at the 7. trumpet and not his former vindictive appearance in fury at the desolation of Ier. by the Romans to which the incomparably learned Dr. Hammond is wont to referr many passages of the New Testament which my thinks in this present text the Analogie to other places were sufficient to distinguish Lastly Whether the scoffing here intimated v. 3. can be at any thing els [a] The time hits it well In the last dayes The primitive dayes being for it than this very opinion since the Opponent i. e. the Scoffer disputes directly against it but the Respondent viz. the Apostle pleads expressely for it See all this made good The Question in controversy is about the Promise of Christs coming which the Millenary affirms to consist in an unexpressible restitution Against this the [b] It would be inquir'd since the scoffers are suppos'd to be Christians in what other sense than which I have nam'd can they be said to scoff at our Lords coming for as to his coming to judgment in the general notion I think never any Christians did or will denie it Nor can any imagine the Apostle should bend his aim against speculative Atheists such as Lucian Diagords c. For who ever heard of can think that such toothless Barkers as those Dogs are may be of any dangerous influence to well-grounded Christians so that upon that score there had not needed such carnest incitement to remembrance and caution as the Apostle here useth which certainly must necessarily import the scoffing party not onely to be Christian but very considerable too As for the practical Atheist and loose-liv'd wretch this text meddles not with that capacity in chief For this scoffer deals with arguments Scoffer objects so much light the particle For will afford us it being a causal Conjunction naturally leading into an argument e. g. Where is this promise of his coming in such a restitution as you Chiliasts dreath of what appearance see ye in the least measure towards any such mutation For since the Fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were Tempestuous warrs still angry commotions abominable lives dissolute manners Rebellions Treasons All things as they were What hopes then of any such change I should be unwilling to prevaricate one jot but have I hope presented the Argument in its natural colours being for the summ of it such an one as really I my self have heard from an ancient minister But on the other side The Apostle seems to me most confidently to assert it v. 13. [*] Adde to this text of St. Peter Act. 3.21 spoken also by S. Peter upon the same affidavit of the Prophets and on the same pitch of time When the heavens disclose him Nevertheless c. q. d. Say the scoffers what they please We according to his promise look for [†] By observing the speech in Js 51.15.16 of Js deliverance from Egypt it may peradventure be gather'd what the New Heaven and New Earth may imply I am thy God who divided the Sea viz. the Red Sea And I put my words in thy mouth i. e. I gave thee my law and cover'd thee with the shaddow of Mine hand that I might plant the Heavens and lay the foundation of the Earth viz. Make thee a Kingdom or Common-wealth in the Land of promise for in that notion Heaven and Earth are frequently taken in the Prophets So here New Heaven and New Earth i. e. a New Kingdom or New manner of Government new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness Shall we after all this be difficult to grant that this admirable circle of mysteries I mean this renowned Chiliad is that which the scriptures call the Day of judgment I will adde but a word or two to what is already said but I think from such evidences as will hardly be evaded from particularizing the day of judgment though they also determine this expectation of Israel to that very day Examine we first that famous judging of the Heathen in the valley of Iehosophat Ioel. 3. from the 9. to the end which many of our Divines farr enough from my opinion in this business interpret literally of that Terrible day forasmuch as the 13. v. speaks the same thing with Rev. 14.15 But that the Rev. in that text speaks of the very time of judgment none will sure deny that views one like the son of man coming in a cloud v. 14. Read now on in Ioel from v. 16. to the end and tell me if this great good thing to Israel be not at the 18. v. affix'd to that very day I know thou wilt shift me by the mark Pleading I wisse to a distinct argument But I ask thee who made that mark did not they who allwaies misunderstood the Prophecy For that it is of the same contents with the 16. and 17. v. where no such mark appears nay where the Characters point directly to the judgment too let our own reason unlesse we have a mind to forfet it inform us The Lord shall roar out of Sion c. The Heavens and the Earth shall shake c. Surely that Dreadfull day But the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the Children of Is c. [a] See Js 60.21 which Chapter assures us of a performance for these things on â—arth Then shall Jerusalem be holy c. We are wont to think Then and that Day aequipollents Lord That an unadvised scratch with a pen should be able to divert so cleer and so powerfull a Truth Another full as pregnant illustration of this sense may be fetch'd from Zach. 14. Where also is the description of that wonderfull day v. 4 5 6 c. The Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee v. 5. will certainly evince so much collated with Daniels Thousand Thousands Chap. 7.10 and St. Pauls All that sleep in Iesus will God bring with him 1 Thes 4.14 as also [b] Consider whether the mutual accord of scripture be not sufficient to particularize the day of Christ 2 Thes 2.2 to the judgment though I confess the Authority of the Admirable Dr. Hammond sways much to the contrary see the former Chapter in verses 7.8.9.10 2 Thes 1.7 Revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels But what follows In that day v. 8. shall living waters goe forth from Ierus c. to the end of the Chap. Manifestly describing that unmatchable glory and Indulgence to Ierus where yet Holiness on the horse belles v. 20. is I trow legible enough to intimate the state to be perform'd on earth and not in Heaven vid. sup The Antient Iews kept constantly up to this tenet never understanding by the Great day of judgment so frequent in their Rabbines and deriv'd from thence by our Saviour and his Ap. lesse than a time of many years yea some strange to tell punctually a [c] If the Jews be not restor'd till our Saviour comes as is formerly
therefore take we heed Deer Reader lest we injure the sweet ingenuity of the Lamb who was slayn and hath open'd that sealed Book for our sake Revel 5.9 [a] If open then sure to be read who therefore holds it forth to us no longer in a sealed but an * 'T is Christ that holds the Book being the Angell on the Sea c. ut supra ex Dan. open form Revel 10.8 and sends forth strait charge that thenceforth it should be seal'd no more Rev. 22.10 yea and at the drawing up quickens our regard towards it with the same motive he had us'd in the beginning Blessed is he that keeps the sayings of this Book Rev. 22.7 As before Blessed is he that reads c. But who can be blessed in reading or who can possibly keep what he cannot understand Reading without understanding was never any way to blessedness But of that Day and hour knoweth no man no not the Angels neither the Son but the Father Mark 13.32 I desire to seem no otherwise than sceptical in all these difficulties But I pray confer with Rev. 5.9 Where our Blessed Lord opens the sealed Book and the worthiness to open it is attributed to his being slain Thou art worthy c. for thou wast slain The Son himself as man before his Passion we may speak 't with a holy Reverence had not this mystery revealed to him 'T was onely as yet in the Fathers hands Acts 1.7 The Son at thiâ— time unslain unglorified The Book was as yet a sealed one answerable to Da. 12.4.9 But the Captain of our salvation who was made perfect through sufferings Heb. 2.9 10. hath now both unseal'd it and Commanded it for ever to abide so Revel 22.10 So that may we not now think as the Apostle seemes to intimate 1 Thess 5.4 5. that if that Day doe overtake any as a Theef in the night though this also useth to be another objection they 'r only such as are in darkness and not the Children of the Light 'T will indeed appear as the flood in the dayes of Noah finding men eating drinking c. Matth. 24.37 But neither doth that Text implie the want of all light in the sacred Oracles whereby we may be guided into this expectation but rather the hardness of mens hearts as it was in the dayes of Noah when sure his so long continuance in the building an Ark might have been conviction sufficient to any but men before drown'd in security that the Flood was coming Might not every stroke upon that signal Fabrick have proov'd a Seâ—mon of repentance to ingenuous minds Consult with that place of St. Peter and see if upon this very score it call not holy Noah the Preacher of righteousness 2 Pet. 2.5 To which purpose also may that other more obscure passage of the same Apostle be urg'd far more sensibly I trow than it is wont to serve for Purgatory 1 Pet. 3.19 20. Namely that Christ by his Spirit preacht in the Minist'ry of Noah to those rebellious miscreants of so narrow and confin'd Spirits that they allow'd not themselves so much liberty of reason and freedom of discourse as to collect that the threaten'd Flood must needs be approaching though they saw an Ark so long in rearing Answer me Reader doth not the long suffering of God waiting in the days of Noah while the Ark was preparin mention'd by St. Peter produce this result That they in the days of Noah obtain'd a very mercifull premonition Gen. 6.3 Yet his days shal be an hundred twenty years being generally expounded nay and by our Synode-Notes too of Gods prediction concerning the Deluge in which they might have read the intentions of his vengeance upon those times had not their obstinate reluctancies rendred those sweet opportunities ineffectual to themselves And if the State of the World at his second coming be as it was then as so we hear it must doth it not imply the Indulgence of our Lord in gracious forewarnings but our own defectiveness in their observation Who ever after all this shall think this speculation of time a needless curiosity let him remember how our Saviour reproov'd the Jewes for neglect hereof Luke 12.56 O yee Hypocrites yee can discern the face of the skie but how is it that yee do not discern this time viz. that this is the very age in which the Messiah is to be born And that this was our Holy Saviour's meaning appears by that other famous passage of his recorded by the same St. Luke ch 4. Where our deerest Jesus in meer design to point at Daniels Weeks which led down to him by the identity of the phrase takes a Text from Isay He hath annointed me to preach the Gospel Luke 4.18 From whence he raiseth this so usefull doctrin had not his hearers been unimaginably stupid This Day is this Scripture fulfild in your ears verse 21. But why I pray This Scripture and this Day Why Look in Daniel and you will easily see the reason Dâ—n 12.24 Seventy weeks c. And to anoint the most holy q. d. The appointed time leading to me is now expir'd This Day is this Scripture fulfild in your eares The Spirit hath anointed me How is it therefore O yee Hypocrites that yee do not discern this time The Lord deliver every one of us from the danger of the like expostulation How is it c. Since the Epocha guiding us in the Revelation to his second coming is far more cleerly exprest than that which led to his former in Daniel Let any one weigh And when the Dragon saw he was cast unto the Earth c. with Seventy weeks are determind upon thy people and upon thy holy City Their WHEN from whence they were to reckon seemes to be but obscurely impli'd ours cleerly exprest and yet they were call'd Hypocrites c. And shall not we God grant we be not I will present but one suggestion more to this consideration and take leave Is it not probable that the subtil old Serpent about the times in which Christ was to be born of which he was able enough to make collection from Daniels Weeks perceiving the Nations as I told thee partly from Daniel and partly from the Sibyls scatterd predictions to be full of the expectation of some admirable change thrust in that marvellous peece of imposture about Salonius Pollio's Son born smiling purposely to become the subject on whom all those glorious Elogies of happy mutation might be fixt (a) Note This youth came smâ—lingly into the world but our Lord with all the circumstances of humility and poverty which aggravations no question but the Devill made use of to apply Redeunt Saturnia regna to the meâ—ry Brat and not to the despised Infant being assisted to this suggestion through the temporal Monarchy by the vain hope whereof he had prepar'd the world for this after-impression ut supra as his exceeding remarkable manner of coming into the
THE DAY OF THE LORD OR ISRAEL'S RETVRN With an humble presentation of the Divine Characters whereby this Wonderfull Day may seem very neer approaching Watch therefore and be sober For Sions sake I would not hold my peace LONDON Printed by T. W. for J. Crook and are to be sold at the sign of the Ship in S. Paul's Church-yard 1654. THE PREFACE HAd the fate which attended the Millenaries doctrine been but as propitious as the Arguments were reasonable it had doubtless been receiv'd with a more civil courtship through every age than those contemptuous spittings and unhandsome purgings at the mouth which now for so many yeers have entertain'd it To wipe off all the soyl from those Spectacles through which it hath so oft been misrepresented would no way suit with the streight-lac'd precincts of a sheet or two lest I spend more paper in Apologies than proofs One thing however will deserve a peculiar reflection to consider that this Now-dejected Matron carried formerly so well-favour'd an aspect that the first three Centuries by her very Adversaries acknowledgments payd a constant homage to her Reverence Let the eminent Doctor Ferne assure us in the name of the rest though a profest enemy at the giving in this verdict in his preface against Champney Of all that wrote saith he for three hundred yeers even down to Lactantius inclusively most of them a vouch it not one of them as he could finde contradicting or writing against it I will not conceal that through the wantonness of some sensual Gospellers the Gnosticks probably that scandal to the name of man this beauteous flowr of Spiritualtie was early distorted into mis-shapen apprehensions of most hideous carnality and warp't from its original puritie by the gross conceptions of earthheaded Cerinthus and such like bemir'd Flesh-potts whose minds were more dirty than the materials of their bodies so that I must confess the expectation according to their unclean fancies was but somewhat the more modest dress of a Mahumetical Paradise Nor can I much wonder at the prejudice of my dissenting Brethren while I remember in how unseemely a portraiture they are wont to behold it Can any soul that dare lay claim to Christendom incourage the least 〈…〉 in his bâ—eâ—â—â— of a Royâ—â—◠〈…〉 the Blessed Jesus beneâ—th a sense â—â—lestial In a word Thi◠〈◊〉 in the Scripture view is the first Act of Heaven to reunited spirits 〈◊〉 The incomparaâ—â—â—e â—â—râ—oâ—â— of mâ—â—â—â—edeâ—pâ—ion The Mysterious â—â—â—riage of the All-glorious Lamb to his then lovely Spouse the restored Jew and the completed Gentile The Divine uniwisting of all the holy Prophets riddles The New Jerusalem in her robes of Innocence Our Redeemers final triumph over Sin Death and Hell and with sobriety Eden in her Sabbath-day-garments where as many as are allowed the royal favour of that admirable Communion for the rest are abandon'd to the burning Lake shall converse in their original principles of spiritual integrity after an inconceivable manner with beatified Saints and Angells Briefly An estate spiritual purely sublim'd from sinfull and carnal feculencyes and altogether heavenly though on earth I will forbear to stretch the preface any wider lest the City run out at the gates and only advertise the Reader how it hath been the Devills master-stratageme through all times to accoutre this glory in Antick disguises by the opportunity of which Legerdemain as he cheated the Ancient Jews out of the true Christ even while he was among them so he cleanly conveyd in Antichrist upon the inadvertent Christians Now venture on me Reader through these inducements with the incouragement of brevity into the bargain and unless the premisses be made firm before I part throw me out too for Cerinthus his Antimask CHAP. I. Demonstrating that the state describ'd in the 21. of the Revel is the same with that portraied in Jsaiah 60. and other places of the Prophets of Restoring the Jews and fullness of the Gentiles to be fullfilld on earth THere is nothing hath proov'd more injurious to this truth than that some have rashly undertaken to descend too daringly into its sacred recesses and by the libertie of their own fancies to describe particulars about it unwarranted by Scripture Thus well-meaning M. Archer hath formerly beplum'd it with many unsuitable Ideas rendring himself ridiculous and the opinion questionable upon this stock he drew on his head that Reverend and most Religious Combatant Bishop Hall an Adversary of so approv'd abilities that his very appearance in the cause easily everted the rocking foundations of so tottering a fabrick It must needs be held for an insobriety scarcely excusable not to rest contended with general speculations of such a glory which is no lesse than a ray of that transcendent brightness of which the * 1 Cor. 2. â— Apostle hath advised us that t is not possible for the heart of man to frame conceptions My method therefore shall be to present the ground-work of this excellency from the sacred Bible and neither adventure my self nor encourage others to raise any private superstructures Goe we on then in the Name of God to make good the proposals of the Chapter T is evident our Translators themselves referr the 23.24 and 25. verses of Rev. 21. to the 19.3 and 11. verses of Jsaiah 60. And in these already instanc'd we meet with one passage as unlikely to be fullfil'd on earth as any in the whole bible viz. The City had no need of the Sun c. Which notwithstanding its parallel in Jsaiah to him that weighs the Chapter prooves undeniably to be meant no where els The 26. v. of Rev. 21. belongs to the 5. and following verses of Jsaiah 60. And the last v. in Rev. to the one and twentieth v. of that in Jsaiah Thy people shall be all righteous compar'd with Jsaiah 52.1 But let 's take the Ch. in order The first ver of Rev. 21. is exactly correspondent with Jsaiah 65.17 which place in the Prophet if any suspect not to be accomplisht on earth let him take level by the 21. v. They shall build houses c. with many other pertinencies of the context The 2. v. in the Rev. of the New Jerusalem prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband answers Jsaiah 62.2.3 Thou shall be called by a [a] New Jerusalem New name which the mouth of the Lord shall name Thou shalt be a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and a royall [b] New Jesalem adorned diadem in the hand of thy God And 4. and 5. v. of Jsaiah 62. Where Jesus is called [c] New Jerusalem prepared as a Bride Beulah i. e. married as the margent tells you God compar'd to the Bridegroom All which most evidently concerns that condition of Jerusalem when the Gentiles shall come into her light as appears by the 2. v. there And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness c. [d] Our own Translators constantly presume these passages of the prophets to be
That by it is understood Christ as to his humanity who would deny that considers First The Tabernacle in its principal part e. g. The Mercy-seat was the Type of Christ whom therefore St. Paul calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.25 Which our Translation renders a Propitiation but it is the very word us'd Heb. 9.5 and there translated Mercy-seat Secondly Christ is [f] Rev. 13.6 expresly called Gods Tabernacle by the exposition of the best Interpreters meaning thereby the Humane Nature of Christ which the Beast The Papacy blasphemes by his opinion of Transsubstantiation which shews forth a peece of Bread for the real Body of our Lord and worships it for his natural Flesh In this very notion is that of St. Joh. Chapter 1.14 The word was made Flesh and dwelt amongst us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Tabernacled the very word in the Rev. So Joh. 2.19.21 Destroy this Temple c. i. e. The temple of his body As also in express terms Heb. 9.11 Adde to all this That by tabernacle of God in this place must necessarily be understood either the Lord Christ or his Church I know the objectors will pretend to no other signification But let them remember that it is farr enough from their sense to allow the Church a continuance [g] The Tabernacle of God is with men and shall dwell with them c. amongst men i. e. on earth at the day of judgment the time at which in the next Chapter I shall proove these things to expect their truth vid. v. [h] Quaere If the words there The lamb is the Temple tend not to the sense I lately applied Gods Tabernacle to 22. in Rev. 21. CHAP. II. Proving that new Jerusalem that is the [bb] I dare appeal to any unbiast mind that expects the Jews call as most I think do since there appears not to this day the least step set forwards towards so great a work and yet that terrible catastrophe accounted as at the door by many of very different principles from me whether it be not most suitable to Reason that this must be the manner and time of that grand transaction for as much as the known means of conversion through Gospel-ordinances must necessarily require more time to a nation so dispust and under so divers languages we may adde several Religions to if we remember the concomitant fullness of the Gentiles than I am confident most mens opinions can allow them to the end of the world conversion of the Jew and fullness of the Gentile begins at Christs coming to judgment AS in the former Argument was made appear that the 21. Chapter of the Rev. compared with the Prophets describes a glory to be fullfilld on earth viz. The instauration of the Jews and inlargement of the Gentiles so will I now indeavour to demonstrate that the term à quo or commencement of all that excellency is our Blessed Lord Jesus's next coming in the clouds to judge the world The matter is easily decided to an Ingenuous Adversary by Rev. 19.2.7 where the Triumphals over the final destruction of the [c] The Church generally teacheth from 2 Thes 2.8 that the Man of sin i. e. Dan. little Horn is to be destroyed at the day of judgment whore proclame the marriage of the Lamb to begin from that conquest Now the Bride the Lambs wife is apparently the New Jerus Rev. 21.9 10. This truth also appears by Rev. 10.7 Where this mystery declared to the Prophets is promis'd its accomplishment under the 7. Trumpet which is most expresly the sound to judgment Rev. 11.18 Another proof of this very date answerable to the Angels oath Rev. 10.7 is from Rev. 11.15 where the Heavenly voyces utter at the 7. trumpet The Kingdoms of this world c This world mark that But how I pray can the Kingdoms of this [a] Justly answering Dan. 2.35 World be intitled on him otherwise than by this mysterious transaction to be finisht on earth Again Compare Rev. 9.14 where the sixt Trumpet consists in loosing the Angels bound in Euphrates c. with Rev. 16.12 where [aa] To assure us that this passage is rightly interpreted see the wonderfull accor'd it carries with Ezek 39. treating of Gods judgment on God and Magog most probably the Turk too upon which follows Jsraels restitution verses 9.22.25 And that all this is to be effected at the time here specified see the 8. v. This is the day c. Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is done is a sure badge of the final day compar'd with Rev. 16.17 at the 7. viall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is done and Rev. 21.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Compare also the proclamation to the fowles c at the 17. v. in Ezek. with Rev. 19.17 18. Certainly one and the same conquest over the Churches Enimies Antichrist Gog Magog c. Euphrates is dryed up id est The sixt trumpet ended For if the matter of the trumpet were the letting loose the Angels or overflowing of Euphrates probably the Turks then the drying up of Euphrates must needs be the concluding of the Trumpet so much is evident Now the end of the sixt must needs be the entrance of the 7. Therefore the [b] Remember the glorious royalty of this business every where through the Prophets judg if it be possible that Kings of the East can reflect upon any other Kings of the East without doubt the Jews to impartial Readers enter at the beginning of the 7. for to that very end is Euphrates dryed up that a way may be prepar'd for the Kings of the East Compare Rev. 1.7 with Zach. 12.10 and St. Matth. 24.30 From all which mutually reflecting on each other as the margent informs you it results by a powerfull consent that the time of the Jews seeing and mourning after him they have peirced is his coming in the clouds That Chapter of Zach. cannot be deny'd to be a description of Jer. restoring from the 6. v. to the end so that the 10. v. now quoted to which the 9. leades us by the Emphasis of That day must be granted to treat of their conversion It will therefore be but equal that we either yield that day here pointed at to be the same with what the two parallel texts referr to or els produce from the scriptures some other in which they shall see and mourn after him whom they have peirced Besides 'T is observable the word in both these texts of the New testament is the very same though others might have supplied it with that which the 70. use in [a] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is admirable to take notice that in all the several expressions of that direfull Woe by weeping wayling gnashing of teeth howling c. in the New Testament this word is never used though in these three texts never alterd as if the Blessed Spirit had peculiarly guarded this phrase lest the meaning should be clouded by