hath made us Kings and Priests unto God AND besides Wee shall REIGN UPON EARTH And as through abundance of confidence begetting abundance of joy the Saints are brought in expressing it in a triumphing song And againe they praise for the same thing in substance in a song Rev. 14.3 And againe the same matter in the same manner in effect Rev. 19. first six verses And the reason given is because the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth and hath avenged the blood of his servants and the Saints are then extant to praise for it and all this must bee yeelded to bee on earth by whomsoever the rest of the Chapter shall be read out curiously for whiles the Saints are all in Heaven properly so called Christ needs not as it is v. 15. rule the NATIONS with a ROD OF IRON or as it is v. 18. c. Call the fowles to eat the flesh of Kings Captaines c. and of horses whiles he slayes men with the sword But I transgresse in anticipating if not prejudicing my selfe in spending so much time in touches hints and intimations afore I come to the elaborate scanning of these and other Scriptures SECT III. Analecta de Sanctis in illo MILLENARIO CUM CHRISTO regnantibus SAnctos cum CHRISTO regnare his mille annis tam Canorâ profertur emphasi ut nemo facile surdeat incurius In praefatione Apocalypsis cap. 5. praefatam aliquatenus in libro cap. 20. liberè habemus prenunciatam In 5. cap. ovantes canunt Dignus es Agne qui accipias librum aperias c. quoniam mactatus es fecisti nos DEO NOSTRO reges sacerdotes ET observetur illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeterea REGNABIMUS in TERRA Mirum si regnaverint in terrâ Christiani Christo ibidem non regnante Verùm non ita ab effectu sejungatur causa Sed vivent inquit vicesimum Caput regnabunt CUM CHRISTO mille annos 2. Ut verò Christus dicitur hoc Milleno ita in terris regnare quasi illum comparativè non anteà ibidem regnâsse dici videatur Apocal. 11.15.17 Ita Sancti pari analogiâ dicuntur tunc CUM ILLO illic regnaturi tanquam non regnantes ante haec videbantur 3. Videamus jam utriusque mappam Discutiamus postea Dan. 7. v. 9. ad v. 15. Videbam donec solia posita sunt ita Textus originalis it a vetus interpres ANTIQUUS DIERUM sedit coram quo myrias myriadum stabant Judicio considente libri aperti sunt Videbam tunc ex quo caepit vox verborum grandium quae cornu illud parvum nempe illud ultimum grandiloquum v. 8. loquebatur Videbam usque dum occisa est bestia illa scilicet decemcornupeta cum ultimo succrescenti cornu eradicanti tria v. 7 8. occisa est perditurque corpus ejus traditum incendio Residui etiam bestiarum ablatus est dominatus spacium tamen in vita datur iis us que ad tempus constitutum Visionibus videbam nocturnis quò◠ecce cum nubibus Caeli SIMILIS FILIO HOMINIS Christus nempe Veniebat deinde usque ad ANTQUUM DIERUM nempe DEUM PATREM pervenit ut sisteretur ante eum ETHUIC Christo scilicet datur dominatus gloriaque ac Regnum ILLUD Sic Graecè habetur emphaticè ad mentem Prophetae eundem domìnatum illam ipsam gloriam idemque regnum penes olim quatuor Monarchas jam Christo dari ut patet ex sequentibus ut omnes populi nationes linguae ei serviant cujus dominatus est perpetuus c. id est nulla post Christi dominatum Regnum sequitur in terris dominatio Vel perpetuum dicitur hoc Christi Regnum quod omni durante seculo est duraturum ut sonat origo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quae omnia cunctis ni captis oculis apertissimè referuntur ad visibile Christi REGNUM in TERRA expressiùs v. 23.27 collatis singulis quatuor Monarchiis quae praecesserunt ruentibus HOC Regnum hucusque Christo datum quasi nullum illi fuisset antea jam sanctis datur utpote cum Christo regnantibus v. 17. c. ad finem Hae bestiae magnae inquit unus ex astantibus juxta Danielem interpres quae sunt quatuor quatuor sunt reges e terrâ surrecturi id est quatuor Imperia Monarchica sanctos persequentia in terrarum haereditate invicem succedentia nempe Assyrio-Chaldaicum Medo-persicum Graecum Romanum Sed Sancti accipient Regnum HOC ut Junius dat emphasin qui possessuri Regnum IPSUM ut iterum dat Junius usque in seculum inque seculum seculorum Id est interpretanti Ephraimo Huito Sancti Judaei privabunt eas bestias suo dominatu eundem possessuri ad extremum mundi finem His visis Danieli optanti veritatem cognoscere de bestiâ quartâ ab omnibus diversâ dentibus ferreis conculcante caeteras deque cornibus decem in ejus capite deque ultimo succrescente cornu a cujus conspectu ceciderunt tria ore ejus loquente grandia gerenteque bellum cum sanctis eisque praevalente usque ad ANTIQUI DIERUM adventum judicium sanctis daturum ità responsum est Bestia illa quarta regnum quartum erit in terrâ quod diversum erit ab omnibus illis regnis consumet enim totam terram c. Id est Imperium Romanum diversum regimine victoriis crudelitate a caeteris eorundent dominatus regalia delebit Et cornua deâ—â—m ex illo regno sunt decem reges qui exsurgent post quos exsurget postremus qui erit a prioribus diversus tres reges deprimet Id est ex quarto imperio nempe Roma no surrexerunt decem status inferiores â—yrannici in quos hoc dividitur impeâ—â—um hâc praeparatione divinitùs factâ in ruinam ejus ut opportunè jam cornu Turcicum tres illorum domat dominaturque absolutissimè â—ejectis legibus imperialibus Romanis quâ ratione a decem omnino distinguitur Et loquetur postremus ille verba adversus excelsum excelsique sanctos deteret adeò ut cogitet se mutaturum tempora jus Id est quà m maximas inventas blasphemias contra Deum promulgabit crudelique tyrannide sanctorum debilitabit potentiam consulet de mutandis temporibus legibusque divinitùs institutis Tradenturque in manum ejus usque ad tempus tempora divisumque tempus Nempe Turca ita dicto conamine praevalebit ut Sancti ejus dominio trecentos quinquaginta annos subjicientur Sed judicium considebit dominatus ejus auferetur profligando perdendoque usque in finem Hoc est judicante Jehovâ sancti eripiunt illi regâ—um vim râ—bur potestatem ejus devastantes Regnum autem dominatusque amplitudo regnorum SUB TOTO CAELO dabitur POPULO sanctorum exceâ—sissimi Cujus regnum erit in seculum omnes dominatores ei servient auscultabunt Quibus
against Christ and scattered to this day SECT V. The fifth place for Christs Personall appearance Zephan 3.14 to end of the Chapter Sing O Daughter of Zion shout O JSRAEL the Lord hath taken away thy judgement he hath cast out thine enemy the KING OF ISRAEL even the LORD is in the MIDST OF THEE In that day it shal be said to Jerusalem feare thou not the LORD THY GOD IN THE MIDST OF THEE IS MIGHTY he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy I will gather them that are sorrowfull Behold at that time I will undoe all that afflict thee I will gather her that was driven out and I will get them praise and fame in every Land where they have been put to shame c. NOw when was Christ ever so in the midst of Judah and Israel as to doe thus therefore this is yet to be fulfilled CHAP. VI. The close of the second Booke in a generall briefe Discourse of Christs visible appearance to the Saints on earth afore the ultimate Day of Judgement § 1 I Have spoken but briefly to the last Scriptures and shall no longer insist distinctly upon this Head of proving by peculiar places of Scripture the Personall visible appearance of Christ at the setting up of his Kingdome before the end of the World because we shall have many sprinklings of this in the prosecution of the whole of the point yet remaining about the Kingdome it selfe § 2 Only meane while I would have the Reader observe from the Scriptures that have been alleadged That Christ must be a King visibly it must visibly appeare he is a King or else men that are only sensible will never be convinced which is the maine intent of Christs visible appearance so that the Kings of the earth that of all men are drowned in sensuality shall come and submit to his Kingdome Rev. 21. and elsewhere as we have heard afore § 2 And is there not all reason that the King of Kings the Sonne of Man should be as compleatly and apparently King as the Kings that are under him They have not onely Authority by Writs Warrants Proclamations c. to punish or encourage by their Officers but they visibly are crowned sit in the Throne beare the Scepter and attended upon all just occasions with a visible power Then it is all equity that Christ also should not onely have sovereigne Authority but also a visible power so as he may visibly appeare to his very enemies to be King over all the earth § 3 Yea earthly Kings have as a providentiall care over all their subjects even to the punishing of the rebellious so also have they their secret way of insinuation and ingratiating towards their favourites and their manifest glorious presence at Court in the Metropolitan and most magnificent place of the Kingdome Therefore at least no lesse must be allowed to Christ viz. a providentiall power over all the world A spirituall efficacie over his Kingdome of grace or visible Church and a visible glorious reigning over all his true Saints § 4 Now Christ is not King in glory in the highest heavens with and over all his Saints for all shall not be there according to the common Tenet till the Lord Christ hath resigned all his power according to 1 Cor. 15.28 or at least when he hath brought all the elect soules to their bodies by a resurrection and changed them whom he findes alive at his coming and so brought them all to ultimate glory just then he layes downe all his authority So that he doth not reign with and over all his Saints in ultimate glory at all § 5 But he must be a visible King of visible glory over the Church made very glorious upon earth at his next appearance afore the ultimate judgement according to the Scriptures aforegoing A great comfort to the bodies in the grave that they shall not there lye so long as to the ultimate judgement when all the wicked shall bee raised as is evident by comparing vers 2. c. of Rev. 20. with vers 8. c. And a great comfort to them alive at his coming that have waited for him faithfully to the last and worst of the Tragedie of evill times § 6 I need not speake to the first two Kinglinesses of Christ viz. Providential of power and spirituall of grace But a word will do well here to the last viz. his visible glorious appearance before the ultimate day of judgement making all the world sincere or altogether seeming Saints and reigning over them as the alone Monarch He must as visibly succeed in government he foure mettals Dan. 2. and the foure Beasts Dan. 7. both signifying the foure Monarchies viz. the Chalde-Babylonian the Medo-persian the Grecian and the Roman as these foure did visibly precede him in government Dan. 2.44.45 The God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdome shall not be left to other people but it shall breake in peeces and consume all these Kingdomes and it shall stand for ever And all this comes to passe in that the stone Christ Jesus cut out of the mountaine without hands brake in peeces the iron the brasse the clay the silver and the gold Dan. 7.13 14. The rest of the Beasts had their Dominion taken away The Sonne of Man comes with the Clouds and the Ancient of dayes gave him dominion and glory and a Kingdome that all people and Nations and languages should serve him So that Christ at his next appearance is the fifth Monarchy § 7 When the Lord spake but little to Eve of his dominion over the seed of the Serpent and consequently his succour of the seed of the woman how did he anon and after and all along the New Testament begin to act in Types this visible Monarchy He appears to Moses in a burning bush to give a visible signe of his presence to deliver Israel out of Egypt And appeares to Israel in a pillar of a Cloud and of fire sensibly to signifie he was their convoy They are a Royalty as Peter calls them but God onely their Monarch Moses and after Samuel were onely Interpreters between them and their Monarch And therefore when they rebelled against Moses it is reckoned as a rebellion against God And when they refused Samuel it is charged upon them that they refused God to be their Governour The Arke is placed amidst the Camp Numb 2. as the pledge of God to be their Generall Accordingly they carried the Arke in battell with them 1 Sam. 4. as having that opinion of it So verse 4. The people sent for the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord of HOSTS which DWELLETH between the Cherubims And so the Philistims conceived For when the Israelites shouted at the coming of the Arke into the Camp of Israel the Philistims vers 7. are afraid and they said God is come into the Camp This Arke led them through Jordan as it did as it is
are inconsistent with glory in the highest Heaven In like manner the residue of this one and twentieth Chapter shewes that the meaning is not of supernall eternall glory according to former common opinion of divines as ver 9 10. An Angel shewes John the Bride the Lambes wife viz. the great City holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God which cannot possibly be meant of a state in the highest Heaven no Angel need tell John or he us that the Church shall bee seen in that Heaven when there it shall be seen without shewing by all the inhabitants there Nor is this a direct but a crosse phrase to expresse the state of the Church ascended by its descending out of heaven from God The soules of the elect must descend to be united to their bodies on earth there for a time to inherit all things as said afore before their ultimate glory And for that description of New Hierusalem by measures c. from ver 11.22 can it meane the spanning of Heaven or the measures of the place of ultimate glory The parts and particulars are all too short and to no purpose wee beleeve more then all in this Text without this Text doubtlesse this Geometricall and Architectonicall Iconiâ—me or description is taken out of Ezekiel from Chap. 39. to the end of the Book in all the Prophet importing thus much that Gog the enemy of Israel shall be destroyed and they themselves shall bee gathered from their captivity and measures out to them their New Testament estate that it shall be more goodly and glorious then all their Old Testament state and therefore when John hath this given to him in Rev. 21. as an exposition of Ezech. 39.40 41 42 c. Chapters it would be but a darke dreame to apply it to supernall eternall glory which many circumstances forbid for if it be meant of that glory why ver 14. are only the names of the twelve Apostles to be inserted in the twelve foundations and not the names also of the twelve Patriarchs of the twelve Tribes What need was there to tell us ver 11. that the place spoken of here hath in it the glory of God and a light like a Iasper cleare as Chrystall or to minde us ver 17. that the cubits were according to the measure of a man or to warn us ver 22. that John saw there no Temple and for that in ver 23 24. That God and the Lambe are the light of New Hierusalem â—nd they that are sazed shal walke in it and Kings shal bring their glory and honour unto it I aske any ingenuous man whether he can keeping his reason with him apply these things to ultimate happinesse in the highest Heaven Is there a walking or conversation of life in spirituall light Is it not a quiet injoying and beholding the unspeakeable manifestation of Gods speciall presence Doe Kings and Princes there goe and come and bring their honour and glory to heaven Or doe they bring as ver 26. the glory and honour of Nations unto it Thus take altogether quarrell not peecely with this or that fragment but take the whole entirely and then tell me ingenuously whether this one and twentieth Chapter can meane any thing but a glorious state on earth before the ultimate Judgement at which time is rather a destruction then an extruction or building and therefore this Chapter clearly containes the admirable state of the Church of Jewes and Gentiles for the space of that thousand yeares in the twentieth Chapter the exposition whereof is the work now in hand to which we returne § 5 The third passage in this twentieth Chapter of Revelations is that the Saints reigne with Christ a thousand yeares or the thousand yeares This number of yeares is expressed six times in the first seven verses twice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and foure times with an emphaticall Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can any judicious man take this meerly Allegorically and not Historically and litterally Can he upon good grounds make it to signifie lesse then a thousand yeares It is true a thousand yeares in Gods account 2 Pet. 3. in regard of his present knowledge of all things or knowledge of all things as present and his eternall entity before and beyond all things are but as one day but still a thousand yeares are a thousand yeares in themselves how ever they be as nothing in comparison of God But can man make a long time and a short time all one Are a thousand yeares to him but as one naturall day or to the Saints here reigning surely then the Saints priviledge of reigning or the binding of Satan for their sakes will amount to a very small matter Then on the morrow Gog and Magog shall rise against the Saints for at the end of the thousand yeares they shall rise against them Or can any considering man make these thousand yeares to signifie more then a thousand yeares viz. eternity the Scriptures have no such phrase that I know And divers of the Fathers afore the Floud though in a worse life-cherishing state lived within a few yeares of a thousand Is there not a notorious eminent punctum or point of the beginning and period of the ending of these thousand yeares They begin with the fall of Antichrist the destruction of his Army Rev. 19.19 20. and the wonderfull binding of Satan chap. 20. ver 2. And they end with the loosing of Satan and the warre with Gog-Magog Is it possible now that any should referre this to the eternity of supreame glory therefore as ver 4. it must needs be meant of reigning with Christ on earth at least a thousand yeares properly understood as it is expounded Revel 5.10 for all the Saints that are found on earth at Christs next coming never reigned with Christ in heaven and after the last Judgement Christ doth not reigne as Christ but layes downe all 1 Cor. 15.28 § 6 Let us in the next place take some maine particulars of this twentieth Chapter and compare the mystery of the things with the history of times Johns science with our experience and see whether we can make these all hold together unlesse wee understand them of a glorious Kingdome of Christ on earth before the ultimate day of judgement We will cull out but three particulars 1 The resurrection of the Saints vers 4 5. They must so live as the dead wicked that while did not live But the dead wicked did live that while in soule therefore the Saints must live more then so viz. must live that while in soule and body too Againe the Saints must so live at this first resurrection as the dead wicked shall at the second resurrection But the dead wicked shall live in soule and body at the second resurrection therefore the Saints at this first resurrection live in soule and body Let the Reader piercingly weigh the Text and he shall finde these syllogismes little lesse then demonstrations As for the difference
a glorious state of all things Gen. 1.26 And God said Let us make man in our Image after our likenesse and let them have dominion over the fish of the Sea and over the fowle of the Aire and over the Cattell and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth on the earth 27. So God created man in his owne Image c. 28. And God blessed them and God said unto them be fruitfull and multiply and replenish the earth and SVBDVE IT and have DOMINION over the fish of the sea and over the fowle of the aire and over EVERY LIVING THING that moveth on the earth Psal 8.1 O LORD our LORD how excellent is thy name IN ALL THE EARTH who hast set thy glory above the heavens 2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest still the enemy ard the avenger 3. When I consider thy Heavens the worke of thy fingers the Moone and the Stars which thou hast ordained 4. What is man that thou art mindfull of him and the Sonne of Man that thou visitest him 5. For thou hast made him a little lower then the Angels and hast crowned him with glory and honour 6. Thou madest him to have DOMINION OVER THE WORKES OF THY HANDS thou hast put ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET c. Heb. 2.5 For unto the Angels he hath not put in subjection the WORLD TO COME whereof we speake 6. But one in a certaine place testified saying what is man that thou art mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him 7. Thou madest him a little lower then the Angels thou crownest him with glory and honour and didst set him OVER the workes of thy hands 8. Thou hast put ALL THINGS in subjection UNDER HIS FEET for in that hee hath put ALL in subjection under him he left NOTHING that is not put under him 9. But now WEE SEE NOT YET ALL THINGS put under him but we see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that he by the grace of God should taste of death for every man § 1 AS Saint Iohn fetcheth in the Notions of the terrestriall Paradise to describe New Hierusalem of which Revel 21. or which is all one the glorious state of the Church that it shal have on earth before the last Judgement Revel 22. or else we shall make John to speake impertinently for in supreame glory is no need of a river of water or of streets or of a tree of Life or of twelve sorts of fruit one for each month or of leaves to heale the Nations or to make him speake untruly if any would turne it to an Allegory of a fountaine of Doctrine or of more and fresh effusions of the Spirit or of Christ to beare any further fruit he there laying downe all 1 Cor. 15.28 even so the Prophet David falls upon a divine meditation of the estate of Adam in innocency to compose a Propheticall Psalme of praise for what God would doe for his people on earth before the ultimate end of the world as the Apostle Paul expounds him in the place aforesaid § 2 Should seem that though some things by Adams fall were irrecoverably lost in specie in their proper kind though not vertually and equivalently as mans freedome from corporall death yet other things as this dominion of man over all things was not so forfeited but that in Christ first or last it is recovered And therefore though David knew full well Adams fall as appeares by Psal 51.5 yet looking upon the SONNE OF MAN Christ in this Psalme he holds up his head and heart and sings out shrilly this praise in this Psalme of hope that this dominion shall be made good to man on earth to the utmost § 3 For surely there is no imagining of this state to be of Saints in the highest Heavens that there they should have dominion over the Beasts Fishes and Fowls or over wicked men properly that are then in the infernal Lake wholly under the sole power of the Prince of Darknesse and this was not performed on earth unto Davids time who from his youth to his end was ever and anon in danger of Beasts or beastiall men of the Lion and the Beare of Goliah of Saul of Absolom of forreigne enemies c. Nor was it ever since fulfilled but that the Saints the Members of the SONNE OF MAN have been at the same passe for the generall with David or worse as we have and shall heare abundantly § 4 Yet this must be fulfilled visibly on earth as saith the Psalmist in this eighth Psalme so as the enemy and avenger among men must bee stilled ver 2. And all the Creatures subdued as it is in the rest of the Psalme and both so as that the Saints mouthes may be full of praise according to the forme of this Psalme and this must be fulfilled too visibly on earth saith the Apostle in the said second of Hebrewes Unto the Angels saith he ver 5. God hath not subjected THE WORLD TO COME of which WE SPEAKE No for they are charged to be in subjection to Christ chap. 1. ver 6. Nor hath God said to any of the Angels sit thou at my right hand * Mat. 24.14 Luke 2.1 Luke 4.5 Luk. 21.26 Acts 11.28 Act. 17.6 Act. 17.31 Act. 19.27 Act. 24.5 Rom. 10.18 Hebr. 1.6 Heb. 2.5 Rev. 3.10 Rev. 12.9 Rev. 16.14 untill I make thine enemies thy footstool ver 13. but this must be fulfilled on earth to men in Christ through him For the Apostles first phrase in that fifth verse of the second Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is spoken with great emphasis with a double emphaticall Article sounding as we speake in English THAT SAME world even THAT that is TO COME and yet still meaning a state on earth for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendered world in propriety of signification signifies the inhabited world as men inhabite their dwelling houses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an house being of the Kindred of the world and in common use it is put to signifie the world on earth yea so used by the Holy Ghost in the New Testament at least fifteen times * The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the first Aor of subj mood as I conceive hath the signification of a suture Of this place of Scripture see more in this third Book chap. 2. Sect. 10. and sometimes in those places earth is adjoyned for plainer expression yea used so to signifie the world on earth in most of the said places as thereby to meane the Roman Monarchy the Romans then ruling the whole earth when the Apostles wrote as in two of those places viz. Luke 2.1 Act. 11.28 the Roman Emperour is expressed by name Yea lastly so constantly used in the New Testament
we see him for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour which is not a subjection of the INHABITABLE WORLD TO COME unto him much lesse of ALL THINGS therein The Angels are in Heaven as well as he and so in place they as well as hee are above the things below But Christ must have the inhabited world and All things so subject to him and ' under him as they shall not be to Angels So that if we heed the Text and that which followes the Apostle tells us that in one way and sense Christ is exalted above all viz. in his possession of the highest Heaven through sufferings But withall this is in another place then the inhabited world to come viz. the world on earth yet to succeed and upon another account then the precise formall dominion over it viz. to taste of death for every man And it was in prosecution of a designe verse 10. viz. to bring many sonnes to glory not a perfecting of a thing finished viz. of the atchievement and attainment of his absolute dominion on earth over Turkes Jewes Papists and Heathens c. But this must be Christ and his members must have absolute dominion over the world below in that estate of it that is yet to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the habitation of the world is not to be subjected to the Angels Heb. 2. v. 5. They are but the Churches servants It is an estate that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come after Pauls time though Christ had before ascended But it must be subject to MAN and the SONNE OF MAN v. 6. God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made him a little lower and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a little time Christ or Christians were not lower at all then Angels in nature or spirituall condition but onely in outward dominion and state of life Phil. 2. Heb. 2. and that but for a little time till the time of that world to come on earth which must be before the last day of judgement for then is not any subjection of any thing to Saints or Christ but he and so they to lay down all dominion 1 Cor. 15.28 SECT V. Wherein the Promises God made to Abraham Gen. 12.1 2 3. Gen. 15.4 5 6. Gen. 17.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Gen. 18.18 Gen. 22.18 paralleled with other promises to his posterity Gen. 26.4 Gen. 48.19 v. 26. and with the Apostles explications and applications of those Promises Rom. 4. v. 3. to v. 25. Gal. 3. v. 6. to 17. Heb. 11. v. 8. to 17. are discussed for the cleering of the said generall Position Gen. 12. v. 1. Now the Lord had said unto Abram Get thee out of thy Country c. Verse 2. And I will make of thee a great Nation and I will blesse thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing Verse 3. And I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse him that curseth thee and in thee all families of the earth shall be blessed Gen. 15. v. 4. Behold the word of the Lord came to Abram saying This shall not be thine heire but he that shall come forth out of thine owne bowels shall be thine heire And he brought him forth abroad and said Look now toward heaven and tell the Starres if thou be able to number them And he said unto him so shall thy seed be Vers 6 And he beleeved in the Lord and he counted it to him for righteousnesse Gen. 17. v. 1. The Lord appeared to Abram and said unto him I am the Almighty God c. Verse 2. And I will make my Covenant between me and thee and will multiply thee exceedingly Verse 3. And God talked with Abram saying Verse 4. As for me behold my Covenant is with thee and thou shalt be a Father of many Nations * In the Heb. it is both in the 4. v. 5. vers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A Father of a MULTITUDE of Nations Neither shall thy name be called any more Abram but thy name shall be Abraham for a Father of many Nations have I made thee * Verse 6. And I will make thee exceeding fruitfull and I will make Nations of thee and KINGS shall come of thee V. 7. And I will establish my Covenant between mee and thee and thy seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant Verse 8. And I will give unto thee and thy seed after thee the land wherein thou art a stranger all the land of Canaan for an EVERLASTING possession and I will bee THEIR GOD. Gen 18.18 Abraham shall surely become a great and a mighty Nation and all the Nations of the earth shall be blessed in him Gen. 22. v. 15 16. The Angel of the Lord called to Abraham c. by my selfe have I sworne that in blessing I will blesse thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the starres of Heaven and as the sand which is upon the Sea-shore and thy seed shall possesse the gates of his enemies ver 18. In thy seed all the Nations of the earth shal be blessed Gen. 26.4 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said I wil make thy seed to multiply as the Stars of Heaven and wil give unto thy seed all these Countries and in thy seed shal all the Nations of the earth bee blessed Gen. 48. ver 19. And his father Jacob refused and said I know it my Sonne I know it that Manasseh is the first borne he also shal become a People and he also shall be great but truly his younger brother Ephraim shall be greater then he and his seed shal become a MVLTITUDE of NATIONS * Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is THE FVLNESSE OF THE GENTILES whence the Apostles phrase Rom. 11.25 The fulnesse of the Gentiles shall come ver 20. And he blessed them in that day saying In thee shal Israel blesse saying God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh and he set Ephraim before Manasseh Gen. 49. ver 26. The blessings of thy Father have prevailed above the blessings of my Progenitors unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills they shal be on the head of Joseph and upon the crowne of the head c. Rom. 4. ver 11. And Abraham received the signe of Circumcision a seale of the righteousnesse of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised that he might be the Father of all them that beleeve though they be not circumcised ver 13. For the promise that hee should be the Heire of the world was not to Abraham and his seed through the Law but through the righteousnesse of faith ver 16. Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace to the end the Promise might be sure to all the the seed not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham who is the FATHER OF US ALL. ver 17. As it is written I have made thee a father of many
the Apostle declines the word Jews or Israelites and useth a more generall word including Jews and Gentiles that shall beleeve calling them the people of God Observe further that the Apostle expresseth the REST that he asserts yet to remain by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sabbatisme as we may say a Sabbathisme that is a rest answering to the Sabbath that God appointed to man in the state of innocency For by the Apostles argument God so ordered it from the beginning that one REST should aptly typifie another 2 ¶ These things being premised the maine question hence is what REST is here meant we grant that subordinata non sunt contraria things subordinate will well enough submit unto an agreement in their descending line of order And so no doubt but that the Apostle includes herein as the internall spirituall rest of grace so also the eternall rest in ultimate glory ALL the rests mentioned in Scripture harmoniously typifying one another The rest of the Sabbath should seem by the Apostles method typified the rest in Canaan and that in Canaan another rest yet to come c. But the precise question is what REST most distinctly and more immediately the Apostle here drives at and argues for First For the rest on the Sabbath the Jewes had both past and present therefore that cannot be the minde of the Apostle Secondly For the rest in Canaan that their fore-fathers had long since and in the Apostles time some remnant of Jewes was there as appeares by the History of the Acts Chap. 2. Chap. 15. c. Thirdly For the spirituall rest by grace in the state of regeneration and actings of faith hope joy c. the Jewes to whom Paul writes knew so well that the Apostle needed not to use so many arguments to prove it unto them For they knew it partly by the book of the Old Testament partly by their sacrifices of Propitiation and Peace partly by the examples of many Saints mentioned with fame in their Bible partly by experience in many of them I meane they being converts they felt what was the inward spirituall rest peace and comfort by grace Heb. 6.9 BELOVED wee are perswaded better things of you and such as ACCOMPANY SALVATION 3 ¶ Fourthly therefore at first sight one would be apt to think that the Apostle in this Chapter must mainly minde the eternall rest in ultimate supernall glory But pardon me that I cannot bring my spirit to beleeve that to be the Apostles maine and immediate meaning for these reasons First the Apostle needed not so much to labour as in this Text he doth by severall arguments to prove to the Jewes THAT there is a state of ultimate glory and an eternall rest therein being a thing in the quod sit viz. that there is such a thing in a good measure knowne to the heathen in their doctrine of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Homer brings in the friends of the widows whose husbands were slaine in the Trojan war comforting them with this That their deceased husbands souls were gone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the invisible world of eternal blisse For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned so much by Homer to signifie an happy and eternall rest and of the Elysian fields so oft repeated by their Poets whom they called their Prophets and their Philosophers Treatises of the Immortality of the Soule Secondly none dares say that all the soules of all them whose bodies fell in the wildernesse of which the Apostle speakes went to the Hell of the damned and that none of them went to the eternall rest in Heaven but ought rather to thinke that at least many of them entred into that eternall rest because the Apostle saith precisely Heb. 3.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their carcases he saith not their souls fell in the wildernesse as the Scripture notes it as a marke of Gods favour that though Nadab and Abihu were punished with death by fire yet nor their bodies nor cloaths were consumed Levit. 10.5 And though the good old Prophet were slaine by the Lion for his sinne yet he was not devoured or torne by the Lion 1 King 13.18 Thirdly the great want the Jewes were in at present when Paul wrote to them was that they the twelve Tribes for the most were scattered as Peter expressely shews 2 Pet. 1.1 and James chap. 1. v. 1. more fully into many Countries And hereby they were perplexed from the quiet injoyment in their spirits either spe or re of any sort of rest For an outward rest is the faire opportunity both in hope and hold to enjoy all sorts of rests And therefore the Apostle striveth so much with so many arguments to prove to the Jewes that now after their dispersion so many hundred yeers tenne Tribes continuedly for the space of three Monarchies and the fourth begun and two Tribes by turnes as long there yet remained to them according to all the Prophesies of the Prophets an externall rest yet to come And therefore as most parallel and pat to that hee takes up the comparation collation and parity of the Rest of God after the Creation and their rest on the Sabbath and the rest that many of their progenitors had in Canaan as most apt arguments to hold forth to them being Jewes an external rest which yet did remaine for them according to the said Prophets as a thing yet not fulfilled But when it shall be fulfilled then in it they shall have a fuller enjoyment of their spirituall and ecclesiasticall or Church-peace Just as Peter spake to them scattered as aforesaid not onely touching their spiritual rest and state of grace which he allowes them then to have in actuall possession when he wrote to them by acknowledging their precious faith 2 Pet. 1.1 but also of the externall rest they should have for a thousand yeares in a new earth 2 Pet. 3. and bids them stick to the Prophets till Christ the Day-star should arise upon them being now ascended Even so Paul likewise in this fourth to the Hebrewes doth mainly speake to their outward condition in which their Spirituall was involved And this is more fairly probable because the Disciples themselves having seene Christs Incarnation Passion and Resurrection with all his singular Doctrines and transcending Miracles did yet notwithstanding enquire and looke for a visible state of rest Acts 1.6 4 ¶ Upon these considerations there is a strong impression on my spirit that though a relative intimation of internall and eternall rest needs not to be excluded yet the Apostles maine designe is precisely to hold forth the eminent externall rest that the Jewes shal yet injoy on earth being gathered into one Church with the Gentiles injoying thereby spirituall peace so as becomes an exact preface to ultimate glory and for that end the Apostle calls it as we said afore not glory not a state in the highest heavens but a Sabbatisme and Heb. 2. in the inhabitable world and this he saith
Christ but anon Arianisme arose then Papisme mounted up then the Beast did arise The Church is put into a Wildernesse-condition the witnesses prophesie in sackcloth one thousand two hundred and sixty yeares which are not yet expired for they have not yet laine dead in the Grave three dayes and an halfe 5 ¶ Nor is that in the 18 19 20. verses yet fulfilled That all Idols are abolished that God hath so shaken the earth that he hath made the inhabitants thereof to cast away all their Idols and to hide themselves for feare The Territories of the Papacie extending over France Spaine Italy part of the Low Countries part of upper Germany part of Polonia part of the Indies c. are full of Idols and doe openly worship them as they say in the sight of the Sunne The great shake of these is not till the Witnesses have laine dead in the Grave three dayes and an halfe Revel 11. and then is the great fall ibid. ver 11. and when those things are shaken downe then the things that cannot be shaken viz. pure worship purely Spirituall and pure Saints shall remaine unmoved Heb. 12.27 § 6 Nor can it be rationally imagined that these things shall not be done till the ultimate day of the generall Judgement for then there is no time of establishing of the mountaine of the Lords house upon the top of the mountaine no proceeding of the word out of Zion no running and hiding from the presence of the Lord for the Sea and Grave c. shall give up their dead And all good shall be turned into an eternity of absolute glory Therefore the time of fulfilling of the Prophesies and Promises of this second of Isaiah is yet to come afore the ultimate day of the last generall Judgement * The Diatribae pars 4. of Mr. Mede lately coming forth and come to my hands since I penned this eleventh Section I thought it convenient to insert into the Margine at least his judgement of this second of Isaiah ver 2 3 4. which I will give you in his owne words HILS or MOUNTAINES saith he are States Kingdomes or Societies of men which consisting of degrees rising unto an height one above another are compared unto Mountaines raised above the ordinary plaine and levell of the earth The MOUNTAINE OF THE LORDS HOUSE is that State and Society of men which is called the Church and People of God REGNUM CAELORUM the Kingdome of Heaven i. e. a Kingdome whose both King and Kings Throne have their place and residence in the Heavens These words therefore are a Prophesie or Propheticall promise of the GLORIOUS EXALTATION WONDERFULL ENLARGMENT and UNHEARD-OF-PROSPERITY of this Society of men called the CHURCH above all States and Societies of men whatsoever The glory and EXALTATION is expressed in the word THE MOUNTAINE OF THE LORDS HOUSE SHAL BE ONE DAY EXALTED yee mounted not only above the lesser hill but above the highest mountaine though at this time it were depressed and trampled under foot by the proud enemies thereof The ENLARGMENT is in the word ALL NATIONS SHALL FLOW INTO IT i. e. though at the time of this Prophesie it were reduced to a small remnant yet the time was to come when it should not only consist of one Nation of the Jewes as then it did but of all Nations under the whole Heaven The PROSPERITY thereof begins to be described from these words ver 4. THEY SHAL BEAT THEIR SWORDS INTO PLOW-SHARES c. i. e though the greatest part of JACOB were already captive and Judah and Jerusalem in a continuall feare and no lesse danger of the Armies and invasion of the King of Babel yet the time should one day come that the People or Church of God should not only be the most exalted state upon the earth and the most ample and universall Dominion that ever was in the world but the most peaceable quiet and flourishing State that ever was since man was FIRST CREATED This is the Prophesie But now comes the Question Whether this as we have described it be and hath already been fulfilled or whether if already any wayes fulfilled whether it be not in part only performed and the full accomplishment reserved for time to come c. For here the Church is to be established on the tops of Mountaines c. so that no other State shal over-top or over-looke it much lesse trample it under feet Now whether there was ever such a time when this was compleatly fulfilled c. I leave it to any mans indifferent judgement who can compare the description of the Prophet with the stories of fore past and present times In the times immediatly after Christs PASSION I think any man will grant the Church then was neither VISIBLE nor GLORIOUS In the time of the PERSECUTING EMPEROURS when the Church had taken foot among the Gentiles and the Nations began to flow unto it it was a Society indeed VISIBLE but not GLORIOUS I am sure it was not in the TOPS of the MOUNTAINES but the Imperial Mountaine of ROME not only over-topped it but over trampled it under their feet In the time of CONSTANTINE and thereabouts after three hundred yeares cruell persecution the Sunne seemed as it were to breake forth of a Cloud but presently that glory was eclipsed and even the visibility of the Church in a manner covered with the thick and a Universally overspreading cloud of ARYANISME This ARIAN cloud was no sooner blown over but another great cloud of that fore-prophesied APOSTASIE of the Church begun to arise whereby the Churches glory was not onely eclipsed but at length againe the visibility thereof wholly overshaddowed with the thick darknesse of Idolatrous ANTICHRISTIANISME untill after a long day of darknesse it pleased God of late somewhat to dispel the cloud c. and we hope when the cloud shall be wholly consumed by the beams of the Sun of the Gospel the Church shall become not more visible then yet it is but far more glorious then ever hitherto it hath been WHEN THE FULNESSE OF THE GENTILES as St. Paul speaks SHALL COME IN. For we shall finde in the Prophesies of the Scriptures that there are two sorts and times of the CALLING OF THE GENTILES First that which should be in the REJECTION OF THE IEWS as St. Paul saith to PROVOKE THEM TO IEALOUSIE Such a calling as should be in a manner occasionall that God might not want a Church the time the Iewes were to be cast out So Rom. 11.15 The CASTING AWAY OF THE IEWS is the RECONCILING OF THE WORLD i.e. The CALLING OF THE GENTILES Whence we may see that the Apostles were not to preach Christ to the Gentiles untill being first offered to the Iewes they refused him And this is that calling of the Gentiles which hitherto hath been many yeares But there is a second and more glorious calling of the Gentiles to be found in the Prophesies of Scripture not a calling as this is
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet sometimes they render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the earth some-times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is under heaven Therefore with the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the earth and that which is under the heavens If this suffice not we may yet consider that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a participle of the feminine gender and therefore understands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the earth which is inhabited Lastly wheresoever elsewhere this word is found in the New Testament it is most expresly used of the earth and inhabitants thereof In the beginning of this Epistle we reade Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the heavens are the workes of thine hands Mat. 24.14 This Gospel of the kingdome shall be preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over all the earth and then shall the end come Luke 2.3 Then went a decree from Augustus that all the world should be taxed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The rest behinde are farre more expresse but I leave them to your owne leisure and will onely adde this one thing that our English rendring in this place of the Hebrewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world to come makes it not only ambiguous but seeming to meane the Kingdome of glory But we shall finde that the world in that sense is alwayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but no where in all the Bible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so I leave this with submission to the judgement of others My next reason shall be from that we read in the Revelation where the Church by the conquest of Michael set free from the Dragons fury is said to escape into the wildernesse that is into a state though of safety peace and security yet of hardship misery and scarcity for it seemes to bee an allusion to the Israelites escaping the tyranny of Pharaoh by going into the wildernesse In this wildernesse or place of hardship scarcity misery and much affliction the Church must remaine saith St. John a time times and halfe a time or as he elsewhere speaketh 1260. daies that is a yeare yeares and halfe a yeare and when this time shall be expired that is as learned Divines thinke when so many years shall be ended as those dayes are taking the beginning of our reckoning from Michaels Trophee then saith our Apostle◠shall the kingdomes of the world become the kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shal reigne for ever and ever Rev. 11.15 Whereby it should seeme that the Church is yet in the Wildernesse and that the promised happinesse of the ample and flourishing glory thereof before the end of the world is yet to come My last reason shall bee from Rom. 11. where St. Paul speaking of the future restoring and calling of the Jewes saith it shall be when the fulnesse of the Gentiles is come in I would not saith he that yee should be ignorant of this Mysterie c. ver 25. Now because the Jewes are not yet called it followeth that the fulnesse of the Gentiles is yet to come and what should then this fulnesse be but the fulnesse of the Gospels extent over all the nations of the world which our Apostle ver 15. calls life from the dead for if the casting away of the Jewes be the reconciling of the world what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead As if the Church of the Gentiles were as yet halfe dead if it be compared with that glorious vigour and accession which shall come unto it when the Jewes shall be againe received into favour In briefe the fulnesse here spoken of is either a fulnesse of grace a fulnesse of extent or a fulnesse of time A fulnesse of time onely it cannot be because our Apostle saith this fulnesse shal enter in namely shall enter into the Church of Christ but this I see not how it can be spoken of a period of time As for a fulnesse of grace and spirituall gifts that was greater when St. Paul spake then ever it was since and therefore if it be meant it must be yet to come And for the fulnesse of extent it was as large for the number of Nations in the Apostles times as it is now in ours for as for the American Christians they are onely so in name being forced only to seeme so by the Spaniards whatsoever fulnesse then the Apostle here meaneth is yet to come I will adde only one thing more and so end this point some thinke that St. Paul in this place hath reference unto that speech of Christ Luke 21.24 where he foretels That the Jewes should fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all nations and Jerusalem should be trodden downe of the Gentiles untill the times of the Gentiles should be fulfilled or accomplished But it seemes to me that the fulness of the Gentiles and the fulfilling or accomplishment of their times should not be the same howsoever they may be co-incident It should rather seeme that our Saviour hath reference as to a thing knowne unto the Prophecy of Daniel where the times of the Gentiles or the times wherein the Gentiles should have dominion with the misery and subjection of the Jewish Nation are set forth in the vision of a four-fold image and foure beasts which are the foure 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 worser estate under them But when their times should be accomplished then saith Daniel The Saints of the most high God shall take the kingdome and possesse the kingdome for ever and ever that is there shall be no more kingdomes after it but it shall continue as long as the world shall endure Three of these Monarchies were past when our Saviour spake and the fourth was well entred If then by Saints there are meant the Jewes which we know are called the holy people in that sense their country is called the holy Land and their City in the Scripture the holy City viz. relatively then is it plaine enough what Daniels and our Saviours words import namely a glorious revocation and kingdome of the Iewes when the time of the fourth Monarchy which then remained should bee expired and accomplished But if here by the Saints of the most High are in generall meant the Church yet by co-incident of time the same will fall out on the Iewes behalfe because St. Paul saith that at the time when the fulness of the Gentiles shal come in the Iew shall be againe restored For a conclusion the last limbe of the fourth Monarchy is in Daniel The horne with eyes which spake proud things against the most High which should continue a time times and halfe a time
that is a yeare yeares and halfe a yeare In the Revelation it is the beast with so many heads and horns full of names of blasphemy which was to continue forty two moneths the same period with the former which was expressed by times and yeares and the same time with 1260. dayes of the Churches remaining in the Wildernesse When these times whatsoever they be shall be ended then is the period of the times of the Gentiles and of the Jewes misery whereto our Saviour seemes to referre in the Gospel Then by St. Paul shall the fulnesse of the Gentiles enter in Then saith St. John shall the kingdomes of the earth be the Lords and his Christs Then saith Daniel in the former place chap. 7. shall the kingdome and dominion and the greatnesse of the kingdome under the whole heaven be given to the people of the Saints of the most High whose kingdome is an everlasting kingdome and all dominions shall serve and obey him SECT II. The second place in the New Testament is Luke 1. ver 31 32. And behold thou shalt conceive in thy wombe and bring forth a sonne and shalt call his name Iesus And he shall be GREAT and shall be called the sonne of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the THRONE of his FATHER DAVID and he shall reigne over the house of Iacob for ever and of his Kingdome there shall be no end § 1 ON which words observe first that this place is taken out of Isa 9.7 before discussed * of giving to Christ the throne of his father David which is not yet fulfilled For Pag. 182. l. 3. chap. 2. Sect. 12 S. 5. c. § 2 Observe secondly That Christs coming in his Incarnation was a state of the greatest humility that could be Phil. 2.7 8. and that from his birth to his ascension saving but to a few radiating for a minute in his transfiguration to three of the Apostles Matth. 17.1 and his appearing to the rest of his Disciples after his Resurrection and ascending up in their sight Acts 1. And therefore though these words are spoken by the Angel upon occasion of his Incarnation yet are they not applied by the Angel adequatly to set forth his state of Incarnation but rather antithetically extended to carry the minde of Mary c. farre further as thus That though this Jesus shall be conceived in thy wombe a meane woman in comparison of the visible glory of the royall races of Princes yet this Iesus shall be no meane person but shall be GREAT and shall bee called the SON OF THE HIGHEST and shall have the THRONE of his father David and shall REIGNE over the house of JACOB for ever c. which things were never fulfilled all the time of his Incarnation to the day of his Ascension Nor was that the time so much as of the full revelation of them but when the Apostles taking hint from these words of the Angel and the like places of Scripture asked our Saviour Acts 1.6 a little before he ascended Wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome to ISRAEL comprehending all the twelve Tribes as doth the house of Iacob in the text our Saviour denied not the thing but the revelation of it that time saying vers 7. It is not for you viz. now the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. are in the present tence to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power But about seventy yeares after that his ascension God gave the full revelation of it to Christ to shew it by an Angell unto John who might write it to the Churches Revel 1.1 so that § 3 Observe in the third place that at Christs first coming viz. in all the time of his Incarnation from his Birth to his Ascension he was not in the throne of his father David he was in the Manger in the Mountaines more destitute then the Birds and Foxes in a Crowne of Thornes in garments of scorne on the Crosse in the Grave and at last in Heaven but never all that time in the Throne of David The Romans all that time and divers hundreds of yeares after reigned over the Jewes Christ not having any thing of Davids visible corporall government which was the notion of Davids government the High-Priest bearing that which outwardly might be called Spirituall yea when it was offered unto Christ to be made a King and to divide the portions between the Brethren he refused it Therefore § 4 Observe fourthly That the beginning of that Kingdome of Christ which shal be for ever that is after which no Kingdom on earth succeeds as often hath been expounded was not yet begun For after Christs ascension from that day to this other Kingdomes on earth over the Jewes did succeed viz. the Romans Sarazens and Turkes Why the meere spirituall Kingdome of Christ cannot be here understood we have already given unanswerable reasons as we conceive afore when wee parallel'd this place with Isa 9.7 * Pag. 184. l. 1. and why this Kingdome cannot be in Heaven at the ultimate end of the world the reason is at hand because then Christ shall deliver up the Kingdome to God the Father when he shall have put downe ALL rule c. and the sonne himselfe shall be subject to him c. SECT III. The third place in the New Testament for the said visible glorious state of the Church on earth yet to come before the universall Resurrection is in Luke 21.24 And they the Jews shall fall by the edge of the sword and shall be led away captive into all Nations and Jerusalem shall bee trodden downe of the Gentiles untill the times Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opportunities of the Gentiles be fulfilled Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filled up OBserve first that our Saviour speaking of the two Tribes that had been now returned from Babylon above five hundred years that they shall be led away captive in all nations must of necessity meane another and a more dispersing captivity following that which was begun by Titus Sonne of Vespasian the Roman Emperour burning both Temple and City selling an hundred thousand Jewes besides the slaughter of eleven hundred thousand about forty yeares after the ascension of Christ as Bucholcerus and Josephus affirme prosecuted by Aelius Adrianus the Roman Emperour about an hundred yeares after Christs ascension at which time the said Aelius Adrianus buried Jerusalem in its own rubbish and gave it to other Nations and Gentiles to inhabite calling it after his own name Aelia promoted yet further by the Saracens making feareful desolations in Judea about a thousand and nine yeares * So Bucholcerus Ind. chron after the Incarnation of Christ and at last this scattering of those two Tribes into all Nations is perfected by the Turkes dominion over them from about the yeare one thousand three hundred after the Incarnation of Christ to this day whereby they are dispersed as our
for behold the Kingdome of God is within you We answer first That these words were spoken to the Pharisees ibid. vers 20 to them it should not come with observation 2 To them enquiring after another state of Christs Kingdome mean while over-looking and neglecting its present state whiles Christ was personally with them and opposing him No wonder therefore that to such hypocrites so acting Christ would not discover the glorious visible state of his Church to come 3. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 observation it signifies Divination or Augury Bud. And the Apostle applies the Theam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reprove the Galatians for observing dayes and months and yeers and times therefore Chemnitius sayes truly it signifies a scrupulous superstitious observation And oft in the New Testament it is put to signifie in the Theam a captious insidiatory malicious observation to carp and catch Luke 6.7 Chap. 14. vers 1 Chap. 20. vers 20. The great learned Philosopher a Natural Greek and therefore knew his owne tongue in his Rhet. l. 2. useth it for observing a fit time to revenge Now the Pharisees were exquisite at both sorts of observation viz. superstitions of washing c. and insidiatory See Luke 20.20 They watched him it is the same Greek word and sent forth spies c. This being the efficacy of the Greek word and this being the spirit and temper of the Pharisees no wonder that Christ sayes to them the Kingdome of God doth not come with such observation or to such observers But fourthly we answer that Christ doth not deny but that his Kingdome may be perceived and beheld by a serious and sincere observaton As first his Kingdome of the ministration of the Gospel So that there shall bee no need to say Lo here or lo there is the Kingdome while the Kingdome of God is AMONG YOU verse 21. q. d. you might see it as well as others if you were sincerely willing to see it Our Translators render it The Kingdome of God is within you But most improperly for sure the Kingdome of God was not within these Pharisees who most likely put this question to Christ insidiatorily Beside the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly signifies among or on this side or on that side or in the middle or amidst and so Beza and the Hebrew our Syriack copy have it And Beza saith it answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud vos among you And his words on this place and phrase is very considerable to our purpose This particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Beza signifies that so the Kingdome of God was among them that by no means could it lye hid but was obvious to the beholding of all as John speaks Chap. 1. v. 27. But perhaps it doth declare that they had it not onely neer them but also within that is they had the Messiah within their houses so that but for perverse opinion c. they might acknowledge him There are some saith Beza who had rather render it WITHIN you as if it were signified there that the Kingdome of Christ were spiritual not earthly c. which opinion however it is true yet perhaps it is not sufficiently accommodated to this place Secondly For Christs more glorious and more conspicuous Kingdome at his next appearing he saith verse 22 23 24. and 25. to his Disciples Goe not after men that say here or there it is in this or that corner for as the lightning that lightneth out of the one part under heaven shineth unto the other part under heaven so also shall the Sonne of man be in his day But first hee must suffer many things and be REJECTED OF THIS GENERATION which plainly signifies his next comming after his Ascension Lay all together and you will see how little Mr. B. gets out of this place for his minor To his fourth proof thereof Job 18.36 My Kingdome is not of this world we have answered largely afore To his fifth and last proofe of his minor Rom. 14.16 The Kingdome of God consists not c. we gave a full answer when we answered the closing up of this his Argument SECT V. Mr. Bailyes fifth Argument § 1 THe Scripture makes the Church of God so long as it is upon earth first a mixed multitude of elect and reprobate good and bad Secondly A company of people under the crosse and subject to various temptations Thirdly A company that hath need of the Word and Sacraments of Prayer and Ordinances Fourthly That hath Christ a high Priest within the vayle of heaven interceding for them But the Doctrine in hand changes the nature of the Church and makes it for a 1000 yeers together to consist only of good gracious persons without all trouble without all Ordinances without any need of Christs Intercession For the first of mixedness see Mat. 13.40.24.11 Luk. 18.8 These places declare the mixture of the wicked with the godly in the Church to the worlds end and most about the end For the second of Crosses See Psal 34.20 Many are the afflictions of the righteous Matth. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourne and are persecuted Act. 14.23 By many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdome of God Rom. 8.17 If we suffer with him we shall reigne with him 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will be godly must suffer persecution For the third of Ordinances see Eph. 4.11 1 Cor. 11.26 For the fourth of need of Christs Intercession see 1 John 1.8 and Chapter 2.1 Heb. 9.24 § 2 Answer first to the major Mr. B. himselfe cannot but confesse that it is not simply and absolutely true For if Christ will judge the whole world upon the earth on earth shall be the place of Judicature and bodies must be in a place for at heaven the wicked shall not be to receive sentence and onely the Saints at last are caught up into the clouds 1 Thess 4.17 And Christ as man must judge men as men and so have time to make his judgement apparently just to all mens reason and so as some of the Presbyterians confesse must take up some considerable time And at this time the Church shall be separated crosses shall cease the wicked shal not persecute c. Then it follows that the major is not absolutely true That all the time the Church is on earth it shal be subject to the four aforesaid particulars Now we have often and justly said The day of judgement begins at the thousand yeers § 3 To the minor wee say that it is false to say This Doctrine of the thousand yeers doth alter the nature of the Church Nature imports substance kinde essence But Mr. Baily knows the rule Magis minus non variant speciem i. e. More and lesse do not alâ—er the kinde And sure Mr. B. hath preached that common true Divinity that heaven doth perfect our condition our knowledge graces soules bodies and communion with God not alter them in kind nature or essence And so the
And accordingly John shews it us Chapt. 11. Chapt. 12 Chapt. 13 Chap. 19. Chap. 20. Lastly Mr. Baily confutes himselfe as hee propounds his argument For hee saith our Doctrine makes the day openâ— when we say The day shall be either one thousand six hundred and fifty or one thousand six hundred ninety five Surely this is not to make the day so certaine or the yeer For saith the Philosopher qui indefinite c. He that answers indefinitely answers nothing Beside we cannot for our lives count so exactly but we may misse at least one yeer if we did absolutely pitch on any one account that were never so right in the footing For my part I shall affirme what is most probable about the account when I come to the seventh and last Book SECT VII Mr. Bailyes seventh Argument THe reward of the Martyrs is everlasting life in the heavens promised to them at Christs comming to judge the just and unjust therefore it is not temporall in an earthly Kingdome of a thousand yeers The Antecedent is proved Matth. 5.10 2 Tim. 4.6 2 Thess 1.6 7 8 9 10. which without doubt is not before the last judgement else the Martyrs would be in a worse case then the soules of other Saints continuing in heaven injoying the Trinity yea a punishment to them being brought downe to the earth to returnâ— to a body not like to the glorious body of Christ nor yet unto these incorruptible immortall spirituall bodies which yet are promised to the least of the faithfull at their resurrection 1 Cor. 15. But unto such a body that eats drinks sleeps fights delights in fleshly pleasures and converseth with beasts and earthly creatures in such a Paradise whereof the Turkish Alcoran and the Jewish Talmud doth speak much But to a godly soule is very tastelesse and to a soul that hath been in heaven exceeding burthensome Answ first We deny the consequence of the Argument For Gods rewarding his people on earth doth not anticipate heaven nor the reward in heaven cut off the rewards on earth See Mat. 19.29 shall receive an hundred fold and shall also inherit eternall life And this in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Creation as the word signifies And when they sit on Thrones according to Dan. 7.22 which is according to our Text of Rev. 20.4 Secondly we say that those places Mr. B. brings for the proof of his Antecedent doe prove our assertion viz. of an happinesse of the Saints on earth as well as in heaven As that in 1 Tim. 4.6 7 8. For verse 8. it is said At that day and particularly at Christs appearing To understand which see verse 1. And remember our arguing upon those words Shall judge the quicke and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdome Compare Rev. 19. latter end with Rev. 20.3 4. Likewise that which Mr. Baily urgeth out of 2 Thess 1.6 7 8 9.10 plainly proves a reward on earth as well as in heaven It is a RIGHTEOUS thing c. It is mercy to the Saints but righteousnesse chiefly appears upon the wicked that are punished And this appears more to all the world being done on earth To you that are troubled REST WITH US The Apostle aims at a Rest first on earth compare Heb. 2.5 and Chapter 4. verse 9. Rest when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from HEAVEN Not in Heaven And the flames of fire are expresse Rev. 17 16. and Chapter 18. verse 8 and 9. and Chapter 19 two last Lastly It is said in that 2 Thess 1.9 They shall be punished from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power But Christ hath no power in heaven at the ultimate day of judgement but then layes downe all 1 Cor. 15.24 As for Matth. 5.10 there is no mention of the place but in the word Heaven not expressing which of the three heavens as Paul distinguisheth Now St. John calls the â—â—te of the thousand yeers Heaven Rev. 21.1 And in this place of Matth. 5.10 The adjoyning the word KINGDOME to Heaven clearly imports a state on earth For in heaven above nor Saints nor Christ have any Kingdome at the ultimate day of judgement Yee see now how truely Mr. B. saith without doubt the reward in these places is not till the last day of judgement As for M. B. words The Martyrs would be in worse case c. They are grounded on a mistake For all the Saints both the deceased and living shall then share in the same glory on earth For those words It would bee a punishment c. These all flow from ignorance of what the Scripture hath said in this point viz. that their bodies shall in the thousand yeers bee immortall and glorious and conformable to Christs body as we have shewed afore For that Mr. Baily concludes of fighting in the thousand yeers c. let him affirm it when he can without contradicting himself he affirming it a time of all corporall pleasures and when we affirme it And for Turkish Alcoran and Jewish Talmud we have nothing to do with any thing but what we are convinced is according to Scripture But it is the Scottish manner to dispute by branding with reproaches But sure their contrary opinion tends to Familisme SECT VIII Mr. Baylies eighth Argument § 1 THe opinion of the Millenaries supposeth the restauration of Jerusalem and of the Jewish Kingdome after their destruction by the Romans But the Scriptures deny this Ezek. 16.53.55 When I shall bring againe the captivity of Sodome and of Samaria and her daughters then will I bring again the captivity of thy Captives c. The Jews saith Mr. Baily are never to be restored to their ancient outward estate much lesse to a greater and more glorious Kingdome Jerusalem was to be re-builded and the spirituall glory of the second Temple was to be greater then the first And in the end of the same Chapter the restitution of the Jews after the Babylonish Captivity by vertue of the New Covenant is promised But the outward estate of that people was never to be restored to its ancient lustre more then Samaria or Sodome As Amos speakes of Samaria Chap. 5. 2. The Virgin of Israel is fallen and shall no more rise And Isa saith of Jerusalem The transgression thereof shall be heavy and it shall fall and not rise againe According to the prophesie of Jacob Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Judah till Shiloh come Importing saith Mr. Baily that the Tribe of Judah should ever have some outward visible rule till the comming of Christ in the flesh but thereafter the Scepter and Power of the Church shall be onely spirituall in the hand of Shiloh the Messias He was the substance and body of all these types the restauration of Jerusalem and the erecting of the Monarchy in Judah § 2 Answ The Scripture doth not deny the restauration of Jerusalem but affirme it and that most strongly as we have shewed in many
to restraine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seem not so fully to answer the Apostles scope and intention which seems to be a general consolation to all that dye in the faith viz. a fruition of Christ then may we give it the largest sense and yet say that it is not needful that the Resurrection of those which dyed in Christ should be all at once or altogether but the Martyrs first in the first resurrection Then after an appointed time the rest of the dead in the last resurrection Afterward when the resurrection shall be thus compleat those which remaine alive at Christs comming shall together with those which are risen be caught into the clouds to meet the Lord in the aire and from thenceforth be eternally with him And so the reason why those which Christ found alive at his coming were not instantly translated should be in part that they might not prevent the dead but bee consummate with them 3 Both these interpretations suppose the rapture of the Saints into the clouds to be for their present translation into heaven But suppose that be not the meaning of it for the words if we weigh them well seem to imply it to be for another end namely to do honour unto their Lord and King at his returne and to attend upon him when he comes to judge the world Those saith the Text which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him He saith not carry away with him Again they and those which are alive shall be caught up together in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the air to meet the Lords coming hither to judgement not to follow him returning hence the judgement being finished Besides it is to be noted that although in the Hebrew notion the air be comprehended under the name of heaven yet would not the Apostle here use the word heaven but the word aire as it were to avoid the ambiguity lest we might interpret it of our translation into heaven If this be the meaning then are those words we shall ever be with the Lord. thus to be interpreted after this our gathering together * In T. More sc his coming c. or gathering unto Christ at his comming so the Apostle calls this rapture 2 Thess 2.1 wee shall from henceforth never lose his presence but alwayes enjoy it partly on earth during his reigne of the thousand yeers and partly in heaven when we shall bee translated thither For it cannot be concluded because the Text saith the Saints after their rapture on high should thenceforth be ever with the Lord Therefore they shall from thenceforth be in heaven for no heaven is here mentioned If they must needs be with Christ there where they are to meet him it would rather follow they should be ever with him in the aire then in heaven which I suppose none will admit And otherwise the Text will afford no more for heaven then it will for earth nay the words he shall bring them with him make most for the latter 4 I will adde this more namely what may be conceived to be the cause of this rapture of the Saints on high to meet the Lord in the clouds rather then to wait his comming to the earth What if it bee that they may be preserved during the conflagration of the earth and the works thereof 2 Pet. 3.10 That as Noah and his family were preserved from the deluge by being lift up above the waters in the Ark so should the Saints at the conflagration bee lift up in the clouds unto their Ark Christ to be preserved there from the Deluge of fire wherein the wicked shall be consumed There is a tradition of the Jews sounding this way which they ascribe unto Elias a Jewish Doctor whose is that Tradition of the duration of the world and well knowne among Divines Duo millia Inane duo millia Lex duo millia dies Messiae viz. Sex mille annos duraturus est mundus He lived under the second Temple about the first times of the Greek Monarchy so that it is no devise of any later Rabbies but a Tradition anciently received amongst them whilst they were yet the Church of God I will transcribe it because it hath something remarkable concerning the thousand yeers It sounds thus Traditio domus Eliae Justi quos resuscitabit Deus non redigentur iterum in pulverem He means of the first and particular resurrection before the general which the Jews acknowledge and talke much of See Wisdome Chapt. 3. ab initio ad finem verse 8. Si quaeras Mille annis ist is quibus Deus Sanctus Benedictus renovaturus est mundum suum de quibus dicitur Et exaltabitur Dominus solus in die illo Es 2.11 quid just is futurum sit sciendum quod Deus benedictus dabit illis alas quasi aquilarum ut volent super facie aquarum unde dicitur Psal 46.3 Propterea non timebimus cum * Psal 46.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutabitur i. e. changed though we there translate it movebitur i. e. moved mutabitur terra At forte inquies erit ipsis dolori seu afflictioni Sed occurrit illud Esa 40.31 Exspectantibus Dominum innovabunt vires efferentur alâ instar aquilarum The Hebrew words are in Gemara Sanhedrin c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tradition of the house of Eliah The just whom God shall raise viz. in the first resurrection shall not returne to dust But if you aske what shall happen to the just in those thousand yeeres wherein the holy and blessed God shall renew this World whereof it is said Esa 2.11 And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day you must know that God shall give them the wings as it were of Eagles to flye upon the face of the waters for it is said Psal 46.3 Therefore shall wee not feare when the earth shall bee changed But you will say Perhaps it will be to them a paine and trouble but we are otherwise taught by that in Esa 40.31 They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles c. CHAP. VI. § 1 SO much for answering Objections against our Point Next I should come to answer Objection against our Arguments And indeed all men are more busie to reply then to prove the contrary which argues that they are ignorant of our Point and cannot tell what the state of the Church shall bee or of the Jewes what it shall be § 2 Doctor Prideaux his exceptions besides those afore to his own Arguments discussed are first That the Revelation is not a representation of a continued story That computations are not demonstrative To which we answer First Either the Revelation is a continued History or else it is no Revelation as Rev. 1.1 and 4.1 and so we may make quidlibet ex quodlibet what we will of it Secondly It answers to Daniels Prophesie and that is a
shall be subject unto him viz. so as the same Jerusalem Targum expoundeth on the 11. verse of that 49. of Gen. that those Kings and Princes that will not be subject unto him he shall kill making the Universe red with the blood of their slain and the hils white with the fat of their mighty men c. But these things were not fulfilled at Christs being on the earth in the flesh It was above three hundred yeares after ere one King or Nation was subject unto Christ viz. in the time of Constantine the Great except some sprinklings of Converts here and there called Churches the Nations and Kings of the earth either taking no cognizance of his interest or else persecuted it even as to this day they doe even ten parts of the world for one that ownes him Neither hath Christ yet taken that material and sensible vengeance on them by killing the disobedient in order to a bringing in of the rest into a visible subjection to him § 4 Lastly Paraphrast Jonathan in his Chalde Paraphrase of Hos 14.8 hath these words They speaking of the Jewes shall bee gathered together from out of the midst of their CAPTIVITY they shall DWELL under the shadow of their CHRIST and the DEAD shall LIVE and good shall grow in the EARTH and there shall bee a memoriall of their goodnesse FRUCTIFYING and never fayling as the remembrance of the sound of the Trumpets over the old wine which was wont to be offered in the Sanctuary which things were never yet fulfilled on earth We forbear to quote more out of their TARGUM or Chalde Paraphrase now because we shall afterwards oft cast an eye upon it in our discusse of severall Scriptures that tend to the PROOF of the point in hand § 5 To this let mee adde a touch out of the CAPITULA of RABBI ELIEZAR the GREAT because neare of the same Antiquity with the former his words are these As I live saith Jehovah I will raise YOU speaking of the Jewes up in the TIME to come in the RESURRECTION of the dead and I will GATHER you will ALL ISRAEL § 6 You see both doe harmonise to the same tune the effect of their words the same which is not yet fulfilled in as much as to this day the generality of the Jewes have not owned any MESSIA to be come in the flesh but refused The MESSIA Joh. 1.11 according as it was fore-prophesied Esa 53.3 He is despised and rejected of men And the remnant of beleeving Jewes never since as yet saw that particular RESURRECTION of the dead or that their gathering together out of the midst of their CAPTIVITY or that generall GOOD in the EARTH And therefor according to the Scriptures of which by and by these things are yet to come afore the last and generall Resurrection § 7 Of Hebrew Antiquities SINCE the Incarnation of Christ namely their Two TALMUDS their SEDAR OLAM is of the same age near upon with the Babylonish something of which TALMUDS was extant neare the Apostles time if not ancienter and of other Rabbins we shall give you an account in divers particulars In Gemara Sanhedrin R. Ketina hath said in the last of the Thousands of yeares of the worlds continuance the world shall be destroyed of which it is said Esa 2.11.17 THE LORD ONELY SHALL BE EXALTED IN THAT DAY And TRADITION agrees with R. Ketina even as every seventh yeare of seven yeares is a years of release so of the seven thousand yeares of the world the seventh thousand yeares shall bee the thousand of Release as it is said AND THE LORD ALONE SHAL BE EXALTED IN THAT DAY Likewise That Psalme namely the 92. is said to bee a PSALME OR SONG FOR THE SABBATH DAY THAT IS THE DAY THAT IS NOTHING ELSE BUT REST. As also it is said viz. Psal 90. A THOUSAND YEERS IN THY SIGHT ARE BUT AS YESTERDAY By which it is plaine to acute observers that the ancient Rabbinicall Jews did clearly understand the Prophesie of Isaiah in Chap. 2. of the EXALTATION of the LORD twice there repeated as meant of the GREAT DAY which some Rabbins call the Day of JUDGEMENT others the Day of MESSIA others the Day of the RENOVATION of the WORLD and of the REIGNING of CHRIST which is elegantly and emphatically there limbed in its colours to the life as it will more shine forth when we come to an accurate discusse of that Chapter In Midâ—asch Tehillim upon the 90. Psal v. 15. Wee thus read MAKE US GLAD ACCORDING TO THE DAYES WHEREIN THOU HAST AFFLICTED VS That is by the Babylonians the Grecians and the Romans AND THAT IN THE DAYES OF THE MESSIAH And how many are the dayes of the MESSIAH R. JEHOSUAS said that they are Two THOUSAND yeares and it is said ACCORDING TO THE DAYES WHEREIN THOU HAST HUMBLED US that is according to two dayes for one day of the holy and blessed God are a thousand yeares according to that BECAUSE A THOUSAND YEERS IN THY SIGHT ARE BUT AS YESTERDAY The Rabbins also have said That according to the TIME to come the DAY of the MESSIAH shall bee one For God which is holy and blessed in the FUTURE that is AGE shall make one day to himselfe of which wee read Zech. 14. And there shall bee ONE DAY which shall bee knowne to the Lord not day nor night and it shall bee at the EVENING-TIME Light This Day is the AGE or WORLD TO COME and the QUICKNING OF THE DEAD § 9 In their Booke called Berachoth wee finde this Benzuma saith It shall come to passe that Israel shall not remember their departure out of the Land of Aegypt IN THE WORLD TO COME and IN THE DAYES OF THE MESSIAH marke diligently how by World to come they understand a time on earth as Paul hath it twice viz Heb 1.6 Heb. 2.5 THE INHABITED WORLD TO COME So the Greeke so the sense For no man could imagine that heaven above should bee put in subjection to the Angels so as to need the Apostles Apology there to prevent such an imagination And how say the Rabbins in that Berachoth doth this appeare By that which is written in Jâ—rem 23. BEHOLD THE DAYES COME THAT THEY SHALL SAY NO MORE THE LORD LIVETH WHICH BROVGHT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL VP OVT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT Which wise men interpret thus not as if the name of Egypt should be blotted out but because the WONDERS which shall bee effected in the DAYES OF THE KINGDOME OF MESSIA shall principally be remembred and their departure out of Egypt lesse § 10 Note by the way that it is not agreed among the Rabbins in what THOVSAND yeares of the world the said DAY of JUDGEMENT or of MESSIAH or RENOVATION of the WORLD shall bee Some say further off in the seventh others nearer in the sixt but others about the fifth § 11 But to goe on The TRADITION of the house of Elijah is Those Just ones whom God shall raise
great things And that this day of ours which is bounded with the rising and setting of the sun doth bear the image of the GREAT DAY which a certain circuit of yeers doth determine After the same manner the forming of the earthly man did carry before it the formation in future of an heavenly people For as when all things were finished God made man last upon the sixth day and brought him into this world as into an house well furnished So now in the GREAT SIXTH DAY the TRUE MAN is formed by the Word of God that is the holy people is figured unto righteousnesse by the doctrine and precepts of God And as then he was made of the earth mortall and imperfect that he might live a thousand yeers in this world He alludes to the Fathers before the flood who lived each of them neer a thousand yeers So now the perfect man is framed of this terrestrial world that being made alive by God he may reigne in this same world for the space of a thousand yeers And saith Lactantius in the fifteenth Chapter of the said seventh Booke As it is in the Scriptures how and for what necessity Israel went down into Egypt there exceedingly multiplyed but oppressed with an intolerable yoke of Bondage God smote Egypt led his people through the red Sea but there drowned the Egyptians endeavouring to pursue the flying Israelites so this famous exploit was a figure of a greater thing to bee which God will bring to passe in the last consummation of times namely that God will deliver his people from the grievous servitude of the world But though God then smote onely Egypt because his people was but one Nation yet now because Gods people are over all the world and every where oppressed by the world God will smite all Nations even all the whole world and deliver his righteous people that worship him And as then there were certaine foresignes by which the the future ruine of the Egyptians was foreshewn So at the last shall bee prodigious wonders by all the elements of the world whereby may bee understood that ruine to all Nations is at hand For so then shall righteousnesse become rate and impiety so multiply that if there bee any good men then extant they shall bee as a prey to the wicked c. Then shall ruine over-run the world The cause of which devastation and confusion shall bee because the Roman authority by which now the world is over ruled MY SOULE saith Lactantius FEARES TO SPEAKE IT BUT I WILL SPEAKE IT BECAUSE IT SHALL COME TO PASSE shall bee taken away from the earth and the EMPIRE shall returne into ASIA and the EAST shall have againe the DOMINION and the WEST shall bee made servile Nor may it be a wonder that so huge and massie an Empire so long continuing and strongly confirmed should fall seeing there is no thing made by man but may bee destroyed by man even as the Emperialty was brought downe from the Assyrians to the Persians from them to the Grecians and from them to the Romans Seneca did not ineptly distribute the times of the CITY of Rome into Ages The first he said was her Infancy under Romulus c. And her first old age was when torne with civil warres she turned to be twy-child c. And if these things be so what remaines but death should follow old age And that this shall shortly come to passe the Sermons of the Prophets under the covert of other names that all might not easily understand doe denounce But the Sibyls doe speak it openly that Rome shall bee destroyed because shee hated the name of God and opposed righteousnesse And Hydospis a most ancient King of the Medes even afore the Trojan race was set up prophesied the same Saith Lactantius Chap. 16. how that shall bee lest any one should thinke it incredible I will declare first the Regality and chiefe power shall bee multiplied into many and cut and minced into crummes Then perpetual civil discords shall bee sowne and never shall bee any quier TEN KINGS shall stand up together who shall not suffer the world to bee ruled but to be ruined Then upon a sudden shall rise up against them a most potent Enemy from the utmost bounds of the North who by meanes of three of that number possessing Asia extinguished shall bee taken into the society of the rest and by them shall bee made chiefe Of them all This man shall domineer vex mingle divine and humane things subvert Lawes establish his owne and shall waste destroy and kill The name and seat of the Empire being changed there shall follow the confusion and vexation of all mankinde And that nothing may bee wanting to the misery of men a Trumpet shall sound from heaven according to that the Sibyl hath denounced giving a manifold lamenting sound whereupon all shall tremble Then from the wrath of God against unrighteous men shall rage sword and fire and famine c. Then according to the Sibyls verses The world shall bee unworlded c. scarce the tenth part of men shall bee left c. But saith Lactantius Chap. 17. I will yet plainlier explain how it shall come to passe The conclusion of times being at hand a great Prophet shall bee sent of God who shall convert men unto the knowledge of God c. And the wicked shall bee destroyed c. which hee shews in many and sundry particulars Then Lactantius in the eighteenth Chapter of the same Booke quotes divers Authors to that purpose As Hydaspes and Hermes and the Sibyls out of which two latter hee doth not onely minde the maine point hee hath in hand but also alleadge out of them that Christ is the Sonne of God And saith Lactantius Chapter 19. of the aforesaid seventh Booke The circle of the whole earth being oppressed at which time humane strength shall bee unable to destroy the tyranny of immense power God moved with the doubtfull power of his people and with their miserable lamentations shall forthwith send the Deliverer Then shall the midst of heaven bee opened in a quiet blacke night so that the light of God descending shall appear over all the world as lightning which the Sibyls expresse thus When as he shall come darknesse in a blacke midnight shall bee as fire c. Of which there is a double reason In the night he was borne and in the night hee suffered death And so after these in the night hee shall receive the * Kingdome of the earth This * is the Deliverer and Judge * the Revenger and King and * GOD which wee call Christ And hee shall descend his Angels accompanying him c. After this saith Lactantius Chap. 20. The places of the dead shall bee opened and the dead shall rise againe and the GREAT JUDGEMENT * shall bee performed by God * Christ concerning them of which Judgement and Kingdome the Erythrean Silyl thus speakes When that DAY shall receive its fatal
primum quem legi appellat REDEMPTIONEM ISRAELIS seu PROPHETICAM HISTORIAM DE SALVATORIS NOSTRI REGNO IN TERRIS c. Secundum a me nondum perlectum nominat REDEMPTIONEM ISRAELIS REDEMPTAM sive JUDAEORUM GENERALEM MIRACULOSAM CONVERSIONEM AD FIDEM EVANGELII Eorundemque in suam patriam reditum nostrique salvatoris imperium in terris personaliter ministratum c. In quibus multos recenset authores ut pote Alstedium in Chronolog cap. 32. cap. 35. Fran. Johannem de comb is in compendio totius Theologiae lib. 7. cap. 13 14. It. lib. 7. cap. 7. Foxum in Martyrolog Anglic. * Wendelinum Contemplat Natural cap. 9. sect 2. cap. 21. * sect 2. Johan Acostam De Temporalib Noviss lib. 3. cap. 11. Down in 17. Johan Cum multis aliis c. quorum verba hic describere nec mihi otium est nec animus ne lector taedio affligeretur §. 11. Mr. Archer also an Englishman hath waded farther into the point then wee have in some particulars which are not so cleer to us having written as we are informed two Treatises of it The first is expresse under his name entituled THE PERSONALL REIGNE OF CHRIST UPON EARTH The other is called ZIONS JOY IN HER KING COMING IN HIS GLORY But doubtfull whether his being subscribed with this darke name BY FINIENS CANUS VOVE Nostras etiam Archerius altiùs paulò in nonnullis nobis minus innotescentibus urinatus librum scripsit cujus titulus est REGIMEN CHRISTI PERSONALE IN TERRIS Nec non ut aiunt alium cujus inscriptio est GAUDIUM ZIONIS IN REGE SUO CUM GLORIA VENIENTE §. 12. Learned Mr. Meade our Country-man his Clavis Apocalyptica Commentarius both in Latine and English is famously known to most that read books § a. Learned Doctor Twisse his PREFACE doth shew the METHOD and excellency of Mr. MEDES interpretation of the Revelation It will not bee amisse to give an account of that Preface in the summe of it that by occasion hereof other Nations that understand not English may have it in Latine wherein at once is seen much of Mr. Mede and of the judgement of Dr. Twisse in our Position Many Interpreters saith Dr. Twisse alluding to Prov. 31.29 have done excellently but Mr. Mede surmounteth them all A Daearse set upon a Giants shoulders may see further and a Wren carried up upon an Eagle till this great bird bee wearied may with her little wings spin up a little higher But Mr. Mede hath many notions of so rare a nature that I doe not finde hee is beholding to any other for them but onely to his owne studiousnesse under Gods blessing § b. Observe Gods direction of him in the course that hee hath taken As first in his Clavis Apolyptica wherein he hath drawne together the homogeneal parts of it dispersed here and there yet belonging to the same time 2. The Author gave himselfe to write Specimina Essayes wherein he goes over every part of this book excepting the three first Chapters taking a generall view of each as he goes 3. He proceeds to a more full Commentary from the fourth Chapter to the fourteenth That which follows thence to the end containes onely his former Specimina § c. Whereas in performances of this nature two things are necessary 1. A righ discerning of the meaning of the words and phrase and tropes and figures 2. A right accomodation of things to times For the first Mr. Mede excels viz. in observing the Genius of all those As in opening the Mystery of the battel in heaven Rev. 12. and the casting downe of Satan unto the earth hee shews that States and Kingdomes in the Political world much answer to the condition of the Natural and so represented in Scripture For as the Natural consists of Heaven and Earth so the Political of Nobility and Laity And as in the Heavens there are Sunne Moon and Stars of lesser and greater magnitude So in Kingdomes King Queene and Nobles of severall degrees And as in the Earth there is great variety of Trees Herbs Flowers c. So in the people of any Commonwealth is found great variety of differences And by this way Mr. Mede doth not onely wittily please as others have done but solidly convince his Reader of the true sense even to admiration For the second viz. Accommodation of the Prophesies to their proper times a point of great skill in history I have found that Mr. Medes friends acquainted with his studies would give him the Bell for this as herein out-stripping others § d. 3. I have observed some notable distinctions in this Commentary of Mr. Mede giving great light As first That betweene the Sealed Book with seven seales which hee calls the greater the contents being very large viz. Comprising the History from the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel to the end of the world Which hee saith containes Fata imperii i. e. the destinies of the Empire and the little book mentioned Chap. 10. which he saith contains Fata Ecclesiae the destinies of the Church The first containes the seven Seales and Trumpets for the seventh seale produceth the seven Trumpets The six first Seales containe the story of the Empires continuance unto the dayes of Constantine included in whose dayes there being a strange Metamorphosis of the Empire from Heathen to Christian it is represented as it were the ending of the world and beginning of a new which Mr. Mede delivers very judiciously Then the seven Trumpets which are the contents of the seventh Seale represent the judgements of God upon the world for standing out against the Gospel and shedding the blood of the Saints First by the Heathen Emperours for which cause ruine was gradually brought upon the Empire till it was torne into ten Kingdomes The graduall was fourefold which make up the contents of the foure first Trumpets 2. By the Antichristian world the degenerated states of Christendome For which the three Woe Trumpets following containe the three degrees of divine vengeance on them 1. By the Saracens in the first Woe Trumpet 2. By the Turkes in the second Chap. 9. 3. By the end of the World Rev. 11.15 § e. Second distinction of great light and use for the clearing of the STATE OF CHRISTS GLORIOUS KINGDOME HERE ON EARTH is that Mr. Mede gives upon Revel 21.24 Between the NATIONS THAT ARE SAVED c. and the NEW HIERUSALEM where clearly hee makes it appeare that NEW HIERUSALEM is one thing and THE NATIONS THAT ARE SAVED are another The Nations that are saved are those that escape the fire are saved from the fire at Christs coming wherewith the Earth and all the works thereof shall bee burnt in the day of Christs coming 2 Pet. 3. 2 Thess 1. And the NEW HIERUSALEM saith Mr. Mede is CHRIST and his RAISED SAINTS who are called 1 Thes 4. The SAINTS WHOM CHRIST SHALL BRING WITH HIM who shall shine with a glorious light In
which LIGHT the other viz. The NATIONS THAT ARE SAVED that is saith Mr. Mede all the faithfull servants of God who shall bee found alive here at Christs coming SHALL WALKE IN. And I finde that through the want of distinguishing these the ancient FATHERS and particularly EPIPHANIUS have discoursed very wildly against the glorious Kingdome of Christ here on earth yet in just opposition to the CERINTHIANS whose guise it was to discourse very carnally of the glorious Kingdome of Christ The consideration whereof moved AUSTIN to relinquish the doctrine of Christ's Kingdom here on earth which formerly he imbraced as himselfe professeth in one of his bookes DE CIVITATE DEI where he treats thereof § f. 4. I have observed that as Mr. Mede hath exceeded in merit all others afore him in this Argument so others after him may goe beyond him in some particulars As Mr. Potter in the true discovery of the number of the Beast 666. with the divers mysteries in it wherewith Mr. Mede himselfe was exceedingly taken even to admiration professing it to be the greatest mystery that hath been discovered since the beginning of the world The same Mr. Potter differeth from Mr. Mede in the explication of the mystery of the two Beasts mentioned Revel 13. And I have seen an excellent Discourse thereupon but as yet hee hath not communicated it to the World § g. What cause have wee saith Dr. Twisse to blesse God for bringing us forth in these dayes of light not onely in respect of the great Reformation wrought in this Westerne part of the world an hundred yeares since and more But also opening the mystery of the slaughter of the witnesses which wee have just reason to conceive to have been on foot diverse yeers not onely by judicial proceedings in the Martyrdome of Gods Saints but by the sword of Warre 1. In the Low-Countries Then in France After that in Bohemia Then in Germany which how long it should continue Mr. Mede professeth to bee uncertaine And now amongst us * The Preface of Dr. Twisse was Printed 1643. first in Ireland then in England and that by the Antichristian generation with so manifest opposition unto truth and holinesse under a Protestant Prince in outward profession as I thinke the like was never knowne since the beginning of the World After this strange Warre and slaughter of the Witnesses which hasteneth to a period the continuance of it shall bee but three yeares and an halfe in which space of time they that dwell on the earth shall rejoyce over them and make merry c. because these Prophets tormented them that dwelt upon the earth But after three dayes and an halfe when the Spirit of life from God should enter into them and they stand on their feet great feare should fall upon them which saw them And a voice shall be heard from Heaven saying unto them Come up hither And they shall ascend up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies shall behold them But certainly when that comes to passe the same houre there shall bee an earthquake and the tenth part of the City shall fall This City undoubtedly is Rome which Mr. Mede proveth curiously to bee at this day precisely the tenth part of the City of Rome as it was in St. Johns dayes when this Prophesie came forth And in the Earthquake shall bee slaine of Names of men seven thousand which Mr. Mede interpreteth of men of quality It followeth THE SECOND WOE IS PAST Now that Woe was the plague of the Christian world by the Turkes whereby is signified the destruction of the Turkes which people I take to bee all one with GOG and MAGOG in Ezekiel represented there as the great enemies of the Jewes invading the Land of Jewry And the Hebrew Doctors conceive that War of GOG and MAGOG to be yet to come § h. Here it may bee objected that the Turke is Lord of the Land of Canaan already I grant it But when the time for calling of the Jewes shall come which Mr. Mede conceived should bee wrought in a strange manner by the appearing of Christ unto them as hee appeared unto Paul at his conversion St. Paul acknowledging that grace to have been shewed to him First implying that the same grace should bee shewed to others after him then I say upon this their conversion they shall gather themselves together from all places towards the Land of Canaan where shall bee the place of Christs Throne in his glorious Kingdome here on earth Upon which coming of the Jewes into the Land of Canaan the Grand Seignieur will bee moved to raise all his power gathered together out of all Nations under him to oppose them and at first shall prevaile as we read Ezeck 38. Zech. 14. but in the issue the Jewes shall prevail as it is in the 21. verse of Obadiah And Joel 3.12 13. c. And Zech. 14.9 So that this implies the calling of the Jewes a little afore And whereas both GOG and MAGOG shall be destroyed by fire Ezek. 39. and the MAN OF SINNE by fire Mr. Mede was of opinion that all this is but one and the same fire that shall bee at Christs coming 2 Thess 1.8 and 2.8 Then follows Christs Kingdome c. the contents of the seventh Trumpet Rev. 11.15 § 12. Clavis Apocalyptica Commentarius doctissimi NOSTRATIS Medi Latinè tum Anglicè prodeuntes celebri innotuerunt famâ plurimis librorum lectoribus de Thesi jam disputata § a. Cujus methodum excellentiam doctissimus Nostras Twissius simul cum suâ ipsius sententiâ de thesi nostrâ ita nobis reddit Multi Interpretes inquit Twissius allusione factâ ad Prov. 31.29 fecerunt apprimè Medus verò superavit omnes Nanus Gigantis humero insistens longinquius prospiciat ipso Gigante Et regulus tergo aquilae innitens lasso alite altius ascendat Attamen plurimae sunt Medi notiones tam rarâ naturâ ut quas nondum reperi cuipiam ni su is studiis benedicente Deo acceptas referri § b. In Clave suâ Apolypticâ partes Revelationis homogeneas passim dispersas eidem verò tempori competentes in unum coegit Qui sic dirigente Deo scriptis primum speciminibus quamlibet partem ita peragit ut universum cujusque scopum in transitu perspexit In de ad ampliorem progreditur Commentarium a 4. nimirum capite ad 14. unde quae sequuntur posteà non nisi sua continent specimina § c. In duobus huic operi necessariis excelluit Medus 1. In animad-vertendo verborum phrasium troporum figurarum idiomate Genio Utpote in explicandis praelii mysteriis Apocalypsis 12. demonstrat Mundum Politicum aptiùs assimilari Physico ex ipsâ Scripturarum mente pari modo adumbrante Uti enim Physicus seu naturalis ex Caelo constat terrâ Hâc varia plant arum genera procreante Illo solem lunam stellasque magnitudine diversas continente Ita Politicus
Antichristian how shall wee pitch the compasses of our account so as to pick up a select number of Saints whose soules were just one thousand yeers in heaven before the last resurrection this being spoken of Saints in generall and of their state after the full and finall fall of Antichrist Rev. 19. the Chapter immediately foregoing § 4 Truly to speake my very conscience from cleer light to mee by this their LIVING can be intended no other thing but their LIVING AGAINE Perhaps there may bee some reason of the varying of the phrase as to say the Saints LIVED but the wicked LIVED not AGAINE till the one thousand yeers were finished Because the dead Saints are more alive then the dead wicked For the dead Saints whiles dead are alive not onely in their naturall soules but in their spirituall union with Christ who is their life and in the graces which the Spirit of life implanted in them And the dust of their bodies are decreed and preserved by God for an estate called Eternal life their bodies being said onely to bee asleep And therefore said here TO LIVE as if in a sort never dead But whiles their bodies were dead their soules were willing to live againe in the body Not so the Dead wicked and so a different phrase is spoken of them But the sense I am confident is that the Saints were made to LIVE AGAINE in the one thousand yeers whiles the Dead wicked lived not againe till those one thousand yeers were ended Even as Revel 1.18 most evidently ALIVE is put for ALIVE AGAINE The words are Christs of himselfe now after his resurrection spoken to John I am hee that am ALIVE so the Greek or LIVING and was dead and behold I am ALIVE If hee had been dead and now was alive hee was properly alive againe So in the same sense the dead Saints are here said in this 20. Chap. v. 4. to LIVE to signifie they LIVED AGAINE So the Antithesis and opposition here put between these and those in the next verse gives it in to mee with full evidence But the rest of the dead that is the wicked saith the fifth verse lived not againe so expressely in the * So Syr. Arab. Greek untill the one thousand yeers were finished Whence who that weighs things well can infer lesse then this that those Saints in the fourth verse lived AGAINE those thousand yeers in which the dead wicked lived not againe and the Saints had beene killed as it is vers 4. and Rev. 11. not onely metaphorically but physically in a great part downe to the totall ruine of Antichrist and now a Viol being poured out upon the throne of the Beast Rev. 16. whereupon he utterly falls Rev. 19. two last verses the seventh and last-Trumpet sounding as it is anticipatedly spoken Rev. 11. but methodically to the matter as the cause before the effect the Saints risen reigne with Christ both here in this 20. chap. and in that 11. of the Revel This to bee spoken by the Antithesis Butthe rest of the dead lived not AGAINE That the Saints this while of the one thousand yeers lived AGAINE is further manifest in that it is plaine here compared with vers 12. that the wicked did LIVE AGAINE at the end of the thousand yeers So UNTILL in vers 5. imports explained vers 7. to end of the 12. vers thus When the thousand yeers are expired Satan shall bee loosed and shall goe out and deceive the Nations and they went out and compassed the Camp of the Saints which Saints are all at that time alive and the Devil that deceived the wicked is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone c. and I saw a great white Throne and I saw the dead wicked ones small and great to stand before God So that in regard it is so punctually held forth that at the end of the thousand yeers all the wicked formerly deceased lived againe personally and properly soule and body being re-united I for my part cannot inferre lesse then that the meane while in the said thousand yeers the Saints lived personally and properly in soule and body gloriously reunited on earth Object 5. All that can possibly seem to bee objected to the contrary as far as I can see or heare is this pretended Scruple That this Antithesis BUT the rest of the dead lived not AGAINE carries not so much in it as wee have estimated because LIVING AGAINE is applied to a contrary thing and to contrary persons as if the sense should bee this The rest of the dead wicked ones dead in sinne LIVED not AGAINE all that thousand yeers that is they attained not to the state of Regeneration or Conversion by the Word and Spirit which seems to be called in the fifth verse THE FIRST RESURRECTION All this thousand yeers they continued in an unregenerate estate whiles the dead Saints LIVED in soule in glory in the highest heavens with Christ a thousand yeers that is from their death for ever Answ Wee answer that allegation that LIVING and not living AGAINE are applyed to contrary things and persons speakes for the nature of an Antithesis and for ours If it be said by the objectors that the meaning of contraries is Heterogeneals as spirituall death in sinne and eternall life in glory Wee reply it is indeed said so by them but not proved That is the question now in dispute not to bee begged but to bee won from us by argument if wee must part with our right It cannot sound in my ears to say that the Saints living a thousand yeeres signifies their living in soul with Christ for ever after their naturall death seeing it is confest of all on all sides that at the last generall resurrection if the Saints rise not till then the soules of the Saints are brought downe from heaven to their bodies and not their dead bodies to bee carried up into heaven to their soules And that the last generall judgement of Christ appearing as man judging men so as all men may see the judgement to be just is not a worke of a day or of a short time Nor am I satisfied by any knowledge of the Scriptures that I have yet attained that the FIRST RESURRECTION is any where put to signifie meerly the sole act or condition of our first regeneration I well remember those Texts Col. 3.1 If yee bee risen with Christ seeke those things that are above And Ephes 2.5 When wee were dead in sinnes God hath quickened us together with Christ saving us by grace and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus and many the like places But there is mention onely of quickning and rising and raising There is mention of SURRECTION but not of RESURRECTION much lesse of a FIRST RESURRECTION to signifie Regeneration or the improvement of Regeneration which the Apostle mostly intends Nor do I forget that place Rom. 11.15 That the receiving of the
quin etiam Euphratis exsiccatio cap. 16. Cantilena Hebraiâ—è cap. 19. abunde testantur Quae omnia acutissimè respiciunt grandius aliquod particulari personarum conversione RESTITUTIONEM nempe OMNIUM ut summatim praebet Apostolus Actor 3.21 per sanctos Prophetas omnes praedictam Ossa particularius arida reviviscere in copias maximas redivivas reducesque in terram suam Israelitas Judaeosque ut duo ligna in unum coalescere e medio Gentium in suam patriam reductos Ezeck 37. Multosque ex dormientibus in pulvere expergisci c. quod de ultimâ resurrectione intelligi impossibile infra disputabitur Tandemque ipsum Danielem ad finem mille trecentorum triginta annorum a cessanti juge sacrificio incaeptorum in sorte suâ perstiturum Dan. cap. 12. v. 2.12 13. Quibus sâ—milibusque locis Apostolus affine utitur phrasi ad Romanos 11.15 Quae inquit erit Judaeorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ASSUMPTIO vox longè magis comprehensiva quà m CONVERSIO nisi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vita ex mortuis dignum observatu vitam non dicit ex morte quo il lam solam ex vel a peccato significaret sedphrasi multò pleniore vitam dicit ex MORTUIS quae resurrectioni physicae plurimùm est accommodatior Quam praecedit spiritualis quam concomitatur Civilis a dispersione resurrectio ut versus suggerit vicesimus sextus Ita TOTUS ISRAEL SERVABITUR veniet ex Sion LIBERATOR avertet iniquitates a JACOB Quâ ratione omnia quotquot sub resurrectione sint comprehensa Apostolus tum temporis conspexit ut FUTURA ad TOTIUS ISRAELIS RESTIUTIONEM absoluendam Haec quidemporlè expensa magnam resurrectionem Apocalypticam cap. 20. v. 4. per nudam Metaphoram difâ—lari haud facilè patiuntur 8. Plura quippe mihi videntur adhuc inde effodienda meditatione dignissima Dicitur hìc Reliquos Mortuorum REVIXISSE haud absque respectu fatenti Adversario Sanctorum in Caelis viventium Si verò Caelites hi corpore sint defuncti immediatè ante incaeptum Millenatium per mortem quippe Caelicolae evaserunt in Millenum tum etiam RELIQUI MORTUORUM par ratio est eodem modo corpore scilicet fuerunt defuncti testanti etiam contextu RELIQUOS nimiâ—um eadem ratione non REVIXISSE intra MILLE v. 5. quâ ad finem MILLE nondum rediviui statim excitantur v. 12. Constat veâ—ò ibidem eos post MILLE REVIXISSE Vi divinâ excitaros Ergo manifestâ antithesi RELIQUIS oppositâ Sanctos prae RELIQUIS in MILLE VIVERE dictum est Aequèutorumque alternis vicibus est realis mors physica quà m vita illorum spiritualis minime est aequa Pari intellago ratione reverà Sancti intra MILLE Physice VIXERUNT ut RELIQVI intra IDEM defuncti post ILLUD revixerunt Vox etéâ—â—m RELIQVI non potest non implicare quidpiam quî dicam MASSAE residuum TOTIVS partem GENERISVE speciem Tota generalis massa sunt MOR TVI Residua pars specifica altera sunt mortui impii altera mortui pii utrique ante illud MILLE morte obeuntes Incaepto ut applicemus MILLENARIO Sancti omnes in vivis caeterique morte excitati VIXERUNT Residui verò mortuorum nempe impiorum ante incaeptum illud mille expirantium toto concuâ—renti Millenario corporaliter mortui non ut Sanctorum corpora vel physice sunt redivivi Quin Residuum innuit rem partibus suis non functam eandem cum suo totali metam non attigisse Unde quid minus elici videatur quà m dummodo Sancti olim mortui jam naturalis vitae partibus sunt functi operamque navarunt quam implii anteà mortui jam nunc handquaquam attingentes non functi minimè navarunt 9. Nec non lectorum meditationi committam Satanae ligationem ne seducat Gentes ut augmentum faelicior is in mille annis vitae status promissum Apocalyp cap. 20 vers 2 3 7. Quod sanè frigidum satis jejunum foret solamen animabus in Caelorum altissimo si ibidem triumphantibus frustrà que nominatum 10. Ut vice versâ Satanam illum post istos mille annos solvendum exeuntemque seducentemque Gentes in quatuor terrae angulis Gogumque Magogumque congregantem ad praelium Sanctorum castra urbemque dilectam circundaturos sea ultimo judicio repulsos arguit ut videtur Sanctos illos hic nunc VIVENTES in TERRIS versari inexpugnabili argumentorum necessitate Illic loci VIVUNT qui securi percussi sunt illic curantur percussiones ut illic loci vivant Apocalyps cap. 20. vers 7 8 9 10. c. SECT II. Something of the Saints REIGNING this thousand of yeeres of whih we treat § 1 1 THat the Saints are said Revel 20.4 not onely to LIVE that thousand of yeeres but to REIGNE also it is partly to distinguish the wicked that were not dead at that time who all this while had played the Hypocrites in point of Religion and dissembled their Civility and Peace towards men because of the glorious dominion and reigne of the Church over the whole earth which they beheld or heard of at least afar off Which wicked ones though they lived this thousand of yeers yet they did not REIGNE being inwardly slaves to sinne and Satan in heart and outwardly vassals to the Church through feare of her and so they linger out much adoe a refraining of themselves all the thousand yeers till they bee expired and then Satan being loose and they seduced by him muster themselves together hoping for mastery which the suddaine coming of the GENERAL JUDGEMENT doth utterly anticipate and frustrate as wee have it evidently in the 7.8 9 10 11 12 V. c. to the end of this twentieth Chapter of the Revelation § 2 2. Where also the Saints REIGNING is such as is hereby altogether distinguishable from their best condition afore the thousand yeeres whereof wee shall now give you but a glympfe it being reserved for the peculiar subject of the fifth Booke They shall now reigne in Soule and Body and on earth most gloriously Dan. 7.26 But the judgement shall sit and they shall take away his the fourth Monarchy root and branch his dominion to consume and to destroy unto the end And the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High whose Kingdome is everlasting c. Marke the words Marke the phrase and observe the order and time and place of fulfilling these things of which more by and by in the next Paragraph Rev. 14. v. 1. c. One hundred forty and foure thousand are on Mount Zion with the Lambe they were redeemed from among men being the first fruits unto God and to the Lambe they were undefiled and give glory to God for that the lour of his judgement is come Babylon is fallen Revel 5. which is
Prophet is to point out that Dominion and that Glory c. which the other foure Monarchs had And ALL PEOPLES and NATIONS and LANGUAGES should SERVE him whose dominion is for ever c. that is as long as the world below lasts all which manifestly relate to a Kingdome of Christ on earth compare v. 23 and v. 27. Thus far the Kingdome is given to Christ as if in comparison hee had none afore The vers 17. c. it is said to be the Saints Kingdome in these words These great Beasts which are foure are foure Kings that is foure Emperial Monarchies under foure races of mighty persecuting Monarchical Emperours of foure several sorts namely First Assyrio-Chaldean Secondly Medo-Persian Thirdly Grecian Fourthly Roman which shall arise out of the EARTH that is by violence succeed one another in that inheritance of the world But the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdome that is that very Kingdome of the world that the other foure former Monarchs had and possesse the Kingdome for ever and for ever and ever that is in all ages as long as time shall bee as the original signifies adding v. 23. c. to the end of the Chapter The fourth Beast shall bee the fourth Kingdome upon earth that is the Emperour of the Roman Empire which shall bee divers from al the Kingdomes namely in Rule in Conquest and Cruelty and shall devoure the whole earth and shall tread it down and breake it in peeces meaning that the Romans shall conquer the whole world utterly defacing all Kingly dominion in the same And the ten Hornes out of this Kingdome are ten Kings that shall arise to wit the Roman Empire at last is divided into ten Kingdomes as John hath it severall times in the Revelation as a tendency to the ruine of that Empire for it follows here And another shall rise after them and he shall bee divers from the first and he shall subdue three Kings That is the Easterne Saracen-Arabian Turkish power ascending to a monstrous height of strength differing from the former in Nation Religion and Tyranny shall take away three of the said tenne Kingdomes And he shall speake great words against the most High see the Turkish Alcoran and shall weare out the Saints of the most High that is in a great measure slaying so many Christians at one battel as the tippes of their right eares filled nine sackes and thinke to change Times and Lawes that is those of divine institution as appeares also in his Alcoran and they shall bee given into his hand untill a time and times and dividing of times meaning that the Saint◠shall by divine permission fall under the Turkish power three hundred and fifty yeers from his first invading the Jewish Countries to his full and finall fall But saith the 26. v. c. to the end of the Chapter The judgement shall sit and they shall take away his dominion to consume and to destroy it to the end that is to say The Ancient of dayes as fitting in judgement judgeth to vindicate the Saints and so gives them opportunity and virility to deprive the Turke of his Kingdome and utterly to consume his power and strength And so in the 27. verse The Kingdome and Dominion UNDER the whole HEAVEN shall bee given to the people of the Saints of the most High c. That is the same Dominions of the whole world below that the former tyrannicall Monarches usurped shall now be given into the hands of the converted Jewes and holy Gentiles adhering to them to reigne on earth with Christ to whom these Dominions were delivered in the former part of this Chapter This place of the seventh of Daniel hath beene so large touching the Saints reigning with Christ on earth that we shall adde but one or two places more and that very briefly Revel 11.15 c. The seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven saying the Kingdomes of the WORLD are become the Kingdomes of our LORD and of his CHRIST or of him as CHRIST and hee shall REIGNE for ever and ever that is throughout all AGES from hence forward over the Kingdomes of the WORLD as if hitherto he had not in comparison reigned over them And the foure and twenty Elders c. fell upon their faces c. Saying we give thee thanks O Lord c. because thou hast TAKEN TO THEE THY GREAT POWER and hast REIGNED and the Nations were ANGRY which shewes this was not at the ultimate day of judgement and the time of the dead that they should bee judged is come that is the Saints should bee vindicated for so it presently followes that thou shouldest give rewards to thy servants the Prophets and to the Saints and them that feare thy name which what should it bee but to reigne on earth as it is both before expressed in the Preface Rev. 5.10 and after in the Catastrophe Revel 20.4 in regard of which reigning on earth they may bee said to bee the FIRST-FRUITS to God Rev. 14.4 because this is but the beginning of Gods worke of glorifying his Saints Let us close this Paragraph with Heb. 2.5 c. to 10. The world to come the Greek is the INHABITED world to come must be put under man though not under Angels according to Psalme 8. quoted there by the Apostle which Psalme relates to Gen. 1.26 where God gives Adam dominion over all the Creation But saith the Apostle in his time Wee see not yet all things put under him onely Jesus as the pledge is crowned with glory Therefore say I there is such a thing yet to come Let not the Reader if I may intreat so much despise the allegation of these Texts for the present purpose which are little more then barely alleadged onely to hint the Saints reigning with Christ on earth I desire to ingage him upon this request but for a time till I come to critically scan if I may assume so much confidence to my selfe these and many other places of Scripture And then upon his serious joynt view of all all together if he can bee of another minde different from mee let him for mee abound in his owne sense § 4 But to wheele about from this digression to our owne post and businesse in hand viz. the Reigning of the Saints WITH CHRIST at this time and in this place aforesaid Before they reigned but sometimes over their corruptions and Satans temptations but never over men but now totally and finally over Sinne MEN and Divels as wee shall demonstrate afterwards Their living must be after a RESURRECTION as the word is twice mentioned in this 20. of Revelation Though they bee made but spiritual Kings and Priests as the Objecters will have it in those words Rev. 5.10 Hee hath made us Kings and Priests to God yet how shall the next words be figured off from their proper sense where the Crowne of Dignity is put upon the head of REIGNING UPON EARTH Hee
verbis quid planiùs quid pleniùs significari potest quà m idem illud sub toto caelo in â—ERRA itaque dominium quatuor Monarchiis arreptum sanctis exhiberi Sic simul cum Christo in terrâ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diu regnabunt Christiani A Daniele transeamus ad Johannem Apocalyps 11. v. 15. c. septimus Angelus clanxit factae sunt voces magnae in Caelo dicentes facta sunt regna MUNDI Domini nostri Christi ejus vel ipsius Christi scilicet Domini nostri Christi ut Christi qui regnabit in secula seculorum duranti nimirum TEMPORE TUM viginti quatuor illi SENIORES ignota in caelis relatio ut numerus qui in conspectu Dei SEDENT in THRONIS regnandi situs indicium prociderunt c. dicentes Gratias agimus tibi domine c. quòd adeptus sis vi scilicet potentiam tuam MAGNAM quae parva quodammodò videbatur anteà REGNUM inieris quod initium aliquod innuit iratae sunt gentes Lugent homines die judicii non irascuntur Et venit ira tua puniens scilicet Antichristum satellitesque ejus in terrâ praestitutum tempus mortuorum primâ nimirum resurrectione ut judicentur qui quomodo statim sequitur dare mercedem servis tuis c. scilicet in Terrâ ut probant sequentia perdas eos qui perdunt praesenti tempore TERRAM cujus minima cura ad ultimum Judicium habenda est Tunc apertum est Templum Dei in Caelo visa est Arca pacti ipsius in ejus Templo facta sunt fulgura voces Tonitura terraemotus c. quae omnia magis contra quam pro statu in supremo Caelo intelligantâ—r necesse est Claudat hunc Paragraphum Apostolus ad HEBRAEOS 2. vers 5. c. MUNDUS ILLE FUTURUS inquit homini subjiciendus est non angelis Graece 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ille habitabilis seu inhabitatus mundus ille futurus duplici emphatico juxta inquit Psalmum octavum ut concesserat Deus Genes 1. v. 26. quod respicit Psaltes NUNC autem dicit Apostolus nequaquam HACTENUS videmus quòd omnia subjecta sunt ILLI tantum JESUM illum pignus rei gloriâ honore cernimus Coronatum c. § 4 Omnia quae recensuimus testimonia satis ni fallor suggerunt meditanti viro eminentiorem in terrâ regnandi speciem sanctis adhuc restare Olim dominati sunt quandoque ex parte tentationibus nec non peccato nunquam vero generi humano Quibus omnibus dicto MILLENARIO seu tempore terricolis adhuc futuro penitus semperque dominabuntur victores Vitam eorum fore oportet ut vita faeliciter resurgentium futura est resurrectione ad designandum hunc statum bis repetitâ Apocalypsis cap. 20. Si fiant spiritualiter tantum reges Sacerdotes ut objectores vellent Apocalyps 5.10 quo tropi invento profligabitur sequentium verborum literalis sensus ET praeter illud sacerdotium regale regnabunt IN TERRA Verum ne in taedium incidamus repetitionum nec non praejudicium subeat causa leviusculis grandiorum anticipationibus clausâ hâc sectione ad ultimam transitur perstringendam SECT IV. Something of the space of time viz. The THOUSAND YEERS of the Saints reigning with Christ on earth § 1 THe time of the Saints reigning with Christ upon earth is so punctually and positively set downe to be A THOUSAND YEERS that I know not how without perverting the Scripture to make it more or lesse It would seeme to mee a presumptuous thing to heare the holy Spirit to tell John six times over in six verses together namely Rev. 20. v. 2 3 4 5 6 7. of a â—housand yeers precisely touching the same businesse in the severall parts and appurtenances thereof never varying the phrase to a weakning but foure times of the six to a strengthning of it with mighty emphasis in the Greek as to say THE or THAT â—AME thousand yeers if I the meane while should imagine another number § 2 I know no such phrase in all the Bible of a thousand yeeres put for any other number but really for a thousand yeers to encourage mee to such a boldnesse of imagination That of Peter 2 Epist Chap. 3. v. 8. in Gods account is nothing against us § 3 Besides the parts to which this number is applied are so cemented together as cause and â—ffect distinction and opposition c. that they mightily strengthen and prove the just account of a thousand yeeres Satan is bound a thousand yeeres that hee should not deceive the Nations till that same thousand yeeres should bee fulfilled Then the Sants lived and reigned with Christ THAT SAME thousand yeeres so the Greeke But the rest of the dead lived not againe untill those thousand yeers were finished Whiles the Holy ones are made Priests of God and of Christ and reigne with Christ a thousand yeeres It is worth our noting by the way that instead of adding here Kings to Priests as Rev. 5.10 it is supplyed with this That they reign with Christ a thousand yeers so that when it is said Rev. 5.10 The Saints are made Priests and KINGS to God their Kingly-hood is there meant in relation of that which there followes viz. Their reigning upon earth even as for ought I know yet all the Saints shall bee able to serve and worship God immediately without the helpe of any Administrator in the old Testament called Priests in the New Ministers Elders c. § 4 Nor is it of least consideration that the thousand yeers that we might not stretch or shrinke this number if we will observe the sealings of it at both ends are bounded in with two most notable things namely TWO RESURRECTIONS The living of the Saints whiles the rest of the dead lived not begins with the First-Resurrection This saith v. 5. is the FIRST RESURRECTION as relating to the second at the end of the thousand yeers v. 7. c. to v. 14. And when Those thousand yeers are expired Satan shall bee loosed hee shall seduce the Nations and go about to disturb the REIGNING Saints and the beloved City and then appeared a great Throne and one sate on it from whose face the earth and heaven fled away and the DEAD small and great stood before God c. SECT IV. Analecta de TEMPORIS spacio nimirum de MILLE ANNIS quibus Sancti cum Christo in terris sunt regnaturi Apocal. cap. 20. v. 2 3 4 5 6 7. § 1 TEmpus sanctorum in terra regnantium toties adeò praecisè asseritur MILLE fore annos caeteris concurrentibus ut me latet penitùs quomodo mihi liceat nisi pervertenti Scripturas plusve minusve pronunciare Audax nimium ne dicam stupendâ praesumptione viderer audito Sancto Spiritu sexies haud minus sexque contiguis versibus dictante eundem
distinct as that the Apostle makes them opposite 2 Cor. 5.7 Heb. 11. oft Therefore every eye seeing him cannot signifie a sight of faith onely There needed not any expression of EYE or of his being in the Clouds to signifie a sight by faith Wee can now see him in Heaven by faith It is a question whether every eye that is said here to see him shall at first sight see him by faith For EVERY EYE must see him and ALL KINDREDS of the EARTH shall mourne Sure his Antichristian enemies generally shall not see him by faith whom he destroyes at his coming Rev. 19. last 2 Thess 2. to make way for the reigning of the Saints Rev. 20. EVEN SO AMEN John did believe saw Christ by faith but for that sight of him in the Clouds to be visible to him and all the Kindreds of the earth he prayes and raiseth up his faith with an hearty Amen that so it shall bee So that by all these things it is most evident that of a time and state following Christs Ascention John speakes here Nor on the other side can this Revel 1.7 bee understood of the ultimate day of judgement 1. Because it is the same with Zech. 1.10 and so for the same reasons cannot bee meant of that day of judgement 2. Because this is set here as the maine and generall Proposition to the Book of the Revelation in which the Master-peece is to set forth Christ to come and set up his Church into a most glorious estate on earth before the day of judgement as wee shall see abundantly afterwards and to make her reigne with him on earth 3. It were very incongruous for John in the last clause of verse 6. to applaud Christs DOMINION as to continue FOR EVER that is while times and ages last as the Greek imports and in the next breath in the first clause of the seventh verse to say he cometh to make an end of his Dominion For the ultimate day of judgement is the last act of Christs Dominion which done Christ layes downe all his Dominion that God may bee all in all 1 Cor. 15.24.28 Wee may not imagine such incoherencies in Johns expression now most eminently filled with the Spirit Therefore I must needs conclude that there is no such likely time of such an eminent coming of Christ and appearing to his Church as this at the time of Restitution of all things Something of this place will be more plain by that in the next Section § 4 But before wee come to that let us collate and lay together the two precedent places of Zech. 12.10 and Revel 17. and out of both containing the same sense and in the same words let us draw this argument as the summe of both Zechary the Prophet and John the Apostle both prophesie in the aforesaid places of one and the same personall appearance of Christ visibly to the eyes of men on earth after his Ascention But this cannot bee understood of his appearance at the ultimate generall judgement because they speake of his pouring out of grace and giving repentance to the families of the Jewes and of his Dominion thence to continue for many ages to the ultimate end of the world Therefore the said visible appearance of Christ is yet to bee before the ultimate day of judgement Which when should it bee but at the conversion of the Jewes and the throwing downe of his apparent obstinate Antichristian enemies as the circumstances of the said places before hinted doe cleerly evince SECT III. OF THE third PLACE OF SCRIPTURE for Christs Personall Appearance at the great Restauration of the Church viz. Matth. 24. v. 30. And then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourne and they shall see the Sonne of man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great glory § 1 OBserve distinctly every clause and word 1. Then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man that is the Sonne of man shall appeare for a signe that great things are at hand as it followes in this verse they shall see the sonne of man and mourne 2. The signe of the Sonne of man in Heaven He was before in the highest third Heaven but now in the lowest first Heaven namely of the Clouds as it follows also in this verse 3. And then shall all the TRIBES of the EARTH intimating Jewes as well as Gentiles mourne Why They shall see the Sonne of man that is as man How mourne Doubtlesse Christ meanes as Zechary meant and John meant namely the Jewes with godly repentance and his obstinate open enemies with desperation for the ruine that is coming upon them 4. Coming IN the Clouds or UPON the Clouds See now what was Johns meaning Rev. 1.7 when he said Christ should come WITH the Clouds To this matter with and in is all one And which is considerable our New Translators concur with us as by quotation in the Margin to make this and Rev. 1.7 to be parallel places tending to the same thing § 2 Now Christ spake this before his Ascention and going away above the clouds Therefore it must needs be that this must bee fulfilled after he hath attended above the Clouds Then and not till then will it be rightly said and properly fulfilled that he comes in the Clouds So the Angels at Christs Ascention Act. 1. After that in v. 9.10 He was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight the Disciples looking stedfastly towards heaven as he went up they say unto them This same Jesus which is TAKEN up from you into heaven shall SO COME It must needs be improper to say he shall COME IN the Clouds before hee be gone above the Clouds Before hee came at incarnation in the Virgins wombe and in a Manger But now after his Ascention above the Clouds hee shall come in the Clouds § 3 Nor can this his coming and appearance in the Clouds be here understood of his coming at the ultimate day of judgement because of that but foure verses after namely v. 34. which Christ affirmeth with grand asseveration namely Verily I say unto you THIS GENERATION shall not passe till ALL THESE things bee fulfilled And then hee seales it and binds it up in the next verse viz. v. 35. Heaven and earth shall passe away but my words and particularly those words aforegoing shall not passe away A seale doth sometimes represent the Writer as well as the words of the writing This doth something also explaine the former passages of this Chapter That heaven and earth shall passe at Christs coming that is in quality not in substance saith Oecumenius on the 21 of Revel there shall bee a new heaven and a new earth the old passing away as Isa 65.2 Pet. 3. Rev. 21. but Christs word for his Personal appearance to his people before the ultimate day of judgement shall not passe For this appearance of Christ in the
which the Apostle Heb. 2. v. 5 6 7. c. expounds of Christ and of the inhabited world to come as the Greek is vers 5. and saith that when Christ was ascended yet then all things were not put under his feet For all must be so all saith the Apostle there v. 8. that nothing must be excepted except as 1 Cor. 15. God himselfe But of this of Heb. 2. abundantly after § 2 Secondly we answer That it is the Kingdome of God his Father because Christ reignes over it as in unspeakable union with the God-head That though he be but one person yet he hath two natures So that the sense is the Kingdome of my Father that is the Kingdom of God as it is in the Syriac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is it iâ— the Kingdome of a God-Christ or a God-man Christ For Father is ascribed in Scripture to the God-head usually in relation to Christ incarnate So that because the two natures are joyned as Collegues in one person over this Empire therefore it is called the Kingdome of CHRIST and of GOD. And such a phrase and upon such an occasion as cleerly relates to the Kingdome whereof we speak doth the Apostle use Eph. 5.5 The words are these This know that no whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man c. hath any INHERITANCE in the Kingdome of CHRIST and of GOD. The Heathens never imagined that vicious persons should enter into their heavenly Elysian-fields or the blissfull immortality of soules And Inheritance more suits to Earth then Heaven And lastly after the ultimate day of judgement Christ hath no Kingdome 1 Cor. 15.28 Therefore this place of Ephes 5.5 relates to the Great Restitution as plainlier appears by paralelling another place which fully answers to that of Ephes 5.5 viz. Rev. 22.11.15 The words are these He that is filthy let him be filthy still WITHOUT are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the dogs the whoremongers c. when is this viz. in the time when the Throne of GOD and of the LAMB shall be and appeare glorious in the Holy City the New Jerusalem verf. 1 2 3. twice expressed There is also the like phrase of calling it the Kingdome of God and of Christ in effect Rev. 12.9.10 And the great Dragon was cast out that old Serpent called the Devill and Satan c. And I heard a loud voyce saying in Heaven Now is salvation and strength and the KINGDOME OF OUR GOD and the POWER OF HIS CHRIST So that Christ as MAN joyntly with GOD doth reigne in this Millenary Kingdome And therefore Christ speakes of new Wine New in the Kingdome of his Father before the ultimate â—ay of judgement For after that day Christ hath no KINGDOME nor POWER but layes downe all as wee have oft â—epeated it out of 1 Cor. 15.28 God the Father is then to be all in all And therefore that expression so frequent in Rev. 20. The Saints hall reigne with Christ a thousand yeers cannot be meant of supernall eternall glory after the last judgement because that place but now quoted of 1 Cor. 15.28 affirmes that then Christ himselfe is said NOT TO REIGNE but to lay down all and to be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be all in all so that then Christ only injoys glory with his Saints not reigne as Christ in glory SECT VI. Of the sixth Scripture for Christs Personall appearance at the great restauration of the Church 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quicke and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdome § 1 THe Kingdome of Christ here mentioned cannot be referred to his past Government of the Church for it is expresse in the future tense now so long since his Ascention that he shall judge the quick and dead at his appearance and his Kingdom § 2 Nor can this Kingdome of Christ here spoken of signifie any Kingdome of Christ after the ultimate judgement for then Christ hath no Kingdome as but now and oft before was touched from 1 Cor. 15.28 § 3 But when Christ appeares next to judge the quicke and dead Saints to reward them and to destroy the then living incurable and incorrigible wicked by a particular day of Judgement at the beginning of the thousand yeares which is the Preface to the ultimate Judgement Christ all that while being busied in executing that first Sentence of Judicature Matth. 25. Come ye blessed of my Father inherite a kingdome provided for you according to Revel 11.15 17 18. of which much after compare Revel 19. three last verses I say when Christ shall then appeare hee shall have a Kingdome § 4 The word appearance is the same in the Greeke as that 2 Thes 2.8 so that Christ must appeare to the inhabitants of the earth where this his Kingdome is For the present as it is said Luk. 19.11 12. by Christ himselfe Christ is gone into a farre Country viz. into Heaven to take to him a Kingdom that is in the Metropolis Heaven he is to be crowned King of this his Kingdome he is to have on earth but he is to returne and then to take account of his servants in this his Kingdome and to dignifie the well-doers Christ must be the fifth Monarch Dan. 2.45 Dan. 7.13 14. I say Christ is to be the fifth Monarch The Jewes now have no King but in the last dayes they shall have David that is Christ the Sonne of David to be their King Hos 3. ver 4 5. And Christ in Acts 1. ver 3. having for forty dayes spoken of the things pertaining to the Kingdome of God and thereupon being asked by the Disciples ver 6 of his restoring the Kingdome to Israel he doth not deny the thing but only refuseth then to tell them the Time when it should be done But after he tells us by John in the Revelation as we shall see abundantly after SECT VII Of the seventh Scripture for the Personall appearance of Christ at the great restauration of the Church Acts 3.19 20 21. Repent yee therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he shall send Jesus Christ which was before preached unto you whom the Heaven must receive untill the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began § 1 THis place of Scripture is the more considerable in that it is urged by some that looke upon things only with a cursory eye against Christs glorious Kingdome yet to come on earth which if well weighed speakes most strongly for it § 2 For 1. Time and especially times twice mentioned in the Plurall cannot so well relate to a state after the last Judgement when time shal be no more Rev. 10.6 7. And the Angels sware by him that liveth for ever that there should be
TIME NO LONGER but in the dayes of the voyce of the seventh Angel the Mystery of God should bee FINISHED 2 This time or times are said to be spoken of by all the Prophets § 3 since the world began they therefore that pretend to be skilled in the Prophets shame themselves in denying that maine thing which is in all the Prophets Now all the Prophets since the world began have not spoken of the last Day of Judgement but of the Kingdome of the Messiah they all have spoken and so much and so plainly that the Apostles mindes did much run out upon it even at the first appearance of Christ in the flesh besides their Doctrines afterwards in their Epistles c. concerning it So it seemes by Matth. 20. ver 20. in the request of the Mother of Zebedees Children that is two of the twelve Disciples ver 24. intreating Christ that her two sons might sit the one on his right hand the other on his left hand in HIS KINGDOME and by the strife among the twelve Luk. 9.46 who of them after Christs Passion should be the greatest The same wee have Luk. 22.24 when Christ was ready to suffer And by the question of the Apostles Act. 1.6 touching Christs restoring the Kingdome to Israel in all which places Christ doth not in the least hint any negative to the thing it selfe And the Jewes yet much expect the coming of the Messiah to restore them now not long after one thousand six hundred and fifty Insomuch that one ancient learned Rabbin on his Death-bed exhorted the Jewes that if the Messiah did not come about that time they should imbrace the Christian Messiah as the true Messiah And you heard afore in the first Book the hope of the learned Jewish Rabbins concerning that thing with their quotations of the Prophets upon which they grounded that their hope And to this day that is a stumbling block to the whole dispersed of the Jewes that Christ is not yet come because he yet takes no care as they thinke to restore and settle them according to the many Prophesies and Promises of the Old Testament For this cause therefore Christ will appeare at lest for a time in the clouds personally to convince and convert and settle them 4. One would wonder to see how many of the Prophesies and Prophets of the Old Testament godly and learned Dr. Alsted and § 4 others doe cleerly alleadge for this Kingdome of which we speake And therefore it must needs be our ignorance if we make a wonder at this point questioning whether there be any such thing in the Prophets 5 Peter also speaking to the Jewes in his 2 Epistle doth severall § 5 times quote the Prophets and their Prophesies for this state of the Church which we speake chap. 1.19 We have a more sure word of PROPHESIE whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as to a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day star arise in your hearts Now that the Lord Christ had come in the flesh finished our redemption the effusion of the Spirit had been abundantly fulfilled the Gospel openly promulgated to the world and in part they to whom Peter writes converted v. 1. and Christ ascended the Apostle calls it a darke time in comparison of the rising of the Day-star that is the Sonne of righteousnesse Mal. 4. in their hearts which cannot be meant of eternall glory after the last judgement to which the Prophesie of Old Testament doth lead them to wait for it till it be fulfilled And chap. 3.13 Wee according to his PROMISE looke for new Heavens and a new Earth c. which promise is Isa 65.17 And by the context there of inhabiting the earth cannot be understood of supernall glory after the last judgement § 6 But what is particularly here mentioned in this third of Acts that these Prophets speake of There are foure notable things 1 That there is now so long since Christs ascension a time of refreshing to come for the Jewes to whom these words were spoken as well as for others At which time their sins should be totally blotted out For the state of the Church we speake of by all we can gather from Scripture shall bee a sinlesse time as to the Church 2 That this time of refreshing shall be as proceeding from the PRESENCE or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the FACE of the Lord which evidently signifies a sight of Christ 3 That God shall send Jesus which was before preached to them He had sent him already by Incarnation But yet notwithstanding God will againe send him The Jewes had yet many sorrows therefore he shall be sent againe for their refreshing And they had their spirituall condition in part restored but God will send againe for the restitution of all things 4 It is said Christ comes for the restitution of all things Therefore this cannot signifie Christs coming for the destitution or dissolution of all things And therefore it altogether sounds of an happy time before the all-destroying last judgement Restitution signifies restoring Restoring signifies an attainment of that perfection that was lost viz. in lapsed Adam either in men or things Rom. 8.21 c. The CREATURE it selfe ALSO shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God For the whole CREATION GROANETH c. untill now and not onely they but we our selves also c. that have the FIRST FRUITS of the SPIRIT waiting for the Redemption of our BODIES Lay all together that both men and things groan after this estate And that the Creatures shall share in it as it relates distinctly with an emphasis to the bodies of the Saints and then meditate whether it be likely that a supernall state of glory in the highest Heavens is here meant No the New state of things below the New heavens and the New earth which Peter speaks of 2 Ep. Chap. 3. v. 13. quoting it out of the Prophet Isa 64.17 is the meaning of this Rom. 8. The Heavens above need no making New Nor have they earth in them The New Hierusalem to which the Kings shall bring their honour comes downe from heaven Rev. 21. So that it is a new state of glory below § 7 This also would be well weighed in this place of Act. 3. that in as much as it is said Until the restitution of all things the state of things here meant must of necessity be before the ultimate end of the world as our opponents conceive of the end of the world Because at the end of the world according to their opinion shall be the dissolution of the earth and no need of the Heavens If then shall be the restitution of some men namely the Elect to supernall glory yet that will not amount to the phrase in the Text viz. the restitution of ALL THINGS But the Apostle tells us as wee touched but now in Rom. 8. That all the Elect and all the Creation
by ascention to possesse the Kingdome of glory there to be installed into this on earth That being the originall of this or that being the Emperiality to which this the Tributary or Province Or Heaven being the Metropolis this below the Territories Sure enough expresse it is that he went away into a far Country which can be no other but heaven Christ having never travelled bodily out of his owne Country Secondly that though hee were before his going a Noble-man and had the Regiment or Government over a Royalty he had servants he had the command of imploying them as he listed And had the power of rewarding or punishing as he pleased so that the unprofitable servant that improved not his Talent he cast into utter darknesse where was weeping and gnashing of teeth Matth. 25.30 All which in that Matth. 25.14 c. is called the Kingdome of Heaven that is the Kingdome of Grace as appears in the former Parable of the Virgins the same in sence v. 1. c. Yet thirdly it is said this Noble-man went into a far Country to receive for himselfe another Kingdome and to returne vers 12. where as his receiving the Kingdome is put before his returning So on the other side it is said He returned receiving a Kingdome vers 15. * Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Arias renders in redire ipsum accipientem regâ—um where his returning is put before his receiving the Kingdome so that both Kingdomes must be here meant viz. Christ receiving the Kingdome of glory afore his returne and his Kingdome of visible power of reigning on earth after his returne For meerly his Kingdome of glory in Heaven cannot be here understood because touching his reigning there it was in vaine unpossible and altogether unlikely for his enemies to send an ambassage after him saying They would not have him to reigne over them And meerly his Kingdome of grace cannot bee here understood because that is otherwise expressed under the comparison of Talents compare Matth 25. And moreover it is here distinctly set downe that he is to goe into a far Country and then actually to receive another Kingdome partly before he returned and partly after he returned even as there is a diversity of actions In that Kingdome of Grace there is mentioned onely the neglect of improving the Talents but in this Kingdome of visible power received after his returne there is an high affront offered they send a message that they would not have him to reigne Again there is diversity of names The former are called Servants The latter are called Enemies Adde that there is a different dispensation of justice The unprofitable servant is put into a darke prison but the enemies must bee slaine AFORE HIM Therefore of necessity here must be hinted the Kingdome of Christs visible power That was it the Jewes expected yea and the best of them viz. the Disciples as we have heard afore and therefore to that Christ here speaks And for that Christ did not set up this at his coming in the flesh delivering them from the Romans therefore his Citizens his enemies hated him and sent a message after him They hated him as in relation of having him to be their visible King or King of visible Dominion when they cryed at his arraignment They had no King but Caesar And they sent an embassage after him when after his death in opposition to that kingly-hood they were angry with Pilate for writing in the Title set over him in Hebrew Greek and Latine THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWES § 5 There are also severall other passages in this Parable for Christs visible appearance and setting up his visible Kingdome of power on earth yet before the ultimate day of judgement As first His giving to the improvers of their Talents to one the rule over ten Cities to another the rule over five Cities And the Talent of him that had improved nothing to him that had improved much all which compared with the preface of the Parable touching the appearing of the Kingdome cannot in any thing well relate to the state of meer supernall eternall glory in the highest Heavens 2 His causing his enemies to bee slaine afore his face suits not to Christs meer Kingdome of grace whose Dominion precisely considered is in the power of the Gospel Nor doth it comport and comply with the ultimate day of judgement when instead of slaying enemies there is a making them alive And instead of punishing them before Christs face there is a sending them away from the presence of the Lord into eternal judgement But these extremely well agree with Christs appearing to set up his visible Kingdome of power For then Christ shall destroy his Antichristian Jewish and Gentilish and mixt Turkish enemies with the brightnesse of his appearance as hath been opened upon 2 Thess 2. in Sect 4. of this second Book And shall slay them corporally Revelat. 19. latter end § 6 Indeed the whole Parable appears to them that can leave the commonr ode of Tradition and wishly minde and ingeniously weigh the passages and preface thereof to aime at Christs next coming to set up such a Kingdome as shall not onely perfect the spirituall deliverance of the Gentiles but also to performe the temporall deliverance of the Jewes from their dispersion and corporall miseries For the naturall current of the Parable runnes thus Christ being neer Hierusalem the Jewes thought the Kingdome of God would immediately appeare Doubtlesse it was far from their thoughts in the captive condition they were now in to expect the appearance of the Kingdome of glory in Heaven For the hundreds of promises of their deliverance from the corporall captivity were not fulfilled And for the Kingdome of grace these men little minded And the better sort viz. the Disciples and Beleevers had seen it appeare already therefore it is the other Kingdome of Christ viz. that of his visible power and rule to deliver them from their corporall enemies that they supposed would immediately appeare Now to this saith Christ It will not immediatly appeare but I must saith he first goe into a farre Country viz. into Heaven and there be instated and Crowned King and after that come againe and actually and visibly reigne the meane while you to whom I have given Talents that is have endowed with gifts must imploy them and at my return as a signe of my visible actuall power I will take account of you and cause mine enemies that oppose my visible reigning to bee slaine afore me § 7 Now at the ultimate day of Judgement Christ receives no Kingdome but resignes all his Kingdome Power and Dominion 1. Cor. 15.28 CHAP. III. Of five places out of the Old Testament to prove the visible appearance of Christ to the Church on earth at the time of her restauration SECT I. The first place is out of Dan. 7.11 to end of the Chapter § 1 THis place we put first because it doth give much light
and so slaine with the sword that the Fowles were filled with the flesh of them that were slaine chap. 19. verse 20. A strange thing to me if any should dreame these things to be done only Spiritually or in the world to come There proceeded indeed the sword out of his mouth that is Christ bid his Saints to slay them which afore and after yee have explained but they were materially or corporally slaine as the time weapon and their buriall in the bowels of Birds challenge that sence yea marke further the Armies ruine is put in Counter-destruction or opposition to the ruine of their Chieftain or Chieftaines whose destruction was to be cast ALIVE into the Lake therefore the slaying of the Army with the sword to be devoured by the Fowles must signifie a Corporall destruction § 3 Now this destruction Chap. 19.20 cannot be at the ultimate Day of â—udgement for that day is not till after the destruction of Gog and Magog which is long after the destruction of Antichrist vers 8 9 10 11 12 c. of this twentieth Chapter clearly distinguished from that destruction of Antichrist by two notable circumstances including many other particulars of order time place c. ¶ The first Circumstance is That Gog and Magog warre against the Saints whiles they are in their injoyment of their glorious peace after the said Saints had reigned a thousand yeares ver 7.8 when they had been partakers long afore viz. at the beginning of the thousand yeares of the first resurrection as a pledge that they should not dye the second death at the second Resurrection ver 6. after that they had reigned and as Kings and Priests and too with Christ a thousand years in the same sixt verse none of which particulars can consist with supernal ultimate glory when Christ himselfe layes downe all his power 1 Cor. 15.28 And after they have injoyed this condition a thousand yeares then and not till then begins the Gogicall-Magogicall warre upon which comes the destruction on Gogmagog ver 7 8 9. but the warre of Antichrist in the nineteenth Chapter is when the Saints are in great trouble their bloud had been poured out unavenged till then vers 2. the earth corrupted ibid. The Nations are till now to be smitten and to be RVLE'D with a ROD of Iron ver 15. The Wine presse of the fiercenesse and wrath of God Almighty to be trodden ibid. with many the like intimations throughout the Chapter of the different state of the Church now a thousand yeeres before Christ came to destroy Gogmagog as the sequell of the twentieth Chapter makes the compute ¶ The second Circumstance is That after the thousand yeares of Satans binding and Antichrists destruction Satan is againe let loose he seduceth Gog and Magog and then the Devill himselfe Chap. 20.10 is cast into the Lake of fire WHERE WERE the BEAST and the FALSE PROPHET which had been cast in there formerly Chap. 19. ver 20. evidently pointing at the destruction of Antichrist as finished long afore the fore-being there of the Beast and false Prophet being made the description of Hell as sometimes the portion of Hypocrites is the description thereof § 4 The next passage in this twentieth Chapter of Revelation is what he saw in ver 4. John saw Thrones and they that sate upon them and judgement was given to them and he 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 nor his Image neither had received his mark upon their fore-heads or in their hands the meaning of all which you have in the next Chapter viz. the 21. for vers 1. it is said And I saw a new heaven and a new earth little reason to mention earth if it had been to describe a state in heaven above The place is taken out of Isa 65.17 as Peter hints 2 Pet. 3.13 We according to his PROMISE looke for new heavens and a new earth I say out of Isa 65.17 where God promiseth unto the Jewes to build new Heavens and a new earth but with all mentions their injoying of houses and vine yards In the second Verse of the one and twentieth Chapter it is said John saw new Hierusalem indeed that on earth is old but nothing is old in the highest Heavens so that nothing there can be said to be new therefore this cannot be meant of that heaven It is expresse It comes downe from heaven therefore it cannot expresse a state in that supernall heaven even as it followes PREPARED as a Bride which plainly evinceth that it is not meant of ultimate glory where the Church is not prepared that is done in this world but perfected as vers 3. it is said I heard a voyce OVT of heaven to import that it was of things not in the supreame Heaven viz. That the tabernacle of God is with men where God WILL dwell with them which if meant of the supernall Heaven would have been exprest in a contrary phrase viz. The tabernacle of men is with God for there is no need of a promise to assure us that in the highest Heavens God will dwell with us Agreeable to which the fourth verse promiseth that all teares shall be wiped away of which promise as in relation to the supreame Heaven there was not the least need since God made it but knowne to the Sonnes of men that they shall inherit that place all sorts Christians Heathens c. easily know and beleeve that there in that place are no teares nor cause of teares as appeares in the Christians Creed and the Heathens Doctrines of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their Elysian fields Every thing in that Heaven is so good that it cannot be made as in verse 5. new that is better No need there of that in the sixth verse either promise or performance to give unto him that is athirst of the fountaine of the water of life It is enough for God to promise that Heaven as Paul thought it enough to say Phil. 1. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ if we be once there we shall not thirst Even as there according to ver 7. shall be no striving to overcome much lesse to overcome that in ver 8. Feare and unbeliefe c. They in the supernall Heaven have overcome all things therefore all these demonstrate that this Chapter is of a state on earth not of one in supreame glory of such a state on earth it is proper to say as v. 7. He that possesseth it shal inherit all things not only Gods presence but also all things though as yet all things are not subject to Christ himselfe Heb. 2.8 and he shal be Gods Sonne For if we beleeve we now are the Sons of God afore we come to ultimate glory then this promised with a shal be must signifie a suture estate and on earth because of other circumstances as we are now enumerating that
of grace and non-grace that difference was made before death in the life time of the Saints and wicked The second particular is the casting of the Devill into the bottomlesse pit and shutting and sealing him in it that he may not seduce the Nations till the thousand yeers be finished vers 3. The third particular is the letting loose of Satan at the end of the thousand yeers to seduce all the Nations on the foure corners of the earth till he gather together an innumerable Army to encompasse the camp of the Saints the event whereof is that that Army is consumed with five from heaven After which immediately begins the last judgement vers 7 8 9. Now wee shall challenge literas omnes literatos all learned books and men when in all the one thousand six hundred and fifty yeers of the New Testament by-past were these three particulars fulfilled When did the Saints or Martyrs so rise For still they have been and are under persecution or sore afflictions in one or other or severall Nations more or lesse When was Satan so bound and imprisoned as that he did not seduce the Nations For to this day Lutherans Protestants Papists Turkes Indians Jewes c. are seduced by him in matters of Errour and War And when was there such an innumerable Army encompassing the camp of the Saints consumed with fire from Heaven upon which immediately followed that day of judgement when the Devill is cast into the lake of fire a Throne is set and the bookes are opened c. as it is v. 10 11 12 § 7 It is true some learned men doe say that the time of Satans binding that he could not seduce the Nations for a thousand yeers to the making of an happy time for the Church so long began three hundred yeers after Christ and so ended one thousand and three hundred yeers after Christ For say they at the end of three hundred yeers after Christ the ten persecutions ceased in which persecution say they Satan was loose to seduce the world But those persecutions being ceased the thousand yeers of the Churches comfortable condition began So Mr. Brightman on Revel and Mr. Fox in his book of Martyrs onely with this difference That one of them inserts within the said thousand by them laid out the five months mentioned Revel 9.5 as a so long interruption of their described quiet in those thousand yeers understanding by those five months certaine yeers that is that every day of those five months signifies a yeer which according to solary months makes the thousand yeers end an hundred and thirty yeers lower or according to â—unary months one hundred and twenty yeers later Pareus begins the thousand yeers of the binding of Satan c. at the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus sixty nine yeers as he accounts after the birth of Christ At which time saith he the Jewish Temple and Worship ceasing the great impediment of the Gentiles imbracing the Gospel was removed So that this while Satan was bound from seducing the Gentiles or Nation § 8 Whence first let the Reader observe by the way that all these three godly and greatly learned men doe concur and fully agree with us in this that the meaning of the thousand yeers is literall That it signifies a thousand yeers properly taken yea and to include sensible events though they differ from us and from one another in other particulars § 9 But for the opinions themselves we cannot agree with them in the beginning of these thousand yeers and consequently not in their ending 1 ¶ Not with Mr. Fox and Mr. Brightmans computation First because they include the ten Persecutions which lasted three hundred yeers within the time of Satans beng loose and seducing the Nations preceding the beginning of their account of the thousand yeers whith ten Persecutions include the Apostles time and the Primitive purest times And so by consequence Mr. Fox and Mr. Brightman make those primitive times more corrupt and more seduced then the ages following the ten Persecutions which is contrary to Rev. 11.1 and Revel 12.1 And contrary to experience out of all antiquity that in those times the Church was far more pure generally then ever since Secondly because this compute of Mr. Fox and Mr. Brightman makes the times following the ten Persecutions to begin an happy thousand yeers for the Church and so to continue to one thousand three hundred yeers after Christ But this is contrary to experience from all approved antiquity who doth give us a particular account that after that little time in the life of Constantine the Great wherein the Church had some outward peace and prosperity anon began the black-heresie and bloody-persecution by the Arians upon the necke of which followed Pelagianisme and many other grosse and grievous errours and heresies 2 ¶ For the computation of Pareus that cannot stand for many strong reasons that batter it downe For first the Jewish worship did not cease as Pareus affirmes at the destruction of the Temple by Titus but doth continue to this day And instead of the exercise thereof in that one Nation of the Jewes it is practised by them in their Synagogues in most Nations in Europe if not elsewhere also as our Country-Merchants and Travellers are eare and eye-witnesses If by Jewish worship Pareus doth mean that particular of it of sacrificing as if that at least ended at Titus destruction of the Temple therein also is Pareus mistaken as most Ecclesiastical Histories and Chronologies abet us to affirme For say these Records when Titus had overthrown the Temple the Jews sacrificed in the City as neer the ruines of their Temple as they could Yea when Hadrian or Adrian the Roman Emperour had destroyed the City they sacrificed at Mamre where God appeared formerly to Abraham Nor was their zeale to sacrificing so extinguished when Constantine the Great beat them from Mamre For anon after Constantine Julian the Apostate the Romane Emperour encouraged the Jewes to returne to Jerusalem there to re-build the ruines and offer sacrifice till fire from heaven discomfited them which falls far lower then sixty nine yeers after Christ namely to about three hundred and sixty yeers after Christ So that this Jewish worship lasted all the time of the ten Persecutions in which Mr. Fox and Mr. Brightman say Satan was let loose and not bound up as Pareus affirmes 2 Within this thousand yeers of binding Satan computed by Pareus to begin at sixty nine yeers after Christ is found nothing for the Jewes nor their new Jerusalem contrary to the scope of all the Scripture as we shall hear abundantly after which cleerly drives at this that the call of the Jewes must be a great part of the glory of that state we speake of and they the principall partakers thereof 3 In all that thousand yeers which Pareus makes up beginning at sixty nine yeers after Christ and consequently ending at one thousand sixty nine yeers after Christ all things
are found to be in a quite contrary estate to Satans binding from seducing For in those ages were infinite monstrous Heresies and Apostasies so well knowne to the learned that I spend not time to quote Historians For beside the Heresies afore touched there arose within the said thousand yeers viz. about six hundred and odd after Christ horrid Mahumetisme spread to this day over a great part of the world About which time the mystery of Papal iniquity had wrought to a great height Both increasing for the generall to this day Both the one by their Turkish wars the other by their massacres having poured out a sea of Saints blood Now how can wee say with any shew of reason that Satan was bound this while from seducing the world when he did so potently prevaile 4 Where are the Learned or the Libraries to tell us of the rising or of the reigning of the Saints or Martyrs from sixty nine to one thousand sixty nine after Christ 6 If the thousand yeers begin at sixty nine yeers after Christ and consequently end at one thousand sixty nine there hath been since that a thousand sixty nine to this yeer one thousand six hundred fifty two above five hundred and eighty yeers which five hundred and eighty yeers cannot be counted a litle season It is said Rev. 20.3 After the thousand yeers are expired Satan shall be let loose a little season But by Pareus his account of the expiration of the thousand yeers at the thousand sixty nine yeers Satan since that hath been let loose five hundred and eighty yeers as wee have said which cannot be reckoned for a little season in comparison of the thousand yeers of Satans binding as is Saint Johns sense for it is above halfe as much as a thousand yeers Seventhly and lastly If the thousand yeers are so long since expired where and when since that expiration hath appeared that after a little season was gathered together Gog and Magog encompassing the Camp of the Saints upon a new seducement by the Devil and were consumed by fire from heaven upon which the day of judgement began SECT III. The usefulnesse of the Old Testament to the point in hand touching the glorious state of the Church yet to come § 1 HAving laid the foundation of the proofe of our Thesis touching the glorious state of All things upon earth yet to come in the twentieth Chapter of the Revelation Now let us take all the Bible afore us both Old and New Testament in order and hear what harmony they make as an Anthem or Prelude before that glorious Scene begins The Old Testament laid downe the ground of our hope The New Testament now so long since Christs coming in the flesh carries on our expectation to look for such a thing Wee shall cull out of the Old Testament those places that to our best light are most cleer and have some touches of explanations out of the New Testament § 2 And great reason there is to take before us the Old Testament because the New Testament in speaking of this visible glorious Kingdome of Christ to be on earth refers us to the Old As Peter in 2 Ep. Chap. 3. v. 13. refers us to Esa 65.17 Wee saith Peter look for new Heavens and a new Earth according to his PROMISE wherein dwels righteousnesse which promise is that of Esa 65. Not to repeat things spoken afore Here is mention of Heavens in the plurall The one Empyrean Heaven is unchangeable Therefore Heavens of pure manifestation of Doctrine of pure practise of Gospel order of a new state of the Church of new peoples added to it of a renovation of all things on earth must be understood It must be meant of such heavens as God will shake Heb. 12.26 spoken by a Jew Paul to the Jewes the Hebrews after Christs coming and ascending At which time of his presence in the flesh though he shooke down the vaile viz. at his passion and gave the Temple a shake by Prophesie Matth. 24.1.2 c. which tumbled it downe about forty yeers after his ascension yet he had not to that time shaken downe the vaile off the Jewes heart 2 Cor. 3. Nor hath he to this day as sad experience testifies No nor the Iewish worship in their Synagogues practised to this very time Nor hath he set up things so as they must remaine instead of the things that are shaken Therefore Peters promise of new Heavens wherein dwels righteousnesse is yet unfulfilled A phrase too short to reach so high as to advance the commendation of the Empyrean Heaven as it is impertinent to tell us that there shall dwell righteousnesse where we well know was never any the least unrighteousnesse We expect and must expect by all circumstances upon that place such a fulfilling of that Promise as shall create or make new Heavens on Earth wherein dwels righteousnesse here below where formerly hath been unrighteousnesse That place onely can be said to be made new with the inhabitation of righteousnesse that formerly had no righteousnesse or little left it being worne out In like manner the same Peter in 2 Ep. chap. 1. ver 19. speaking of Christs Kingdome referres us to the Old Testament viz. Numb 24.17 We have saith he a more sure word of PROPHESIE whereunto yee doe well that yee take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day dawne and the Day-star arise in your hearts which is taken out of that of Numbers 24.17 There shal come a starre out of Jacob c. out of Jacob shal come he that shal have dominion c. At Christs Incarnation this Star Christ did arise on some of their hearts when the Starre guided the Wise men to goe to the place of Christs birth and there to worship him and after some few gleanings of people beleeved on him But this while he was but as an evening Star Peter saith now after his Ascention that the time was yet to come that he should be a morning Star a Sunne upon the hearts of the generality of the Jewes And it were strange if any wise man should dreame that at the same instant Christ should call the Jewes and come to the last Judgement That in the same moment the black cloud of the day of Doome should cover the world and the Day-star of the Sonne of righteousnesse should arise on the numerous peoples of the Jewes scattered in all Nations Thus in Act. 3.20 21. we are referred to the PROPHETS since the WORLD BEGAN to know and hope for the visible Kingdome of Christ on earth of which we speake One of which Prophets to speake nothing of Acts 3. having spoken so much in the second Booke is Enoch to whom Jude also referres us ver 14 15. and quotes his words to supply the losse of his Book Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied Behold the LORD COMETH with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement and convince all that are
brake off three of the ten Dan. 7. v. 20.24 that is about the yeer one thousand * Bucholc Ind. Chron ad an 1009. Periodus Judaica inquit Helvic ad an 950. circiter after Christ the Saracens tooke Hierusalem and have held it to this day And about the yeer after Christ one thousand foure hundred and fifty Mahomet alias Mahumete took Constantinople where Constantinus Palaelogus the last of the Grecian Emperours was utterly overthrown ** Bucholc Ind. Chron. ad an 1453. inde inquit orientis imperium penes Turcas fuit Sic Helvic in Chro. Atque hinc inquit imperium orientis prorsus ad Turcas tranâ—rit So that the Turke plucked up by the roots that is wholly subdued to him three of the ten Roman hornes or Kingdomes to wit Asia Graecia and Syria of which Jury was a part and became absolute Emperour of all the Easterne Empire *âŽ* Vid. Huet in Dan. 7. v. 8. But as for the rest of the ten hornes of the fourth Beast the Roman Empire being the fourth Kingdome upon the earth and diverse also from all the Kingdomes it is said it devoures the residue of the whole earth v. 23. and shall tread it downe and break it in peeces And thus the seven Roman hornes and the one Turkish Horn subduing three of the ten shall go on in their dominions to enslave the generality of the whole earth blaspheming God and making war with the Saints untill a time and times and halfe a time be finished v. 24 25. And then v. 26. the Iudgement shall sit and they i. e. the aforesaid judgement Iudicature or Sessions shall take away the said dominion and shall give it v. 27. to the people of the Saints of the most High Sutable to this Circumstance of order in Rev. 13. 1. c. There is a Beast rising out of the Sea that is the Roman Emperiality or Empire Antichristed or Papized that answers to all those foure Beasts in Daniel 7. For this Beast is like a Lyon in his mouth like a Beare in his feet like a Leopard in his adorned shining skin or faire outside And for his head it is sevenfold with ten hornes which ten hornes say the learned grew all on one head viz. the last of the seven heads said to have ten hornes because so at first as we said but now upon Dan. 7. but it hath for continuance but seven hornes because the Turk the King of the bottomlesse pit Rev. 9.1 to 12. brake off three Againe as the Beast aforesaid in Dan. 7. must hurt but for a time and times and halfe a time or dividing of times So this Beast in this 13 of the Revelation that contains all foure Beasts in Dan. 7. because it hath the evill qualities and Tyrannicall power of all those foure And from this one ariseth the other with one horne breaking off three of the others ten must continue and have power to doe mischiefe two and forty months vers 5. of this 13. of Rev. which two and forty months is made all one with a time and times and halfe a time Rev. 12.14 ¶ 3 The last thing wherein the seventh of Dan. and Rev. the twentieth agrees is in intents viz. to set forth that the Saints shall yet have a glorious Kingdome on earth over which they shall under Christ there reigne For seeing both visions agree in forme and matter and sense who can doubt but they must intend the same thing In that seventh of Dan. it is oft mentioned and hinted in sundry passages that the SONNE OF MAN must have the same Kingdome or dominion which all the foure Beasts had successively and he must give it to the Saints vers 13 14. I saw one like the Sonne of Man and there was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdome that all People and Nations and Languages should serve him His dominion is an everlasting Dominion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seculi saith Arias and oft signifies but for a long time expounded presently everlasting that is shall not be destroyed that is by any other earthly Monarch as the other foure destroyed one another vers 17 18. The foure great Beasts are foure Kings expounded here and verse 24. Kingdomes which shall arise out of the earth But the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdome and possesse the Kingdome which the other foure Beasts had successively v. 19 20 21. the same is repeated againe with applications of the type or vision v. 23 24 25 26 27. All which was never yet fulfilled nor can the ultimate judgement be a time for it In like manner Rev. 20. Christ comes DOWN from heaven v. 1. and chaines up the Devil and for a thousand yeers To what end Not for a state of glory in the highest heavens above as all those passages testifie But that the Saints may rise and reigne with Christ a thousand yeers on earth as it is expresse Rev. 5.10 as a part of the proposition to the whole Revelation that and Chapter 1.7 making up the whole I say to reigne in New Jerusalem which to that end also comes down from heaven Chapter 21.1 and so long to reigne as till Satan bee let loose againe to seduce the Nations that the ultimate judgement begins verse 7. to the end of the Chapter So that what dominion the King of the bottomlesse pit had Rev. 9.1 c. to hurt for five months and what dominion the Beast had for two and forty months Rev. 13. and both under Satan while he was loose that very same in pure substance though not in the evill quality the Saints must have under Christ So that where the Saints were hurt beheaded and persecuted even there they must rise and reigne under Christ a thousand yeers v. 4. of this 20. of Rev. § 6 Thus you see there is great reason why we should looke into the Old Testament as well as into the New for this glorious estate of the Church yet to be on earth Where note for conclusion of this third Section That as God gave the Church in the Old Testament a glorious temporal estate on earth as well as a spirituall viz. That in Paradise on earth so by the like reason he will give both to the Church of the New Testament on earth described in Revel 21 c. as a second Paradise on earth For the New Testament must not be inferiour but rather better then the Old only with this difference The Old Testament-Church being then but in its infancie had the temporall first as a type of the Spirituall The New Testament Church must have the Spirituall first and the Temporall last being then made compleatly up and unto a perfect man according to the stature of Christ Ephes 4. SECT IV. Wherein the Promise to Adam Gen. 1.26 27 28. paralleled with Psalme the eighth as the eighth Psalme with Heb. 2.5 fully opened to prove our maine Position that there is yet to be on earth
Felix Jun. and the Country of Madianaea on the South of Arabia Hieron Fourthly Midian of whom came the Midianites those arch enemies of the Jews for which God commanded to vexe them of whom was Balaam which gave that wicked counsell against Israel Their maine Country also had from them the name of Madianitis in the borders of Arabia petraea But because also some of them dwelt in the Countries adjoyning to the Ishmaelites therefore they are sometimes called Ishmaelites though of so different an original as aforesaid Gen. 37.25.28 Judg. 7.33 and 8.24 Fifthly There came of Keturah Ishbak who was the founder of Laodicea Scabiosa in Suria Sixthly Shuah of whom came the Saccai inhabiting the East part of Syria by Batanaea Jun. Seventhly Sheba whose posterity dwelt in Arabia deserta Prerer Jun. Eightly Dedan of whom came the ' Dedaneans who inhabited as Hieron supposeth in Aethiopia or in the Country next to the Idumeans as it seems to be hinted Jer. 49.7 8. or in Adadi in Syria Palmerene Jun. Ninthly Epha whose Country is named in Isa 60.6 and is scituated beyond Arabia called Saba Hieron l. 17. in Isa Tenthly Epher of whom saith Josephus Africa had its name Of the rest named in that of Gen. 25. the Countries are not knowne only they are said in verse 6. to dwell East-ward in the East-Country that is Arabia or Syria So that we see many Kingdomes and Nations both of Jews and Gentiles thus far as we have computed came out of Abrahams loynes according so the aforesaid promises and how many Nations since who is able to reckon Now say the above-mentioned Scriptures out of the Old Testament the multitude of Nations to come of Abraham are to partake of the Covenant as an everlasting Covenant God to be their God Yea ALL the Nations of the earth to be blessed in ABRAHAM and to be blessed IN HIS SEED often there repeated 4 ¶ The Lord addes in the said Old-Testament quotations an obsignation or sealing if I mistake not of all the three particulars afore mentioned viz. Of spirituall salvation Of an happy possession of the earth and of a numerous multiplication in Jewes and Gentiles over the face of whole earth accompanied with that salvation in that their injoyment of that universal possession 1 Of salvation he gave them the seale of Circumcision which was a signe and seal of the Covenant of grace viz. of the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4.11 And it is said afore in that Gen. 17. that this Covenant or token of the Covenant should be in their flesh for an everlasting Covenant because as in the substance God would continue a Seal of his Covenant for ever till the Restitution of all things as the Covenant it selfe should bee for ever still the same salvation should be sealed still the same use of the seale to confirme the assurance of faith still upon the same ground of the tenor of the Covenant of grace as we shall see after onely the matter of the seale to bee changed viz. the Green waxe of water to be put in the room of the Red waxe of bloody Circumcision Secondly Of that happy possession upon the face of the whole earth he gave them the seale of the seven Kingdomes of the whole Country of Canaan and that for an everlasting possession so as still as it is annexed to be their God For from the time they first entred Canaan according to the promise they were never universally and absolutely expelled out of it and shall there keep possession till they be most gloriously restored to the possession of it the seed of Abraham the beleeving Jews and Gentiles ruâ—â—ng there and over the whole earth as long as ever there shall be any habitation on earth as the Rere of testimonies yet to march up shall abundantly testifie And if any enemies shall rise up against the Nations of Jewes and Gentiles the seed of Abraham by faith they shall as surely conquer them as they did the land of Canaan Thirdly Of their numerous blessed multiplication God gives the seale of changing Abrams name to Abraham He should not be onely Ab-rom that is an High-father but Ab-Rom-Hamon an High-father of a multitude even as he changed Sarais name to the same intent from Sarai my Mistresse to Sarah A or the Mistresse § 4 Sutably how are the said promises to Abraham extended in their utmost breadth to his posterity viz. Isaac Jacob Joseph Ephraim and Manasseh Gen. 26.4 Gen. 48.19 Gen. 49.26 quoted afore at large all sounding of an universall happy dominion over the face of the whole earth § 5 Consonant to this Old-Testament Plat-forme doe the excellent Master-builders the Apostles in the New Testament reare the superstructure with distinct reference to the places and particulars of the Old ¶ 1. For Salvation they often expresse it under the notion of the righteousnesse of faith and of imputing faith for righteousnesse and of being blessed through faith ¶ 2. For Possession it is afore expressed by the Apostle that their leaving of Mesopotamia their owne native Country and never returning though they might and after that their sojourning in Canaan so long as strangers and pilgrims in Tents and Tabernacles though it was promised them for an inheritance and doing all this by faith not seeing the Promise fulfilled by sence did argue that they sought a Country an heavenly one a City that hath foundations prepared of God made and built by God All which how can we better and safelier expound then by the Scriptures which having told us Rev. 20. we shall reigne with Christ on earth as the meaning hath been proved even where Gog and Magog shall after make opposition a thousand yeares In the next chapter viz. 21. they shew us the place and state where and how viz. in the New Heaven and New EARTH in the holy City new Hierusalem coming downe from Heaven where God himselfe will be with them and be their God and all teares shall be wiped away with many other Characters and Circumstances fully answering to that afore of Heb. 11. Which as we have before demonstrated cannot be meant of the Highest Heaven but of a state on earth The like wherof we have in 2 Pet. 3.13 that the Saints shall injoy a new earth according to Gods promise which Promise extant Esa 65.17 will not indure to be interpreted but of a state on earth as the branches of it evince ¶ 3. For Multiplication As the generality of the world Jews and Gentiles have according to the flesh come out of the loynes of Abraham so the Apostles exposition of the Promises holds forth that the generality of the world shall be the Children of Abraham by faith and blessed in THAT SEED of him viz. Christ That they that are of the faith of Abraham are the children of Abraham That God would justifie the HEATHEN through faith according to the GOSPEL he preached to Abraham That the sence of that Promise In thee Abraham all the
Nations of the earth shal be blessed is that they that bee of faith shal be blessed with faithful Abraham That the blessing of Abraham shal come upon the Gentiles That the promise to Abraham that he should be THE HEIRE OF THE WORLD was not to Abraham and his seed through the Law but through the righteousnesse of faith that it might be by Grace to the end the Promise might be sure TO ALL THE SEED not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham WHO IS THE FATHER OF US ALL. ¶ 4. For the sealing of all these three likewise in the New Testament Christ as incarnated is called the Mystery or Sacrament as some Translate of godlinesse 1 Tim. 3.16 because in his flesh is the glorious representation of God Heb. 1.2 and the effectual communication of the excellencies of God to us by union with him and us Joh. 17.2 Joh. 1.16 Christ as testified unto from Heaven Mat. 3.17 Mat. 17.5 is the sealed one or the sealing to us Ioh. 6 27. viz. That he is the only name under Heaven whereby we must be saved Acts 4.12 and he as the meaning of all types Joh. 1.17 is the impletion or fulfilling of all the Promises to us take him and take all 2 Cor. 1.20 And to the end that we might be more sure of all these he hath change of names as a seale interpreted to that sence Matth. 1. Immanuel that is God with us which the Apostle notably applyes to our Salvation Rom. 8.31 and Jesus ibid. Mat. 1. for he shal save his people from their sins And thus Christ is a seale of our Salvation 2 ¶ Againe as Christ the true or Antitypicall Abraham or Isaac is the everlasting Father of all to be saved Isa 9.6 tooke our nature on him Heb. 2. suffered and ascended Mat. Chap. 27. Chap. 28. so he is a seale interest or assurance that there shall be a multiplication of them that shall be saved by him 1. By his FATHER-HOOD PATERNITY or Father-ship Isa 53. ver 10. He shal see his SEED ver 11. he shall see the TRAVELL of his soule He shal justifie many Heb. 2.11 c. He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are ALL ONE Behold I and the CHILDREN which God hath given me the Children partaking of flesh and bloud he partook of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil ver 16. For he took not upon him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham for it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithfull High-priest to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people verse 10. For it became him FOR WHOM ARE ALL THINGS and BY WHOM ARE ALL THINGS in bringing MANY SONNES unto glory to make the Captaine of their salvation perfect through SUFFERING And that we might know that Christ is the seale or interest by his taking our nature not onely to save the Jews as in this second to the Hebrews but also the Gentiles the Apostle discusseth that his taking our nature in another root universall to all mankinde viz. Adam called the second Adam 1 Cor. 15. and mightily extends it as wide as the ruine that came by Adam Rom. 5. v. 15. If through the offence of one MANY be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded to MANY verse 18. As by the offence of ONE judgement came upon ALL MEN to condemnation even so by the righteousnesse of ONE the free gift came upon ALL MEN unto justification of life 2 He is a seale or interest of the multiplication of beleevers by his suffering Heo 2.9 We see Jesus made a little lower then Angels for or by as it is in the margine the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that he by the grace of God should taste death FOR EVERY MAN And Joh. 12.32 33. And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw ALL MEN unto me this he said signifying what death he should dye 3 By his ascention Act. 1.11 compared with Act. 3 21. This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him goe into Heaven whom the Heavens must receive UNTILL the TIMES of restitution of ALL THINGS c. 3 ¶ Christ by reason of relation and union is the seale or assurance of the possession Rom. 8. Coheires with him Eph. 2.6 Set in heavenly places with him 4 ¶ As Christ is the seale or sealed one of all those three so also the Holy Spirit Baptisme and the Lords Supper are seals of all those The Spirit Eph. 1.13 14. first in generall is a seale of all the promises therefore called there the Spirit of promise saying ye were sealed with the Spirit of promise For as the promise promiseth the Spirit so the Spirit dictated to the Penmen of the Scriptures to leave us those promises and the Spirit brings home and applyes those promises to every mans particular heart 2 Cor. 3.3 1 Thess 1.5 Secondly In particular 1 The Spirit is a seale of salvation in the same Ephes 1.13 14. After ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your SALVATION after ye beleeved ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise 2 A seale of multiplication of Believers For in that respect it is also there called as we hinted but now the Spirit of promise in that it is promised And how Thus that it shall be Joel 2.28 poured upon all flesh A large promise of innumerable effusions 3 A seale of the possession So in the same Ephes 1.13 14. ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of your INHERITANCE untill the redemption of the purchased possession The redemption of the soules of the Ephesians was past already therefore the redemption of the body of which the Apostle speaks Rom. 8.22 23. saying That all the creation as well as all beleevers groan after it must be meant The Apostle calls it in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The redemption of much businesse which more sounds of a state on earth then in the highest Heavens And that our Coheirship with Christ Rom. 8. the Apostle Paul there saith verse 21 22 23. it must begin on earth And the Apostle John saith We must reigne with Christ on earth Rev. 5.10 a thousand yeers Rev. 20.4 Till Satan be there let loose and Gog and Magog thereupon make opposition verse 7.8 9. Next Baptisme is a seale as of salvation as all know so of the possession which that innumerable company of Jewes and Gentiles Exod. 12.37 38. passing through the Red sea Exod. 14. should have if there baptized beleeved 1 Cor. 10.1 c. wherein God sealed to them among other things that his power should be Omnipotent and his mercy
indure for ever Psal 136. v. 4. v. 13 14 15 in bringing them to the land of promise Lastly The Lords Supper doth not onely in the elements typifie our spiritual nourishment and cherishment by Christ but in the posture of sitting signifies our reigning and judging with Christ the whole earth as ruling and judging is oft expressed in Scripture by sitting Mat. 19.28 Rev. 4.4 Rev. 20.4 even as in Luke 22.29 30. Eating and drinking at a table with Christ is put as a signe of a Kingdome and sitting on seats or thrones a signe of judicature § 6 The summe of this Section is that there shall come so many out of the loynes of Abraham both of Jewes and Gentiles to whom God will be their God and blesse them over the face of the whole earth in the seed of Abraham making them partakers of the righteousnesse of faith c. as is afore more largely enumerated that the generality of the whole world shall become beleevers and be the governou of the entire universe All which must be fulfilled as sure as God cannot lie § 7 But these things in all those promises aforesaid have never yet been fulfilled The ten Tribes carried away by Salmanazar remaine still scattered among the Heathen not having received if ever they heard of the word of faith the Gospel of Christ And the two Tribes of Juda and Benjamin do not to this day acknowledge the New Testament The Turkes Arabians Hagarens Tartarians Persians Indians c. have no acquaintance with Christ and salvation We see not yet all Nations under the Stars numerous as the sands of the sea blessed in the seed of Abraham viz. in Christ converted to the faith Some inhabitants of a few spots of ground are called Christians but the most and mightiest Imperialties or dominions know not Christ Wee see not yet Ephraims posterity according to Gen. 48.19 afore quoted to become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fulnesse of the Gentiles or to come in as the fulnesse of the Gentiles which phrase the Apostle exactly keeping Rom. 11.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles come in and so all Israel to be saved interprets it of the conversion of the world of Iewes and Gentiles to faith in Christ But alas for the posterity of Ephraim they are not delivered from their captivity temporall or spiritual to this day Nor is one Kingdome of ten over the whole world converted unto the faith Nor is Iosephs posterity blessed according to Gen. 49.26 to the utmost bounds of the everlasting Hils that is saith learned Ainsworth over the face of the whole earth Nor have the Hebrews since the Apostle wrote to them that Epistle so named attained any Country or City that is heavenly or built by God being not converted to this day as fit for any better condition on earth or in heaven And they must be in a better spiritual condition on Earth according to the tenour of all the Scriptures afore they can be received into Heaven Of which more after especially when we come to discusse the 4. Chap. of this Epistle to the Hebrews § 8 Nor can these things be fulfilled at the last general judgement being every way inconsistent with that time being no time then of conversion or dominion of men but of confusion of the wicked and the subjection of all the good yea of Christ himselfe as Christ to God who then is to be all in all as we have oft minded out of 1. Cor. 15.28 SECT VI. Wherein the Prophesie in Numb 24.16 to 25 is discussed as proof of the generall Position Numb 24. v. 16. He hath said or he assuredly saith which heard the words or oracles of God and knew the knowledge of the most High which saw the vision of the Almighty falling into a trance but having his eyes open Verse 17. I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not nigh There shall come a STAR out of lacob and a Scepter shall arise out of Israel and shall smite or smite thorow the corners or Princes of Moab and shall destroy Heb. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall unwall all the children of Sheth Verse 18. And Edom shall be a possession Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies and Israel shall doe valiantly Verse 19. Out of Iacob shal come he that shall have dominion and shall destroy him that remaineth of the City Verse 20. And when he looked on Amalek he took up his parable and said Amalek was the first of the Nations †That is the first of the Nation warred against Israel Exod. 17. but his latter end shall be that hee perish for ever Verse 21. And he looked on the Kenites and tooke up his parable and said Strong is thy dwelling place and thou puttest thy nest in a rock Verse 22. Neverthelesse the Kenite Heb. Kain * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be wasted untill Ashur shall carry thee away captive Verse 23. And he took up his parable and said Alas who shall live when God doth this ** The Geneva Notes say Some read Oh who shall not perish when the encâ—â—y that is ANTICHRIST shall set himself up as God Verse 24. And ships shall come from the coasts of Chitim and shal afflict Ashur and shall afflict Eber and he shall perish for ever § 1 IT will be a faire Preface to what we are to infer from these words to our purpose if in the first place wee give you the exposition of the Verses above quoted in the words of the Hebrews Targum Talmud and Rabbins and of the Greek Septuagint The man that spake this was Balaam but set downe by Moses as a most sure Prophesie and therefore shews us what a full manifestation he had from God of this Prophesie verse 16. It is not unusuall with God sometimes for extraordinary ends to reveale some particular Prophesies to some men at some certaine juncture of time for a present occasion whiles such men are unregenerate So to Caiphas Joh. 11.49 50 51. So to the Sibyls of whom afore in the first Book in the large quotations of Lactantius I say not that God gives them the spirit of Prophesie but that God dictated to them some particular Prophesies as of this Balaam it is said the Lord met him and gave him a charge what he should say and so he was enforced by the power of divine providence to blesse instead of cursing And of this Prophesie we have some touches and phrases repeated in the New Testament 2 Pet. 1.19 Until the day-star arise Rev. 22.16 I Jesus c. am the root of David c. and the bright and morning star yea and some of this Prophesie is punctually fulfilled in the Old Testament so long since as Davids time as wee shall see after § 2 The matter of the Prophesie is very considerable to our businesse if we understand it aright wherein the Hebrews admirably assist for of them
and he shall be to me a SONNE But when AGAINE to give it you as afore in termes and order of words close to the Originall * Thus Arias doth order them When the Apostle would say And againe he saÃd in verse 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in this sixth verse he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which last word is in the second Aâ—rist in the subj mood which sounds future and so the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But againe He SHALL bring his first begotten Sonne into the INHABITED world he saith let all the Angels worship him The sense is obvious That God never owned any one of the Angels to be his only first begotten Sonne but when againe he shall bring his first begotten Sonne into the world he hath given command that all the Angels shall worship him as his only begotten Sonne That this text speakes of Gods bringing his first begotten Sonne againe into the inhabited world now after Christs ascention when the Apostles wrote that we have afore largely discussed Book 3. chap. 2. Sect. 4. § id est sectiuncula 4. I only adde be heedfully mindfull of the Apostles expression in the future now after Christs coming in the flesh and that after the generall Iudgement Christ as Christ shall lay downe all his dominion over Angels and men and therefore it must be of some middle time between our present generation that these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendered here Angels must give Christ whiles he is Mediator a more ample and apparent homage then ever they have done according to the glorious state of Christ and of things at that time on earth 3 ¶ For this place of the Hebrewes Let all the Angels of God worship him is quoted by the Apostle out of Psal 97.7 which word for word according to the Hebrew * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Bow downe to him all yee Gods which as we said afore comprehends as all Angels so all Kings Potentates and Magistrates called by God himselfe Gods Psal 82. ver 1. ver 6. and so applied by Christ Joh. 10.34 Jesus answered them Is it not written in your Law I said YEE ARE GODS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he called them gods to whom the Word of God came c. And indeed they can properly bow or crouch downe as the Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 precisely signifie as the Angels can doe it only vertually And on the other side 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angel is oft used in Scripture to signifie eminent men in Office Mal. 4.1 Rev. chap. 2.1 chap. 2. chap. 3. But granting that the Apostles designe being to prove Christ to be above Angels doth render the Hebrew Text according to the Septuagint Greek then a common Translation in frequent use throughout the world since the late Greek Monarchy over all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worship him all yee his Angels yet this is as true that as the Apostle closeth that his discourse in that first of Hebrews with a touch of Christs future dominion over all Angels and men on earth saying To which of the Angels said he at any time quoted out of Psal 110. sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstoole so that 97. Psalm doth really include and intend our position in hand viz. Christs visible glorious Kingdome over all the world yet to come For in the first verse of that 97. Psalm it is said The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce let the multitude of the Isles be glad thereof Or the Lord reigning the earth SHALL rejoyce and the many Islands SHALL * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be glad ** 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This LORD is Christ as the Apostle applyes it Heb. 1.8 9. Now Christ had reigned in his ordinary providence and power from the creation to the Psalmists time c. as appeared in overthrowing his and his peoples enemies and preserving his people in the flood in the fire on Sodome in his miracles in Egypt Wildernesse and the Red-sea in his victories over the several Nations in Canaan c. And after the last judgement it is improper to say Christ reignes in glory 1 Cor. 15.28 And Christ never yet so reigned as is described in this first verse of this 97 Psalm That ALL the EARTH without limitation shall rejoyce at that his reigning and the multitude of Isles shall be glad By Isles according to an ancient usuall Hebraisme and Jewish phrase is meant all the Nations of the GENTILES Isa 41. v. 1. Keep silence before me O ISLANDS and let the PEOPLES or NATIONS renew their strength * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And v. 5. The Isles saw it and feared and the ENDS OF THE EARTH were afraid Chap. 42. v. 4. The ISLES shall wait for his Law and so nine times in this Prophet three times in Jer. 9. times in Ezek. in Zeph. once viz. Chap. 2. v. 11. The Isles of the Heathen or Gentiles * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Gen. once Gen. 10.5 The Isles of the Gentiles The reason of the phrase is because the Jews dwelling in the continent of Asia they counted all the world Islanders that were divided from them by the Mediterranean Sea Whence is that phrase of Isles of the Sea Ester 10.1 Ahasuerus laid a taxe or tribute upon the land and upon the ISLES OF THE SEA And Isa 24.15 Glorifie the name of the Lord God of Israel in the ISLES OF THE SEA And Ezek. 26.18 Now shall the Isles tremble in the day of thy fall yea the ISLES THAT ARE IN THE SEA shall be troubled yea to make all yet plainer it is twice said viz. Jer. 2.10 Ezek. 27.6 The Isles of Chittim By which Chittim is oft understood the Roman Monarchy as Dan. 11.30 for one instance So that according to this sense of this 97 Psame vers 1 All the world of Jewes and Gentiles must be glad and rejoyce at the reigning of Christ as it follows in the sixth verse The Heavens declare his righteousnesse and ALL the people see his glory ALL without exception which two clauses cannot be aptlier applyed and expounded then by that Rev. 1.7 Rev. 20.1 Rev. 21.1 Christ comes in the clouds and every eye shall see him Christ as the great Angel descending from heaven binding Satan and causing his Saints to reigne on earth New Jerusalem a New Heaven and a New Earth being brought downe from Heaven wherein as Pet. 2 Ep. 3. chap. enlargeth dwelleth righteousnesse But ALL PEOPLE yet never saw that his righteousnesse and glory ALL the gods as in v. 7. all Kings and Princes Potentates Magistrates and Powers never yet worshipped him as Christ but generally in all ages from the Creation to this day have opposed him as such both of Jewes and Gentiles 4 ¶ But all must ere the last judgement either sincerely or seemingly worship him Psal 22.27 28 29. which Psalme is concerning
the whole of Christs passion as it is plaine First by the Title which is of the Canonical Hebrew Text. A Psalme * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning A jieleth Shahar that is the hind of the morning Christ being shut in the grave escaped away in the morning rising from death Secondly by the application of severall passages to Christs passion by the Evangelist Matth. 27. As that of the DESERTION My God My God why hast thou forsaken me v. 1. That of DERISION ' He trusted in the Lord that he would deliver him let him deliver him v. 8. That of PIERCING They pierced my hands and my feet v. 16. That of division of his garments They parted my garments among them and upon my vesture cast lots v. 18. Now this Psalme touching Christ though in the first Scene sets forth Christs humiliation yet in the second holds forth his exaltation vers 22. I will declare thy name unto my brethren which the Apostle applies Heb. 2.9 10 11 12. to Christs manifestation of his samenesse of nature with the sonnes of men even as in that nature he tasted death for every man and at last would declare that salvation to all the world which clearly tends to our point And v. 27 28 29. we have the effect of his declaring Gods name to the world viz. ALL THE ENDS OF THE WORLD shall remember and turne unto the Lord and ALL THE KINDREDS OF THE Nations or GENTILES * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall worship before him For the Kingdome is the Lords and he is the Governour among the Nations or GENTILES All they that be fat upon the earth shall eat and worship In all which we see the effect effectuall conversion The Generality and Universality in many ALL 's The time in generall viz. It is to be after Christs suffering upon the crosse The characters eat and worship which cannot be understood of the highest heavens And it hath not been fulfilled on earth according to that effect universality and character from Christs passion to this day Therefore it is yet to be fulfilled on earth 5 ¶ According to Psalme 86.9 ALL NATIONS whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and glorifie thy name A place mightily considerable So that so great a promise and prophesie as this by so great a Prophet as this with such a shrill emphasis in the ALL and in the Act worship and in the degree of the effect to glorifie his name must not bee ended with flams of humane glosses but must be really and truly and fully accomplished though as yet it was never compleatly fulfilled as it will be too late to think of those things at the ultimate judgement when Christ comes not for conversion but destruction Therefore yet before that finall Day of Doome this ALL must bee brought to ALL THAT of Worshipping and Glorifying Gods Name 6 ¶ Just as we have it in that little Psalme the 117. but greatly Prophetical Praise yee the Lord ALL NATIONS praise him ALL YEE PEOPLES * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How shall all these do this unlesse Christ convert all them but those refractory ones whom he confounds Surely therfore this is a Prophesie that God will in time before the ultimate day of judgement convert generally all Nations as Paul extends it Rom. 11.10 11 c. to the coming in of the fulnesse of Jewes and Gentiles rejoycing together as one Church Therefore according to Paul David had a most comprehensive and extensive sense when he spake these things and therefore shall be fulfilled according to its true latitude and elevation without the mincing distinctions of mens braine For a seale of assurance whereof the close of the Psalme hath three weighty clauses First That the MERCIFULL KINDNESSE of Jehovah to the sonnes of men is great Secondly The TRUTH of the same Jehovah is for ever 3 That by faith and hope in that mercy and truth to see these things fulfilled we should PRAISE that JEHOVAH with Hallelujah which is the word of praise all along the Revelation § 2 Having done with the first head contained in the Psalmes touching the universal power Christ shall have over the whole world afore the last judgement though most yet rebell against him Next wee come to the second head viz. The just time when Christ shall attaine this 1 ¶ That place Psal 97.7 Worship him all yee gods the Apostle tells us Heb. 1.6 shall be fulfilled When God shall bring again his Son Christ into the world which place though our Translators render it And again when he bringeth c. as if it were meerly a new proof of Christs superiority above Angels is most truly rendred according to our reading afore set downe againe and againe with reasons to justifie it so that in words and sense it is an Antithesis and Auxesis to the fifth verse thus He saith not to any Angel thou art my Sonne this day I have begotten theee but instead thereof he speakes a thing that doth much lessen the dignity of Angels and more dignifie Christ above them Let all the Angels of God worship him so that the first And must be turned into But proper to the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as there placed and that same Againe is not to signifie another proofe of Christs superiority above Angels but to signifie the time when that of ALL the Elohim Angels and Potentates whether of the Spirits in Heaven or men on earth both Angels and Elohim signifying both worshipping of Christ shall be fulfilled For this hath not yet beene fulfilled as to the ALL of the Magnificents and Great-ones of the earth who contrariwise for the generall have despised if not opposed Christ even as it will bee too late and an unseasonable time for them to do it at the ultimate judgement when no adoration or worship is then received from Christs enemies but sentence is given by him upon and against them The time therefore when this shall bee fulfilled is saith the Apostle in this first to Heb. penned after Christs ascension When God shall bring his first-begotten Sonne AGAINE into the INHABITED WORLD When he brought him into the world the first time by incarnation ALL the Potentates and Angels of men The Scribes and Pharisees Herod and Pontius Pilate the Roman Emperours and Senate of Rome did not worship him but refused him and persecuted him and his members most bloodily for neer three hundred yeers after whom the Arians and next to them the Papacy took their turnes to maintaine that stream of blood running downe to our times But when he shall bring his first-begotten Sonne againe into the world in his visible royal exaltation then they all shall worship him I say as the Text sayes ALL but they that are ruined for their refractorinesse The phrase When he bringeth againe if the Greek word were not of a future sense imports a future thing as the Hebrew imperative Psal 97.7 Worship ye
be changed in a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the lad Trumpet for it shall sound both the dead shal be raised incorruptible and we shal be changed * So according to the best Greek Copies howbeit the common translation holds forth effectually what we intend Saint John in the Revelation tels us that the last Trumpet is the seventh Trumpet according to the many instances wherein God delights in the number of seven so that six as it is exprest in the Revelation sounded afore this and saith That the last end of all is not till the last Trumpet But there is a great intervall and space within the time of the last Trumpet many things being to be done within that compasse so that at the first beginning of the last Trumpet the enemy so falls that the Kingdomes of THIS world become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Lord his Christ in spight of all enemies and their anger the dead Saints are raised and a reward given to them Revel chap. 11. ver 15 16 17 18. which is a summary preface or a prefaciatory sum to the Catastrophe or upshot of the Revelation to follow unto the end as touching the Saints And in Revel 20. first seven verses is expressed how long this visible Kingdome of Christ on earth shall be and consequently so long is the space of the last Trumpet viz. a thousand yeares But the last end of all the ultimate period shall not be till the last end of the last Trumpet Revel 20. vers 12 c. Now let the Reader compare and consider all that Paul hath spoken in this quotation of and upon the one hundred and tenth Psalme touching the subduing of all things to Christ and the five notes of the time when it must be together with Johns explication and confirmation of Pauls last Trumpet and then let him tell me 1 Whether these things must not of necessity be fulfilled upon the earth 2 Whether these things are not yet to come yet to be fulfilled 3 Whether they must not be fulfilled afore the ultimate end of all when Christ resignes up his Kingdome to the Father 7 ¶ But there is yet one quotation more of this hundred and tenth Psalme insisted upon by the Apostle which gives us further light in Heb. 10. ver 11 12 13. Every Priest saith he standeth daily in ministring and offering oftentimes the same sacrifice which can never take away sin but this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sinnes SATE DOWNE ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD FROM HENCE-FORTH EXPECTING TILL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE HIS FOOT-STOOL c. Two things are here at first sight evident before our eyes viz. 1. That the Apostle quotes the words of the one hundred and tenth Psalme And 2. That the Apostle applyes them to explaine the eminency of Christs Priesthood above the Leviticall in that the Leviticall Priests offered daily Christ but once they oftentimes the same Sacrifice he only once they tooke not away sinnes he did they stood as Servants he sate downe as Lord according to Psal 110. ver 1. Now observe how this suits to our purpose For it is expresse here that Christ did effectually attaine to reigne spiritually in overcoming Sinne and Satan witnessed in making perfect attonement for the sinnes of all that are sanctified and his overcoming death the wages of sinne And the Divel the Gaoler of death by his Resurrection Ascension and Assession at the right hand of God whereby in regard of the place he got above all his enemies And yet for all this to that very houre that the Apostle wrote this Christs enemies were not made his footstoole But saith he still there he sits from THENCEFORTH EXPECTING TIL his enemies be made his footstool as he doth to this day Plainly signifying that Christ must have another-gates Regiment and Government another manner or degree of subduing his enemies then that Which can be no other then a sensible visible subduing of them Which as we on earth expect so he in heaven saith the Apostle sits continually expecting the same For his enemies on earth continuing his enemies under that notion so to be subdued are never subject to him spiritually And further as the Apostle minds us Christ expects that further subduing of his enemies upon his Fathers promise made to him Psa 110. Now at the ultimate day of judgment there is no more subduing of any thing to Christ seeing then Christ layes down all and he the same himself is subject 1 Cor. 15. Therfore this being yet unfulfilled must be performed afore that day and according to the sense of the 110 Psalm of which all this while we have spoken but upon the first verse There are divers other passages more in this Psalme that much concurre to and explaine our point 8 ¶ Verse 2. The Lord shall send the rod of thy STRENGTH out of Zion Rule thou in the MIDST OF THINE ENEMIES Mr. Ainsworth and our New Annotationists parallel this with Psal 2. And withall assert that the Jewish Expositors generally doe acknowledge the second Psalme to be concerning the Messias and infer if that then there is as much reason for this Now as in Psal 2. it is said Christ shall rule his enemies with a ROD OF IRON and breake them incorrigible as a Potters vessel even so in this Psalme it is said the Rod of Christs STRENGTH * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of authority or power which I should wonder if any dare to restraine to meer spirituall efficacy especially if we heedfully observe that which follows Rule thou as with that Rod * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the middest of thine enemies Now tell me how doth Christ rule spiritually in the middest of his enemies And if you grant with us that a sensible corporal rule must be here admitted then cast about and consider that Christ hath no rule at the ultimate day of judgement 1. Cor. 15. And before that to this day Christ hath not so ruled amidst his enemies in most Nations Therefore it is yet to come afore the ultimate day of judgement Verse 3. Thy people shall be willing or Voluntaries in the day of thy power or Armie as Ainsworth asserts Now Peter assures us that the great day of Christ is a thousand yeers 2 Pet. 3. And wee must of necessity yeeld that this day of power must signifie a distinct determinated time and then to be measured out when Christs power shall most eminently appeare above any former appearance Now whether we take this in a spiritual sense of acting grace after conversion or in an Ecclesiastical as our Annotationists that Christs people shall be assembled unto his Church whose increase shall be as it follows so abundant and wonderful as the drops of the dew falling from the womb of the morning or in a corporal sense that men shall bee willing to pull downe Christs
without consideration of Gods hand in it and should manage the rod with insolent cruelty to the Jewes that God will bring destruction upon the Assyrian for deliverance of the Jewes The confirmation of this deliverance as is the manner of God in the Prophets hath its foundation laid in the sending of Christ Chapter 11. The promise whereof and description of whose person we have set forth and characterised in the first five verses There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse c. and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the Spirit of wisdome c. and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes but with righteousnesse shall he judge c. So that although in Hezekiahs time wherein Isaiah prophesied the host of the Assyrians were destroyed to the number of one hundred eighty five thousand by the Angel of the Lord 2 Kings 19.35 And againe in the time of Judahs captivity in Babylon they were overthrown with a mighty destruction by the Medes and Persians Dan. 5.30 yet these are not the ALL of the Threat of this Prophesie against Assyria for the Threat is carried on still in Zach. 1.15 to the end of the Chapter though at that time Judah was returned And to keep to this our Text of Isa according to the length of the foundation of this Prophesie must the superstructure be extended viz. to the comming of Christ which coming of him being not restrictively determined to his first coming in his incarnation must be left at large to reach to his second coming at the great Restauration as the Text doth seem to require in mentioning his judging v. 3. his smiting the earth v. 4. c. For we must know to give you Mr. Medes notion Alicubi as neare as I can That the old Prophets for the most part spake of the coming of Christ INDEFINITLY and in GENERALL without that distinction of first and second coming which we have more cleerly learned in the Gospel For this reason those Prophets except Daniel who distinguisheth those comings and the Gospel out of him speake of the things which should be at the coming of Christ indefinitely and altogether which we who are now more fully informed by the Revelation of his Gospel of this distinction of a twofold coming must apply each of them to its proper time Those things which befit the state of his first coming unto it and such things as befit the state of his second coming unto his second And that which befits both alike may be applied to both Which notion of Mr. Mede is the more to be acknowledged in that it may appeare by many instances from the Creation hitherto that the grand promises of great deliverances have their successive and graduall fulfilling from their first promulgation unto the end of this world as daily experience produceth fresh testimonies Calvin on Isa The context saith Isa 10.24 c. Thus saith the Lord O my people that dwellest in Zion be not affraid of the ASSYRIAN Hee shall smite thee with a rod and shall lift up his staffe against thee after the manner of EGYPT For yet a very little while and the indignation shall cease and mine anger IN THEIR DESTRUCTION c. And in that day his burden shall be taken away from thy shoulder c. Now in Hezekiahs time the Assyrian did not smite the Inhabitants of Zion but were smitten by the Angel of the Lord as afore mentioned Nor was the burden of the Assyrian taken away from off the shoulder of the dwellers at Zion at their returne from Babylon by a destruction on them under whom they were then in captivity For the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus their King voluntarily to let them return as we well know the story in the second of Chron. Chapter last and Ezra Chap. 1. And further the Apostles do bring downe many passages of this eleventh of Isaiah unto the Transactions of their times and downwards applying them to the coming of Christ yea to the coming of Christ after his ascention For example ¶ 1. First that in verse 1. There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse c. is applied by the Apostle Act. 13. v. 22. c. to v. 42. to Christ as the eminent seed of David of the seed of Jesse conjoyning a quotation out of Psal 2. Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee which with other passages in that Psalme as hath been demonstrated signifies Christs visible Kingdome on earth yet to come And a quotation out of Isaiah 55.3 Touching the sure mercies of David And one other quotation out of Ps 16. That his holy one saw no corruption of purpose to prove that though David himselfe be dead yet Christ lives to be the sure mercies of David and to keep off his seed from seeing corruption that in him the ever-living seed of David may reigne to the end of this world and that in some peculiar way priviledge and relation and proportion to David or else the dint and vigor of Isaiahs and the Psalmists Text and the Apostles Commentary is made to languish Which priviledge peculiarity relation and analogy to David what can it bee but a visible Reigning or Kingdome of Christ For Christs Kingdom purely spirituall by his Word and Spirit what doth it more relate to David then to other Christian Kings and Princes of the Gentiles converted from Heathenisme or how more over Davids people or Kingdome more then over all Indians and Heathens where the Gospel is spread and received ¶ 2 Again that in verse the tenth of this eleventh of Isaiah There shall be a root of Jesse which shall stand for an ensign of the people to it shall the GENTILES seek the Apostle Rom. 15.12 draws down to Christ then ascended and gives us this sense of the Prophet That Christ is not onely the OBJECT of faith to the Gentiles but that the Gentiles shall be his SUBJECTS he reigning over them How reigning over them Marke curiously the Apostles words and you may perceive something Againe saith the Apostle There shall be a root of Iesse and he that shall RISE to REIGNE over the Gentiles in him shall the Gentiles trust His reigning as in relation to David doth not commence from his Incarnation but he shall RISE to reigne spoken by the Apostle after Christs Resurrection and Ascention and rendred as you heare by our Translators under a future notion He shall rise to reigne Yea follow the words yet closer even home to the very doores of the Original and you will see I thinke yet more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. There shall be a root of Iesse and he shall RISE AGAINE to reigne over the Gentiles or stand up AGAINE to reigne over them Christ had before the Apostle penned that risen the first time viz. from the grave of the earth But now that he hath ascended long since up into heaven and there as it
Cap. 11. The Sadduces â—â—kt R. Gamaliel whence he could prove that God would quicken or make alive the dead he answered them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Out of the Law Deut 31.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the Prophets Isa 26.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the holy writings Cant. 7.9 The Greek and Latine Fathers likewise interpret this place of the Resurrection of the dead viz. Irenaeus l. 5. c. 15 and c. 34. yea and of the Resurrection of the just Tertul. de Resur c. 3 1. Cyril Aug. lib. 20. de Civit Dei Clemens Romanus in Ep. ad Cor. As for the third part the agreement between Isaiah and Iohn prophesying of the joyful state of the Church and their joying in it he that hath but half an eye may see that it signifies that great will be the glory of the Church when those things mentioned by Isaiah and Iohn shall be fulfilled and can signifie no lesse then a glorious restauration of the Church on earth as all circumstances concur in both places Even as great was the Prophets and the Evangelists joy personating or representing the Church in a way of Songs of praise John in the 9 10 11 12 verses of this seventh of the Revelation speakes of the Churches triumphing on this wise After this saith he I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all Nations and Kindreds and People and Tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white Robes and Palmes in their hands and cryed with a loud voyce saying Salvation to our God that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lambe And all the Angels stood round about the Throne and about the Elders and the foure Animals or living creatures and fell before the Throne on their faces and worshipped God saying Amen Blessing and Glory and Wisdome and Thanksgiving and Honour and Power and Might bee unto our God for ever and ever Amen Which expressions of Praise meetly suit to the words of our Prophet in the five and twentieth of Isaiah vers first second third and fourth O Lord thou art my God I will exalt thee I will praise thy Name for thou hast done wonderfull things by faith here praising God for things to bee done as if done as the Church doth in that seventh of the Revelation for thou hast made saith Isaiah of a City an heap c. Therefore shall the strong people glorifie thee c. for thou hast beene a strength to the poore a strength to the needy in his distresse c. And verse 9. It shall bee said in that day Lo this is our God wee have waited for him and hee will save us This is the Lord wee have waited for him wee will bee glad and rejoyce in his salvation Thus of the first Instance The second Instance John likewise in the 21 Chapter of Revelation first foure verses applies those three parts of Isa 25. viz. the Churches salvation the enemies destruction and the Churches exaltation unto a future glorious state of the Church yet to be upon the earth I saw saith John there in a Prophetick vision a new heaven and a new EARTH which sounds shrilly of a state on earth For the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more Sea Pareus confesseth New in quality not in substance which plainly condescends to a glorious state of the Church to be on earth the highest heaven above being of so much better a substance physically as the Philosophers rationally contend that it needs not to be made better in quality Therefore the meaning must be that the lower heavens and the earth below shall be qualified with freedome from all evill as to the Church and the inhabitants thereof high and low shall be made better both physically and morally The old heaven and earth must passe away The enemies of the Church must be removed or converted Adams curse shall cease Rom. 8. and in this state shall as in 2 Pet. 3. dwell righteousnesse and absolute pure worship And the cessation of Sea signifies also the removing of all enmities against the Church farre from her For if it be taken figuratively it signifies no more brinish brackish waters of false doctrine in the Church as waters sometimes in Scriptures signifies doctrines and no more wicked men among the Church compared Isa 57. to the troubled Sea for there shall bee as John tells us in this 21 of Revelation no unclean thing to enter into this estate If taken literally with some acute wits it signifies that at the time of this great Restauration the Sea shall be no longer totally liquid and fluid but at least at top in most parts of the habitable world crusted over consolidated and compacted to be as a Chrystaline heaven below to bee an high-way for all parts of the world to travell each to other for spirituall communion without any impediment of wind or weather Then being a time as of a New creation there will be no need of trafficking for riches Nor shall the knowledge of the Lord be bounded from the poor Indians who have not the help art or animosity of Navigation to learn of Christians Then nor the Egyptiack Sea with the seven streams nor the great Euphrates c. shall hinder Jews or Gentiles from personall spiritual communion and communication God would rather either thus alter or else dry up all Seas then the glory and welfare of his Church should be hindered To that wee have said touching the meaning of the cessation of Sea our grave new Annotationists concurre thus farre No more Sea say they either literally for there will need none for trade The fire perhaps at the worlds end will dry it up or figuratively no more warre against nor trouble in the Church The Church shall not be like the raging Sea but like the quiet earth So they Saint John goes on in the description of the glorious state of the Church on earth of which Isaiah prophesies I saw saith St. John New Jerusalem coming down FROM Heaven saying The Tabernacle of God is WITH MEN and He will DWELL with THEM and they shall be his people and God himself shall be WITH THEM and be their God all which cleerly relate to a state on earth and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor paine Which words exactly answer to Isaiahs words in v. 8. of swallowing up death and wiping away all tears Third Instance In like manner St. John carries down other passages of Isa 25. to the times to succeed long after him not fulfilled to this day For what is there spoken in Isa 25. v. 2. and v. 12. of making the City of strangers an heap a defenced City a ruine a Palace to be no City an high Fortresse into dust c. to the great joy of the Saints so that they shall sing for joy of
20 21. Assemble your selves and come draw neer together yee that are ESCAPED of the Nations Tell ye and bring them neer Look unto me and be saved all the ends of the earth c. as it follows in the words above described at large So that by the connexion it is evident that the words above quoted concerne both Jews and Gentiles § 2 The words are not onely a prescript and precept to all the ends of the earth which must needs include Jewes and Gentiles but also a Prophesie and Promise that all the ends of the earth shall look to the Lord for salvation expresse in saying Be ye saved And in the 23 verse I have sworne by my selfe unto me every knee shall bow and every tongue shall vow surely shall each one say in the Lord have I righteousnesse c. which is the plaine language of a promise and is confirmed in manner of a promise with that great confirmation Gods oath § 3 First for the two former verses viz. the 22 and 23 of looking to God and bowing the knee to him the Apostle applies them twice in the New Testament to that future submission and subjection that all the world shall yeeld to Jesus Christ long after his ascention 1 ¶ The first time is in Rom. 14. v. 8 9 10 11. Verse 8. Whether we live we live to the Lord and whether we dye we dye unto the Lord whether we live therefore or dye we are the Lords 9. For to this end Christ both dyed and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living 10. But why dost thou judge thy brother c. wee shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ For it is written as I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confesse to God In which words 1 It is plainly held forth that the Apostle proves Christs Lordship or Kingly-hood over ALL both dead and living by this place of Isa That every knee shall bow to the Lord. And that as God made Christ a Priest by an oath Psal 110. emphatically urged by the Apostle Heb. 7.20 c. so he makes him Lord and King by an oath in this place of Isaiah and so applied by our â—postle in this 14 of Rom. to signifie the certainty of the thing 2 That being delivered in the future tense it must signifie more then Christs spirituall Kingdome which he then had when Isaiah prophesied 3 That the Apostles mentioning after Christs ascention his Lordship over the dead and our standing at his judgement seat must signifie a state now after Christ is in heaven yet to come For he is not God of the dead but as they are living in soule in order to a resurrection as Christ himselfe expounds in the Evangelist 4 That this must be a state on earth before the ultimate Doom in that the Apostle out of the Prophet asserteth that all must bow to him either sincerely or at least seemingly which cannot be so cleerly understood to be feisable at the ultimate day of judgement which is the finall destruction of all not sincere to Christ and the time of Christs Resignation of all his power 1 Cor. 15. For the wicked to submit and perish in the same houre were little honour to Christ and a short time for all the world to confesse to him 5 That this is a kind of day of judgement that is the beginning or preface to the great and ultimate day of judgement at the beginning of the thousand yeers when Christ destroyes all the open obstinate wicked and sets up the Church into a glorious estate Rev. 19. latter end And Rev. 20. first six verses compare v. 8.9 c. And at this beginning or preface do all believers stand at the judgement seat of Christ Revel 11. v. 15. v. 18. Rev. 20. first six verses where they receive honour and rewards of grace and favour For according to our Apostle this bowing c. must be at SOME day of judgement But it cannot be at the ultimate finall and therefore afore at the beginning of the day of judgement viz. at the beginning of the thousand yeers 2 ¶ The second time of the Apostles application of this of Isaiah touching bowing to the submission of all unto Christ is Phil. 2 v. 8 9 10 11. Ver. 8. Being found in fashion as a man hee humbled himself and became obedient unto the death c. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in EARTH and things under the Earth 11 And that every tongue should confesse that Jesus Christ is LORD to the glory of God the Father 1 By the quotation of the place out of Isaiah it is evident that the meaning of bowing the knee at the name of Jesus is to submit to the Lordly and Kingly power of Christ 2 Every knee both of things in heaven that is of Angels as they shall in speciall bee imployed in gathering the Church and setting up the glorious state thereof Rev. oft and in earth that is of all men and under the earth that is at Christs pleasure there shall bee no sea Rev. 21.1 must needs import a state on earth Which in the third particular is more confirmed That every tongue shall confesse that Jesus Christ is the LORD to the glory of God the Father § 4 Now this of Isaiah intended for salvation of Jews and Gentiles and as explained by the Apostle touching submission to and glorifying of Christ cannot comport with the ultimate doome As they were never yet fulfilled but rather most knees and tongues as of Turks Papists Heathens Socinians and all prophane persons whatsoever are against Christ to this day And therefore these things must have a time on earth before the ultimate judgement to bee fairely and effectually fulfilled § 5 As for the two last Verses of this 45 of Isaiah Viz. v. 24 and 25. I need no more but aske the question was that ever fulfilled which is there spoken that every knee and tongue shall come and say for so is the connexion especially according to the Hebrew Text surely in the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength Or that fulfilled there also expressed That ALL that are incensed against the Lord shall bee ashamed Or that fulfilled which is the close of all That in the Lord all the seed of Israel shall be justified and shall glory I say when ever were these fulfilled You have seen that the persons spoken of are Israel and Jacob comprehending all the seed of the twelve Tribes and all the ends of the earth of Gentiles and that the Apostle expounds The Lord by the Lord Christ Therefore I may boldly aske when ever were these fulfilled Surely to our sorrow that are Beleevers wee see the contrary of all these in the generality of all men Turks
crying c. And lastly the application of v. 21. of this sixtieth of Isaiah is as cleerly applyed to the same purpose Rev. 21. v. 27. And there shal in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie § 3 Now where is the man or book that can say these things have been fulfilled since the time of this Prophesie That the Nations of Jews and Gentiles have conjoyned in matters of Religion as in the first ten verses of this sixtieth of Isaiah When ever did the Nations of the Gentiles bow down to the Jews and those that would not serve them did perish as v. 11.12 When were the Jews made an eternal excellency and the joy of many Nations as it is in 15 v when as v. 21. were the Jews made a righteous people to inherit the Land for ever But as sure as God is true these things must be And upon earth as the circumstances constraine And therefore before the ultimate judgement SECT XXIV § 1 THe fifteenth place in Isaiah is in Chapter 63. first six verses of which in a word Christ comes up as it is revealed to the Prophet from Edom with dyed garments from Bozra red in his apparrel by treading the Wine-presse alone treading downe his enemies in fury til their blood be sprinkled upon his garments § 2 John in the Revelation Chapter 14 v. 19 20 and Chapter 19 v. 11 12 13 14 15 16. applies these in the same phrase and figure to Christs destroying of Antichrist to be fulfilled on earth yet afore the last judgement Another Angel came out from the alâ—ar which cryed to him that had a sharp sickle saying thrust in thy sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth for her grapes are fully ripe And the Angel thrust in his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth and cast it into the great Winepresse of the wrath of God And the Winepresse was trodden without the City and blood came out of the Winepresse even unto the horse bridles c. And I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse and he that sate upon him was called FAITHFULL and TRUE and in righteousnesse he doth judge and make war His eyes are as a flame of fire and on his head were many Crownes c. And he was cloathed with a Vesture DIPT IN BLOOD his name is called THE WORD OF GOD. And the Armies which were in Heaven followed him upon white horses c. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he should smite the Nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron and he TREADETH THE WINE-PRESSE OF THE FIERCENESSE and VVRATH OF ALMIGHTY GOD. And hee hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS § 3 These are obvious enough for every one to apply to the point in hand according to our former method so often repeated ## SECT XXV THe sixteenth place in Isaiah is Chapter 65. verse 17 c. to the end of the Chapter Verse 17. Behold I create new Heavens and a new EARTH and the former shall not be remembred c. v. 18. But be you glad and rejoyce FOR EVER in that which I create for behold I creat JERUSALEM a rejoycing and her people a joy v. 19. And I will rejoyce in Jerusalem and joy in my people and the VOYCE OF VVEEPING SHALL BE NO MORE HEARD IN HER NOR THE VOYCE OF CRYING v. 20. There shal be no more thence an infant of dayes nor an old man that hath not filled his dayes c. And they shall build houses and inhabit them c. And plant vineyards c. Before they call I will answer c. The woolf and the lamb shall feed together c. § 1 This will every one say that marks what he reads must signifie a state of the Church upon earth to bee before the ultimate judgement ## § 2 And there is no man or monument can be produced that ever this was so fulfilled since it was prophesied Therefore it must signifie a state on earth yet to come according to the Prophesies of the Apostles and their applications of the aforesaid Prophesie of Isaiah So doth Peter and John apply the 17. verse Peter in 2 Ep. chap. 3. v. 12. and 13. comforts the Jews to whom he wrote 1 Pet. 1.1 that before the ultimate judgement there should be new Heavens and a new EARTH wherein dwels righteousnesse according to Gods promise meaning this of Isaiah 65.17 And John in Revel chap. 21. refers this same place of Isaiah to the time of the glorious state of the Church on earth immediately after the fall of Antichrist In Rev. 19. the three last verses is Antichrists fall Chap. 20. the Devill is bound and the Saints reign Chapter 21. is their glorious estate described and in part by these words of the Prophet Isaiah I saw saith John a new Heaven and a new Earth and the first heaven and the first earth were passed away And addes in verse 17. Nothing that defileth enters therein In like manner the 18. and 19. verses of this 65 of Isaiah are referred and applied by St. John in Rev. 21. the first five verses to the glorious state of the Church yet to come after the fall of Antichrist Behold I make all things new new Heavens and new Earth and new Jerusalem which is all one as to say he creats And wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more sorrow c. I need say no more of this place to an understanding Reader of which Mr. Mead comparing it with 2 Pet. 3.13 and Peter with it saith Miror c. I wonder how any man can understand this of a state in the highest heavens SECT XXVI THe seventeenth and last place in Isaiah is Chapter 66. v. 5. c. to the end of the Chapter * This place of Isa 66. from the fifth verse c. Justin Martyr in his Dialog cum Tryph. p. 312. doth testifie to belong to the Kingdome of Christ that is to be at his second coming In which words saith he commending this place of Isa is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mastery of our being againe generated or made new at the Resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and absolutely of all who expect Christ shall appear at Jerusalem and by well doing study to please him Thus Just Mart. with which Mr. Mead is much taken and understands him in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to mean the Resurrection of the godly § 1 The Prophet in the fifth verse directs his speech to them that in an holy manner trembled at Gods word The effect of his speech there is that though their false brethren hated them and cast them out for Gods name sake saying Let the Lord be glorified that is we have done well in casting them out or let God appeare in his
glory to shew favour to you if we have not done well in casting you out yet the Lord should appear to their joy that had been so hated and cast out for his name sake and those their false brethren should bee ashamed § 2 In the seven and eight verses most evidently the Prophet setteth forth the manner of the conversion of the Jews I say conversion their settlement will cost longer time as it seems Dan. 12. the three last verses viz. their conversion shall bee as the birth of a child before the mother is in pain as the birth of a Nation at once which well may bee being to bee done by the appearance of Christ in the Clouds § 3 In the 10. and 11. verses All Nations must rejoyce with Jerusalem because they shall suck the breasts of her consolations that is share in her comforts ## § 4 In the twelfth verse The Lord will extend peace to Jerusalem like a River and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream See a glorious conjunction of Jews and Gentiles § 5 In the 13 and 14 15 16. verses is set forth the sensible comforts of the Church and the corporall destruction of their enemies As one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem and when ye see this your heart shall rejoyce and your bones shall flourish like an herb and the hand of the Lord shall be known towards his servants and his indignation towards his enemies For behold the Lord will come with fire c. For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh and the slain of the Lord shall be many Illustrated vers 24. They shall go forth and look upon the carkasses that have transgressed against me for their worm shall not dye nor their fire be quenched and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh Which in the generall to bee taken literally is confessed both by Jews and Christians Consult our new Annotationists upon the place See Sect. 41. § 5. ¶ 2. § 6 In the 18 19 20 and 21. verses is held forth to us the congregating of all Nations both Jews and Gentiles into union of true religious worship and beholding of the glory of God and that as the Jewish Doctors expound it in his destruction of the enemies of the Church in the dayes of the Messias In the 22. verse we have the height and length of this glorious estate of the universall Church of Jews and Gentiles on earth It is no lower then a state of a new Heaven and a new Earth And it is to be perpetuated It is to remain unalterable continue say our new Annotationists for ever § 7 Now these things were never yet fulfilled according to the phrases and circumstances of the place as to the Gentiles nor in the substance as to the Jews who remaine totally unconverted to Christ and are dispersed and despised to our sorrow throughout the world But God must be true therefore these must be fulfilled and on earth before the ultimate judgement as every verse doth hint unto us And therefore St. John in the Revelation Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 and Chapter 21. doth apply these in a way of Prophesie to the glorious state of the Church on earth yet to come at the fall of Antichrist I shal give you them in summe and short because I have before so often made particular applications of them Babylon the great is fallen is fallen How much she hath glorified her selfe so much sorrow and torment shall be given her Her plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire Rejoyce over her thou heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her And after these things I heard a great voyce of much people c. saying Allelujah salvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lord our God for true and righteous are thy judgementss for he hath judged the great Whore that hath corrupted the earth and hath avenged the blood of his Saints And again they said Allelujah And the foure and twenty Elders said Amen Allelujah And I heard as it were the voyce of a great multitude and as the voyce of many waters and as the voyce of mighty thunderings saying Allelujah for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth And the beast and the false Prophet were taken and cast into the lake fire And the rest were slain with the sword But the Saints reigned with Christ a thousand yeers in the new Heavens and new Earth to whom the Kings of the earth and Nations of the world bring their honour § 8 Now let him that readeth understand and consider whether he were best to beleeve his owne phantasie or the opinions of men rather then St. Johns series and system of Visions and Prophesies so aptly in phrase and matter expounding the Prophet Isaiah of a future glorious state of the Church on earth yet to come Thus of the Prophet Isaiah SECT XXVII NExt we come to the Prophet Jeremiah The first place for our purpose is in Chapter 16. verse 14 15. compared with Chapter 23. verse 3. c. to verse 9. The words of that in Chapter 16. verse 14 15. are Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that it shall be no more said The Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt But the Lord liveth that brought up the children of ISRAEL from the LAND OF THE NORTH and from ALL THE LANDS whither he had DRIVEN THEM and I will bring them againe into THEIR LAND that I gave unto their Fathers § 1 The Prophet calling these of whom he speaks by the name of Israel and in relation to their returne out of the Land of the NORTH and out of All Lands whither they had been driven must needs comprehend as well the ten Tribes as the two And the more cleerly to hint to us that his meaning is not onely of a reduction of them to their own Land but of their conversion unto their God and this not at a petty call of a few of them but at the great call of the generality of them all he subjoyns the bringing in of the fulnesse of the Gentiles verse 19. The Gentiles shall come unto the Lord from the ends of the earth and shall say surely our Fathers have inherited lyes c. At which time of the coming in of the fulnesse of the Gentiles as their coming from the ends of the earth fully expresseth All Israel saith the Apostle Rom. 11.25 26. shall be saved § 2 Now let us parallel this with that in the 23. Chapter verse 3 4 5 6 7 8. wherein wee have the same expressions with further illustrations and explanations to confirme the same The words of the Prophet there are verse 3. I will gather the remnant of my flock out of ALL Countries whither I have driven them and will bring
of judgement as is fully discussed elsewhere in this Volume but do clearly comport with the beginning of the businesse of the great restauration at the generall call of the Jewes See in this third Book Chap. 2. Sect. 37. § 20. ¶ 5. c. So likewise the Apostle Paul applies the phrases and things of this 37 of Ezekiel to the times of the generall call of the Jewes Rom. 11.15 If the casting away of the Jewes be the reconciling of the World what shall be the receiving of the Jewes but LIFE FROM THE DEAD So likewise St. John in Revelation chap. 11.11 to 14 shewes plainly that the witnesses must first rise and then there was a great Earthquake and then the tenth part of the City of the whore of Babylon fals and thousands are slaine which things can have no fellowship with the ultimate day of judgement especially if we marke that the Earthquake the fall of the City and the slaughter are mentioned afore the sounding of the seventh Trumpet Now within the last of the space of which seventh Trumpet fals the ultimate judgement and therefore these things belong to the great restauration at the ruine of Antichrist and the call of the Jewes and the setting up of the glorious Church of Jewes and Gentiles for presently after ver 14 15. the seventh Trumpet sounds and the Kingdomes of the World become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ Thus of the places in Ezekiel SECT XXXV Next we come to Daniel The first place in this Prophet is in the second chapter from ver 31. to ver 36. § 1 NOw Mr. Medes lately printed Diatribae pars 4. and his Opuscula and my pen being met I shall give him the way and precedency as glad of such a strongly-learned Captaine to lead me up in the Skirmish for the truth now in hand against the many opposers thereof And the rather because perhaps such are the partiall-personalities that act some mens braines the same truth will be better accepted from his mouth then from mine Quo demum saith he * Opuscul par 2. p. 20. Arg. 2. absoluto c. i. e. The fourth Kingdom or Monarchy according to Daniel is that upon the dissolution and abolition whereof followes the consummation of Christs Kingdom * By Christs Kingdom which Mr. Mede doâ—h â—o often mention in these â—is discourses here quoted in this §. 1. he â—eans as he expounds it in other places of his workes CHRISTS CHURCH as CHRISTIAN or the CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF CHRIST See before in this third book chap. 2. Sect. 12 S. in the large marginal note But the Roman Kingdome being once extinct and abolished the Kingdom of Christ shall be consummated therefore the Roman Kingdome or Monarchy is the fourth The major or first proposition is most evident from either prophesie of Daniel As concerning Nebuchadnezzars dreame thou sawest saith he chap. 2. v. 34 35. untill a stone was cut out without hands and it smoate the image upon its feet of iron and clay so that it brake them to peeces So the wind carryed them away and no place was found for them But the STONE that smote the image became a great MOUNTAINE so that it filled the whole earth That is Daniel himselfe being the Interpreter in the dayes of the fourth Kingdome or Monarchy the God of Heaven will raise up a Kingdome this is that stone cut out of the mountain which shall not for ever be destroyed and which shall not be left to another people as it befell the former Monarchies but it shall crumme and consume all those Kingdoms but it selfe shall stand for ever that is the stone of Christs Kingdome having now for many ages past been cut out of the mountaine of this world at length when the time decreed of God shall come the last parts of this image being cast out and utterly abolished though hitherto it hath been but a STONE and indeed of offence or stumbling shall then grow into an HUGE MOUNTAINE and shall fill the whole earth For the minor or second proposition That the Roman Kingdome or Monarchy being once extinct and abolished the Kingdom or Monarchy of Christ shall be consummated it is easily proved out of the New Testament For by or from the abolition of Antichrist shall the Kingdome of Christ be consummated 2 Thes 2.8 And that wicked one shall be revealed whom the Lord will consume with the spirit of his mouth and shal abolish with the splendor or brightnes of his coming or as the Syriack shall kill him with the revelation or manifestation of his coming So also it is apparent out of the Apocalyps that Antichrist shall remaine till the sounding of the seventh that is the last Trumpet which once sounding there are great voyces in Heaven THE KINGDOMES OF THE WORLD ARE BECOME THE KINGDOMS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST who shall reigne for ever and ever Rev. 11.15 the very same thing which the Angel a little afore Rev. 10.6 foretold That the seventh Trumpet sounding the MYSTERY OF GOD SHALL BE FINISHED as he hath declared to his servants the Prophets But Antichrist was to rise out of the Roman Empire 2 Thes 2.7 and Revel 16. John affirmes Antichrist to be one of the seven-headed beast The foure Kingdomes in Daniel are saith Mr. Mede * Diatr par 4. p. 361.393 twice revealed first to Nebuchadnezzar in a glorious image of foure metals 2 To Daniel himselfe in a vision of foure divers beasts arising out of the Sea The intent of both is by that succession of Kingdomes to point out the time of the KINGDOME OF CHRIST which no other Kingdome should succeed or destroy Nebuchadnezzars IMAGE of MONARCHIES Dan. 2. points out TWO STATES of the Kingdome of Christ The first to be while the times of those Kingdoms of the Gentiles yet lasted typified by a STONF CUT OUT OF A MOUNTAINE WITHOUT HANDS the Monarchical STATUE YET STANDING upon his FEET The second not to be untill the UTTER DESTRUCTION and DISSIPATION OF THE IMAGE when the stone having smote it upon the feet should GROW INTO A GREAT MOUNTAINE WHICH SHOULD FILL THE WHOLE EARTH The first may be called for distinction sake REGNUM LAPIDIS the Kingdome of the Stone which is the slate of Christs Kingdome WHICH HITHERTO HATH BEEN The other REGNUM MONTIS the Kingdome of the Mountain that is of the Stone growne into a Mountaine c. which is the state of his Kingdome which hereafter shall be The INTERVALLUM between these two from the time the stone was first hewen out that is the Kingdome of Christ was first advanced untill the time it became a MOUNTAINE that is when the MYSTERY OF GOD shall be FINISHED is the subject of the Apocalypticall visions Note here that the STONE is expounded by Daniel to be that LASTING KINGDOME which the God of Heaven should set up Secondly That the STONE was hewne out of the MOUNTAINE before it SMOTE the IMAGE upon the
shall become the Lords and his Christs Rev. 11.15.18 ¶ 3. Further what prerogative and advancement had it been for the Kingdome of Christ SPIRITUAL to have broken down ☞ the Selcucidae and other Horns of the Greeke Empire as long as another Kingdome the Kingdom of the Romans succeeded in their place to beate downe the Church by the Heathen Emperors and Antichrist for longer space of time and with greater and more terrible persecution then ever before § 7 Contrarily I affirme that the legges feet and toes of the iron doe signifie the Roman Kingdome 1. Because it is represented by a distinct mettall coming after the Brazen belly and thighes which is the Grecian For no other distinct Monarchy came after the Grecian but this as History doth shew 2. Because t is stronger then all the rest and breaketh them in peeces Dan. 2.40 3. The Iron legs and feet are parallell with the Iron teeth of the fourth Beast which signifies the Roman Kingdome Dan. 7.7 4. The ten toes representing the ten Kings are accordingly a character of the Roman Kingdome Revel 12.3 and 13.1 and 17.12 5. T is such a Kingdome as must stand to be destroyed by the Kingdome of the Saints in the end of time and therefore can be no other ☜ then the Roman Kingdome yet continuing under Antichrist § 8 The Stone is the Kingdome of the Saints as it is interpreted Dan. 2.44.45 with chap. 7.26 27. ☜ And that is the Kingdome to be set up at the fall of Antichrist as it appeareth by these reasons 1. Because it shal be set up to destroy all adverse Kingdoms in the world which cannot be expected til about the time of the fal of Antichrist ☜ 2. It shall not rise till about the sounding of the seventh Trumpet which is the time of the fall of Antichrist Revel 11.15 16 17. 3. Then and not before it shall fill all the earth ver 34 35.44 45. that is all Kingdoms shall be subject unto it chap. 7.26 27. compare Rev. 11.15 Thus Mr. Parker to whom in the maine and generall of his matter I assent § 9 In the last place let us hear Mr. Archer speak in his fore-cited book p. 7. 8. And then I shall take my turne The fourth Monarchy saith he was that of the Romans which because it began farre lower then the rest viz. more Westward and yet rose as high Eastward as the highest of the former therefore it became a mightier Monarchy then all the three former This is expressed in this second of Daniel by legges of Iron because it was the 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 it divided it selfe into two legges viz. the Easterne and Westerne Monarchy Which yet though divided was as strong as Iron and held all Nations under them But in processe of time fell into feet and toes The Eastern Monarchy was swallowed up by the Turke the Westerne fell into divers Kingdomes But among these sub-divided Kingdomes was strength and weaknesse the feet being part of iron and part of clay And much mingling there shall be amongst them to re-joyne the Kingdomes into one body some whereof are weak and some strong as iron and clay but never shall be as Iron cannot be mixed with clay The Spaniards and Austrians of Spaine and Germany and other Nations of Europe some of which are strong and some weake have sought by marriages and other covenants to mingle and re-joyne themselves into one Monarchy but it shall never bee as we cannot mingle iron and clay But in the period and up-shot of their Soveraignty and Monarchy they shall remaine distinct Kingdomes as Feete and Toes of Iron and Clay partly weake and partly strong § 10 Now in the dayes of this Roman Monarchy this fourth Western Monarchy there shall be a stone cut out without hands which shall ruine these Kingdomes smiting the Image on the feet of iron and clay and so swallow up the whole image all the fore-going Monarchies being brought under it and by it to nothing And it becomes a Monarchy over the whole earth where ever the former Monarchies had ruled ver 35. That is as it is explained ver 44 45. a Kingdome which that stone shall obtaine set up by the hand of the God of Heaven Whereas the other Kingdomes or Monarchies were erected by men on earth though permitted and ordered by God This Kingdome or Monarchy shall swallow up in it all fore-going Monarchies And this is a FIFT Monarchy which shall arise in the world after the former foure which is meant of a state of Christs Kingdome as appeares by severall reasons ¶ 1. Marke it is called a Stone as Christ is the cheife corner stone which the builders refused 1 Pet. 2. v. 3. c. to 8. ¶ 2. Againe it is a stone not in hand or cut out without hands Because God shall reare up this Kingdome As touching Mr. Archers words of Gods rearing up this Kingdome without hands of humane helpe I cannot insert or assent to while I stick at that place in Daniel chap. 12. ver 1. c. that when Michael shall stand up to deliver his people meaning the great and generall deliverance of the Jewes from temporall and spirituall captivity there shall be a great time of trouble such as there never was since it was a Nation even to that same time Insomuch that many of the Jewes afore as it were a sleep in the dust or as dead men in their forlorne hopelesse and helplesse condition shall now at Christs appearance awake and stand up for the cause of their deliverance yet some of them shall fall off to their everlasting shame According to which there is a double period of time relating to their deliverance mentioned in the eleventh and twelfth verses of that chapter as if it should begin at one thousand two hundred and ninety yeares after the ceasing of the daily sacrifice but they onely should be blessed that wait and come to the one thousand three hundred thirty and fifth year which is forty five years after But of the full meaning of this place to this sence and the demonstration thereof we shal hear after in our last place of Daniel This I confesse and I can freely conceive that whereas the Church of Christ is that stone that Kingdome of Christ as Mr. Mede Mr. Huet and Mr. Parker have afore well expressed or hinted so Christs call of the residue of the Church into the state of grace at the great and last bringing in of the Jewes shall be so immediately and suddenly done by Christ himselfe by his appearing in the clouds and such like extraordinary wayes as in the birth of a Nation at once as the Prophet describes their call that there shall not be used for ought I know the Ministry of mens preaching to that end ¶ 3. It s
duration saith Mr. Archer that it shall last for ever shewes that it is meant of Christs Kingdome We people saith he shall swallow 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 Grecian to the Romans But this shall be left to none but shall be for ever Dan. 2.44 that is to the worlds end But the Kingdome at the Worlds end shall be Christs for at the last end of all he gives it up to the Father 1 Cor. 15.24 Therefore till then and at that time when ALL ENDS he hath the Kingdom Christs SPIRITUALL Kingdome and his PROVIDENTIALL were before this time Therefore that which is to begin when these Monarchies end must be Christs Monarchy wherefore from this prophesie we learne that Christ shall have a MONARCHICALL STATE ON EARTH and a VISIBLE KINGDOME as other Monarches had swallowing up or causing to vanish all other Monarchies as the latter Monarchies did the former Thus Mr. Archer to whom in the bulk and sum with the explanation afore I assent § 10 By this you have seen some of my good company in this point consenting with me upon the strong reasons they have produced how deduceable our position in the main is out of this Chapter I shall not need to adde any thing by way of argument but only a few words for further explanation of this prophesie ¶ 1. Note how aptly and appositely this fift Monarchy this Monarchy of Christ that is Christ the Monarch and the Christian Church the Saints his Monarchy is compared unto a Stone cut out of the Mountaine c. We know that Christ is often called or typified by a rocke or Stone Matth. 16.18 1 Cor. 10.4 quoted out of Moses Numb 20.8 And the Church is compared to an house built on or in a rocke Matth. 7. Matth. 16. and Zech. 3.7 seven eyes upon one stone is saith Junius the Church built on Christ ¶ 2. Some stone as the Adamant that cannot be filed is harder then iron and an huge stone of any sort falling from a Mountaine will breake the iron that is under it much more the iron that is mixed with clay So Christ and his Church shall make up a Monarchy that shall be too hard and weighty for the fourth the Roman Empire or Monarchy that brake the rest to beare Matth. 21.42 44. Did yee never read in the Scriptures The STONE which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner whosoever shall fall on this STONE Christ shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall FALL it will grind him to powder Zech. 12.3 And in that day I will make Jerusalem a BURDENSOME STONE for all peoples all that burthen themselves with it shall be CUT IN PEECES though all the people of the earth bee gathered together against it ¶ 3. T is said the Stone was CUT out of the mountaine WITHOUT HANDS but withall it is said It SMOTE as a STONE against the Image and as a STONE it brake the MATTER of the Iron and Clay Whence I cannot conceive otherwise but though Christ the Monarch was conceived without man by the Holy Ghost c. and his Church his Monarchy both Jewes and Gentiles is and shall be effectually called and regenerated by the same holy Spirit without humane help yet Christ and his Church shall by a visible hand of power dash in peeces the fourth Monarchy the Roman Pope and his Armies Territories and Powers and the Turke and his which sprang out of the Roman as is afore demonstrated I say shall dash it in peeces by a visible hand of power Dan. 12. Rev. 16. Rev. 19. ¶ 4. The meaning of the continuance of this Monarchy of Christ for ever doth not signifie as if it should never have any end as if Christ should never lay downe all his power of regiment for the contrary is expresse in 1 Cor. 15.24.28 but the meaning is this 1. That it shall never be DESTROYED verse 44. of this second of Daniel that is it shall not end with a devastation and desolation as the former Monarchies did 2. It shall not be LEFT TO OTHER PEOPLE ibid. ver 44. that is other people shall never succeed the Saints or Church of Christ to possesse this fift Monarchy as another people successively succeeded and possessed the other Monarchies by turnes the Medes and Persians took the Assyrio-Chaldean and so down-ward 3. That it shall STAND FOR EVER that is as is explained in that same 44. verse this shall continue when the other Monarchies shall be broken to peeces 4. That the end of this Monarchy of Christ so farre as it may have an end is onely formally of the power or mode of government by Christ he resigning his power to God himselfe 1 Cor. 15.24 28. not materially for the Saints shall continue for ever eternally happy under the wing of the beatificall vision of God himselfe ¶ 5. This visible Kingdome or Monarchy of Christ is to follow the rest in an immediate order and succession of naturall time and in the same physicall place of or upon the Earth as when and where the former having existed their terme were exterminated For if this Monarchy of Christ succeeded onely in eternity in the Empyrean highest Heaven It can bee said no more to succeed the said foure Monarchies as Daniel would by all meanes have it then it succeeded any other Empire or Kingdome on Earth especially those that were contemporary with these foure aforesaid Monarchies yet not subject to them as some such there were all the time of their duration * This last clause of some Kingdome extant in the time of the four Monarchies yet no subject to them is also asserted by Mr. Mede and t is confirmed by Hist and exper SECT XXXVI THE next place in Daniel for our Thesis is in chapter the seventh throughout From whence saith Mr. Mede †Viâ—e Mr. Mede Diatrib par 4. p. 420. as from the mother Text of Scripture the CHURCH OF THE JEWS grounded the name and expected the great Day of Judgement ** What he means by the great Day of Judgement see by and by at the 2 ☞ with the circumstances thereof and whereunto almost all the descriptions and expressions thereof in the New Testament have reference For in the Vision of this seventh of Daniel we have a SESSION OF JUDGEMENT when the fourth BEAST CAME to be DESTROYED Where we see the great ASSISES represented after the manner of the great SYNEDRION or CONSISTORIE OF ISRAEL Wherein the PATER JUDICII the Father of the Judicatory had his ASSESSORES his Assistants or Assessors sitting upon seates semi-circle-wise before him from his right hand to his left I BEHELD saith DANIEL verse 9. TILL THE THRONES OR SEATS WERE PITCHED DOWN * Vulg lat Donec Throni positi sunt LXX and Theodot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Chal. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fic 〈◊〉
absolutely for ever 2. If any hanker and long after the sence that our translation hints as if the three former Beasts had a kind of life allowed them after their dominion was taken away to give these content we can give them this faire answer which may likewise be handsomely improved as to the illustration of the ruine of the fourth Beast and so of the glorious remaining of the fift Monarchy That though the three former monarchies were dis-robed of their Monarchicall paramount Emperiality the former by the latter yet those three divine providence permitting had continued unto them some degree of regality untill some good space of time that the fourth had been in being and power which is the more probable 1. Because how else could it bee said that the third trampled the second and the fourth the third yea all the remainder of the former unlesse they had some entiry or being to be trampled 2. Because the whole Image is broken by the ruine on the feet of the fourth and last And therefore probably there were certaine broken limbs of the three former remaining to be beaten into dust with the fourth 3. Because wee have some such account given us in the faithfullest humane Histories First For the Armenians part of Chaldea as some learned affirme had a King and Kingly dignity even unto the dayes of the Roman Monarchy Tigranes King of Armenia was subdued by the Roman Pompey and his Country made tributary and so stamped under foot But after a while even in the reigne of Tiberius the same Armenia was fortified against the Romans whom the Emperour rather pacified with promises then subdued with Warre who after got the staffe so far into their hands againe that in the reigne of Jovinian they were called Friends not Vassals to the Romans Secondly For Persia they had great power in the time of Antiochus the great and of his sonne Antiochus the vile of the Greeke Monarchy downe unto and farre into the times of the Roman Emperours Of whom Julian lost his life Valerian went under ransome and Jovinian put to the shamefull foyle of the losse of foure whole provinces Thirdly For the Grecian Monarchy after the Romans had trampled Egypt Anthony and Cleopatra being subdued by Augustus and their Countries reduced to Provinces yet after the Greekes did so far shake off the Roman yoake as that they withstood divers of their stoutest Emperours viz. Galienus Aurelian and Dioclesian And this last answer doth also well illustrate the prophesie That whereas somthing of the former Monarchies remained in the days of the later yet the fift should leave nothing of the fourth and so nothing of the former All being to be broken in the feet of the fourth So glorious should the fift Kingdome be Now let the reader take which answer he pleaseth § 11 Having cleared we hope this knot let us now goe on with Daniels visions wherein he having already shewed us towards the discovery of the Who and what that destroyed the fourth Beast the posture and Acts of the Session of Judicature next he represents to us the person or persons the Captaine and his Army that tooke from the fourth Beast the Roman Monarchy and all other Kingdoms into their owne hands of power and these are Christ and his Christians vers 13 14. Daniel saw in the night-visions fitly signifying the Antichristian darknesse that then clouded the Church one like the Son of Man come with the cloudes of Heaven This is Christ who relatively as a King and Captaine Generall as the Scriptures set him forth and Mystically as he is by union of the Spirit head of his Church doth infer as soon as he is come an Host of Christians at his heeles as part of his Session when hee sits all which must necessarily bee here understood as the 18 26 and 27 verses being of the interpretation of the vision give sufficient warrant vers 18. But the SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH shall take the Kingdome for ever Zech. 1.8 Heb. 2.10 Revel 19.11 12 13 14. even for ever and ever ver 27 28. But the Judgement shall sit and they of the Judgement viz. as it is in this vision the Son of Man and his ten thousand times ten thousand of all Nations Languages and Peoples that beleeve in him shall take away his the fourth Beasts dominion to consume and destroy it to the end And the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole Heaven shall bee given to the PEOPLE OF THE SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH whose Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and all Dominions shall serve HIM Where most evidently Christ called here the Son of Man doth as a publicke person and a representative as the second Adam of all mankind that beleeve include and signifie all the sonnes of men that beleeve and they and he are so one mystically by faith and relatively as a corporation or united Emperiality that it is indifferent to the Holy Ghost to mention HIM or THEM to be the Ruler of this fifth Monarchy As for that his coming we mentioned but now Daniel expresseth it in the said thirteenth verse The Sonne of man came with the Clouds of Heaven Upon which words Mr. Parker saith thus The Sonne of man is Christ the Head including also his Body the Church as appeareth ver 26 27. He is said to come and this is his second coming in a large sence comprehending his coming to beare rule on earth by setting up his Kingdome breaking down the enemy and this is the space of forty five yeares and then his visible appearing at the Resurrection immediatly ensuing to finish the New Jerusalem begun in heavenly perfection And in this large description his second coming is usually taken in the Prophets He is said to come in the Clouds of Heaven that is on high above the glory and power of the Kingdomes of the earth in the supereminent Majesty of his Kingdom Rev. 11 12. Isa 52.13 Mat. 24.30 Thus Mr. Parker I only adde this that by the current and tenour of Scripture this phrase of his coming in the Clouds signifies withall that he shall visibly and really appeare in the natural Clouds at that his second coming but now mentioned as Christ himselfe and Saint John expounds the Prophets Matth. 24.30 Revel 1.7 Then shall appeare saith Christ in that twenty fourth of Matthew ver 30. the signe of the Sonne of Man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourne and they shall SEE the Sonne of Man coming in the CLOVDES of Heaven c. And saith John in that Revel 1.7 Behold he cometh WITH CLOVDES and every eye shall SEE him and they also that pierced him § 13 He is said in the same thirteenth verse both to come to the Ancient of dayes that is as he is Mediator to the end to obtaine the Kingdome for his Saints being removed from the enemy So the Lamb is said to approach to him that
have the mastery not their enemies But though the valley of Jehosaphat be here named by these names yet they are to be understood in intent and meaning appellatively in a larger sence as is most safe to signifie and typifie any eminent place or places where the Lord shall overthrow the incurable enemies of the beleeving Jewes For first Let any reasonable Hebrician looke into the original and he shall plainly perceive that the holy Ghost useth the name Jehosaphat onely as a Paranomasia I will bring them into the valley 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. As if we should say in English I will bring them down to the valley of Jehosaphat and there I will Jehosaphatize them that is overthrow them as Jehosaphat did his enemies Secondly Let any rational man judge whether Jehosaphat as a proper name of a place in Judea doth signifie that there and there onely God will judge the enemies of the beleeving Jewes when as their enemies are scated in every place where the Jews are scattered and those enemies shall oppose them and the beleeving Gentiles that shall help in their returne where-ever they stirre to that end Yet I contend not but that that very place may be one where of some notable overthrow of some cheife enemies of the Jewes as of the Arabians Saracens and Turkes that shall enter into the Holy Land to hinder the Jewes sitting downe and settling there Now this clause of the Prophet Joel in this third chapter was never yet fulfilled since the first Assyrio-Chaldean captivity of Israel or Iudah For the Prophet gives us a sign that this is to be done after the Jewes are sold to the Grecians The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its first originall sence and use signifies to yeeld up and deliver up And so the Septuagint renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which most commonly as the composition of the word requires signifies to yeeld up or to deliver up into another mans jurisdiction and power And this transmitting of the Jews from their Native Country to Graecia seems to be charged upon several Nations who handed them from one to another vers 2 3 4 5. But the Greeks came not to any considerable repute power and jurisdiction till above two hundred years after the beginning of the Second viz. The Medo-Persian Monarchy Since which time the Jews were never delivered according to the character of the Text viz. By a destruction of their enemies and to such an effect and degrees as that no stranger should pass through Jerusalem any more verse 12 13 14 15 16 17. For we know the contrary by History Experience and sight of our own eyes in our travells § 4 The opening of this destruction of the Jews enemies at their deliverance and the collation of their happy condition when delivered will yet further demonstrate that this prophesie of Joel in this third Chapter is not yet in the main to this very day fulfilled ¶ 1. The destruction of their enemy must be very formidable v. 14 15 16 19. Multitudes multitudes in the valley of decision for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision the Sun and the Moon shall be darkned and the Stars shall withdraw their shining The Lord also shall roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem and the Heavens and the Earth shall shake Egypt shall be a desolation and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness c. ¶ 2. On the otherside the happy condition of the Jews shall be as glorious as their enemies destruction shall be miserable which is interchangably enterwoven within the same verses the better to minde us that they both concur to the same time and in that method that the ruines of the enemy is the rise of the Jews Vers 16. But the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of ISRAEL V. 17. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion my holy Mountain then shall Jerusalem be HOLY and there SHALL NO STRANGERS PASS THROUGH HER ANY MORE V. 18. And it shall come to pass in that day that the Mountains shall drop down new Wine and the Hills shall flow with milk c. V. 20. Judah shall dwell FOR EVER and Jerusalem from GENERATION to GENERATION You see here in this Chapter a corporal destruction of all the Nations that irreconcileably oppose the Jews You see the happy condition of the Jews following thereupon to be expresly both temporal and spiritual and you see it set forth with most ample extension both for latitude and length Need I now upon things so plain spend six sentences to declare this was never yet fulfilled to the Jews since their first captivity in Babylon to this day Surely if the succeeding Monarchy punished the preceding they did withal keep the Jews under their subjection and so from Assyrians to Medes and Persians from them to the Grecians and thence to the Romans and so to the Saracens and Turks to this time the Jews have been more or less under forreign power and not a free people much less so happy or their enemies so miserable as hath been described Lastly If we mark some references of this third of Joel made § 5 by the Apostles themselves in the New Testament we shall beyond all dispute of them that believe the New Testament clear it That the prophesies of this Chapter are not yet fulfilled ¶ 1. Consider how exactly the thirteenth verse c. of this Chapter of Ioel is repeated and applied Rev. 14.15 16 17 18 19 20. to the ruine of Antichrist Put ye in saith Ioel in this third Chapter v. 13. the sickle for the Harvest is ripe come get you down for the press is full the fats overflow for their wickedness is great And then follows expresly the destruction of the enemies of the Jews as we before repeated Sutably Saint Iohn saith in the said place of the Revelation An Angel came out of the Temple crying with a loud voice to him that sate on the cloud thrust in thy sickle and reap for the time is come for thee to reap for the Harvest of the Earth is ripe And he that sate on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the Earth and the Earth was reaped And another Angel came out of the Temple which is in Heaven he also having a sharp sickle And another Angel came out from the Altar which had power over fire and cryed with a loud voice Cry to him that had the sharp sickle saying Thrust in thy sickle and gather the clusters of the Vine of the Earth for her grapes are fully ripe And the Angel thrust in his sickle into the Earth and gathered the Vine of the Earth and cast it into the great Wine-press of the wrath of God and the Wine-press was troden without the City and blood came out of the Wine-press even unto to the horse-bridles by the space
according to those prophesies ver 1 2. To what end Why now as he declares himselfe particularly to observe the time when this prophesie shall have an end that the day may dawn and the Day-star arise Which saith he ver 3 4 5.6 7. though some through wilfull ignorance sooffe at the promise of CHRISTS COMING yet be it a thousand years off and more all this to God is but as one day And when that time is come that day shall be a thousand years So that though it seem long to men yea so long to impenitent men as if he would never come yet he will be sure to come and that suddenly as a theife in the night and formidably to the wicked as in form of a day of Doom the Heavens passing away and the Elements melting and the works of the EARTH dissolving But not so to the Church not so is the state of the Church expressed with a keen antithesis NEVERTHELESSE q. d. notwithstanding those high words and huge deeds WE beleevers according to his PROMISE that divine ancient promise so particularly expressed Isa 65.17 18 19 20 c. look for new Heavens and a NEW EARTH wherein dwels righteousnesse Which cannot be the description of a state in the highest Heavens which were never worne old nor made of earth nor without the inhabitation of righteousnesse So that the result of Peters discourse is that that Sun of righteousness or Day-star shall rise and radiate at the time of the dissolution of the power of the wicked and the restitution of all things for the glory of the Church on earth Our oft touching upon this 2 Pet. 3. afore makes us speak so sparingly of it now ¶ 3. That coming of Elijah in the fift verse before this great day must signifie an Elijah yet to come either personally or personatedly For though Elijah is said to come in part personatedly in John Baptist representing him by the similitude of his zeale in doctrine and austerity of life Matth. 17.12 yet Elijahs coming is not totally nor mainly fulfilled to this day He must yet come again either as we said personally that is he himselfe individually in his owne person or else personatedly that is if I may so speake specifically represented by one of the like kind and degree of parts exactly like unto him viz. mighty in spirit and action to doe as aforesaid in this context to convert the heart of the Fathers to the children before that great day afore mentioned yet to come where he shall Matth. 17.11 RESTORE ALL THINGS That this truth may find the better entertainment in mens apprehensions I will for the most wave my obscure selfe and sentence herein and present it in the words of divers learned men wherein they urge their owne reasons for it ¶ 4. The Scribes of and among the Jewes the clerick Classis of them very learned men in their generations by office Expounders of the Law Ezra 7.6 9. Luk. 5.17 and 7.30 asserted after John Baptists death from this very Text of Malachie that Elijah was to come Mat. 17.10 From them grounding on that Text some of the twelve Disciples after Christ had chosen them and indowed them with wonderfull gifts Matth. 10.1 2. c. and had shewed them his transfiguration on the mount Mat. 17.1 2 c. to 9. take up the same Tenet as worthy of consideration touching the coming of Elijah and presseth it upon our Saviour in the same Mat. 17.10 the Lord Christ in answer to them first doth clearly acknowledge at that time a good while after John Baptists death * For John Baptist was beheaded An. 32. after Christs birth and Christs transfiguration was An. 33. Buchol Ad An. 32 33. That Elijah SHAL COME and asserts it with a TRULY as our Translators render it as indeed in sence so it is And then Christ addes that when hee comes he SHAL 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 restore all things Which makes one maine objection that John Baptists time on earth was not the ALL of Elijahs coming Besides Christ speaks of Elijahs coming so long after John Baptists death in the present tence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commeth as intimating that he is still coming or yet to come So that as Christ comes twice once past another to come so with a proportionable decorum his Harbenger comes twice both times to usher in his Master The one is past in John Baptist the other is to come in him that is still called and expected by the name of Elijah as we shall see more by and by ¶ 5. Of the Christians likewise long since Christs ascension there are many men of fame for piety and learning both ancient and modern that doe not only assert but argue expressely or couchedly for the coming of Elijah yet to be fulfilled 1. Tertullian who flourished about the year one hundred and eighty after Christ in his Book concerning the Resurrection asserts †Quis inimicos Christi jam subjecit pedibus ejus secundum David Psal 110 Quis coelo descendentem Iesum talem conspexit qualem ascendentem Apostoli viderant Nulla ad hodiernum tri bus ad tribum pectora caeâ—iderunâ— â—gâ—oscentes qâ—eâ— puâ—ugerunt Nâ—mo adhuc EXCEPIT HELIAM Nemo aâ—huc fugit Antichristum Nem adhuc Babylon â—xituâ—â— flevit Tertuâ— lib Ve Resurâ—ect â— 22 Et â—cce mutam â—obis Heliom THESBITEN Sed â—nim Metempsychosis illorum est revocatio animae jampridem morte functae in aliud corpus iteratae HELIAS autâ—m non ex decessione sed ex translatione venturus est nec corpori restituendus de quo non est exemptus sed mundo reddendus de quo est translatius non ex post liminio vitae sed exsupplemente prophetiae idem ipse sui nominis sui bominis Tertul. lib. de Anima Cap. 35. that Elijah after his time was to come by the same reason that his coming is a positively set down in Scripture to be a signe of Christs second coming as any other signes Some of his words are these who hath subjected Christs enemies under his feet according to David Psa 8. Psa 110. who hath seen Jesus so or such a one descending as the Apostles saw him ascending Act. I. II. There is no Tribe with Tribe to this day smiting their breasts acknowledging him whom they have pierced Zech. 12.10 c. Matth. 24.30 Rev. 1.7 No man hath yet RECEIVED ELIJAH Mal. 4.5 Mat. 17.11 No man yet hath fled from Antichrist Rev. 12.6 c. he means from the persecutions of Antichrist for he was not in his time risen to that power as to persecute nor till long after And saith Tertullian no man hath wept over the ruine of Babylon Rev. 18.9 c. He goes on in another place thus And behold I will send you Helias the THESBITE But indeed their Metempsychosis or transmeation of soules is the revocation of a soule that having long since finished the death of that
in opposition to both sorts of evils immediately afore recounted viz. not only to false Doctrines but to cruell persecutions and therefore a corporal as well as a spiritual salvation must be here meant and these to be performed on earth viz. in the inhabited world just where the Gospel preached converted them and where they endured to the end And unto which Christ doth gloriously appear FROM heaven ver 30 c. to make up the splendor of that state on earth we here speak of Now all these things cannot be fulfilled at the ultimate generall judgement nor are they hitherto fulfilled and therefore they remaine yet to be fulfilled which Mr. Mede solidly amplifies on Jer. 10. ver 11. thus Hitherto saith he we have spoken of the accomplishment of this prophecy for so much as is already past now let us see what that is which we expect as yet to come for though in regard of former times when Ethnicisme was so large and the worshipers of the living God so small a scantling the extent of the Church be now at this day a goodly and large portion of the world yet if we consider the number of Nations yet Pagans or not Christians it will seem too scant as yet to be the accomplishment of this and other prophecies concerning the largenesse of Christs Kingdome before the end of the world For one hath well observed that Christianity at this day is not above the sixth part of the knowne world whereas the Mahumetans have a fifth and all the rest are Ethnicks and Pagans So that if we divide the world into thirty parts Christianity is but as five in thirty Mahumetanism as six and Ethnicisme as nineteen and so is Christianity the least part of all and plain Heathenism hath far above the one half of the known world and the better part of the other is also Mahumetans And though Christianity hath been imbraced in former times where now it is not yet is it now spread in those places where in those times it was not And therefore all laid together we may account Christianity at this day as large I think as ever it was since the Apostles time But that this is not that universal Kingdome of Christ that flourishing and glorious estate of the Church which yet we expect hope for my reasons are these First These frequent places of Scripture which intimate that the Lord should subdue all People all Kingdoms all Nations and all the ends of the earth unto himselfe and that all these should one day worship and acknowledge him Psal 22.27 All the ends of the world shall turn unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him for the Kingdome is the Lords and he is governor among the Nations And Psal 47. Clap your hands all yee people for the Lord is a great King over all the earth he shall subdue the people under us and the nations under our feete And againe God is King of all the earth and reigneth over the Heathen Psal 66. Make a joyfull noise unto God all yee-lands through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee aâ— the earth shall worship thee and sing of thee they shall sing unto thy Name The whole Psal 67. which we read every day is as it were a prophecy and prayer for this great kingdome That the way of God may be knowne upon earth and his saving health among all the Nations let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee Then shall the earth yeeld her increase c. God shall blesse us and all the ends of the earth shall fear him And Psal 89. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and shall glorifie thy Name for thou art great and doest wondrous things thou art God alone And Isa 2. which is a prophecy of Christs Kingdome it is said That the Idols the Lord shall utterly abolish or as some read the Idols shall utterly passe away So Esay 54.5 speaking of the amplitude of the Church of the Gentiles Thy Redeemer saith the Prophet the holy one of Israel the God of the whole earth shall be called Certainly this constant stile of universality implies more then this scantling which yet is small being but one of the least parts of the whole earth Secondly The same conclusion may be gathered from 1 Cor. 15.25 26. compared with Heb. 2.8 Christ must reigne saith St. Paul in the first place quoted till he hath put all his enemies under his feet the last enemy which shall be destroyed is death Hence it followes that Christ shall subdue all his enemies whereof the Prince of this world is the cheife before the last rising of the dead for the subduing of death that is the rising of the dead shal not be afore the rest shall be done the vanquishing of death being the last act of Christs reigning which done he shall yeeld up the Kingdome unto his Father In the other place Heb. 2.8 the Apostle speaking of the same thing alleadgeth that of Psal 8. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet and then adds for in that he put all in subjection under him But now marke it we see not all things put under him If any say that the Apostle speakes here of the Kingdome of Glory in Heaven and not of the Kingdom of Grace on Earth I reply first out of the former place that he speaks of such a subjection whereof the rising of the dead shall be the last act of all and which shall be before he yeelds up the kingdome to his Father But neither of these can be affirmed of the kingdome of glory but the contrary viz. The rising of the dead is at the beginning and not at the end of the Kingdome of glory and so is also his yeelding up of his kingdom unto his Father Secondly I reply out of this place that the Apostle speaks of that kingdome and subjection of the earth or state of the earth which was to come For so he speaks v. 5. Unto the Angels he hath not put in subjection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the earth or state of the earth which shal be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which we speak Here he affirms that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that of whose subjection he meaneth If then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signâ—â—â—s onely the earth ' and the earths inhabitants and is no where in the Scripture otherwise used I cannot see how this place can well beare any other exposition First then to confirme this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same which the Hebrews call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so the Septuagint renders it whose use of speaking I doubt not but the Apostle followes But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most constantly signifies the habitable earth or the earth with the things that live and dwell therein whence the Septuagint though they commonly render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
and for Christ that he hath appointed to them a kingdome yea HIS kingdom ver 29 30 with which let the studious reader diligently compare Revel 11.18 Rev. 20.4 which tribulations or temptations all Converts that live on earth to any maturity of age to professe their godlinesse in life and conversation doe more or lesse undergoe on earth Act. 14.22 And therefore it is here promised that they shall be rewarded on earth as we have and shall abundantly demonstrate But if there be no such estate to be fulfilled upon earth but only a state of glory in the supreamest Heaven then all the Elect dying in their infancy to whom also the Kingdom of Heaven belongs Mark 10.14 who never indured any temptations c. shall have as much priviledge viz. the fulnesse of ultimate glory as those that have indured most and longest in temptations which seems contrary to the Text which holds forth a peculiar eminent prerogative to them that indure temptation with and for Christ compare Rev. 20.4 ¶ 2. Christ appoints unto them a kingdome as his father appointed unto him a kingdome But the father appointed unto Christ no kingdome in ultimate glory in the supreamest heavens which as on all hands t is agreed followes the ultimate judgement for then and there Christ layes downe all his Kingdomship Kingship or reigning 1 Cor. 15.24 28. And it is most improper to say the Saints the Members reigne when and where the head Christ himselfe a◠Christ doth not reigne Besides reigning in and over a Kingdome implies by an inference from relations that some are subjects to them in that Kingdome being brought under subjection to them but in the highest heaven there is nothing made subject to them If the Angels ministration be not at an end when the Church is perfected in glory yet they are said only to be servants for the Church but not subject under the Church at their command being subject under Christ alone Heb. 1.6.13 14. But if Christ according to that fore-quoted place 1 Cor. 15.24.28 doth then lay downe all his power and authority we cannot understand how the service of Angels should be thence-forward continued but in the glorious estate on earth the Saints have all the Creatures and men that truly beleeve not subject to them according to the many Prophesies afore alleadged and opened As for the Spirituall Kingdome of Christ beleevers were in that in all ages by past and therefore that could not be the meaning of this Promise and Prophesie given forth by our Saviour in this text Besides the Spirituall kingdome of Christ is the kingdome of patience as Saint John often intimates where the Saints indure those temptations Christ mentions and so cannot signifie the kingdome of reward which Christ promiseth to that induring ¶ 3. Eating and drinking are unsuitable expressions to signifie supernall eternall ultimate glory but very suitable to expresse Christs glorious Kingdome ou earth yet to come as we have before opened * Book 2. ch 2. sect 5. p. 91. ¶ 4. By the order of the words the Saints must first be in the Kingdome and then sit on Thrones and judge the Tribes of Israel But in the Spirituall kingdome of Christ they had not so done nor doth Christs speech relate to past but future and in the supreamest ultimate glory there is nothing to be judged neither persons nor things ¶ 5. Christ promising emphatically that the Saints should sit on Thrones in HIS Kingdome cannot be applied to the supreamest ultimate glory in which Christ hath no Kingdome but layes downe all 1 Cor. 15.24 25. Therefore this Kingdome here meant is yet to come before the ultimate Judgement and the state of glory is to succeed that SECT V. The fifth place in the New Testament is Acts 1.6 7. When they were come together they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdome to Israel And he said unto them it is not for you to know or as it is in the Greek it is not of you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power § 1 WHat formerly hath been spoken on this text by others see before in Page 33. § 3. where they assert that the Kingdome here enquired after signifies a Kingdome to be on earth after Christs resurrection afore the ultimate Judgement § 2 And see it plainly in the text that though Christs Spirituall kingdome in the height of it by John and Christs ministry in a New Testament exaltation had been now in being these four yeares past before the putting of the question in the text and the Apostles were fully informed of the state of ultimate glory by the tenor of all the Scriptures yet they expect another kingdome viz. one to be restored to ISRAEL yea to the TWELVE Tribes of Israel for as much as at present only the two Tribes were at and about Jerusalem and they under the power of the Romans the other ten being in captivity in forreigne Nations § 3 Note further that Christ doth not deny the thing but only the manifesting of it and at this time even as he speakes in the present tence IS not not it SHALL not § 4 And therefore the Apostles then present were not by this beaten off from expecting it but rather went on preaching it Acts 3.21 largely opened afore pag. 96. Sect. 7. pag. 165. ¶ 3. and 2 Pet. 3. discussed Book 3. chap. 2. sect 51. § 2. § 5 Yea in processe of time after Christs ascension Christ did fully reveale to John the Apostle in severall Visions the thing and the time thereof Revel 1.1 the particulars whereof wee have abundantly discussed upon several Chapters of that revelation * See before on Revel 20. in 1 Booke 3 chap. Sect. 1 2 3. 4th on Rev. 1. p. 80 c. on Rev. 5. p. 73 c on Rev. 7. p. 204. on Rev. 9. p. 49. 87. on Rev. 10. p. 67. 96. on chap. 11. p. 58. 72 91. on chap. 12. p. 94. on chap. 13. p. 87. on chap. 14. p. 67 73 74. on chap. 16. p. 309. on chap. 17. p. 88 c. on chap. 18. See Book 3. c. 2. S. 45. S. 3. P. 4. on chap. 19. See p. 62. 74. 89. 56. 58. on chap. 20. See again p. 116 c. p. 55 56. 66 c. 226. on chap. 21. See p. 116. on chap. 22. see p. 94. and see after in this third Book Chap. 4. Sect. 12. and shal more hereafter ** Lastly if Christ had here meant either his Spirituall kingdome or the kingdome of ultimate glory he would not have been shye to declare those unto them having been alwayes free to preach and manifest them from time to time to all his Disciples See John 14. c. to the end of the seventeenth Chapter and often elsewhere SECT VI. The sixth place in the New Testament is Rom. 11.25 26 27. vers
if the Apostle should have said The poore Jewes at present are blind-fold for the generall with a double vaile as afore explained as they are to this day But when they shall bee converted those vailes shal be taken away though to this day they are not Now the Lord is that Spirit and where-ever he is in any of our hearts whether we be Jewes or Gentiles there is liberty liberty of spirituall sight and liberty of Gospel worship freeing us from the numerous burthensome Leviticall considerations and observances and performances so that we doe see Jesus Christ the summe spirit and quintessence of all divine Lawes And or furthermore we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord we are transformed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord or as the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well beares and our Translators assent in the Margin by the Spirit the Lord as if the Apostle speaking of an higher matter would speake in an higher phrase meet to correspond to that matter Now as the two former verses are not yet fulfilled to the Jewes as to conversion so nor is this last to Jewes or Gentiles though converted as to that transformation it here expresseth meaning at the great restauration to which this text hath I conceive a speciall eye § 3 We will argue it first from the coherence of this verse with those going afore which plainly is this that whereas the whole precedent discourse of the Apostle is concerning the generall call of the Jewes from under that universall vayling that was upon them mentioning the liberty they should attaine to which liberty is a word so comprehensive that it is used by the Apostle in part Rom. 8.21 to describe that great state of the restitution of all things the Apostle cannot be conceived to contradict that discourse or to detract from it but rather to heighten it Even as it is agreed on all hands that confesse the generall call of the Jewes that then will be a most glorious time on earth And accordingly the Apostle mentioning afore liberty in the seventeenth verse here in this eighteenth verse he addes to it glory and in relation too unto the Sons of God so as to make up that glorious liberty of the Sons of God which the Apostle gives forth in that Rom. 8.21 as the description of the restitution of all things § 4 Secondly we will argue from the substance of the text scanning it almost terme by terme which though we deny not includes conversion and sanctification by way of a necessary supposition yet it transcends higher into a large prospect of the great Restauration For ¶ 1. There is a great emphasis in the WEE ALL even as the Apostle Rom. 11.26 having said Blindnesse in part is happened to Israel concludes but all Israel shall be saved So here having said ver 13. The children of Israel could not stedfastly looke to the end of that which is abolished now he asserts but we all with open face beholding the glory of the Lord c. are changed c. For it were wonderfully strange if the Apostle wholly discoursing afore of the conversion of the Jewes should make his conclusion an exclusion of the conversion of the Jewes As on the other side as we said the Apostle writing this to the Gentil-Corinthians and at last drawes up all into an ALL WE must needs include all converted Gentiles and so the time of conversion of the generality of both must imply a glorious time according to all the Prophets afore opened ¶ 2. Although the word to behold be in the present tence yet it is in a participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beholding noting a continuance of time and action in that time and so in effect signifies a future Even as in common speech in our and other vulgar Languages wee expresse a future by a present v. g. we are now say we miserable but dying in the Lord we are happy ¶ 3. Beholding as in a glass The Greek is all but one word expressed immediatly afore to signifie beholding and beholding in a glasse and therefore seeing our Translators were pleased to be so over-punctuall in following the composition of the word so close the Apostle intending only an open cleare sight as the next words with open face shew as the use of the word is to signifie the apprehending of a thing with a full imagination they might have dealt fairely to have expressed what glasse the composition of the word signifies which is there as much expresse as glasse for surely glass is not here intended as a sight-darkning glasse as a glasse window is some darkening to our eye in looking through to the object Cant. 2.9 but a light reflecting or a bright-representing yea lively presenting glasse as Spectacles Perspectives and Looking-glasses manifest the object more plainly And if we should pursue the Metaphor in the notion of a Looking-glasse which is most ancient and more to the proper Idiom of the composition of the word it would rather brighten then obscure the state the Apostle meanes and we expect for first a Looking-glasse infallibly supposeth the person neerly present 2. It represents the person plainlier 3. By reflection and refraction it makes all shining glory as that of the Sunne Fire Diamonds c. the more to returne their radiation upon us with a sparkling glare All which notably suit to set forth Christs presence and our extraordinary beholding of him in the time of the Churches glory on earth as the cause thereof We cannot see then perhaps the Deity immediatly but we shal then Behold that Suu of the God-head Psal 84. 11. in the glorious Body of Christ as the Apostles phrase is as in a Chrystall Lantern If Moses face so shone by his standing forty dayes and nights under the beames of a vision of God Exod. 34.29 how much more gloriously shall the Body of Christ radiate not only by his presence with God in the utmost glory above one thousand six hundred and fifty yeares but principally by his Hypostaticall union with God himselfe the time being then fully come for him fully to radiat Malac. 4.2 according as his transfiguration had prefaced Matth. 17. how glorious it should be If Stephens elevated soule through the operation of God saw he being now on earth the Sonne of God in heaven standing at Gods right hand to give way whereunto the heavens were made to open and Stephens face appeared like the face of an Angel Acts chap. 6. chap. 7. how gloriously shall Christ shine and we be radiated upon into a glorious aspect and hue or unto transformation into glory at the time wee contend for At present we see darkly through the glass of materiall Ordinances and the dimme eyes of imperfect and mixt graces 1 Cor. 13.12 though in comparison of Moses vailed God may be said now as in 2 Cor. 4.6 to shine upon our HEARTS in the
FACE of Christ but hereafter upon the appearance of Christ at the coming in of the fulnesse of the Gentiles and the call of the Jewes into one universall visible Church God will shine forth most gloriously through the WHOLE PERSON of Christ upon OVR WHOLE PERSONS so that we shall be like him in glory Phil. 3. 21. and we shall know as we are known 1 Cor. 13.12 we shall put off all corporall imperfections and shall apprehend him as well perfectly by our sences as by our graces as will appeare more by that which followes For ¶ 4. We shall behold him with open face or unvailed countenance or uncovered or unmasked persons as the Greeke comprehends all and this being spoken indefinitely and unlimitedly either to the beholder or thing beheld it is safest to take in both answerably opposing the two vailes afore so that 1. All we Jewes and Gentiles that shall partake of this glorious state on earth shall behold with uncovered sences with uncovered reason with uncovered graces Our eyes and mindes shall not be held as Luk 24. that our Phantasie should peirce no further then sence or that sence should apprehend extraordinary things in an ordinary notion And our reason shall not be covered nor cumbred with errour and mistakes and sensible desires and our graces shall not be blind-fold with inordinate carnall affections 2. Christ shall be beheld as altogether uncovered he shall not be covered as to be seene only in Aenigmaticall expressions as the Apostles phrase is in the Greek 1 Cor. 13. 12. or in typicall seales as in receiving the elements of the Holy Supper we are said to shew his death till he comes 1 Cor. 11.26 or in the heavens as now he is or in a personall state of humiliation as when he was on earth in afflictions and sufferings but he shall be wholly uncovered to be seene as he is in his great glory in that time of the Churches restauration on earth at his appearance as it is here said in the next particular ¶ 5. Beholding the glory of the Lord. At his first coming we beheld his ingloriousnesse Phil. 2. Isa 53. After at his transfiguration some two or three saw a glimps of a prelude of his glory After that a few saw at his ascension his entrance into supreame glory Acts 1. But here WEE ALL Jewes and Gentiles in generall whosoever and how many soever converted unto Christ shall behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THAT SAME glory of the Lord. ¶ 6. And so behold as to be changed into the same image A wonderfull and efficacious beholding which shall transforme the Embryon of the new Creature conceived in the wombe of the Soule into the glorious Image of Christ by beholding him in his glory in this state on earth The divine Plants of God in this new Paradise on earth shall so see the Sun of righteousnesse that they shal blossome and flower and fructifie into like colours stripes an rayes as are in that Sun We must as the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies be Metamorphosed from our corrupt and inglorious image into the glorious Image of Christ So this text So againe the same Apostle hath it 1 Cor. 15.51 52. The introductory both of the discourse and of the thing leading to this change in verse fifty one begins at vers 22. which we have laboriously opened afore but in the seventh Section immediatly preceding To which adde this memorandum that Paul expresly treates there only of the resurrection of Beleevers as that at Christs next coming When saith the Apostle we shall not ALL sleep but we shall ALL be changed The dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed This corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality then death is swallowed up And this change is said to be glorious vers 49. As we have borne the image of the earthly so we shall beare the image of the heavenly Adam viz. Christ Which suite to our present text in this 2 Cor. 3.18 That we shall so behold the glory of Christ that we shall be Metamorphosed transformed into the same image By which parallel ye perceive what the Apostle meanes by this transformation into the same glorious Image viz. to our glorious state on earth at the first resurrection of the Saints at Christs next coming At our first conversion we have some spirituall inward change Of this our Apostle made mention afore in this 2 Cor. 3. viz. vers 16. in that phrase of turning to the Lord. And vers 17. in those words where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty But in that clause in the last verse of Metamorphosing into the same Image some greater thing must be intended For ¶ 8. It followes we must be changed into the same Image from glory to glory which sounds of a future For from glory to glory must signifie more then a processe from one degree of grace to another as it is intended in Psal 84. from strength to strength and Rom. 1.17 from faith to faith for though that be the beginning and touched vers 16. 17. of this 2 Cor. 3. yet here the Apostle drives at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the exaltation of a Saint to his height and must import that the former glory is suitable to the latter glory which is true of personall glory on earth at Christs next appearance that it is like to the latter viz. ultimate glory both glorifying the whole man whereas the glory of our imperfect sanctification doth glorifie only the inward man and that too but in part There is also a difference in the cause as it is in the last clause viz. ¶ 9. By the Lord the Spirit as we touched the Translation afore whereby it is plainly held forth that whereas our inward glory of Sanctification in all the processe thereof is from the inward power of the Spirit of the Lord our personall glory of soule and body at the said coming of Christ is from his personall presence transcendently and efficaciously radiating on our persons to a change and filling the earth with the beames of his glory Now weigh all together and see whether the whole minde of this text can be terminated in our conversion and sanctification or can be wholly extended to ultimate and supreamest glory Or can be fixt upon that unsuitable time of converting Israel at the day of the ultimate Judgement And if not then it is yet to come before the ultimate generall day of Doome SECT IX The Ninth place in the New Testament for the glorious state of all things on earth at Christs next appearance is Phil. 2.9 10 11. God hath highly exalted him Christ and given him a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow of things in heaven and things in the earth and thing under the earth and that every tongue should confesse that Jesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the
equally of the middle voice as of the passive both being in terms and syllables the same in the Greek And then if in the middle voice they may wel be rendred actively as before we have rendred them And so the Syriack renders them actively which Beza highly approves And for justification of our rendring baptizing by washing we have good warrant from Mar. 7.4 where the Greek word Baptisme is rendred washing viz. of cups and pots and brazen vessels and tables as the nature of the things there mentioned necessarily require it to be so rendred Yet if any will contend for a passive signification then saith learned Beza there will be a verball nown included in the verb it selfe as is common among the Hebrews and so this Text must thus be translated What shall they do that is What shall be done to them who are washed with a washing over the dead that is with a mortual as Plautus speaks or funerall washing or a sepulchral washing or a washing belonging to them that are dead It seems by that phrase of heathen Roman Platus and other passages of others of them as Tarquinii corpus bona faemina lavit unxit that is A good woman washed and anointed the body of Tarquin that the Heathen were wont to wash the bodies of their dead which they had learned of the Patriarchs and Jews mentioned in their Talmuds and practised in Act. 9.37 Now saith the Apostle to the Corinthians who formerly were heathens why do the heathen wash their dead if they expect no more of the welfare of such bodies in another world then of the bodies of beasts Others bring I confesse other Interpretations But I leave them to learned Beza and our New Annotations who have elaborately confuted them Onely I adde this word That baptizing with blood in suffering persecution an unknown phrase in Pauls Epistles cannot be here meant as some would because it will not have the force of an argument on them that doubted of the Resurrection For to such out of doubt suffering for Christianity newer then the doctrine of the Resurrection was as doubtful if not more doubtfull then the Resurrection it self Such would bee ready enough to say That it is their stubbornness and pride or at least their valour and honour c. as in Duels not to be mastered by their adversaries that makes men dye for that Religion else if they preferred life they would keep it whiles they had it and comply or conceale their Religion Indeed for Paul to satisfie himselfe and his fellow-beleevers that they were in jeopardy every day for the Gospels sake upon the ground of hoping for a Resurrection is something But to them flatly denyed the Resurrection with whom hee disputes hee must urge Extra scripturian or Scripturelesse arguments viz. customes of men c. in several Nations as touched afore to convince them For surely they that doubt of the Resurrection doubt of the Scriptures that so often as well in the Old Testament as in the New mention the same But of this in the fourth Chapter of this Booke Out of the Heathen Sybils for the glorious state on earth yet to come wee had many of Lactantius his quotations in our first Book And we had not need make repetitions when haste to prevent our friends fear of our tediousness will not permit me to insert all I would assert CHAP. III. Next wee come to the MAHUMETANS viz. the SARACENS TURKS and ARABIANS touching their opinions of the future glorious state on earth yet to come § 1 IN the generall they have this ancient Tradition received among themselves That they last of all shall be subdued by the children of ISAAC So Purchas in his Pilgrimage that large and laborious History informs us and pious and learned Mr. Huet on Daniel takes it up as credible § 2 In particular in their Alcoran according to the English Edition they say * Pref. to the Alcoran That Jesus Christ a great Prophet borne of the Virgin MARY a Virgin both before and after her delivery conceived by the divine inspiration without a Father shall come againe on earth at the end of the world to confirme the Law c. That * Chap. 2. of the Epitome of the Alcoran beleevers after the Resurrection shall enjoy the immense pleasures of PARADISE wherein flow many Rivers and shall there finde all sorts of fair and savoury fruits c. Which particular is there sometimes much illustrated and often repeated in all that mine eye in a cursory reading took notice of to the number of thirty times * To Chap. 3. twice 4. thrice In 5.10.13.14.15 16 18 19 20 21. 22.35.42.48 twice 52.56.64.69.76 78 81 83 88 99. That this happinesse then on earth is better then that now ** Chap. 4. That that happinesse on earth shall have communion with the happinesse in heaven *âŽ* Chap. 3.48 89. That there shall be no evill †Chap. 19.74 There the possessors shall praise God * Chap. 35. Shall enjoy the great grace of God ** Chap. 42. That when JAGOG and MAGOG shall come running from the eminent places of the earth then shall the day of judgement appear *âŽ* Chap. 32. Chap. 21. That all men shall one day be assembled before him to be judged a THOUSAND YEERS being BUT AS ONE DAY before him †Chap. 43. That the comming of JESUS the Sonne of MARY shall bee a signe of the certainty of the day of judgement †Epit. Alcor lat cap. Creatoris rerum ordo num in margin 8. § 3 In their Alcoran according to the Latine Edition for I finde more in that then in the English Edition not onely upon report but by the Epitome of the Alcoran in Latine translated out of the Arab. into Latine by Robert Ketenensis an English-man I say in the Latine Edition of the Alcoran I finde a discourse of the duration of the world to seven thousand yeers six of which much past Of the signes of the day of judgement * Ibid. num in Marg. 60. Of the returning of all mankind and creatures to God That God will raise the dead and make them to returne to him †Ibid num in Marg. 33 That good men shall be in Paradise as Co-heirs with God * Ibid. num in Marg. 60. § 4 In the Theology of Mahomet translated into Latine by Hermannus Nellingunnensis in Quarto and conjoyned in my Copy with the said Epitome of the Alcoran There is a large description of the Paradise which good men shall enjoy on earth after the Resurrection setting forth both the quality and continuance of it Touching the quality Paradise is there described by gold and precious stones not altogether different from some phrases in the Prophets Isa chap. 54. and Revel chap. 21. And by Trees and Rivers not utterly dissonant from Revel 22. The account of the continuance doth something differ The day thereof saith that Treatise is
the terme and end of the world In the Talmud wee read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The world shall endure six thousand yeers in one it shall be destroyed upon which many comment thus The ELEMENTARY and TERRESTRIAL world shall endure six thousand yeers and in the seventh thousand all shall return to their ancient chaos of which they were made And after that a New world shall exist And that likewise after it hath stood six thousand yeers shall also relapse to its former Chaos And then the revolution of the world shall endure for nine and forty thousand yeers And after that the heavens and the earth shall be annihilated * It seems by this that what the doctrine of Mahomet said of 1000 yeers and 49000 was learned of these Rabbins All this they thinke to be shadowed forth partly by the six dayes of the Creation because according to the Psalmist Psal 90.4 A thousand yeers in the sight of the Lord are but as yesterday Partly by the Law and the Commandement That six yeers the land should be tilled in the seventh it should rest and in the fiftieth the Jubile should be celebrated As for my opinion saith R. Menasse I thinke That after six thousand yeers the world shall be destroyed upon one certaine day or in one houre that the orbs of heaven shall make a stand as unmoveable that there shall be no more generation or corruption and all things by the resurrection shall be renovated and return to a better condition And this saith he out of doubt is the opinion of the most learned Aben Ezra who commenting on that place of Isaiah Chapter 65.17 Behold I create new heavens and a new earth c. saith thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i.e. Rather we are to say that the Heavens are expansed and that God will make new the aire to be singular good c. and then also shall there bee added to the earth a fresh vigor whereby it shall bee made New According to which verdict of Aben-Ezra saith Menasse There is a total and universal reforming or new-framing of the world And although the Text hath it New Heavens yet there is no necessity nor doth the sense require it that we should understand New Heavens to be meant of other Heavens diverse from these now in being but onely that there shall be a certain Instauration and Reformation of them into better And whereas afore the Ancients said that after six thousand yeers the world shall be destroyed in one the meaning is not that after six thousand yeers should be nothing how can it be measured by ONE Againe the word Destroy doth not signifie a total annihilation but onely a ruine or lapsing of things Therefore from those words cannot be concluded that the world shall be reduced to nothing but as R. Hasday thinketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. Nothing else can be gathered from the aforesaid speeches but that there is a CERTAIN NECESSARY ETERNITY OF THE WORLD IN SPECIE or KIND that is that the world be not plainly consumed and turned out into nothing but still bee turned into a better world Accordingly R. Huna saith concerning R. Joseph Galilean even those heavens of which it is written I create new Heavens are already created in six dayes in Genesis And suteably in that 65. of Isa 17. speaking of creating a new earth he doth not say meerly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 new but with an additional of an emphatical article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this same earth New So that as Psal 102.25 26. The heavens and the earth waxing old as a garment are CHANGED as a new drest garment And to the same purpose the Ancients speak * Par. 30. Noah say they saw the New world yet at that time the world was not altogether destroyed but renewed according to Psal 102.26 The summe is That the world shall not be destroyed for a thousand yeers but in one day or punctum of an houre the earth shall suffer a mighty change and upon that change immediately shall follow the resurrection of the dead and a new world Even as it is in Zoar * Parasah Toldoth Ishac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the hour of the resurrection of the dead the world shall remain stable And Lactantius Firmianus intimates that he had received it from a Cabalist that the terme of six thousand yeers being consummated the state of all humane affairs shall be formed into a better condition ¶ 5 In the fifth chapter is held forth by the Rabbins what kind of ruine there shall be of the world before the great restauration of it yet to come And concerning the Jews war with GOG and MAGOG All the Rabbins saith Menasse Ben Israel agree in this That theISRAELITES after their return into their own Country at the time of their redemption are not to injoy a full and perfect tranquillity and peace until the last war with Gog and Magog shal be finished For it shall come to passe saith he that after the Israelites shall returne into Palestine that Nation of Gog and Magog shall come to invade and possesse that Country and that with an huge multitude of men and infinite forces of souldiers with the same hope and mind to recover the Kingdome and Empire to themselves as the Goths and Vandals accompanied with a multitude of vile persons subjected unto themselves most puissant Kingdomes and triumphed over them And although perhaps they may be perswaded that Monarchy of the Jewes to bee erected not without the singular divine providence of God yet haply they may thinke that it shall continue but for a time and so may conclude that it will bee as possible for them to subvert and subdue it as it was for Nebuchadnezzar and Titus Vespasian formerly to overthrow and enslave it With this hope and confidence those Nations of Gog and Magog shall with an armed power invade the Holy Land and having againe expulsed thence the Israelites they shall endeavour to subjugate them under their power All which may be confirmed by divers places of Scripture 1 By Ezekiel Chap. 37. where the Prophet treating of the gathering together and restititution of the Ten Tribes and of the other Two signified by the Two sticks in which the names of Judah and Ephraim were written and declaring that all those Tribes shall be conjoyned and shall have David to be their King for ever c. he by and by subjoyns in the 38. Chapter that this people shall be broken and exceedingly troubled by Gog and Magog Therefore he begins the 38. Chapter thus Son of man Set thy face against Gog the land of Magog c. And prosecutes the reason Vers 14. Therefore Sonne of man prophesie and say unto Gog Thus saith the Lord God In that day when my people dwelleth safely shalt thou not know it And thou shalt come from thy place out of the North parts thou and many people with thee all
at first created being at length RENOVATED or made new it shall put on a face that shall be far more pleasant and beautiful All which is understood of a stare and time on earth afore the ultimate judgement For the next Question following in that Catechisme is concerning that Q. Deinde autem quid superest But after that what remaines A. Ultimum generale judicium the ultimate and general judgement for Christ shall come c. ¶ 2 Touching certaine parts and circumstantials of our opinion as that there shall be yet afore the ultimate end of the world a glorious time of the universal call of the Jews was the judgement of Chrysostome Orat. de vocat Judaecorum Paragraph 7. Hilary Austin Ambrose and Jerome whom for that Dr. Prideaux quotes and consents with them * And touching the coming of Elijah before the next coming of Christ was the general opinion of the Fathers as Dr. Iohn Alsted quotes and asserts ¶ 3 Of later Writers touching parcels of our opinion wee might quote many 1 Wendelinus in his natural Contemplations 2 Hieron Zanchius on Hof 3. 3 Functius his Chronologie 4 Rivetus on Hos 3. 5 Peter Martyr in his Common Places Class 2. cap. 4. and cap. 16. 6 Pareus on Rom. 11. Explicat dubiorum Johannes de Comb is compend Totius Theolog. Lib. 7. cap. 13. Alphonsus Conradus Of Mantua in his Commentary on the Revelation doth superabound upon the main point I will give you but some few special touches in his Commentary on Rev. We may see saith he that diverse hold that between Christs comming in the flesh and comming in Majesty there is a middle comming of spiritual power and force to destroy the great Antichrist and to reforme the Church This comming they say shall be in the end of the sixth Millenary or thousand yeers of which comming they make Enoch and Elijah the fore-runners They say that Antichrist shall bee destroyed by their preaching and his Kingdome abolished After which down-fall peace shall be granted to the Church and Satan shall be bound so that hee shall not bee able to disturbe the tranquillity thereof Now this peace and happy progresse of the Church they say shall last for the whole seventh Millenary till the last time of her troubles by the persecution of the Nations Gog and Magog because of Satan who they say shall then bee at liberty stirring them up against the godly These words quoted by Dr. John Alsted in his Treatise of the thousand yeers inferres this From hence it appeares saith Alsled that our opinion concerning these thousand yeers is no new and unheard-of thing As for Alsonsus Conradus his owne opinion heare a little of that First in his Preface This one thing perhaps saith he may offend the eares of some because I seem to promise a more plentifull peace to the Church then that likenesse of the crosse will allow of in which in this world the Church must be made conformable to Christ its head But let them bethinke themselves that this is not so contrary to the Scripture that it should bee objected against mee or laid to my charge as fit to bee reckoned in the number of those which are termed either impious or absurd Especially when as I cannot perceive by what meanes that happinesse which John writes the Church shall injoy Satan being bound can be made good except wee acknowledge some rest of the Church her enemies being overthrowne which I thinke indeed ever happened as often as the enemies of Gods people have been removed out of the way Now because the enemy John tells us shall be removed is more dangerous then all that ever yet infested Gods people it ought not to seem strange to any one if hee being once overcome the Church injoy a more plentifull peace then usuall Secondly in his Comment on Rev. 20.1 God being about to bestow saith Alsonsus a more plentifull peace on his Church then heretofore it sufficeth not him to have removed out of the way the BEAST and those Kings of the earth with an horrible slaughter except also he restrain Satan the beginner of all these mischiefes so that he may not raise any more those usuall strifes among them Wherefore the Angel comes down from heaven who repressing the fury of Satan shutteth him up as long as he pleases not to have the Churches peace to bee taken away So hee shutteth him up for a thousand yeers i.e. for that whole time that he will not have the Churches peace disturbed So far Alsonsus 9 There is a touch also in Matthew Cotterius in his Contin demonstrâ—expos of the Revelat. on Chap. 20. of this thousand yeers of which we speake onely he begins his thousand yeers a hundred and odd yeers too soon At which time as Alsted well observes is but the Praeludium 10 Adde to these the words of John Piscator an Author of esteem common among us in his Comment on the Revelation The happinesse of the faithfull who shall live upon earth after the down-fall of the Papacy is their great security from the hostile invasions of the wicked for a thousand yeers The singular happinesse of the Martyrs of Christ who before those thousand yeers indured persecution is their resurrection which shall be before the general Resurrection And in a Treatise hee wrote afore his death of which Dr. John Alsted had the perusall the said Piscator wrote much more of this our point which the said Alsted transcribed as he confesseth into his Treatise of the thousand yeers Give me leave to borrow but a little more of your patience and I will give you much in few words Many Writers of the former and this present age have published many things concerning Elias the Artist who is to come of the Lyon of the North who is neer at hand Of a fourth Northern Monarchy Of a great Reformation Of the conversion of the Jews c. See Theophrastus Paracelsus Michael Sendivogius in his Treatise of Sulphur Stephanus Pannonius of the circle of the works and judgements of God where among other things he writes thus It shall come to passe that the pure Gospel shall bee preached to the Americans before the end of the World That nothing is more sure then that the reformation of the East and South drawing on some famous Emperour whose types were Constantine and Theodosius both entituled the Great shall openly shew himselfe and granting liberty of Religion to them who professe the name of the holy Trinity shall do some great matter in the world for the glory of God for the re-building up of the Church and for the down-fall of Antichrist The Eastern Christians fired with the zeal of Christ shall make their way into ASIA it sâ—â—e and provoke the Jews to jealousie Rom. 11. And the spiritual babyâ—on shall be a prey to all Nations A resining of the Souldiers of God whereof is mention Zech. 13.8 9. i.e. Temptations and trials shall goe before this
thousand that is to the universal Church who are verse 14. but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comming or about to come out of tribulation not come out They were washed afore in the bloud of the Lamb ever since their beleeving but that was from sinne but they are not yet come out of great tribulation but that shall bee ere long So that that which follows to the end of the Chapter cannot now bee applyed to their persons viz. That they shall hunger no more nor the Sun light upon them any more And God shall wipe away all tears which are spoken in the future Tense as of things to come And it cannot be applied to their future state in heavenly glory For the Heathens that knew but the immortality of the soule never dreamed of hunger or thirst or feare to befall good men in the world to come Nor did the Philosophers thinke that the Sunne did shine above the highest of the orbs of the material heaven Therefore there is no probability in the least that this is a description of everlasting glory but of a state on earth where the Sunne hath smitten and there hath been hunger and thirst and have been tears So that still I minde you this Chapter is but a parenthesis of comfort put there by way of anticipation For it is put between the sixth and seventh Seal between which must be a methodical succession The sixth Seale is in chapter 6. which is most terrible obscuring heaven shaking the earth terrifying the sonnes of men And the seventh Seale is in Rev. 8. verse 1. In which eight Chapters whiles Christ intercedes over the prayers of the Church in regard of some slaine as it is in Chapter 6. The seven Trumpets appear in order to sound at their time Rev. 8.6 c. so that the calamities of the world goe on in the world upon earth and from hence forward till Antichrist be downe As for the 11 Chapter it is plaine that it is but the summary of all that which John prophesies of the more Ecclesiastical state of things in his ensuing Book of the Revelation as in the former he had prophesied of the more Political I say a summary For there is set down the more pure state of the Church v. 1. and more corrupt verse 2. And of the two witnesses in sackcloath one thousand two hundred and sixty yeers and their lying dead in the grave three yeers and a half as well as rising and ascending And there is Babylon falling viz. The tenth part of the City c. as well as Babylon trampling and triumphing over the Witnesses So that unlesse we will jumble all into a confusion this 11. Chapter is but the summary of what follow in the whole book of the Revelation And in the 12 Chapter there is as much for the loosing of Satan as for binding For the 13 Chapter it plainly sets out the time of Satans power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two and forty months or a thousand two hundred and sixty dayes viz. yeers which power he hath not when his master Satan is bound as we have and shall heare For the 14 and 15. Chapters the Churches triumphant songs of victory over the Beast are but in hope of a thing to come Another Parenthesis of comfort proleptically inserted For before and behinde their song in Chapter 15. is mention of the Angels having the seven last plagues to fulfill the wrath of God viz. The pouring out of the seven Vials as it follows Chapter 16. I need goe no further in my Antithesis to the Doctors instances ¶ 2 We answer to his Antecedent or first Proposition that if indeed as Doctor Prideaux would have it from the 6. Chap. of Rev. to the 20. Saints are in their reigning condition and Satan is bound according to St. Johns true intent Rev. 20. what means all that while all that adoe against the enemies of the Church of seven Seals Chapter 6. and 7. of seven Trumpets Chapter 8. of seven Vials Chapter 15. and 16. and in 17. is described the sin and the judgement of the Whore and in Chapter 18. the manner of her utter destruction and Chapter 19. the destruction it selfe And then and not till then in Chapter 20. S. John speaks of binding of Satan so as the Saints may be said to reigne indeed After which no Seals Trumpets or Vials onely there is a proleptic or anticipation of the ultimate day of judgement mentioned verse 11. of Chapter 20. because it is the period of the thousand yeers but the state of times in Satans binding and the Saints reigning is after described in Rev. 21. and 22. Chapters ¶ 3 We answer to his said Antecedent or first Proposition That by the Doctors tenet and proof that Satan is bound from Rev. 6. to Rev. 20. for he saith that the beginning was in Constantines time that the Saints began to reign And John tells us that the thousand yeeres doe end at the ultimate day of judgement Rev. 20. it will follow that from Constantine M. which the Doctor puts in three hundred yeers after Christ to the day of judgement is but a thousand yeers For the Doctor in his stating the question confesseth that the thousand yeers must be taken properly and precisely But wee and most Nations doe compute from three hundred yeers after Christ to this yeer one thousand three hundred fifty three and yet the day of the last judgement is not come No nor the War of Gog and Magog which precedes it No nor the fall of Antichrist and Babylon which precedes that c. Next we come to answer to the Argument or Consequent or last Proposition § 3 To the Proposition it self That therefore all this while the Saints reigned wee say that though they reigned over sinne which is no more priviledge then every Saint hath had since the beginning of the world yet they reigne not on earth over their corporall enemies as the fifth Monarchy or power which is the minde of the Scripture as we have before abundantly proved ¶ 2 To his first proof viz. So are they Kings as they be Priests But they are Priests spiritually Therefore c. We say to the major and minor ten Millinary yeers that they shal be Priests on earth therfore joyntly they shall be Kings on earth And they shall in body sensibly offer up sacrifices on earth of praises and Hallelujahs Rev. 11. Rev. 14. Therefore they shall in the body sensibly reigne on earth The notion is changed but the place and thing is the same Therefore it is said Rev. 5.10 He hath made us Kings and Priests unto our God AND we shall reigne on earth And Rev. 20.4 shall reigne with Christ a thousand yeers The time and place sheweth what reigning it shall bee even such as to whom Kings and Nations shall bring their honour Rev. 21. But in heaven the Saints enjoy but not reign with Christ because Christ as Christ doth not there reigne as we have
plaine text without sophistication or allegorising contrary to the scope of the pace as far as possible or light can lead us Thirdly That the consummation of the world doth gloriously begin at the beginning of these thousand yeers as wee have demonstrated out of severall texts and so it rather hastens then prorogues Fourthly turning to Cornelius Alapide on this 20. of Rev. according to the Doctors direction thinking to finde some great matter I found onely this of that businesse That he saith we approach very neer the end of the world First because we see the Gospel preached almost to all the world Secondly the Saint Vincent who dyed one thousand foure hundred and eighteen did confidently preach this and that by the command of Christ as it is in the History of his life Thirdly that it is a constant oracle among the Turks that Mahomets sect is to endure a thousand yeers which yeers are now neere expired Fourthly so is the Prophesie of St. Malachy A.B. of Hibernia whose life St. Bernard did write Thus you see what Cornelius Alapide saith and what stuffe it is Two arguments out of the Popish legend Another from the Turks Alcoran or Tradition The other intimates a Scripture viz. that Mat. 24.14 But there is no Almost I would the Jesuit said true that almost It is not yet preached to the vast Kingdomes and places of China of the Turke of the Indians of the Tartars c. We do indeed grant that the consummation of the world is neer and we said so but now But that we set it backward or forward beside Scripture neither the Doctor nor his Alapide hath proved it one jot Nor can it seem lesse then some kinde of contradiction for the Doctor to say we doe prorogare ultra mille adminimum annos indefinito auctario That we do prolong the time at least a thousand yeers with an indefinite argument For if it be for a thousand yeers how is it indefinite If indefinite how is it for a thousand yeers And Alapide confesseth it is uncertain when the world shall end Ibid. ¶ Third Inconvenience the Doctor urgeth is That this opinion in our point feigneth a state of the Church militant in or at the comming of the Lord in adventu Domini triumphant and tranquillous contrary to Luke 18.8 When the Son of man shall come shall he finde faith on earth Answer wee doe not say that the Church shall triumph at the very first appearance of Christ which is to call the Jews yea we have said the contrary on Dan. 12. that for five and forty yeers will be a time of trouble to the Jews after their call and afore the triumph comes But when Christ hath once appeared to destroy all the Churches enemies the Church shall triumph and bee tranquillous many yeers as we have seen innumerable places in O. T. and just a thousand yeers according to St. John in Rev. compared with Dan c. of which afore That place of Luke is evidently of the weak faith not of no faith of true beleevers at the sight of the great troubles that are the sad Antecedent to the joyful Comedian Catâ—strophe of the Churches deliverance as Dan. 12. and Rev. 11. to the end of 19. set it out But when Christ comes it is at a pinch to raise their faith and after to settle that their triumph on earth As he appeared in incarnate when the Saints faith was low as wee see in Nathanael And at the Resurrection as we see in the two Disciples Luke 24. and in Thomas John 20. But when manifest he raised them high So at his next coming ¶ Fourth Inconvenience is saith the Doctor it doth interpose at least a thousand yeers between the ruine of Antichrist and the dissolution of the world which Antichrist Paul foretold should be destroyed with the bright comming of our Saviour and by the breath of his mouth We answer first That if he means before the last dissolution at the last judgement even so doth St. John most emphatically interpose Compare Rev. 19. the two last verses with Ch. 20.4 compared with v. 12. And so methodically and exactly Antichrist shal be destroyed by the brightnes of Christs first coming His breath of his mouth viz. his Word and Spirit having made the Kings of the earth to hate the Whore Secondly we answer that at Christs appearance at the beginning of the thousand yeers there is a kinde of dissolution of the world 2 Peter 12.13 compared with Isaiah 65.17 ¶ Fifth Inconvenience is That this opinion as the Doctor affirms inventeth such an assumption of bodies as the Papists feigne of the blessed Virgins or brings downe from heaven soules to be united to bodies that perhaps they may get children possesse earthly things and be subject to other conditions of mortall men Wee answer first for the Drs. assumption of bodies feigned by the Papists the Dr. doth not tell us what he means and we cannot divine what the Papists may dream This arrow doth not appear ergo we need not hold up our buckler Secondly for the bringing soules downe from heaven to the body upon earth what wonder is this more then the returning of the soul of Lazarus and of those at Christs Passion and those in the Prophets to their bodies on earth especially seeing they that returne in the other world to their bodies upon the inhabitable world for that time of the thousand yeers Heb. 2.5 is to a glorious estate Indeed unlesse we can overthrow a world of places which we have urged this must be granted Thirdly For their begetting children at that time We doe not affirme it But if wee should I know not what grand Inconvenience would follow seeing Adam once might have done it without sinne or carnality of mind when his soule came new out of Gods hands which are more glorious then heaven and the Virgin Mary so conceived Christ And the Apostle Heb. 2. implies our state then shall be as innocent Adams was All earthly things that the Saints then shall enjoy shall but increase their happines not sin or carnality in the least That shall be fulfilled Matth. 19.29 If the full of happinesse in glory shall fill all the senses with joy and comfort sutable to that place why may not the Preface upon earth proportionally But the Doctor objects but with a fortasse perhaps Fourthly for their enjoyment of earthly things though the things bee earthly yet the Saints shall enjoy them in a spirituall manner under a spirituall notion and to a spirituall end as Adam in innocency For fifth of being subject to the condition of mortal men I doe not know that they that are Saints shall dye in that thousand yeers or any more seeing they that are alive shall only be changed ¶ 6 The sixth and last Inconvenience the Doctor urgeth is as hee saith that this opinion doth raise up againe Papisme at the end of the world viz. then for men to dye with the rest of
the enemies of the Church in the Gogican War which Papisme the 19. of the Revel concluded as extinct Wee answer to this objection that it is of no consequence whether it be granted or denyed We doe not raise Papisme nor do I know any that doe And though S. John concludes the utter down-fall of Antichrist Rev. 19. that he shall never reigne more yet Chapter 20.9 hee shews that secret hypocrisie of all Nations shall breake out and indeavour to beset the Church and then comes the ultimate day of judgement CHAP. II. Answering Doctor Pareus THus of your Dr. Prideaux his Arguments against our point in answer of whom with the same labour we have answered the maine Arguments of Pareus on Revelation 20. verse 4. For the Doctor did follow and take much out of Pareus Those wee have not spoken to that are most material that the Doctor did not touch upon them we will now touch SECT I. First Objection Rev. 20.5 THat that Resurrection is not a corporall Resurrection but a spirituall And that because it is called the First Resurrection For this cannot bee the first corporal Resurrection because before this there arose corporally the Sonne of the widow of Sarepta raised by the Prophet Elijah 1 King 17.22 The Sonne of the Sunamitish widow by Elisha 2 King 4.35 The Sonne of the widow of Naim raised by Christ Luke 7.11 12. c. The daughter of Jairus raised by Christ Luke 8.55 of Lazarus raised by Christ John 11.44 Those at Christs Passion Matth. 27. Tabitha by Peter Act. 9.41 Eâ—tichus by Paul Act. 20.10 Answer to this thus First by this argument Christ shall not bee the first-fruits of them that sleep Secondly by this argument the opinion of a spiritual Resurrection from Antichristianisme cannot bee here admitted because by the same reason that cannot bee called the First resurrection because many of them afore-mentioned were raised afore Antichristianisme was in being Thirdly that raising of them was no generall Resurrection of any sort of godly or ungodly But this in the Revelation is general of all Saints Fourthly the T. intends that risen they shall reigne and reigne a thousand yeers But the other mentioned by Pareus soon died and did not reigne in Johns sense Fifthly John had marked these out verse 3 that they had had a spirituall Resurrection already SECT II. Second Argument of Pareus TO the First Resurrection is opposed First death But the First death was spirituall viz. Sinne Rom. 5. therefore the first Resurrection meant here is spiritual Answer first spirituall death and life are sinne and grace But these not expressed here but first and second Resurrection living and dying againe The first death is when all dye corporally some naturally some violently as the godly by Antichrists persecution So in Rev. 6.9 the soules under the altar and the beheaded in this 20. Chapter verse 4. And wicked by Gods judgements Rev. 19. two last Now the first Resurrection is of Saints Rev. 20. is here in ver 4. Second of wicked in verse 12. which is their second death as S. John calls it verse 14. The rest of Pareus his objections to this point are upon a false supposition that onely the Martyrs shall rise therefore need no answer Beside we have given much in answer to him afore in the end of the first Book Thus of Pareus next of Mr. Bayly CHAP. III. MR. Bayly his Arguments come next for I put the best disputant first who being answered wee shall have lesse reason to spend time upon the weaker SECT I. Mr. Baylies first Argument HE that remaines in the Heaven unto the last judgement comes not downe to the earth a thousand yeers before the last judgement But Christ remaines in the Heavens unto the last judgement Therefore Christ comes not downe to the earth for a thousand yeers before the last judgement The major saith hee is unquestionable The minor is proved First from the Article of the Creed from that he sitteth at the right hand of God from thence hee shall come to judge the quick and the dead Secondly from Act. 3.21 Thirdly from John 14.2.3 We answer first to the major First we have not yet asserted that Christ shall come downe on the earth But we have shewed out of several texts a very great probability that Christ will at least appear in the clouds that men and especially the Jews may look upon him c. as Zac. 12.10 2 At the beginning of the 1000. yeers is the beginning of the last judgement as we shewed afore 2. To the minor where Mr. B. affirms that Christ shall remaine in the Heavens unto the last day of judgement We answer it is false For after hee was ascended up to the right hand of God he is so neer to Paul that he calls to him saying Paul Paul c. And Paul replies Who art thou Lord And Christ replies I am Jesus whom thou persecutest And Paul replies Lo what wilt thou have me to do And the Lord replies Arise go into the City and it shall be told thee Act. 9.4 5 6. And verse 10. Christ in a vision speaks to Ananias to goe to Paul Ananias objects and Christ replies At last hee goes and verse 17. speaks to Saul thus putting his hand upon him Brother Saul the Lord even Jesus that APPEARED unto thee in the way Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sâ—en of thee And 1 Cor. 15.5 6 7 8. As SEEN of Câ—phas and the twelve c. after the Resurrection so after the Ascension seen of Paul v. 8. Now by the same reason he may appeare againe to convert the Jews for that must be some sudden businesse Isa 66.8 as a Nation borne at once c. before the ultimate day of judgement And Pauls conversion by Christs appearance in the clouds was the first-fruits how Christ would convert the Jews as is Mr. Medes note on 1 Tim. 1.16 Read the place ¶ 1 To the first proof of the minor from that Article of the Creed First we say that Article doth not prove Mr. Baylies intent in that it doth not assert that there Christ shall fixedly sit for ever untill the last judgement but onely that thence he shall come to judge which he may doe if mean while he descends on weighty occasions which finished hee ascends againe and there hee abides till hee descends to the last judgement Secondly we have shewed afore that the day of judgement begins at this one thousand yeers and continues to the end The beginning is the morning of the day of judgement the end the evening of the day of judgement And all the same day of judgement as it is in Peter 2 Epist 3. Chap. And we have also shewed how in this time all the parts of a day of judgement are acted The last day of which thousand yeers wee all along have called it the ultimate day of judgement And how long this ultimate day may be this evening of the Millenary day wee cannot
family in heaven and earth is named There is Bethel even where God in special appears which special appearance is in the person of Christ And lastly where ever Christ is with us wee are with him so as that for that time is heaven to us therefore the Apostle Paul desiring a state in the world to come Phil. 1.23 calls it a being with Christ not heaven So that yet still it remaines to bee proved that Christ shall not appear to his people before the ultimate day of judgement or that Christ hath no place of refreshing his people for a time before the ultimate day of judgement but onely the highest heavens after the ultimate day of judgement SECT II. Mr. Baylies second Argument § 1 AS to his accusation of coyning new and false senses to many Scriptures wee say it is a begging of the Question And we retort it For Mr. B. opinion for many generations hath so allegorised upon all the Prophets speaking of the state of the Jewes and of the universal Church to be on earth afore the ultimate day of â—udgement that I confesse I was thereby for a long time kept in the darke so that I could make no use of the Histories and Prophesies of the Old and New Testament in relation to these things but onely here and there by way of morall observations and allusions § 7 But let us heare his Argument Christ sits at the right hand of God till the last day therefore he comes not to reign on earth a 1000 yeers before the last day To which we say that this argument thus far hath been argued and answered in effect in the first argument yet because there are some fresh proofs we are contented againe to answer it and to discusse them And for answer we deny the Antecedent taking the last day in Mr. Bailyes sense for the ultimate day of judgement But if we take the last day for that day in 2 Pet. 3. which shall be a thousand yeers then Mr. Baily concludes nothing against us But Mr. Baily will prove the Antecedent that Christ doth sit at the right hand of the Father till the last day meaning the ultimate day of judgement viz. the evening of our last day For so I suppose he means his proof is his major Proposition in Ps 110.1 Christ sits at the right hand of God till ALL his enemies be made his footstool Whence he assumes this minor But all his enemies are not made his footstool till the last day For till then Satan death and all wicked men are not fully destroyed therefore c. To this major Proposition out of Ps 110.1 Mr. B puts in a word of great consequence to serve his own turne which in divine arguing from a text is very foule play viz. the word ALL. For as it is not in our English Translation so nor is it in the Hebrew text where it is onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thine enemies indefinitly And the Apostle having an infallible spirit to know the mind of the Scriptures quoting this place Heb. 10.13 renders it that Christ sits there expecting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. putting no ALL in But suppose it be said ALL all his enemies this is sufficiently fulfilled when Christ overcomes all all his enemies are so subdued yea visibly in themselves or in their effects that they shall never hurt the Church more which shall come to passe when the Iewes are settled at the beginning of the thousand yeers as many Scriptures afore shewed And to speake according to St. Iohn in the Revelation then as in Chap. 19. Antichrist and all his adherents shall downe then as in Chapter 20. Satan shall downe then as in Chapter 21 Sinne shall downe And for death this is destroyed Chapter 20. For if all the Saints then live and reigne a thousand yeers then is this a state of immortality of their bodies And for the ultimate day of judgement then is not a destroying of death but a reviving of the worst death sc the second death to the worst of men so that the wicked live onely to dye that death Rev. 20.12 to the end It is said that the last enemy of the Saints that is destroyed is death 1 Cor. 11. Because so St. Iohn names the enemes in order First all the wicked Rev. 19. Then the Devill Rev. 20.1 And last of all death v. 4. and all these orderly at the beginning of the thousand yeers at the beginning of the seventh Angels sounding his Trumpet I say at the beginning thereof And to make all our answer plainer When it is said All shall be under Christs feet the meaning is not that all shall be annihilated For after the ultimate day of judgement there shall be viz. in hell sinne and devils and wicked men and the greatest death viz. the second death i. e. eternall condemnation therefore the meaning must bee that all shall be so under Christs feet that they shall no more mischiefe the Church Satan shall not seduce them Sinne shall not touch them Death shall not dissolve them But at the end of the thousand yeers Satan and the hypocrites in the corners of the world shall begin to make an head and this immediately draws downe Christ to the ultimate day of judgement who raiseth all the dead wicked and takes them and the wicked that are then alive and passeth everlasting condemnation upon them Rev. 20.7 to the end of the Chapter SECT III. Mr. Bailyes third Argument § 1 ALL the godly at Christs comming from heaven doe rise immediately to a heavenly glory ergo none of them doe arise to a temporall glory for a thousand yeers upon earth § 2 Answ We might deny that wee call the Argument you call it the consequence because Mr. Baily doth not say to glory in heaven much lesse the highest heaven For their state on earth a thousand yeers is not onely an heavenly glory but the state is called Heaven Rev. 21.1 c. 2 Pet. 3. But that we shall fix our answer upon will be the denying of the Antecedent and expounding of the proof Mr. Baily brings for proof of the Antecedent 1 Cor. Chap. 15. vers 22.1 Thess 4.14 Matth. 25.31 Joh. 6.39.40.44 Heb. 9.28 ¶ 1 To the two first we answered afore For the third place of Matthew it concludes nothing to the said Antecedent For Christ separates the sheep from the goats notably at the beginning of the thousand yeers when the open wicked then alive generally perish Revelation 19. and all the Saints alive are set in a glorious condition Chap. 20. ¶ 2 To the fourth place viz. in Joh. 6.39.40.44 I will raise it up at the last day We answer this doth not infer any thing in behalf of the Antecedent For lo this thousand yeers is truly the last day For as it is in 2 Pet. 3. before it are the last dayes in which men shall say Where is the promise of his comming And it is after said A thousand yeers
beleeved and reported by Eusebius But by the best Antiquity Cerinthus is quitted Gaius doubted of and suspected Dionysius blamed and Eusebius reproved And to make these things good against them we produce Irenaeus Tertullian and Epiphanius And to conclude wee give you there Mr. Medes answer to the said Gaius Dionysius and Eusebius Thus we have repeated the more lest some should not take the paines to read the fore-quoted places But let us leave the tayle of the Argument and wound the head and heart of it and then the heels will easily fall ¶ 1 To the major Proposition and first to the first clause that The conceit of the thousand yeers makes Christs Kingdome to be earthly We answer It no more it makes earthly then to say the Church of Christ on earth makes the Church of Christ earthly because all this while it hath been on earth which notwithstanding is called heavenly Gal. 4.26 Heb. 12.22 Again the Angels businesses are with the Church on earth and about earthly things in relation to the Churches welfare Heb. 1. Dan. 10. yet it follows not that they are therefore earthly To the second clause of the major It makes Christs Kingdome most observable for all worldly glory Answer Though this Kingdome shall have observable for outward glory according to Rev. 21. Kings and Nations shall bring their honour to it yet it doth not follow that we say it shall be most observable for that But for the speciall manifestation of God and the Lamb and all the spirituall beams irradiating from them Rev. 21. dispelling all uncleanness and spiritualizing every thing so that though they injoy the earth upon earth yet not in an earthly manner Sure then shal that be much more verified in 1 Cor. 10.31 and Phil. 3.20 Their conversation is in heaven and doe all to the glory of God ¶ 2 To his minor Proposition First to the first clause But the Scriptures makes it to be spiritual without all Worldly pomp I Answer words are as they are intended In English pomp and vanity are much of the same sense But if by pomp Mr. B. means outward glory Christ hath promised it abundantly in many places of the old Testament before alleadged And also in the new Testament in many places of which afore and particularly in Rev. 21. throughout To the second clause of his minor Neither doth the word of God make the Kingdome of the Mediator of two kinds and of a different nature We answer As all orthodox Divines do distinguish the Church of the Mediator into visible and invisible yet do say and Mr. B. can see it as well as I that they doe not distinguish the Church into severall kinds so it is in this As notwithstanding that in Heb. 1.1 The Church and Word are still of the same kinde and nature in Essence To the third clause of his minor The Word makes the Church one uniform from the beginning to the end We answer This word Uniform is variously used by Prelates and Presbyters which variety doth arise from Diocess and Classes But we thinke if we distinguish of an internal and an external form we shall satisfie the objection The Church is one Uniforme Church in the internal form which is union in and with Christ and through him with one another Eph. 4. And yet this doth not hinder the Church in several ages to have several external formes In Adams standing it was outwardly most glorious as well as inwardly perfect In the ten Fathers time afore the Flood it was in Families with a mean outward glory In the time of Tabernacle made by Moses and of the Temple built by Solomon it had a world of glorious types and abundance of pomp i. e. outward glory In the New Testament in the first 300 yeers it was mean in Constantine M. c. a great deal of outward glory But again of late times in many places very mean yet still wee truly confesse one universal Church in kinde nature essence and internal forme why therefore should it make an objection that when Christs time shall come that is greater then Constantine the Great then Moses then Solomon then Adam that HEE shall make the Church as internally and spiritually most exact so externally glorious If there be any outward glory on earth it shall not be in the hands of the foure Monarchies or any part thereof but in the hands of the Saints considered as the Church not as the world For then the world shall bee Churched Christ not Bishops Christs Spirit not their Liturgy or Letany or Collects shall Church her and give her an Hallelujah for her safe delivery and fulfill that neither the Sunne of worldly power nor the Moon of worldly things shall fright her any more For that Psalme is meant of the Church ¶ 3 To his proofs of the minor viz. That the Scripture makes the Kingdome of the Mediator to be spiritual without all worldly pompe and that neither doth the word of God make that Kingdome to be of two kindes and of two different natures but one and uniforme from the beginning to the end I say that proof he brings for this will be too short by many rounds to reach all this pompe of words in which he dresseth forth his minor Proposition Let us examine his proofs by particulars First that in Luke 1.32 The Lord shall give him the Throne of his Father David and he shall reigne over the house of Jacob for ever Now we aske the question Doth this make out all the straines of Mr. B. minor Nay we have largely shewed this place mightily confirmes our opinion and overthrows the contrary See before Book 3. Chap. 4. Sect. 2. page 383. c. I am loath to spend time and paines in repetition and so to swell this Treatise with unnecessaries I will onely aske Mr. B. where or when yet was fulfilled this same SHALL And WHERE is DAVIDS THRONE now And how doth Christ reigne over the HOUSE of JACOB in any part or in any manner in inward and outward glory To his second proof 1 Cor. 15.25 He must reigne till he have put all things under him We answer first by a question doth this place prove all the clauses of his minor Is here one word to say that in Christs Kingdome there is but one way of ruling that there is but one Kingdome meerly spiritual and in no wise worldly Yea doth not this Text speak the contrary whâ—n it faith all his things as Mr. B. alleadgeth it must be put under his feet Surely this intimates a great alteration of the world that the world shall submit to Christ for the good and service of the Church as many places in the Old Testament doe gloriously inlarge Mr. B. quips us with a Socino-remonstration But sure it is plaine Familisme to turne plaine places into Allegories To the third proof in Luke 17.20 The Kingdome of God commeth not with observation Neither shall they say Lo here or lo there
Church which consists of particular Saints is thus perfected § 4 To the proof of his major There is not one place that concludes his major that That must be the continued condition of the Church whiles it is on earth We will give a touch upon each place ¶ 1 For mixedness Mat. 13 40.24.11 Luk. 18.8 First to that Mat. 13 40. the words are plain for us viz. As therefore the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire so shall it be at the end of this world It s not said the end of the world but of this world And not onely so but in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This series of ages And more yet it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the perfecting 3 As in Acts The restitution no word to properly signifie an end But it implyes an end the end of consummation not of consumption of perfection not of destruction And in opposition to this the Apostle Heb. 2 calls the state of the thousand yeers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which must signifie a state on earth so that this of Matthew is fulfilled at the beginning of the thousand yeers when the wicked are so destroyed at the beginning of them Rev. 19. last Secondly To that Matth. 24.11 Many false Prophets shall arise and shall deceive many Iniquity shall abound c. We say it is most expresse there that these things are to be before the propagating of the Gospel to all the world So verse 13. and comes between that verse 11 12. and the end of the world verse 14. So that the thousand yeers is the fruit of the Gospel spread to all the world and so brings a cessation of seducement Rev. 20. Thirdly To that Luke 18.8 Neverthelesse shall he find faith We say here is no touch of the ultimate end of the world The coming of Christ is that his appearance in the thousand yeers which Mr. Baâ—ly and others being ignorant of they beg the contrary and lay it for a principle on which to build their argument and so they beg that That the Saints shall not have a time of all peace on earth The meaning of the place is for us viz. Christ will avenge his elect as in shorter captivities in Egypt and Babylon so in this longer But before that the times shall be so full of troubles that it shall be as Dan. 12. compared with Rev. 19. latter end As alwayes was before all deliverances by Christ As at Egypt At Babylon At Christs comming in flesh So that good mens faith shall be very low ¶ 2 For Troubles and Crosses Psal 34.20 Matth. 5 4. Act. 14.23 Rom 8.17.2 Tim. 3.12 To this we answer first That there is no mention here at all of all the times of the world to the ultimate end thereof Secondly All particular Saints do fulfill this in their lives Thirdly That this is that we say and mainly assert that because the Saints have been abused on earth therefore shall they be righted and honoured on earth according to Psal 37. to 11. and 29. and 34. and Matth. 5.5 And the state called Heaven in that Act. 14.23 is expounded of this thousand yeers Rev. 21. there is the beginning And our reigning with him in that Rom. 8.17 is expounded to begin in this thousand yeers Rev. 20.4 ¶ 3 For continuance of Ordinances Eph. 4.11 1 Cor. 11.26 It is easily fully answered That if that state in the thousand yeers prove a sinlesse condition the Saints being perfected as it is in that Eph. 4 verse 12. It can be no griefe to Mr. Baily or any else that Ministries of Repentance praying for wants Discipline for Delinquents shall cease And if then Christ COMES and appears as 1 Cor. 11. what matter is it if the Lords Supper shall cease But wee doe not hereby intimate all Ordinances shall cease Adam had some in Paradise and shall have some in glory viz. To sing Hallelujahs praises to Jehovah ¶ 4 To the need of Intercession First I say Mr. B. should have done well to have proved that any did deny the continuing of Christs Intercession till he layes downe all 1 Cor. 15.24 Secondly His places 1 Joh. 1.8 c. 2. v. 1. Heb. 9.24 is true while we have sin But 't would not bee a selfe-deceiving as S. John calls it for a soule to say in heaven above he is without sinne So nor upon earth in the thousand yeers if so Christ makes our condition And when we are without sin we need not Christs active Intercession for conversion or confirmation in regard of weaknesse of grace yet I know not but that Christs presential Intercession shal continue till all the Churches enemies be utterly cast into hell and the Saints attaine their highest happinesse in heaven But that it may cease as in regard of the sins of Saints at the thousand yeers I doubt not if that prove a sinlesse condition as that place quoted by Mr. Baily Heb. 9.24 to the end of the Chapter doth seem to mee clearly to affirme For verse 24.25 c. Christ entring heaven having dyed once in the last verse t is said he shall appear the second time without sinne unto salvation that is as not making attonement for sinne And this second comming is next after his Ascension and that is at the calling of the Jewes at the beginning of the thousand yeers as wee have before proved And this salvation must be a thing beyond the state of grace we are now in therefore most likely it shall bee our sin-lesse condition We shall be as Adam for inward perfection for or 〈◊〉 I know and the Apostle hints at it Heb. 2. verse 7. c. As we â—â—â—e shewed afore SECT VI. Mr. Bailyes sixth Argument § 1 THe Scripture makes the time of Christs second coming to be secret and hidden not onely to men but to the very Angels and to Christ himselfe as man Mark 13.32 But of that day and that houre knoweth no man no not the Angels neither the Sonne But this Doctrine makes that day openly knowne and tells the time of it punctually For they make the thousand yeers to begin with the one thousand six hundred and fiftyeth yeer or else with one thousand six hundred ninety five and the day of judgement to be at the end of the thousand yeers § 2 Ans First There is a difference between a day to an houre and between about such a yeer Secondly M. Baily cannot but know a difference between Christ on earth and Christ in heaven Christ had not Commission to send so much of the Spirit whiles hee was on earth as when he was in heaven So Eph. 4.8 compare Joh. 7.39 and Act. 2.1 c. In like manner if the Deity did not communicate to Christs man-hood whiles on earth the time for nescience is not a sin yet it s plaine the Deity did communicate it after Christ was in heaven Rev. 1.1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ which GOD GAVE UNTO HIM to shew unto his servants
whiles the said darke troubles are extant and incumbent upon the Church even therein is a continued tendency towards the glory thereof these refining the Church for that state Malac. 3. verses 2 3. and thereupon Christ is neerer and readier for their full deliverance and acceptance verses 4.5.17 § 4 For after the night is over the day dawns unto the appearance of the day-star the Sunne So at the end of these dark troubles yea for the ending of them Christ the Sonne of Righteousnesse shall appeare Malach. 4.2 mark the method of that Prophet after that Chapter 3. v. 2 3. compared with 2 Pet. 1.19 all which places are largely discussed afore So that when the said troubles are at the highest then Christ will appear most gloriously for the destruction of the causers of all those troubles even all the enemies of the Church of which appearance of Christ and destruction of the enemy see Dan. 7.13 14. c. 2 Thess 2.8 Rev. 19. verse 11. c. to the end of the Chapter where they are lively characterized most worthy the Readers perusall Upon which destruction on the enemies by the presence of Christ the glorious time of the thousand yeers begins and that with the resurrection of all the Elect as most methodically it follows after that in Daniel as a close of all the troubles mentioned in the whole Prophesie Chap. 12. the two last verses and doth methodically follow that in the Revelation as the blessed Catastrophe of all the confusions in that whole Prophesie in Chapter 20. the first six verses So that next in an immediate order of nature followes the New Creation Chapter 21.1 of which in the next Section CHAP. II. Touching the New Creation THe Chaos being made the Creation of all particulars follow which New-creation is mentioned both in the Old and New Testament Rev. 21.1 John sees a New Heaven and a New Earth How so unlesse created new For the alteration is such that the old heaven and earth seem as it were to passe away So that this New Heaven and Earth is that which Peter and the rest that beleeved with him 2 Pet. 3.11 12 13. did expect that all the former being dissolved there should be New Heavens and a New Earth according to Gods PROMISE Now where is that promise but in Isa 65.17 Behold I create New Heavens and a New Earth so that the former shall not be remembred or come into minde In all which places the expression of earth demonstrates that it is a state on earth besides many circumstances annexed in all the said places before discussed in our third Book the word Heaven being no opposition to it which from Gen. 1. to the end of the Revelation is oft used to signifie those Heavens of the Ayre clouds c. which are appurtenances of the Earth which Paul calls by intimation the first Heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 § 2 With the Creation of this New World are created therein the appurtenances of it viz. ¶ 1. New Jerusalem Immediately after the Creation of a New Heaven and a New Earth St. John sees Rev. 21.2 the holy City NEW JERUSALEM comming DOWN FROM GOD out of HEAVEN and therefore signifies a state on earth And the Prophet Isa in that 65. Chapter verse 18. having mentioned the creation of the New Heaven and the New Earth immediately addes that the Lord saith Lo I create Jerusalem viz. into a happy condition of which by and by ¶ 2. The Inhabitants of this New World and New Jerusalem are no lesse then created First If there were no more then the conversion of the Jewes as the preparation to this new state especially they having been so long opposite to Christ this were no lesse then a Creation A Miracle is a kinde of Creation And the School-men say That though Conversion be not a Miracle properly yet it is more then a miracle Let mee give my vote in this reason because Conversion is out of resistances of mans stubborne minde and heart Miracles are wrought on non-resistances And in this is Conversion more then Creation because Creation is out of matter that hath a disposition of submission to the will of the Creator But mans unregenerate will whiles such is obstinately opposite But no man will doubt but that a Resurrection is a Creation Now the Scripture compares the conversion of the Jewes to a Resurrection Ezek. 37.5 c. Dan. 12.2 Rom. 11.15 In all which places the Call of the Jews is metaphorically called a Resurrection For it is a raising from spiritual death to spiritual life from sinne to grace and from Civil bondage to Civil liberty as the Scripture oft mentions But secondly The Inhabitants are further multiplyed and perfected by a Physical Resurrection of all the deceased Saints Rev. 20.4 and a Physical mutation of the living Saints 1 Cor. 15.51 52. So that as the Apostle saith in that Chapter verse 44. and Phil. 3.21 They shall have spiritual bodies needing nor meat nor drinke c. and made like to Christs glorious body as we have several times discussed afore Now a real Physical Resurrection of bodies and such a reall physicall change of them are no lesse then a Creation Is it not fully a Creation to make men of dust Is it not a creation to change flesh and blood into a likenesse to the radiating Sunne Just so is it inthese things ¶ 3 The Qualifications of places and persons are created As first Righteousnesse being one of the qualifications is also created In 2 Pet. 3.13 in that New Heaven and New Earth made New by creation as the quotation of it out of Isa 65.17 demonstrates there dwels Righteousnesse by vertue of that Creation Grace being nothing else but divine created qualities even as in that 65. of Isa it is expresse that God will create in Jerusalem other excellent qualifications which we shall presently name Sutably Peter in that 2 Epist 3. Chap. v. 13. having mentioned the New Heaven and Earth addes as an appurtenance to it wherein dwels righteousnesse and all by vertue of a Creation as the Apostles referring to Isa 65.18 plainly speaks And from both places John hath this in his vision Rev. 21. verse 1 2 and 27. That into this New Heaven and Earth and holy Jerusalem all new as we shâ—wed by Creation there shall in no wise enter any thing that defileth as in the first creation all that God made was good yea exceeding good Gen. 1.31 Secondly There shall be created in this New state the qualification of peace Isa 57.19 I CREATE the fruit of the lips PEACE â—EAâ—E to him that is afar off by captivity or otherwise and to him that is neer saith the Lord and I will heal him Peace peace doubled signifies very great absolute perfect peace as that time shall be a time of an universal perfection Thirdly Of this New state there shall bee another qualification viz. joy or rejoycing and that by the means of the New creation for it
is creation wee now look at not the qualifications themselves which is the businesse of the third Head in the next Section Isa 65.18 19. Be you glad and rejoyce for ever in that which I CREATE for behold I CREATE Jerusalem a REJOYCING and I will rejoyce in Jerusalem and joy in my people and the voyce of weeping or crying shall be no more heard in her All which are spoken as a parcel of the glorious state of the New Heaven and Earth and New Jerusalem Consonant to St. Johns description of the New Heavens and New Earth and of holy New Jerusalem Rev. 21.1 2 3 4 5. That there is the voyce of triumph from Heaven saying The Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them c. And God shall wipe away all tears c. and there shall be no more sorrow c. because he that sate upon the Throne said Behold I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW write for these things are true ¶ 4 There shall be at that time created a desence upon or over the Saints over the Church and over all their glory so that their glorious enjoyment in that glorious estate on earth shall not bee subject as formerly to any invasions subversions interruptions or diminutions from any power on earth or in hell Isa 4. verse 4 5. When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion then the Lord will CREATE upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion and upon her assemblies a cloud of smoake by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night alluding to the pillar of fire that lead Israel in the wildernesse for UPON ALL THE GLORY SHALL BE A DEFENCE So that what ever shall be hereafter affirmed in this our sixth Book according to the Scriptures touching the excellency of the RESTITUTION or glorious state of all things yet to be on earth shall be an established estate that no enemy shall be able in the least to remove or molest But why do the Scriptures cal this RESTAURATION or RESTITUTION a Creation Surely because of the great likenesse if not samenesse in kinde with the first Creation as to the Physical notion thereof both in regard of matter manner parts and end ¶ 1 As for matter as the immediate Creation viz. of the Chaos was of nothing so mediate Creation viz. of particulars out of that Chaos was of nothing such nothing so or no such thing as into which it was created So that as the first sort of creation was of absolute nothing so the second comparatively or equivalently of nothing For what was the confused clouded Chaos towards the forming of light life and beauty c Even so in this New creation the world shall be asit were resolved into a Chaos again All things shall be in a most confused and forlorne condition men shall be stript of humanity the earth shall be an Aceldoma and Golgotha all things full of unparalleld troubles as our Saviour describes Matth. 24. And lo then shall Christ appeare most gloriously to new-create all things as t is in that same 24. of Matth. Just as we find it Prophesied throughout the Old Testament in most of the Prophesies afore discussed as Hos 3 4 5. Dan 12.1 c. that Christ shall restore all things in the most desolate and Miserable times Most suitable matter for that efficient who is to worke upon it The best cause to worke upon the worst matter He that is All-things yea more then All-things the All-sufficient Almighty to worke upon those nothings who can worke better on that worst then the best of creatures can upon the best and most prepared things For materiam superabit opus the workmanship shall exceed the matter So that as God alone was able and did educe out of those nothings Gen. 1. this beautifull Fabricke of the world so Christ Jesus our Lord shall out of those worse-then-nothings create this glorious new world of which we treat ¶ 2 For manner also it is a Creation in that like the creation of the first world the main parts of this New shal be made in an instant It is true that the Philosophers say that generation is ex nihilo tali in instanti of a nothing so and in an instant as plants of seeds birds of egges beasts of their Semen as are likewise the bodies of men But this Philosophical Generation notwithstanding in the first part viz. that it is of that which is nothing so is far below the lowest namely Mediate Creation in that generation is by very many previous dispositions and various successive preparations of the matter gradually bringing those bodies to their kinde whereas Creation even mediate creation in one act brings forth every thing perfect at once As for the second part of their description of generation that it is done in an instant that is the forme is introduced in an instant I think excepting mens souls it is a meer tradition and fable grounded upon another fiction of wit that material forms are substances which being beleeved in the Schools hath brought in with it a many inextricable knots as how the formes of the Elements remaiâ—e in the mixed body compounded of them how the forme is educed out of the power of the matter as they affirme and yet the forme is a substance of a different nature from the matter and is a distinct co-ordinate essential principle in specie How a sword killing an horse or the like drives out one forme and brings in another or else there were more then one forme afore or else matter may subsist without a forme c. whereas creation yea mediate creation introduceth all formes of things yea and of men too in an instant As we see in the First Creation in every dayes worke It was but said Let it be so and presently it was so And so proportionably will it be in the New Creation that by parts Christ will doe great things suddenly First The call of the Jewes shall be on a sudden Isa 66.8 Who hath heard such a thing who hath seen such things shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day or shall a Nation be borne at ONCE For as soon as Zion travelled she brought forth her children Secondly The appearance of Christ shall be on a sudden Matth. 24.27 As the lightning commeth out of the East and shineth even to the West so also shall the comming of the Sonne of man be Thirdly The change of beleevers surviving at Christs comming shall be in a moment in the twinkling of an eye 1 Cor. 15.51 Behold I shew unto you a MYSTERY we shall not all sleep but we shall all be CHANGED in a moment in the twinkling of an eye Fourthly The resurrection of the deceased Saints at Christs comming shall be in like manner Ibid. 1 Cor. 15.52 We shall be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump For the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall
spirit shall be removed farre away from the Church Zach. 13 2. Thirdly For the rest of the dayes works of Creation as in them were created the dry-land the Plants the Fishes and Fowls and Animals c. So in this New creation there shall be a perfection of all those then in being for of a resurrection of irrationals I know nothing and they shall be freed and set at liberty from all danger and hardship Isa 11.6 7 8 9. Rom. 8.19 20 21 22. I speak now short to these things because I am not yet come to the qualifications of this future glorious estate into which this Head would sometimes faine draw me but I will not be anticipated ¶ 4 This future glorious estate on earth is a creation in regard of the end viz. that as man was created last of all most perfect in soule and body as the subordinate end next under God for which God made it viz. that man might have the possession and use of all and dominion over all Gen. 1.26 So in this New creation Christ restores all things to their perfection and every beleever to his to that end that all beleevers being raised or changed as afore described may joyntly and co-ordinately rule over the whole world and all things therein next under Christ their Head I say All and not apart onely as some unwarily publish And I say joyntly not one part of the Saints to usurp authority over the rest as many dream And co-ordinately All upon equall tearms not some Saints to rule by Deputies made of the rest of the Saints as the practise of men seem to interpret And all to be true Saints not seeming Thus we read in Dan. 7. verse 14. and 27. And Rev. 20.4 And Chap. 21. verse 24.26 Study the places well and you will easily picke it out CHAP. III. Measuring out the DIMENSIONS of this glorious estate to be on Earth afore the ultimate universal Judgement § 1 HAving done with the Creation of it we come next to the Dimensions Quantity or Extent of the glorious Kingdome of Christ on Earth yet expected viz. That as the other foure Monarchies did over spread all the inhabited world as it is said of Nebuchadnezzars Assyrto-Chaldean Monarchy Dan. 2.37 that he was King of Kings and that WHERESOEVER THE CHILDREN OF MEN DWEâ—T the Beasts of the field and fowles of the Heaven GOD HAD GIVEN INTO HIS HAND and had made him RULER OVER ALL and of Caesars Roman Monarchy Luke 2.1 That there went out a decree from him that ALL THE WORLD should bee taxed So this fifth Monarchy of the Saints reigning on earth under Christ must be as large as those Monarchies as large as the whole world for ample Dominion though not for sincere conversion That is the generality of men in the time of this Kingdome being converted into true Saints they shall rule over all the whole world of men swallowing up the other former Monarchies So that if there be remaining a secret seed of hypocrisie in â—ome which shall at last God so foretelling Rev. 20.8 breake out in the Gogican War at the end of our THOUSAND yeers shall yet mean while all men all the time of the thousand yeers shall be demurely subject to the Dominion of the Saints Touching the latitude and largenesse of this Holy-Kingdome read Dan. 2.34 35. The stone cut out without hands smote the Image on his feet that were of iron and of clay and brake them to peeces Then was the iron the clay the brasse the silver and the gold broken in peeces together and became like the chasse of the Summerthershing floore and the wind carried them away so that NO PLACE WAS FOUND FOR THEM and the stone that smote the Image became a great Mountaine and FILLED THE WHOLE EARTH Dan. 7.26 27 And the judgement shall sit and they shall take away his the preceding Monarchies Dominion c. And the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome UNDER THE WHOLE HEAVEN shall be given to the people of the Saints c. And Rev. 10.7 St. John having said In the dayes of the voyce of the seventh Angel when he shall BEGIN to sound the mystery of God shall be finished he goes on in the 11. Chapter verse 15. saying The seventh Angel sounded and there were great voyces in Heaven saying The KINGDOMES of this WORLD are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reigne for ever That is no Monarchy shall ever be on earth after his Adde Isa 2. In the second verse c. whereof yee have the propagation of the Gospel of Christs Kingdome and mens obedience to it In the 11 verse repeated againe verse 17. yee have the Lord Christ exalted and his overthrowing all worldly powers prostrate before him in these words The lofty lookes of man shall be humbled and the haughtinesse of men shall be bowed downe and the LORD ALONE shall be exalted Which words though covertly for feare of provoking worldly Monarchs are alleadged by the Jewes to the same end as you have heard afore at large To the same effect of the largenesse of Christs Kingdome is that notable place in Isa 24. verse 21 22 23. In that day it shall come to passe that the Lord shall punish the Host of the high ones that are on high and the Kings of the earth UPON EARTH and they shall be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit and shall be shut up in the prison and after many dayes they shall be visited Then the Moon shall be confounded and the Sunne ashamed when the Lord of Hosts shall REIGNE IN MOUNT SION and in Jerusalem before his Ancients gloriously His Ancients are his ancient people the Jews And as the material Sunne and Moon shall be then nothing in comparison of the light of Gods presence as afore-shewed so the metaphorical Sunne and Moon for the same Scripture may have two subordinate senses Rev. 17.9 10. I say the metaphorical Sunne and Moon of higher and lower humane Majesties shall be confounded with shame So Jacob a Prince in those times and his wife are called by the name and interpreted to be the meaning of that name of the Sunne and Moon in Josephs dream Gen. 37.9 even as we had but now in that 24 of Isa both name and thing metaphor meaning expressed And by the same rule and proportion we may admit of others annexing a metaphorical sense to that Revelation 21. verse 23 24. that in Christs Kingdome to come upon earth there shall be no need of the Sunne or Moon i. e. of Emperial Royal or Princely Potentates to keep the peace as we have expounded it also in a litteral sense of the obscuring of the glory of all the Stars by the paramount glory of Gods presence For God and the Lambs presence shall be in stead of and more then the Sunne and Moon in both senses One both learned and godly doth likewise to the
same purpose apply Hag. 2.21 22. By shaking heaven and earth once more saith he the Prophet seems to mean in part that there shall be a change not onely of the customes of the people which are the Earth but also of Kingly powers and humane Majesties which are the Heavens Which place of Haggai the Apostle applies to the Kingdome of Christ Heb. 12.26 27.28 29. of which application though part may comport with the Kingdome of Christ as spiritual which hath ever been yet the rest seems to â—ooke as farre as Christs Kingdome to come on Earth For since Haggais or Pauls time God never so shook the material heavens of Orbs and Stars or the metaphorical of Royalties and Majesties that the Kingdome succeeding as the Text plainly intends could not be moved Even as the close exhorting to serve God acceptably because he is a consuming fire is most like to Peters exhortation 2 Pet. 3. to bee holy in conversation because after the destruction of the world by fire we shall have new heavens and a new Earth The place seems to allude to and to Prophesie from Gods shaking of Mount Sinai that as at that time God shook his people out of Egypt and separated them by divine Lawes from all the Nations of the earth to be a Royall Church by themselves so he will shake all the world of high and low ones when he sets up his last kingdom viz. Christs visible kingdom on earth and therewith makes all new For saith my Author that same Once more signifies the removing of all former old things in Earth and Heaven viz. of Customes of People and Crownes of Kinglyhoods and makes all new with sanctity and spirituality in the quality though men and creatures shall be in substance extant upon the earth according to their species or kinde and his Sovereignty in paramount glory ruling all Just as Zachary hath it Chap. 14. verse 9. And the LORD shall be KING over ALL the EARTH In that day shall there be ONE LORD and his name one That is as some learned expound There shall be no more Lords but the Lord Christ and his Dominion shall be greater then ever any was Which the Prophet Malachy doth notably surveigh Chap. 1. verse 11. in these words From the rising of the Sunne even to the going downe of the same my name shall bee great among the Gentiles c. CHAP. IV. Concerning the Qualifications or Qualities of this Kingdome of Christ Viz. Negatively it is a State that is Sinless Sorrowless Deathless Superiorless c. Temptationless Timeless Positively it is the Restauration of the Creation Perfection of all Qualities Confluence of all Comforts Preface to Eternity With several other Qualifications by a natural and necessary consequence flowing from these SECT I. It is Sinlesse § 1 ANd no wonder For it is not imaginable that the deceased Saints should be raised and the living changed to injoy this glorious state on earth in Christs Kingdome with the least tincture of sinne either of their owne or others This were to bring the deceased Saints to their losse And the changed state of the living would not be freed from sinne which would bee their greatest sorrow which as the next Section demonstrateth cannot consist with this glorious state It would be a misery not a felicity for the soules of the deceased to come out of supernal glory into a body of sinne or for them or the changed to be mixed with the society of gracelesse men A meer regenerate estate not yet perfect lamented that condition so long since as Lot and David 2 Pet. 2.7 Psal 120.5 yea the latter complained of society with men of faire outsides flattering with their lips and eating bread at his Table but were not right at heart And our Saviour warns his Disciples as of a danger that they should bee among men that outwardly seem to be sheep but inwardly were Wolves which this glorious state will not admit So then the huge augmentation of this Kingdome or fifth Monarchy shall not as in worldly Monarchies cause pollution and corruption This shall bee Status optimus maximus the biggest and best state that ever was or shall be on earth all suitable to a resurrection The places of Scripture asserting the sinlesseness of this time are very many and very cleer so that I need but repeat them to convince the ingenuous Reader ¶ 1 Adam we know was created sinlesse according to the Image and likenesse of God to have Dominion over all and to rest on the Sabbath now this state of Adam is applied by David Ps 8. to a future state of man which the Apostle Paul accommodates to our estate and rest in the inhabited world to come Heb. 2.5 and Chap. 4. verse 9. as wee have afore demonstratively expounded those places If there be any difference it is in this as the Apostle sets it forth 1 Cor. 15. that our estate shall be better then his ¶ 2 Num. 30.5 6 8. The Lord thy God wil bring thee into thine owne land and the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soul and thou shalt returne and obey the voyce of the Lord and do AL HIS COMMANDEMENTS Which was spoken of and to the Jews long since deceased being never yet so fulfilled to them or any of that Nation succeeding them and therefore according to the truth of God must be fulfilled to all the elect of them and of their posterity ¶ 3 Isa 11.6 The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lamb c. and they shall not hurt c. For the earth shall bee FULL OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD AS THE WATERS COVER THE SEA which whether we understand of men or beasts it argues a restauration to an estate like that of innocent Adam And the reason adds the glory of the cause as the thing is a most glorious effect That this innocent time shall follow upon an ocean of divine knowledge ¶ 4. Isa 59.21 This is my Covenant my WORD AND MY SPIRIT SHALL NEVER DEPART from thee for ever ¶ 5. Isa 35.8 There shall be an high-way and it shall be called the way of holinesse THE UNCLEAN SHAL NOT PASSE OVER IT ¶ 6. Isa 60.21 Thy people shall be ALL RIGHTEOUS ¶ 7. Jer. 32.40 41. I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turne away from them to doe them good But I will put my feare into their heart that they shall not depart from me Yea I will rejoyce over them to doe them good and will plant them in this Land assuredly WITH MY WHOLE HEART and WHOLE SOUL See this great promise must be fulfilled when the Jewes are settled in their owne land ¶ 8. Ezech. 36.23 to verse 30. I will gather you from all Countries and bring you into your owne land and I will sprinkle cleane water upon you and you shall be cleane from ALL
YOUR FILTHINESSE c. and I will save you from ALL YOUR UNCLEANNES 9. Ezekiel Chap. 44.9 speaking of the glorious state of the Church in the last dayes addes Thus saith the Lord no stranger uncircumcised in HEART shall enter into my Sanctuary ¶ 10 Dan. 12.3 At the time that Michael shall stand up and deliver his people they that be wise shall shine as the BRIGHTNES OF THE FIRMAMENT and they that turne many to righteousness AS THE STARS FOR EVER AND EVER Which is to come to passe before the last universal resurrection and ultimate judgement as we have before demonstrated ¶ 11. Zeph. 3.13 The remnant of Israel SHAL NOT DO INIQUITY nor SPEAK LYES neither shall a DECEITFUL TONGUE be found in their mouthes which words relate as the context afore shews to a state of the Church in the last dayes on earth as the thing demonstrates that it was never yet fulfilled ¶ 12. Zach. 14.20.21 Upon all shall be holinesse to the Lord. ¶ 13 Malach. 4.1 c. The day commeth that shall burne as an oven And all that are proud and doe wickedly shall be as stubble and the day commeth that shall burne them up saith the Lord that it shal leave them neither root nor branch All these places and others have been demonstratively cleared to relate to the time following upon the Call of the Jewes and their settlement All which laid together make up a sinlesse condition § 2 Which will be more cleare and more clearly settled on our spirits by adding some places of the New Testament ¶ 1 In 1 Cor. 15.52 54 55 56. it is said When this corruption shall put on incorruption at the sound of the last Trumpet then O death where is thy sting The sting of death is sinne But thanks be to God that gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Now as wee have before proved there is a vast space viz. of a thousand yeers of the whole terme of the last Trumpet afore the universal ultimate Resurrection ¶ 2 In 2 Cor. 3.18 it is said When the Jewes shall have both vayles taken away as wee have before opened viz. that on Moses namely his forme of worship and that on their hearts viz. their unbeleef instead of the remainders of sinne they shall with open face behold the glory of the Lord being transformed into the same image from glory to glory ¶ 3 St. Peter likewise asserts 2 Pet. 3.13 That after the dissolution of this present vaine sinfull world there shall not onely be New Heavens but also a NEW EARTH wherein dwels RIGHTEOUSNESSE Proving it out of Isa 65.17 for those words be repeats This is spoken to the Jewes and concerning their share in the future happinesse on earth And that dwelling of righteousnesse there must signifie an eminent and absolute degree or else it will not surmount the present state of the Chuch in which as such dwels much righteousnesse But I need not struggle about this with most knowing men who incline to understand this place of a perfection as absolute as that in the supreamest Empyrean heaven ¶ 4 Let us adde but one place more viz. That in Rev. 21. v. 1. c. and verse last of that Chapter in a continued description of the glorious state of the Saints on earth yet to come And saith St. John I saw a new heaven and a new EARTH and I saw the holy City New Jerusalem comming down FROM GOD OUT OF HEAVEN Behold the Tabernacle of God is WITH MEN c. and there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that DEFILETH c. but they that are written in the Lambs Book Every verse of this Chapter as before we gave a particular account hath something in it incompatible and incompetible with the supreamest heavenly estate § 3 But then the question will bee where shall abide all those thousand yeers all those hypocrites called Gog and Magog that shall at last break out and go about to oppose the Church though in vain their opposition and subversion concluding in the same moment Rev. 20.8 Wee answer according to that light wee have attained that most probably they shall not be in but without the Church Rev. 22.15 Without shall be dogs evill men and such as make and love a lye The Heathens as appears by Homer * Iliad 8. did use to call the place of out-cast men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tartaros alluding likely to some dismal remote place of the earth as Tartary is from us and from Jerusalem The Apostle takes up that word in 2 Pet. 2.4 and makes a verb out of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tartaroâ— to signifie the putting of men into an Hellish solitary place So that most likely the unregenerate shall be as remote from the Church as Tartary is from Jerusalem and the Christian Church as far as it were from Hell to Heaven The Church now being as in an Heaven on earth the false-hearted spawn of future Gog and Magog shall bee remote on earth neer their future Hell To which that place of Gog and Magog Rev. 20.8 doth contribute some proof in that it saith that Gog and Magog shall bee fetched up against the Church by the Devil from the FOURE QUARTERS OF THE EARTH § 4 But if these Hypocrites were permitted neerer the Church they might perhaps be converted VVee answer no. For it is if we may use that word the Fate of this Millenary period I meane Gods righteous peremptory sentence that as all that time there shall be no degenerating of any beleevers so no more regenerating of any unbeleevers There is a judiciary sentence peremptorily passed to this purpose Rev. 22.11 He that is unjust let him be unjust still and be which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still That is They shall be so still In order to which it follows WITHOUT are Dogs c. that love and make a lye And I come quickly and my reward is with mee The appearance of Christ at the preface to thiâ— thousand yeers will be as it is represented in the Preface to the Revelation Chap. 1. among the Churches viz. that then are or have been Chuâ—ches Therefore it behooves Churches and all Professors to beware they bee not sound as the Foolish Virgins that never had the oyle of regenerating grace in the vessels of their hearts and the oyle of sound principles in their heads by which they made the blaze of Profession is spent i. e. they have lost their principles and so being unready at Christs comming they come when as Ierome saith well the doors are shut SECT II. It is Sorrowlesse § 1 HAving shewed that this future glorious state of the Kingdome of Christ on earth yet to come shall be sinlesse next with good dependence we assert it is a sorrowlesse condition For sorrow came into the world by sinne therefore sorrow shall
texts of Isa 25.8 and Hos 13 14. to be then fulfilled doth clearly import a state on earth of a visible glory of the Church when the Jewes shall be called For the said Prophesies mainly had an eye to the restitution of the Jews As the Apostle extends them to Jews and Gentiles attained by Christ And speaks in this Chapter all along of the resurrection of Saints which John Rev. 20.5 calls the first Resurrection and doth not speake of the generall Resurrection of the wicked ¶ 3 Adde to the three former places to prove that this time we speake of shall be a deathlesse condition another most evident place sc Rev. 21.4 I have diverse times demonstrated that this Chapter cannot bee meant of everlasting glory in the highest heavens And once I runne over the whole Chapter to that end And now you may cast your eye upon 1 2 3. verses which lead to the fourth now quoted New heavens because the old passe away But the highest heavens are never old nor passe away And a New earth which cannot import Heaven No more Sea This in no wise can belong to a description of glory in the highest heavens I saw New Jerusalem the holy City comming downe from God OUT of Heaven not going up to Heaven The Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwel with them Then it follows v. 4. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor paine So that the taking away of all tears as is here expressed is the same with Isa 25.8 And in both places the taking away of death and of sorrow are conjoyned ¶ 4 So that in Revel 7. the last verse relates to the same place of Isa 25.8 And intends fully the taking away of death though not so fully mentioned ¶ 5 The last place to prove this deathlesse condition is Rev. 22.2 3 It is evident that this 22 Chapter relates to the same state as Chapter 21. witnesse not only v. 14 15. But v. 1 2. of the Fountain of water and Tree of life which signifies a state on earth Now in relation to our Point by reason of their partaking of the Tree of life it is said in v. 3. There shall be no curse i. e. No death For that was the original curse to Adam if he did eat of the Tree of knowledge of good and evill If he did not he might have eaten of the Tree of life and lived for ever Hee should never have dyed but beene translated So now shall it bee in this State § 3 Thus you see the grounds that make it most probable that this time shall be a Deathlesse time A kinde of beginning of immortality If men say the contrary it is by presumptuous interpretation and with a bold THAT IS But these places speake so plaine downe right that I must leave them as I finde them and not dare to alter them If any one intimation in other Scriptures may be found they must for ought I see be accommodated to these The plainer must make the darker comply To deal faithfully with you There is onely one considerable place that I know of relating to the time I speake that hath something of an intimation of mortality to be in these times and that is Isa 65.20 It cleerly relates to the time we speak of v. 17. Behold I create New Heavens and a New earth c. which Peter refers to this time 2 Pet. 3.13 in relation to the promise in that Isa 65. Now the 20. verse our Translators have rendred thus There shall be no more an Infant of dayes nor an old man that hath not filled his dayes For the childe shall dye an hundred yeers old but the sinner being an hundred yeers old shall be accursed Now as far as I can see into Languages and the context these words For the childe shall dye an hundred yeers old may be more fitly translated That the childe should dye an hundred yeers old For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew is exceeding often used yea and so rendred by Translators to signifie THAT as wee have here rendred it As for turning shall into should it is not worth the mentioning before a Grammarian that knowes that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so rendred will infer that the verb speak subjunctively Now read the words so easily altered in the English and without the least violence to the native acception of the Hebrew and the meaning will be quite contrary to any intimation of the mortality of the Saints in this glorious time of the thousand yeers For according as we have translated the sense will runne cleerly thus There shall be no more thence or from that time viz. of the beginning of the thousand yeers of the New Creation an infant of dayes or an old man that hath not filled his dayes that the child or young man should dye at an hundred yeers old So that here is no mention of the mortality of the Saints but of their immortality Which for further clearing of the Text may bee made out two wayes ¶ 1. Thus Hee that is an hundred yeers old in those dayes is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in the Text but a youth or young man as our old Translation renders it For as a youth hath but the tenth part of that age which many men live in these dayes So an hundred yeers are but the tenth of this Millenary time of life to the inheritors thereof Againe as in the first age of the world wherein Adam lived one of an hundred yeers old was but a young man to one at his full age in those dayes as Gen. 5.4 Adam lived an hundred and thirty yeers and begat a sonne But Adam after that lived eight hundred yeers so all his dayes were nine hundred and thirty neer a thousand Even so in this Millenary age of the New creation one of an hundred yeers old is but a young man to the thousand yeers that hee shall reigne with Christ on earth So that the sense of the Prophet may fairly be taken to be this That in the time of this New creation the thing a type at least of the highest glory and the time a preface of eternity as the young man must not have his dayes cut off so the old man must fulfill his dayes And how are both these accomplished in this New creation but by both their living on earth a thousand yeers old and young all Saints reigning on earth a thousand yeers When I speake of old and young you must understand those Saints that are found alive at Christs comming which anon after are changed for all the deceased Saints are raised to an equall perfection and absolute maturity of age and nature even as the other are changed into the same exactnesse though at Christs first appearance different in age c. So that we may well understand the Prophet to allude to the age of
reading though it doth a little differ from the Arabick and Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And there shall not be any more an infant of dayes and an old man that fils not his dayes because the youth that offends at the age of an hundred yeers shall dye and he that transgresseth in the age of an hundred yeers shall be banished which reacheth thus far to our purpose to signifie that the sinners not the Saints shall dye at this time of the glorious visible state of the Church But do not I stretch the sense of the Chaldee Paraphrase To answer this and to give you a further account of the sense of that place according to the opinion of the Church at Geneva and of the Rabbins hear the great Critick Ludovick De Dieu his Animadversions on the place bringing in his report of their opinions those things I have before asserted with an addition of his own thoughts upon the place Video Genevenses c. I see saith he they of Geneva doe refer this same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THENCE to time translating De la en avant that is From henceforward But Rabbi D. Kimchi refers it to Jerusalem saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THENCE that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Jerusalem whom Vatablus and Junius follow and I thinke ought to be followed * I for more safety according to the Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 referred it to both in that both time and place concur to the thing Moreover the Genevenses or they of Geneva translate the rest as if the sense of the Hebrew were this At that time so great shall be the length of mens lives that he that is now an old man shall then be counted as an infant And I see the Hebrews as R.D. Kimchi and Sol. Jarchi in their Commentaries yea and Jonathan in his Chalde Paraphrase to take the sense of this place to be That no man at that time shall be carried out of Jerusalem to burial who is but a boy no nor an old man unlesse he hath filled up his dayes that is hath lived to that length of life WHICH MEN HAD BEFORE THE FLOOD c. Thus far De Dieu his report of others viz. The Genevenses the Hebrews and the Chalde Paraphrase which how closely they concurre with us afore I need not multiply words to open the intelligent eye Next for De Dieu his own opinion upon the place it is true that he looks upon those hopes of the Jewes to use his owne words to be but dreams wherein they do imagine such a marveilous Kingdome of the Messiah and such a most happy life of the Jews AT THAT TIME ON EARTH But whiles he turnes us quite about we are but AS WEE WERE for he speaks but tantamount the same in effect which hath been already affirmed His words are these Nos haec spiritualia esse novimus c. That is wee know that these things are spiritual and so we interpret There shall not exist from thence any more an infant of dayes and an old man that filleth not up his dayes that is At that time there shal be another manner of the state of the world then there is at present For in this world many dye Infants others as it were old men of sixty or seventy yeers of age few finish their just space of life to attaine to an hundred yeers old But THEN there shall be the same condition of all whether of young or old for all shall fully make up their dayes The Prophet proves it For the child shall dye an hundred yeers old that is A childe shall not die a childe but shall fulfill the due space of his life But the sinner an hundred yeers old shall be accursed that is A childe will be happier in the Kingdome of Christ then an old man in the Kingdome of the world For a childe in the Kingdome of Christ SHAL ATTAINE A BLESSED OR BEATIFIED PERFECTION OF LIFE But the sinner in the Kingdome of the world shall be accursed even whiles hee SEEMS to have attained to a perfection of life Thus De Dieu for his own opinion By which supposing our consent to all he saies how far hath he carried us from where we were He saith he knowes these things of the Messiahs Kingdome shall bee spiritual We say so too The efficient the form or manner the end shall be spiritual and the injoyment shall be spiritualized But mens soules and bodies shall not be altered in kind then they were not men And the earth shall be earth or else how is it called a new Earth An earth though renovated And upon this must Christs Kingdome exist for he shall have none in the supreamest heavens after this on earth 1 Cor. 15.24.28 And he confesseth that in the Kingdome of Christ shall be happinesse I say no more let the Reader judge of the rest § 5 Some make another argument out of a Text that speaks no such thing viz. Heb. 9.27 It is appointed unto men once to dye therefore men in the thousand yeers must also die To which wee answer First It is not said to all men but onely to men Secondly All men are not appointed to die So the same Apostle expresly in 1 Cor. 15.51 we shall not all dye that is the meaning of sleep but wee shall be changed Thirdly Note the distinction of times It is true in that 9. of Heb. 27. that before the judgement men ordinarily die But when the judgement comes which begins at this thousand as we proved afore because the living wicked are destroyed and the dead Saints are raised and rewarded I say when the judgement comes there is no more death but changing 1 Cor. 15.1 Thess 4. There is yet behinde one objection sc The last enemy that is destroyed is death 1 Cor. 15.26 as if this Text did argue for death in the thousand yeers but it doth not For we answer Though that be the last enemy yet that is not the last thing done in the seventh Trumpet or thousand yeers but death is destroyed to the Saints at the beginning of the thousand yeers as we have largely shewed afore For verse 23,24 is said every one shall rise in his owne order Christ first AFTERWARD viz. above one thousand six hundred and fifty after they that are Christs AFTER that comes the ultimate end sc after a thousand yeers As he destroyes the death of sinne at the beginning of the sounding of the last Trumpet v. 52. sc the seventh Rev. 11. So after the sound of it many things are to be done afore the ultimate judgement Ibid. sc as afore shewed At the ultimate judgement death is not destroyed to the wicked but re-inforced in a worse kinde or degree Rev. 20.14 SECT IV. THe future glorious state on earth shall be such as wherein there shall be No humane ruling Majesty No Church-censures No superiority of persons No fears
shall not If we might be tempted this were not a sorrowlesse condition It was a part of Christs great humiliation that he was tempted though he could not be prevailed against If wicked men the instruments shall not be neer to tempt them then nor Satan the Author So the Text Rev. 19. The wicked are removed Chap. 20. Satan is removed bound up that he should not seduce the Nations any more which phrase would be weighed more then it is I have before shewed in our answer to Doctor Prideaux That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies any the least temptation And now I adde that for ought I know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may fitly be rendred Satan shall not to that end wander up and downe among the Nations The Greek may beare it And the context speaks for it For were all those expressions and acts sc laid hold on and bound him cast him into the pit and sets a seale onely to that end that he might not seduce If God had onely laid his command it had been enough to restrain his acting as when Christ commanded him out of the possessed Rather therefore the meaning is that hee might not have so much as the liberty to peragrare Gentes to wander up and downe over the Nations It must not be with him as in the dayes of the Churches afflictions Job 1.7 and 1 Pet. 5.8 Now he is held chained cast down sealed that he may not wander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the active is to wander as planets that compasse the Earth And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the middle voice signifies to wander from place to place viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greek Criticks give instance obire multa loca to travel over much ground And Christ saith Now is the houre of temptation and the Kingdome of patience Then the Kingdome of perfect peace purity and exultation Rev. 11. Rev. 20. Rev. 21. The Serpent then shal only eat his dust Isa 65.25 in opposition to Gen. 3.14 And the devill that abused his body shall be shut up Now shall be fulfilled that promise Rom. 20.16 The God of PEACE mark Gods title shall tread Satan under your feet c. Now that Satan is in the pit he must be under their feet while the Saints stand on their feet on earth Satan must be under them As all things under Christs feet Heb. 2. As for Satans utter prevailing that was subdued when the Apostle spake those words For this purpose the Sonne of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devill 1 Joh. 3.8 Observe it is said works c. therefore now Satan himselfe must be under their feet as that text speaks Rom. 16.20 now is to bee fulfilled perfectly that Heb. 2.8 c. All must be subject to Christ And he must destroy death AND HIM THAT HAD THE POWER OF DEATH WHICH IS the Devil verse 14. So that that time that is a Deathlesse condition is a Devil-lesse a Satanlesse time And as in Rev. 20.7 the letting loose of Satan and Satans tempting go together so by an Antithesis Satans binding and his Non-tempting goe together verse 3. Indeed it is said so frequently in the Revelation that at the seventh Trumpet at this first Resurrection when Christ reigns and the Saints with him on Earth that their businesse shall be to joy praise triumph and sing Hallelujahs Rev. 5. Rev. 7. Rev. 14. and Rev. 19.5 or six times in the beginning of that Chapter that it cannot enter into the thoughts of the purest reason that there should be any sad songs of Satan sung to the ears of a Saint Sin and temptation are more sad then death to a Saint and therefore if the lesser sorrow and death shall be gone at this time then much more temptation If nothing that defileth shall enter into this state then not the unclean spirit as Christ calls him O glorious time when there shall be no disposition within nor temptation without to sinne but so full of God and happinesse in manifestation of Christ that there shall be no thoughts but in relation to him The souls of the Elect shall not returne to their bodies to be tempted that were their losse And the living Saints are changed therefore to a state of grace beyond that now which at present is liable to Temptation SECT VI. The next Quality is the RESTAURATION OF ALL THE CREATURES AS Isa 65.17 it is said there must be New Heavens sc a New Church-state so a New Earth a New naturall politick state of persons and things For there is mention of plantings and injoying of them And verse 25. of the Wolfe dwelling with the Lamb c. and that dust shall be the Serpents meat no devouring or hurting So the close They shall not destroy nor hurt in all the holy Mountaine Of this of the Wolfe c. we spake once afore largely on Isa 11.6 7 8 9. which Lactantius takes litterally See before and after the Text it is intended for the time we speake of And the reason of all is For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Knowledge signifies oft all spirituals and here imports that there shal be such an abundant manifestation of Gods presence that all whether taken litterally or metaphorically shall be as in Paradise before Adams fall So Psal 8. makes Gen. 1.26 A Prophesie or Type or both of what man shall injoy in after times And Heb. 2. applies Psal 8. to the time we speak of And Heb. 4. applies Gods resting the seventh day to a Sabbatisme on earth yet to come So the 2 Pet. 3. and Rev. 21.1 apply the New Heavens and New Earth to the said time and call it the New Jerusalem comming downe from God out of Heaven And the addition to the glory of this New Jerusalem shall be a lustre of all creatures materials of building shall be like all manner of precious stones and men shall be like Angels Kings honouring the Church No sea sc to devoure but adorn and comfort man if it be not in a great part crusted into a chrystal body like heaven above consolidated for men to travel upon and come together and to shine to adde an inlightning to the earth for more glory Adde to all this that of Rom. 8.18 As vox naturae THE VOYCE OF NATURE for our point full to our purpose though it may be not heeded for this purpose For Peter gives us a good item when being about to speak of the New Heavens and New Earth 2 Pet. 3. He tels us in v. 3. That before that shall be scoffers and slighters of this opinion of Christs comming they will be as heedlesse as men were before the renovation of the world by Noahs flood Chap. 2. And then having spoken of the New Heavens c. according to Gods promise verse 13. then in the 14. verse he exhorts men to be diligent to bee found blamelesse
they but we our selves who also have the first fruits of the Spirit groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body See creature and the Saints are still distinguished The Text is spoken to them that have the spirit yet still they groan with the whole Creation for a restauration of all as for a thing not yet come to passe And this cannot be in the supreamest Heaven The Creation cannot groan for that Nor can it groan for a dissolution at the last day of judgement therefore let the wise understand these things § 4 Lactantius saith of this Restauration When the thousand yeers come the world shall bring forth fruit alone and the Rock shall distil dew and no creature shall live upon prey The dog shall not hunt and the childe shall not be affraid of the Serpent I adde If in these corrupt times the Beast knowes his Master sure then all creatures shall bee most kinde to Saints and Saints shall know more perfectly all the creatures and be more kinde to them The lowest of this state as I have oft told you and proved shall be according to that of Adams innocency and therefore as all creatures came tamely before Adam and Adam gave them all names Gen. 2.19 so all now shall be tame toward man And if after that in that corrupt time of the old world Noah and the creatures were saved together in one Arke then now also shall all the creatures in their kinde injoy the liberty of the Sonnes of God as we heard afore in Rom. 8. § 5 And if this knowledge shall be between man and the creatures how much more between man and man I know no reason but that all the Saints shall know one another by former relations of Husband Wife Father and Childe brother and Sister It being joy to them to see them in the same happinesse yet shall not misse or moan for any wanting because God is glorified by them other wayes Adam in innocency saw Eve and knew shee was his wife and yet without sin In the Transfiguration Moses and Elijah are known The Disciples know Christ risen And Lazarus after hee was raised Then in the intent and meaning Dives shall see Lazarus in Abrahams bosome And some Jewes shall see Abraham and Isaac in the Kingdome and they themselves cast out therefore Saints much more shall know one another Wee shall know Christ and so all the members of Christ § 6 But this of knowing falls in but by the by The thing is the Restauration of the Creation And to what end That the Saints may enjoy all in their perfection that all things in their perfection may be restored to their right Owners Jure in equity all now is ours that believe 1 Cor. 3. the three last verses But then de facto in act Rev. 21.7 They shall inherit all things Till then the great ones of the earth take almost all from the Saints As in Dan. 7. first eight verses the fourth Beast took all But at the time wee speak of it shall be that Dan. 7.27 And the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High Which relates to the time we speak of as hath been proved SECT VII A Timelesse state THe next Quality is That when this visible glorious state of Church shall come TIME shall be no more Rev. 10.6 Time is a Quantity But no more time refers also to Qualities Note two circumstances of this assertion First It was spoken after the sixth Trumpet had sounded Rev. 9.13 therefore this looks toward the seventh Trumpet viz. to the time of the Churches visible glory Secondly It is spoken Rev. 10.1 by a mighty Angel comming downe from Heaven cloathed with a cloud and a Rain-bow about his head His face as the Sun His feet as a Pillar of fire and had in his hand a little booke therefore this was spoke in relation to the time of Christs appearing for Hee comes down from Heaven and cloathed with a cloud at his appearance Chap. 1.7 And the Rain-bow signifies that he comes as the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 Rev. 4.3 Sun is also the description of Christs comming Rev. 1. verse 16. and Malach. 4.2 so his feet as Pillars of fire Rev. 1. And the little Booke Chapter 5. And a mighty Angel sc Michael Dan. 12. i.e. Who is as God called Gods-fellow Zach. 13.7 Phil. 2.8 All these signifie the manner of Christs appearing Which appearance is at the seventh Trumpet Rev. 11.15 And here after he had cryed and caused the seven thunders hee swears Time shall be no more therefore this of Non-time refers to this time of the Churches visible glory Now Christs swearing it and with such solemnity standing on the Sea and Earth and lifting up his hand to Heaven swearing by himselfe who liveth for ever and made all things doth import some great matter I may import these five things ¶ 1 Most likely there shal be no more motion of the heavens which is the cause of time The stars shall rest Isa 60.20 Rev. 21.25 ¶ 2 There shall be no more changes Tempus edax rerum Time makes old and at last dissolves Time causeth Summer and Winter and so causeth much alteration in all bodies and the alteration of mens bodies much reflects on their spirits Now there being no more cause of changes there shall be no more changes However the Elect once for all at Christs appearing at the beginning of the thousand yeers are raised or changed to an essential perfection therefore no change from better to worse ¶ 3 For if no more time then Eternity is begun and therefore all must stand fixed in their perfection like Eternity not well to day weak to morrow cheerfull to day and melancholly to morrow but the Saints shall be stable and all things stable about them Friends creatures c. shining in beams of love and standing in a streight line of constant service All things that can passe away all old things and all that can waxe old are gone and all become new Rev. 21 1-4 5. As New Jerusalem comes out of Heaven so it shall be like Heaven No change No other Alpha and Omega first and last but Christ himselfe so is the close of former things gone Rev 21.6 Now he is the everlasting God afore all and after all and still the same Heb. 13. The man that changes changeth first and chiefly in his head Eccles 12. His haire white His eyes dim His cheeks wrinkled But our head cannot change There shall bee no sad remembrance that we were so happy but now we are worse but our Motto is semper idem i.e. Alwayes the same ¶ 4 No more time signifies There shall be no more time for abusers of time No time for the things that have caused sorrowful times to the Saints There shall be no more time for any kinde of evill
Majesty Ezek. 7.20 Yea the Church is called Christs body Christs fulnesse presented without spot Eph. 1. Eph. 5. Now all these in the thousand yeers must be fully fulfilled Rev. 21. throughout SECT II. The Second Priviledge is A superabundant pouring out of the Spirit § 1 THe Saints ever since they beleeved have had the Spirit in some measure sc as a Spirit of Adoption and Sanctification so these are in Rom. 8. viz. v. 10. and v. 15. But now they shall have it in a more exceeding abounding manner and measure both for gifts and graces § 2 Joel 2.28 Afterwards I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dream dreams and your young men shall see visions and also upon the servants and upon the hand-maids in those dayes will I poure out my Spirit I did before in the Quod sit prove First That this did relate to the time we speake of Secondly That that pouring out Act. 2. was but the first fruits sc Spirit was abundantly poured out but upon some few And Dan. 12. verse 2 3 and 4. it is prophesied of this time Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake c. and they that bee wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse as the stars for ever and ever And knowledge shall be increased The demonstration of this place to belong to this time we speake of you have heard afore SECT III. The third Priviledge A wonderful returne of prayers § 1 ISaiah 65.24 It shall come to passe that before they call I will answer and whiles they are yet speaking I will heare That these words are within the body of a maine Prophesie of the visible glory of the Church in the time we speake of we have abundantly proved afore And you your selves may see by weighing verse 17. afore sc I create New Heavens and a New Earth c. compared with 2 Pet. 3. and 25. after The Wolfe shall dwel with the Lamb c. they shall not hurt nor destroy in all the holy mountaine And this same verse sc 24. which I urge Mr. Archer also urgeth to the same purpose in his Book of Christs Reigne on Earth page 31. saying That at this time there shall be a full and present answer to all their prayers At this time the reversion of all the prayers of all former ages will come into the Churches hands the effect of all those will flow in upon the Church unto a sea of happinesse And if this Church at present makes any prayers they shall have a present answer The Text saith Before they call The Hebrew is rendred both by the Latins Greek Syr. and Arab. Before they cry out So that before they pray as men in extremity or distresse God will answer which is plaine by that which follows For whiles they are speaking even in their hearts whiles they are but thinking prayer their desires shall be fulfilled Mr. Bolton saith that whiles the Saints are but thinking the desire of moving from one place to another from one company of Saints and Angels to another whether in heaven or on earth or both for most probably heaven and earth in common shall at last be the Sea of blisse both being made equally glorious they shall move thither even in an imperciptible time that is very suddenly Now every thing must bee compleated in its prime and therefore whatsoever requests the Saints may then make as comporting with that state it shall bee to use Christs words which then must be fulfilled to purpose But ask and have It is true this state shal be a state of perfection but it doth exist on this side the last loosing of Satan the rising of Gog and Magog and the ultimate general judgement What requests the Saints may then make we cannot affirm But sure if they make any they shal be without sinne or sorrow as before we have largely intimated The word prayer in Scripture comprehends praises and praises prayers as David calls his Psalmes Thillim Praises though they contain many Prayers That in this state the Church shall abound with praises the Revelation doth often hint as Rev. 11. Rev. 14. Rev. 19. And even as Christ layes not downe his Mediatorship till the end of the thousand yeers in divers respects of which afore so perhaps the Saints may make some kinde of prayers As for the exercise of their communion with God the use of their graces the receivall of reciprocall impressions for the continuation of their present state though God hath assured them it shall not faile prayer being the conduit of the fluxive River-like flowing in of it And for the finishing of their present state to the utmost supernal eternal glory I tenderly propose these things wherein my light is dim Most probably Adam in innocency should have spoken to God in some way of prayer And the Angel made a request to Christ Dan. 12.6 But I cease SECT IV. Upon those there former Priviledges followes this that in this glorious time the Churches Ordinances shall be in an higher Key either in Quality or Degree § 1 CHrist still holding his Mediatorship not to be laid downe till the end of the ultimate day of judgement 1 Cor. 15. and hee appearing in his glory to the Church as the great ordinance of Ordinances shall by speciall communion with the Church manifest to it the mind of God So that as God spake to Adam in Paradise and gave him the Ordinance of that seale the tree of life so here is this second Paradisian state of the Church there shall be a special manifestation and communication of and through Christ who is the maine tree of life Rev. 22. The Saints shall have such manifestations of the presence of God through Christ that now mainly is that fulfilled they shall be all taught of God as Adam was instructed in Paradise § 2 They shall have the high Ordinance that Angelical Ordinance of praise to God Rev. 11. Rev. 14. Rev. 19. Praise is as well an injunction as Prayer and as formerly Fasting was an extraordinary worship in misery so now praise in time of all mercies § 3 Their meditation which is an injoyned Ordinance I say their meditation and contemplation of God shall be as a vision of God or sight of his face Rev. 22.2 3 4. In the midst of the street and on either side of the river was the tree of life yeelding fruit the participation whereof comes not in without meditation acting or receiving and there shall be no curse there but the Throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve him which sure must be by meditation minding what they doe and THEY SHALL SEE HIS FACE So that their meditation and contemplation of God shall be as in a continuall vision of God Glorious sights cause meditation and meditation takes in
our Saviour also testifies to this Prognostick Matth. 24. After the signes to come to passe whiles the end was not yet but were onely the beginnings of sorrow verse 6. verse 8. Christ addes other signes that should more neerly precede and point at the end And amongst many direful signes he gives this INIQUITY SHALL ABOUND after which the Gospel being preached to all the world as a witnesse to them THEN SHALL THE END COME verse 9. to 15. To the same purpose Rev. 18. verse 2 3 4 5 6. Babylon the Great is fallen is fallen that is shall fall as certainly as if already fallen c. FOR HER SINNES HAVE REACHED UNTO HEAVEN § 2 Now whether the enemies wickednesse is not mounted up to the height and the Antichristian parties sinnes I mean all that oppose Christ by what names or titles soever by what way or means or manner soever are not come to the full I leave the well-principled sound sanctified spiritual soul to judge Turcisme and Papisme is now worse then ever by how much more they have of late prevailed and have sinned against greater light and are more encouraged by the enmities and impieties among Protestants The Arminian and Socinian party with their Articuli perpendendi Advancements of mans will Disputes against the Deity of Christ with some questionings of the Holy Ghost have struck in with the Antichristian party and joyning in effect at least their forces with them have greatly enlarged their Quarters The Lutherans still as obstinately as ever if not more obstinately since against more light shining in sundry disputes destroy the humanity of Christ by their doctrine of Consubstantiation The learned of the Jews poor soules are now more obstinate against Christ come in the flesh then ever And for Protestant Nations or Peoples I am utterly astonished in my thoughts and distressed for words to expresse their unparallelable Apostasies The revolt among Professours is generall Their blasphemous words against God Christ the Holy Ghost the Holy Scriptures and consequently against Salvation Heaven Hell the Immortality of the Soule and all Fundamentals are nefanda so wicked that they are not to be mentioned though I could distinctly lest I should leave some staine upon some pious soule that may read this Treatise Their many wicked practices are sutable Community of women swearing drinking c. And these practised by principle as the way to destroy the flesh By this meanes many Jesuits false Prophets false Teachers and damnable Seducers are encouraged as the mutter abroad is every where to creep in amongst them All Religious worship is decried as flesh and forme The wicked prophane are extreamly encouraged the commers on in Religion offended and beaten off And the very knees and hearts of true Saints are made feeble and ready to faint And all this account is brought in as the returne of all the marvells of mercies and miraculary deliverances that God hath given them Whiles Politicals have been recovered Religion hath been lost And whosoever will not be high in these enormities is scorned as low The Nations called Protestant minde conquest rather then conscience Hellish Heresies break out in Print from beyond and on this side the Seas The profession of most of those Countries is come to looke like dirt gain being their godlinesse Their words and promises but lyes and flatteries And selfe is now the great God that ruleth all And of all these I would I could not give so true an account as I can with admiration of Gods patience the meane while I have nor list nor cause maliciously to inveigh against Protestant Nations but out of griefe of soule and to prosecute the point in hand I have given these few hints SECT IV. The fourth Prognostick Wars and rumors of Wars c. THis Prognosticke our Saviour gives us Matth. 24.6 7. in answer to that question put to him by the Disciples verse 3. saying to him Tell us when shall these things be And what shal be the sign of thy comming and of the end of the world But withal he gives us this caution that these wars and rumors of wars are a remoter signe adding to this signe verse 6. That the end is not yet And verse 8. That they are but the beginnings of sorrow But Daniel brings this signe as it may comprehend all great and remarkable wars viz. those the Jewes shall have with their adversaries the Turke c. neerer to the end Dan. 11.44 45. compared with Dan. 12.1 viz. at that time of the Jews wars aforesaid Michael shall stand up to deliver his people though the worke of that deliverance in those wars will it seems by verse 12.13 collated take up the time of five and forty yeers Now I leave all knowing men to judge whether we have not Wars and rumors of Wars whiles most if not all Nations of the Gentiles viz. England Scotland Ireland France Spaine Italy Netherlands or Low-Countries Denmarke Portugal Sweadland Helvetia or Switzerland Poland Muscovy The huge Empire of the Turke The vast Indies c. are either in the practise or posture or preparations and expectations of War There is wanting but the driving and fall of this storme of the Gentiles Wars on the Romish Westerne Antichrist and next the Jews taking up armes against the Turkish Easterne Antichrist and then the Worke or thing signified of which those rumors of Wars are a signe will be doing at least in the Preface and preparation Which last Warre some thinke is not far off in regard of their great Mathematicians wonderfull words to that end their abundant pursing up of gold their writing letters to each other in severall Countries to that purpose their late change of their letter for concealment of their messages by writing The professed expectation of some of their Learned of the Messiah to come in the yeer 1656. or thereabouts SECT V. Giving a touch upon several other Prognosticks viz. THe more we shall see Monarchy to fall Dan. 2.34 35. the oftner there appears strange signes in the Heavens following the great tribulations upon earth Matth. 24.29.30 And the lowder is heard vox populi the voyce of the generality of Gods people in their discourses and prayers that Babylon is falling and the Lord Christ is about to reigne Rev. 19. first six verses the neerer wee may expect the approach of this Glorious state on earth How much of these things have or doe appear already I leave wise men to recall to minde and consider CHAP. III. Containing several Computations of time searching when this glorious state on Earth shall approach § 1 OF which in general I would admonish the Reader First That I shall not trouble my selfe with any Computation whose period is expired because experience hath sufficiently confuted it § 2 Secondly That I would not have him to be troubled at the Computers though he finde their numerary principles different and their Computations inconsistent one with the other but in such darke and difficult
sacrifice in Julians time to a further yeer of Christ viz. ¶ 1 Alsted who in his Chronologiâ mirabilium puts it in the yeer three hundred sixty seven His words are Ann. 367. Terrae motus ingens totum ferè c. That is In the yeer three hundred sixty seven an huge earthquake shook almost all the world A deluge destroyes Nicea and many Islands A mighty hayle at Constantinople beats downe prostrate unto the earth many men and destroyes them MOREOVER THE TEMPLE OF JERUSALEM REEDIFIED BY JULIAN THE APOSTATA falls downe and is burned by fire from Heaven Thus Alsted ¶ 2 Functius in his Chronology puts this Earthquake Inundation c. in the yeer three hundred sixty nine ¶ 3 And unto these Accounts approved Historians seem to consent whiles they put this story of the ruine of the reedificating or preparation thereunto long after the beginning of the reigne of Julian As Ammianus begins his two and twentieth Book consisting of sixteen Chapters with the story of Julians sole Emperiality Constantius being dead but mentions not that preparation to re-edifie the Temple of Jerusalem till the first Chapter of his three and twentieth Book Socrates Scholasticus likewise tells us of the creating Julian to be Caesar in the second Book and two and thirtieth Chapter of his History according to the Greek the seven and twentieth according to the English but mentions not the businesse of Julians inciting the Jews to sacrifice and for that end because they refused to sacrifice any where else but at Jerusalem encouraged them to re-build their Temple there untill the twentieth Chapter of his third Book according to the Greek the seventeenth Chapter according to the English § 4 So that this Account of the One thousand two hundred and ninety yeers in Daniel by adding thereunto three hundred sixty seven or three hundred sixty nine yeers will according to these grounds expire about seven or eight yeers hence SECT III. The Rabbins Account THe Account of the Hebrew Rabbins you had afore Book 4. Chapter 4. § 3. in ¶ 3. at the latter end noted in the Margent with ☜ that is Page 425. and ¶ 6. of the same Book Chap. and § marked also in the Margent with ☜ with the addition of these words Observe this that is in Page 429. It were pity so to abuse time and labour both yours and mine as to repeat here againe what there you have at large And therefore I intreat the Reader to a worke of such ease to have recourse thither if hee deem the knowledge of their darke and indefinite account worth the knowing SECT IV. Mr. Brightmans Account MR. Brightman on those words in Rev. 13.5 And there was given to him the Beast a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was given him TO CONTINUE or as our Translators put it in the Margent TO MAKE WARRE forty and two months doth give in his account in these words So much saith he of the Honour of the Beast now of his blaspheming and doing of which it is first said that there was power given him And then followeth the execution thereof In blaspheming at the sixth verse and in doing at the seventh It is indeed profitable for us to understand that these horrible impieties doe invade the world not by the blinde force of Fortune but by the most just judgement of God who doth thus take vengeance of our sinnes And above the rest of the contempt of his truth among men The power to blaspheme is that freedome from errour which the Pope of Rome challengeth to himselfe and to his state and which men of a blind and perverse minde do willingly grant unto him What blasphemies may not he broach unto the world each of whose Decrees and Doctrines are held for Oracles The power of doing here saith Mr. Brightman is an absolute most lawlesse and lustfull power to doe what a man will without being brought Coram to give a reason of his doing to any other In which regard the power of the Pope of Rome is notable before any other For so doe the decrees ordaine No man shall judge the FIRST SEA c. For the JUDGE shall not be judged either of the EMPEROUR or of ALL THE CLERGY or of the KINGS or of the PEOPLE Again God would have all the causes of men to bee ended by men but be hath reserved the Government OF THIS SEA to his owne arbitrement so as he will have no question of any thing hee doth Yet more The whole Church throughout the world knoweth that the most holy Church of Rome hath RIGHT TO JUDGE OF ALL MEN and that NO MAN MAY LAWFULLY JUDGE OF HER JUDGMENT Causa 9. and 3. This is called the power of doing for excellencies sake being such as no Emperour hath who doe not refuse to be contained within the bounds and to be tyed with the bonds of Laws and to have all their actions ordered by the rule of that which is equall and good As for the words Aretas readeth And there was power given him to make War and so do Montanus and the Edition of Plantin The Vulgar readeth it power of doing absolutely So doe Th. Beza and the rest of the Greek copies which reading is made good by the like use of this word in the like matter in Daniel He shall cast forth the truth upon the earth AND SHAL DOE and succeed prosperously Dan. 18.12 So verse 24. And he shall prosper marveilously and SHALL DOE So in Chap. 11.28 Hee SHALL DO and shall returne into his owne Land In which places a certain free and sovereigne power of doing is signified which should not be afraid of any mans judgement The time of doing is saith Mr. Brightman two and forty months which is the same space that the Temple remaineth measured the two Prophets mourn and the woman byeth hid in the wildernesse Chap. 11.2 and 12.6 FROM WHICH TIME THE BEGINNING OF THESE MONTHS IS TO BEE ACCOUNTED The Church is banished the Prophets put on sackcloath and the Beast or Antichrist is born into the world all at once namely in that first time of resting which the Church had from publick persecuters about the yeer three hundred But as we said afore shall there bee the same end of all these together Shall the Beast be deprived of all power of doing as soon as the Woman shall returne out of the Wildernesse Against this many things may be said As first That the Beast makes war with the two Prophets after the two and forty months be ended and overcommeth them which declareth that there is no small power of his yet remaining as we have shewed Chap. 11. verse 7. Moreover there remaineth yet far more deadly war that shall be waged against him a long time after those months as wee shall see Chapter 16. Lastly If there be the same end of the months in respect of the Beast which is of the woman how shall he have power to doe two and forty
months when as he shall lie sicke a great part of them yea he shall be as it were slaine by meanes of his wounded head This space of time doth seem therefore to containe the whole time of the tyranny of Antichrist yet so that the time of his wound whiles it is sore be taken away from it Now we have shewed that this time of his crazinesse is defined within the time of the Goths* ⎠* Kingdome verse 3. which lasted for an hundred and forty yeers If we shall therefore take away these yeers from the months of the Womans lurking we shall finde that at the end of this lurking namely at the yeer 1546. thirty seven months ☞ onely The count is selfe according to Mr. Brightman and ten dayes of Antichrists Kingdome when it was in vigor were passed over Five months therefore and twenty dayes are wanting hereto which if we reckon from the yeer 1546. the last end of Antichrist shall expire at the yeer 1686. or thereabouts For so we shall learne out of other Scriptures that he shall perish utterly about that time It may bee that his destruction may come sooner then this terme of yeers defineth for I doe not cast the account accurately at this time neither doe the Historians number the yeers so faithfully as they ought but he shall not be suffered to goe beyond the furthest space that I have set down But perhaps these months are not the space from the first beginning to the last end of the Beasts but onely the former yeers of his Kingdome which may be many enough to lay him open so as hee may be revealed to all men And by this interpretation as he beginneth together with the months of the Woman and the Prophets so he takes his end also with them This opinion is confirmed by the Warre with the Saints in verse 7. which wee have shewed fell into the end of these months Chap. 12.7 And by this interpretation the Beast is said to have power of working two and forty months for the greatest part of these months Because that little respire of time wherein he should keep in his horne because of his wounded head is little to be reckoned of in respect of the whole number * Let the Reader if he please remember that whereas Mr. Brightman thinks Antichrist was wounded by the Goths noted afore at * ⎠* according to Rcusner expressed afore in his Account Sect. 1. the Goths wounded the Emperour and Empire not the Pope and Popedome but the said Popes and Popedome rather got head and bea rt and health and strength by the Goths wounding of the Empire which granted Mr. Brightmans knot is quite removed touching the five months Neither is his power which shall bee afterwards like that of his former time as experience sheweth at this day wherein we see the Popes power to be made to languish and to be weakned much from the time of his professed and pitched battel that is from the Council of Trent So that his power is now almost none at all to that which it was in former ages This latter is more simple in which regard I like it better Thus Mr. Brightman Now according to this account Antichrist shall be fully downe about seven and twenty yeers hence SECT V. Alsteds Account HE gives it you * Alsted XII Chronologia Epocharum Propheticarum in this sorme and the words as neer as I can translate and imitate him for your best understanding THE APOCALYPTICAL VOLUMNE or COMMENTARY †Syngramma Apocalypticum Three times seven mysticall Characters * Hierogly phicater septem The threefold state of the Church  The Kingdome of the Beast I. The 6 former of the 7 Seals containe the time from the the 35 yeer of Christ to the 606 yeer  I. For a Time from the yeer of Christ 35 to the yeer 606. I. The ancient Beast or the primary solely II. The six former of the seven Trumpets from the yeer of Christ 606. to the yeer 1517. 1 Alternative or vicissitudinarious II. For Times from the yeer 606. to the yeer 1517. II. The ancient or primary and secundary III. The six former of the seven Phials from the yeer 1517. to the yeer 1694 The seventh Trumpet and seventh Phial 2 Happy on earth for a 1000 yeers III. For Half a Time from the yeer of Christ 1517. to the yeer 1694. III. The ancient Beast alive againe 3 Most happy in Heaven    They that are inquisitive to know how he gives a particular account of these Periods may if they understand the Latine Tongue or by the helpe of such friends look into Alsted himselfe in the fore-cited place or into Mr. Mede in English Diatrib par 4. p. 453. whither I refer them lest I should bee needlessely tedious to my friends that fear the prolixity of this Treatise Which therefore I prevent all I can § 3 So that by this Account the beginning of the thousand yeers will not be far off about one and forty yeers hence SECT VI. Mr. Medes Accounts § 1 IN his Diatrib Par. 4. Page 87. he gives us this Account Having said Page 83. Though Christianity hath been imbraced in former times where now it is not yet it is now spread in those places where in those times it was not so that all laid together wee may account Christianity at this day as large as ever it was in the Apostles time yet that this is not THAT UNIVERSAL KINGDOME OF CHRIST THAT FLOURISHING and GLORIOUS ESTATE OF THE CHURCH WHICH WE YET EXPECT and HOPE FOR my Reasons are these I say Mr. Mede having said these things in page 83 and in page 84 85 86 having given severall of the said reasons then in the said 87. page afore-quoted he addes My next reason saith he shall be from that we read in the Revelation where the Church by the conquest of Michael set free from the Dragons fury is said to escape into the Wildernesse i.e. into a state though of safety and peace and security yet of hardship misery and scarcity For it seems to be an allusion to the Israelites escaping the Tyranny of Pharaoh by going into the wildernesse In this wildernesse or place of hardship c the Church must remaine saith St. John a time and times and halfe a time or as he elswhere speaketh one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes i.e. A yeer yeers and halfe a yeer and when this time shall bee expired that is as learned Divines thinke when so many yeers shall be ended as those dayes are taking the beginning of our reckoning from Michaels Trophe then saith our Apostle shall the Kingdomes of the world become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reigne for ever and ever Rev. 11.15 whereby it should seem that the Church is yet in the wildernesse and that the promised happinesse of the ample and flourishing glory thereof before the end of
tell One of our opposites said that it must be a long while that Christ judgeth as man and judgeth men as men and therefore the ultimate judgement must be a long time ¶ 2 To the second proof viz. out of Act. 3.21 wee have already largely shewed that that place is very full and home for our opinion See our second Book page 96. But because Mr. Bayly will undertake to urge some speciall particulars we will answer particularly to them First He urgeth That the time here understood is that when all things spoken by all the Prophets are performed But all things spoken by all the Prophets are not performed till the last day of judgement Hee backs this with Rom. 8.21 compared with verse 18. and 23. where saith he The restitution of the creatures to their desired liberty comes not before the redemption of our bodies and the glory to be revealed on the whole Church at the last day To which wee answer Mr. B. in most of these Propositions refers which in our English peremptorily to all things But the Greeks is plainly this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and is duely rendred thus Whom the heavens must receive untill the TIMES of restitution of all things WHICH TIMES God hath spoken c. And so the Arabecke Christ must be received of heaven unto THE TIMES which shall confirm the perfecting of all the speeches which times God hath spoken of c. And plain reason is most fair for this reading of referring which to times not to all things because all the Prophets of the Old Testament generally for the most part have spoken of the TIMES of restitution but have not spoken of all things that are to bee fulfilled witnesse many things in the New Testament which the Apostles tell us were hid in old time and St. Johns six first Seales Trumpets and Vials shew as much As also the binding of Satan And therefore that speech of Mr. B. That the time of the performing of all things which any of the Prophets have spoken cannot possibly exist before he last judgement is a false proposition because some of the Prophets whole Prophesies in the Old Testament for them Peter then must needs mean have been fulfilled already As the Prophesie of Jonah the utmost of which was the resurrection of Christ which was a time of restitution of our Head but not of all things by our Head Adde that it is said Here the TIMES of restitution of ALL THINGS which are distinguished from the ultimate day of judgement which is a time of dissolution and destruction of things To which RESTITUTIOâ— is quite opposite And TIMES are in the plurall as well as THINGS And therefore a precise ultimaâ—e day of judgement in Mr. B. sense is not particularly pointed out But that ALL THINGS MUST HAVE their TIMES to be restored As the Saints for a thousand yeers And restitution imports a state once had and lost not a state altogether new and different as that in heaven And therefore Psal 8. and Heb. 2. doe refer to such a state as Adam had For Rom. 8.18 to 24. which Mr. B. quotes for proof That the time of fulfilling all things which any of the Prophets have spoken cannot possibly exist before the last judgement I say his quoting this eighth of Rom. to confirme this Proposition Mr. Bayly taking the last judgement for the ultimate day of judgement overthrows himselfe For in these thousand yeers is revealed the glory IN US Rom. 8.18 Marke the phrase in us And in verse 19. Then is the manifestation viz. to all the world of the Sonnes of God which in heaven is hid from the world And verse 19.20 31 22. Then in those thousand yeers the creature IT SELFE and whole creation according to their groans shall be delivered from the vanity and travell and paine it is now in into the liberty of the Sons of God which cannot be at the ultimate day of judgement when comes the dissolution And then in that thousand yeers most properly is it said in verse 25 And not onely the CREATURES but OUR SELVES ALSO shall have the redemption of our bodies it being a condition proper in place and nature for bodies The second thing that Mr. Bayly urgeth out of this third of Act. 21. is That the time here spoken of is when the Jews to whom Peter spake were to be refreshed by the Lords presence But that shall not be before the generall Resurrection To which we answer This is a begging of the question wee have shewed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the face or appearance of Christ shall the Saints in this thousand yeers have a great refreshing especially here meant of the Jewes in generall who then must be called and so injoy this refreshing For at the ultimate judgement and generall Resurrection will bee too late a time to call them The third thing Mr. Bayly urgeth out of this Act. 3. is this The time when God doth solemnly before men and Angels declare the absolution and blotting out of the sins of all his people is not before the last day But this is the time whereof the Apostle Peter speaks in the present place as appears by verse 19. That your sins may be blotted out when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. To which we answer as to the minor Proposition First that Peter here speaks of the blotting out the Jews sins and those sins were refusing and crucifying Christ Act. 2. And these are blotted out when Christ appears and they repent at sight of him and owne him and this is before the last day of judgement Zach. 12.10 Rev. 1.7 as we have before demonstrated out of these places As for all those words Mr. Bayly heaps up of solemnly before men and Angels declare the absolution c. they cannot be inferred from this text As the word refreshing is but a low word to signifie the absolutest highest happinesse And the last day is a late time to blot out the sins of the Jews when they are not yet converted nor shall then bee but by the appearance of Christ unto them Zach. 11. Rev. 1. ¶ 3 The third and last proof of Mr. Baylies minor Proposition of his first Argument That Christ remaines in the heavens till the last judgement is in John 14.2 and 3. To which we answer Christ doth not in the least there intimate that he would not come againe till the last judgement as Mr. B. understands the last judgement And it is very plaine that Christ will first come againe and receive them to himselfe before he carry them into the mansion in the highest heavens if Mr. Bayly wil needs understand those mansions onely Howbeit there is no expression of Heaven And the Greek is prepare a place without any article of emphasis And the Fathers house is large Ephes 3.14 15. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole