period of this present State shall come God will as by speaking a word of Command make all things new 2. Again in respect of the excellency of his person he is here said to be he that sate upon the Throne who is Hieroglyphically and gloriously described in chap. 4. as God made known in his Church as on a Throne for in Judah is God known and his Name is great in Israel at Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place in Zion Psal 78.1 and he is known to them in the face of Jesus Christ in all his glorious Attributes Nature and Persons as revealed in the Word 2 Cor. 4.4 6. as here compassed with the Rain-bow the Token of the Covenant made with Noah through Christ for all Creatures to the end of the world c. and also hath 7 Lamps burning before the Throne which are the 7 Spirits of God or the Holy Ghost chap. 1.4 and about the Throne 24. Seats for the 24 Elders and within the Throne 4 living Wights full of eyes within continually saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come So that there God is set forth as very gloriously made known in his Church to be three in Persons one in Essence to be ever so worshipped and glorified by them before and since for his great and good work of Creation ver 11. For as at first he Created the world by Jesus Christ Eph. 3.9 the Holy Spirit moving upon the face of the Waters Gen. 1.2 so he hath and doth and will redeem and fully work his Renovation of the world by the Lamb that was slain and hath since lived again and the book with 7 Seals is delivered to him to open and execute the Contents thereof as in chap. 5. by the power and effectual working of the Holy Ghost one God with the Father and the Son and proceeding from the Father and the Son So the 24 Elders and the 4. Beasts or living Wights worshipped him at the Whores Destruction as sitting on the Throne chap. 19.4 c. and in the end of chap. 4. 5. though this last was upon assurance of the fulfilling of all Revelation Prophesie But in the Text he that sits upon the Throne with a Rainbow about it and seven Lamps burning before it saith Behold I make all things new c. Thus then Almighty God Three in Persons and One in Essence so manifest in his Church that so Created the World and also by his Son and Holy Spirit carrieth on his work of Redemption and full Renovation of the World who maketh known this Divine Declaration thereof by his Servant John for the use of his Church in these latter times to be fulfilled most certainly as will after appear in the neer approaching times of the Restitution of all things the next Illustration of it is that usual note of Attention and Observation Behold but here to be more highly considered as a notation of Admiration Adoration Behold Admire the wonderful Mercy herein contained adore him in the Divine excellency thereof the like is done in many like Notations set forth by God respecting his wonderful work begun and by degrees carried on and to be perfected by his Son Jesus Christ as first especially in laying his great Foundation in Sion Esa 28.16 Behold I lay in Sion a chief Corner Stone Elect and Precious as saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.6 which the said Prophet sets forth with a great deal of Illustration in the Heberew c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and aptly rendred by Arias Montanus Ecce ego fundo in Sion Lapidem Lapidem munitionis anguli preciosi fundamenti fundati c. Behold I found in Sion a Stone a Stone of defence of a precious corner of a foundation founded and to be adored and admired likewise therein The like of the Womans Seed promised without Man Behold a Virgin shall bear a Son Esa 7.14 and yet a Virgin when she hath a Son but such a Son as should be God as well as Man who should be called Immanuel God with us here was likewise matter of Admiration and Adoration that he that was the Eternal Father as well as the Prince of Peace of the increase of whose Kingdome upon the Throne of David there shall be no end should yet in such a time be born of a Virgin c. Esa 9. The like by the Angel is used to the Shepheards at the birth of that said Virgins Son Luke 2.10 11. Behold I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be to all people c. So when God will make the New World for his said Son Behold I make c. and the season of this work is the Alpha and Omega of this book of Revelation to be observed and admired and desired too by the Saints chap. 1.7 Behold he cometh with Clouds at the Jews Conversion who are there said to have pierced him which I conceive will not only be in mercy to the Jews as Zech. 12.10 but all Kindreds also of the Earth shall wail because of him penitently also when he then comes the second time without sin to Salvation because the Heathen shall be given then to him for an Inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for his possession and they shall also then serve him Dan. 7.27 and as the Prophet saith in those times ten men shall take hold of the skirt of a Jew Zech. 8.32 to joyn themselves to them in the service of the God of Israel and the great shakings and dessolations in the world when the glorious Majesty of Christ shall then appear as Esa 2.17 19. so shaking terribly the Earth probably may much prepare all the Kindreds of the Earth that remain then so to wail with Contrition that they have not known Christ before and then so wailingly mourn after him therefore is added by the Holy Spirit Even so Amen to both Rev. 1.7 N. B. to teach us ever after to pray for the fulfilling of these so strongly promised Mercies then which is therefore the chief drift of that Petition Thy Kingdome come that also then Gods Will may be done in Earth as it is now in Heaven for which in that state there is great ground to believe and so his Name will be hallowed then as now in Heaven which is the great end of all Prayer And then he cometh also with reward for his Saints as chap. 22.12 11.18 The way to love Christs appearance as the Apostle Paul perswades all sound Christians is to know the happy advantages that all such shall have thereby at that time when God will make all things New that pertain to Christs Davidical Kingdome as here c. The next thing considerable respecting this comfortable Declaration of God is the Confirmation of it 1. by commanding the Holy man to record it for the comfort of his Church Write saith he 2. He gives a twofold ground of such Confirmation or Record of it first in
Christ by faith wrought in believers Souls by the powerful operation of the Holy Ghost but these times of restitution of all things we speak of are quite another thing to be fulfilled for Christ and his Saints at his second coming which the first made way for when the outward visible total and final Redemption will be fulfilled as well as the inward for Satan remains still the God of the world and Prince of the Power of the Air and works effectually in the Children of disobedience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which will not believe and he they both bring much suffering and persecutions upon the Saints but in the following renovation they will both be taken off so that the Servants of Christ shall then serve him in righteousness and true holiness before him without fear of their enemies all the days of their lives which is the mercy promised to the Fathers as Zacharias sweetly sings out Luke 1 72 74 75. for then the inward and spiritual work of Redemption will be much more perfected in the Saints as well as the outward and visible for the Saints And thus much for answer to that Objection Now to proceed to consider what these times are how set forth in Holy Scripture and how it doth appear that they are now near approaching for the resolution whereof we must chiefly make use of this most Divine Book of Revelation with some of Daniels Visions respecting the same times as they are by Christ more fully explained in their due series and order which is a matter of very great use in all the sufferings times of the Church to Chap. 19. but after of much advantage and benefit for the Church of God in those good and happy times to which our Saviours Divine Key of these things hath special reference and is graciously given by him to open the Mysteries of them for the great use and consolation of his people in these later days to which purpose we shall consider those principal Texts of Scripture that have their reference unto those latter days The first is that great declaration of God upon the Fall of man Gen. 3.15 which is the most comprehensive of all others both containing removal of evil conferring of good in the Restitution of all things upon which accounts Christ hath ever since proceeded in the execution of all his three great Offices of the great Prophet Priest and King for his Universal true Church as the work his Father gave him to do until he make his great enemies his footstool eminently by destroying of wicked men that destroyed the earth and binding of Satan so to still the enemy and the avenger and finally at his casting him into the Lake of fire as was shewed from Holy Scripture when he will be utterly stilled for by reason of prevailing sin he brought the old world to suffer the Vengeance of the Deluge by Waters and Sodom and Gomorrah to be consumed with fire and brimstone from Heaven and even Gods people to be led captive by the Assyrians and Caldeans with all other miseries befalling for sin before and since Christ stilled him in good measure at his first coming when he was struck dumb and his Oracles put to silence and more stilled him under the sixth Seal when he was cast down from his Regencie of Heathenish Idolatry in his Heavens under the Pagan-Rulers unto the earth whereupon in his great wrath he betook him to his last designe of setting up the twofold Beast to continue till the said great stilling of him in the 1000 years also that great Oracle of God Psal 110.1 much spoken of in the New Testament hath also direct relation unto the said times when Christ shall cease to sit at his Fathers right hand in Heaven and his enemies as was said be made his footstool till which times saith the Apostle Peter also Acts 3.31 the Heavens must receive Christ viz. till these times of restitution of all things deciphered in the Text by him that sits upon the Throne when his Church will be refreshed with Christs presence and the Tabernacle of God then be with men and he dwell with them that space of the 1000 years c. in the third verse of this Chapter till which times the Apostle saith Heb. 10.13 Christ sits there expecting till his foes be made his footstool when Turk and Pope who stand in the way to hinder Christs said Kingdom shall be destroyed Unto these times also relates that great promise made by God unto Abraham upon that great act of his faith and obedience in sacrificing his Son Isaac Gen. 22. that his seed should possess the Gates of his Enemies though it was partially and typically performed in subduing such as would have stopped their passage or hindred their possession of the promised Land above 400 years after when the iniquities of the Amorites were arrived to their fulness but the great possessiou will be given to the Divine Seed Christ at his second coming and by him to all the spiritual seed and that so as never to be cast out again as 2 Sam. 7. when they shall remove no more from it as also many other Scriptures manifest Then also shall be performed from the beginning of revenges upon the Whore of Babylon and the great vengeance upon the enemy Antichrist fore prophesied by Moses in that excellent Song for Posterity Deut. 32.41.42 when God will whet his glittering sword and make his arrows drunk in blood that Jews and Gentiles may rejoyce together as Rom. 15. then also will be fulfilled that great Promise Esa 51.20 21 22 c. respecting those times also made upon occasion of the destruction of old Babylon the Type of this and much of Jeremies Prophesie there is by the Spirit of God applied in the Revelations to mystical Babylons destruction but we read not of Gods peoples being then Gods Battle-Axe and Weapons of War then c. for they came home then by Gods working powerfully upon the Spirit of Cyrus and they were ever low upon that reduction but when they shall be again restored all that great prevalencie over all enemies will take place fully for they as saith the Prophet Malachy shall then be as ashes under the soles of their feet Chap. 4.3 and all Nations that will not then be subject to the beloved great and holy Jerusalem shall be destroyed Esa 60.12 And when the same Prophet Esay chap. 26.19 shews that Gods Saints shall rise at the first bodily Resurrection explained by our Saviour Luke 20.35 36. and Rev. 20.5 Esay declares the contrary of such as tyrannized over Gods Church before ver 14. they saith he are dead they shall not live then they are deceased they shall not rise then c. for the enemies shall be so taken away for ever from the Land of the living that they shall ever after be uncapable of good with the Saints in the world and to all eternity when those Children of the Resurrection as
Emperor the Epoca whereof was about 365. or as Learned Bishop Vsher conceives 363. to which the said 1335. being added probably makes up the times of the great restauration of Jews and Israelites at Christs appearance when the Turk is destroyed Dan. 11.45 and Chap. 12.1 2. which is further explained by the 1700 years of Revelation-prophesie until that time viz. about 320 years under the six first Seals until Constantine the Great cast Satan from his Heaven to the earth by abandoning his Heathenish Idolatries of his Sun Moon and Stars worshipping his Jupiter Mars Mercury c. with the Pagan Worshippers and Promoters thereof unto which sueceeded the other Christian Emperors for their short space spoken of Rev. 17.10 viz. about 80 or 90 years till the Dragons flood about the Womans the true Churches entring into her wilderness condition and from thence under the four first Trumpets proceeding out of the seventh Seal when began the sealed Judgments of the Trumpets which carry on the ruine of the Roman Civil state for their Persecution of the Saints in the Primitive times which four first are conceived to take up about 200 years more wherein the barbarous Nations by degrees broke in many pieces the Western Roman Empire giving opportunity for the Crowning of the ten Horns turning the Provinces thereof into so many Kingdoms whose Power hath since been given to the Beast But for the 2 first woe Trumpets of the Locust Mahumetans first under the Saracens in the East from their beginning about An. Dom. 600. to the beginning of the Turkish Mahomitans in the Ottoman family about 1300 which was 700 more and the Turks day and hour and month and year since prevailing over the Easterm Empire which by computation are 396 years more altogether will make up the whole account of about 1700 years till the seventh Trumpet begin to sound when the Kingdoms of the world will become the Kingdoms of our God and of his Christ Rev. 11.15 And the same 1700 years of Revelation Prophesie may also be computed by the Table of the suffering times under the Dragon and the Beast as they were pointed out before from Rev. 11. to ver 13. viz. the regular Primitive times Chap. 11.1 contained about 320. when was the Battle betwixt Michael and the Dragon and their Angels Chap. 12. whereupon the Dragons flood was poured out but dried up by the earth at the womans entrance into her Wilderness-condition about 90 years when with her time times and half a time begins the Beast to trample under foot the holy City for his 42 months and also during the two witnesses time of 1260 days of years for all these 3 are contemporaries and end with the second Woe ver 14. when it is said the third Woe cometh quickly at the end of the last Gentile Monarchy the first of which Monarchies viz. the Caldean by Scripture is reckoned to continue 70 years the Mede or Persian computed in Chronologie about 230 years the Grecian about 280. until about 48 years before Christs birth saith Helvicus or according to our former Computations of them in our Parallel of the ruine of the Roman Empire in the Caldean 70 about 70 or 80 more in the Persian Monarchies to Daniels weeks which are 490 years more in all 640. to the end of the last week An. Dom. 5.38 years after Christs birth which last 38 years are to be deducted on our usual account in which Parallel consider well that conjecture of 1666. to the ruine of Antichrist from Christs ascension though as Bishop Vsher conceives we have lost therein four years c. See there also our four mystical numbers leading to the Jews deliverance Dan. 12.1 and the great Enemies ruine at the end of the 4 Monarchie all which have their periods about Ann. Dom. 1700. But as there were different conjectures 1. about eleven years or more as before said of the Jews deliverance from Babylon so should some like latitude be allowed to probable conjectures now Thus having set down a scantling of these times by which it may appear upon these and many other accounts that the times of the restitution of all things cannot be far off which should make all men be careful to prepare for them thereupon to be engaged the more to fight against their spiritual enemies the flesh the wold and the Devil and as Christ upon that account exhorts to exercise Christian watchfulness that their hearts be not overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness and cares of this life lest these times come upon them unawares Luke 21.34 35 36. and the rather because as he tells us they will come as a snare upon them that are in the whole earth See to this purpose the 9 Uses after the Tract on Rev. 22.20 Now as God created the world at first as the Apostle speaks by Jesus Christ the Spirit moving upon the face of the Waters Gen. 1.2 And as God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5.12 and also upon Christs Resurrection from the dead whereby he was declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of holiness Rom. 1.4 hath committed all power to Jesus Christ and accordingly afterwards gave him the Book with seven Seals Rev. 5. to open and execute the contents thereof to the end of the world and last Judgment So at the times of this New State God creates this New World for and gives it to his Son as a boon or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for doing all his Wills as was said of David and to his spiritual Seed with him as joynt-heirs thereof which will also be their sure Mercies of David Esai 55.3 and therefore it is said at his coming in the Clouds Dan. 7.13 14. there was given to him viz. by the Father Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all Nations People and Languages should serve him and therefore he also saith John 17.24 that the Glory he hath therein his Father hath given him and upon this great account also he bids his little flock not fear for it is his Fathers pleasure to give them the Kingdom and in reference unto both will all things then be made new for as God hath appointed him heir of all things so then he shall actually possess them as also ver 7. he promiseth to his overcomers that they shall inherit all things and the Apostle teacheth 2 Tim. 2.12 that those that suffer with him shall reign with him So that New State and Kingdom then is first and chiefly given to Christ which comprehends all the rest and is then prepared for Christ and those he then brings with him as his Spouse or Bride the Lambs Wife as her dowry at that great solemnity of the 1000 years And this the Fathers New Creation as it is deciphered Esai 65. will be a greater work than the first as the making of the spiritual New Creature is 2 Cor. 5.17 because here is a great incapacity in the world
Noah in our late Systeme preceding the Saints Resurrection 1. respecting Noah as a Type of Christs saving his as their true Ark at the overflowing de uge of the wicked worlds destruction at the beginning and end of the 1000 years Secondly in respect of that Covenant made with Noah for the worlds and Creatures preservation till those last times when the Scriptures also testifie the greatest fruitfulness also will be And thirdly in respect of his Prophesie Gen. 9. that the Posterity both of Shem the Jews and of Japhet the Gentiles as now we hinted should both in those times at both their second calls spoken of in Scripture Deut. 32.43 rejoyce together applied also Rom. 15. to those times with other Scriptures respecting the same c. The same times were pointed out by our four Computations of the Jews deliverance and the great enemies destruction out of Daniel and Revelation formerly explained in our Parallels The like may be observed from what we said before of the Tabernacle of God at the same time being with men and his dwelling with them c. ver 3 4. wherefore also the name of the City then seems to be called Jehovah Shamma the Lord is there Ezek. 48 last And at the same time the Sun is ashamed and the Moon confounded when the Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his Antients gloriously Esa 24.23 which all â—â—spect the same times The New Covenant upon the New giving of the Law after the first Tables were broken Deut. 30. to 11. especially respects Gods People the Jews in those times which seems to be the antient foundation in Moses writings of which divers like in the following Prophets are the confirmations and explications as Jer. 31.33 Ezek 36. more especially belonging to that people after their reduction from their great dispersions though applicable to all Abrahams spiritual Seed in the times of the Gentiles also Heb. 8.9 10 11. These times are also pointed out by the great solemnity of the Marriage of the Lamb with his Bride the 1000 years at the New Jerusalems coming down from God out of Heaven which great solemnity was prophesied of by the holy Kingly Prophet David Psal 45. when she shall have Sons whom she may make Princes in all Lands To which purpose is that excellent Song of Songs by Solomon as respecting the return of the Shulamite in the Book of the Canticles probably about the time the Bride is said to make her self ready Rev. 19.7 And Solomons peaceable Kingdom of old was but a Type of that peaceful and glorious Kingdom and state which Christ with his Saints at the said times of restitution of all things shall enjoy the 1000 years The Scepter and Dominion prophesied of by Balaam Numb 24. and according to Jocobs Prophesie placed in the Tribe of Judah said by him to be a Lyons whelp and the Ensigne thereof was also the Lyon accordingly Rev. 5. Christ is stiled the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah and in Ch. 22. stiles himself so when in those times he shall be as a strong Lyon to destroy his enemies Ps 110. who also is both the Root and Offspring of David Rev. 5. as will wonderfully 〈◊〉 manifest in the same times c. The first Adams casting out of Paradise compared with Christs Key for the restoring all the spiritual Seed to a Paradise in that State manifests it to be Gods designe from the beginning by that Goel or Deliverer promised to be at his second coming a more perfect Restorer of all things then than the Serpent Satan was or could be a corrupter or destroyer before it was called Abrahams bosom whether Christ said the Angels carried Lazarus his Soul but after by our Saviour was called Paradise at his death when he had purchased it and promised the Penitent Thief as we noted that he should be with him there that day and so the Apostle Paul said he was rapt up into the third Heaven or Paradise 2 Cor. 12. called after the Paradise of God in the world the 1000 years of Christs Reign with his Saints and so is coincident in the same times of the Restitution with the other The same times are also set forth by the world to come Heb. 2.5 and 1.6 as the general Deluge ended the Old World and began the New so the ruine of that last wicked Roman Monarchy in respect of each of those long God-provoking States therein viz. both Civil and Ecclesiastical with all the broken parts of the three former Monarchies Dan. 2. will end this world in the present state of things and Christs said 1000 years Reign in those times will begin that World to come and the Apostle Paul Ephes 1.21 uses the same distinction which by our Saviour had been laid down before when he taught that the sin against the Holy Ghost should neither be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Matth. 12.32 which will begin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the Father brings the Son again into the world viz. the second time as both Ancients and even Papists understand it when all the Elohim Angels shall worship him as Psal 97. Likewise the 42 Stages in the Childrens of Israel their passing through the Wilderness to possess the Land of Canaan was a Type of the womans the Christ ans's Church passing in her wilderness condition in the times of the Beasts 42 Moneths to attain in the issue to the New Jerusalem state in the said times of the restitution of all things or that redemption of the purchased possession as it seems Ephes 1.14 The restoring the Dominion over the Creatures lost by the fall of the first Adam was foretold by David to be obtained by Christ the second Adam Psal 8.4 5 6. c. as is explained and so applied by the Author to the Hebrews Chap. 2.6 7 8. which is another part of the Restitution of all things in the said times as we shewed And the said Creatures freedom from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Rom. 8.21 will be another ingredient to make up that blessed state and although the same holy man Heb. 2.7 did acknowledge that they did not then see all things in subjection unto him yet he declares in due time Phil. 2.9 10. That every knee of things in Heaven and Earth and under the earth shall bow and be subject unto that great King of the whole world And can it be conceived by rational men that these Divine truths are written in vain and that Christ when he takes to himself his great power shall not reign in these respects also unto the end of the world and have that honour reserved for him by Angels men and all Creatures in the world then It appears also to be the end and drift of all Revelation Prophesie by that general Doxologâ—â— Ch. 5.10 to the end by Angels men and all Creatures upon the fulfilling of the contents of