Adom but is to begin after the Armageddon battel which will be the last and fatal blow whereby the Beast and false Prophet shall be for ever cashiered out of the world and last a thousand years and no longer Ergo this resurrection is not regeneration 3. He that hath part in the first resurrection shall live and reign with Christ a thousand years but no regenerate man did ever live so long in a state of regeneration Ergo regeneration cannot be meant by this resurrection 4 No man is regenerate after death but the men that were beheaded did live and reign with Christ a thousand years after they were beheaded Ergo this life and reign cannot be meant of regeneration 5 The men that were beheaded c. are not any of them excluded from reigning with Christ a thousand years but if the first resurrection be meant of regeneration then begin the account when you will and many shall be excluded To instance suppose we begin at the death of Steven Acts. 7. who was the first that was slain for the witnesse of Jesus and the Word of God The thousand years were then ended about six hundred years ago and all that were beheaded since are excluded from reigning with Christ a thousand years Or suppose we begin with Constantine as many desire the thousand years were then ended about three hundred years ago and so they that were beheaded before the days of Constantine are excluded from the thousand years and they that have been beheaded since in the last three hundred years are excluded also Ergo. 6. He that hath a part in the first resurrection hath a share in the thousand years whether he were beheaded or no as appears ver 6. before mentioned but they that were regenerate before the death of Christ had a part in the first resurrection if we understand it of regeneration and yet they had no part in the thousand years because they were dead before And they that have been regenerated since the thousand years are supposed to be ended had also a part in the first resurrection i e in regeneration yet they had no share in the thousand years because they are supposed to be ended before they were regenerate Ergo 7 If the first resurrection be meant of a Spiritual resurrection then when it is said that the rest of the dead lived not again till the thousand years were ended That must be meant of a spiritual resurrection too for the words they lived not again ver 5 are opposed to the words they lived ver 4. and so consequently to the first resurrection as is proved before But this latter clause is not meant of a Spiritual resurrection for then the rest of the dead should be regenerate when the thousand years are ended and then none should be for ever damned which most exactly contradicts the Text Rev. 20.15 Whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of fire Ergo no spiritual but a corporal resurrection is meant If by the word Donec until we understand nunquam never as some would have it this is contrary to the Scripture too For when it is said ver 3. Satan shall deceive the Nations no more until the thousand years be fulfilled the meaning is he should them not deceive while the thousand years continued but should have liberty to deceive them afterwards So when it is said the rest of the dâ—ad lived not again until the thousand years wâ—re finished the meaning must of necessiâ—y be they lived not again whise the thousand years continued but are to live again when the thousand years are ended but then they are not to live again by a Spiritual resurrection therefore that is not the meaning of the words but the meaning is they shall live again in a bodily resurrection But if this latter clause be meant of a bodily resurrection then the former clause where it is said the souls of them that were beheaded lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years is meant of a bodily resurrection quod erat demonstrandum But thus I have done with that first misunderstanding of this Text to understand it of regeneration which I confess I le not for these and other reasons how it can be Neither yet can it be meant of a life of of Glory in Heaven as some others would have it For John was not called to Heaven to see things to be done there but to see things there to be done on Earth Rev. 4 1. A door was opened in Heaven and he called to come up for what end to see things that must be hereafter Where in Heaven No! but on Earth see Rev 6.1 2 3. And all done on Earth Those things that were represented to John in Heaven shall be done on Earâ—h As the Vision of the Woman and the great red Dragon represented to him in Heaven but fulfilled on the Earth There is not one instance can be given of any thing in the Revelation that is to be fulfilled in Heaven except the Text do express it so to be which it doth not here for the Apocalyps is a Revelation of things to be fulfilled on Earth Besides it cannot be meant of a life in Heaven because many of those who were killed have lived this life before these thousand years and the life in Heaven is not a life to end when these thousand years are ended Nor can that life be called a living again or a resurrection for that life and happiness of the Saints is not the restoring of a life lost but the enâ—oyment and possession of a New life It is therefore a Corporal life which at length the life from the dead after the final destruction to the Beast and false Prophet in the day of Christs second coming which will be the time of the resurrection first of the first and secondly of of the second The reign of these souls that is of the dead now living as soon as ever they are united to their bodys will be a raign upon Earth as plainly appears Rev 5.1 â— And hast made us Kings and Pâ—iests unto God and we shall reign on the EARTH Either then this shall be on the Earth or else the four and twenty Elders were mistaken in their doxologie Now what is there said in terminis is here in this 20 chapter said to be fuâ—filled ver 4. and 6. They lived and reign-with Christ a thousand years and they shall reign with him a thousand years which cannot be meant as I said of Heaven after the day of Judgement for that is longer then a thousand years nor of the Kingdom of Heaven before the day of Judgement for that also is more then a thousand years but of a Kingdom they shall have on Earth as the words plainly shew in the fore cited Text Rev. 5 1â— Besides that this Kingdom and the Saints reign shall be on Earth may be gathered from two things in the Text which offer themselves to leave this
second coming Luke 17.20 to the 26. 9. It seems altogether absurd for us to think that Christ should come in Glory and Majesty to the ordering and exercise of his Kingdom his Kingdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 4.1 and presently the very same day give over his Kingdom again 1 Cor. 15 24. and so on delivering it up to the Father The King of such a Kingdom might not unfitly be compared to Jonas his Gourd which was a shade to his head and protected him from the heat so that he very much rejoyced in it but that joy was but a short joy for it sprung up in a day and it withered in a day What other men can I know not but I cannot think that the Lord Jesus Christ should descend from Heaven with all his Saints accompanied with glorious Angels enter upon his Kingom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I said before order it with judgement and justice executing righteousness in the Earth compose a glorious Metropolis of those sinless sorrowless joyful immortal Saints who descended and came with him from heaven and cause the rest who are godly in all the world who are called the Nations that are saved Rev. 21.24 For then there will be a very great and unparallelable conversion but yet in another state to walk in the light thereof and take their directions thence Will he thus make all things new and cause things old to pass away had the Saints an eye to look through all those sad and sharp calamities of a thousand and six or seven hundred years continuance unto this time as they do Rev. 5.10 did all the Prophets so esee and speak of these glorious times and things did the Apostles make so many queries and Christ so many promises referring to this time and state I say shall all this be and many things more that might he named and all but for a day and then to end I can never I freely confesse believe it 10. Because the Church is rightly divided into Militant and Triumphant but this triumphant is one Partial another Total one Inchoate another Consummate The faithful now triumph in heaven in respect of their souls they shall also triumph in respect of their bodies this triumph is inchoate here upon Earth and consummate in Heaven And so great is the affection and inclination of the blessed souls in Heaven unto their bodies to which they were united that they had rather be with them in some kind of conflict though then there will be none then without them in full and perfect triumph 11. Because they who interpret the precedent chapter viz. Rev. 19. of some begun destruction of Antichrist preceding Christs second coming but not of the full and final destruction of Antichrist at Christs second coming do flatly contradict the plain texts of Scripture Rev. 16.14 15. Rev. 17.14 Rev. 19.18.20 21. And do directly oppose themselves to all Orthodox Antiquity yea to Hierom and Aâ—stin themselves to whom they are wont every where to appeal even in this very controversie it self 12. Because this interpretation of the reign of the Martyrs or of the Saints â—or I take them for one and the same and of Christ upon Earth is no more incident to some Labyrinths and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then some other interpretations concerning the second and last resurrection judgement which opinion notwithstanding is no whit to be rejected because by Epicures and some Phylosophers and Stoicks and others that have alwaies been exploded as fabulous and false and are by many others derided as loaden especially as they think who have not well digested and studied it with many absurdities In so great a Mystery it will be sufficient to know the truth in the main and the matter in general and not curiously to tearch into the reason of every circumstance and punctilio The Matter is grounded upon the undeniable sequel of the b See Mede's clavis apochalyptica part 2 synchr 4.5.6.7 where the 1000. years are placed after the ruine of the beast and proved to follow it Apochalyptick order and consent of other Scriptures especially Prophetical which do most wonderfully confirm the same It is known to a Proverb that one fool may object more then ten wise men can presently answer yet I freely professe I finde this truth so plain si dere non de modo loquimur that I know not any thing that can be objected which admits not of a very fair and plain solution Those Objections therefore which are usually urged and may perchance be in the minds of some I shall with the readers good leave speak next to with all brevity Object 1 How can this principle hold good for doth not Christ tell us that his Kingdom is not of this world John 18.36 To this Objection I answer 1. That these words are to be understood of his first and not of his second coming 2. It is not of its world ratione originis in respect of the original but it is in the world in respect of place If my Kingdom saith our Saviour were of this world understand it as he there speaks it of that his first coming then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jewes but now is my Kingdom not from hence i.e. of this world as he said before Note also the word NOW now or at this time my Kingdom is not from hence or of this world 3. It is not of this world ratione conditionis in respect of its condition Thus the disciples and Christ himself were not of this world John 8.23 Ye are speaking of the carnal Jews from beneath I am from above ye are of this world I am not of this world John 15.19 If ye were of the world Christ speaks it to his disciples the world would love his own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you So John 17.14 The world hateth them viz. the disciples of Christ because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world And they are not of the world quantùm ad affectionem mundanam as to worldly affection but they are in the world quantùm ad corporalem praesentiam as to corporal presence We say the like of Christs Kingdom est terrenum ratione loci Coeleste raâ—â—one conditionis it is earthly in respect of place it is heavenly in respect of condition place and condition are two things 4. It is not of THIS world so the words run 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of the world that now is but of the world that is to come For the world that now is shall be changed and in that respect shall cease to be and another world shall be erected or come in place called in Scripture the world to come And in that world to come shall that Kingdom of Christ be Heb 2.5 and 2 Pet. 3.13 Rev. 21.1 Object 2 But it is said Job
14.12 That man lieth down and riseth not till the Heavens be no more they shall not awake nor be raised out of their sleep If this be so how can this Doctrine of the Millennium hold good Answ 1 This Text is to be understood of the ordinary course of Gods Providence man lieth down and riseth not in the ordinary course of Gods Providence till the Heavens be no more but if God will have Lazarus the Widows son and others raised before by a power extraordinary this text of Scripture doth not contradict or say against it but this comes not close to our purpose 2. This Text of Scripture is to be understood of a Resurrection to this present life As we may see it more plainly expressed Job 7.9.10 He that goeth down to the Grave shall come up no more i.e. to the enjoyment of this present life and possessions for he adds he shall return no more to his house neither shall his place know him any more He shall not return as Lazarus did to live again a natural life after his resurrection and die again But the resurrection we speak of in this place is to another life and they that have a part in it do not die again as Lazarus did nor do they live a natural or mortal life as he did but are as the Angels of God in Heaven as Christ tells us Mat. 22 30 3. Till the Heavens be no more is as much in other language as till the day of Judgment in which sense it is true man lies down and riseth not till the day of Judgment Now the first resurrection is not till the day of judgment but at the beginning of it or in the morning thereof And the second resurrection at the latter end of it or in the evening of it when the thousand years are finished Again till the Heavens be no more i.e. till these Heavens be no more for we look for new Heavens and a new Earth 2 Pet. 3.13 Object 3 It will be disadvantageous to the Saints in Heaven to be fetched out of Heaven out of blisse to be brought down to the Earth into the world again Answ 1 If the souls in Heaven were in perfect blâ—sse this were somwhat to the purpose But though they be in Heaven yet they are not in perfect blisse as they shall be when the day of Judgment shall be ended And to omit other things there is a twofold imperfection of the blessed souls now in Heaven 1. There is an imperfection in respect of number there wants the full and compleat number of Gods Elect Heb. 11 ult that they without us should not be made perfect 2. There is imperfection ratione totius compositl i.e. in respect of the whole composition the body which is a part of the whole man is yet in corruption ergo that while there is imperfection viz. a part wanting Answ 2 If therefore the bodies of the Saints were in Heaven as well as their souls this were somthing but though their souls be in Heaven yet their bodies as I said before are in a state of corruption in the grave till the resurrection and can it be any disadvantage for them to come and take their bodies or stay on earth till the great Judgment be finished 3. If the souls of the Saints were to live again in their mortal bodies subject to calamities as the body of Lazarus was then this objection were somthing but their bodies shall be sinlesse sorrowlesse tearlesse and immortal These I think cannot be any way disadvantageous to them 4. If they were to be on earth without Christ this were somthing But the text saith they live and reign Wâ—TH Christ and they shall not be absent from him one moment Rev 20.4.6 Yea we shall saith the Apostle 1 Thes 4.17 be ever with the Lord. And what disadvantage can it be to be with Iesus Christ 5. If Happinesse were affixed to Heaven that it could be no where else there were some strength in this objection But Christs transfiguration tells us that Happiness may be had with Christ on earth Mat. 17.14 So we read 1. Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor eare heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Which is not meant of Heaven only but of this heavenly time on earth also to be within the thousand years 6. Lastly if Heaven it self as it is a place would make men happy and earth as a place would make men miserable then this were somwhat But alas Heaven as a place makes not any soul happy but as God is there and manifests his glory there with comfort to the soul The earth makes not any man miserable meerly as a place but because Satan is there and sin is there and wicked men are there as tares among wheat and Christ is not there But if Satan were bound and cast into the bottomless pit and if wicked men be removed from among the Church and Christ remove his Court from Heaven to earth as in the thousand years he will then the case will be altered and earth will becom a Paradise and as happy a place to the Saints as Heaven is now These things being considered conjunctim or together what disadvantage will it be to the souls of the Saints to live in their sinlesse sorrowlesse joyful immortal bodies with the Lord ' Jesus Christ Object 4 The Scripture seems to tell us plainly that all the dead both good and bad shall be raised in one houre in the last day in the same moment in the twinâ—kling of an eye there cannot then be a thousand years distance between the one and the other for all the dead are said to rise in one houre Iohn 5.28 29. The houre is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and come forth they that have done good unto theresurrection of life And they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation Iohn 11.24 I know that he shall rise again in theresurrection at the last day And Iohn 6.40 I will raise him up at the last day So 1 Cor. 15.52 In a moment in the twinkling of aneye at the last trump for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised c. Answ 1 We are to put a difference between an hour in general and an houre in special Now what is an houre in general but time in general and what is an houre in special but the twenty fourth part of a natural day and when our Saviour saith the houre is coming he doth not mean the last of these but the first the time is coming in the compasse whereof all that are in the Graves shall come forth c. they that have done good to the resurrection of life in the morning of the day of Judgment or the beginning of the thousand years and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation in the evening of the
very same night In that day the Heavens shall passe away with a noise and the Elements melt c. which shall not be done simul semel together and at once as is manifest in the words dissolved melt burnt up which require an order of time for their accomplishment But when that is done v 13. we expect a new Heaven and a new Earth according to his promise which is in Esay 65.17 wherein dwells righteousnesse Mark it I pray you a new Heaven and a new Earth is expected in the second coming of the Messiah But what is meant by Heaven and Earth in the Prophetick stile when they lose their literal signification surely nothing else but the Church and Commonwealth and when it is said that we look for these new it is in one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a new world to come or in two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 new Heavens i. e. new Churches and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a new Earth i. e. a new Common-wealth all is new all old Church and Common-wealth fashions passe away Rev. 21.1 and there will be new Churches and new Commonwealths wherin dwells righteousnesse And truly it must needs be a new world Ecclesiastical and Civil Polities must needs be new when Satan who did rule is bound and Christ who was rejected reigns when righteousnesse dwells where sin did rage when all tears shall be wiped away and there shall be no more crying sorrow or pain ¶ Lastly the Apostle John not only in that 20th chapter of which I have already spoken but also elsewhere frequently in the Revelation speaks clearly of this glorious Kingdom of Christ upon earth Of those many places I shall name a few See therefore Rev. 2.26 He that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end to him will I give power over the Nations Surely this refers not to Heaven but to this time of Christs Kingdom we are speaking of So we have that which is as plain as words can make it Rev. 5.10 We shall reign on the earth What can be the meaning of this is it not what Christ promised Mat. 5.5 Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth and what shall be fulfilled when the Kingdom is given to the Saints and Christ shall reign So Rev. 11.15 In the dayes of the seventh Trumpet which is a Trumpet of consummation these voices were heard Now all the Kingdoms of the world are becom the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever And v 17. Thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned And that you may know that this Reign and Kingdom is circumscribed within the Great day of Judgment he tells you v. 18. That this is the time of the dead that they should be judged And that saith the Text thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the Prophets and to the Saints and to them that fear thy Name small and great and shouldest destroy them that destroy the Earth Also Rev. 19 6. speaking of the same time the Church breaks out in a song of oy saying Halleluiah for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth The Marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her self ready Also when John tells us Rev. 20.4 that the Saints lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years we must ever remember which is the only thing I shall here adde that it is one thing for Christ to reign in his Saints and another for the Saints to reign wiâ—h Christ the former was all the time of the Beast the latter is not to be till the Beast be destroyed and Saâ—an bound and the Messiah corn again But though it were easie to be almost infinite in the proof of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this point yet knowing that as some will think I have been too large so others will yet think all too little to convince them I shall therefore only suspend any further proof until I have given you som reasons of this Interpretation of these and such like texts and answered some of those common objections that against this are usually objected unless these may be so ordered as to contain yet further proof And first I shall offer these following Reasons of this Interpretation and why I chuse to believe this to be a truth however by many much decried 1. Because all those places of Scripture in the Old Prophers which foretel a certain glorious and happy estate of the Church upon earth should never be fulfilled here upon earth unless there be a long tract of time appointed for the fulfilling of them wherein Antichrist being conquered and the devil chained up in the bottomless pit the Saints might live safely in the enjoyment of all spiritual and heavenly delights Let us see amongst many two or three Scriptures for this Isa 60.11 to the end Therefore thy gates shall be open continually they shall not be shut day nor night that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles and that their Kings may be brought For the Nation and Kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish yëa those Nations shall be utterly cut off The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending to thee and all they that despised thee shall bow down themselves at the soles of thy feet and they shall call thee the City of the Lord the Zion of the Holy One of Israel I will make thee an eteâ—nal Excillency a Joy of many generations Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles and shalt suck he brèast of Kings and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer the mighty One of Jacob. I will also mâ—ke thy Officers Peace and thy Exactors Righteousnesse Viotence shall no more be heard in thy Lend wasting nor destâ—uctiâ—n within thy borders but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation and thy gates Praise The Sun shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord God shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glâ—ry Thy Sun shall no more go down neither shall thy Moon withdraw it self for the Lord shall beâ—th ne everlasting light and the dayes of thy mourning shall be ended Thy people also shall be all righteous they shall inherit the Lana for ever the branch of my planting the work of my handâ— that I may be glorified A little one shall becom a thousand and a small one a strong Nation I the Lord will hasten it his time Isa 65.17 to the end ' For behold I creare new Heavens and a new Earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind but be you glad and rejoyce for ever in that which I create for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her people a Joy And I will rejoyce in Jerusalem and joy in my people and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her nor the voice
Saints departed are in Heaven and they live with Christ in blisse though as I have before proved not in perfect blisse and they shall there continue till the day of Judgement at the beginning whereof the thousand years begin and not before 2. If we speak of the time during the day of Judgement we say that the souls of the Saints shall remove from Heaven as Christ himself shall and be united to their bodies and shall remain with Christ on Earth till the preat day of Judgement be ended which ends not till the thousand years be also ended 3. If we speak of the time after the day of Judgâ—ment â—â—ended we say that the Saints shall remove from Earth to Heaven where they shall remain for ever with Christ Thus we see the reign of the Saints is at several times in both places Object 13 We read Exod. 34.30 That when Asron and all the children of Israel saw Moses behold the skin of his face shone end they were afraid to come nigh him Even so if the Saints should live again on the Earth with and in their glorified bodies we should do and be the like viz. affraid to come near them And so there could be no communion between their glorified bodies and ours Answ 1 Were not the bodies that the Angels had glorious bodies yet Abraham and Lot were not affraid to come nigh them Gen. 18.2 He ran to meet them So Gen. 19.2 2. Were not the bodies of Moses and Elias glorified bodies when they appeared to Christ on the Mount and yet the Disciples could endure their presence Matth. 17.4 3. Was not Christs body glorified after his Resurrection yet his Disciples could converse with him and he with them as the Evangelists declare Matth. 28. Marke 16. Luke 24. Iohn 20.21 All testifying the frequent appearing of Christ to his Discipler 4. As Moses put a veil over his face while he was talking with them so that his face did not offend them So the Saints can hide their glory is Christ did (a) Marke 16 12. Luk. 24.16 his resurrection so as that it shall not be offensive to the godly mortal saints And they can again manifest their glory at their pleasure so as it shall be a terror to the wicked Can we think that such a little filly creature as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nitedula or glow-worms shall at her pleasure withdraw or cause her pretty spark in the dark to glister and shall not those raised glorious Saints much more at their pleasure withdraw or cause their glory to appear as an occasion for either shall require Object 14 This opinion doth imply that in this visible Monarchy Christ shall change all worldly customs and pull down all kingly power and greatness how just soever and set up a new way of Government so as that there shall be no other Lords but as it is written Isai 2.11 and ver 17. And the loftinesse of man shall be bowed down and the haughtiness of men shall be made low and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day Ans 1 I hope this is not the cause why great ones are so loth to hear of this opinion for the counsel of God shall stand and every jod and tittle of his word be fulfilled whether we believe is and they receive it yea or no. 2. We read 1 John 5.19 that the whole world lyeth in wickedness and if Christ should change the custome of this wicked world and set up better in their room and place why should any godly man be against that It is enough for the wicked of the World Luke 19.14 to say we will not have this man to reign over us 3. And if Christ shall take the Kingdoms of the world into his own hands he doth no man wrong herein for God hath made him heire of all things Heb. 1.2 and he is King of Kings Rev. 19.10 Therefore all Kings and Princes of the world must be content to resign their Crowns and Scepters into his hand and lay them down at hie feet when he calls for them as the four and twenty Elders did Rev. 4.10 4. Whereas it is said Christ shall put down all kingly power and greatness it is false if they mean to exclude the Saints thereby for the Saints shall live and reign with him And they shall be Priests of God and of Christ and shall reign a thousand years not in coordination with him but in subordination to him as the text implies Object 15 This opinion doth not only imply the Conversion which sozâ—e Divines have granted and beleived but which others have doubted the total reduction of the twelve tribes of Israel and Judah into their own Land again Answ Upon what grounds this can rationally be doubted I confess I see not For the Scripture seems to me very plain not only for their return or reduction in the general that it shall be so but also tells us many particulars about it 1. I say the Scripture tells us plainly in the general that it shall be so that they shall be brought into their own Land again For this see these Scriptures Isai 33.20 Look upon Zion the City of our solemnities thine eyes SHALL see Jerusalem a quiet habitation a tabernacle that shall not be taken down not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed neither shall any of the cores thereof be broken ver 17. thine eyes shall see the King viz. Christ in his beauty they shall behold the Land that is very far off v. ult And the inhabitant shall not say I am sick the people that â—wâ—l therein shall be forgiven their iniquity Jer. 31.27 28. Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of beast And it shall come to pass that like as I have watched over their to pluck up and to break down and to throw down and to destroy and to afflict so wil I watch over them to build and to plant saith the Lord. And I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah c. Read I pray you the rest and consider these expressions well I will thank any man to tell me and prove it when every jod and tittle of these and such like texts were since those Prophecies fulfilled If they have noâ— I am sure they shall for Christ the truth hath told me so Matt. 5.18 Verily I say unto you till Heaven and Earth passe one jot or one tittle shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled But to go on see Ezek. 37.11 12. Then he said unto me son of man these bones are the whole house of Israel Behold they say our bones are dried and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts Therefore Prophecy and say unto them this saith the Lord God behold O my people I will open your graves
hence Chrysostom upon the place saith Aute impios resurgent justi ut sint primi in resurrectione non tantum dignitate sed tempore the just shall rise before the wicked that they may be first in the resurrection not onely in dignity but in time Now if the dead in Christ shall rise first when shall the wicked rise but in a second resurrection And if the resurrection St. Paul speaks of be the resurrection of the body why is not the resurrection St. John speaks of the resurrection of the body two And Paul tells us plainly 1 Cor. 15.23 to 26. that there is an exact order in the resurrection and that the order is thus first Christ the first fruits and Captain of our Salvation leads the way and is the first in order The second order is of those that are Christs of the godly at his coming And the third order is of all the rest of theâ—â— world when the end comes But I shall leave off to enumerate any further scripture proofs for the thing seems to me ever submitting my self to better judgements and plainer proofs exceeding clear and plain Object Yet when all this is done methinks I hear some say it is a novelty surely if it were true it would have been made known and been believed before now Solut. To this I answer I confess the apprehension of novelty is a great prejudice to this truth and I freely confess that that kept me off a long time from closing in with it but this is but an apprehension not a reality for If Christ himself and his Apostles and the Prophets and the Christian Jews both before Christ and since and the Primitive Gentile Christians were of this opinion then I hope it is no novelty but all these were of this opinion Ergo it is no novelty See Medes Diatrib p. 4. that all they were of this opinion is partly cleared in this small tract and partly might further but that I am resolved it shall not swell and other more learned men have done it I confess for the one thousand years Regnum Christi reign of Christ to be silent under the regnum Antichristi it is not at all to be marvelled at greater far had been the marvel if they who slew the Martyrs had owned in the least the Martyrs reign Can any man I pray you rationally conceiv Antichrist and his followers to be persons likely to own the reign of Christ and his followers When all the world wondred after the beast Rev. 13.3 4 Câ—e the Pope and his party that beastly power and faction and worshipped the Beast and cry him upas a non such saying who is like him who is able to make war with him as they did for one thousand two hundred sixty years which time alass is not yet out as the sad face of Christendom at this day witnesses I say then for Christs reign and Kingdom to be decryed yea almost thrust out of acknowledgement who can at all wonder And yet for all this so far is the opinion from novelty this Millennium hath been fully owned before yea and partly under the very reign of Anti-christ That it was generally owned before besides what hath been already said I have here out of many instances which might easily be produced onely made choice of one more because it bears so full witnesse to what I have in hand that it may be instar omnium instead of all others That great Counsel of Nice called by Constantine the Great besides their definition of faith and Canons Ecclesiastical set forth certain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is forms of Ecclesiastical Doctrine some of these are recorded by Gelasius Gyzicenus in his Historia actorum concilii Niceni Amongst these there is this formula for the doctrine of the state of the resurrection the which that I may do them no wrong I shall here give in their own words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which in English for thâ—â— by most is best understood runs thuâ— The World is made worse by * By sin the knowledge of good and evil foreknowledge for God foresaw that man would sin Therefore we expect New Heavens and a New Earth according to the holy Scriptures when the Apparition and Kingdom of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ shall shine forth And then as Daniel saith shall the Saints of the most High take the Kingdom And there shall be a pure holy Land a Land of the living and not of the dead which David foreseeing by the eye of faith cries I beleeve to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the liâ—ine A Land of the meek and humble For bless dâ—saith he i. e. Christ are the meek for they shall inherit the earth And the Pâ—ophet and the feet of the Meek and Humble shall tread it Judg by this notwithstanding fifty years opposition how pâ—â—verful the Châ—â—iastical party yet was at the 〈◊〉 of and in that Councel That this hath been owned even under the reign of Antichrist appears amongst many other instances that might be given by that Catechisin set forth in King Edwards time and by him Authorised May 20. in the last year of his Reign where the two siest Petitions of the Lords Prayer are explicated in this manner The Dialogue is between the Magister and Auditor Upon these words sanctificetur nomen tuâ—m Auditor secundo loco petimus ut adveniat regnum ejus Adbuc enim non videmus res omnes Christo esse subjectas nâ—n videmus ut lapis de monte abscissus sit sine opere humano qui contrivit in nihil redeâ—it statuan descriptam a Daniele Vt Petra sola qui est Christus occupet obtineat totius mundi imperium à Patre concessum Adbuc Antichristus non est occisus quò fiâ— ut nos desideremâ—s precemur ut id tandem aliquando contingat impleatur utque solus Christus regnet cum suis sanct is secundum divinas premissiones utque vivat dominetur in mundo juxta sancti Evangelii decreta non autem juxta Traditiones leges hominum voluntatem Tyrannorum munde M. Faxit Deus ut regnum ejus adveniat quam â—itissimè That is in the second place we beg that his Kingdom may come for as yet we do not see all things to be subjected to Christ we do not see that the stone is cut out of the mountain without hands which bruiseth and brings to nothing the Image described by Daniel that the Rock alone which is Christ may occupie and obtain the Empire of the whole world granted him by his father As yet Antichrist is not slain whence it comes to pass that we desire and pray that that once at last may happen and be fulfilled that Christ alone may reign with his Saints according to his divine promises And that he may live and govern in the world according to the decrees of the holy Gospel and not after the
foretels these two things amongst others viz. 1. The Computing by the Year of our Lord that should be for in the dayes of John and in the Ages immediately following they did not account by the Year of the Lord but many other wayes of Account anciently were used Dionysius the less about the Year 532 after Christ did begin to compute by the Year of our Lord and that way of Computation came not into use vulgarly till many years after So that if this should be the meaning of the Number of the Beast then the Spirit doth foretel this way of accounting by the Years of our Lord which was not at that time in use 2. If this were the meaning of the Number of the Beast then the Spirit also doth predict what shall be the year of Romes Ruine to wit the year that shall be or shall be called 666. respecting the common and vulgar account of all Nations at that time But if the beginning of the fourty and two months be rightly fixed upon or about the year 410 as is before hinted And if also there be a loss of four years in our Chronological Accompts according to the Computation of Helvicus and Bishop Vsher and these Cantabrigiâ—ns who affirm it then Romes Ruine indeed is likely and very probabâ—y to fall out and be in the Year 1666. or not very long after that time But if instead of helping us into the way they have led us out of it and told us that we mistake when they themselves are deceived then Rome's destruction is most likely to fall out anno 1670. or thereabouts But this is all I shall trouble the Reader with in reference to the second period or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or last times which was the period of the Beast The Millennium Great Judgment or Reign of Christ. I Come now in the second place to that which I chiefly intend to speak to viz. to treat of the Millennium or the Great Judgment in the Compass whereof Christ and his Saints reign together a thousand years I must confess in the words of Pareus Pareus Com. on Apoc. cap. 20. Haec explicare satcor me trepidè aggredi That I was somwhat afraid to adventure upon the handling of these things Because what I conceive to be the genuine sense and meaning of those Scriptures which treat of this subject and the minde of God herein is laden with many and inveterate prejudices partly by the long disuse and crying down of what was formerly received by Orthodox Antiquity and partly because of the many fopperies if not worse which have bin tacked to the truth So that I shall herein dissent from many who yet profess the same things in the general It being I hope my design to free the truth from errours and falsities which have a long time hung upon it But these I am willing to dissent from I fear far more lest I should not agree in opinion with many worthy pious and grave Divines from whom I am very unwilling in the least to depart But if I may not have the assent of all such as yet having notwithstanding many famous lights as Justin Martyr Irenaeus Tertullian Piscator Alstedius Mede Dr. Twisse Archer Holmes Tilling-hast cum multis aliis to walk in the same path and lead me the way I shall follow their steps so far as I may beseeching the Reader to pardon me if now and then he see me step aside I will promise to be as careful and circumspect as God shall help me let me have the Readers charity The Mother-text of Scripture whence the Church of the Jewes did ground the name and expectation of the Great Day of Judgment with the circumstances thereto belonging and wherunto almost all the descriptions and expressions thereof in the New Testament have reference is that Vision of the seventh of Daniel of a Session of Judgment when the fourth Beast came to be destroyed where this great Assizes is represented after the manner of the great Synedrion or Consistory of Israel wherein the Pater Judicâ—i had his Assessores sitting upon Seats semi-circle-wise before him from his right hand to his left I beheld saith Daniel ver 9. till the Thrones or Seats were pitch a down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vutg Lat. Donec throni positi sunt not thrown down as our late English hath it but pitched down namely for the Senators to sit upon and the Ancient of dayes that is the Pater Consistâ—rii did sit c. And subaud I beheld till the Judgment was per that is the whole Sanhiâ—rim and the Books were opened c. Here we see both the form of Judgment delivered and the name of Judgement expressed which is afterward yet twice more repeated first in the amplification of the tyrannie of the wicked horn ver 21 22. which is said to be continued till the Ancient of dayes came and Judgment was given to the Saints of the most High that is Potestas judicandi ipsis sacte The power of judging was made over to them And the second time in the Angels-Interpretation v 26. But the Judgment shall sit and they shall take away the domâ—â—ion to consume and destroy to the end From this description it came that the Jews gave to the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dies judicii dies judicii magni the Day of Judgment and the great Day of Judgment whence in the Epistle of St. Jude ver 6. It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Judgment of the Great Day A far greater then any horary even a Millenary Day as shall more plainly afterwards Deo adjuvante be evinced and proved From the same description they learned that the destruction then to be should be by fire because it is said v. 9. His Throne was a fiery Flame and his wheels burning A fitrie stream issued and came forth before him And v. 11. the Beast was slain and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame From the same Fountain are derived those expressions in the Gospel where this day is intimated or described As the Son of man shall come in the Clouds of Heaven The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his holy Angels Forasmuch as it is said here Thousand thousands ministred unto him c. And that Daniel saw one like the Son of man coming with the Clouds And he came to the Ancient of dayes and they brought or place him near him c. Hence Paul learned that the Saints should judge the world because it is said That many Thrones were set and ver 22. by way of Exposition That the Judgment was given to the Saints of the most High c. Hence the same Apostle learned also to confute the false fear of the Thessalonians That the day of Christs second coming was then at hand because that day could not be till the man of sin were first
came and should have reigned his time appointed Forasmuch as Daniel had foretold it should be so and that his destruction should be at the Son of mans appearing in the Clouds whose appearing therefore was not to be till then This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in St. Paul whom the Lord saith he shall destroy at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his coming Daniels wicked horn or Beast acting in the wicked horn is St. Pauls man of sin as the Church from her Infancy hath understood and always interpreted it But to go on while this Judgment cites and when it had destroyed the fourth Beast the Son of man which comes in the Clouds receives Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve and obey him ver 4. which Kingdom is thrice explained afterwards to be the Kingdom of the Saints of the most High ver 18. These four Beasts saith the Angel are four Kings which shall arise But viz when they have finished their course the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom c. And again ver 21. the wicked Horn prevailed until the time come that the Saints possessed the Kingdom Again ver 27. when the fourth Beast reigning in the wicked Horn was destroyed the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High Now these Grounds being thus laid I argue as followeth The Kingdom of the Son of man and of the Saints of the most High in Daniel begins when the Great Judgment sits The Kingdom in the Apocalypse chap. 20.4 wherein the Saints reign with Christ a thousand years is the same with the Kingdom of the Son of man and the Saints of the most High in the Prophet Daniel Ergo it also begins at the Great Judgement That the Kingdom in Daniel and that of a thousand years in the Apocalypse are one and the same Kingdom plainly and evidently appears thus First because they began ab eodim termino from the same Epocha or beginning namely at the destruction of the fourth Beast That in Daniel when the Beast then ruling in the wicked horn was slain and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame Dan. 7.11 22 27. That in the Apocalypse when the Beast and false prophet the wicked horn in Daniel were taken and both cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone Rev. 19.20 Secondly because St. John begins the Regnum or Kingdom of a thousand years from the same Session of Judgment described in Daniel as appears by his parallel expression borrowed from thence St. John saith ch 20. Ver. 4. I saw thrones and they sate upon them And Judgment was given unto them Daniel saith ch 7. Ver. 4. I beheld till the thrones were pitched down and the Judgment i. e. Judices set 22. And Judgment was given to the Saints of the most High And the Saints lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years And the Saints possessed the Kingdom viz. with the Son of man who came in the clouds Now if it be sufficiently proved that the one thousand years begin with the Day of Judgment it will appear further out of the Apocalypse that the Judgment is not consummate till they be ended for Gog and Magogs destruction and the universal resurrection is not till then Therefore the whole one thousand years is included in that great Day of Judgment But thus much may suffice to have spoken by way of Explication to that Mother Text in the Old Testament the which I have so called because hence it will follow quasi consectarium quoddam de interpretatione aliorum Scripturae locorum huc pertinentium that whatsoever Scripture speaks of a Kingdom of Christ to be at his second appearing or at the destruction of Antichrist must needs be the same which Daniel saw should be at that time and so consequently be the Kingdom of a thousand years which the Apocalypse includes between the beginning and consummation of the Great Judgment All of them also have a likenesse and are referred to this Yea our Saviour calls himself so frequently the Son of man because Daniel so called him in this Vision of the Great Judgment and to teach us that we are to look for the accomplishment of what is there prophesied of in himself I had now done with this Text but that I have perceived by some Conferences I have had with some Reverend Divines that it is needful to answer an Objection which hath bin started in opposition to all that hath been said Object Daniel say some who with Dr. Willes and others take this wicked horn to be meant of Antiochus Epiphanes shews not the Roman Monarchies persecution of the Church and the fall of the same Monarchy For If the Roman Empires persecuting the Saints and the fall of the Empire were not revealed till Christ revealed them to John in the Apocalypse then Daniel revealed them not But the Roman Empires persecution and fall were not revealed till Christ revealed them to St. John in the Apocalypse Ergo Daniel revealed them not The Major Proposition say they is clear The Minor is thus proved The Romans persecuting the Saints and their fall is revealed in the little Book Apoc. 5 c. by opening seven Seals and blowing seven Trumpets all concerning and respecting seven-headed Rome And none were able to open the Seals of this Book till Christ opened them to St. John Therefore the Roman Empires persecution and their fall were revealed to none before Christ revealed them to St. John The former part of the Antecedent is granted by all Interpreters of the Apocalypse The latter part is clear in the Text Apoc. 5.3 None was able to open the Book None in Heaven or Earth or under the Earth to make the speech more empharical Paul who delivered to his Hearers all the Counsel of God could have preached the persecutions of the Roman Empire to his Hearers from Daniel if Daniel had in his Visions opened them This contains the strength of what I have been opposed withal in reference to the Exposition of this Text the which I came now to make this Answer to it Ans 1 The Roman Empire to be the fourth Kingdom of Daniel was believed by the Church of Israel both before and in our Saviours time received by the Disciples of the Apostles Vide Jonathen Ben Vziel Chald. Paraph l. 4. of Esdras Just Mart. Ireneus and the whole Christian Church for the first 400 years without any known contradiction And I confess having so good ground in Scripture it is with me tantùm non articulus fidei almost an Article â—f faith For the four Monarchies of the World in Daniel are twice revealed first to Nebuchadnezzar in a glorious Image of four sundry Metals Dan. 2. Secondly to Daniel himself in a Vision of four diverse Beasts arising out of the Sea Dan 7. The intent of
both is as I have shewed in one already and shall in the other when I have done with this Objection by that succession of Kingdoms to point out the Kingdom and the time of the Kingdom of Christ 2. I acknowledge also the subject of the Apocalyptical Visions to be fata Imperii Romani post primum Christi adventum usque ad secundum super futuri the Fates of the Roman Empire which after the first coming of Christ was still to continue in being even till the second And this I affirm The Roman Kingdom was revealed unto Daniel but not according to that distinct succession of things and specification of the fates thereof which was first made known unto St. John but only in general and in imagine confusâ not to be Explicated but by Christ himself I say the Roman Kingdom was revealed to Daniel in the general but the order of the times thereof and the â—eries rerum gerundarum or course of things to be acted therein not until the Revelation unto St. John 3. Nor is it strange or unwonted that a thing may be revealed in general and yet most of the particulars concerning the same to be unknown and sealed The Calling of the Gentiles or the Kingdom of Christ among the Gentiles by way of surrogation to the Jewes was revealed unto St. Peter and Paul and the rest of the Apostles but the particular fates and states of that Kingdom were never known till Christ revealed them to St. John in the Apocalyptical Visions The like I say of the fourth or Roman Kingdom the general Revelation whereof could not but be before the opening of the sealed Book in the Apocalypse since it had then been so long a time in the World as that it was grown past the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and had fulfilled what it was to fulfil upon Daniels people 4. As for the persecutions of the Church I deny the Argument either of the Seals or Trampers to be the Roman persecutions of Christs Kingdom or that any of them have reference to persecutions save the fifth Seal only or that any thing contained in them was made known to Daniel save the Catastrophe only represented in the last Trumpet which the Angelus tonitruum proclaims there to be Consummatiâ— mysterii Dei prout annunciavit servis suis Prophetis the finishing of the mysterie of God as he hath declared to his servants the Prophets and therefore cannot be denied to have bin both foretold and expected for the General although not for the Manner Time and Order in Seriâ— Rerum Gerundarum in the course of thing to be acted till then Clear it is that the Assertion by som wonned and in the Objection named that the Roman persecution was revealed to none till Christ revealed it to John cannot stand unless we deny the coming of the man of sin who is a great limb of that fourth Kingdom to be any part of the Churches afflictions for this was revealed unto St. Paul both for the quality and the fall thereof viz. that Christ should destroy it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I make no doubt but St. Paul learned out of the seventh of Daniel where that ruffling-horn is not destroyed until the Son of Man comes in the Clouds of Heaven to receive that universal Kingdom which shall never suffer persecution But whereas it is said that the ruffling horn of the fourth Beast is Antiochus Epiphanes I demonstrate the contrary by this one Argument following The Ruffling-horn reigns until the Ancient of dayes comes in fiery flames to destroy him and to give Judgment unto the Saints of the most High and until the time comes that the Saints possessed the Kingdom viz. until the Son of man comes in the Clouds of Heaven to receiv a Kingdom wherein all Nations People and Languages should serve and obey him Dan 7. ver 9 10 11 13. which is expounded ver 22 26 c. But Antiochus Epiphanes reigned not until this time for he died 160 years and more before the Birth of Christ and almost 200 years before his Ascension the least of which Numbers is a longer space of time then was from the death of Alexander unto Antiochus Ergo Antiochus Epiphanes is not that Ruffling-horn But I conceive this may suffice to answer this Objection I therefore now shall step a little forward and look into that other Text Dan. 2.31 to v 45. where we have in Nebuchadnezzar's great Image he four great Monarchies of the World represented and held out unto us and that in this order following viz. 1. The first Monarchie was the Assyrian which fell into the Babylonian and blossomed in Nimrod Gen. 10.8 9 10 and was ripened in that present Nebuchadnizzar his Child and Grandchild This Monarchy was represented in that Image by the Head of Gold Dan. 2.38 2. The second Monarchie was that of the Medes and Persians which blossomed in Cyrus who conquered Babylon and slew Belshazzar and endured till Darius whom Alexander a Grecian overthrew This Monarchie was exprest in that Image by the Breasts and Armes of Silver Dan. 2.39 with ver 32. 3. The third Monarchie was that of the Greeks which blossomed or rather immaturely and suddenly ripened in Alexander the Great of Mecedon who presently by his Victories over run the World and by his sudden and untimely death was divided into four great parts by four of his Chief Generals who parted the World among them Dan. 2.39 This Grecian Monarchie was expiest in that Image by a belly and thighs of brass 4. The fourth Monarchie was that of the Romans which blossomed and ripened leisurely and by degrees and was therefore more likely to last long And by certain gradations and much time rooted out successively all the inheritors of Alexander and the Upholders of the Greek Monarchie and possest all the Chief known parts of the World and so fetching its beginning lower Westward and yet up as high Eastward it became a mightier Monarchie then any of the former This Monarchie was expressed in the Image by the legs of Iron Dan. 2.32 40. because as Iron it was strongest of all and subdued all under it but in processe of time the Body of the World which it bore up being so great to which it was a leg or supporter it divided it self as it is in the natural body into two legs and is in the Image so expressed though for a great while it was but one Monarchy yet at last it grew into two the Eastern and Western Monarchy the Western after the Eastern was lost fell into feet and toes or Kingdoms wherein was both strength and weaknesse iron and clay and these never to be rejoyned or united notwithstanding it hath bin endeavoured by Marriages and other Covenants to mingle and to rejoyne in one Monarchy But it shall never be but to the period and upshot of their Soveraignty and Monarchy they shall remain Kingdoms distinct as feet and toes of iron and clay unminglable ¶
Now in the days of this fourth Roman and Western Monarchy there shall be a stone cut out without hands Dan. 2.34 36. which shaâ—l first ruine these Kingdoms it smote the Image on the feet that were of iron and clay vers 34. and so swallowed up the whole Image all the foregoing Monarchies were brought under it and by it to nothing ver 35. and it became a Monarchy over the whole Earth wherever any of the former Monarchies had ruled ver 35. that is as it is explained ver 44 45. a Kingdom which that Stone shall obtain set up by the God of Heaven And whereas the other Monarchies were erected by men on earth though permitted by God this Kingdom or Monarchy shall swallow up in it all foregoing Monarchies and that by no humane means or policy for it was without hands or not in hand that is not of man but a divine work every way and it shall reach and swallow up not only the feet and toes but the legs of brass the breast and armes of silver the head of gold Dan. 2.34 35. that is all Kingdoms and States that were from first to last under any of the Monarchies shall be swallowed up by and come under this And this is a fifth Monarchy which shall arise in the World after the former four which is to be understood of a state of Christs Kingdom here upon earth as appears 1 Because it is called a Stone as Christ is the Stone which the Builders refused yet is becom the Head of the Corner 1 Pet. 2.3 to 8. And fills the whole Earth ver 35. 2. 't is a Stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui non ect in manibus which is not in hand or not cut out with hands because by God immediately without humane help this Kingdom shall be reared up 3. It s duration that it shall last for ever shews it is meant of Christs Kingdom no people shall swa low it up as they have done all other Monarchies the Babylonian was left to the Medes and Persians and this to the Grecians and the Grecians to the Romans but this shall be left to none but shall be for ever Dan. 2.44 that is to the Worlds end It is left to no other Kingdom for at the Worlds end when Christ delivers it up he delivers it not to any other people but to the Father 1 Cor. 15.24 ¶ The next text we may look into and as it were the eldest daughter of these already handled is that 20th chapter of the Revelation of which I shall speak a little more largely wrapping in many other Scriptures handling the fame thing with it Where first we have ver 1. the Lord Jesus Christ descending and coming down from Heaven in those words I saw an Angel come down from Heaven having the Key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand This Angel is Christ called Michail Rev. 12.7 who destroys the works of the Devil and is stronger then he to bind him and cast him out of the aire into the pit It is he that conquered him upon his white Horse who went forth Rev. 6.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut vinceret that he might conquer He cast him down to the earth Rev. 12.8 He defeated him in his Lieutenant the Eeast He hath the Keyes of Hell and Death and his regal power and authority is norably set out by the Emblem of a great chain in his hand And here he doth three things unto him 1. He apprehends him he laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devil and Satan He layes hold upon him by his power and gripes him as one in fury The Description of the Dragon here and chap. 12. v. 9. is one and the same to shew that it is the same Devil that there was cast into the earth and now by this descending Angel the Lord Jesus Christ is cast into the pit 2. He binds him the term of his bondage being expressed and bound him he ties him up from his former liberty and chains him as men do desperate dogs or mastiffs and that for a long time And bound him a thousand years 3. Imprisons him the place where is in the bottomless pit that is an Abyss which he before feared Luke 8.31 they besought him that he would not command them to go 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the deep or pit as it is here the original word is one and the same And the Manner how was very securely he shut him up and set a Seal upon him As sometimes it was with Daniel in the Lions den Dan. 6.17 And with Christs body in the Sepulchre Matth. 27. ult which shews the certainty and fulnesse of this restraint and the compleat power and superiority of the Angel over him who shall no more suffer Satan this thousand years to range abroad and to disturb the Reign of Christ and his people and to do mischief as before being fast shut and locked up in prison he shall neither use his former violence nor subtilties Lastly the end of all this is that he should deceive the Nations no more which I conceive is not to be understood absolutely and simply as if he should not have any liberty to deceive any man living as some would have it but with respect to such extent and successe as before he shall not now prosper in his designes and attempts And it signifies a new and further restraint beyond that in Rev. 12. where he was cast down to the earth when he was cast down from open heathenism and open persecution as a Dragon under that notion he was cast out of the Church yet he did begin presently to try a new way and that not without success For as before he had made the world mad in their heathenism so now he makes them mad in idolatries and superstitions substituting the Beast in his room and place giving him his power and seat and great authority Rev. 13.2 And causing that all both small and great rich and poor free and bound should receive a mark in their hands or forehead else they should not have the liberty to buy or sell pray or preach traffick or trade with any But now he shall be bound from that liberty of deluding the Nations any more either by his Paganisme as he did in the first period or by superstition and idolatry as in the second Neither yet shall he tempt them any more so as to disquiet and trouble their peaceful reign with Christ on earth But to go on this preparation being made we reade verse 4. I saw saith John Thrones and they sate upon them and Judgment was given unto them and I saw the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and for the Word of God and which had not worshipped the Beast neither his Image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands and THEY lived and REIGNED with Christ a thousand years In which
visibly represented to him Object To do a thing with Christ doth not imply his personal presence with us but in Scripture phrase we may be said to do a thing with Christ which we either do for Christ or by his assistance or do a thing that Christ did before us though himself be not personally present with us As Rom. 8.18 If we suffer doth not imply that no man can suffer but be must have Christ personally present with him on the Earth to suffer with him No! that cannot be the meaning but we suffer with Christ though we be on the Earth and he in Heaven because we suffer for him and by his assistance and suffer the same things he suffered before us So this phrase of reigning with Christ doth not imply Christs personal abode with us but only the doing of a thing or enjoyment of a thing for Christs sake or the doing of that which he now doth though in another place or the doing of that which he did before us Answ For a man to do a thing with Christ before death doth not imply Christs personal presence with him in the doing of it but for a man to do a thing with Christ after death doth imply Christ is personally present with him at the doing of it As that very text quoted in the objection doth sufficiently declare viz. Ro. 8.17 If we suffer with him we shall be glorified with him the former clause if we suffer with him is spoken of a man before death and doth not imply that a man is personally present with him when he suffers But the latter clause we shall be glorified with him is meant of a man after death and doth imply that a man is personally present with him when he is glorified together with him So likewise for a man to live with Christ before death doth not imply the personal presence of Christ the reason is because before death we are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5.6 But for the Saints to live and reign with Christ after death yea after the resurrection of their bodies this doth imply Christ is personal present with them where they so reign and the reason is because after death they are ever with the Lord and never absent from him As the Scripture testifier John 14.3 That where I am there ye may be also John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou bast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me Phil. 1.23 I desire to depart and to be with Christ 1 Thes 4.17 And so shall we ever be with the Lord. 2 Tim. 2.12 We shall also reign with him Therefore seeing the Saints are said to live and reign with Christ and are not Saints Militant or the Saints before death but Saints triumphant or Saints after death as hath appeared before it follows that Christ is personally present with them so living and reigning Object 8 This opinion dispeoples Heaven of all the antient glorious inhabitants thereof and that for no less then a thousand years togegether Ans 1 Are not the Angels the inhabitants of Heaven in the time of the thousand years and yet they shall be on the Earth somtime too John 1.52 Verily I say unto you hereafter you shall see Heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and DESCENDING upon the Son of man which words have a special reference unto the time of the thousand years when Christ shall be on the Earth 2. How many souls were in Heaven before Abel came thither So many shall there be when the thousand years begin and while they are 〈…〉 many shall be left in Heaven when 〈…〉 â—â—â—ement shall begin and be so 〈…〉 when the thousand years shall 〈…〉 and no more for they are one and 〈…〉 Object 9 This opinion implys a threefold coming of Christ the first when he came to take flesh the second when he comes to take receive and enter upon his kingdom the third when he shall come to judge to conclude and end the world Answ This opinion owns but two comings of Christ and as the Scripture so this opinion knows no more The first at his Incarnation The second at this Great day of Judgment the third I know nor for the thousand years are durante currente die judicii the day of Judgement continuing and running on His first coming 〈◊〉 but one and takes into it all neither the meaning of those texts nor can the world bring any such thing to pass 3. Both those forecited texts are to be understood with intermination Now God will have the thousand years to be a time of perfect and compleat intermination to the New Jerusalem or camp of the Saints For the Tabernacle of God shall be with them and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be among them no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain Rev. 2â—â—◠〈…〉 also be a time of far more perâ—â—◠〈…〉 intermination to the other 〈…〉 in a state of mortality and are 〈…〉 21.24 the. Nations that are saved and walk in the light of it then ever the sun saw or the people of God enjoyed before Now that those texts are to be as I said understood with intermination is manifest by that rest which sometime the Church had As Acts 9.31 Then had the Churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Saâ—aâ—ia c. So also in Solomons time 1 Kings 4 25. whose peaceful time was a type of the peace rest and quiet we are speaking of we see what an abundance of quiet they injoyed for the text saith Judah anâ— Israel dwelt safely every man under his vine and under his figtree from Dan even to Beersheba all the days of Solomon It such were the peace of Solomon who was but a type what is like to be the peace of the Church under the antitype who is a King as of Righteousness so of peace as it is said of Melchizedeck another type 4. Tribulation is not essential to the Earth but accidental only and if Christ be pleased to make that a place of happiness to the saints which is now a place of misery let no mans eye be evil because Christs is good 5. What is meant by the Earth in this question Not the Earth unreformed and unrenewed but reformed and renewed as it shall be at the day of Judgement The former is a place of misery procured by the 〈◊〉 Adam the second is a place of happiness for that time procured by the second Adam Jesus Christ Object 12 The reign of this Saints everlasting in Heaven therefore it is not temporary upon the Earth as this opinion implys Math. 5.10 2 Tim. 4.18 Answ The reign of the Saints is in both places though not at one and the same time but at distinct and diverse times succeeding one another 1 If we speak of the time before the day of Judgment the souls of the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aspicient ad me Significat partem anteriorem a capite usque ad ventrem inclinare ad intuendum aliquid whom they have pierced and mourn c. This seems to be a rea ocular looking upon and beholding Christ for so much is contained in the Verb here used and not barely a spiritual looking upon him by the eye of saith such as the Holy Ghost John 6.40 calls a seeing of the Son of man and believing c. but a bodily vision and a seeing him with bodily eyes So Dan 7.13 And I saw in the night visions and behold one like the Son of man came with the Clouds of Heaven and came to the Ancient of dayes and they brought him near before him And he came as we may see in the following words to receive and enter upon his Kingdom But what Kingdom sure his Davidical Kingdom now to sit upon the Throne of his father David When Christ receives and enters upon this Kingdom it is not like to his entrance upon his spiritual and providential Kingdom that was done in a more spiritual manner by his Session at Gods right hand Psal 110.1 But upon the administration of this Kingdom he enters in a more humane manner or as a man actually when the four great and strange Beasts Dan. 7. princip or Beastly Monarchs are destroyed Then he comes in the Clouds of Heaven v. 13. And they bring him to the Ancient of dayes It is true God coming in the Clouds and his riding upon the Clouds notes out the eminent visible and glorious appearing of his Majesty But this is the appearing of the Son of man in the clouds and the coming of the Son of man with the clouds which I conceive is not to be found in Scripture but when it denotes the coming of the Lord Jesus at the last day to Judgment whose appearance is visible and then doth he receive dominion and glory and a Kingdom that all people nations and languages should serve him And then I conceive I speak it with submission to better Judgments will be that great conversion of Israel and Judah so much spoken of in Scripture then shall be fulfilled what is here spoken ' they ' shall look upon him whom they have pierced c. Mr. Mede favours this whose words are these The Jews saith he are not to be converted unto Christ by such means as were the rest of the Nations by the Ministry of Preachers sent unto them but by the Revelation of the Lord Jesus in his glory from Heaven When they shall say not as when they saw him in his humilitie crucifie him but blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord Whose coming then shall be as the lightning out of the East shining into the West and the Sign of the Son of man shall appear in the clouds of Heaven and every eye shall see him even of those which pierced him and shall lament with the spirit of grace and supplication for their so long and so shameful unbelief of their so merciful Redeemer So far Mr. Mede Matâ— 24.30 31. Then shall appear the Sign of the Son of man in Heaven and then shall ye see the Son of man coming in the clouds happily this may be at and for the great conversion of the Jewes Paul was converted by an appearance of Christ to him it is possible the ewes may be converted by the same way 5. The Scripture holds forth also that the manner of their Conversion and reduction into their ownâ—â— and again shall be exceeding eminent and glorious to the admiration of all Nations that it may be seen how the Lord hath honoured them Isa 60.1 Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee Hosea 1.11 Great shall be the day of Jezâ—eel It shall be a glorious day to thein that shall make them honourable in the eyes of all the Nations upon earth Zach 8 23. Ten men shall take hold in that day out of all Languages of the Nations of the skirt of him that is a Jew saying we will go with you for we have heard that God is with you Psal 102.16 When the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appear in his glory They have had and shall have glorious appearances of him such as no people ever had And this shall make them to be the desire of all people As they have been an abject miserable people for along time so when God shall turn their captivity as streams in the South their glory shall excel 6. The Scripture also tells us the time of their calling viz. when the fulness of the Gentiles is come in blindnesse so long hapned unto them and shall no longer For so St. Paul witnesseth Rom. 11.25 26. For I would not Brethren that ye should be ignorant of this mystery that blindnesse in part is hapned to Israel until the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved So likewise Christ Luke 21.24 And Jerusalem shall be troâ—dâ—n down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled But what is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulnesse of the Gentiles And these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 times of the Gentiles I answer the times of the Gentiles the fulnesse whereof must be accomplished before the full conversion and reduction of the Jews into their own land 〈◊〉 seems to be no other then the times wherein the Gentiles should have dominion with the misery and subjection of the Iewish Nation set forth in the vision of a fourfold image Dan. 2. and four Beasts Dan. 7 which are the four Monarchies the Babylonian Persian Greek and Roman The first began with the first captivity of the Jewish Nation and through the times of all the rest they should be in subjection or in a worse state under them But when their times shall be ended accomplished and fulfilled then saith Daniel the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever and ever that is there shall be no more Kingdoms after it but it shall continue as long as the world shall endure Three of these Monarchies were past when our Saviour and Paul spoke and the fourth was well entred If then by Saints there be meant the Jews as well as other Christians as questionless they are not excluded but included then it is plain enough that is the time of their full and compleat reduction and conversion I have said full and compleat because I apprehend it possible yea very probable that some before that time shall be converted and many more gathered together yea and for ought I know they may have some battels with the Grand Seignieur in order to the recovery of their Land before the other be Many other things the Scripture tells us in reference to the calling of the Jews as Ezâ—k 32.27 Ezâ—k 48. nit That there shall be among them a glorious Church in
Nations of them that are saved who are mortal and eat and drink and have Kings and Ordinances and marry and have children and their children are all taught of God And many will be converted to God within the thousand years all these walk in the light of the New Jerusalem and these Kings bring their glory and honour to it and take directions from it And then when the thousand years are ended comes the battel of Gog and Magog and the last and general Judgment then sounds the last Trumpet which is as I said before the Trumpet of consummation as the other was of the initiation of that great day and they that are then found alive shall be changed as before and Christ makes an end of his Kingdom after the separation sentence and execution delivering up the Kingdom to the father that God may be all in all thenceforth for ever This Answer if I be not deceived cuts the ham-strings of this objection if it self be good and there are but two things I think to be cleared to make it passeable 1. That the Rapture of the Saints 2. That the Trumpets are such as in this predication they are said to be a word therefore to these 1. This Rapture of the Saints that are alive at Christs coming must be I think in the beginning of the thousand years for they shall meet the Lord in the aire which cannot be meant of the end of the thousand years for then Christ is on the Earth with them so that although 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first and then may admit a great distance of time as Mr. Mede saith in his first answer to this objection yet I see not how it can do so here And if as he saith in his fourth Answer this Rapture should be to preserve the Saints from that great Conflagration of the Earth and the works thereof 2 Pet. 3.10 that is also held to be in the beginning of the thousand years in the Armageddon battel before the New Heavens and New Earth And that this Rapture should be without their change and stating in immortality I think hardly any man will say for they are thenceforth ever with the Lord on Earth during the thousand years and in Heaven ever afterwards Ergo they neither marry nor multiplie nor die any more but are as the Angels and therefore are nore of the Nations that are said to be saved and walk in the light of the New Jerusalem Rev. 21.24 2. But the greatest question will be about the two Trumpets the one of initiation or inchoation of the thousand years the other of consummation in the end of the thousand years or rather some time after Rev. 20.9 to wit when Gog and Magog's attempts are over and their armies burnt with the fire that falls from Heaven and consumes them for then doth the last Trumpet sound Now that this is so I humbly offer what follows for the clearing of it 1. Because all the dead are said to be raised at the sound of the Trumpet now as we have already heard they are raised at two distinct different times therefore there must be two distinct and different trumpets for otherwise some should be raised with the sound of the trumpet and the rest without which I think hardly any man will affirm or grant 2. Because the text tells us 1 Thes 4.16 1 Cor. 15.52 of a trumpet and the last trumpet which seem to be distinguished one from another for the last trumpet must necessarily be understood in opposition to a former of the som kind and wheras some have taken this last trump to be the seventh Apocalyptick trumpet Rev. 11.15 and so called the last in opposition to the former six that cannot be because those are judicial trumpets but these are of another kind and have a distinct use and end from the former Object 18 Our Creed speaks but of one Resurrection not of two Answ 1 So the Creed speaks but of one forgiveness of sins not of two and yet one man hath his finnes forgiven before another so it speaks of but one eternal life not of two or ten or many yet one man enters into eternal life before another and indeed every man in his own order so that if there were as many eternal lives distinct one from another as there is orders or distinct times of entring into the same we must reckon not one or two or ten but many thousands so it is with the resurrection of the dead one man dies before another and one man riseth before another 2. The Church of Christ in her Primitive and purest state taught this without doubt that the resurrection of the body is but once and one and yet in these parts viz. of the just in their place and order then of the unjust after in their place and order or at the Apostle phraseth it 1 Cor. 15.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one in his own order 3. All men die but once yet all men do not die at once So all men rise but once yet all men do not rise at once but some at one time some at another 4. When we speak of the first and second resurrection of the body we mean it either of one body or of divers if but of one body there is but one resurrection and no more But if we speak of divers bodies whereof one sort is good the other bad and compare thâ—â— together and ask the question which 〈◊〉 rise first the Answer must be the good shâ—â—â— rise first and have their part in the first reâ—ur rection and the bad shall not arise until the second resurrection The rest of the dead lived not again till the one thousand years were ended Object 19 A spiritual resurrection is before the corporal and every soul riseth spiritually from the death of sin before he riseth corporally from the Grave therefore the spiritual resurrection is the first and the corporal resurrection from the Grave is the second Answ 1 If the spiritual resurrection be the first then why doth Paul say the dead in Christ shall rise first he should have said the dead in Christ shall rise second for a spiritual resuâ—â— rection was before it 2. Though a spiritual resurrection be in som sense before a corporal yet it is never called the first resurrection in all the Scripture that title belongs to the resurrection of the body and no other 3. We may distinguish in this case between a resurrection properly and improperly so called the first resurrection properly so called is of the body though a spiritual resurrection improperly and only analogically so called precede and go before it 4. The first resurrection is so called not abâ—olutely but comparatively and that not in reject of one body but divert bodies Take one and the same body as for instance Peters and ask the question what resurrection did befall him first a spiritual resurrection or a corporal the answer is a spiritual
for one natural day or hour properly so called as 't is commonly thought In Luke 17.22 the Lord â—esus himself speaking of the day of his second â—oming Ye shall saith he desire to see one of the days of the Son of man Which Beza rightly interprets of one of the days of his second coming for in vain should they desire to see one of the days that were past who did certainly expect them to come which they thought also to be at hand but they were deceived in that and should not see them that is so soon as they expected them In Acts 3.20 21 24. Peter speaks of times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord the times of the restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets c. He doth not point at one day in Christs second coming but many certainly so long as all things shall continue after they be restored so long the day of Judgement shall last but all things shall be restored at the day of Judgement and continue in their being after they are restored longer then a day of twelve or twenty four hours long Surely for a man to say that Christ shall come from Heaven at the day of Judgement when all things in the world shall be destroyed and have an end Acts 3.21 Rom 8 21. is to fight against the Scripture which saith all things at his coming shall be restored and therefore not dissolved at that time Or to say all things shall be restored at Christ second coming and be dissolved again by and by is like the fancie of those Heathens who said God made other worlds before this but he did undo them as soon as he had made them because they were not to his minde and thus say they he spent his time until he made this world that now is which pleased him very well Such a fancy they must needs have of God who think all things shall be restored at Christs second coming and dissolved again by and by Without doubt as when God made the world at first he did not make it to destroy it presently but to continue for som length of time for man to live in it to his glory and his praise so when God shall restore the world at the great day of Judgement he will not presently dissolve it but have it to continue some length of time that Christ and the Saints may reign in it to his glory Again John in the Revelation speaking of the seventh Trumpet which is the last Trumpet and the Trumpet I mean of the judicial Trumpets of consummation and so the Trumpet of Christs second coming he attributes many days to it In the days of the seventh Trumpet the mystery of God shall be finished as he spake by his Servants the â—rophets Rev. 10.7 Isaiah calls the second coming of Christ the year of recompences Isaiah 34. ver 8. It is such a day that in the same breath it swells into a year For it is the day saith he of the Lords vengeance and the year of recompences for the controversie of Zion Yea this day in Isaiah 59.21 swells at the least into three generations and least that should be two little into a for ever For saith he my words shall not depart out of thy mouth nor our of the mouth of thy feed or seeds seed from henceforth even for ever And it is apparent this is spoken of Christs second coming both from the text * By which we may judge how to apply all those glorious texis which seem yet to be unfulfilled and context and Paul Rom. 11.26 so applyes the same The same Prophet tells us yet of a longer time Isaiah 65.17 for saith he the days of my people ver 22. shall be as the days of a tree and mine Elect shall lâ—ng enjoy the works of their hands Pliny tells us that the life of an Oak is nine hundred years more or less which comes very near Johns thousand years The words in the Hebrew are the wood of life but the Septuagint renders it the tree of life with which also agrees the Chaldee paraphraft In which words saith Justin Martyr we may understand the thousand years to be secretly pointed at It was the conceit of the same Justine Martyr and not altogether to be slighted that the life of the tree of life or of man in the state of Paradice was to consist of a thousand years that is to say that so long man had he not sined should have lived in this world and afterwards have been translated into a more happy both place and condition But Adam having sinned by eating the forbidden fruit therefore neither himself nor any of his posterity though some of them very long lived should attain to that number of years but should die before they had any of them lived out so great a day But when all things shall be restored that long liv'd day shall be restored to the sons of the first resurrection and they shall live one thousand years So the Prophet Zachariah speaking of the day of Christs second coming chap 14.9 saith the Lord shall be King over all the Earth and in that day there shall be one Lord and his name one And adds ver 16. they shall go up from year to year to worship the King the Lord of Hosts and to keep the feast of Tabernacles which is an allusion to those old Jewish rites and betokens onely their serving God of which see Rev. 7.14 15. Where those Palm bearing triumphers are said to serve God day and night in his Temple Lastly Christ tells us of a certain world to come in which sins may be forgiven Matth. 12.32 not to the sons of the resurrection who are without all sin but to those who are of the Nations that are saved and walk in the light of the New Jerusalem Rev. 21.24 who yet sinning and repenting of their sins obtain remission in Christs blood And now good Reader hark a little to the peculiar priviledges of that day and time yet for brevitys sake take them almost in so many words ¶ I In the time of this thousand years there will be an end for ever of the Beast and false Prophet O! happy riddance to the world for what good did they ever do nay what evil did they not Farewell thou Whore of Babylon Rev. 18.3 who didst inebriate the Nations and their Kings with the wine of the wrath of thy fornications Thy judgements are come in a day Rev. 18.8 death and mourning and famine for strong is the Lord God that Judgeth thee Rejoyce Rev. 18.20 over her thou heaven Church and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you at her hand That wicked horn Dan. 7.21 is broken off who warred against and wore out the Saints the multitude of thy offences now at last hath broken the multitude of thy forces and thou canst not call back the day that is past
that time of truth without mixtures of errour a time of light without mixture of darknesse a time of knowledge without mixture of ignorance from whence all Heresie doth proceed The light of the Moon shall be as the Sun and the light of the Sun shal be seven-fold as the light of seven days The Ordinances aso will then be pure without mixtures of superstition humane inventions and will-worship There are those Rivers of water of life clear as chrystal Great also will be the holinesse of that day Zach. 14.9 Rev. 22.1 Isa 2.2 For it shall come to passe in the last dayes that the Mountain of the Lords House shall be established in the top of the Mountains and shall be exalted above the hills and all Nations shall flow unto it And many people shall go and say Come ye and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord to the House of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths for out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem See also Zach. 8.19.20 21 22. The streets of the City are all gold and golden will be the lives and conversations of the Citizens yea God shall be known in her Palaces for a refuge the foundations of her City are all of Pearl her streets paved with precious stones her Gardens fragrant with all manner of pleasant flowers her delightful walks are always green her Springs are living waters her months are one continued May her Trees bear all manner of lovely fruits and the leaves of the same are for the healing of the Nations her years are one lasting joyful Jubilee and her strength is always firm her same men leap as Harts and the tongue of dumb men then are loosed O when shall we go how shall we get to this holy and beautiful City of God Her time is coming her year is at hand and the Lord will hasten it in his time Reader thou hast here a little taste of the beginning of Zions blisse held forth unto thee only according unto our weak and short manner of conceiving and expressing the things themselves as far surmount our thoughts and words as the Heavens are above the Earth and as the East is distant from the West Give me now leave to put a period to all in a word or two of Application Vse 1 Let us help forward this Kingdom of Christ on Earth by faith and prayer and so much the rather because the time approacheth the Promises are even come to the birth and they draw on apace Pray we therefore for the ruine of Antichrist Rome must down before Christ will set up his Kingdom and for the calling of the Jewes for the beginning of this Kingdom must be with the Jews they â—uâ—t be Caput Imperii the Head and Seat of this Empire must be among them And let us pray according to Christs direction Thy Kingdom come and thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven which will never be till these thousand years Let as saith David all Nations serve thee O God let all people praise thee O pray that God would take to himself his great power and reign before the Ancients gloriously Vse 2 This may inform us that the day of Judgment is not so far off as many think it For if once Antichrists Kingdom go down Christs Kingdom is set up as we have before heard and certainly Antichrists twelve hundred and sixty days of reigning are not long to continue though we cannot tell justly how long yet in the general we know it cannot be long and Christs Kingdom is durante currente die judicii within and during the great day of Judgment Vse 3 This doctrine speaks comfort to you O ye sons of Zion and daughters of Jerusalem O thou Wife and Spouse of Christ thou art She who hast seen and dost see affliction yea from thy youth up thou hast been slain and killed all the day long the furrows have been made long upon thy back and thou hast been â—â—ptied from vessel to vessel Thy flesh hath 〈◊〉 no rest but troubles are on every side without are sight◠〈…〉 been covered as with a cloud and art for a 〈◊〉 word and hissing to passers by yea accounted as the off-scouring of all things unto this day But he of good chear yea awake and sing thou that dwellest in the dust for thus saith the Lord God O thou afflicted and tossed with tempest and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours and lay thy foundations with Saphire and make thy windows of Agats and gates of Carbuncle and borders of pleasant stones For thy Maker is thy Husband the Lord of Hosts is his Name and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel the God of the whole Earth shall he be called Wherefore lift up thy head for thy Redemption draws nigh and the years of thy deliverance are now at hand O wait and pray and bear up yet a little a very little while and thy work shall be rewarded and the wicked train shall be no more but the meek shall inherit the Earth and delight themselves in a very great abundance of peace do but fight stoutly through the pikes and win the field put forth thy strength and spare no pains no cost no sweat no blood O cast about a careful eye use all holy policy rally up thy force afresh it wants but a little and all 's thine own and then thou art made for 〈◊〉 〈…〉 dou◠〈…〉 〈◊〉 pleasure to give thee the Kingdom Thy 〈◊〉 who hath washed thee in his blood 〈◊〉 made thee clean and spotless behold he â—â—mes quickly and his reward is with him â—rise O Lord and let thine enemies be scattered â—â—d those that hate thee flee before thee Lay Babylon in the dust and let her Virgins be cut off O 〈◊〉 the hairy scalp of all thine incurable foes 〈◊〉 Zion be exalted and Jerusalem made a praise 〈◊〉 the midst of the Earth preserve thy Spouse in 〈◊〉 midst of Lions strengthen her faith lengthen her â—â—â—ience hasten thy coming O be as a Roe or â—â—oung Hart upon the Mountains of Spices Ameu FINIS
that day upon the Mount of Olives which is before Jerusalem on the East Jer. 23.5 He shall reign and prosper and shall execute Judgment and Justice in the Earth And we with him Rev. 5.10 shall reign on the earth I confesse what they may do to others I know not but to me for that little knowledge the Lord of his goodnesse hath bin pleased to impart to a poor worm me thinks they are very clear and perspicuous See also that Text Acts 1.7 Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel viz. what was promised by the Prophets The Lord answers it is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his own power In which I conceive he plainly insinuates these three things 1. That the Kingdom promised is one day to be restored to Israel 2. That there is a time appointed for it by the Father viz. the time of the restitution of all things Acts 3.21 which God hath spoken by the month of all his holy Prophets since the world begun All prophesied and soake of this 3. That the time when this shall be is known only to God as proper to him not to be communicated to any creature So also before in Lukes Gospel chap. 29. Our Lord Jesus Christ hath daught us that the time of his second coming in glory is the time of the Redemption of Israel promised or the promised Kingdom which after the Winter of the Cross and Affliction should come which he calls a certain Summer v. â—8 and 31. ¶ Nextly see Luk. 22 29 30. Ye are they that have continued with me in my temptation and I appoint unto you a Kingdom c. Now where is this Kingdom not in Heaven there is no eating and drinking in Heaven no judging the twelve tribes of Israel therefore it is on the earth in the time of Christs second coming ¶ Let us also take notice of that passage Acts 15.14 Simeon hath declared how God at first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his Name and ver 15. to this agree the words of the Prophets which are spoken of the first calling of the Geniles before the restoring of the Kingdom of Israel as it is written viz. in Amos 9.11 12 especially from whom alone we may judge of the meaning of the rest of the Prophets ver 16. After this viz. after their first calling I will return and build again the Tabernacle of Daviâ— which is fallen down and I will build again the remains thereof and will set it up where it is carefully to be marked that the word posthaec afterward is not to be found in the Prophet Amos but is added here by the Spirit of God for Declaration-sake with manifest relation to that first calling that we might certainly know that this should com to passe after the first calling of the Gentiles in the very return of the Lord Jesus Christ to his Kingdom which is called the Kingdom of David Ier. 23.5 Ezek 37.14 and 24. Hos 3.5 see the words I set them not down lest these sheets should swell And that which follows both in Amos and in this text very much helps this Exposition viz. v 17. that the residue of men might seek after the Lord and all the Gentiles upon whom my Name is called viz. upon whom my Name is called in the first calling of the Gentiles who as I said before were but few in comparison But the second calling will be far more universal when the Devil shall be bound up from seducing the Nations any more as formerly he had done then shall the residue of men come in and all the Gentiles as the Text saith be converted to God ¶ This is that Kingdom joyned with the Appearance of Christ ready to judge the world of which St Paul to Timothy makes mention 2 Tin 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 His appearance is personal for he appears to judg and then doth this his Kingdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 begin and dures the time of his stay which John tells us Rev. 20 4. is a thousand years and then comes the second or general resurrection which is another order in the resurrection and the general and last judgment when according to this self same Apostle 1 Cor 15.24 to 23. Jesus Christ the last enemy being destroyed shall deliver up the Kingdom to his Father that he may be subject to him who subdued all things to hâ—mself that God may be all in all so far is he then from being said to enter upon any new Kingdom that then he delivers up the old That Kingdom therefore which neither shall be before the appearance of our Lord nor after the last Judgment is necessarily to be included between them This is not nothing ¶ See also those words Heb. 2 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For unto the Angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come whereof we speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enim terra est non coelum For this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate world is Earth not Heaven but you will say where did the Apostle speak in his preceding discourse of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 world to come that he should say whereof we speak I answer in v. 6 of the preceding chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. But when he shall bring AGAIN his only begotten Son into the world he saith c. For those things which out of the Book of the Psalmes to the end of the chapter are cited concerning the worship of Angels of his Scepter of Righteousnesse of the renewing of the world and of the treading of his enemies under his feet are all if we crecit the Apostle to be referred to the second coming of Christ But that Admonition which is contained in t he sour first verses of this chapter is to be read as a parent hesis the which being ended the Apostle in the fifth verse returns again to his former Proposition and more largely handles the Prerogative of human Nature above the Angels which he had disputed And amongst other things saith he unto the Argels hath he not put in subjection the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 world to come whereof we speak which is to be when God brings again his only begotten son into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 world I have here but one word more to adde for I spake before of the strange transposition of the words ch 1. v. 6. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring in hath a future signification for so much as it is the second Aorist of the Subjunctive mood ¶ Peter also 2 Pet. 3.10 speaks if I be not deceived clearly to this Behold the day of the Lord cometh How As a Thief in the night i. e. suddenly yet shall not as a Thief disappear the