the Lord they pitched as Long as the Cloud abode upon the Tabernacle they rested in the Tents and when the Cloud tarryed long upon the Tabernacle many days â—hen the Children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and Jornyed not c. And therefore it is said Exod. 15.13 Thou in thy Mercy hast led forth thy people which thou hast redeemed thou hast guided them in thy strength to thy holy Habitation and again Psal 78.52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep and guided them in the Wilderness like a flock and he led them on safely so that they feared not And Deut. 32.11 12 13. As an Eagle stirreth up her Nest fluttereth over her Young spreadeth abroad her Wings taketh them beareth them on her Wings so the Lord alone did lead him and there was no strange God with him he made him ride on the high places of the Earth that he might eat the encrease of the fields c. Thirdly As a Captain saved deefnded and protected them as Exod. 14.19 20. And the Angel of God which went before the Camp of Israel removed and went behind them and the Pillar of the Cloud went from before their face and stood behind them and it came between the Tents of the Aegyptians and the Camp of Israel and it was a Cloud and darkness to them but it gave light by night to these so that the one came not near the other all the night And therefore it is said Numb 23 2â— The Lord his God is with him and the shout of a King is among them God brought them up out of Aegypt he hath as it were the strength of an Unicorn surely there is no inchantment against Jacob neither is there any Divination gainst Israel according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and Israel what hath God wrought And again Deut. 33.24 to the end There is none like the God of Jesurun who rideth upon the Heaven for thy help and in his excellency on the Skie the Eternal God is thy â—efuge and underneath are the Everlasting Arms and he shall thrust out the Enemy from before thee and shall say destroy them Israel then shall dwell in safety above the Fountain of Jaoob shall be upon a Land of Corn and Wine also his Heavens shall drop down Dew Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O People saved by the Lord the Shield of thy help and who is the Sword of thy excellency and thine Enemies shall be found lyers unto thee and thou shalt tread upon their high places Fourthly For Counsel and direction in all Cases and to that end was the Breast-plate of Judgment made called the Vrim and Thummim that the people might approach the Throne with it and enquire of the Lord on the peoples behalf as the matter required Num. 27.21 And Joshuah shall stand before Eliazar the Priest who shall ask Councel for him after the Judgment of Urim before the Lord at his Word shall they go out and at his Word they shall come in both he and all the Children of Israel with him even all the Congregation of which Breast-plate of Judgment you may read Exod. 28.15.29.30 And again Numb 27.1 That difficult case of the Daughters of Zelophâ—ad was in the fifth Verse brought before the Lord who gave direction therein as appeareth 6 7 8 9 10 11. And Fifthly as a great Captain General To fight their Battles and to give them victory over their Enemies whereof you have divers instances Num. 10.35 36. And it came to pass when the Ark set forward that Moses said Rise up Lord let thine Enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee flee before thee and when it rested he said Return O Lord unto the many thousands of Israeliâ—â—â— Josh 5 14. Nay but as a Captain of the Lords Host am I now come and Joshuah fell on his face to the Earth and did worship him c. From whence Caleb and Joshuah fetcht strength for faith in that difficult hour Numb 14.9 saying to their Brethren only Rebel ye not against the Lord neither fear ye the people of the Land for they are Bread for us their defence is departed from them and the Lord is with us fear them not and it is said the Glory of the Lord appeared in the Tabernacle of the Congregation and by the Ark compassing of Jerico Joshuah 6. the Walls thereof fell down which therefore gave Moses Cause in his Song Exod. 15.3 to say That the Lord was a man of War Jehovah was his name and in the 11. verse that there was none like unto him amongst the Gods being glorious in holiness fearful in praises doing wonders who doth but stretch out his hand and the Earth swallows up his Enemies where y that promise was fulfilled Lev. 26 7 8. And you shall chase your Enemies and they shall fall before you by the Sword and five of you shall chase a hundred and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight and your Enemies shall fall before you by the Sword Deut. 32.30 And again Num. 14.24 Behold the perple shall rise up as a great Lyon and lift up himself as a young Lyon he shall not lye down until he eat of the prey and drink of the Blood of the slain whereby Jerusalem became a burdensome stone to all people for all that burdened themselves with them was cut in pieces and the Governours of Judah became a Harth of fire among the Wood and a Torch of fire in a Sheaf devouring all the people round about on the right hand and on the left Sixthly As a potent Monarch to give them ease and rest Exod. 33.14 And he said my presence shall go with thee and give thee rest Joshuah 2â— 43 44 45. And the Lord gave unto Israel all the Land which he sware to give unto their Fathers and they possessed it and dwelt therein and the Lord gave them rest round about according to all that he sware unto their Fathers and then stood not a man of all their Enemies before them And the Lord delivered all their Enemies into their hand there failed not ought of any good which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel all came to pass From which six Considerations it might well be said as Jer. 8.19 Is not the Lord in Zion is not her King in her and by Gideon when they would have made him King Jug 8.23 I will not rule over neither shall my son rule over you the Lord shall rule over you And well might the Lord say to Samuel when the people would have a King like the Nations 1 Sam. 8.7 That they have not rejected thee but they have rejected me that I should not Reign over them the Lord God being their King 12.12 And no wonder that such Rebellion should be reckoned as one of their greatest sins and iniquities 1 Sam. 12.16 17 18 19 20. with Hos 9.15 Which said Throne with
at my right hand until I make thine Enemy thy foot-stool compared with Heb. 10.12 But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sat down on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his Enemies be made his foot-stool And therefore being as an overcomer he sat down with God upon his Throne and the Earth his foot-stool He is upon that Throne to reign till all his Enemies be brought down as 1 Cor. 15.25 26. For he must Reign till he hath put all Enemies under his feet the last Enemy that shall be destroyed is death So that it is most manifest by this positive position that Jesus Christ is to sit upon the Throne of Heaven at Gods right hand till all his Enemies be subdued yea till death it self as the last Enemy be conquered which will not be till the general Resurrection when it shall be said that death is swallowed up in Victory and Death and Hell shall be cast into the lake of fire Therefore by this received principle Christ shall not leave the Fathers right hand personally to encounter Dragon Beast and False-prophet who are to be fought with as is already proved and vanquished before the general Resurrection Nay before the thousand years at the beginning whereof many suppose is this personal coming and Resurrection of the Saints So that according to their apprehensions that seeming coming of Christ to war with the Saints against the Beast Dragon and False-prophet must admit of another sense which is also expressed Page 27 28. Secondly Neither can be properly be said to be personally present in the peaceable part or mountain state during the thousand years First Because besides the constant concurrence of Scripture the universal consent of all parties is that Christ comes not personally till the bodily Resurrection and that there is no bodily Resurrection either of Saints or sinners in the beginning of the thousand years Take these Eleven Arguments from Page 40. to 44. Secondly It appears from the former Argument of his being at the Fathers right hand till the general resurrection till Death the last Enemy be destroyed and if so then the thousand years is to be first over and the Battle of Gog before the general Resurrection shall take place and that this is true Doctrine appears also from all the considerable places that make mention of his personal coming and appearing viz. First From those Scriptures that assert that when he comes all the Saints shall come with him which cannot be short of the great Resurrection 1 Thes 3.3.13 To the end be may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God even our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints Luke 13.28 29. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abram and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God and your selves thrust out And they shall come from the East and from the West and from the North and from the South and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God 1 Thes 4.14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the Trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first 17. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Cor. 15.51 52. Behold I shew you a Mystery we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a Moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trump for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed 54. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory 55. O Death c. By which Scriptures it infallibly appears that at the coming of Christ all the Saints shall come with him The living Saints are to be changed and glorified The dead Saints to be raised and glorified But if this coming of Christ and Resurrection be to be understood at the beginning of the thousand years then cannot all the Saints come with him For as page 37 multitudes both of Jews and Gentiles are to be called and converted in the thousand years Therefore cannot it be short of the general Resurrection after the thousand years Secondly From those Scriptures that inform his coming to be at the general Resurrection p. 40. John 5.28 John 6.39 40.44.54 1 Cor. 15.51.52 1 Thess 4.16 Job 14 12. Job 19.25 26. Secondly From those several Scriptures that assign Christs coming to be at the General Judgement to Judge the wicked and the righteous which is also long after this thousand years Reign viz. 1. To Judge the Wicked 2 Thess 1.7 8. c. When the Lord shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels 8. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 9. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his Power 10. When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe c. 2 Tim 4.1 I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom Matth. 25.31 When the Son of man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory 32. And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepheard divideth his Sheep from the Goats 33. And he shall set the Sheep at his right hand but the Goats on the left 34. And then shall the King say to them on his right hand c. Jude 14 15. Verses And Enoch also the seventh from Adam Prophesyed of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are Ungodly amongst them c. Rev. 20.12 And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their works 2. To Judge the Righteous Matth. 25.34 Then shall the King say to them on his right hand c. Rev. 20.12 And another Book was opened which is the Book of Life c. Acts 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord 20. And he shall send Jesus Christ which before was Preached unto you 21. Whom the
that I may be glorified Isa 62.2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness and all Kings thy Glory Isa 11.4 With righteousness shall he Judge the Poor and reprove with Equity for the meek of the Earth and he shall smite the Earth with the Rod of his Mouth and with the breath of his Lips shall he slay the wicked 5. And righteousness shall be the Girdle of his Loins and faithfulness the Girdle of his Reins 6. The Wolf also shall dwell with the Lamb and c. 9. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my Holy Mountain for the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea Isa 2.4 And he shall Judge among the Nations and rebuke many people and they shall beat their Swords into Plowshares and their Spears into Pruning hooks Nation shall not lift up Sword against Nation neither shall they learn War any more Isa 32.16 17. Then Judgement shall dwell in the Wilderness and righteousness remain in the fruitful Field and the work of righteousness shall be peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever and my people shall dwell in a peaceable Habitation and in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places Isa 33.5 He hath fill'd Zion with judgement and righteousness 6. And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times Isa 66.12 I will extend peace to her like a River and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream c. Joel 3.18 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Mountains shall drop down new Wine and the Hills shall flow with Milk and all the Rivers of Judah shall flow with Waters and a Fountain shall come forth of the House of the Lord and shall water the Vally of Shittim Then Egypt shall be a desolation Amos 9.13 Behold the days come saith the Lord that the Plowman shall overtake the Reaper and the treader of Grapes him that soweth Seed and the Mountains shall drop sweet Wine and all the Hills shall melt Ezek. 34.26 And I will make them and the places round about them my Hill a blessing and I will cause the Shower to come down in his season there shall be Showers of blessing 27. And the Tree of the Field shall yield her fruit and the Earth shall yield her increase and they shall be safe in their Land c. 28. And they shall no more be a prey to the Heathen neither shall the Beasts of the Land devour them but they shall dwell safely and none shall make them afraid Isa 51.3 He will make her Wilderness like Eden and her Desert like the Garden of the Lord So Ezek. 36 35. Isa 49 10. They shall not hunger nor thirst neither shall the heat nor Sun smite them for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them even by the springs of Waters shall he guide them 12. Behold these shall come from far and lo these from the North and from the West and from the Land of Sinim Isa 65.21 And they shall build Houses and inhabit them and they shall plant Vineyards and eat the fruit of them 22. They shall not build and another inhabit they shall not plant and another eat for as the days of a Tree are the days of my people and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands 23. They shall not labour in vain and bring forth for trouble For they are the Seed of the blessed of the Lord and their Off-spring with them 25. The Wolf and the Lamb shall feed together and the Lion shall eat Straw like the Bullock And dust shall be the Serpents meat They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my Holy Mountain saith the Lord spoken of the New Heaven and New Earth State as Verses 17 18. Which golden Age is further described Psal 72.11.15 Isa 60.17 For Brass I will bring Gold and for Iron Silver and for Wood Brass and for Stones Iron To which peace and plenty is added the eminent protection that is vouchsafed in this day Isa 4 5 And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion and upon her assemblies a Cloud and smoke by day and shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the Glory shall be a defence 6. And there shall be a Tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat and for a place of refuge and for a covert from storm and from rain Zach 2.5 For I saith the Lord will be unto her a wall of fire round about and will be the glory in the midst of her The blessing also of which blessed reigning day consists much in the great Conversions that shall be effected both among the Jews and Gentiles by the publication of the Gospel Gentiles Conversion Psal 87.3 4 5. Glorious things are spoken of thee O City of God Selah 4. I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me behold Philistia and Tyre with Ethiopia This man was born there 5. And of Zion it shall be said this and that man was born in her and the highest himself shall establish her Isa 1.27 Zion shall be redeemed with Judgment and her converts with Righteousness Isa 11.10 And in that day shall be a root of Jesse which shall stand for an Ensign of the people to it shall the Gentiles seek and his rest shall be glorious 12. And he shall set up an Ensign for the Nations and shall assemble the out casts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the Earth Isa 60 5. Then thou shalt see and flow together and thy heart shall fear and be inlarged because the abundance of the Sea shall be converted unto thee the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee 6. The multitude of Camels shall cover thee The Dromedaries of Median and Epha all they from Sheba shall come they shall bring Gold and Incense and they shall shew forth the Praises of the Lord. 7. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee the Rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee They shall come up with acceptance on mine Altar and I will glorifie the house of my Glory 8. Who are these that fly as a Cloud and as the Doves to their Windows 9. Surely the Isles shall wait for me c. 10. And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls Isa 35.1 2. The Wilderness and solitary place shall be glad for them and the desert shall rejoyce and blossom as a Rose 2. It shall blossom abundantly and rejoyce even with joy and singing the Glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it the excellency of Carmel and Sharon They shall see the Glory of the Lord and the excellency of our God 5. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstoped 6. Then shall the Lame man Leap as an Hart and tongue of the dumb sing for in the
Wilderness shall waters break out and streams in the Desert Amos 9.11 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 and I will build it as in the days of old 12. That the may possess the Remnant of Edom and of all the Heathen which are called by my name saith the Lord that doth this which is interpreted Acts 15.16 the Conversion of the Gentiles to Christ Jesus Isa 19.24 In that day shall Israel be the third with Aegypt and with Assyria even a blessing in the midst of the Land 25. Whom the Lord of Hosts shall bless saying Blessed be Aegypt my people and Assyrya the work of mine hands and Israel mine Inheritance Zechar. 8.23 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts in those days it shall come to pass that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the Nations even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew saying We will go with you for we have heard that God is with you Rev. 21.24 And the Nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it and the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honour into it 27. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye but they which are written in the Lamb's Book of life Zech. 12.10 And I will pour upon the House of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and of Supplications and they shall look upon him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his first born Amos 9.10 And in that day I will raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen c. Rom. 11.15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the World what shall the receiving of them be but life from the Dead So the 23. And they also if they abide not still in unbelief shall be graffed in for God is able to graff them in again 24. For if thou wert cut out of the Olive Tree which is wild by nature and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good Olive Tree how much more shall these which be the natural branches be graffed into their own Olive Tree 25. For I would not Brethren that ye should be ignorant of this Mystery least you should be wise in your own conceits that blindness in part is hapned to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in 25. And so all Israel shall be saved as it is written There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer and shall turn away Vngodliness from Jacob. 4. The abounding of Holiness Isa 35.8 And an Highway shall be there and away and it shall be called the way of Holiness The unclean shall not pass over it but it shall be for those Joel 3.17 Then shall Jerusalem be Holy and there shall no stranger pass through her any more Zech. 14.20 In that day shall there be upon the Bells of the Horses Holiness unto the Lord and the Pots in the Lord's House shall be like the Bowls before the Altar 21. Yea every Pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be Holiness unto the Lord of Hosts and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the House of the Lord of Hosts Hos 9. Ezek. 44.9 Rev. 21.1 Isa 60.21 Thy people shall be all righteous Zeph. 3.13 The Remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity nor speak lyes neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths 2 Pet. 2.13 New Heavens and new Earth wherein dwells righteousness Rev. 21.1 And I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth 2. And I John saw the Holy City new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven c. 3. Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men c. 27. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth c. but they that are written in the Lamb's Book Outward and visible acts of Worship Rev. 88. Rev. 21. Freedom from Sorrow Pain and Sickness Isa 25.8 The Lord will in that day wipe away all tears from all faces and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the Earth for the Lord hath spoken it Isa 54.13 14. Thy Children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy Children In righteousness shalt thou be established thou shalt be far from oppression for thou shalt not fear and from terror for it shall not come near thee Isa 60 15. Whereas thou hast been forsaken I will make thee an eternal excellency violence shall be no more heard in thy Land the days of thy mourning shall be ended Isa 65.19 I will joy in my people and the voice of weeping or crying shall no more be heard in her Rev. 7.16 17. They shall hunger no more For the Lamb in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 21.4 God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more sorrowing nor crying nor pain Ezek. 28.24 Jer. 30.10 Superabounding pouring forth of the Spirit Joel 2.28 And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall Prophecy your old Men shall dream Dreams your Young-men shall see Visions 29. And also upon the Servants and upon the Hand-maids in those days will I pour out my Spirit Isa 32.15 Lastly The restauration of the Creature Isa 65.17 For behold I create a new Heavens and a new Earth and the former shall not be remembred no come into mind 25. The Wolf and the Lamb shall feed together c. Rom. 8.18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us 19. For the earnest expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God 21. Because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God c. This glorious and happy state of the Church in this your Rule Dignity and Soveraignity is called in Scripture the Kingdom of Christ and is so spoken off as if he was personally present with them in all this work before mentioned both in the conquering as well as peaceable part of the Kingdom First As to the Conquering part or as by way of distinction called the Kingdoms of the Stone it is called his Kingdom and spoke of as if he were personally present Dan. 2.44 And in the days of those Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people c. The interpretation of Verse 34. Thou sawest till that a Stone was cut out without hands which smote the Image upon his
Heaven must receive untill the times of Restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his Holy Prophets since the World began Hebr. 9.28 To them that look for him will he appear the second time without sin blotting out the sin to Salvation 1 Thess 2.9 For what is our hope or joy or Crown of Rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall we appear with him in Glory 1 John â— 2 Now are we Sons of God but it doth not yet appear what we shall be but when he shall appear we shall be like him Phil. 3.20 For our consolation is in Heaven from whence also we look for our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like his glorious body 1 Pet. 5.4 And when the chief Shepheard shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away By which Scriptures it fully appears that Christ's personal coming and appearing is not till the general Resurrection and general Judgement which are after this thousand years Reign Fourthly From those Scriptures that assign the dissolution of the Heavens and the Earth to be at his personal coming and appearing 2 Pet. 3.10 The day of the Lord shall come as a Thief in the Night in which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat The Earth also and the work therein shall be burnt up 12. Wherein the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved Rev. 20.11 From whose face the Heavens and the Earth fled away with Mark 13.24.25.26 By which it is further manifest that the thousand years Reign must be before Otherwise where will be that Building Planting Rule Government in this World when the Earth and all its works are burnt up Therefore of necessity must these things precede the personal coming and appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ In the next place Christs personal coming and appearing cannot be at this time from arguments taken from his high Priesthood and work of Mediation We read Hebr. 9.7 That the High Priest alone once every year not without blood did enter into the Holy place to offer for himself and the errours of the people c. But Verse 11 Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this Building 12. Neither by the blood of Goats and Calves but by his own blood he entered in once into the Holy Place having obtained eternal redemption for us 15. And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament c. 24. For Christ is not entered into the Holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us c. Hebr. 4.15 And there as our High-priest is he touched with the feeling of our infirmities being in a l points he was tempted like as we are yet without sin To encourage us to hold fast our profession and to come boldly to the Throne of Grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of our need who can have compassion on the ignorant and them that are out of the way Heb. 5.2 For if any sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous who is the propitiation for our sins c. 1 John 2.1 Who was in all things made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High-priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people For in that he himself suffered being tempted he is also able to succour them that are tempted Heb. 2.17 18. And an High-priest for ever after the order of Melchizedeck Heb. 5.6 Who ever lives to make intercession for us and to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him Hebr. 7.25 And this man because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable Priest-hood Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost c. For such an High-priest became us c. Heb. 7.24 25 26. So that whilest sinners are to be converted Saints are liable to sin suffering and temptation and have need to pray and be found in the use of Ordinances Yea whilst they have any thing to do with God short of eternal Glory they will stand in need of an Advocate Mediatour an Intercessour a Days-man But this is needful to the end of the World in and after the thousand years Therefore there is a necessity for the continuance of Christ's Mediation at the right hand of the Father whilst Sin Satan evil World and Death remain and till the Saints be safely entered into Eternal Rest Neither can he any more come off from that work till he hath completed it then the High-priest was to come off from within the Vail till he had perfected the work for which he entered the Holy Place Therefore it will be very dangerous to hold out any Doctrine that may entrench upon this great office of the Mediatour Again neither can Christ personally appear with all the raised and glorified Saints in the thousand years Reign from the consideration of the special work that is to be transacted therein altogether unsuitable for Glorified Angelical Spiritual Bodies viz. To fight and wage War with material Swords To dispense Laws to manage humane policies in the administration of Judgement and Justice amongst men as well in the execution of Justice upon Transgressours as to encourage the Well-doers to build to plant c. To share of worldly peace and plenty To Preach the Gospel dispense and partake of Ordinances or to partake of the great Spiritual blessing in the pouring out of the Spirit proper onely for natural bodies and humane capacities and how incongruous it is for mortal and immortal glorified and unglorified Heavenly and Earthly bodies to converse and transact together is already manifest Upon which considerations we cannot suppose that Christ can personally be present in either part of the Kingdom necessitating therefore some other sense to those former Scriptures seeming to hold out the same more agreeable to Truth and current of Scripture Object But you will say in what sense can you suppose Christ to be said to come to be with his people to fight against enemies to Reign and sit upon a Throne if not personally To the first concerning Christs coming it is necessary that we should take notice of a fourfold coming of Christ in the Scriptures viz. A Personal a Spiritual a Mystical and a providential coming each of which may also be used in a double sense First He is said to come in person when he came in the flesh to take our Nature upon him 1 John 4.2 and Heb. 10. and also when he comes the second time without sin to
of the Land of Magog the head of Mesheck and Tubal the enemy of Israel Gen 10.3 Ezek. 38.39 For this came out of the North parts ours from the four corners of the Earth This appeared at the beginning of Israels Restoration ours after the 1000. years of the Kingdom of the Saints following the Restoration of Jerusalem This before Christs coming in the Flesh ours before his coming to Judgement But another Gog the enemy of the Church of the Gentiles to come immediately before the Resurrection of the Dead and farther it is plain that this Gog and Magog bear not the room of a subject but a convenient Title by which those Nations of the four Quarters might be declared as if he would have said the Nations in the four Quarters Spiritually called Gog and Magog Of the Camp of the Saints and Beloved City THose terms of Camp and City are allusions to Israels twofold state under the Tabernacle and Temple dispensation Of the order of Israels Camp state we read Numb 2. Wherein the Tabernacle of God with the 24 Courses of the Priests and Levites were placed in the midst all the Tribes under their four Standards pitching their Tents round about it Which is alluded to Rev. 4. And may greatly help the explanation thereof Then the City State was under Solomon after the erecting of the Temple to which glorious and beautiful condition this alludes Rev. 21.10 c. Holds forth the excellency it being câ—lled the great City the Holy Jerusalem where it is described in all its â—lory and Dimensions called here the Beloved City In opposition to the City of the Nations the great City Babylon containing the â—nti-Christian nay whole World in their Policies and Governments So here the Extent of this City and Camp of the Saints is held forth to be no less then the whole Earth as large in extent as the City of the Nations Christ's Government extending all the World over from Sea to Sea Ps 72.8 Isa 44.6 Of the Fire from Heaven that destroyeth Gog. And Fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured them THis destruction as typt out in the Gog Magog destruction Ezek. 38. Is here alluded to That as fire came down from Heaven to destroy them So is it here for now is the time that Christ shall come in flaming Fire taking vengeance of his enemies destroying the Heavens also and the Earth and all its works by fire and this in order to the next Scene to be acted viz. The Resurrection of the Dead and Eternal Judgement Of the General Judgement AFter the Saints Reign the Gog Magog gathering and destruction Now in order comes the Lord Jesus in person in the Glory of the Father the Saints Glory and in the glory of all the Holy Angels with the sound of the Trumpet and Voice of the Archangel The Sea Grave and Death giving up their Dead that there may be a general Resurrection of the Just and Unjust And then the preparing of the Throne the sitting of the Judge the opening of the Books the producing of the Witnesses in order to the general Judgement of great and small who are to be judged according to their works by Christ who Judges the quick and dead at his appearing and Kingdom A Paraphrase upon the 20. of Revelations THe Powers and Potentates of the whole World 1. And I saw an Angel come down from Heaven having the Key of the bottomless Pit and a great Chain in his hand whether Heathen or Antichristian being thus vanquished by Christ and his followers under the terms of fighting with and overcoming a Dragon Beast and false Prophet with the Kings of the Earth and whole World in the great Battel in the former Chapter and the Authority consequently now in the hands of the Saints John here in a Vision hath represented to him the Churches Soveraignity in a figure viz. By the Emblematical Representation of a Chain and a Key ensigns of Power in the hand of their Mystical and Spirirual Head though in this Vision their Representative the Lord Jesus is called here an Angel as Rev. 10.1.12.17 2. And he laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devil and Satan and bound him a 1000. years And having judged and utterly razed the Antichristian state both in its Magistracy and Ministry by the figurative Representation of taking a Beast and false Prophet and casting them alive into a Lake of Fire doth here for the better securing the Churches quiet and peaceable Rule 3. And cast hâ—m into the bottomless Pit and shut him up and set a Seal upon him that he should deceive the Nâ—tions no morâ— till the 1000. years should be fulfilled and after that he must be loosed a little season wholy cancel and vacate the Heathen Empire also for a thousand years as in the Vision is set forth by the taking a Dragon and casting him bound into a bottemless pit and shutting him up and Sealing him therein the proper Emblem of the now ruined Pagan State the Dragon or Devil being also the Spiritual or Mystical head thereof and here in the Vision their representative As in 12. Chapter by an Angel fighting with overcoming and casting to the Earth a Dragon is held forth the Victory the Church at that day gets over the Heathen Roman Empire So here by the Angels binding him in a pit is the utter extinction of that Power a thousand years the time limited plainly discovered 4. And I saw Thrones and they sat upon them and Judgement was given to them and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God and which had not worshâ—pped the Beast neither his Image neither had received his mark in their Foreheads or in their right hand and they lived and Reigned with Christs a 1000. 5. But the rest of the dead lived not again till the 1000. years were finisht This is the first Resurrection 6. Blessed and Holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power but they shall be Priests of God and of Christ and shall Reign with him a 1000. years The enemies of the Church thus casheired and turned off the Stage John hath a further discovery of their setled and happy Rule and Authority by the Vision of the Resurrection of a company of dead and Martyred Saints the proper Emblem of the Church during the Antichristian Tyranny who for witnissing to Christ and not Worshipping the Beast cannot in a civil sense at least be esteemed other ascending Thrones of Judgement And as blessed and holy ones freed from the second Death Reigning with or under the Lord Jesus as Kings and Priests whilst their enemies the Worshippers of the Beast are now as so many dead men at their feet during this space of a thousand years which is called the first Resurrection viz. The mystical general Resurrection that in order of time
general name therefore in a figure to the Church of God both under the Law and under the Gospel And which famous City as considered under the Law passed a threefold state all very significant viz. 1. Her pure and primitive state in the days of Solomon 2. Her ruined desolate state in the time of the Babylonish Captivity 3. Her renewed restored state after the return of the Captivity All which were eminently Typical to the Gospel Church First Because her pure and primitive state in the days of Christ and his Apostles answered that of Solomon wherein a City state was asserted Eph. 2.19 Heb. 12.22 A greater then Solomon being there Math 12.42 Secondly Because her Apostate and ruined state in the time of Antichrist wherein her City state was defaced and ruined trode under foot Rev. 11.2 answered that of the Babylonish Captivity Thirdly Her renewed and restored state here foretold and Prophecyed of is to answer that eminent and glorious restoration in the Type wherein the glory of that latter House excelled according to Prophecy the glory of the former Hag. 2.9 Therefore called New Jerusalem because in all respects she is made so in this her Renovation and held forth in all this beauty and splendour not only to answer the Type and to fulfill the words of the Prophets that under the terms of an illusterious beautiful City foretells the Churches order peace purity pollicy gifts grace and flourishing state in the latter day but also that she might confront and utterly confound her Antithesis that great City Babylon that as the Lady and Mistress of Kingdoms a well favoured Harlot has by her counterfit glory inchanted and bewitched the Nations called Great Because as Jerusalem in the Type bore sway over the Nations and had her Inhabitants all the World over and as great Babylon extended her Territories as well as her rule and authority all the world over so must this great City Jerusalem extend â—â— her rule authority and influence all the ver become the joy of the whole Earth to whom the Kings of the Nations must bow and bring presents even all their honour and glory Ps 72.8 9 10 11.15 Rev. 21.24 Called Holy 1. Because of that purity and holiness that through the powering out of the Holy Spirit upon her shall now abound in so much that upon the very Bells of the Horses and upon the Poâ—s in the Sanctuary shall then be Holiness Zach. 14.1 Held out by this golden state the City being all of pure transparent gold as well as the streets thereof of the same implying that the constitution thereof is not only so but the whole course of the conversation is the same also 2. Because of that exact keeping to holy rule and order in the faithful observation of the form of the House and the fashion thereof the Laws Statutes and Ordinances thereof the comings in thereof and the goings out thereof c. which being the law of the House upon the top of the Mountains the whole limit thereof shall be holy Ezek. 43.11 12. Rev. 22 14. 3. Because there is no unclean person or thing to enter or abide in it as Verse 8. and 27. Isa 35.8 9. Rev. 22.15 Zach 14.21 Joel 3.17 4. Because of the abiding of holy presence therein the Tabernacle of God being now with men who himself will dwell and walk with them 21.3 The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb is to be the Temple thereof and the Throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it 22.3 Babylon its true her opposite is represented to us as great and called the great City and reason good Because she is said to Reign over the Kings of the Earth Rev. 17.18 Yet is she not said to be holy but the quit contrary being the unclean filthy polluted and bloody City compared to Sodom and Egypt and apostate Jerusalem Rev. 11. Being the hold and receptacle not onely of every soul Spirit viz. Filthy locusts Rev. 9. Vnclean Frogs said to be the spirits of Devils Rev. 16.13 14. Zâ—im and Jim Esai 13.21 But the cage of every unclean and hateful Bird 18.2 viz. Owls and Satyrs and such like doleful Creatures Isa 13 21. Whose Inhabitants therefore we have set forth under eight Characters Rev. 21.8 viz. To be the fearful the unbelieving the abominable the Murderers the Whoremongers the Sorcerers the Idolaters and the Lyers Of the Cities descent from Heaven And descended out of Heaven from God THat the City or Church of God especially in this state did descend from Heaven may appear if we consider First That all her Members are Heaven-born viz. born of God born of the Spirit born from above John 3.7.1.13 begotten of his Will by the Word of Truth Jam. 1.18 and brought forth in Zion where it must be written that this and that man was born in her Psal 87.4 And therefore called Jerusalem from above the mother of us all Gal. 4.26 Secondly That all the Rules Orders Laws Governments are the Statute-Laws of Heaven her High-priest Prophâ—â— and King coming from thence John 3.13.31 32 33. Heb. 1.1 Thirdly That her raising out of the dust her coming up out of the Grave the return of her Captivity the advancement to this pitch of Beauty and excellency is by the special ordering of Divine power and Providence from first to last and that in such an eminent and visible manner that as the Prophet saith It shall be seen known and understood that the hand of the Lord hath done it and the Holy one of Israel hath created it Fourthly That the Glory and special presence of the Lord hath descended from Heaven resting and remaining upon her The quite contrrry is true of that other opposite City Babylon who ascends with her Head and Governours from beneath even out of the Bottomless pit and therefore hath all her affairs transactions and concerns be managed by that wisdom which cometh from below which is Earthly Sensual Devilish Of the Glory of God upon her Having the Glory of God and her light was like unto a Stone most precious even like a Jasper Stone clear as Chrystal verse 11. THis is a further and fuller discovery that the Church is returned out of her Captivity because the Lord hath returned his Glory unâ—o her When she went into Captivity her Glory departed from her now she returns again she receives therewith her former Glory which begins upon the pouring out of the Vials Chap. 15.8 in allusion to Exod. 40.34 1 Kings 8.10 11. Thus it was in the type when Jerusalem went into Captivity under the King of Babylon it is said the Glory of God departed from them and went by degrees first out of the Temple to the Threshold of the house then off from the City then to the Mountain and so by degrees quite away Ezek. 10.4.18.11.22 23 c. But when their Captivity returned so did the Glory also and that in the same way it departed as Ezek. 40.1 2.3 4 5 6. In