forth many things concerning the resurrection after he had 1 Cor. 15. in the beginning of the Chapter strongly proved it against that Sadducaical opinion especially by the resemblances betwixt the first Adane and the second and by the dying and quickening of grain which was our Saviours own resemblance for his own death Except a Corn of Wheat he cast into the earth c. So when the Apostle in the said Chapter goes on to speak of the Doctrine thereof he sets forth many particulars of it the ground or cause Christ the first fruits the order first Vers 23 24 25 26. those that are Christs at his coming namely this coming when only the Saints will be raised then shews what will be before the end namely all rule all authority of the evil world must be subdued by Christ and even the last enemy to be subdued will be death and then shews a mystery afterward about that point yea many mysteries
shew me such a way to resolve those difficulties both by the several sences of Christs coming in the New Testament and to open to me a way of interpreting of what texts seemed contrary so as I had no president that I know of and yet so evident as I conceive cannot with good reason be denied and as for what is said of his intercession if Christ will perform that work thence forward by a presential intercession as formerly he did by a supernatural in his mosteminent improvement of his Preistly Office in heaven so may be his and the Fathers good pleasure and that is all that can be said since no Scripture gainsays it Or how the remaining part of his Preistly Office shall thenceforth be performed is known to himself as of the Prophetical till that Preistly begun so eminently to be manifest but divers texts as was said seem to limit his sitting at God the Fathers right hand in heaven to his next appearance or beginning of his coming to judgement However any that are not satisfied De modo may safely in the interim resolve of this that such a glorious Kingdom of Christ upon earth shall be and for that the Seripture is both clear plentiful and a truth with much joy and thank fulness to be embraced though some cannot happily so fully be resolved in what manner Christ will appear to set it up though to me the Scriptures spoken of in the and of the Fore-runner makes it evident that it will be personal andwithal seriously without prejudice consider also what is said of Mat. 28. and Mat. 13. concerning the sence of the end of the world with divers other things of weight to such purposes as you may find Chap. 4. pag. 41 42 43 44 45 46. c. and so I conclude with my prayer for the guidance of Gods holy Spirit for all such as humbly and faithfully seek according to the rule of his sacred Word to be rightly informed in this particular To whom I as to that in special commend all such who is the sole-worker of faith in every branch of it for which his Word hath laid any foundation to be received in the season of it as it was even with the very Apostles themselves concerning the receiving of the Gentiles to grace first by miracles afterwards by the Word and all other means usually ERRATA PAge 3. line 1. r. after likewise p. 5. l. 2. r. Chap. 20. p. 8. l. 1. r. is the p. 15. l. 22. r. Psal 145. p. 24. l. ult r. is set forts p. 27. l. 2. r. of the roul p. 35. l. 3. r. personal p. 42. l. 18. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 47. l. 13. r. after end p. 48. l. 33. r. Saviours p. 49. l. 1. adde and them that were with him and Ibid. l. 19. r. Censers Ibid. l. 24. r. and an eye p. 51. l. 3. adde of those three and of one p. 65. l. 25. r. to Saint Johns p. 73 74 75. falsly numbred at top p. 74. l. 27. r. their p. 75. l. 19. adde will p. 77. l. 1. r. for the spirit Ibid. l. 18. r. Testimonies Ibid. i. 24. r. others p. 81 spokan for spoken p. 94 l. 7. r. of truth CHAP. I. Of the Method and Order in handling the subject Which holds out a twofold consideration of Christs Kingdom on Earth First of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That it is Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things that belong to it Concerning the first seven things to be done I Confess by reason of the stream of Interpreters running contrary and the seeming disagreement with some articles of Christian faith I have been apt to decline any opinion of Christs raigning with his Saints the thousand years to come But since Gods divine providence by his word and spirit hath guided me into a more intense and serious consideration of the great emergencies thereof towards his Church in these latter times by whose especial grace upon search into those mystical Prophesies of Daniel the Revelation with other sacred Scriptures which doubtless hold out many things in reference thereunto I have found much satisfaction in such of Gods proceedings and by the series of times decyphered in the Revelation I see there is a necessity of finding some way of reconciling or removing such appearing difficulties or differences amongst good men For though some by interpreting the day of the Lord to be taken for the whole time of Christs raign upon earth from his first appearing to the end complexively in the sence St. Peter seems to speak of One day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day all which time they personally conceive him to be with his Church upon earth in his humane nature against which I shall by Gods assistance offer some reasons to be weighed in due place This then seemed to me to be a likely way to salve the difficulty I then upprehended c. For I conceive Christs raign these thousand years to be understood mystically for some wonderful manifestation of his Kingly power and dominion in his Church by the operation of his spirit although he remain in his humane nature at the right hand of God to make intercession for his people till the end of the world which may in regard of his infinite power and glory be manifest any other way he shall be pleased to magnifie himself gloriously in the world as before and since his incarnation some time he hath done But that he will in those times to come manifest himself in his Kingly glory and Majesty the Scriptures are so evident as it seems not to be questioned I shall therefore by his assisting grace and by the evidence and direction of his holy Spirit and truth endeavour to manifest the same to be hereafter in the thousand years of the flourishing state of his Church when Satan shall be bound under or about the seventh Trumpet in the considering of which we shall proceed in the order following by these ensuing steps First to consider the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that such a reign and Kingdom shall be Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what belong to the said Kingdom and that first Spiritually secondly Temporally Concerning the first seven things are to be done 1. I shall lay down such Theses or Positions agreeing to holy Scripture and the Analogy of Faith as may much make way for Doctrines of this nature 2. I shall offer some reasons against the understanding of a personal reign of Christ in a bodily presence with his Saints on Earth 3. To endeavour to open the sence of the mystical and glorious reign of Christ which we understand according to Scripture sense and give some illustrations of it 4. To Parallel some mysteries in Daniel and Ezekiel with such things as are set forth in the book of the Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ the King of Saints 5. To point
out how earnestly the Holy Ghost doth enforce the beleiving of what is set down in the last part of the Revelation strongly and frequently asserting the things in and about those times to be accomplished with calling in the Prophets Testimony 6. Since the Testimony of the Prophets is so earnestly called in for evidence of what is described to be to come in the thousand years in the three last Chapters of that book we shall endeavour to add some Prophesies suitable threunto and tender sundry Texts of the New Testament speaking to the like purpose 7. To make some profitable improvement of this Doctrine for all sorts of persons CHAP. II. Shewing how according to the eternal decree upon the fall of man the Office of Mediatourship was committed to the second person of the Trinity Jesus Christ the onely begotten Son of the ever living God to be executed in his three great Offices of a Prophet Priest and King not onely in respect of particular beleiving souls but in a general consideration more eminently in respect of the three great periods of the World 1. In his prophetical Office under the Old Testament revealing by his Spirit in his Messengers all the counsel of his Father concerning his Church 2. In His Priestly Office under the New Testament By offering himself an oblation for and after by making intercession for the sins of his people at the right hand of God And 3. will also execute his Kingly Office delivering them from all their enemies actually in this world at his appearing and in the thousand years unto the end of the world and thenceforth for ever THe first thing we named to be done See the quotations of Scripture added in the forerunner was the laying down of those Theses or positions agreeing to the holy Scripture and the Analogy of Faith that may make way for Doctrines of this nature which are these that follow First That as the infinite excellency of the nature and being of the Trin-Vne Dietie was everlastingly incomprehensible in it self saving onely so far forth as the same Divine essence hath been pleased to communicate any discovery of it self by word or works or both unto any creatures in Heaven or earth so hath the Trinity of persons in the Unity of the Divine essence both in the eternal decrees and in the execution of all joyntly in their order concurred and so will do from eternity through all times unto all eternity Secondly That all the glory of God the Father was by the eternal decree to be manifest in Jesus Christ his onely begotten Son the Lamb slain in the eternal decree of the Father before the foundation of the World was said and according to the said eternal decree the Holy Ghost one God co-essential and co-equal with the Father and the Son proceeds from the Father and the Son the Mediatour between God and man as the sole efficacious worker and accomplisher of all spiritual good in and for Men and Angels and all real good in all creatures which in their several orders and natures they were capable of receiving Thirdly Accordingly in the creation God made the world by his wisdom the eternal word Joh. 1. The Spirit sitting as it were upon the surface of the waters then covering the earth powerfully to produce the creatures then to be made and so both the Heavens with the Angels as Divines conceive and the earth were made the first day Gen. 1.1 as all that were made in the whole world afterward in the five following days which the word Elohim in the Plural number put with the Verb Barah in the singular number denoting the Trinity of persons in the unity of essence seems to declare whose concurrence in the making of man is likewise very remarkably exprest when God said Let us make man in our own image after our likeness c. Gen. 1.26 Fourthly The making of Angels in Heaven and man and all creatures in the world was in the execution of the eternal decree of the said incomprehenfibly glorious Trin-une Diety in their several orders natures stations and conditions Fifthly As no other but the holy and good will and pleasure of the infinitely glorious incomprehensible God was the reason and cause why they were all made absolutely as they were so that they should be for himself as his word witnesseth as their utmost end and no other inconsistent reasons or ends ought to be given or assigned by men Sixthly As the whole creation was all good suitable to the Author of it so the preserving ordering over-ruling and disposing of all creatures according to his good pleasure by his infinite wisdom power providence and goodness is not to be measured or judged by any scantling of any created capacity who will notwithstanding be justified in his saying and clear when he is judged there being in such his proceedings so many fathomless depths in respect of creatures which it is not lawful for any men to search into further then Gods word doth warrant them but in things not revealed or forbidden they are not to enquire Seventhly Since God according to his said eternal decree and good pleasure of his will at the fall of our first parents in Paradise revealed and testified his wonderful powerful grace That the blessedâ—eed of the woman should break the serpents head there is sufficient ground for ever to humble all mankind and for ever to exalt Gods free and rich grace therein and all men are thereby engaged to use all Gods means to obtain their part therein Eighthly According to the declaration of that wonderful rich and free grace of God for the salvation of his people and for carrying on of his great design therein as the Father Son and Holy Ghost by an eternal decree had purposed so to be wonderfully glorified in the powerful redemption and salvation of his elect people in such a way of free grace So in the creation of all things all sorts of creatures were made in a capacity to carry on that design and from that very period of their first being holily most wisely over-ruled and disposed of in reference thereunto and so ever since have been are and shall be most wonderfully holily and powerfully though many times secretly and unsearchably throughout all ages by the joynt concurrence of all the said three persons of the most sacred Triâ—ity in their order of working to the infallible perfecting and compleating of the said design decree and purpose Ninthly That the management and administration of the great work of Mediatorship between God and man ever since the said promised seed was revealed to our first Parents hath been committed to Jesus Christ the Son of God who in his Word commands all men to hear him by acknowledging receiving and obeying him Tenthly that the management and administration of Mediatorship between God and Man hath ever since been executed by Christ in his three great Offices wherein he and he onely is to appear most
person as Seven lamps of fire which are the seven spirits of God as cap. 1.4 In Verse 3 6 7 8. seems to be decyphered the superiour and inferiour members of the Church 1. The Inferiour by the twenty four Elders first set down vers 4. for whose use the Superiour were sent and given Ephes 4.11 2. The Superiour vers 6 7 8. described much after the manner of those Ezek. 1. and Isa 6. called by Ezekiel Living creatures by Isaiah Cherubims here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living Wights translated beasts noting here Gods Messengers Ambassadours Officers standing before his Throne betwixt him and his people as Moses Aaron the Priests and Levites to minister c Heb. 1. 1 2. for them A Sea of glass to shew they have need to be washed before they come to worship alluding to the legal washing in the Temple Secondly In respect of the Doctrine three Persons Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which is and was and is to come vers 8. The Use of which first the four living wights discover and set before the Elders the glory of him that fits upon the Throne though last spoken of are yet first in and leaders of Gods Worship and Service Vers 9. After them the twenty four Elders worship humbly casting down their crowns as acknowledging all their excellency or worth received from him Vers 10. 2. Giving him his glory due As. 1. Creatour of all things for himself So 2. Their Creatour in special in whom his end is promoted they give him praise and glory accordingly Vers ult So the true invisible Church of God here set forth by her constant representatives the four living wights and twenty four Elders is a Throne of God upon Earth where his glorious excellencie is discovered as Creatour three in Persons one in Essence according to the Ministration of the Old Testament in which the Rain-bow minding men of the Son the second person shews Gods justice in destroying the Old World in their height of sin and mercy to those in his Ark the Church at present clean or unclean creatures and so for preservation or reservation at least of those ever since in the New-World The four living wights were in the midst and round about the Throne as in the midst of each square of the Throne and had each eyes before and behind to look to God to have the knowledge of himself and his will in every quarter and to look to the people on every part how they might answerably inform them and guide them in all the will and ways of God They rest not day nor night saying Holy Holy Holy c. They as Gods watchmen attend upon that to discern for and discover unto his people the Will of God For the Lord would do nothing but he revealed it unto his Servants the Prophets Amos 3.5 They shew unto the people of God the twenty four Elders when the Thundrings and Lightnings of judgements against their enemies come from the Throne and when voyces of joy c. whence matter of praise and glory to be rendered to him that sits upon the throne And doubtless if we look upon this Chapter in both respects of the visional representations and Doctrine and Use thereof we may discern an excellent abridgement of the old Testament discoveries set forth to us not that the Old Testament differs in substance from the New but only in clearness and the accomplishment of the main thing therein expected viz. The coming of the Messiah in the flesh for the finishing of the work which his father had given him for to do there is the Doctrine of the Sacred Trinity both decyphered and taught as was noted before God is explicitely praysed there as Creatour That man had fallen is signified by the Rainbow signifying his mercy and judgement Judgement to the Old world after his long Patience exercised towards them and abused by them mercytowards Noah in the Ark and those with him there with security of preservation or reservation at least to the New world from drowning any more by a general deluge That sin was then grown to an height it must needs be conceived when God in such wrath drowned a world of men and creatures with them and that sin and disorders were long in the world before they came to that height and yet it was not destroyed until about 1656. years after God had created it which likewise shews God the Father Son and Holy Ghost who created it had a way of redemption for such as Noah else in justice it must have immediately perished as well as long exercised patience towards them in the old World and preservation for those of the New world from alike flood And this redemption and salvation was almost as soon published by God himself as sin had entered into the world to deface and disorder Gods good work of creation which Salvation was to come by the blessed seed of the woman then discovered which should break the Serpents head And no sooner were all the offenders convented at the fall before their great Judge in Paradise and arraigned and tryed and sentenced but this light of divine grace according to the decree of the holy and blessed Trinity which had before in a joynt concurrence created the world breaketh forth again to enlighten the world newly darkened by sin and death and God himself so shews himself in his way of grace that he hid the shame and covers the sin of his now new made and newly lost creatures that he maketh garments of skins of Beasts to cover them and even of such creatures as thereby might shew to our first parents that they had deserved death as those Beasts did whose skins did cover them but likewise the death of such beasts as usually should be for sacrifice might signifie unto them that they had such a Saviour to dye for them and by dying should deliver them from the jaws of the second death by a more perfect sacrifice which those beasts did but typifie and sacramentally set before them by whose most precious robes of righteousness put upon them by God himself they should be clothed both to hide their nakedness and shame and beautifully to adorn them in his sight as he then cloathed them with the skins of those innocent beasts viz. with the righteousness of the Messiah that promised seed of the woman whence I conceive may be a good argument for the salvation of both our first Parents Adam and Eve and that then God did not sorsake them the work of his own hands as Psa 138.8 in that he himself so covered their nakedness and cloathed them with those skins though their first born Cain perished with his wicked off-spring for the most part at least afterwards by the flood After this as Christ by sacrifices and other institutions of God was from time to time set forth to his people by the teachings of his holy spirit so God the Creatour made known his glory in his
Throne the Church on earth in the face of Jesus Christ the Messiah that was to come as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 3.6 by the workings of the Holy Ghost in all successions of ages to the coming of Christ himself actually in the flesh Still from the Throne to the four living wights and by them to his twenty four Elders in all times hath he so in succession discovered himself of which discoveries we may observe two great Periods under the Old Testament besides many other lesser ones the two great Periods were the Old world before the Flood and the new world after the flood until Christs time and these two the Rainbow as we noted evidently implies in drowning the old world and assuring preservation to the new world from the like In the first period when God did communicate his pleasure to any living wights then neer to his Throne it was not by written word but by voyce or vision or dreams or any ways he was then pleased to use to any sorts of persons either extraordinarily inspired or to the fathers of Families or the first born as sometimes he used or such as were eminently raised up by him as Enoch Noah c. In regard they lived many hundreds of years they might well by tradition and verbal instruction personally teach the will and pleasure of God to his people and then they needed not the use of writing so God most wisely orders all things in their due seasons and indeed if they had had the gift of writing it would have been in a manner endless by reason of their long lives and great knowledge more then in Solomonâ— time who said Of making many books there was no end Some of the first Fathers lived almost two third parts or more of the Old worlds time after Adam and yet lived with Adam the man made immediately by God The other great period from the flood till about the year of the Creation 4000. as Bp. Vsher computes them which was from the time of the flood computed Anno. Mund. 1656. the sum of 2344. years more and for the space of 855. of those years by the said Reverend Authors account till the Law was given by Christ in Mount Sinai in the year of the world 2513. at which time Moses was taught and inspired to write his Pentetuch or five books the substance of the then revealed will of God to his Church there was no written word but then by reason of Gods many institutious to his late redeemed people of Israel out of Egypt and the shortness of their days he knew his written word to be needful to them and all posterities of his Church who might thereby from age to age have more of the Gospel-glory of the Messiah still breaking out in new glimpses of light till the sun of righteousness himself should arise with healing in his wings and that the whole counsel of God concerning him might in substance be revealed in writing and all needful things by his spirit of wisdom and revelation till his prophetical office in matter of Revelation of subostantial truths was fully accomplished under the Old Testament before he actually appeared in his Priestly office and though Gods Spirit in Noah Sem and others after the flood as he was pleased to raise and inspire them till Melchisedech if he was not the same with Sem as some conceive Abrahams Isaac's and Jacobs time and long after God was pleased to supply them otherwise without writing but yet even then he had no less his true and invisible Church viz. his four living wights or living creatures as Ezekiel speaks to be his seers both in respect of himself and his twenty four Elders his faithâ—â— people both to see for them and see to them to teach them and rule them by such special dispensations as he was then pleased to manifest himself to them by and round about his Throne his true Church upon earth where onely his glorious name is extolled in all his gracious manifestations of himself to them but no where else in the world as Psa 145. There his Saints bless him and talk of his power c. we might take occasion from this abridgement of the Old Testament to speak many things of the Ark wherein Noah and they with him were saved from the flood as salvation is onely to be had in the Church which God exalts on high above the reach of the worlds calamities and so of many particulars of Gods directing Noah to make it having fitted him both with grace and worldly wealth and power to accomplish it to be able to pay such multitudes of wicked wretches that though they might deride his attempt so long to sail on the Mountains yet for the reward and recompence of their labour would not resist as is probable but rather assist him therein it was a work doubtless for a Mighty Prince to accomplish so there are many other observable things as his going into the Ark his staying there his shutting up the persons and creatures taken in seven of clean creatures some for sacrifice and two onely of the unclean and his going out all appointed by Christ himself who is alway graciously present with his Church but especially more remarkably in the deep floods of her affliction or trouble Yea afterward we may observe that God would have an Ark made that as his Church was before saved in the Ark from the Flood so his Church instituted amongst his Israelites must know that the salvation and help was in him that would have his gracious presence figured to them by an Ark 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. from whence and by means of which according to his own direction he would as from a divine Oracle reveal himself and his pleasure to them and where that was by his own order there his throne of grace and mercy-seat was to be attended by his four living wights and twenty four Elders both in the moving tabernacle of Moses Joshua and the rest till king David and all his time till his other type Solomon did afterward build him an house â—p Vsher Annal. p. 118. where the Ark of God was in the King of Judahs reign till the Jews Captivity in Babylon in the year from the creation 3395. which was not much more time after the flood then the world had being before the flood Now as Moses the great Prophet who by Gods direction first made that Ark foretold of Christ the great Prophet of his Church that him the Lord their God would raise like unto himself and that he should be heard in all things that he said unto them and as the Father required at his transfiguration that they should hear him Math. 17. whose spirit both informed Moses and all the Prophets so by himself he was excellently and immediately instructed in making of the Ark and the Tabernacle and all that belonged to them that all should be made according to the pattern in the Mount As Moses
likewise his Deputy King in Jesurun and so all along in the Wilderness Moses was King and Prophet and Aaron and his Sons Priests So after that when they were to pass over Jordan to enter into the promised Land Joshua is then made Captain to fight Christs Battels under that great King that appeared to him Joshua 5. the Priests carrying the Ark dry-shod through the then overflowing waters of Jordan and Joshua again as a Prophet reveals the pleasure of God unto them not onely in civil affairs as to dividing the iâ—â—eritances but also in spiritual admonitions and instructions upon many occasions c. Again many times in the Judges days when Moses and Joshua's counsels were forgot and their predictions concerning that peoples revoltings were fulfilled yet even then Christ who was from the beginning the powerful great King of his Church ruled many times amongst them and their enemies too apparently as the Scriptures witness even then likewise he raised up his Deputies called Judges as Gedeon Jeptha Deborah Barack Sampson and others again to restore his instituted worship and Priesthood and be deliverers to his revolted and oppressed people as occasion did require instructing them by his prophetical spirit therein But from the beginning of Davids time as we noted these three great Offices were more remarkably and eminently set forth especially while things continued in any tolerable order in the good Kings raigns that followed wherein the glory of Christ the Mediator in his three said Offices as Prophet Priest and King was still set forth in their following times to shew that therein consisted the glory of Christs Mediatorship as much more might be observed in this kind Rev. Chap. 5. The further illustration of the former Doctrine from Rev. 5. chapter where after the summary consideration of that Chapter is briefly hinted the Doctrine of the New Testament therein comprized which first was set down largely before the giving of the Revelation in the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles But secondly there more especially is Christs the Lambs Revelation and execution of the affairs of that book but so as to erect his Kingdom in the issue for which they so exuit vers 10. and we shall reign upon earth wherein the representative Church doth so eminently rejoyce v. 11. and the four living Wights add their fiduciall Amen after the praise of all creatures and the twenty four Elders fall down and worship v. 14. PRoceed we now to the fifth Chapter the Scene and the Chorus being so excellently set in the former Chapter as respecting God the Creatour worshipped on the seventh day Sabbath especially to glorifie him for his great and good work of Creation who as three in persons one in essence Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty so worshipped in the Old Testament untill the coming of Christ the Redeemer who having finished the work of Redemption as the Lord of the Sabbath changed it from the seventh to the first day of the week who in this fifth chapter is said to be a Lamb that was as it were slain who is therefore praised by men Angels and all creatures with him on the Throne for that most glorious work of Redemption and acknowledged in the great benefits that redounded to his Church thereby Where again consider First The Vision with the effect of it Secondly The Doctrine and Use of both 1. By Men. 2. By Angels 3. By all creatures The Vision for the greatest part is the same in substance the decyphering of the Father the Holy Spirit and the Church the same but God the Son who is represented as a Lamb that had been as it were slain whose glorious work of Redemption and Grace towards his true Church is the substance and drift of the Vision wherefore he is accordingly praised First Consider the Vision v. 1. to 8. and the effect on the four beasts v. 8. In Verse 1. A book was in the hand of him on the Throne In Ver. 2 3. A proclamation by a strong Angel for one to open the book Verse 3. None was found worthy in heaven or earth Verse 4. Is the great discouragement of St. John thereupon he wept much as without hope c. In Verse 5. One of the Elders comforts St. John that the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the root of David had prevailed to do it In Verse 9. The former description of the true Church but with the Lamb in the midst of it Who is set forth first by his suffering he was slain Secondly By his victory 〈…〉 killed death and was thence but as it were slain and consequently by his dominion over all things in heaven and earth therefore set forth by seven horns denoting his perfect power Secondly by seven eyes denoting his perfect wisdom and providence in all the earth where by his holy Spirit he worketh as he pleaseth In Verse 7. The Lamb as was told St. John vers 5. takes the book out of the hand of him that sate upon the Throne whereupon follow the effects of the Vision in the Church First Worship by the Beast and Elders v. 8. Secondly Praise by a song Where I. The nature of it A new song for new Testament mercies II. The matter of it Thou art worthy v. 9 10. In the matter of the new song consider 1. An acknowledgement that the Lamb and onely he was worthy to take the book and open the seals thereof 2. The reason of the acknowledgement First from the greatness and extremity of his suffering thou wast slain Secondly By the efficacy and prevalency of his suffering Thou hast redeemed us unto God Where 1. The price by thy blood 2. The extent Out of every Nation Kindred and Language And thirdly the benefit redounding to the Church by such redemption vers 10. Thou hast made us to our God c. and we shall reign Where 1. Here is what all the faithful in the true Church spiritually here obtain They are made Kings and Priests unto God now in this life 2. For advantage and advancement which they shall have in that place where they have served Christ or suffered for his name there they shall reign with him We shall reign upon earth In Verse 11. A Vision of innumerable company of Angels about the Throne the Church In Verse 12. Their song of praise where first the Object i.e. the Lamb whose worthiness they likewise acknowledge for being slain Secondly The right and due belonging to him thereupon viz. That he receive power and riches and wisdom and strength In Verse 13. is the general concurrence of all creatures 1. In Heaven 2. In earth 3. Under the earth In the like acknowledgement and praise to be 1. To him that sits upon the Throne 2. To the Lamb for ever and ever In Verse 14. First The fiducial Amen of the four living Wights Secondly The assent and consent of the twenty four elders manifested 1. By their falling down 2. By worshipping him that lives for ever
in the glory of his powerful grace and the confluence of such redeemed and saved souls Therefore Such reign of Christ remains still to be executed by him 7. If without such reign of Christ on earth the mystical body of Christ will not be compleated and that in the far greatest part of the members thereof then to come in then it must necessary come in its time to make his mystical body compleat in the members thereof But otherwise it will not be compleat in the far greatest part of the members thereof Therefore It must come in in that its due time CHAP. III. NOw let us come to consider in what manner it may or shall be wherein the great difficulty of the reign of Christ seems to lye which we shall endeavour to hold out two ways These Reasons were writ the contrary way in the Original Copy First In setting down some reasons which may seem to make against the personal reign in his humane nature And Secondly To shew that it probably may be understood in a mystical manner for that some way it shall be according to Scripture is not to be denyed but because that such as his raign shall be such will his coming be when he is to raign and take the Kingdom to himself and set it up in the world we shall therefore in reference thereunto by Gods assistance shew the several sences of his coming according to Scripture since his Ascention into Heaven and endeavour to open this particular sense of his coming to raign under or after the seventh Trumpet and to give some illustrations thereof The first of these we shall now endeavour under this head namely to offer some reasons against a personal reign in his humane nature which are these that follow Unto which upon more serious consideration I have added these ensuing Answers Answer to that But such as his reign shall be such will his coming be That though that may hold true in a general sense These Answers were added to the eleven Reasons in Apr. 1665. yet not in a special for though he will personally appear according to Scripture in the Clouds Visible to the sight of all at his coming yet it is not manifest in so much As I can discern that Christ will at least ordinarily be personally visible to any save those in the New Jerusalem the thousand years though the whole world will then be his Kingdom and at his pleasure he may then stay at or visibly enlighten that City of him the great King as it is called Mat. 5. and shew forth his glory there how and as long as he pleaseth or otherwhere likewise as to Paul Stephen or as in the story related by Mr. Mede in his Answer to Dr. Twisse his second Letter of his visible appearing on a purple Cloud and speaking to the Jews in a great contest with the Christians in the Kingdom of the Omerites about three hundred years after his Ascention for as he hath manifested his Kingly glory in the world in the time of his sitting at the Right Hand of God the Father in Heaven so may be as he and the Father pleaseth some way manifest himself personally Visible in the World though probably vailed save unto the raised Saints in the time of his reign upon earth Answer in general to all the Reasons First and in general to those seeming reasons against Christs personal coming and appearing at the last ruine of Antichrist which I first tendered according to my then present apprehension but afterward by a remarkable hand of God upon me was further resolved from his word as in the sequel may appear Whereupon is likewise considerably offered that in case of a new dispensation a great part of these Reasons will fall voide Answer First Because the Scriptures do not clearly affirm any such thing as his personal being upon earth before the last day of Judgement But since I have found many places of Scripture that sufficiently evince it as in the Fore-runner in the Paper Sep. 27. 1664. But to come to answer them particularly in order for the tendering of things contrary often occasion the clearing up of truth which I wholely herein aimed at or at least then groaped after for some time And thinking it more safe then to prove that such an appearance and reign of Christ should be then which in order of nature was first to be proved and onely offer things considerable at least in appearance why I conceived it to be in this or that manner as both before and after may be observed But the paper Sep. 27. 1664. in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may sufficiently shew my mistake in that seeming reason Secondly Because the interpretations to that purpose do not seem convincing Thirdly Because such interpretations do seem to gain-say some articles of the Christian faith and such interpretations are not to be given that have not Scripture warrant especially if they oppose the received Articles of Christian Religion Answer to the second and third Reasons That the interpreting of Christs coming or appearing to be personal and visible about the destruction of Antichrist and afterwards gloriously to be manifest at least to the raised Saints in the World is not contrary to Scripture but a Scriptural explication of an Article of Faith See in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the latter end of two papers of Dec. 7. and Sep. 27. Fourthly There seems to be no necessity of any such personal presence since the Scriptures witness how that by a wonderful powerful and glorious presence many great things have been accomplished effectually for the Church in former and latter times as all along when Israel came out of Egypt Christ wonderfully shewed himself to be their King in plagueing Pharâ—ah in destroying him and his Host in the Red Sea while Israel passed safely through it in conducting them wonderfully and graciously by a Pillar of a Cloud by day and a Pillar of fire by night all the time they sojourned in the wilderness as signes of his presence with them to guide them provide for them and protect them And when Christ so evangelically gave to them the Law on Mount Sinai Vide Mr. Ant Burg. Vin. Log. p. 145 146. as Divines do evidence thereby declaring himself their King and Law-giver with such Majesty and terror by thundring and lightning and burning of the Mount with shaking and trembling and a mighty voyce which made Moses himself exceedingly to tremble and quake and the people so affrighted c. And afterward appearing unto Joshua with a Sword in his hand he declared to him he would go with him to subdue the Canaanites saying he himself was the Prince of the Host of the Lord when Joshua likewise worshipped him as is recorded Josh 5.13 14. So Rev. 19.11 12. there is a glorious description how he goes against Antichrist at the Armageddon Battel when he will deliver his people from that spiritual Egyptian and Babylonian bongage
c. as in many other instances of the Old and New Testament which hereafter we may set down Answer 4. God in his own institutions and determinations is sole judge of what is necessary for the accomplishment of the whole work of redemption by Christ and as to that the holy Scriptures onely can resolve us and for what is alleadged in the fourth Reason concerning the Old Testament may be answered that such things then which were mystical though wonderful were more suitable to the Old Testament in that regard Christ had not then actually taken upon himself his humane nature and since his ascention I think none can considerately deny but be spake personally to Saul why persecutest thou me and was personally seen of Steven at his death if the Text be duly weighed and why not afterward when the Scripture is so evident yea Mr. Mede makes his appearance and speaking unto Saul at his conversion to be a type of the way and means of the conversion of the Jews in time to come And for that of the Armageddon battel it is to be considered as a prophetical Vision and revelation of what will be really performed hereafter Fifthly Christs bodily presence upon earth was onely so far forth necessary as made for the accomplishment of what his Prophetical Spirit did foreshew in the Old Testament wâ— aâ— hereby done as to his Priestly Office till the day of judgement inputting an end to all the typicall Sacrifices by the once offering up of himself for the sins of his people and to bring in an everlasting righteousness as the Prophet Daniel speaks until he come as the great Judge of quick and dead Answer 5. The Prophet Daniel doth as clearly speak of Christs personal coming at the destruction of Antichrist and Zachary of his being seen by every eye then as other Scriptures of the Old Testament spake of his coming to take our nature of the blessed Virgin and seed of David And for the day of Judgement this appearing will be the beginning of it as Mr. Mede aboundantly proves and then coming to be personally and gloriously as a King in the world will so continue while the world endures though how at all times in any place saving in the new Jerusalem we cannot so fully according to Scripture resolve Sixthly Ever since his ascention into Heaven he hath and will improve his perfect oblation of himself for the sins of his people at the right hand of God his Heavenly Father by making intercession for his people personally in his humane nature till the work of his mediation be fully perfected Answer 6. The improving of his Office of Priesthood at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven seems limited to the time of his appearing when he will begin eminently and visibly to make his foes his footstool as Psal 110. and if in another way by a presential intercession for his people when his Kingly glory shall more eminently shine forth he may then do what God hath appointed and in what concerns his Priestly Office accordingly what shall remain for the accomplishment of his work of Mediation and as God hath determined it shall most certainly be done but the holy Scriptures seems to limit his sitting at Gods right hand to that time Seventhly By his so remaining there to that purpose is really fulfilled in him the Antitype what was typified by the High-Priest in the Old Testament as the Apostle expounds it Heb. 9.26 27 28. As the High-Priest went once a year into the Holy of Holies to offer so he was once offered in the end of the world but not to appear bodily again till the Judgement having put away sin by that once offering up of himself which the High-Priest under the Law by offering the blood of beasts every year could not do as the Apostle shews Answer 7. What is there held out doth nothing contradict the former answer being considered in the Scripture sence for so he doth it till the time spoken of the day of judgement as was before said Eighthly While there is sin in the Saints upon earth there will be need of Christs personal mediation and intercession for them at Gods right hand for as this was done typically from Adams fall in Sacrifices and Oblations by Gods direction and more especially under the Ceremonial Law according to his special appointment in all particulars until his once offering himself in the flesh so it is by him alone who is able to save his people to the uttermost really and perfectly performed in the said Office of mediation and intercession and will be so till his mystical body shall be made perfect in all the members of it Answer 8. That it will be done for place and continuance whatsoever shall be needful for the accomplishment of Christs Priestly Office it is not to be questioned But in every thing how after his great and glorious appearing formerly spoken of that Office shall be executed happily we cannot yet fully determâ—ne But for the place of doing it at Gods right hand in heaven as before was said the Scripture seems to limit to that period of the eminent manifestation of his Kingly Office in the world Ninethly Because he promised when he was ascended he would draw all his Elect to him Joh. 12.32 which promise seems will not be fulfilled while any of them remain upon the earth or till the end of the world Answer 9. That he hath spiritually and evidently drawn all sorts of the Saints to him hath in all ages according to Scripture been abundantly manifest many ways to beleiving souls and that he will hereafter powerfully not onely draw but authoritatively and efficâ—â—iously command his people to be obedient to him their heavenly King by a more eminent manifestation of his Divine grace to them and more powerful conferring his spiritual grace upon them in that time of his glorious Kingdom in the world the Scripture is abundant in giving Testimony thereto as in many Promises and Prophesies in this Tract may appear Tenthly He is gone to prepare a place for all his Elect now the Apostle shews that none shall prevent one another so that the mystical body of Christ must be compreaâ— and perfect that an the members thereof may ascend into glory together at once with Christ Jesus their mystical head Answer 10. The Doctrine of Christs Kingdom the thousand years doth nothing gainsay what is therein alleadged neither shall the Saints prevent one another in the sence there intended but joyntly at the sounding of that last Trumpet at the end of the world shall be changed in a moment at the twinkling of an eye as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 15. and be rapt up to meet Christ in the air at once together and thenceforth ever be with the Lord. Eleventhly The glory of Christ in heaven is such as men in a mortal condition are not able to behold as the Apostle shews 1 Tim 6.15 16. Who saith he onely hath
and comfort and shall any think it not worth his enquiring into What is not that wonderful Majesty and glory of Christ to be considered and observed Is the peace and grace holiness and happines of his Church held out in Scripture abundantly in those times not worthy to be highly esteemed and prized Yea shall such multitudes of Saints have their portion in that heaven-born Jerusalem and shall they not take notice of their priviledge Is not the coming in of such multitudes of Subjects to their great King of Kings both of Israelites Jews and Gentiles there seriously faithfully and thankfully to be acknowledged beleived and improved which in comparison of the other times will be as an harvest to the after-gleanings or the Vintage to the after-gatherings Is not the salvation of such vast numbers of beleiving souls in these grace-prevailing sanctified seasons that shall greatly honour Christ Jesus in their times and enjoy eternal happiness afterward with him in heaven be a matter of exceeding rejoycing to the fellow-members of Christs mystical body If the glorious Angels in Heaven rejoyce at the conversion of one sinner that repents as our Saviour speaketh how should Gods people rejoyce by faith aforehand to see so many millions of millions that are then to come in to that glorious Church-state on earth If Gods faithful Servants have rejoyced in their seasons past when God hath prospered their labours to bring home poor souls to Christ though but a few many times how should it make the hearts of beleeving souls to exult but even by faith to foresee that day of salvation to come to Gods people and with faithful Abraham so foreseeing Christs first coming so to rej yce beforehand as he did Yea is that the mainfruit of the travel of Christs soul Isa 53.11 12. When he shall see his seed and prolong his days and the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand and wherein he himself shall be satisfied as the Prophet there shews and shall it not be the great satisfaction of all Gods people in these times to be assured thereof If from about 600000 natural Israelites and such as were born of them in forty years space in the Wilderness there is computed by learned and judicious Divines to have died above six millions in the Wilderness when almost the same number entred into Canaan that came out of Egypt How many millions then yea how many millions of millions may be conceived to spring up and be educated in the faith of Jesus Christ their King and Saviour in that thousand years space when there shall be such confluence of all Nations into the true Church and when they will not be cut off in judgements by untimely deaths as many times great numbers of those Israelites were and is not such blessedness and happiness of Gods Church reserved for those times upon many considerations if we duly weigh the many and large promises and evidences of Scripture thereunto to be referred of great concernment as many ways to all such as rejoyce in the happiness of Gods chosen and would glory with his inheritance It is then likely there will be a strange holy contention upon earth between God and his people as the holy Spirit seems to imply concerning those times Rev. 22.3 saying And his servants shall serve him whether God or his people should do better each towards other that is as I may say what is within the reach and sphere of their activity For Christ will greatly exalt his people under that his dominion and they by his grace will be such as the more he exalts them the more they will rejoyce to exalt him and the more they exalt him the more he will inlarge them both with grace and glory and the larger their portion of grace shall be the greater will be their peace security and happiness And this will be the more and more constant in that regard the interrupting and corrupting causes thereof which might otherwise hinder as formerly shall then in a very great degree by his kingly power and goodness be removed and taken away when Satan the Tempter is bound and shut up in his bottomless pit and strong tentations proceeding at other times from the prevalency of the corruption of men shall be much abandoned provocations much removed natural corruption manacled and fettered and in many as it is probable very greatly suppressed and accordingly grace holiness inward peace and with them consequently outward peace prosperity and all kind of security that is suitable to that condition and how will this work upon the sanctified spirits of that happy seed and generation blessed of God to consider still with holy David What shall we render unto the Lord our King and Saviour for all such his goodness conferred upon us So that if men have any Christian frame of spirit upon them they cannot but upon such considerations think of and inquire into the Kingdom of Christ to come on earth as many ways worth the while except they be onely carnal Gospellers that only make worldly marchandise thereof but otherwise regard neither grace nor glory for themselves or others or at least are conscious to themselves that they have no part in either Yet even such by the due consideration of these things by Gods mercy may learn to be wise hereafter and shew themselves men and not like such the Prophet David speaks of being in worldly honour have no understanding but are like the beasts that perish and thus much for answer to the vain pleadings of such persons CHAP. V. Which declares how the three great Chronologers of the Holy Ghost to wit Moses Daniel and St. John do successively foretel of the Kingdom of Christ at the end of the fourth Monarchy set forth in that Image expounded by Daniel Chap. 2. and how that the three Babylonish designes of Satan in the three Babels they severally speak of the first to promote confusion of tongues in Moses record at the Tower of Babel the second to erect oppressive tyranny against Gods people by the Monarchy of Babilon in Daniels time and thirdly to advance spiritual delusion and seducement by the mystical Babylon in the latter times all which will be at last by the setting up of Christs Kingdom altogether brought to confusion so that thence the Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands that smote the Image before while there was regnum lapidis will then become a great Mountain filling the whole earth when there will be regnum montis as Mr. Mede appositely speaks FIrst then for the evidences of Christs Kingdom and reign on earth to come under or after the seventh Trumpet out of the Chronology of Moses and Daniel more darkly given but further cleared in the book of Revelation as we observed in which book we shewed the Spirit of God doth so much and in so many places refer us to the Prophets and as St. Peter saith directly that all the prophets since the world
former and that the preceeding but this in most dreadful manner after which never any such shall be any more under Satans rule should be utterly broken in peices and fall in perdition after which Christ will set up his own Kingdom which shall stand for ever when it shall be regnum montis and fill the whole earth Again In Chap. 7. Daniel after the Vision of the four Beasts hath the exposition of the fourth specially given him which though as some conceive there is an historical and literal sence in some respects observeable and Antiochius Epiphanes signified by the little horn c. which happily may not be denyed for many Scriptures have both an Historical and mystical sence and Prophesies of several things are sometimes much interwoven as Mat. 24. of the destruction of Jerusalem and the world yet again by some learned and judicious men these things are either applyed literally or at least mystically or typically to the times of the Roman Monarchy to which it is very aptly applicable both in regard of the strength and prevalency of the Roman Monarchy and the long continuance thereof and in the special resemblances of the Antichristian power and state afterward and even the very phrases in Daniel are applied to the Pope Rev. 13. but after this vers 27. it follows the Kingdom the Dominon the greatness of the Kingdom note the expressions shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and all dominions shall serve and obey him and this can belong to no other but Christ as in Rev. 11.15 and of these times all the Prophets speak successively Rev. 10.7 Act. 3.21 and further Chap. 12. which seems to be a further explication of several things concerning those times of the Roman Monarchy and Christs Kindom succeeding it wherein seems first to be set forth secretly by the standing up of Michael their Prince what the book of Revelation gives light to in sundry particulars therein briefly couched The appearing or coming of Christ or standing up for his People as Daniel to destroy Antichrist the Feet and toes of the Roman Monarchy together with the remainder of his ten horns with such a terrible destruction as never was since there was a Nation to that same time and then his people should be delivered and vers 2. having spoken briefly and darkly of the resurrection of the dead which is more largely explained Rev. 20. which happily may be meant of the last general resurrection after the finishing the happy times after his peoples delivery beforesaid or rather to be understood of the civil resurrection of Israel and Judah prophetied Ezek. 37. when they should become one stick when such as are faithful and strengthen others will be renowned but back-sliders contemptible And vers 3. having spoken somewhat of the recompence that should be given to the faithful messongers of the Gospel and all such as turn many to righteousness then at the begining of the 4. vers Daniel is commanded to shut up the words and seal the book even unto the time of the end and when Daniel was desirous to know the end of these things in the latter end of the 4. vers and in vers 7. there seem two marks of the time of the end fore spoken of which vers 8. Daniel saith though he heard yet he understood them not and yet though he desired to know it was not then granted for vers 9. the words are sealed c. Now the first of those marks of the times that should be before the said time of the end in vers 4. is many shall run ton and fro and knowledge shall be encreased which seems by the series of times in the book of Revelation to set forth the character of the times next after Christ and so by many running too and fro was shewed the Apostles and other evangelical Messengers of Christ that went then to publish the Gospel in all parts of the Roman Empire then called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Luk. 2. and to cause the knowledge of Christ and his Gospel to abound Or else by running too and fro may be signified that though then many received the Gospel and took up a profession of it for a time yet by tentations and persecutions many left again the owning of that profession and yet notwithstanding abundance of light and knowledge did then shine out in the primative Churches though they were greatly persecuted The other mark of the times before the said end which Daniel acknowledged he then understood not seems to be set forth not onely by the said Series of times given to St. John in the Revelation but to make the sence of the former more suitable to the truth in vers 7. there is the peculiar stamps set upon those next times that in the Revelation are plainly explained what times they be viz. The date of the Beast or times of Antichrist which succeeded the said primitive times as Rev. 12.14 namely the time and times and half wherein the woman the true Church was to be in her wilderness-condition by reason of his tyranny and wickedness and to make it more evident there is described one in white Linnen who is said to swear that those things should be finished then when he that is Antichrist shall have accomplished to seatter the power of the holy people the Saints Then saith he these things shall be So the Angel Rev. 10.7 which denotes Christ as the learned and judicious do conceive swears that time should be no more that is say they the worlds time under Satans rule under such powers as formerly for the most part And that the mystery of God should be finished even at the beginning of the seventh Trumpet Yet though Daniel understood not the said markes of the said time in respect of the Gentile Church yet he hath others given respecting the Jewish Church which set forth the conversion of his people the Jews which though unto us it seems difficult to find the Epocha thereof the thousand two hundred and ninety days which is conceived to be about the Emperor Julians time and if so seems to approach nigh pointing out the Jews first conversion and forty five years after the glorious times expected to appear or happily about the pouring out the seventh Vial Antichrists last destruction c. Onely in the conclusion Daniel hath this consolation given him that he shall stand in the lot at the end of the said days verse 12. Now what these famous prophetical Chronologers have so foreshewed formerly more darkly Christ hath since by his beloved Disciple St. John more clearly and largely revealed concerning the excellency of Christs Kingdom on earth as we have in some measure set down before And thus the main pillars and work of this building being erected I suppose with other usual materials to wit the Prophesies and Promises concerning Christs Kingdom in the rest of the Prophets in the Old
the Shepherds Luk. 2.8 that he was of Davids house a Lord as before Mat. 2.6 So in the regard of his present coming in the flesh he was born to them that day a Saviour Christ Moshiach the Messiah implying likewise his threefold annointing as Prophet Priest and King and also for all people Jews and and Gentles So the Angel before as this likewise now acknowledge and declare him the Christ the Lord the great Messiah the great Ruler though he was then a weak Babe in appearance in mean outward condition in the worlds view wrapped in swadling cloths having a Crath for a Cradle a Manger for a Couch being not received in the dwelling house but lodged in a Stable and that O prodigy of abasement at that time the most blessed Mother brought forth the most glorious infant King her Son and Saviour as was said of all people Yet even then a multitude of the heavenly host Genethlia celebrant and Carole loud and sweetly the happiness of his Nativity Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men Whereupon said an Ancient aptly Quis tam parvus tam magnus Infans jacens in praesaepi voce Angelorum celebratus What wonderful celestial Kingly glory in all that outward abasement at his birth is here by the eye of faith to be discerned the glorious Angels are the Heraulds to publish his Kingly dignity over and over again to set forth his Royal descent yea his Divine Majesty when he seemed only a despised weak new born babe and others and that a multitude too sing forth the high praises of his Nativity the Holy Spirit fills the hearts of old and young great and small poor and rich men and women with joy and inlarged Discourses of his Kingly excellence before and about his birth The Star and the Sages soon after with speedy course come out of the East to give this much more glorious day star yea Sun of righteousness a timely visit And to tender that glorious object to the unbelieving world that they might take a view with them of that King and Saviour even then new born to Gods faithful people and after their example worship him and bring their offerings to him And they make inquiry of the place of this new Kings birth Where is he that is born King of the Jews and such was their zeal towards him that no outward meanness hinders them from yeilding him all due homage and observance of worship with oblations of gold frankincense and myrrhe Thns God in his weakest estate of life in the world would have all sorts in heaven and in earth assist in some meet Equipage suitable to his Kingly Dignity And after that he is no sooner presented unto God in the Temple where his Mother as the badge of her present meanness of condition in the world offers according to the law a pair of Turtle Doves or two young Pigeons answerable to her poor estate though sprung from the lineage of David But even then old Simeon divinely inspired and spiritually inlarged with satisfying joy is now well pleased to sing his swan-like song to welcome death Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace c. and the main substance of his song or the highest strain in it is the Kingly glory of Christ on earth Luk. 2.32 A light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel answerable to the prophesie Num. 24.17 A star shall come out of Jacob and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel c. He had ground from many Prophets with such rejoycing to utter it Yea Simeon again blessing Joseph and Mary tells them That Child was set for the falling and rising of many in Israel First to that perverse generation He was a stumbling block as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 1.23 for their falling to the future Israelites when he shall come to reign gloriously he will likewise be for the rising of many Old Anna in publique declares the like to all that look for redemption in Jerusalem and there it was in some respect too well known temporal redemption was expected as well as spiritual though they did it unseasonably for which they had sufficient Scripture ground though then misapplyed by them And though it was common amongst the Jews in those times to neglect the spiritual redemption by Christ and vainly seek to anticipate the temporal then long after to come by their great King the Messiah yet even then that true Israelite Nathaniel had learned better concerning Christ and made confession thereof unto him of both Thou art the Son of God thou art the King of Israel John 1.49 The mother of Zebedees children acknowledged no less though unwarrantably applyed when she would have her two Sons promoted The one at his right hand and the other at his left in his kingdom Mat. 20.21 Yet afterwards our Saviour promiseth no less to them and the rest of his faithful disciples Luk. 22.29 30. I appoint unto you a kingdom as my father hath appointed unto me That ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel And because that opinion much prevailed amongst the Jews then that the Kingdom of God should immediately appear Luk. 19.11 thereupon in the next vers and forward our Saviour resolves the matter by a Parable comparing himself to a Nobleman that was to go into a far Country and to receive to himself a Kingdom and to return Consider here how usual a thing it was among all sorts to stile Christ the Son of David the two blind men Mat. 9.27 Thou Son of David have mercy on us All the people say Mat. 12.23 when he had cast out the blind and dumb Devil Is not this the Son of David The woman of Canaan Mat. 15.22 O Lord thou Son of David So other two blind men Mat. 20.30 Have mercy on us O Lord thou Son of David And Chap. 21.9 The multitudes cry Hosanna to the Son of David The disciples themselves could not deny that the Christ was the Son of David Chap. 22.42 so Luk. 20.30 31. Christ being the King of the Jews was such a noted thing that when he was to dye it was mentioned either in scorn or earnest or attested by God and Men and Christ himself at every turn after he came before Pilate the chief Priests and Elders having examined him about destroying the Temple and his being the Son of God but the main accusation against him was his being a King which he never denied though they falsly added he thereupon forbad to pay tribute unto Cesar yet in that wherein the strength of the temptation lay he fairly resolved Pilate that his Kingdom was not from hence or of this world his Kingdom will be from God and not from men but besides that as ost as Pilate mentioned him to be the King of the Jews and asked him if he were so he never denied it Yea when
the Jews did poyson this dart so in Pilates sight and hearing that either it must kill Christ or greatly hazard Pilate after many clearings of Christ and offers to release him and propounding him or Barabbas a notorious offendor that Christ might escape which when he failed in he would know what he should do with the King of the Jews Yea when he had scourged Christ and suffered the Souldiers shamefully to abuse him as a King in scorn putting on him a Scarlet Robe a Crown of Thornes a Reed for a Scepter in his hand bowing the knee in mockage crying Hail King of the Jews and according to his wives admonition from her dreams and his own conviction to have freed Christ and lets the Souldiers bring him before the Jews in that garbe saying himself Behold the man as thinking probably all this would satisfie since he was innocent and knowing for envy they did accuse him as Mar. 15.10 Yet at last by that poysoned dart I say they would strike home If thou let this man go thou art not Cesars friend for whosoever makes himself a King speakethagainst Cesar and yet after that he bad them Behold their King and when they cryed Crucifie him He urges Shall I crucifie your King And when he was enforced still upon his Loyalty to Cesar and to avoid tumult having washed his hands as guiltless of Christs blood and the Jews taking it upon themselves and their children he delivered him to be crucified But after all to witness to all the world what Christ was and what was the accusation that carried the cause Mar. 15.26 against him First Pilate is over-ruled by God to write his Title in Greek and Latine and Hebrew Luk. 23.36 This is the King of the Jews as if the successions of the Greek Latine and Heorew Churches in order might read and acknowledge it till he took his Kingdom And when the Jews envied this â—itle and would have Pilate write He said I am God over-rules again and Pilate resolutely refuses with what I have written I have written and observe Pilate was too much convinced and netled and galld to mock in the matâ—â—er of that Title as a the other persecuters then did whom therein he did not then seek to please but resist c. And happily that earnest enforcement of that truth as our Saviour said to him before Joh. 18.37 when Pilate perceived that though he was not a worldly King yet he would not deny himself to be a King He thereupon urges him further in that respect Art thou a King then saith Pilate he Answereth with such a double asseveration and as if this was the main thing he had now to bear witness to and a main cause of his coming into the world saying For this end was I born and for this end came I into the world to bear witness to the truth which seems to be mainly the truth that he was a King and that of Israel us afterwards the Priests Scribes and Elders at the Cross called him Mat. 27.42 and King of the Jews as the Souldiers likewise then mocked vers 44. And after that above all not to insist upon many other passages take notice here of that wonderful Confessor if not first Martyr of and with Christ the formerly infamous but since famous good thief that when the world sought to cast the greatest ignominy and contempt upon Christ he most of all to their faces set forth his honour and even then by putting forth his right hand of a true faith upon the Cross to lay hold upon his last and best booty to steal unexpectedly the Kingdom of Heaven condemnes then both himself and his fellow-thief and the wicked world which condemned and crucified our Saviour and King in the lowest dejection of his present condition acknowledging then Christs Soveraignty and right to his Kingdom and power to give it to others yea even to himself when he was so vile and miserable in other respects saying Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom happily he had been before a well principled Jew but had for a time with-held the truth in unrighteousness but now by grace such good education breaketh forth with light of truth and comfort in him and he looks for no less then a Kingdom at the hands of a crucified Saviour and Soveraign here was a glory above the wonted brightness of the Sun when the Sun himself for shame hid his face in darkness from the then darkned and spiritually hardened world Thus the Kingly glory of Christ was even then so held out by the Spirit of power to the saith of Gods people so that from the first humiliation of Christ at his birth and even conception too all along to the very hour of his death his Kingly excellency was strongly attested by all sorts of Angels and men young and old high and low good and bad Creatour and creatures in Heaven and Earth the star at his birth the sun at his death the Rocks the Earth the Vale of the Temple the dead Saints that slept and rose again and went into the holy City Jews and Heathens enemies and friends what evidence in all respects could be more glorious in such an ebbe of seeming dejection of the true Son of God the true King of Israel till by his glorious conquest over sin death and Hell whereby it was impossible for him any longer to be held under he wonderfully at his resurrection declared himself to be a most powerful King and that all-conquering King that will set up his Kingdom in the world when he will yet further make his enemies to feel his Kingly power by making them his foot-stool as his Father had promised after the set time of his sitting at his â—ight hand when that shall be fulfilled Psa 110. th at he may triumph with his people in his glorious raign according to the promises and covenant made unto the Fore-fathers and recorded by the holy Prophets since the world began And once more after his resurrection he once again to his Disciples implyes no less having finished almost the forty days in speaking to them of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God Acts 1.3 when they would know of him whether at that time he would restore the Kingdom to Israel though he repels their curiosity in respect of the time which God then kept in his own power to make known verse 7. that it was not for them to know the time then yet he doth not at all gainsay the thing but in the next verse he shews they should receive power by the Holy Ghost which accordingly they did in that particular as appeared in James Peter Jude then in Paul being converted and last of all he gave to St. John the Revelation of things to come to the end of the world he sets down in the due place in the series of times ensuing when that his Kingdom should be set up namely under or af-the seventh Trumpet and in that
thousand years particularly specified Rev. 20. when he would raign with his Saints on the earth and when the new Jerusalem shall come down from God out of Heaven Rev. 21.2 By all which it may appear that in the whole body of the Book of God the life-blood and spirits as it were of the Scriptures concerning Christ seem cheifly to run in this vein to set forth the excellency of his kingly Office and that even the eminent use of Prophesie in the first period and the execution of Priesthood in the second do in a great part make way for and usher in the most eminent glory of his Kingly Office in the third Period whereupon Christs mediatorship will be perfected full reconciliation made with God and abundant enterance to the mystical body of Christ together with himself their head administred into eternal and perfect blessedness Thus having offered unto the consideration of serious and truly Christian Spirits all the forementioned evidences to confirm this glorious excellent truth wherein the main difficulty of the matter seemed to lye as respecting the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew that most certainly the raign and Kingdom of Christ in the world eminently is to come as our Saviour hath made known to Saint John in the thousand years under or after the seventh Trumpet We should here proceed to the other part which concerns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those things fore-promised to be enjoyed by Gods people in the time of such his reign And that both spiritually viz. Abundance of grace spiritual peace joy security large communion with God Christ and the holy Spirit Together with much benefit and comfort by the perfected Saints perfected I say in respect of their real happiness and the security of it Rev. 22.9 on such the second death shall have no power And also temporally viz. abundance of outward plenty peace security comfort in the enjoyment of the temporal blessings and good things of this life more then ever any ages of the world since the fall obtained whereunto the Scriptures likewise give large Testimony But because there have been in sundry Proofs already many things set forth to this purpose concerning the things of Christs Kingdom and in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or forrunner hereof already published as in a short abridgement thereof contained many great things of such nature from evident Texts of holy Scripture We shall not at present proceed any further therein but as the Providence of God may further lead thereunto But de modo now we shall add nothing fearing to be either too curious or peremptory therein onely at present resolving that either mystically or personally in case of a new dispensation that Kingdom of Christ will in its time appear that we may not gain-say such as have obtained more light therein nor seem to diminish from the glory of it or any ways resist the truth We should likewise in the last place adde some improvement of this to all sorts of persons which we shall only at present in two words as it were adjoyn First to warn all opposers to take heed that either by denying or opposing Christ Kingdome in Doctrine practice or project least when Christ comes in his Kingdom they should be found resisters thereof and fighters against it or particularly comes in wrath against any such in the interim by sending any swift messenger thereof unto them remembring his sentence against those old rebels the Jews Luk. 19.27 But those mine enemes that would not that I should rule over them bring hither and slay them before me For it is a desperate danger to be found fighters against Christ upon any account or engagement in the world whatsoever at any other time but more especially at that time when he shall come in his glory and will manifest his great power and wrath upon them Secondly To encourage all Christs over-comers to be valiant and resolute in fighting against and resisting of all Satanical frauds and Antichristian oppositions against Christ and his Kingdom and to plead Christs right for the strenghening of others to stand on Christs part but always according to Christs warrant and direction in the pleading of this his last clause in the last part of his New Testament-will left amongst us in special mercy to poor unworthy sinners And for their encouragement they may observe from his word that it seems not to be long before he will make it good Surely saith he I come quickly Rev. 22.20 and this is according to the order of things therewith described probable in its order to draw on very fast For Antichrists ruin will make way for Christs reign on earth in that his eminent Kingdome Office and Authority and to that end let both sorts seriously consider that excellent closure of the Prophesie of that Evangelical Prophet Esay Chap. the last vers 5. and so forward which seems very apposite to that purpose and seriously to be weighed upon sundry considerations both respecting the latter time of Anti-christ and divers matters concerning Christs Kingdom then to come And so we conclude with the Churches earnest request unto Christ for the hastening of his coming Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen Arguments for Christs Kingdom upon earth from the Lords Prayer First from the three first Petitions Arg. 1 VVHat Christ set down as the cheif rule and direction of the prayer and faith of his people shall surely be accomplished But that Gods Name should be Hallowed his Kingdom come his will be done on Earth as in Heaven is by him given as the cheif rule of their prayer and ground of their faith Therefore These things shall most surely have their accomplishment on Earth as in Heaven That is intra spheram activitatis quoad statum which in this respect is like to be remakable though corruption then be in the Saints yet will be then strongly and powerfully resisted the more grace the more glory to God then and after to themselves Arg. 2 At what time these are most-eminently promised and foretold to be in the world in that they shall be fulfilled and performed But in Christs reign on earth they are most eminently promised and foretold that they shall be Rev. 11. Rev. 20. Therefore In that time they shall be fulfilled and performed Argument from the fourth Petition Gods people may then pray most comfortably and confidently for daily bread when they find all such grace most inlarged on his Church unto which the entail of all needful temporal blessings is cheifly made yea and upon that account are in great abundance promised But such entail of needful supply of temporals or daily bread upon the abundance of spiritual grace in the time of Christs said reign upon that account is more strongly then made unto them yea and abundance of temporal prosperity unto the abundant measure of grace which then will be given Therefore Gods people will most comfortably and confidently then pray for it Argument from the
fifth Petition Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors When Gods people are most ascertained that they shall attain the end of this Petition they will most comfortably and confidently pray according to the tenour of it But in the time of Christs reign on earth they shall be most ascertained that they shall attain the end of this Petition Therefore They shall then most comfortably and confidently pray according to the tenour of it Now this Petition hath a double respect First to the obtaining of the assurance of their own pardon Secondly to engage them to pardon others and both these ends will then be most promoted First their eminent measure of faith and love zeal and sincerity c. will upon their prayer of truth assure them of their own pardon And secondly the exercise of divers of their graces besides obedience to Gods command which requires them to do so will engage them likewise to forgive others Argument from the sixth Petition Lord lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil Gods faithful people may then best pray for their deliverance from the evil one and from the evil of his temptations when they know most assuredly by the world that they are for along time removed from them But in the said Thousand years they shall most evidently know from the word that the evil one and the evil of his temptations are so removed from them Therefore They shall then best pray for such their deliverance both from the evil one and the evil of his temptations Yeaâ— their prayer in truth or sincerity will be then both a means of their deliverance and of the assurance thereof as being Gods ordinance for his Church to that end Argument from the enforcement For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory c. The consideration of these enforcements will then be most vigorous and strong unto the Saints when they are assured from the word that there is such a time wherein God will most evidently and fully manifest them unto good and bad on earth at the time of his next coming But he will most evidently and fully manifest them unto good and bad upon earth according to the word Therefore The consideration thereof gives the greatest enforcement and vigour then unto the prayers of the Saints or in reference to that time Arguments from four Articles of the Creed First From thence shall he come to judge the quick and the dead Secondly I believe the holy Catholique Church Thirdly I believe the Communion of Saints Fourthly The Resurrection of the body of the righteous Argument from the Article From thence shall he come to judge the quick and the dead Arg. 1 THose that rightly believe that Christ will come from the right hand of the Father to judge both the quick and the dead they must believe he will do it in same time the Scripture teacheth it But the Scripture teacheth that he will do this after the seventh Trumpet at the beginning of the thousand years Rev. 11. Rev. 19. Rev. 20. Therefore They that believe it rightly must believe he will then do it Arg. 2 They that rightly believe Christ will come from the right-hand of the Father to judge the quick and the dead they must believe he will do it in the same order that the Scripture hath set it down But the Scripture hath set down Christ appearance or first coming of Christ to judgment at the beginning of the said thousand years Therefore They that deny his first coming then to judgment deny it in that order the Scripture hath set it down in Besides the manner of his proceeding is different at the first and second coming of Christ to judgment At the first he will begin with the Temporal destruction of his enemies First with fine and sword so taking away those Tares by Bundles and then cast them into Hell and then the Angels shall gather the Wheat into his Barn Matth 13. But at his last coming he will first gather the good the dead in Christ shall rise first and the raised before and the quick living upon earth at the voice of an Archangel and the trump of God shall be all changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye and be caught up to meet Christ in the Ayr and so being freed from the destruction of the wicked they shall be ever with the Lord 1 Cor. 15.2 Pet. 3.10 when the Heavens shall pass away as a seroll and the Elements melt with fervent heat and the earth with the works thereon shall be burnt up as the Scriptures witness after the thosand years is past Argument from the beleif of the Holy Catholique Church Such as rightly believe that they are essential properties of the Church of Christ to be holy and Catholique ought to believe it to be such in reference to those times chiefly wherein Gods word declares it shall be chiefly such But in the said thousand years his word declares it shall be cheifly such Therefore They that rightly believe those properties must then according to Gods Word cheifly beleive it to besuch The Pseud-Holy and Pseud-Catholique Harlot of Rome hath long falsly assumed those properties to her self all that time the Scripture hath foretold the world should wonder after the beast Rev. 13. The seducer knowing that they belong to the true Church hath so ascribed them to the false Church that the true holy Catholique Church might not be expected But that hereafter in the said thousand years the Church of Christ will be holy above all former times the Scriptures abundantly shew as before is set down and much more follows And secondly that it shall then be most Catholique from East to West from Sea to Sea from one end of the world to the other there are also plentiful Testimonies which never yet were fulfilled Argument from the beleif of the Communion of Saints They that beleive the Communion of Saints aright must beleive it in that manner and in that time the Scripture sets it forth on earth But the Scripture sets it forth most eminently in the said thousand years to come Therefore according to Scripture they must beleive it will then be most eminent upon earth They will then be of one heart and one way the Lord one and his name one Ephraim shall not envy Judah nor Judah vex Ephraim Argument from the Resurrection of the body Such as rightly beleive the resurrection of the bodies of the just must believe it in the same time and order the Scripture of true had set it down But the Scripture of true sets down the beginning of the resurrection of the just to be at the beginning of the thousand years of Christs reign on earth first the Martyrs and eminent Saints and then every one in his own order Therefore they that rightly beleive the resurrection of the Saints bodies must so then beleive it Argument from the Article of the Nicene Creed He shall come again
other Scriptures and instances both in the old and new Testament pertinent to that purpose And that the Doctrine of the resurrection which was all along in Scripture taught gradually before is most fully cleared by the two last Apostles St. Paul in his Epistles and St. John in the book of the Revelation NOw because that Matutina resurrectio which Mr. Mede speaks of called the first resurrection Rev. 20.4 5. By way of Antithesis to the last more general resurrection of the good and bad before not raised is of great concernment to the then living godly and Saints departed before let us confider what the Scriptures set before us concerning the same And because Christ hath more fully revealed to his Church Rev. 20. the pleasure of his father therein more then formerly was made known in the word for the Doctrine of the resurrection in diverse things in the Old and New Testament was revealed by degrees and St. Paul shews some mysteries of it and our Saviour there more Let us therefore in the first place consider the context of what is there said thereof Rev. 20. and then come to the verses wherein it is contained Vers 1 2. The Angel Christ lays hold on Satan and binds him a thousand years which thousand years by the most learned on all hands is agreed to be literally taken for many reasons Vide Parae on Rev. 20.2 besides the emphatical expressions after several times the mention of a thousand years the Spirit of God sets them out with an Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three times vers 3 5 7. as if he should say these thousand years before-mentioned indefinitely are now so often spoken of demonstratively punctually setting down what was done before what in and after them in all which the word clears the literal sence Verse 3. He shuts him up in the bottomless pit and seals or secures him there during that time but shews he must after the thousand years be loosed for a little season And the fulfilling of that his loosing is set down as this matutina or first resurrection is decyphered vers 4 5 6. For Vers 7. Shews when Satan is accordingly loosed out of Prison Vers 8. Shews how he prevails to gather his hosts of Gog and Magog in great numbers in all the four quarters of the earth Vers 9. Sets down their design to compass the camp of the Saints and their disappointment by fire from heaven that devours them Vers 10. Shews the judgement of Satan in the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false Prophet were cast before the thousand years Vers 11. And so forward to the end is described the ensuing last judgement where the judge is set down in this 11. verse and his Throne he sat on Vers 12. the persons judged all sorts small and great the ways of their tryal by opening the books and according to their works Verse 13. How they came to the judgement The Sea and Death and the Grave gave up all the dead Vers 14 15. Shews who were cast into the lake of fire at the last namely Death the last enemy 1 Cor. 15. and Hell or the grave with all whose names were not written in the Book of life Now concerning this first resurrection it is largely described in many particulars Verse 4. In the first place are thrones and they that sate on them and judgement was given unto them which seems to be such eminent holy persons as the Apostles or great Prophets assessors with Christ then that as our Saviour promised should sit and judge on thrones at his Kingdom Luke 22.29 30. Secondly All other faithful Saints that lived and reigned with Christ the thousand years Vers 5. declares the different conditions of all others there called the rest of the dead that had not part in that first resurrection Vers 6. Contains the condition quality and priviledges of all the then raised Saints First they are blessed Secondly they are holy and therefore blessed Thirdly They are thereupon secured the second death shall have no power on them they are most safe from the judgement of the wicked that will come Fourthly the excellency of their promotion First to be Priests of God and Christ to offer praise c. continually Secondly Kings to reign with him the thousand years And this the Parallel Text Rev. 11.15 and so forward at the sounding of the seventh Trumpet doth likewise confirm where verse 15. is set down the beginning of Christs reign upon earth and the continuance for ever while the earth continues Secondly the praise of the Church thereupon namely the twenty four elders now without mention of the four beasts as formerly vers 16. Vers 17. There is the object of their praise Lord God Almighty which is and was and is to come and then reigned Secondly The ground of that their praysing him for taking his great power and reigning Verse 18. The occasion opportunity and advantage that Christ took then to take his great power and to reign First of evil unto the evil the Nations were provoked to anger and rage by the Devil against the Saints as also he will do to compass the Camp of the Saints when Satan is loosed Chap. 20.9 and here Gods wrath came upon them in devouring fire and destroyed them that destroyed the earth in the end of the 18. vers Secondly in the middle part of the same verse we have the advantage or opportunity Christ takes of good to the good First of the dead before that They should then be raised and they are of two degrees First Gods eminent servants the Prophets that should have suitable reward to their great service or sufferings or both And Secondly less eminent Saints Again good to the good then alive on earth such as fear Gods name small and great for the blessed and holy dead raised then will be above sear there perfect love as Saint John speaks hath cast out fear Lastly Vers 19. There is described the spiritual glory of the grace of God discovered in Christ above what was before so as peculiar to Jerusalem that comes down from heaven The temple of God was opened in heaven and there was seen in his temple the Ark of his Testament and on the other hand is set forth the terrour of Gods wrath manifest then against ungodly men to be horribly destroyed from the earth as is set down at this time So Psal 50 1 2 3 4 5 c. Dan. 12.1 which likewise referres both to the good and the wicked Now for the condition or state of the raised Saints it is probable to be like or suitable to what was in Christ before he ascended to his Father that appeared and disappeared as he saw good for his Disciples and sometime eat and drank with them as both the Gospel manifests Vide Mat. 26.29 compared with Luk. 22.18 19. one verse speak of the Passover the other of the Lords Supper and the Apostle Peter saith