2. cap. 16. p. 410. reasons which Wendelinus in the 19. chap. and 2. Section of his naturall Contemplations at the 391. pag. brings to the contrary will give abundant satisfaction For first the Apostle doth apparently distinguish the Jewes from the Gentiles by the word Israel when he saith that blindnesse is in part happened to Israel untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in And therefore I much doubt whether he would in the very next line by the same word indifferently comprehend both Jewes and Gentiles especially seeing the Israel that is to be saved must needes have relation to the Israel that was before said to be in blindnesse And then too what is become of the mystery here spoken of if the words And so all Israel shall be saved should not signifie such a conversion of the Jewes as must follow the vocation of the Gentiles for that some particular Jewes were at that time to be gathered to the Church they knew before seeing many such were then amongst them some of which did first conveigh the Gospell to them And therfore in my judgement those Divines deale most sincerely with the Text who acknowledging the literall sense thereof doe send us to that of Isaiah in his 66. chap. at the 8. ver as to a plaine proofe of this opinion who saith he hath heard such a thing who hath seene such things shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day (l) Zech. 3. v. 9. or shall a Nation be borne at once for as soone as Zion travailed she brought forth her children Where the wonderfull and unheard of conversion of a whole Nation at once such as never happened to any Nation of the Gentiles together with the expresse mention of Zion and the evidence of the following verses should me thinks be motive enough to make any impartiall Reader understand this Prophecy of the Jewes which yet implyes not so much a returne of the whole Nation to their Country as to their God and therefore could not be fulfilled by the returne of a part of them from Babylon at which time too the Kingdome of God that is the true worship of God the meanes by which that Kingdome is obtained was amongst them onely but hath since according to our Saviours Prophecy in the 21. chap. of Matth. at the 43. ver beene taken from them and shall againe according to this be suddenly and extraordinarily restored into them as Joel also before intimated by the plentifull distribution of Gods Spirit in the last dayes 2. That the surviving and subjected Gentiles shall gladly embrace the knowledge and seaâ—e of God with the Jewes You have hitherto heard of the deliverance and happinesse of the Jewes only I shall now acquaint you with their partakers which shall be such as are left of the Nations that are then to be destroyed as you may see in the fore-quoted chap. of Isai at the 15. and 19. verses Behold the Lord will come with fire and with his Charets like a whirlewind to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire for by (m) Ezek. 39. v. 4 5 6 c. Mal. 4. v. 1. Psal 50 v. 3 2 Thess 1.1.7 8. c. fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh and the slaine of the Lord shall be many And I will set a signe among them and I will send those that escape of them unto the Nations to Tarshish Pul and Lud that draw the bow to Tuball and Javan to the Isles afarre off that have not heard my fame neither have seene my glory and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles And they shall bring all your Brethren for an offering (n) Isa 18. v. 7. unto the Lord out of all Nations upon Horses and in Charets and in Litters and upon Mules and upon swift beastes to my holy mountaine Jerusalem saith the Lord as the children of Israel bring an offering in a cleane vessell into the House of the Lord. And I will also take of them for Priests and for Levites saith the Lord. For as the new Heavens and the new Earth which I will make to wit at the judgement of the dead when this Heaven and Earth shall passe away as it is in the 20. of the Rev. at the 11. ver and in the 21. at the 1. ver as these shall remaine before me saith the Lord so shall your seed and your name remaine to wit after the foresaid returne from their captivity And it shall come to passe that from one New Moone to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to (o) Psal 68 u. 29.31 Psal 100. v. 1.2 4. worship before me saith the Lord and they shall goe forth and looke upon the carkeises of the men that have transgressed against me for their worme shall not dye neither shall their fire be quenched and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh And in his 60. chap. at the 9. ver and the 61. at the 4. ver They shall (p) Iâ—a 53. v. 12. build the old wastes they shall raise up the former desolations and they shall repaire the waste Cities the desolations of many generations And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks and the sonnes of the alient shall be your Plough-men and your Vine-dressers But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord Men shall call you the Ministers of your God ye shall eate the riches of the Gentiles and in their glory shall you boast your selves For your shame you shall have double and for confusion they shall rejoyce in their portion therefore in their Land they shall possesse the double everlasting joy shall be unto them Surely the Isles shall waite for me and the Ships of Tarshish first to bring my Sonnes from farre their silver and their gold with them unto the name of the Lord thy God and to the Holy One of Israel because he hath glorifyed thee And the Sonnes of Strangers shall build up thy wals and their Kings shall minister unto thee For in my wrath I smote thee but in my favour have I had mercy on thee Therefore thy gates shall be open continually they shall not be shut day nor night that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles and that their Kings may be brought For the (q) Ier. 12. v. 14 15 16 17. Nation and Kingdome that will not serve thee shall perish yea those Nations shall be utterly wasted The sonnes also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves downe at the soles of thy feete and they shall call thee the City of the Lord the Zion of the Holy One of Israel Whereas thou hast beene forsaken and hated so that no man went thorow thee I will make thee an eternall excellency a joy of many generations Thou shalt also sucke the milke of the Gentiles and shalt sucke
is requisite that he be on earth whither these messengers may descend unto him and from whence againe they may ascend Which argues too his continuance here for a greater space of time then the judgement of the dead requires And although it be said that Christ shall reigne over the house of Jacob for ever and that of his Kingdome there shall be no end Yet it is not meant that he shall alwayes reigne as man or that the earthly Jerusalem the place of his Throne as man shall alwayes stand But this only is meant that the Kingdome of the Saints which Christ as he is man shall governe a (v) Isa 65. v. 22. long time on earth shall after the judgement of the dead at which time this Heaven and earth shall passe away be delivered up to God even the Father in the new Jerusalem where it shall ever remaine and where God shall be all in all yet so that Christ too as man shall still retaine the dignity and preheminence of a King a Priest and Prophet though he shall have no need to make use of either office And thus a late and learned (w) Master Downe on the 17. ch of Saint Ioh. p. 157. of his Treatises pub 1633. Divine of ours doth reconcile the former words of Saint Luke in his first chap. at the 33. vers with that of Saint Paul in the first to the Cor. the 15. chap. at the 24. and 28. vers We are to know saith he that the Kingdome of Christ containeth in it two things The Mediatory function of his Kingly office And his Kingly Glory That hee shall lay aside for then to wit after the judgement of the dead there will be no farther necessity nor use thereof But this he shall hold for ever as being by the acts of his Mediation justly acquired and according to covenant bestowed upon him by his Father And furthermore it may be observed that the words For (x) Ps 72. v. 17. Ps 89. v. 28 29 36 37. Ps 145. v. 13. Isa 32. v. 14 15. Ch. 60. v. 15 Ezek. 37. v. 25. ever Evermore Everlasting are in the Scriptures often joyned with and put for these and the like sayings Thorow all or many generations thorow al ages or as long as the Sun and Moone endure And therefore can conclud no more but this that Christs reign as man shall continue as long as there shall be men to succeed each other on the earth or as long as this Heaven and earth shall last that is untill the time which God hath foreordained for the judgement of the dead When the Heavens that are now shall (y) Rev. 20. v. 11. ch 21. v. 1. passe away with a noyse and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the workes that are therein shall be burnt up the 2. of Saint Peter the 3. chap. at the 10. vers And to this purpose when the Prophet Daniel had said his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not passe away he addes presently by way of exposition and his Kingdome that which shall not be destroyed And in another place more plainely The Kingdome shall not be left to other people Cha. 2. v. 44 So that when the Prophets say that Christ shall reigne for ever and that his Kingdome shall stand for ever or be an everlasting Kingdome it is all one as if they had told us onely That neither Christ nor his Kingdome shall have any successours that no Son of Man shall succeed him in his Throne that no humane Kingdome shall be set up in the place of his Kingdome as his shall be in the place of the foure Monarchies but that in spight of all opposition both of men and devils his dominion shall endure untill the upshot and period of all temporall and humane government that is untill the last resurrection when with a Venite benedicti he shall give up the number of the Electfull and whole as we say unto God himselfe That the restauration of Ierusalem and the first resurrection shall concurre You see againe that when our Saviour comes to reigne over all the earth he comes not alone but brings all the Saints with him Which words as they doe establish the literall sense of the (z) Luk. 14. v. 14. ch 20. v. 35 36. Ioh. 6. v. 39 40.44 45. Philip. 3. v. 11. 1 Thes 3. v. 13. ch 4. v. 14. c. Ezek. 37. v. 12 13. first Resurrection mentioned in the 20. Chap. of the Rev. So they make the Kingdome of Israel and the thousand yeares reigne of the Saints there spoken of to sunchronize and meete together for why shall the Saints come with him but because they have a share in this Kingdome and are to be his assistants in it as he told his Disciples and as the Elders in the 5. Chap. of the Rev. at the 10. ver said in the hearing of Saint John Thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we * Sanctorum super terram regia dignitas auctoritas in hoc mundi statu unlla est Sed exilium perpetuae calamitates ac persecutiones quas a tyrannis mundi â—ujus regilus patiuntur De alâ—ero igitur mundi statu hoc accipiendum Qued si vero super terram regnalunt Sancti utique ea non abo lebitur vel annihi labitur in id enim quod non est creaturae dominium non est Eodem videtur Christus respexisse Mat. 5. v. 5. Est hoc observandum quod Sancti aiunt regnabimus non regnamus Quo digitum intendunt ad alterum seculum Nam ne Sancti quidem in coelo constituit jam regnant super terram quia cum patientia adhuc expectant liberanonem fratrum quam accelerare non possunt Apoc. 6. v. 10 11. They are the words of Mar. Frid. Wendelinus page 429.430 of the 21 ch of the 2. Sect. of his naturall contemplations urged in desence of an accidentall change of the world against the essentiall abolition of it Both which Tenets are as I thinke very true if referred to their proper seasons If shunning both the improvident consounding and pernicious wresting of Scripture we asâ—â—me a marveilous renovation of this heaven and earth at the beginning of our Saviours Kingdome and a creation of nâ—w at the end thereof that is at the last Judgement when as it is in the 20. of the Rev. and the 11. ver This Heaven and Earth shall flye away and no place be found for them And if they shall have place no more then surely they can have being no longer for place is an inseparable affection of their being And consequently this Scripture proves an absolute annibilation of the first world Which I suppose no man will deny if he doth observe when this passing away of the first Heaven and Earth is to be accomplisht to wit above a thousand yeares after the renewing of them For they
are to be renewed at our Saviours entrance into his Kingdome but they are not to passe away till the giving up thereof to God the Father at the last Judgement and so it stands â—â—â—me that these words imply no lesse then a perishing Which yet may further be establisht by three other undeny able testimonies One of the same A postle in the next Chap. at the 1. ver And I saw saith he a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away and there was no more Sea Which last clause expressely affirming an utter abolition of the Sea doth plainely informe us that by the flying and passing away of the first Earth which with the Sea makes but one globe is meant a substantiall perishing of it Another of Moses in the 8. chap. of Gen. at the 22. ver While the earth remaineth seed time and harvest and cold and heat and Summer and Winter and day and night shall not cease And therefore when seed time and harvest and Summer and Winter and day and night shall cease as it is most certaine they shall at the last judgement the earth it selfe must of necessity then cease also A third of Iob in his 26. Chap. at the 10. ver He hath compassed the waters with bounds untill the day Deut. 11. v. 21. and night come to an end Which words being compared with the precedent testimony wherein day and night are shewne to be of equall duration with seed time and harvest and with that of the 22. of the Rev. where it is said of the new Jerusalem and the Inhabitants thereof There shall he no night there and they need no candle neither light of the Sunne must needs be taken for a plaine and positive proose That the day and night shall come to an end and consequently that the Stars and so the sublunary creatures too whose generation and continuance doe more or lesse depend upon celestiall influences being all made onely for the use of man while he is to have his residence and abode on this earth shall at mankindes removall from hence together with this earth with which they were created be brought againe to nothing shall (a) Rom. 4. v. 13. Luk 19. v. 17.19 reigne on earth And this will appeare to a diligent eye even out of the controversed place in the 20. Chap. of the Rev. for besides that the opposition betwixt the first and the last Resurrection doth impose the same sense on both besides this I say the vision represented not unto Saint John perfect men at the first that is men that should be beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus but soules onely and that as of men already beheaded which most manifestly shewes that the Resurrection after mentioned did follow their death and not goe before it And therefore may not be taken spiritually for their regeneration for the renewing of their mindes which is to precede their persecution and may more probably be referred to the sealing of the Servants of God in their foreheads spoken of in the 7. Chap. but materially and properly for the quickning of their bodies when once the number of the persecuted is fulfilled whose consummation and glorious exaltation this vision did represent It is said also that they Lived and Reigned with Christ a thousand yeares But how can it be that they should reigne immediately after their resurrection or begin their reigne all at once or continue it but a thousand yeares which things these words imply if by their Resurrection should be understood their Regeneration and by their reigne their being in Heaven or if by the Word they lived should be meant onely they were converted how can they reigne so long as a thousand yeares seeing the place of their Reigne must be on earth for if they should be any where else how can they be encompast againe with war when the thousand yeares are expired as the 9. ver declares they shall and lastly the reigne of Christ doth not begin till Antichrist is destroyed so that a metaphoricall interpretation of the first resurrection would make good this Conclusion that most of the Saints shall rise many hundred yeares before their Reigne there being no lesse distance of time betwixt the houre of their calling and Antichrists confusion The assumption is grounded on the 15. ver of the 11. Chap. of the Rev. Which shewes that till the time of the seventh trumpet with the beginning whereof the last Viall doth concurre The Kingdomes of * The Kingdomes of this world It is not said the Kingdome of Heaven to wit of the third heaven the incorruptible habitaâ—ion of Saints and Angels or of another world I say of another in substance But the Kingdomes of this world that is this world which is now and shall till then be divided into many Kingdomes shall wholly become Christs and be made by him one Heavenly Kingdome a Kingdome in which men shall live after an Heavenly estate and condition a Kingdome in which Gods will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven for seeing that cannot possibly become any mans possession which doth utterly cease to be what other construction can be given of these words but this that the government of all the Kingdomes of the world is hereafter to be taken into Christs owne hands as he is man and indeed how else should they become his after such a manner as they are not now his if not by a subjection to his manhood for as he is God they were alwayes his and all will grant that this Scripture doth plainely foreshew a deposing of all the Kings of the earth at the accomplishment thereof A deposing of them I say in such a way that their Kingdomes may become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ Which cannot be by abolishing and dissolving the earth on which they must reigne but may and shall be by subduing and conquering them and the Kingdomes over which they must reigne this world doe not become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ And this also is intimated by the binding up of (b) Rev. 20 v. 1 2 3. Satan a thousand yeares with which the reigne of the Saints contemporates which vision as it is the next to that of the battle wherein the beast and false Prophet are taken so doubtlesse it shall not till then receive its accomplishment for seeing Antichrist is but the devils instrument we cannot imagine that his power shall outlast the devils liberty especially if we consider that while Satan is in hold there shall be a generall peace over all the World as the (c) Isa 2. v. 4. Mich. 4. v. 3 Prophets say expressely and as is here implyed in that as soone as he is loosed againe (d) Rev. 20. v. 7.8 presently he shall gather all the rest of the world to fight against the Saints but their malicious attempt shall finde no better successe then that of the beast
Records as they challenge no lesse then beleefe to what I have written from them that equall these Scriptures with the Canonicall and are indeed altogether incompatible with a Jewish Antichrist so they manifest also to the whole world that I have uttered no yesterdayes doctrine no deformed issue of a private and distempered Spirit hatcht in a corner and nurst in a conventicle studyed in a closet or cloister and preacht onely in a chamber or covent but such things as accompany (r) Heb. 6. v. 9. Salvation Such words as every free Christian every uncaptived conscience will plainely perceive and publikely confesse to be the (s) Act. 26. v. 25. words of sobernesse and Truth Even her words (e) Prov. 1. v. 20. c. whose wont it is to utter t her voyce in the streetes in the chiefe place of concourse in the opening of the gates and in the City saying How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning and fooles hate knowledge Let old Tobit speake for the rest I beleeve that our Brethren shall lye scattered in the earth from that good land and Jerusalem shall be desolate and the house of God in it shall be burned and shall be desolate for a time And that againe God will have mercy on them and bring them againe into the land where they shall build a Temple but not like to the first untill the time of that age be fulfilled and afterwards they shall turne from all places of their captivity and build up Jerusalem gloriously and the House of God shall be built in it for ever with a glorious building (v) Act. 3. v 19 20 21. as the u Prophets have spoken thereof And all Nations shall turne and feare the Lord God truely and shall bury their (w) Is 2. v. 20. Idols So shall all Nations praise the Lord and his people shall confesse God and the Lord shall exalt his people and all those that love the Lord God in truth and justice shall rejoyce shewing mercy to our brethren Gloria Deo Vita Regi Pax Regno Glory to God on high on earth increase To the Kings age and to the Kingdome peace FINIS GOG AND MAGOG OR THE BATTLE OF THE GREAT DAY OF GOD ALMIGHTIE By ROBERT MATON Minister and Mr of Arts and sometimes Commoner of Wadham Colledge in OXFORD Hab. 2. v. 3. The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speake and not lie though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry LONDON Printed by R. Cotes for Daniel Frere and are to be sold at his shop in little Britaine at the signe of the red Bull. 1642. DEUT. 32. v. 2.36.43 The Lord shall judge his people and repent himselfe for his servants when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left Rejoyce O yee Nations with his people for he will avenge the blood of his servants and will render vengeance to his adversaries and will he mercifull to his land and to his people Jerem. 10. v. 11.10 The (b) Isa 2.20 Zeph. 3.11 gods that have not made the heavens and the earth even they shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens But the Lord is the true God he is the living God and an everlasting King at his wrath the (c) Isa 2.19 21. Rev. 6.15 16 17. earth shall tremble and the Nations shall not be able to abide his indignation Isaiah 14. v. 24. c. The Lord of Hosts hath sworne saying surely as I thought so shall it come to passe and as I purposed it shall stand That I will breake the Assyrian in my land and upon my mountaines tread him under foot then (d) Isa 10.24 25 26 27. shall his yoke depart from off them and his burden from off their shoulders This is the purpose that is purposed upon the (e) Eze. 38 39. Ioel. ch 3. Micah 4.12 13. Zeph. 3.5 Zek. 12.14 whole earth and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the Nations For the Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall disannull it and his hand is stretched out and who shall turne it backe Isaiah 30. v. 27 c. Behold the Name of the Lord commeth from farre burning with his anger and the burden therereof is heavie his lips are full of indignation and his tongue as a devouring fire And his breath as an over-flowing streame shall reach to the middest of the necke to sift the Nations with the sieve of vanitie and there shall be a bridle in the jawes of the people causing them to erre Ye shall have a song as in the night when an holy solemnity is kept and gladnesse of heart as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountaine of the Lord to the mighty one of Israel And the Lord shall cause his glorious voyce to be heard and shall shew the lighting downe of his arme with the indignation of his anger and with the flame of a devouring fire with scattering and tempest and hailestones For through the voyce of the Lord shall the Assyrian be beaten downe which smote with a rod. And in every place where the grounded staffe shall passe which the Lord shall lay upon him it shall be with tabrets and harpes and in battels of shaking will hee fight with it For Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared he hath made it deepe and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone doth kindle it GOG AND MAGOG OR THE BATTLE OF THE GREAT DAY OF GOD ALMIGHTIE EZEK 38.2 Sonne of man set thy face against Gog the land of Magog the chiefe Prince of Meshech and Tuball and prophesie against him c. THat we may the better know what enemies are meant by Gog and Magog in the 20. chap. of the Rev. it will not be amisse first Vers 8. to examine who are meant by Gog and Magog in the 38 and 39. chap. of Ezekiel And this can no way be so well found out as by comparing Ezekiels prophesie with other Prophesies For albeit this of Ezekiel be in forme and manner of expression somewhat different from others and in matter much more copious than others that being delivered here plainly fully and together which is in some but obscurely glanc't at and in others revealed but in part or at most by parcels as we say that is some part in one place and some in another yet that Ezekiel goes not alone in the subject of this Revelation it is evident by the Querie made by God himselfe in the very same Prophesie Thus saith the Lord God Art thou hee of whom I have spoken in (a) Hab. 2.3 old time by my servants the Prophets of Israel which prophesied in those dayes many yeares that I would bring thee against them chapter the
a Diapason of propheticall voyces doth beare me witnesse that besides the irreconciliable jarring of divine dictates this mystery cannot without the losse and denyall also of some most comfortable remarkable and if not now yet for future times (s) Rom. 11 v. 25.26 necessary truths be otherwise understood I shall as well for the (t) 1 Iohn 4. v. 1. Isa 8. v. 20. Acts 17. v. 11 liberty of mine owne beliefe as for the restraint of others unjust censures conclude with the words of our Church in the 20. Article where she determines That though the Church hath authority to judge in controversies of faith Yet it is not lawfull for the Church so to expound one place of Scripture that it may be repugnant to another And that although the Church be a witnesse and keeper of holy Writ yet beside or contrary to the same it ought not to enforce any thing to be beleeved for necessity of salvation Malachi 3. v. 6. I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sonnes of Jacob are not consumed Nahum 1. v. 2. c. God is jealous and the Lord revengeth the Lord revengeth and is furious the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries and he reserveth wrath for his enemies The Lord is slow to anger and great in power and will not at all acquit the wicked the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storme and the clouds are the dust of his feete He rebuketh the Sea and maketh it dry and dryeth up all rivers Bashan languisheth and Carmel and the flower of Lebanon languisheth The mountaines quake at him and the hils melt and the earth is burnt at his presence yea the world and all that dwell therein Who can stand before his indignation and who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger his fury is powred out like fire and the rooks are throwne downe by him The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him But with an over-running flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof and darknesse shall pursue his enemies What doe yee imagine against the Lord hee will make an utter end affliction shall not rise up the second time For while they bee solden together as thornes and while they are drunken as drunkards they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry Obadiah v. 15. c. The day of the Lord is neare upon all the Heathen as thou hast done it shall be done unto thee thy reward shall returne upon thine own head For as ye have drunke upon my holy mountaine so shall all the Heathen drinke continually yea they shall drinke and they shall swallow downe and they shall be as though they had not beene But upon Mount Zion shall be deliverance and there shall be holinesse and the house of Jacob shall possesse their possessions And the house of Jacob shall be fire and the house of Joseph a flame and the house of Esau for stubble and they shall kindle in them and devoure them and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau for the Lord hath spoken it And they of the South shall possesse the Mount of Esau and they of the plaine the Philistines and they shall possesse the fields of Ephraim and the fields of Samaria and Benjamin shall possesse Gilead And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possesse that of the Canaanites even unto Zarephath and the captivity of Jerusalem which is in Sepharad shall possesse the Cities of the South And Saviours shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Esau and the Kingdom shall be the Lords Habakkuk 3. v. 3. c. God came from Teman and the Holy One from Mount Paran his gloâ—y covered the heavens and the earth was full of his praise And his brightnes was as the light he had horns comming out of his hand and there was the hiding of his power Before him went the Pestilence and burning coales went forth at his feete He stood and measured the earth he beheld and drove asunder the Nations and the everlasting mountaines were scattered the perpetuall hils did bow his wayes are everlasting I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction and the curtaines of the Land of Midian did tremble Was the Lord displeased against the rivers was thine anger against the rivers was thy wrath against the sea that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy charets of salvation Thy bow was made quite naked according to the oathes of the Tribes even thy Word Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers The mountains saw thee they trembled the overflowing of the water passed by the deep uttered his voyce and lift up his hands on high The Sunne and Moone stood still in their habitation at the light of thine arrowes they went and at the shining of thy glittering speare Thou didst march thorow the Land in indignation thou didst thresh the heathen in anger Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people even for salvation with thine anointed thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked by discovering the foundation unto the necke Selah Si quid novisti rectius istis Candidus imperti si non his utere mecum If ought thou knowest that 's more true then this Shew 't Gentle Sir if not take mine as ' t is Jude ver 24.25 Now unto him that is able to keepe us from falling and and to present us faultlesse before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy To the onely wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty dominion and power now and ever Amen FINIS Errataes PAge 2. line 16. for of r. to p. 4. l. 1. by that r. that by p. 5. l. 12. for time r. times p. 6. l. 10. for Judges r. Judge l. 21. for vacation r. vocation p. 7. l. 31. for imperiall r. empyriall p. 10. l. 7. for And at r. And in p. 11. l. 25. the phrase is changed to wit No way put for by no meanes referred which seeing it is the same in sense may passe without noting p. 11. l. 25 for Is r. It remaines c. p. 14. l. 6 for of the beasts r. of all c. p. 17. the letter k is misplaced for it is put in the 7. line before these words yee are not my and it should have beene put in the 8 line before these yee are the sonnes c. p. 24. l. 5. for vers 17. r. vers 37. p. 37. l. 16. for to pray before the Lord of Hosts r. to pray before the Lord and to seeke the Lord of Hoasts p. 37. l. 33. for I know the r. I know that p. 38. l. last for turne r. returne p. 44. l. 12. for their happinesse r. their former happinesse p. 48. l. 2. pericitari r. periclitari Faults escaped in the Margent PAge 1. c for Iohn 2.2 r. 1 Iohn 2.2 p. 19. the letter o in the margent which should have beene put before these words in the text It is confest is left out p. 19. q Id. l. 7. c. 7. r. cap. 12. and in this margent quot Id. l. 9. c. 9. which should have beene referred to the word Dan. in the last line is wholly left out p. 21. for quoquo modo adversan r. adversantâ—â— and in the second note for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 47. for fourthly the river r. fourthly in this City the river p. 20. s Cor. a tap in c. 3. for Hof r. Hos
that is the Judge of Israel before spoken of that hee I say shall stand and feed or rule in the strength of the Lord in the Majesty of the Name of the Lord his God and they that is the Jewes shall abide for now that is at this comming of our Saviour hee shall bee not as when hee tooke our nature upon him of no (k) Isay 53. v. 2 3. forme nor comelinesse a man despised and rejected of men a man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefes but he shall be (l) Zech. 9.10 Psal 72.8 great unto the ends of the earth that is over all the world untill hee and his shall at the last judgement exchange the earthly Hierusalem the (m) Jer. 3. v. 17. ca. 14. v. 21. Throne of his Kingdome which is to be (n) Jer. 31.38 built againe by men for that imperiall Hierusalem not (o) 2 Cor. 5.1 made with hands eternall in the heavens Another Prophesie much like unto this is that of Amos in his 9. chap. at the 8. vers Behold the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinfull Kingdome and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob saith the Lord for loe I will command and I will sift the house of Israel among all Nations like as corne is sifted in a sieve yet shall not the least graine fall upon the earth And at the 11. vers In that day will I raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof and I will raise up his ruines as in the dayes of old that they may possesse the remnant of Edom and of all the Heathen that are called by my Name saith the Lord that doth this I will bring againe the captivitie of my people Israel and they shall build the wast cities and inhabit them and they shall plant vineyards and drinke the wine thereof they shall also make gardens and eate the fruit of them and I will plant them upon their land and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them saith the Lord God Now although this Prophesie tooke effect on the tenne Tribes at their transplantation began by (p) 1 Chro. 5. v. 6. 2 King 15. v. 29. Cap. 16.9 Tiglath-Pileser King of Assyria and ended by Shalmaneser his successour who also brought up strange Nations and placed them in their stead (q) 2 King 17. v. 5 6 24. cap. 18. v. 9 c. which people were from Samaria the ancient metropolis of that Province called (r) Joh. 4.9 Samaritanes yet who is able to maintaine that it was fulfilled on the other two for not the house of Joseph nor the house of Judah only but the house of Jacob wholly is here spoken of and why else is the Tabernacle of David afterwards exprest as a prime agent in the restauration if it were not before included as a succeding patient in the dispersion of Israel who then I say is able to maintaine that this Prophecie was fulfilled on Judah and Benjamin untill their overthrow by the Roman Emperour Vespasian ever since which time they also remaine forsaken scattered and despised captives yea who dares affirme it when God hath said that at their returne from this universall captivity †The usuall answer of a condititionall promise will take no hold on this or the like places of the Scripture for as God hath here past his word that hee will no more pull them up out of their land so in the 32. chap. of Jer. at the 39. 40. vers the 50. chap. at the 20 vers In the 36. of Ezek. at the 27. vers in the 37. at the 23. in the 39. at the 7. vers and in the 3. of Zeph. at the 13. vers All which Prophesies do in the time of their fulfilling concurre with this he hath likewise promised to give them one way and one heart that they may feare him for ever Never to turne away from them to do them good but to put his feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from him That the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none and the sinnes of Judah and they shall not be found That hee will put his spirit within them and cause them to walke in his statutes and to keepe his judgements and doe them That they shall defile themselves no more with their Idols nor with their detestable things not with any of their transgressions That he will make his holy name knowne in the midst of his people Israel and will not let them pollute his holy Name any more And that the remnant of Israel shall not doe iniquity nor speake lies neither shall a deceitfull tongue be found in their mouth And therefore God having thus equally engaged himselfe as well to keepe the Iewes from sinne as to free them from bondage it is as impossible that the accomplishment of this Prophesie should be frustrated and the fruition of these blessings forfeited for want of obedience as that God should either forget or not regard or be unable to fulfill his word and consequently the appointed time for the finishing of such Prophesies is yet to be expected hee will so plant them in their Land that they shall no * more be pulled up out of it which yet should not be true if it it had beene spoken of any deliverance before our Saviours comming to suffer The next Prophesie shall be that of Joel who mentions the very signes which our Saviour said should be the immediate fore-runners of the Jewes Redemption And it shall come to passe afterwards saith hee in his 2. chap. at the 28. vers that I will powre out my spirit upon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie your old men shall dreame dreames and your young men shall see visions and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those dayes will I powre out my spirit and I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth blood and fire and pillars of smoake the (Å¿) Isa 24.23 Mat. 24.29 Rev. 6 12. Sun shall be turned into darknesse and the Moone into blood before the (*) Great not onely in regard of the strangenesse and dreadfulnesse of events of things then to come to passe but great also in regard of the long continuance and tract of time which God in his revelations hereafter to be fulfilled doth by the word Day as well without this epithet as with iâ— frequenâ—ly import great and terrible (t) Eze. 39. vers 8. Malac. 4.5 Jude ver 6. Rev. 16.14 day of the Lord come And it shall come to passe that whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be delivered for in mount Zion and in Hierusalem shall be deliverance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call And at the 3. chap. at
the 1. vers Behold in those dayes and in that time when I shall bring againe the captivitie of Judah and Hierusalem I will also gather all Nations and will bring them downe into the valley of Jehosaphat which in the 14. vers is called the valley of decision and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel whom they have scattered among the Nations and parted my land And at 15. vers againe The Sunne and the Moone shall be darkned and the Starres shall withdraw their shining the Lord also shall roare out of Zion and utter his voyce from Hierusalem and the (u) Isa 2.19 c. Eze. 38.19 20. Hag. 2.22 Mat. 24.29 Rev. 16.18 c. 6.13.14 heavens and the earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of Israel I am not ignorant that the darkning of the Sun and Moone is sometimes taken allegorically and by way of allusion but that therefore it should be so understood here it doth not follow for where it is figuratively applyed it signifies the judgement it selfe which is to befall those people of whom it is spoken but where it is literally used it is put onely for a signe of an eminent destruction which shall suddenly follow it as the great and terrible day of the Lord shall do at the accomplishment of this Prophesie Neither have I forgotten that the first of these Prophesies was made use of by Saint Peter to stop the mouthes of such as jeered the Apostles when by the descent of the holy Ghost upon them they began to speake with other tongues Act. 2.4 but that this Prophesie was then fulfilled I deny for when some mocking said These men are full of new wine Cap. cjusd vers 13. c. Saint Peter replyed Ye men of Judea and all ye that dwell at Hierusalem be this knowne unto you and hearken unto my words for these are not drunken as ye suppose seeing it is but the third houre of the day but this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel And it shall come to passe in the last dayes saith God I will powre out my Spirit upon all flesh as if he had said My brethren these are not the effects of wine but of the Spirit of God which is now powred out on the first fruits of the Jewes as a pledge assurance of that bountifull effusion of it which as Joel hath said shall one day happen to the whole (u) Isay 32. vers 15. Ezek. 39. vers 29. Zech. 12 vers 10. Nation And that this is all S. Peter meant it may thus appeare first because the chief and most remarkeable effect of the Spirit in the Apostles at this time was the gift of tongues of which the Prophet makes no mention and secondly because as the Prophet revealed so hee repeats this powring out of the Spirit as a contemporary event with the wonders which shall be shewne in the heavens and in the earth before the great and terrible day of the Lord come Which day can no way be referr'd to the first comming of Christ when he came to (x) Luk. 9. vers 56. Chap. 19. vers 10. Joh. 12.47 save sinners and not to destroy them when hee would not take upon him to be (y) Luk. 12.14 Joh. 6.15 Judge and Ruler over them for then it must have beene an antecedent of his birth of the time he lived and not a subsequent of his death and departure which hath no analogie with a day Is remaines then that it is an expression of his second coming which is called a great and terrible day in regard of the generall destruction which shall be brought on all Nations that oppose themselves against the Jewes at that time For in mount Zion and in Hierusalem as you have heard shall be deliverance and in the Remnant whom the Lord shall callâ— And to put it out of doubt that Gods bringing downe of the heathen into the valley of Jehospaphat is meant onely of his gathering them together to a battell and consequently of a judgement on the living and not on the dead to put this out of doubt I say the Prophet makes it to be a concomitant of the Jewes (z) Rev. 16. v. 12 13 14. return from their captivitie and in the 9 10 11 and 12. vers provokes the Gentiles to prepare warre to assemble their mighty men and to breake their plough-shares into swords and their pruning-hookes into speares a preparation which as it would be fruitlesse so doubtlesse they shall neither have time power or will to make when they are summoned to receive the dreadfull sentence of Goe yee cursed And for my owne part I am perswaded that this great army here spoken of is the very same that shall be gathered together to the battell of that great day of God Almighty by the three uncleane spirits like frogs which Saint John saw come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet Rev. the 16. at the 13. vers Of this (a) Psal 2.1 2 3. Ps 46.6 8. Ps 68.30 Isa 2.12 13 c. Ch. 24.21 22. ch 26.20 21. ch 34.1 2 3 4 5 c. ch 49. v. 26. chap. 66. v. 14 15 16. Micah 4.12 13. destruction also speakes Zephaniah in his 3. chap. at the 8. vers Therefore wait upon mee saith the Lord untill the day that I rise up to the prey for my determination is to gather the Nations that I may assemble the Kingdomes to powre upon them mine indignation even all my fierce anger for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousie for then will I turne to the people meaning the Jewes a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent And at the 19. vers Behold at that time I will undoe all that afflict thee and I will save her that halteth and gather her that was driven out and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have beene put to shame At that time I will bring you againe even in the time that I gather you for I will make you a name and a prayse among all people of the earth when I turne backe your captivity before your eyes saith the Lord. And yet more fully Zechariah in his 12. chap. at the 3. vers In that day will I make Hierusalem a burdensome stone for all people all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it In that day will I smite every horse with astonishment and his rider with madnesse and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah and will smite every horse of the people with blindnesse In that day will I make the Governours of Judah like a hearth
of the Sunne and the Light of the Sunne shall be sevenfold as the light of seven dayes in the day that the Lord (h) Mal. 3. v. 17 18. bindeth up the breach of his people and healeth the stroke of their wound But the great increase of the light of the Sunne and Moone here spoken of is in the 60. Chap. at the 19. ver plainely gainesaid the words are these The Sunne shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse shall the Moone give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory Where if it had been said That the Sunne should no more burne them by day nor the Moone by night as it is in the 121. Psal Or smite them as it is in the 49. of Esay at the 10. ver I could have sent you for an answer to the 4. chap. of the same Prophet at the 5. ver The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion and upon her assemblies a cloud and smoake by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence And there shall be a Tabernacle for a shadow in the day from the beat and for a place of refuge and for a covert from storme and from raine But seeing it is said The Sunne shal be no more thy light by day These places will be better reconciled if we acknowledge that in the 60. Chap. there is a mixt rehearsall of those blessings which are proper onely to the Heavenly Jerusalem which as it is Rev. 21. ver 23. and chap. 22. ver 5. hath no need of the Sun neither of the Moone to shine in it with those which the Jewes shall receive at the restauration of their earthly Jerusalem for such a mixture of things which shall in their execution be many generations apart is very usuall with the Prophets And it is the more likely to be so here not onely because the words immediately following in both Prophecies are in sense all one for they shew the same reason wherefore the Sun and Moone should no more give light unto them but also because the happinesse which the Jewes shall then be made Heires of shall never againe be interrupted by any misery For the ransomed of the Lord shall returne and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtaine joy and gladnesse and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Esay the 35. at the 10. ver And lest we should conceit that the judgement of the dead plainely described in the 20. Chap. of the Rev. shall either suspend Ver. 11 12. c. ver 2. or disturbe this joy Saint Paul in the 1. to the Cor. and the 6. Chap. hath told us that The Saints shall judge * These first words may not unfitly be referred also to the time of the Saints reign on earth for it is their priviledge at their entrance into their Kingdome and throughout the whole space of their reign To judge the World that is all Nations of the Gentiles with the judgement of government and reformation with the exercise of a civill and temporall power over them as in the prophecies of the Gentiles subjection unto them it may plainely be seene And it is their priviledge at the â—aâ—â— resurrection To judge the world and the Devill that is all evill as well Angels as men by a joynt approbation of their finall and perfect condemnation of the full accomplishment I say of their eternall reprobation the world that is the wicked men that have beene their oppressors ver 3. and judge the Angels that is the evil spirits that have been their tempters And therefore shall not be thrust downe to the bar amongst them but advanced to the bench against them An addition doubtlesse to their happinesse and no abatement of it And this is as much as I need say though not above halfe that the Prophets say concerning the Kingdome in the Text. I will therefore shut up all with that solemne Protestation of God in the 31. of Jer. at the 35. ver Thus saith the Lord which giveth the Sun for a light by day and the Ordinances of the Moone and of the Starres for a light by night which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roare the Lord of Hoasts is his Name If those Ordinances (i) Ier. 33. v. 20.25 depart from before me saith the Lord then shall the seed of Israel also cease from being a Nation before mee for ever Thus saith the Lord If Heaven above can be measured and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done saith the Lord. And with that humble complaint of Israel whom God in the 7. of Micah at the 8. ver makes to prophecy thus of her selfe Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy when I fall I shall rise when I sit in darknesse the Lord will be a light unto me I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill be plead my cause and execute judgement for me He will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousnesse And so I passe from the thing to be restored which is the Kingdome of Israel to the Person by whom it is to be restored which is Christ the Lord at his next appearing For they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdome to Israel That our Mediatour hath undergone the offices of a Priest and Prophet the Gospel is our witnesse That Christ shall reigne on earth proved 1. By consequence Isa 14. v. 1 2 3. but considering that the Jewes are yet to receive a Kingdome a Kingdome in which they shall bold them captives whose captives they are and in which peace and righteousnesse shall flourish on the earth considering this I say we may justly doubt whether our Saviour hath as yet executed the office of a King and so much the rather because he tooke our nature on him as well to performe his kingly office therein amongst us as either his priestly or propheticall the glory of this being indeed the reward of that contempt and torment which he suffered in the others and though it cannot be denied that he hath already (k) Col. 2. v. 15. spoyled principalities and powers that is the evill spirits and hath made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in his crosse nor that he is (l) Eph. 4. v. 8. ascended up on high and hath led captivity captive and given gifts unto men nor that he is become the (m) Col. 2. v. 10. Head of all principality and power that is of the Saints and holy Angels and is set (n) Heb. 1. v. 3. ch 8. v. 1 ch 10. v. 12. ch 12. v. 2. downe at the right hand of the Throne of God so that he
it had beene as easie for the Apostle to have said They that are dead or All that are in the grave And if there shall be a precedency of time then no doubt but it shall be such a precedency as may bring some advantage and honour to the Saints and therefore not onely of a few houres or dayes but of a more notable continuance of many yeeres For if Christ should descend for no other purpose but to call all men to judgement then as there would be need of none so there could not well be any priority of time to distinguish their resurrection because in that Act both good and bad must be assembled before him at the same time and the wicked doubtlesse should then be raised as soone to see his comming as the just to meere and accompany him therein they that are Christs at his comming and therfore not the (w) Zech. 14. v. 5. 1 Thes 3. v. 13. ch 4. v. 14.15.16 2 Thes 1. v. 10. Martyrs onely Then commeth the end what presently after his comming no but when he hath delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father and when shall that be when he shall have put downe all rule and all authority and power For he must reigne till He that is the Father hath put all his enemies under his feete which will be fully accomplished when the last enemy shall be destroyed which is death and when all things shall be thus subdu'd unto him then shall follow that inutterable glory that height of happinesse where the Sonne also himselfe shall be subject unto him that did before put all things under him that God may be all in all thus farre Saint Paul whose words doe clearly prove that the reigne of Christ as man of which alone we treat doth neither beginne before his comming nor extend it selfe beyond the death of death the last resurrection and therefore cannot without a palpable contradiction be taken for the time when he shall give up his Kingdome to his Father nor for the time that now is betwixt which and his Kingdome too our Saviour in my conceit hath put an irreconciliable distinction calling this the time not of a Kingdome but of temptation that is a time of persecution for righteousnesse sake a time wherein his Disciples must be delivered up to be afflicted kill'd and hated of all Nations for his name that thus fulfilling the rest of the afflictions of Christ for his bodies sake which is the Church they may at last wholly and together for shall not their bodies as well reigne with Christ as their soules but these we know are and shall be yet captives to the grave or are the Saints that shall be found alive at Christs comming exempted from his comming for if hee should reigne till then and then give up his Kingdome to his Father they are exempted but if as our Apostle shewes his reigne begin not till his comming then as the living shall at that time (x) 1 Thes 4. v. 15 16 17. together with the dead in Christ be caught up to meet him so the Saints shall then and till then they cannot wholly and altogether reigne with him I say together and at once be made partakers of their Masters Kingdome which as it appeares is not to be in Heaven and therefore must needs be held on earth where all things which our Saviour promised his Disciples may well be accomplished in a literall sense Of this Kingdome also speaks S. Peter in the 3. of the Acts at the 19. v. Repent yee therefore and be converted that your sinnes may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord he shall send Jesus Christ which before was preacht unto you (y) Luke 19. v. 11 12 c. whom the Heavens must receive untill the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy (z) Rev. 10 v. 7. Prophets since the world beganne where if by the times of refreshing and the times of restitution of all things nought else can be meant but the Jewes inhabiting againe of their owne land and the bringing of all other Nations into subjection to them then it is evident that Christs comming at this time shall be to accomplish this thing to Israel and consequently to receive his appointed Kingdome but that those words can have no other meaning a small acquaintance with the Prophets will informe you who as they speake of nothing more so they have nothing which can be applied to our Saviours second comming as a comfortable effect so generally foreshewne but this And here we may call to mind too our Saviours words to James and John when they requested that one might sit on his right hand and the other on his left in his Kingdome To sit on my right hand and on my left said he is not mine to give but it shal be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father Which saying as it doth shew that our Saviour had before acquainted the Apostles of his Kingdome so it intimates that his Kingdome is to be held on earth where onely this may be fulfilled for in Heaven it cannot be done unlesse we will grant that other men shall be as highly exalted there as our Saviour is to wit to the right hand of God which is a prerogative peculiar to the Sonne alone a preheminence I say which the chiefest of the Angels never enjoyed For to which of the Angels said hee at any time Sit on my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstoole Heb. 1. at the 13. vers And the same Apostles words in the second to Timothy and the 4. chap. may not be forgotten I charge thee saith he before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quicke and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdome For why should Christs appearing and his Kingdome be joyned together yea why should his Kingdome be added as the end of his appearing unlesse both were to contemporate unlesse his Kingdome were to beginne at his appearing and not before it And to my seeming that propheticall Image in the second of Dan. at the 31. vers which represented both the orderly succession and divers condition of all the then following Kingdomes of this world unto the Kingdome of Christ shadowed there unto us by the stone that was cut out without hands doth give good light to this of Saint Paul For in what manner those Kingdomes have succeeded each other in the like manner is the Kingdome of Christ to succeed them as appeares by the same phrase of speech which is attributed as well to the setting up of this Kingdome as to any of them to wit that it shall breake in pieces and consume all those Kingdomes Ver. 34 35 44.45 And therefore seeing these words are meant of a conquest and succession by force of armes in all the former Kingdomes how can they be
otherwise understood in this of Christ which is to succeed them all as they have succeeded each other both in time and place as the 35. vers doth fully declare and as the falling of the stone upon the feete of the Image upon the last and divided Kingdoms of the iron Empire doth probably imply For if the Kingdome of God there spoken of were to be understood of a Kingdome which should so be set up in the dayes of these Kings that their reigne should notwithstanding continue together with it as not onely these but all former Kingdomes also have done with the Militant Church with the Kingdome of grace which therefore cannot be the Kingdome there foreshewne then doubtlesse it should have beene represented by some part of the Image it selfe as the contemporating Kingdomes of the divided Empire are by the mixture of iron and clay and not by a thing so different from it and adverse unto it by a stone I say so wonderfull for its beginning operation and increase For it was cut out without hands and when it had smote the Image became a great Mountaine Ver. 34.45 Ver. 35. and filled the whole earth which the Church as yet never did whose fall and growth too as they import a more powerfull speedy and generall conquest over these Kingdomes by this Kingdome then either the gold received from the silver the silver from the brasse or the brasse from the iron so they imply the utter extirpation and totall abolition of the manner of policy and government which these Kingdomes have used of which it is said that they became like the chaffe of the summer threshing-floores and the wind carried them away that no place was found for them vers 35. And with this sense of the interpretation of the vision very well agreeth that in the second Psal at the 8. vers Aske of me and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Thou shalt breake them with a rod (a) Rev. 2. v. 27. ch 19. v. 15. of iron thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potters vessell And that in Psal 110. at the 2. vers The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion rule thou in the midst of thine enemies The Lord at thy right hand shall strike thorow Kings in the day of his wrath Hee shall judge among the Heathen he shall fill the places with dead bodies he shall wound the heads over many countries He shall drinke of the brooke in the way therefore shall he lift up the head Yea and that too in the 149. Psal at the second vers Let Israel rejoyce in him that made him let the children of Zion be joyfull in their (b) 1 Sam. 1 v. 9.10 Psal 47. Psal 98. King Let the high praises of God be in their mouth and a two-edged sword in their hand to execute vengeance upon the Heathen and punishments upon the people to binde their Kings with chaines and their Nobles with fetters of iron to execute upon them the judgement written This honour have all his Saints And that nought else is meant by the world to come in the second of the Heb. at the 5. vers but the Kingdome of our Saviour it is evident by the authority there alleadged out of the 8. Psal which prophecy is therefore made use of by the Apostle as a plaine proofe that Christs manhood is exalted above the chiefest of the Angels because it shewes that it is to Christ as man and not to any of the Angels that God hath put in subjection the world to come And if there be yet a world which is to be put in subjection to Christ as man then it must needs be a distinct world from (c) 1 Cor. 15 v. 24 28 Rev. 21. v. 3 that in which as man he shall give up the Kingdome to his Father for that which is to be given up is already past And it is no where said that the new Jerusalem the City of eternall glory shall be subjected to Christ as a creature but that Christ as a creature shall after the judgement of the dead be there subject to the Father 2. By expresse prophesie And thus it hath beene proved by consequence that our Saviour shall heareafter reigne on earth You shall now heare it directly and expressely affirmed Behold saith the Angell to the Virgin Mary thou shalt conceive in thy wombe and bring forth a Sonne and shalt call his name Jesus he shall be great and shall be called the Sonne of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto him (d) Matth. 2 v. 6. Acts 2. v. 30 31. the Throne of his Father David Luke the first at the 31. v. Behold saith (e) Ch. 33. v. 15.16 Ieremiah in his 23. c. at the 5. v. the dayes come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch and a King shall reigne and prosper and shall execute judgement and justice * Whatsoever losse the disobedience of the first Adam brought on himselfe and his posterity that no doubt the second Adam hath recovered with advantage for himselfe and his chosen But the first Adam lost not onely his right to Heaven but the happy estate too which an innocent life would for a long time have continued to him and his on earth And therefore that intercourse and familiarity with God that rule and command over men and all other creatures which Adam before the advancement of mankind to its highest happines should have here enjoyed if he had not fell that and farre more then that shall Christ with his chosen inherit at his next appearing And now seeing even reason it selfe doth thus strongly conclude for our Saviours future soveraignty what unreasonablenesse were it in us any longer to misdoubt the literall accomplishment of these and all other sacred revelations which so fully describe and so clearely confirme it in the (f) Is 8. v. 8. Iob 19. v. 25. Heb. 1. v. 2. earth In his dayes Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his Name whereby he shall bee called The Lord our righteousnesse Behold saith Zech. in his 6. chap. at the 12. vers the man whose name is the Branch and he shall grow up out of his place and he shall build the Temple of the Lord and hee shall beare the glory and shall sit and rule upon his Throne and he shall be a Priest upon his Throne and the counsell of peace shall be betweene them both And in the 34. chap. of Ezek. at the 22. vers I will save my flocke and they shall no more be a prey and I will judge betweene cattell and cattell and I will set up one Shepheard over them and he shall feed them even my servant David he shall feed them and he shall be their Shepheard And I the Lord will be their God and my servant David a Prince
among them I the Lord have spoken it and in his 37. chap. at the 24. vers David my servant shall be King over them and they shall have one Shepheard and they shall also walke in my judgements and observe my statutes and doe 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 And in the 9. chap. of Isaiah at the 6. vers Vnto us a child is borne unto us a Sonne is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderfull Counseller the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end Vpon the Thron of David and upon his Kingdome to order it and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever the zeale of the Lord of Hosts will performe this And in the 52. chap. at the 13. vers Behold my servant shall deale prudently he shall be (g) Ps 1â—8 v. 22.23 24 c. exalted and extolled and be very high As many were (h) Luke 2. v. 34.35 astonied at thee his visage to wit at the time of his suffering was so marred more then any man and his forme more then the sonnes of men so to wit at his next appearing shall he sprinkle many Nations the Kings shall shut their mouthes at him for that which had not beene told them shall they see and that which they had not heard shall they consider And in the 4. chap. of Micah at the 6. vers In that day saith the Lord will I assemble her that halteth and I will gather her that is driven out and her that I have afflicted and I will make her that halted a remnant and her that was cast (i) Rom. 11. v. 12.15.32 off a strong Nation and the Lord shall reigne over them in Mount Zion from henceforth even for ever And in the 72. Psal at the 6. vers He shall come downe like raine upon the mowen grasse as showers that water the earth In his dayes shall the righteous flourish and abundance of peace so long as the Moone endureth He shall have dominion also from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth They that dwell in the Wildernesse shall bow before him and his enemies shall licke the dust The Kings of Tarshish and of the Iles shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts Yea all Kings shall fall (k) Isa 45. v. 22.23 Phil. 2. v. 10 downe before him (l) Ps 22. v. 27 28. Rev. 14. v. 6 7. ch 15. v. 4 all Nations shall praise him And in the 102. Psal at the 13. vers Thone shalt arise and have mercie upon Zion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come for thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof So the Heathen shall feare the name of the Lord and all the Kings of the earth thy glory When the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appeare in his glory Now that these prophecies doe concerne the reigne of Christ alone I thinke no man doubts and that they are already fulfilled it cannot bee proved For neither did Christ at his first comming sit on Davids Throne nor any other of Davids linage or of that Tribe or of the other Tribes for the Scepter was then departed from Judah and a Law-giver from betweene his feete Neither were Judah and Israel then in the land together neither was the Temple then destroyed but afterwards and therefore the things here spoken of are all to be accomplished at his second comming and that not in Heaven but on earth On earth I say and in (m) Is 33. v. 20. ch 50. v. 1 2 3 9 10. Jerusalem (n) Ps 122. v. 5. Davids Throne was For his feete shall stand in that day to wit when he comes to receive his appointed Kingdome on the Mount of Olives which is before Ierusalem on the East from which Mount also he ascended and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst therof toward the East toward the West there shal be a very great valley and halfe the Mountaine shall remove toward the North and halfe of it toward the South And ye shal flee to the valley of the Mountains for the valley of the Mountaines shall reach unto Azal yea ye shall flee like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the dayes of Uzziah K. of Judah And the Lord my God shall (o) Iude v. 14 15. Rev. 19. v. 11 12 13 14 15 16. come all the Ss. with thee and it shal come to passe in that day that the light shall not be cleare nor dark but it shall be one day which shall be knowne to the Lord not day nor night but it shall come to passe that at evening time it shall be light And it shall be in that day that (p) Ps 46. v. 4. Ezek. 47. v. 1. c. Ioel 3. v. 8. living waters shall goe out from Jerusalem halfe of them toward the former sea and halfe of them toward the hinder sea in Summer and in Winter shall it be and the Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day shall there be one Lord and his Name one All the Land shall be turned as a plaine from Geba to Rimmon South of Jerusalem and it shall be lifted up and inhabited in her place from Benjamins gate unto the place of the first gate unto the corner gate and from the Tower of Hananiel unto the Kings Wine-presses and men shall dwell in it and there shall be no more utter destruction but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited Zech. the 14. at the 4. vers You see here that our Saviour comes not onely to conquer death which is the last enemy that he shall destroy and therefore not wholly to be destroyed till the last resurrection but also to take the Kingdomes of this world unto himselfe to put downe as Saint Paul hath said all the rule and all the authority and power of other Nations that there may be one Shepheard and one Sheepfold that the (q) Dan. 7. v. 27. Kingdome and Dominion and greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole Heaven may be possest by the people of the Saints of the most High That is as the former prophesies doe expound it by the people of (r) Ps 148. v. 14. Israel And this as I thinke is the time of which he spake these words Verily verily I say unto you (s) Iohn 1. v. 15. Hereafter shall yee see Heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the (t) Heb. 1. v. 6. Sonne of man For that this may be fulfilled it
the false Prophet and the Kings of the earth their predecessours had done at the beginning of the thousand yeares (e) Ver. 9. For fire shall come downe from God our of heaven and devoure them Now against this which hath beene said touching our Saviours Kingdome The chiefe doubts resolved his owne words in the 18. of Saint John at the 35. ver may be objected For there he saith plainely My Kingdome is not of this World And in the 25. of Matth. at the 31. ver he saith When the Sonne of Man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his glory And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth the sheepe from the Goates With which agreeth that of Saint Peter in his 2. Ep. 3. Chap. and 7. ver But the Heavens and earth which are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of Judgement and perdition of ungodly men And many other places there are of the like nature But to the first I answer that those words of our Saviour do onely distinguish the time and condition of his Kingdome from the time and condition of the Kingdomes of this world at the setting up of whose Kingdome there shall be such an * Neo enim dubium quin maxima rerum naturalium humanarum mutatio regni hujus auspicia sit antecessura Antichristus enim cum to ta sua Synagoga abolebitur extingue tur hominum pars maxima gentilibus non nisi paucis relictis qui in posteris suis non extra sed intra regnum hoc mille annis supererunt ut prophetiae supra memoratae cum aliis in Scriptura passim occurrentibus abunde testantur sub decursum vero mille annorum mirum in modum aucti a Satana e carcere suo soluto iterum seducti Sanctorum castra oppugnabunt sed incassum Nec dubium est quin rerum quoque naturalium quae regni hujus incolis ministrabunt longe alia sit futura facies quam impraesentiarum est siquidem beatissimum tranquillissimum erit regni istius seculum omnis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae in natura modo decurrit expers Mar. Frid. Wend. Contemp. phys Sect. 2. cap. 17. p. 375 376. alteration over the whole frame of (f) Psa 46 Isa 2. v. 12.19.21 chap. 11. v. 6. c. chap. 30. v. 25 26. chap. 41. v. 18 19. chap. 55. v. 13. Ezek. 38. v. 19 20. Matth. 24. v. 29 30. Mark 13. v. 24 25. Luk 21. v. 25 26. Rev. 6. v. 12 13 c. chap. 16. v. 18 19. c. nature and such a change of government on the Earth that this time shall then as well be accounted the time of an other world as the time before the Flood is now taken for the old world by us and was long agoe so stiled by Saint Peter in his 2. Ep. 2. Chap. at the 5. ver and 3. Chap. at the 6. ver And therefore notwithstanding this proofe the place of his Kingdome shall be the earth that now is though this be not the time nor any humane policy the patterne of his reigne And to all such places that mention onely the dissolution of the elements and the last judgement I answer that these are but a part of those things which shall be done by Christ at his next appearing and that as other Scriptures shew onely that he must reigne on earth and what shall be done at the beginning of his reigne so these shew onely what shall be left undone till the close of his Kingdome when he shall deliver it up to God even the Father And in my conceit Saint Peter in the very next verse doth intimate as much for having before used the word Day he warnes them not to be ignorant of this one thing that One day is with the Lord as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as one Day As if he had told them that the Day he spake of was indeed a thousand yeares The Holy Ghost alwayes using it in this sense when it is emphatically applyed to our Saviours comming or the Jewes Redemption which as is already proved shall happen at the same time And though God as he is eternall cannot be measured by time And as he is immutable feeles no alteration in time a thousand yea ten thousand times ten thousand yeares and one day houre or minute of a day being in this respect all one to him yet this shift cannot voyd the exposition already given seeing the apparent dependance of these words on the former doth clearely prove that Saint Peter intended not to shew what a thousand yeares and one day were to God in regard of his nature which it is like they knew before but onely what is usually meant by one day in the Word of God And indeed to what purpose had this sudden and serious advertisement beene inferred if the Apostle did not hereby discover unto them besides the largest definite and limited acception of the word such a speciall relation of a thousand yeares to one day as could not belong to any other number when as touching Gods immensity and immutability one day might as well have beene compared with ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands as I said as with one thousand yeares Thâ—â—◠〈◊〉 being so I see not but that Gods fore-appointment of a thousand yeares continuance to the world for * Sicuâ—e septenis annis septimus quisque Anâ—us â—emissâ—â—is esâ—â—itaâ—e sepâ—eâ— milli bus aâ—â—oâ—um mundâ— septimus miâ—â—enari◠〈◊〉 enari◠〈◊〉 â—issionâ—â— eâ—it R. Ketiâ—â— viâ— Com. Aâ—oâ—a part 2 p. 28â— each severall day of its first weeke the weeke of its creation might in all likelihood be the ground of this propheticall sense of the word wherein it was afterwards delivered by the infallible penmen of holy Writ To this also may be added that in the 24. of Saint Mat. at the 31. ver which shewes that when the Sonne of man descends He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the foure winds from one end of the Heaven to the other At which time Two shall he in the field the one shall be taken and the other left Two Women shall be grinding at the Mill the one shall be taken and the other left And as Saint Luke records Two men shall be in one hed ch 17. v. 34 the one shall be taken and the other left But if our Saviour at his comming shall presently give sentence on all that are not written in the booke of life if he shall make no stay on earth before he undertake this businesse then why shall the elect onely be gathered together and the rest left behinde seeing that great Assise is to be held chiefely for the condemnation of ungodly
Jacob shall rejoyce and Israel shall be glad Psal 106. v. 4 5. Remember me O Lord with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people O visit me with thy salvation That I may see the (i) Ier. 32 v. 42. ch 33. v. 9. good of thy chosen that I may rejoyce in the gladnesse of thy Nation that I may glory with thine inheritance Micah 7. v. 14. c. Feed thy people with thy rod the flock of thine heritage which dwelleth solitarily in the wood in the midst of Carmel let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in the dayes of old According to the dayes of thy comming out of the Land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things The Nations shall see and be confounded at their might they shall lay their hand upon their mouth their eares shall be deafe They shall licke the dust like a Serpent they shall move out of their (k) Isa 2. v. 19.20 Re◠◠v. 19 holes like wormes of the earth they shall be afraid of the Lord our God and shall feare because of thee Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the (l) Isa 65. v. 9.15 Zeph. 3. v. 12 13. Rom. 11. v. 5 28. Remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy He will turne againe he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the depths of the Sea Thou wilt performe the truth to (m) Isa 65. v. 8. Rom. 11. v. 16.28 Jacob and the mercy to (m) Isa 65. v. 8. Rom. 11. v. 16.28 Abraham which thou hast sworne to our m Fathers from the dayes of old Isaiah 12. In that day thou shalt say O Lord I will praise thee though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away and thou comfortest me Behold God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the Wels of salvation And in that day shall yee say Praise the Lord call upon his Name declare his doings among the people make mention that his Name is exalted Sing unto the Lord for he hath done excellent things this is knowne in all the earth Cry out and shout thou inhabitant of Zion for great is the HOLY (n) Isa 55. v. 5. ch 60. v. 9.14 Luke 4. v. 34. Acts 2. v. 27 ch 3. v. 14. ONE of Israel in the midst of thee Isaiah 63. v. 15. c. Looke downe from Heaven and behold from the habitation of thy holinesse and of thy glory where is thy zeale and thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercy towards me are they restrained Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledgeth us not thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer thy Name is from everlasting O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and hardned our heart from thy feare returne for thy servants sake the Tribes of thine inheritance The people of thy holines have possessed it but a little while our Adversaries have trodden down thy Sanctuary O that thou wouldest rent the Heavens Ch. 64. v. 1. c. that thou wouldest come down that the mountains might flow downe at thy presence As when the melting fire burneth the fire causeth the waters to boyle to make thy Name knowne to thine Adversaries that the Nations may tremble at thy presence When thou diddest terrible things which wee looked not for thou camest downe the mountaines flowed downe at thy presence For since the beginning of the world (o) 1 Cor. 2 v. 9. men have not heard nor perceived by the eare neither hath the eye seene O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Nunc fera mucro fames nunc (p) Rev. 6.8 mórsque fidelibus instat Quos manet haec merces gloria vita quies Warre wilde beasts want and death doe now besiege The sacred troopes whose future priviledge Is this to shine in glory and to raigne In peace with him who makes their death their (q) Phil. 1.21 gain The Testimonies of the Authors quoted in the margent of the 19. page ISraelitae non fuerunt liberati unquam à suâ terrenâ captivitate nec redierunt in patriam ut patet ex superioribus Hoc etiam historiae docent abducti enim ab Assur in Assyriam Mediam non leguntur ab eo fuisse dimissi Regno verò Assyriorum Babyloniis per Merodacum subjecto in captivitate itidèm permanserunt Babyloniis subjecti Cùm verò posteà Deioces qui primus apud Medos regiâ dignitate usus est ab Assyriorum Babyloniorúmque jugo Medos liberasset Israelitae multis de causis fuerunt è terris Medorum in ulteriores regiones nempè in Septentrionem quò omnis spes redeundi ad suos illis tolleretur expulsi quidem dispersi Quâ de re videatur Funcc comment lib. 1. pag. 23. Itaque videamus cùm Media Babylonia Assyria in manū pervenit Cyri regis factâ libertate omnibus Israelitis redeundi in patriam solos Jehudaeos Benjamin quae conjuncta erat cum Juda Levitas qui quonià m noluerunt vitulis sacrificare expulsi à Jeroboamo redierunt Hierosolymam cum Judaeis se conjunxerunt ut est 2. Paralip 11. v. 13 14. ch 13. v. 9. rediisse ut est Ezra cap. 1. cap. 2. Nisi fuissent reliquae Tribus in ulteriores regiones dispersae illae potuissent quoque redire Tempore etiam quo natus est Dominus Samaria cum aliis terris Israelitarum occupata erat ab illis gentibus qui eò missi fuerant a rege Assur Israelitarum loco ut est 2. Reg. 17. Itaque videmus Israelitas nunquà m à captivitate terrenâ liberatos in patriam rediisse Hier. Zanch. Quaeritur ab interpretibus Nùm ex hâc prophetiâ certò colligatur decem tribus nunquà m ex captivitate rediisse quemadmodùm aliae duae post aliquot annos ex captivitate Babylonica redierunt Ratio dubitandi est quòd in hoc ipso cap. subditur Et cōgregabuntur filii Juda filii Israel paritèr c. Ezek. cap. 37. Sub Symbolo duorum lignorum in unum coeuntium vaticinatur Judam Israel conjungendos Jer. cap. 50. v. 4. apertè dicit Venient in tempore illo filii Israel ipsi filii Juda simul Ubi videtur certa spes restitutionis etiam decem tribubus fieri Nihilominus certum est Rempublicamillam decem tribuum nunquà m posteà coivisse eorum captivitatem dispersionem in populos perpetuam fuisse quod hic comminatur Deus nec solutam unquà m fuisse eorum captivitatem quod Josephus ipse Ant. Jud. lib. 11. cap. 5. agnoscit Dum scribit