Briars and Thorns and is very nigh now to a Curse whose End is to be Burn'd Rev. 18. But of Reformed Churches and Christians we Hope Better Things and Things that have Hold of that Great Salvation of the Kingdom though we thus speak The Lord therefore shall give you a Sign a Mahar-Schalal-Hash-Baz a Sign of his making Isay c. 6. c. 9. 9. haste to the Prey For as soon as the Child now Born shall by a seven years Age know to chuse the Good and Refuse the Evil That Great City shall be Forsaken of its Ten Kings who have so long given their Kingdom to the Beast and so its Tenth shall Fall and the Witnesses shall Rise And this as it were New Song shall be Sung and the Everlasting Gospel Rev. 14. 1. Preached and we shall be as New Bottles fill'd with the New Wine of the Kingdom And these Truths shall be no longer call'd Novelties Whimsies and Intoxications nor men say any longer We like the Old Wine Better For Christians shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pursuers of Truth in Love Ephes 4. 13. c. as of perfect Age Growing up to the Fullness of Christ and Strong Meat shall belong to them as Having Senses exercis'd to discern Good and Evil. For then the Apostacy shall go off and the mighty Gifts that were but Tasted at first as to length of Time shall Reeurn with Miraculous Powers of the World to come Because it shall then be drawn near and it shall never End Now the mistake is Great that These miraculous Powers ceas'd because the Canon of Scripture was sufficiently Seal'd The Mystery of Iniquity growing up to the Apostacy caus'd the Cessation when That Ends These shall Return Let us therefore in our Earnestest Going on to Perfection wait upon Christ till be Rises upon this Glorious mount of Prey in the Succession of his Kingdom when the Light of one Day then shall be as the Light of seven now Even the Sun shall be asham'd and the Moon Confounded when He Comes to Reign before his Ancients Gloriously And now His going forth is Prepared as the Morning we shall know if we Follow on to know the Lord. But if Any will be Ignorant It must be so If Any one Aggrieved Scripture is open Let him Implead what 's Written I stand on the Justification by Divine Help THE CATECHISM OF THE KINGDOM OF OUR Lord Jesus Christ Question WHere is the Doctrine of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ to be found Ans It is especially to be found in the opening of Prophetical Scripture being the Mystery spoken of by all the Prophets Revel 10. 7. Acts 3. 21. Quest What is the Rule of the True Explication of Prophecy Ans That of the Apostle He that Prophesies let Him Prophecy according to the Analogy or proportion of Faith Rom. 12. 6. Quest What is the Analogy or proportion of Faith Ans It is the Form of sound words according to the whole Scripture which is a Table so exactly square nothing can without plain Injury be Added to it or Taken from it Quest Is the Kingdom of Christ to be thus explain'd Ans I Trust we shall Find it so by Searching All Scripture with Noble Minds whether those Things are so or not and thereby giving heed to that most Sure word of Prophecy that we shall do well to take heed to as to a Light that shineth to us in a dark place So we shall Find it no Cunningly devised Fable Acts 17. 11. 2 Pet. 1. 16. 19. Quest What then is to be understood by the Kingdom of Jesus Christ A. The Kingdom of Jesus Christ is the Glorious and Visible Appearance of Christ Himself with all Saints who have died in Him and whom He will bring with Him who shall dwell with Him in the New Heaven he hath promis'd in the Region of the Air above And for the Full Glory of this Kingdom There shall be a Generation of Saints in the New Earth below who are the Living the Remaining Both sorts Rescued from the common Fire for the Perdition of ungodly Men. 1 Thess 4. 13. to the end 2 Pet. 2. 9. c. 3. 7. 13. Q. Is it not enough that there be a Day of Judgment and a State of Glory and Happiness to Christ and his Saints in the Highest Heaven and of punishment to the wicked in the Lowest Hell A. God hath in his word declar'd to us That is not enough but There shall be upon Greatest Reasons given us therein a New Heaven and a New Earth and a State of Saints in both and of the Enemies of Christ being made his Footstool that there may be a most visible Appearance of the Glory of the one and of the Contemptible dishonourable and condemned State of the other 2 Thess 1. 5. to v. 11. with Dan. 12. 1. 2 Rev. 19. 14. 15. to the end c. 20. 4. 6. Q. What shall be the Highest Spirit and Constitution of this State A. It is an Oeconomy or dispensation wherein there is a most exalted State of Holiness and Purity in the enjoyment of God and of Jesus in his Redemption Rev. 5. 9. and c. 4. 5. of the Communion of his Spirit Free from Sensuality and Impurity and in perfect Happiness and Security from all Toil Grief Pain Death and Curse so that all the Saints are Priests of God and of Christ and Reign with Him Rev. 20. 6. c. 21. c. 22. v. 1. to v. 7. Q. What do you mean by an Oeconomy or Dispensation A. It is the free dispose of Things after the Counsel of Gods own Will for the Manifestation of his Wisdom to Angels and Men in this or that way as the Master of the Great Family of All Things Ephes 3. 9. 10. Q. But hath not this doctrine been generally charg'd with Carnality and sensual Inclination A. This hath been the Art of Sathan and of Antichrist to Bring out of Repute so Great a Doctrine of Christ that It is peculiarly call'd the Everlasting Gospel that the Antichristian Kingdom of this World as a Dead Child might be put in its place Q. What then is the State of the Saints dead in Christ whom He Brings with Him and who shall be in the New Heaven A. They who are Accounted worthy to obtain that World and the Resurrection from the Dead neither Marry nor are Given Luke 20. 35. 36. Rom. 8. 23. 1 Cor. 5. 3. in Marriage Neither can They Dye any more being the Children of God and of the Resurrection and The Adoption But They Sit on Thrones and Judge Angels and the World with Christ and Reign with Him a Thousand Years not upon but over the Earth They see the Face of God and of the Lamb and Rev. c. 20. c. 21. c. 22. his Throne is in the midst of Them as His Servants They serve Him and his Name is in their Foreheads He is their Light and their Temple They Eat of the Tree of Life and Drink of the
Water of Life and over Them the second death can have no power Q. But it seems They only who have been Martyrs and especially They who would not Receive the mark and Name of that Antichristian Idolatrous Power which the Revelation calls the Beast are They who thus Rise and enjoy that State a Thousand Years Rev. 20. 4. A. They are indeed the principal there nam'd to Answer the Table or Representation of Things in that Prophecy of the Revelation But it is subjoyn'd immediately v. 6. Blessed and Holy is He that hath part in the first Resurrection though they are not the principals Beheaded for Christ And the Apostle Paul assures us All who have died in Christ will God bring with Him That none should Mourn without hope for Dead Friends as if They should loose that Glory For none of the Saints can be perfected the one without the other The Living Saints cannot prevent the Dead and the Wee of the Living Saints are Joyn'd in that Glory with the Dead Rais'd 1 Thess 4. 15. and Heb. 11. last Call'd we All as making up the whole Q. What then shall be the State of the Saints Living and Remaining at the Coming of the Lord A. They also are as was said Partakers of the First Resurrection so that the Second Death shall have no Power over Them For the Blessed and the Holy is only He who is so Partaker And it is expresly said These shall not dye but be Changed and caught up to meet the Lord in the Clouds and be for ever with the Lord So they cannot fall into the Lake of the Second Death The Leaves of the Tree of Life are therefore for the Healing these saved of the Nations And the River of Life from the Throne runs down to them and the Trees of Life are for their Food and Medicine and the Healing Waters from the Sanctuary so that whatever doth Live shall Live Rev. 22. 2. Ezek. 47. 11. They shall be as Adam had he continued in Paradise served with the whole Variety of the Creation for Use and Delight without Lust or Sensuality without Labour Sorrow Curse or Death till They are so changed and they shall propagate a Holy Seed Psal 110. 3. in such abundance as to recompence with a much more to the Glory of the Second Adam Rom. 5. 12. to the end for the few that are saved within the World of the First Adam Q. What Entercourse shall there be betwixt the Saints of the New Heaven above and the Saints of the New Earth beneath A. Such as betwixt the Lights of Heaven and the Firmament and our Selves now on Earth For the Nations of the Saved shall walk in the Light of the New Jerusalem above shining as the Sun and Stars down to them And as All Glory on Earth is refer'd to the Light of the Sun and the Heaven over us So the Saints the Kings on Earth shall bring their Glory to the New Jerusalem above especially They shall give their Glory and walk in the Light and Enjoyment of God and of Christ And Angels and Saints above Angels Equalls shall Ascend and Descend on that Jacobs Ladder whose Foot being on Earth its Top reached to Heaven and God and the Lamb are on the Top of it and by Ezekiel's steps enlarging and winding still upward shall All below Ascend upward Gen. 28. 12 13. Ezeck 41. 7. Q. Give yet a fuller Account of the State of the wicked in this Kingdom of Christ A. The Scripture is not so full nor so clear in setting out the State of the Wicked under this Kingdom yet so that It is most certain that They who have lived before it are rais'd to Illustrate the Glory of it and to bear the Shame and Dishonour of their wickedness under the Just and Righteous Condemnation of Christ call'd a being slain with the Sword of his Mouth Shame and Contempt shall be pour'd upon Them as a Just Recompence of all the Scorn They have cast upon Christ his ways and Servants and They shall be seen in a State of Punishment Destruction and Death under a sharp sense of it in Themselves and so that They shall be seen as Carcasses whose Worm dyes not and their Fire is not quenched so that They are an Abhoring of all Flesh And this is a Just and Righteous Recompence of all the Cruelties They have exercised upon the Servants of God and their Disobedience to God and to Christ and their so obstinate prefering the present World before and above the World to Come Lastly in what ever State Any of them can be suppos'd to be They are certainly so under Christ and his Saints That They are made his Foot-stool Dan. 12. 2. John 5. 29. Esay 66. ult 2 Thes 1. 9. Psal 110. 1. Q. When does the Kingdom of Christ begin A. It begins at the Coming and Appearance of Christ and at the Resurrection of his Saints at that his Coming and Appearance a Resurrection to Life Honour and Immortality and to a visible Glorious Appearance with Christ and Reigning with Him Q. Is there not a Resurrection of the Wicked at the same Tme And if so How then does their Resurrection stand in Relation to the Happy Resurrection A. There is their Resurrection as was last declared but because It is a Resurrection to Punishment and Dishonour It is called Death and They are called the dead though iâ— a visible Appearance The Scripture therefore but seldom names the Resurrection of the wicked as a Resurrection and when it speaks of the Resurrection at any Time absolutely It means the Happy and blessed Resurrection as Luc. 20. 35 36. 1 Cor. 15. throughout Rev. 20. 4. 6. And therefore there can be no other Respect had to them in the Kingdom of Christ and the Resurrection proper to it but as They add to the Triumph of the Kingdom and are in a State of Deprivation of its Glory Q. What proof can you give of the Kingdom of Christ at his Coming and Appearance A. The whole Stream of the New Testament Joyns his Coming and his Appearance and his Kingdom One with Another The Son of Man coming in his Kingdom Mat. 16. last When the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and All the Holy Angels with him Then shall He sit on the Throne of his Glory Mat. 25. 31. Remember me when Thou Comest in not into thy Kingdom Luk. 23. 42. Because They thought the Kingdom of God should immediately Appear He spake a Parable unto Them of a Nobleman going into a Far Country to Receive a Kingdom and to Return and Having Receiv'd a Kingdom He Return'd in it Luke 19. 13 15. When we made known unto You the Power and Coming of Christ and were Eye Witnesses of his Majesty to wit in the Transfiguration that Great Fore-Appearance of his Kingdom Behold He who is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth cometh in the Clouds and Every Eye shall see Him Revel 1.5.7 And his Appearance
and his Kingdom are Joyn'd 2 Tim. 4. 1. He shall Judge the Quick and the Dead at his Kingdom and at his Appearance Q. Give a proof of the Kingdom at his Resurrection A. The Apostle plainly declares it For he says Every one shall Rise in his own Order Christ the First Fruits and They which are Christs at his Coming And without Any other Mention of his Kingdom He says He must Reign till he hath put All his Enemies under his Feet Now when did this Reigning Begin but at his Coming Or where did the Apostle Give any Intimation of his Reigning but at his Coming according to all the Fore-mentioned Scriptures And when He Comes and Descends and no Longer Sits at the Right Hand of God Then God first makes his Enemies his Footstool not when he Sits but when He Comes and then He Begins to Reign and He Reigns Till all his Enemies are his Footstool And when He Descends and Comes and Reigns The Dead in Christ Rise and then He Brings Them with Him His Kingdom and the Resurrection of his Saints Begin together Q. What Place then hath the Day of Judgment A. The Day of Judgment is the same with the Kingdom of Christ and with the Resurrection All Begin Continue and End Together with this Difference The Judiciary Sentence is at the Beginning Rev. 19 last and at the End c. 20. 13. 14. 15. and between a Righteous and Holy Government which Government the Scripture often calls Judgment Psal 72. 4. And All Men whether They Rise to Life or to Condemnation are before and as it were about the Tribunal or Judgment Seat which is also the Throne of Christ and Receiving according to what They have done in the Body whether it be Good or Evil during the whole space of the Resurrection Kingdom and Judgment of Christ 2 Cor. 5. 10. Q. How long then does the Kingdom of Christ the Appearance in the Resurrection and the Day of Judgment last A. The Grand and the most Definitive Time in which Christ shall Reign with his Saints is while Sathan is bound and That is a Thousand Years And the Apostle Peter having named the Day of Judgment Immediately as it were Adjures Christians not to be Ignorant that One day as if He should say That One Day of Judgment is with the Lord as a Thousand Years and the several viz. Six Thousand Years before it but as each one day so making that Day of Judgment a Sabbatical Day or Sabbatism Rev. 20. v. 2. to 8. 2 Pet. 3. 8. Q. But seeing as hath been said The Living Remaining Saints have a State in this Kingdam of Christ in the New Earth even as the Saints dead in Christ have in the New Heavens How can so long a space as of the Thousand Years consist with the Apostles Doctrine 1 Cor. 15. 52. that speaks as of a close Connexion betwixt the Dead being Rais'd and the Wee of the Saints being Chang'd For saith He Behold I shew you a Mystery We shall not All dye but we shall All be chang'd in a moment in the Twinckling of an Eye at the last Trumpet For the Trumpet shall sound and the Dead shall be Rais'd Incorruptible and we shall be chang'd All as it were in one moment A. The Apostle shews the suddenness and Immediate effect of the Power of Christ in both Raising the Dead and Changing the Living but the so close Connexion betwixt the Raising and the Changing does not thence Follow For within the Time of John's Seventh and last Trumpet when the Kingdom of Christ Begins its Succession and which contains all from that Kingdom of Christ so beginning and its being Deliver'd up The Dead shall be Rais'd and the Living chang'd but at several distances of Time Forthe Apostle says the Dead in the Third person shall be â—aâ—â—'d To shew the Wee of Saints of the first person are of a different State and order of Time in being Chang'd from the Dead in Christ that shall be Rais'd Q. But it does not seem that this change of persons can bear the weight of so Great a point of doctrine A. I allow it if there were not that Great Consenting Scripture 1 Thess 4. 17. where the Apostle puts the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or afterwards betwixt the Saints dead in Christ at the Coming of Christ Rising first and the Living Chang'd or which is the same Caught up that He had put betwixt the Resurrection of Christ and his Saints Rising at his Coming which hath made as great a distance as 1700 Years already For saith the Apostle the Lord Himself shall descend with a shout with the Voice of the Arch Angel with the Trumpet of God and the Dead in Christ shall Rise First Then we which are Alive and Remain shall be caught up viz. without Dying Now the word which is here Translated Then was 1 Cor. 15. 27. Translated Afterward and may therefore very well allow the distance of above a 1000 Years in one as in the other which distance the Translators knowing betwixt Christ's Resurrection and of his Saints at his Coming Translated Afterwards a word of distance in our English But not understanding so well that distance betwixt the Raising and Changing the Saints they render the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess 4. 17. Then which signifies often with us the same moment but this varies not the Truth of Things and of Scripture Q. How is the State of the Kingdom of Christ bounded at the Period or End of it A. By the Saints Living and Remaining being Caught up to Christ in the Air by the Subduing the last Enemy Death and by the Delivering up the Kingdom to God All in All So that the Coming of Christ and his Appearance in and at his Kingdom the Dead in Christ Rising His Saints the Wee left Living and the Judiciary sentence on his Enemies to be his Footstool at the beginning and these Great Pillars at the end bound at each Point this Greatest Oeconomy of the Fulness of Times and not only distinguish but exalt it far above all other Time And herewith Admirably Agrees the whole State of Things in the last Trumpet of the Prophecy of the Revelation wherein we have several Expressions of the Kingdom of Christ or his Taking to Him his Great Power and Reigning The Heavens open to Him with his many Crowns and the Title or Name on his Vesture and on his Thigh King of Kings Lord of Lords His Reigning and his Throne in the New Jerusalem The Time of the Dead being Judg'd and Rewards Given to All that Fear'd his Name Great and Small and the destroying them that destroy'd the Earth A voice Commands to write the Blessedness of All the Dead in the Lord and their Sabbatism Yea from henceforth or Immediately Christ with a Crown and on a White Cloud Giving down it Dew as the Dew of Herbs that the Earth may disclose its dead c. and Reaps his
Wheat with his own Hand and gathers by his Angels the clusters of the Wicked to cast Them into the Wine-press of the Wrath of God which He coming in his Kingdom Treads and Slays or Condemns with the word of his Mouth All the wicked Small and Great Chains and Seals up Sathan into the Bottomless-pit the making all his Enemies his Footstool while at the same Time there are the Nations of Them that are saved viz. of the Living Remaining And this Kingdom lasts till the Living Remaining are caught up to sit with Christ on his Throne as he sate Down on His Fathers Throne and the Devil the Dead Death and Hell are Cast into the Lake of the Second Death which is the Subduing the Last Enemy Death at which Heaven and Earth flie away from that white Throne of Pure and Liquid Eternity and the Kingdom Delivered up to God All in All Esay 26. 19. Mat. 13. 30. Rev. 11. 15. c. c. 14. 13. to the End c. 19. c. 20. all along All which are Admirable Correspondencies with all the Former Scriptures and their High Importance already given And Thus the Kingdom of Christ is from the First Resurrection the First because at the Beginning of the Kingdom of Christ and the Second Death the Second because at the End of the Kingdom of Christ For the First Resurrection hath properly no Second but is All One Resurrection from the First Rising of the Dead in Christ to the Living Remaining Saints caught into the Partakership of it And the Second Death hath no First but is All one Death from the Having no Part in the First Resurrection in the Holy City and no Right to the Tree of Life to the Casting into the Lake of the Second Death So the First Resurrection and Second Death are only Oppos'd As First and Second Q. Is there Any other Scripture Representation of this State of the Kingdom of Christ that may Evidence it to be such a peculiar Dispensation that hath never yet been and that shall be yet before the Giving up the Kingdom to God All in All A. There is that Great One The Time of the Restitution of All Things viz. Of the whole Creation Deliver'd from the Bondage of Corruption into the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God Rom. 8. 21. which is at the same Time with the Re-Livening which we Translate Acts 3. 19. Times of Refreshing the Dead in Christ or as the Apostle John Rev. 20. 4. calls it the Souls Living And This must be what never hath yet been For it must be when Jesus before Preached and whom the Heavens must Receive till He be Sent Come which we All Acknowledge hath not been yet and yet must be before the Kingdom Deliver'd up For then the Restitution shall be Deliver'd up also There is also the New Jerusalem which according to the Compare of Ezekiel in the Israelitish Description of Things proper to the Old Testament and Johns proper to the New Testament Assure There must be such a State of Things as never hath yet been And in Regard of a Higher State where the Throne of God and the Lamb are and Those who Immediately as being in their presence Eat of the Tree of Life and drink of the Water of Life and in Regard of the Nations Saved and Healed must be a State above and below and so before the Kingdom Deliver'd up to God and the Father when he is All in All. Q. This being a very Great Point and so Differently Expounding those Fundamental Points of the Resurrection and of the Day of Judgment as in the Kingdom of Christ There need besides the given Proofs of Scripture which are generally Explained so as to Reach no further then the Common Exposition of these Doctrines Great Accounts of Scripture Reason drawn from the most Intimate Sence of it to Establish such an Exposition A. There are Exceeding High Accounts from Scripture-Reason of the Manifold Wisdom Holiness and Justice of God in this Grand Oeconomy or Dispensation Q. Give Account of the First and Fundamental and most Immediate Reason of such a Dispensation A. That there might be a State of Visible Appearance of the Glory of Christ and of his Saints and of the Contempt Dishonour and Retributions of Justice on Wicked Men For that These Things should Appear be set in open View in a Full and Clear Light is every where made Known in Stripture First as a Recompence to the Deep Humiliation of Jesus Christ Himself and to his Saints who have been all along but especially since the Delay of his Kingdom at his Resurrection in a Low Scorn'd and Persecuted State Tortur'd by Cruelties and Forc'd out of the World by Violent Deaths who have therefore from the Truth of God been Arm'd and Encourag'd in their Obedience and against these Sufferings by the Assurance of a Visible Appearance in Glory and Reign with Christ and of the Visible Shame and Confusion of their Enemies and of all Wicked and Unholy Men who have so obstainately preferr'd the Present before a Future State Esay 65. 13 14 and to the End Mic. 7. 17. and Dan. 12. 1 2. Phil. 2. 9 10 11. Heb. 11. 35. with many more Scriptures Q. But can there be no Appearance of this Glory and of that Contempt but in such a state of the Kingdom of Christ A. No Not in this World because however some Appearances may be of these Things on each side in some Instances Yet in General All is so in Confusion and Disorder here and this is the very Cross-Handed State of Evil to the Servants of God and of the Prosperity of Wicked Men that no Man Knows Love or Hatred by All that is before him Not in the State of Spirits in Heaven above or in Prison below For All Scripture Reason makes it most Evident There can be no Appearance without a Resurrection Not in the State of Eternity For then God All in All as the Highest Glory Swallows up the Less when God is All in All The Son is subject There must be therefore a Distance of the Rain-bow the Emblem of Christs Kingdom from the Sun that its Beauties may be seen so the Glory of Christ in his Humane Nature and of his Saints in visible Glory must be seen at a Distance from God All in All Not in the Day of Judgment or the Resurrection as a short Transitory Space For that could be no Kingdom nor any Appearance worthy so Great a Cause that had only a moment But it must be a settled Oeconomy or State of Duration the Fullness of Times as it own proper Times and not short Time on-only When the Great Potentate gives a Show it shall be of a thousand years Duration Eccles 9. 1. 1 Cor. 15. 28. Ephes 1. 10. 1 Tim. 6. 15. Rev. 20. 6. Q. How may This be also Set in Agreement with the State of the Wicked A. Very exactly For here They very generally appear in Prosperity And the State of