are to understand the Words in a Literal meaning may be further proved and confirm'd from the brief Repetition of this Prophecy in chap. 65. v. 25. The Wolf and the Lamb shall feed together and the Lion shall eat Straw like the Bullock and dust shall be the Serpents Meat they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my Holy Mountain It is not probable that the Prophet would have repeated this Prediction and urged it in the same manner and on the same occasion viz. when he was foretelling the Happy Reign of the Messias in the laft Days for he brings it in under the time of the New Heavens and the New Earth v. 17. and it is the close of the Description of the State of the New Ierusalem in this Chapter most part of which I had occasion to mention before it is not probable I say that the Prophet would have reiterated this Prediction in the very same way and circumstances that he mentioned it before if the Words were a meer Metaphor or Allegory and not to be understood in a downright Literal Sense he would have varied the way of expressing and have let us know that a Spiritual meaning is to be understood But indeed the very Natural Tenour and Import of the Words themselves acquaint us that they are not Allegorical but are to be taken according to the obvious signification of the Terms viz. That in those Happy Times the very Brutes the most Furious and Implacable of them shall be reconciled to Man and likewise to themselves mutually in order to which they shall have a new way of sustaining themselves the Wolf and the Lamb shall have the same Food that 's the meaning of Feeding together such as the Earth affords the Lion shall have the same Provender with the Bullock and the Serpent which used to hurt other Beasts as well as Men shall be content with the Food which was at first appointed him Gen. 3. 14. In short the Irrational Creatures shall neither devour Men nor one another as was usual before but they shall become Serviceble and Obedient to Man and shall be at Peace among themselves This may be censur'd perhaps as a new Interpretation of this Prophecy but I believe no Wife and Intelligent Man will condemn it for its Novelty but rather imbrace it because it is so plain easie and intelligible in it self because it agrees so exactly with the Context and because it is so suitable yea so absolutely requisite to that State which I have Discours'd of wherein every thing shall be in a better condition that it was and accordingly the very Nature of the Beasts shall be chang'd that they may be what they were at first that is not Harmful or Terrible as appears from Eve's Conversing with the Serpent and in a Word there shall be such a Catholick change as shall bring with it an accumulation of all Temporal Felicities But this must be said that I may not be mistaken by some Persons that though these Earthly and Corporeal Coveniencies shall be in the Millennary Reign yet they are the least part of it nay they may be said to be the Attendants rather than Parts of it for it is the Confluence of Spiritual and Divine Blessings that gives Denomination to this Happy Oeconomy it is this that makes it chiefly to be Admired and Esteem'd And those other things which I have mention'd which relate to the Body and which are but Appendages of this State are wholly in order to the Better Enjoyments and are no farther to be regarded than as they are some ways subservient to these This I insert that we may not deceive our selves about the Notion of this Happy State which I am speaking of that we may not fancy it to be merely an Earthly Paradise that we may not think Christ's Kingdom to be of this World But notwithstanding this it is a certain Truth that all manner of Good Things inhanse the Comsort and Pleasure of that Blessed Kingdom In fine that which gives the Value to all things relating to the New Ierusalem is that the Glory of God Enlightens it and the Lamh is the Light thereof Rev. 21. 23. That is it is the Eternal Father and Son not excluding the Holy Ghost and not any Created Being or Enjoyment though never so exquisite that can constitute the Blessedness of this State In which respect it is said The City hath no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it that is all Temporal and Mundane Felicities be they never so bright are useless and insignificant in comparison of the fruition of GOD himself I take this to be the meaning of St. Iohn's Words and not what is suggested by the late Thâ—orist viz. That the Inhabitants of the New Ierusalem on Earth shall be wholly destitute of those great Luminaries of Heaven there will be no use of the Light of the Sun and Moon but they shall be supplied by a Supernatural Bodily Light Which mistaken Interpretation was caused by not attending to the place in the Prophet Isaiah whence this without doubt was borrowed Isai. 60. 19. The Sun shall be no more thy Light by Day neither for Brightness shall be Moon give Light unto thee And yet in the next Verse it is said Thy Sun shall no more go down neither shall thy Moon withdraw it self Which evidently shews that the former Words are not to be understood Literally that is concerning those Celestial Bodies otherwise there is a plain Contradiction in those Texts The true intent then of the foresaid Words is no other than this that the Sun and Moon and all the other Temporal Blessings of the Millennary Revolution are Mean and Inconsiderable in respect of the Transcendent Glory Splendor and Influence of the Divine Majesty who alone is able to render that State Happy When that desired Day comes the full Vertue of Shiloh's Name shall shine forth which denotes not only Salvation which that Time shall prepare Men for above any other but Peace or Tranquility both inward and outward and which is much more extensive Prosperity or Happiness which comprehends in it all things that are rationally Desireable in the Life of Man upon Earth as well as in the Mansions above Thus I have briefly represented to you those things which may reasonably be suppos'd to be the inseparable Attendants of the Happy Reign of Christ on Earth which is the highest Exaltation of the Christian Oeconomy It hath been with some doubting and struggling that I have said so much for Holy Writ seems some times to say that the Condition of the Church is such that it shall not be wholly free from Trouble and Calamity but that it shall always or for the most part suffer from the Wicked When I perused those several Predictions concerning the Sufferings and Persecutions of the Church I stagger'd as to my belief of this Future Quiet State on Earth I was apt to think that the World is
by St. Peter and others and it appears from this Chapter that it was after the Devil was loosed after the Thousand Years Reign of Christ here on Earth yea towards the Consummation of all Things This is the true Time of its happening and therefore we are not to credit the fanciful Conceit of the Highâ—flown Spagyrick Tribe who talk of the Calcining of the Earth by that Fire and preparing it in a Chymical Way for the reception of its new Inhabitants after the Resurrection of the Saints Of Kin to this is what the Author of the New Theory of the Earth asserts That the last Conflagration is to alter and dispose the Earth for a New State to receive the Saints and Martyrs for its Inhabitants who are at the first Resurrection to enter and to live and reign a Thousand Years upon it Before this we were told by another Writer that the Millennium shall begin after the beginning of the Conflagration But another Learned Gentleman is positive That the Millennium shall be after the Conflagration is quite past Any Man may see that this latter Author misplaceth the World's Conflagration only to make way for his Paradisiacal Earth of which he expects a New Edition for he fancies that this shall arise Phoenix-like out of the Ashes of that other For this Reason it was necessary to hold that the blessed Reign of the Thousand Years shall begin after the Conflagration is over viz. between this and the last Judgment But so far as I am able to judge most of the Places he quotes are rather against him than for him if they be well scann'd As to what he lays so great Stress upon that the Iudgment and the Reigning of Christ and joined together in the Apocalypse Chap. 11. 20. he should consider that the Iudgment is oftentimes introduced in this Book not as if it were then to happen when it is mentioned but to strike Terrour into the Minds of the wicked Persecutors of the Church and to represent to them the Certainty of their future Punishment viz. when that Day comes Besides that it were easy to prove that not only in this Book but in other Writings of the Prophets every great and Notable Revolution is compared to God's judging the World and is set forth by the Holy Ghost after that manner Again this Learned Writer frequently misinterprets the Places which speak of Christ's Coming as that in 2 Thes. 2. 8. which is not meant of his Last Coming to Iudgment but of that which I have been largely treating of viz. the happy Reign of the Godly when Antichrist shall be destroy'd which commenceth long before the Final Coming of our Saviour And therefore when he saith the Millennium cannot be till Christ's Coming he deceives himself and his Readers by not attending to the true Meaning of Christ's Coming in those Texts which he refers to Indeed most of his Mistakes proceed from this That whereas the Scripture often mentions the Coming of our Lord to set up a Glorious Church on Earth before the end of the World which likewise he himself acknowledges he interprets it of another Coming i. e. he imagines it to be understood of the Last Appearance of our Saviour Another great Occasion of his Misapprehensions in the present Point is this That where-ever almost he finds in the Old or New Testament any Passages concerning Fire and Burning he applies them as the Reader may observe through his whole Treatise to the Last Combustion of the World which hath unfortunately betray'd him to many Errors Likewise wheresoever New Heavens and a New Earth are made mention of in the Bible he understands them of a New Material World whenas there was no such Thing intended for these Terms denote only a new State and Face of Things viz. that blessed Millennium before treated of Then there shall be such a great and notable Change that there shall seem to be a New World The Inhabitants of this Place shall be so strangely alter'd that there shall be as it were an Appearance of a New Creation In this Sense the Apostle uses the Expression 2 Cor. 5. 17. He that is in Christ is a New Creature This Author might as well interpret these Words as the New Heavens and New Earth of a New Material Creation and hold that every Man when he is made a true Christian is physically Created again But I observe it is with this Learned Gentleman as it was with Origen of old who was generally faulty in Allegorizing those Places of Scripture which are to be taken Literally and yet was so unhappy as to expound a clause in Matth. 19. 12. in this latter way notwithstanding it is evident that it was spoken in a Mystical one So we find this Writer turning that part of the Bible which speaks of the Creation of the World and of the Fall of Man into Allegory and Metaphor though they are plain Historical and Literal Passages but those Texts of Scripture which mention New Heavens and a New Earth in a Metaphorical way of speaking are taken by him in a Literal and proper Sense The Heavens and the Earth with the whole Six days Works of the Creation in the first Chapter of Genesis are according to him Allegory and Mystery not to say a Fable But the New Heavens and Earth in Isaiah where they are interpreted to his hand of Ierusalem the the Church of God and in other Places are understood by him in a strict and literal Sense of a New Corporeal System of the World This is the Perverseness of humane Wit and it is its own Punishment I heartily wish the Learned Author were sensible of it and then he would see that this Notion of a New Material Earth and a New Set of heavenly Bodies for Men to inhabit in is all Romance and Fiction built only upon some distorted Texts of Scripture upon some mistaken Passages for want of comparing them with others in the Sacred Writ upon some Scraps and Fragments of a few Platonick and Stoick Philosophers upon the Prepossessions of some of the Fathers of the Church who had been Admirers of the Platonists Opinions upon the Rhetorical Flaunts of some others of them upon the high Flights of some fanciful Poets and lastly on the Dreams of some of the Iewish Rabbins These are too small too tender Wires to hang so great a Weight on as those New Heavens and that New Earth which he fansies If it be said that the New Heaven and New Earth are after the Burning of the World because S. Peter immediately after he had mentioned this dreadful Event adds these Words Nevertheless we according to his Promise look for New Heavens and a New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness Epist. 2. Chap. 3. ver 13. I answer That this is Inconsequential for we cannot here argue from the Order of the Apostle's Words to the Order of the Things spoken of He relates the Consumption of the World by Fire and
then annexes his Expectations of a new and better state of Things But it doth not follow thence that this shall be after that For the plain Mind of the Apostle seems to me to be this Notwithstanding that dreadful Dissolution of all Things which I have been speaking of you and I and all good Christians must comfort and chear our selves with that Expectance and Belief of another State of Things which shall certainly intervene between this and that We look for happy Days before that Time comes These shall present us as 't were with a New-made World these shall be New Heavens and New Earth to us and therefore let us not be discouraged and disheartened with the Thoughts of that Terrible Conflagration of the material Earth and Heavens We according to God's Promise recorded in the Prophetick Writings Isa. 65. 17. 66. 22. Hag. 2. 6. look for this new Scene of Affairs in the World viz. a Glorious Church on Earth And though things look otherwise at present though there is no Appearance of any such State now nevertheless I tell you there shall be before the Day of Judgment a Time when this shall be fulfilled And though we of this Age shall not survive to see this blessed Time yet we rejoice in the firm and certain Belief of it and we exhort all holy Men in succeeding Ages to expect and long for this Day The Sum of these Words then is this Although this World shall be dissolved by Flames yet before this amazing Change happens we are to look for New Heavens and a New Earth i. e. such a State wherein universal Holiness shall be Lasting and Permanent which is one of the Qualifications as you have heard of this happy State I have been treating of for that is the meaning of those Words wherein dwelleth Righteousness This I conceive is the Sense of this Text of St. Peter which is vouched by the Analogy of it with other Texts and the natural and facile Scope of the Words and the Criticism of the Adverb â— which in many other Places of the New Testament is Synonymous with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed attamen quinetiam This I say I take to be the genuine Sense of this Place and accordingly the forementioned Objection vanishes Or if you interpret it as some Learned Expositors do of the Eternal Glory and Happiness of blessed Souls above which all holy Men look for the Objection hath no force Further it is intimated in this very Chapter that the universal Combustion of the World shall be after the Millennium and after the Iudgment whereas this Author places it before them both for the setting of the Heavens and the Earth on Fire is said to be in order to the Perdition of ungodly Men ver 7. for presently after the Last Judgment is dispatched and the Righteous are translated into the Regions of eternal Happiness in the Heaven of Heavens presently after this I say the Earth and the Elemental Heavens shall be fired and those vile Criminals who were adjudged to everlasting Torments shall be plagued and cruciated in these Flames This at least is their INCHOATIVE PERDITION I conceive To shut up all and make a Final Period and now it is high Time to do it when the World it self doth so As the Earth of old was overwhelm'd with Water so now it feels an Inundation if I may so say of Fire a Burning Deluge an Universal Flood and Torrent of Devouring Flames Now Nature itself expires and is laid asleep in her own Vrn and Bed of Ashes And as this General Bonfire is as it were to Light the Saints to Heaven so the loud Blazes of it its crackling Flames its horrid Flashes and Eruptions are to give the Wicked some Foretasts of the contrary State and Place For they shall pass but from one Fire to another even to those EVERLASTING BVRNINGS which were prepared of old for them This Earth which before was their only Heaven shall now justly become their Hell and all the infernal Vaults which were the former Receptacles of Evil Spirits shall be set wide open and make one large and capacious Prison and Place of Execution for these Condemned and Tormented Wretches Therefore this Conflagration must be after the Final Sentence is passed upon them and not before it If the World were all on Fire before the Iudgment as some assert it would be a Hinderance to the Trial and good Men as well as bad would feel the Effects of it Therefore when the Doom is over and the former are taken up to Heaven and safely lodged there the dreadful Fire-works shall play upon the latter and the whole World at last shall become one Funeral Pile Now Hell is enlarged and the Devils and other damned Creatures change their subterraneous Vaults of Fire for a more capacious Furnace of Flame and Smoke the whole lower World being converted into one Eternal Hell This is the Last Catastrophe the Final Close of the Incorrigible World the Everlasting Period of all the Churches Enemies of all her Calamities of what Nature soever This is the true Order as I conceive of the Transactions of this concluding Scene of the World Thus I have finished my Task I have set before you and explain'd the various Administrations Discoveries and Manifestations of the Divine Majesty and his Will to Mankind in the World with the true Series and Order of Times belonging to them with their several Dates Ages and Periods I have presented you with a Scheme of the whole Progress of Religion since the beginning of the World Yea I have made bold to enquire into the Future State of it and of the Church of Christ In which and in all that went before I have endeavoured to unfold and discover the Manifold Wisdom of God as the Apostle rightly styles it the Curious and Admirable Variety which is to be discerned in the Divine Providence the Consideration of which induced me to prefix that Title to this Treatise FINIS * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 * Mr. Blunt Oracles of Reason p. 218. †Is. Voss. de aetat mund cap. 12. 1 Whiston 's New Theory p. 20 21 24. 2 De Opiâ—icio Mundi 3 Plato in Timaeo 1 Scias non esse hominem tumultuarium incogitatum opus â—e Beneâ—ic l. 6. 1 Inter maxima rerum suarum Natura nihil habet quâ— magis glorietur Sen. de Benef. 2 Magnum Miraculum est homo animal adorandum atque honorandum Apuleius 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost. Hom. 2. Tom. 5. 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 De mundi opificio de vitâ— Mosis 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De special leg 3 Contra gentes l. 1. 4 Strom. l. 6. 1 Maledictus qui Deitatem ad hominis lineamenta refert Augustin in Genes 1 Tertul. de resurrect carnis c. 6. 1 Lib. de statu primi hominis 2 Lib. de ver Deit fil c. 7.
and express Acts of Belief And to Faith I may adjoin Hope for Hope is founded on Faith and therefore Faith being more clear and express under the Gospel as I have said it follows that Hope is so too it is more stable and firm more sure and certain than the Hope of those before Christ's coming and on this account the Gospel is deservedly call'd the bringing in of a better Hope Heb. 7. 19. Christians having seen the accomplishment of all those things which â—ormer Ages had no experiment of their Hope must needs be bettered i. e. exalted and increased And as for Charity and all the rest of the Virtues Graces and Duties required of us for I will speak of them altogether they differ from what they were under the Mosaick Dispensation as to these following things 1. There are greater measures of every Grace now under Christianity than there were under the other Dispensations Christians reach now to higher Degrees and Perfections of Virtue than those under the Law did And this indeed was the design of the Gospel this Dispensation came in the last place to add a greater Perfection than ever any other preceding Models of Religion pretended to 2. A greater striâ—tness and â—nactness in all Duties is required now than was under the legal Dispensation This you must know that tho the Rigour of the Law be abated under the Gospel yet the Evangelical Obedience is stricter than that of the Law Except your Righteoâ—sness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees yo cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven saith our Saviour Mat. 5. 20. A more circumspect and accurate way of living is expected from Christ's Disciples than from those of Moses A more severe sanctity and conformity to God's Will are required of them than of these But yet I must add in the third place That whereas the Law which did in a manner revive the Covenant of Works required perfect Works and sinless Obedience the Gospel requires no such thing but accepts of imperfect but sincere Obedience which is made acceptable by Christ's Satisfaction Under the Gospel Men are not so much obnoxious for offending as for continuing obstinately in their Offences And Mercy is now denied not for Sin committed but for persisting in Sin without Repentance This is a grand Difference between the Law and the Gospel that was harsh and rigorous this is gentle and favourable Again Duties are further extended and enlarged now than they were before Which must needs be because the State of Christianity is wider and larger than that of Iudaism There is more Love now because the former aversness and enmities are removed Câ—rist as the Apostle saith sath abolish'd in his Flesh the Enmity even the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances i. e. the Mosaick Law consisting in Precepts about peculiar Rites and distinct Observances whereby the Gentiles were differenced from the Iews which made a breach between them But a Vniversal Charity breaths in the Gospel and the Exertments of it are of greater latitude than those heretofore Elijah call'd for Fire from Heaven upon his Enemies and was not blamed but heard by God 2 Kings 1. 10 12. but Iames and Iohn Apostles of Christ did the same thing and were severely check'd for it Luke 9. 54. And we read that St. Peter was commanded to put up his Sword when he drew it in his Master's Quarrel which certainly was the best in the World The reason of this is not only because the Evangelical Temper is more mild and loving than that legal one but because its Laws are more extensive and more favourable Nay whereas the Old Law commanded Love to their Brethren the Gospel bids us shew that Love by dying for them if there be occasion Iohn 15. 12. 1 Iohn 3. 16. And in other Circumstances I might shew that the Evangelical Obedience is larger and more comprehensive than that of the Law In the fifth place this must be said likewise that some particular Graces and Duties flow more gâ—nuinely from the Spirit of the Gospel than from the Legal Principles and are more frequently inculcated and more closely urged on our Consciences and Lives in the New Testament than they are in the Old These special Graces and Exercises of Evangelical Righteousness are purity of Heart and inward sincerity minding the manner of our Duties and serving of God from an inward love of Holiness a shunning of secret Sins a constant sense of our Weakness and Unworthiness of our Inability of our selves to think or do any thing that is good and acceptable to God a being weary and heavy laden under the sense of Sin a feeling of the odious Nature of it and loathing our selves for it Self-denial and Mortification an absolute resigning our selves Souls and Bodies unto God a subduing all our Carnal Desires Lusts and Appetites a refraining from the least Sins making conscience of all Offences evil Thoughts idle Words abstaining from all appearance of Evil renouncing every Sin tho against our Profit and Interest a universal hatred of all Vice without any reserves a continual watchfulness against all Temptations and striving by all means to conquer Sin in us moderation in the use and enjoyment of the good things of this Life a using this World as not abusing it a possessing our Souls in patience in the midst of all Afflictions and Tribulations an entertaining all Occurrences with thankfulness and contentedness and a preparing for the worst a quelling of all inordinate Passion and suffering not the Sun to go down on our Wrath â—aâ—â—â—bstaining from all reviling and bitterness of Speech yeâ— a praying for our Persecutors Bowels of Mercy tender-heartedness pity and compassion weeping with those that weep and bearing one anothers burdens mildness and meekness towards all Men laying aside revenge and forgiving those who have done us wrong yea loving and doing good to our very Enemies Truth and Faithfulness towards those we converse with simplicity open-heartedness sincerity in words and actions a profound humility and lowliness of mind a preferring others before our selves a minding not of high things but condescending to those of low estate the spirit of Supplication and Prayer taking delight in communion with God daily presenting our selves before the Throne of Grace to ask pardon of our Sins for Christ's sake peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost contempt of the World heavenly-mindedness a Spirit raised above the Earth breathing and longing for Heaven and a better State a living on the Life to come a depending on the unseen Glory hereafter a preâ—erring Heaven and everlasting Joys before all things here below a making God the ultimate End and referring all to his Glory not fearing Death but chearfully expecting it lastly growing in Grace daily increasing in Godliness and Righteousness aspiring to the highest degree of Holiness and striving for the utmost perfection we are capable of This is no new Draught of Religion but such as the most Holy Men before
that they fancy a Supersedeas given to a strict and severe life by the merciful Appearing of the Messias they make bold to turn the Grace of God into wantonness and abound in all manner of Vice because the Divine Goodness and Favour have abounded towards Mankind It pleases them hugely that they are enfranchis'd from the Rigour and Severity of the Legal Dispensation and that now under the Gospel a Court of Chancery is erected and nothing but Equity and Mercy Clemency and Indulgence take place The bare Name of Christians is they think a sufficient Amulet against the Vengeance of Heaven and the Cross of Christ is a powerful Charm against Hell and the Devil O when shall these vile mistakes these wilful mis-interpretations of the Design of Christ's Coming and Appearing in the World be rooted out of Mens minds When will they understand themselves aright and be convinced of the heinousness of sinning against the Gospelâ— Dispensation Why do they not ponder those words of the Apostle which I before mention'd If every Transgression and Disobedience under the Law receiv'd a just recompence of Reward how shall we under the Gospel escape if we neglect so great salvation Heb. 2. 2 3. If God did so severely animadvert on those that disregarded the Mosaical Injunctions what severity will he shew towards them that live in the constant violation of the Evangelical Law They must needs be inexcusable that wilfully offend against this because it is a more excellent Institution than the other because by this we have a greater knowledg of God's Will and consequently greater Conviction of Sin because we have greater evidence of God's willingness to forgive our Transgressions through the Merits of the Messias upon our hearty Repentance because the equity and reasonableness of Evangelical Faith and Obedience are greater than those of any Duties under the Law Upon these and several other accounts the neglecting this so great Salvation is the greatest Sin except the unpardonable one that can be committed against God and consequently the heaviest Penalty attends it Heretofore it was said Tribulation and Anguish upon every Soul of Man that doth Evil of the Iew first Rom. 2. 9. but we may now say of the Christian first for he of all Persons under Heaven is the most grievous Criminal because there is this high Aggravation of his Guilt that he sins against the Evangelical Laws I wish the Christian World would attend to this and understand their true interest i. e. to be very exact and circumspect in their Lives for God expects we should live according to the Dispensation we are under according to the proportion of that Grace which is bestowed upon us We must remember that Christianity engages us not only to root out all false Notions but to banish all vicious and ungodly Practices and to live according to the admirable Rules of the Gospel Our Knowledg and Judgments should influence upon our Conversations and our Manners ought to be proportionable to our Light Otherwise it is certain our Knowledg will increase our Guilt and our abundant Light will thrust us into utter darkness 5. Be ascertain'd that this is Last Dispensation and expect no other God spake at divers times and in sundry manners he reveal'd himself by degrees and successively whereas now he hath discover'd to us all at once that is all that is substantial all that is essential to that Religion which he requires of us for otherwise as you shall hear afterwards this Oeconomy admits of considerable Digrees Since God hath spoken his Will by his Son since the Gospel is left on Record we must not look for any other Discovery of Divine Truth No more is to be revealed to the end of the World I mean as to any New Doctrine concerning the way of Salvation tho Revelations concerning some things which may be for the safety and welfare of the Church or of some choice Persons in it may perhaps be communicated by God on great occasions Besides I deny not that clearer Discoveries may be made of some Points afterwards the same Truths which we now have may be more illustrated but no New Doctrines no New Precepts are to be thought of We have so much of saving Truth discover'd as was intended should be sufficient for us till the Consummation of all things Now our Religion is fixed the Faith hath been once deliver'd to the Saints and it shall never be deliver'd again with Additions or Alterations God added to the Discoveries which he made to Adam and to Noah to the Patriarchs and to the Iews but now he hath done adding All our Duty is taught us All things that are to be believed or to be done by us are revealed by Christ and his Apostles You hear him thus declaring to his Disciples All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you John 15. 15. The Apostle St. Peter peremptorily determines that there is not Salvation in any other for there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved Acts 4. 12. And the other great Apostle is as definitive when he thus pronounceth Tho an Angel from Heaven if you can suppose such a thing preach any other Gospel unto you than that we have preach'd unto you let him be accursed Gal. 1. 8. The same Apostle tells us that the Church is built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Eph. 2. 20. and the Foundation of a Building is not a thing to be removed Therefore he calls the Gospel the ministration which remaineth or endureth 2 Cor. 3. 11. This is the Everlasting Gospel Rev. 14. 6. because it is never to be alter'd never to be amended by a more complete Body of Laws So that the Everlasting Gospel answers to Everlasting Righteousness or the Righteousness of Ages Dan. 9. 24. which shall admit of no Change Religion was perfected and consummated by Christ he hath in the Gospel given us all that he ever intended to give This is the perfectest Rule this is the last System of Religion To this purpose the Apostle's words are remarkable in Eph. 1. 10. That in the Dispensâ—tâ—oâ— of the fulness of time i. e. in the Evangâ—lical 〈◊〉 he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in Heaven and on Earth even in him The Greek word which is here rendred to gather together in one is used sometimes in a militâ—ry Sense and signifies to gather dispersed Souldiers together into one Troop or Company This Sense of the word saith Grotius sutes best with this place He who is the Lord of Hosts rallied all dispersed Creatures in Heaven and Earth Angels and Men Jewâ— and Gentiles Bond and Free and united them in one even under Christ their Captain The whole Family in Heaven and Earth as the Apostle expreâ—â—eth it now meets together The whole World which is after the Hebrew manner expressed hâ—re by Heaven and Earth becomes one
Family or Houshold as it were all the Inhabitants of the World who were scatter'd and divided before are now brought under one Head and Governour one Supreme Catholick Ruler as St. Chrysostom expounds the place All Nations divided before by false ways are now united in Christ the Way and the Truth He brings all the Severals into One and makes up a full Church Militant and Triumphant whereas before there was a dispersion Thus Heaven and Earth are happily joined Again the Greek word sometimes signifies to restore or repair and accordingly is rendred by the Vulgar Latin and then the meaning of the Apostle is that all things in Heaven and Earth are restored and renewed by Christ and his Coming There is a happy Restauration of Man's Nature by the Incarnation of the Blessed Iesus the former State of Integrity is now renewed and Man is in a far better Condition than he was at first And as for Angels their State also is much amended they are now confirmed in their Integrity and Happiness Thus according to Theodoret's Interpretation of the place the things in Heaven and on Earth are Restored Renewed Reformed by the Evangelical Dispensation But there is a third and that the most probable Interpretation of the words which is this and the Margin in our English Translation takes notice of it that in the Dispensation of the fulness of Time or the Dispensation of the Gospel God was pleased to sum up all things in Christ. Which may refer to Arithmetical Computation or bringing all Numbers into One and so here is signified that all the former Dispensations being cast up and briefly collected are reduced to this of the Gospel This is the Sum total Christ is all and in all Col. 3. 11. Or it may refer as St. Ierom on the place thinks to the way of Orators and Pleaders who in the close of their Speeches and Declamations briefly repeat and recapitulate all the foregoing particulars and represent the whole Cause in short In like manner what had been spun out and prolonged in divers foregoing Dispensations is now under the Gospel briefly gather'd and summ'd up in Christ Jesus This is the time wherein God hath made an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath drawn into one all that went before He hath finished the account for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred or the Work and cut it short in Righteousness bâ—cause a short Account or Work will the Lord make upon the Earth Rom. 9. 28. which as you will â—ee by consulting the Context and the place in Isaiah from whence it is taken is meant of the Gospel This is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that abbreviated word or short Account or because a word and a thing or work are frequently convertible among the Hebrews whence this is borrow'd short work which God hath made upon the Earth The Law was tedious with its multiplicity of Observances but Christ comes in a compendious way and requires none of those long Undertakings which Moses exacted This saith one of the Fathers is the short word that is here meant the brief words of Faith Believe in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved is the concise way of the Gospel This comprises the greatest things in short Christ the Incarnate Son of God is the Sum and Substance of all the Old Testament and of all the different Oeconomies from the beginning of the World The Evangelical Dispensation is the Recapitulation of all the preceding ones All is to be shut up with this nothing more is to be expected this being the Upshot and Conclusion of all the Administrations that are upon Earth I might argue likewise from the Gospel's being call'd the New Testament for the Greek Word signifies both a Covenant and a Testament Sometimes even when it is rendred a Covenant in the Margin it is translated a Testament But by the very import and scope of the Text we are forc'd to render it a Testament in some places as in Heb. 9. 16 17. The Chriâ—tian Institution and the New Covenant of Grace therein contained are the Will and â—estament of our Saviour wherein he hath set down what he would have done after his death â—or that is the true notion of a Testament Christ the Testator died and bequeathed us the Gospel this his Last Will must stand and that only therefore no other is to be looked for Moreover I might argue from this that the time of the Gospel is call'd the last Time I grant that sometimes the last Day and last Times and the end of the World are understood of the Day of Judgment and particularly the last Day is applied no less than four times in the 6 th Chapter of St. Iohn to the time of the last Resurrection or the Day of Judgment Some modern Writers understand the last Times and the end of the World of Christ's coming to destroy Ierusalem and it is certain they may in some places be understood so But for the most part they are taken otherwise and those Learned Mâ—n who defend the contrary shew too plainly their Prejudice and Partiality in asserting a Notion which they have once taken up But nothing is more evident than this that the last Times and the last Days which latter is different from the last Day in the singular Number are generally meant of the Gospel Dispâ—â—sation which is last of all This I prove from such places as these both in the Old and New Testament Isai. 2. 2. It shall come to pass in the last days that the Mount of the Lord's House shall be establiâ—â—ed on the top of the Mountains and so in Mic. 4. 1. where by the Consent of all Interpreters the last Days signiâ—ie the time of Christ's Coming the Appeaâ—ing of Christianity in the World and in other Prophets this is express'd after the same manner The Apostles use the same way of speaking and all the time from Christ's Coming to the Day of Judgment is call'd by them the last Time and the last Days as in 2. Tim. 3. 1. Heb. 1. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 5 20. 1. Pet. 3. 3. 1 Iohn 2. 18. and in other places the Time of the exhibitâ—ng of Chriâ—â— in the flesh or of the Reign of the Messias iâ— thus express'd It is also call'd the end of the World by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews who saith Christ appear'd in the end of the World to put away sin Heb. 9. 26. This Consummation of Ages as according to the Greek it may be most fitly rendred this Close or Shutting up of the former Dispensations especially of the Iewish one is call'd by the same Holy Writer the World to come Heb. 2. 5. And the very Iewish Writers fre-frequently give this Denomination to the time of the Messias This according to Daniel is the time of sealing up the Vision and Propâ—ecy Dan. 9. 24. i. e. of ratifying and verifying all the Visions and Prophecies
comprised in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Time of Reformation mentioned by the same Apostle Heb. 9. 10. for he uses this Expression with reference not only to the Mosaick Law which was to be corrected and retrenched but in regard of the Gospel itself which was designed to amend and reform the World and to set it right Now this was not to be a Mock-Reformation but it was to be to Purpose and throughly to be carried on which I call the Heighth and Perfection of the Evangelical Dispensation This may have been signified when St. Paul would have the Corinthians and with them all Christians in future Ages wait for the Revelation of our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 17. And when St. Peter exhorted the Converted Iews whom he wrote to and with them all holy Men in succeeding Times to hope for the Grace that is to be brought unto them at the Revelation of Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 13. He had been speaking in the foregoing Verses of the former Dispensations in the Church of God together with the Evangelical one which was then present and now he acquaints them that there is to be a higher Degree of this last Dispensation The Time shall come when the Effects and Fruits of the Gospel shall be more Conspicuous and Eminent when the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation shall produce greater Things in the World to the Astonishment of all the Enemies of the Church and to the Amazement even of Holy Christians themselves This is the Revelation of Iesus Christ. This last Condition of the Church is also expressed by New Heavens and a New Earth 2 Pet. 3. 13. For this is the Style of the Evangelical Prophet Isa. 65. 17. 66. 22. where by New Heavens and a New Earth he sets forth the State of the Gospel and therefore the Heighth of it deserves these Titles much more Whence it is probable that this is the New Heaven and the New Earth which St. Iohn saw Rev. 21. 1. For it is observable that he frequently makes use of the same Expressions and Phrases which are found in the Prophetical Writers And though it is true some Learned Expositors understand this New Heaven and New Earth in the Revelation of St. Iohn concerning the Church Triumphant the State of the Blessed in Heaven yet if any â—an narrowly scans this Chapter he will not be backward to acknowlâ—dge that this can't be the Meaning of it For the New Heaven and the Nâ—w Earth are the same with the Holy City the New Ierusalem in the same Chapter into which the Kings of the Earth bring their Glory and Hâ—nour ver 24. they come with all their Honourable Retinue to submit to the Scepter of Iesus to own themselves his Converts and they are ambitious to be Members of this Glorious Church upon Earth Next I will produce those Plaâ—es of Scripture where this Full and Final Settlement of the â—hristian Church in the last Times of the Gospel is call'd a Kingdom and set forth by Reigning It is not to be question'd that David's Temporal Kingdom was a Type and Earnest of this And those sure Mercies of David Isa. 55. 3. are the Faithful Promises made by God to David concerning the Messias and his Kingdom which are not yet fully accomplished and therefore are to be in this Reigâ— of Christ which I am speaking of Of this we often read in the Prophet Daniel as in Chap. 2. ver 44. In the Days of those Kings viz. the Monarchs mentioned in the Verses before among whom 〈◊〉 was one under whom Christ was born shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed That is Christ's Kingdom then began to be erected which afterwards shall more eminently deserve that Name viz. when it shall arrive to its Perfection It is said here expresly that it shall break in pieces all these Kingdoms that is the Four Monarchies Of which we are further ascertain'd in the next Verse for Christ 〈◊〉 is that Stone which was cut out of the Mountains without Hands and was to break in pieces the Iron the Brass the Clay the Silver and the Gold This Famous Stone was to beat down all the Four Metals Christ was to destroy the Four Monarchies that is when these cease Christ's Kingdom immediately succeeds It is true it did succeed in part when the Pagan Roman Empire expired and so in some measure this Prophecy was fulfilled but there shall be a more illustrious and eminent Succession than this upon the compleat expiring of the Fourth General Monarchy Wherefore when we see this quite at an end we may conclude that Christ's Reign approacheth i. e. that the happy Condition of the Christian Church in this World draws near This Fourth Monarchy the Roman is now wearing off being translated to the Germans it is but a meer Name and Title The Wings of this Imperial Eagle have been plucked its Plumes are fallen its Feathers are gone its whole Body almost consumed Rome itself and Italy are not so much as the poor Remains at this Day of the Roman Empire This Image is now on its last Legs and those are infirm for the Holy Spirit tells us that the Feet are of Clay and Iron which Two Materials will not well cement and hold together long Therefore another State of Things is approaching viz. the Fifth Monarchy or Empire here prophesied of the Reign of Christ Jesus here on Earth or which is the same a more illustrious Manifestation of Christianity a more Visible and Glorious Displaying of its Vertue and Power than ever yet was in the World Of this Kingdom of the Son of Man you have another express Prediction in Dan. 7. 14. There was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve him His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroy'd Again ver 22. The Time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom Agreeably to what was said ver 18. The Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever This Kingdom is again delineated ver 27. There is a great Number of Texts in Isaiah Ieremiaâ— Ezekiel and the Lesser Prophets which speak of this Kingdom of the Messias but they are it is true generally interpreted by Expositors of Christ's Coming in the Flesh and the prevailing of the Gospel afterwards and even to this very Day but they are not thought by them to reach any further This I conceive is a Mistake from the narrow Thoughts which Men are apt to have of those great Things spoken of by the Prophets which we shall find upon diligent comparing of Things to have a very large and comprehensive Meaning Most of the Prophetick Expressions of this Nature have reference not only to the first Times of the Gospel and these at present but to those that are to come Ultimately and completely and in their highest
were the first Fathers that writ against this Millennary Reign and soon after this it was generally Condemn'd by the Fathers of the Roman and Greek Church and hath ever since been look'd upon as an Heterodox Opinion excepting that some Anabaptists have made bold to revive it If we consider things aright we shall see sufficient reason to condemn and explode this Doctrine for there are these two gross Errors in it 1. That Christ shall Personally Reign upon Earth 2. That the Saints shall come from Heaven and Reign with him First The Chiliasts are palpably mistaken in this that Christ shall come from Heaven and Personally Reign here and that before the General Resurrection and Day of Judgment as they also hold This is contrary to express Words of Scripture which saith concerning our Saviour That the Heaven must receive him until the times of the restitution of all things i. e. as I conceive till the finishing of those times of the restitution of all things which will be a little before the Day of Judgment We are assured that Christ from his Ascension to that time remains in Heaven From thence he shall come to Iudge the Quick and the Dead therefore he shall not come down on Earth before that time and consequently he will not Reign here in Person as those Milleâ—naries imagine It is incongruous and against reason that he should be said to come to Iudge the Men upon Earth and yet at the same time be on the Earth Nor is there any thing in this 20th Chapter of the Revelation which favours this Fancy of theirs Had a Personal Reign been intended here it would have been said that Christ shall Reign with the Saints a Thousand Years which Words might fairly intimate that Christ would descend from Heaven and come among them and Reign in the midst of them so long a time but instead of this it is only said that they shall Reign with him a Thousand Years Or suppose it were expresly said Christ shall Reign yet this doth not prove that he shall Reign in Person How often doth the coming of the Lord in Luke 12. and in other Places signifie Christ's Coming in way of Judgment and Vengeance not his Personal Coming Why then may not Christs Reigning be meant not of a Personal Reigning but of his Reigning in the Hearts and Lives of the Faithful He is with them Spiritually and they Reign with him after the same manner and no other Therefore the Inquisitive Mr. Mede who founds the Future Reign of Christ upon Earth on his Chapter in the Revelations saw no Ground here for his Visible and Corporal Reigning Whence he hath left us these Words The presence of Christ in his Kingdom shall no doubt be Glorious and Evident yet I dare not so much as imagine that it shall be a Visible Converse on Earth for the Kingdom of Christ ever hath been and shall be a Kingdom whose Throne and Kingly Residence is in Heaven I quote this Passage the rather because some have entertain'd another Opinion of this Learned Author Besides in this Chapter v. 8 12. we read that Gog and Magog intervene between the Thousand Years and the Day of Judgment Therefore the Personal Reign of Christ is not before that Day for the Heavens retain him till then Nor is it after that Day for Gog and Magog who come after the Millennium go before the Day of Judgment I conceive this is an Unanswerable Proof And as for the several Quotations of Scripture which they bring to assert the Personal Reign the Answer in brief is this that theywrest those Places which speak of Christ's First Coming and others which speak of his Last Coming to Iudgment and apply them to a Second Personal Coming of Christ before the General Resurrection and Day of Judgment From this perverting of those Texts they set up the Corporal Reign of our Saviour which they so much talk of Secondly That is another unpardonable Error that the Bodies of the deceased Saints shall be raised from below and their Souls be dismissed from above and that both shall be united here that they may Reign with Christ on Earth First this is against the constant Discovery which is made to us in Scripture that Heaven and signally the Highest Heavens are the Place of Glory and the Seat of Blessedness prepared for the departed Souls of the Faithful Those Regions above not this Earth below are the Receptacle of Glorified Spirits Yet these Men are pleased to alter the Constitution and Appointment of the All-wise God and to make the Earth the Habitation of Blessed Spirits and the Seat of Happiness This is to abrogate the Laws of God's Kingdom this is to anticipate the State of Glory this is to confound Heaven and Earth Again How absurd and ridiculous is it to assert that the departed Saints shall come to be subject after all the Joys and Ravishments of another World to Calamities and bodily Evils For Gog and Magog shall besiege them as they must needs grant from v. 9. of this Chapter Shall the Saints not only quit their heavenly Mansions and come down here on Earth but also turn Soldiers and put themselves into a Military Posture For you read there of the Camp of the Saints Shall immortal Saints fight after they have been in Heaven Yet the Chiliasts must hold this because they assert that the Reigning of the Saints a Thousand Years is meant here of their leaving of Heaven and coming down to Reign on Earth They pretend to prove this from several Passages in this Chapter as where it speaks of the Souls of them that were Beheaded and of their Living and Reigning and of the first and second Resurrection which argues say they that this Reigning is to be understood of the Saints that were before in Heaven and that there is one Resurrection a Thousand Years before the Last Judgment and another when that comes In the former the Saints rise to Reign and in the latter all other Men shall be raised But St. Iohn's Words in this Chapter signify nothing of this Nature as will appear from setting before the Reader the entire Text with a brief Comment upon it I saw the Souls of them that were Beheaded for the Witness of Iesus and for the Word of God and which had not worshipped the Beast nor his Image nor had received his Mark upon their Foreheads or in their Hands and they lived and Reigned with Christ a Thousand Years But the rest of the Dead lived not again until the Thousand Years were finished This is the first Resurrection Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second Death hath no Power ver 4 5 6. It is generally agree'd that by the Souls of them that were Beheaded are meant the Persons that were Beheaded for that is the known way of speaking among the Hebrews whom St. Iohn who was one himself here imitates And by them
Judgment shall be chiefly Effected by the Preaching of Enoch and Elias So far we may allow it to be true that such Holy and Zealous Men as they were shall be the Instruments of this Great Work and you may be certain it will easily be brought to Perfection when such Persons are raised up by God to act in it And with Pathetick Instructions Invitations Admonitions and Convictions shall be joyned most Ardent Prayers for at such a time the Christian Church will be stired up to pity the forlorn state of this miserable People and to solicit Heaven with importunate Addresses in their behalf The Devout Mr. Herbert may be a Pattern in this particular who when he had express'd his sense of there Condition in these and the like Words Poor Nation whose sweet Sap and Iuice Our Cyens have purloyn'd and left you dry Compassionately adds O that my Prayers mine alas Oh that some Angel might a Trumpet sound At which the Church falling upon her Face Should cry so loud until the Trump were drown'd And by that cry from her dear Lord obtain That your sweet Sap may come again Moreover the wonderful Conversion of the Gentiles which shall be a forerunner of that of the Iews shall be another cause of the coming in of these latter and of their accepting the Gospel This is suggested to us by our Apostle v. 11. of the 14. to the Romans Salvation shall come for so we may read it because there is no Verb in the Original to determine the time to the Gentiles to provoke them i. e. the Jews to jealousie And this is yet more clear from 25 and 26. v. of the Eleventh Chapter before insisted upon which not only assert the General Calling of the Iews but that it shall be after the Fulness of the Gentiles i. e. when the Gentiles are Converted Blindness in part i. e. for a certain time is happen'd to Israel untill the fulness of the Gentiles be come in And when this is come in then the Jews shall no longer be blinded I take this to be a clear Text for the Priority of the Gentiles Conversion before that of the Iews though I find it opposed by several and particularly by our Learned Hammond who attempts to distort the Words and by the Author of The State of the Church in Future Ages Chap. 6. where he contends that the Apostles Words are to be understood in a qualifi'd sense and that is this Blindness in part is befallen Israel for so long as until the time come in which the Gentiles shall come in in their fullness that is they shall come in then more generally than ever before But whatever this dark Gloss drives at this is a plain obvious and intelligible Truth that though there was a great and notable Conversion both of Gentiles and Jews in the Apostle's time yet that could not be meant here because the Apostle speaks of something to come in Future Ages viz. a Compleat and Vniversal Conversion of those two And as to the Order of them he lets us know that the Gentiles shall be first Converted and then the Iews for saith he the Blindness and Hardness of these latter shall not be taken away until the fulness of the other comes in i. e. until the full number of Gentiles be come into the Church of God by a hearty imbracing and professing of Christianity Can any thing be plainer than this Could the Apostle have used any clearer Words to express this matter viz. That the Conversion of the great Multitude of the Heathen World will preceed that of the Jews that it will be a means to remove their Blindness and Hardness and to cause them to own the Christian Faith Wherefore I can't submit to this Authors qualifi'd sence and that for a Reason which himself assigns in another Place To force an unusual Signification upon a Word where the Scope of the Place and Nature of the Matter where it is used does not necessarily require it hath little Authority in it to procure assent But this Sence which I offer is further evident from what the Apostle adds in the forenamed Place So all Israel shall be saved The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so is very Emphatical and Remarkable here for it acquaints us that the General Conversion of Salvation of the Iews shall be such shall be so that it shall be the Effect and Consequence of the Gentiles foregoing Conversion SO they shall be Converted in this Manner they shall be Saved and no otherwise The Jews shall behold that strange Revolution and sudden Change in the Pagan World and thence be stirr'd up to make an Alteration among themselves A holy Emulation shall possess their Minds which shall push them on to this great Work So i. e. in this Manner and Method all Israel shall be Saved the whole Body of the Jews shall be received into the Church Perhaps this Universal Call may be promoted by some extraordinary Appearance or Spectacle in the Heavens Some would infer from that Place before-cited They shall look on him whom they have pierced that our Saviour will come and be seen at that Grand Change of Affairs but from what I have said already on that Passage it is manifest that it is not capable of the Sence As for Rev. 1. 7. Behold he cometh with Clouds and every Eye shall see him and even they which pierced him and all Kindreds of the Earth shall wail because of him which is thought by some to be a parallel Place with that which I last named because there is some likeness in the Words in both Places I rather think it is spoken of the Last Day the Day of Judgment when they shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven Matth. 24. 30. which is generally acknowledged to the meant of Doomsday Then all impenitent Sinners and more especially they that pierced and crucified Christ and died in their Sins shall see him to their unspeakable Sorrow But those Words if any in Dan. 7. 13. may seem to be some proof of Christ's Appearing himself in the Clouds when his Kingdom on Earth is to be set up anew One like the Son of Man came in the Clouds of Heaven and there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom c. for I have shew'd before that these Words are a Prediction of the Millennium Though I cannot be positive here for it may be this coming in the Clouds of Heaven may only refer to the Manner of the Vision which Daniel had I saw in the Night Visions saith he one like the Son of Man who appeared as if he came in the Clouds yet I must needs say I am rather enclined to think that this Place speaks of a visible Appearance of our Saviour at the Entrance of the Millennary Reign especially in order to the rouzing and alarming of the Hardned Iews who will be looking after Signs from Heaven And therefore at such a time it
by what proper Methods and Arts we can Let us lay the Axe to that Root of Bitterness which hath spread it self among us and taken such hold of some Men's Earthly Natures Let us compose our selves into a quiet posture and effectually promote Peace and Good Will in the World Let us bring out and make use of our Juleps to check that fierce that Feverish Distemper which reigns among too many Let us endeavour by mild and cooling Applications to accommodate Differences to reconcile disagreeing Parties especially in Matters referring to Religion but so as not to betrary the Truth to allay all passionate Heats and to discountenance all wilful Authors of Division And as the Word Peace in Scripture signifies according to the Usage of the Hebrews all manner of Outward Blessings so here in the present Case it is to be taken in that comprehensive way In that Kingdom of Christ on Earth there shall no kind of Earthly Conveniences and Advantages be wanting which shall be useful to the great Ends and Purposes of that Blessed State But as for any other viz. such as are serviceable to Undue Pleasures to Lust and Wantonness to Vanity and Pride to Effeminacy and Luxury no Man of sober Thoughts can reckon them in the number of those Worldly good Things which the Pious shall hereafter enjoy And therefore we must condemn that Narrative which some have given of the Millennium as too sensual and fulsome But we may with Truth and Soberness assert this That there shall be a concurrence of all those things which render Men's Lives truly pleasant comfortable and joyful It is part of the Description of that Millennary Jubilee that they shall come to Sion with Songs and everlasting joy upon their heads They shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Isai. 35. 10. And again Ch. 65. v. 17. Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth which questionless is meant of this Glorious Renovation and might have been alledged among the other Texts as a Proof of it and then it follows I create Ierusalem a rejoicing and her People a ioy The voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her nor the voice of crying v. 18 19. And if we go back to Ch. 9. v. 3. we shall find that this rejoicing and this joy shall be entire Thou hast multiplied the Nation and not increased the ioy i. e. heretofore Joy and Sorrow were mingled sometimes that Nation of the Jews was visited in Mercy at other times it tasted of God's Judgments They ioy before thee according to the ioy in Harvest and as Men rejoice when they divide the Spoil i. e. there was in the times past a Medley of Joy and Trouble of Gladness and Fear as in the Services of War and Harvest but when a Child shall be born to us when a Son shall be given and the Government shall be upon his Shoulders v. 6. then there shall be Joy without any allay then there shall be such a perfect State that nothing shall be able to impair it I know most Interpreters expound the Place otherwise and make the Ioy in Harvest to be exceeding Great Joy surpassing all other But I crave leave to dissent from the common Exposition and to understand this Passage after the manner before-mentioned viz. that whereas heretofore they joy'd according to the Ioy of Harvest i. e. their Joys were mix'd with Hardships they were accompanied with Sweat and Toil And besides the Joy of Harvest doth not last long for the Husbandman as blith and cheary as he isâ— must soon return to his wonted Circle of Pains and Labour Whereas under the preceding Dispensations there was no Entire and Undisturbed Joy now it shall be otherwise there shall be a Continued and Uninterrupted Serenity without any dashes of a contrary Nature for as Christ's Government increases v. 7. so as it follows there the Peace i. e. the Success and Prosperity of it shall increase and have no end This is the Happiness of the Subjects of that Blessed Kingdom who are under the Sceptre of the Prince of Peace as he is stiled v. 6. This in general but more particularly the Safety and Security of their Habitations their Success in all their Labours and their lasting Fruition of them are mentioned as the Attendants of this Happy Time v. 21 22 23. They shall build Houses and inhabit them And they shall plant Vineyards and eat the Fruit of them Mine Elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands They shall not labour in vain c. These are the Blessings of that Adult State of the Church Farther there will be greater Strength and Soundness of Body than ordinarily I will not be positive that as in the first Ages of the World so now there will be some of a Gigantick Stature but this is not to be doubted of that there shall be bodily Strength and Vigour in an unusual degree It is one of the Privileges of the New Ierusalem for in the large and extensive sense it is spoken of that Place and State that the Inhabitants shall not say I am sick Isai. 33. 24. Many Exorbitancies before were frequently the Cause of Corporal Weakness and divers sorts of Maladies and Diseases But now those shall generally be removed and a sound and hale Temper shall be given them for their Bodies shall answer to their Souls The whole Tour of the Blood shall be laudably performed There shall be a due and regular Exercise of the natural vital and animal Functions And all Persons shall be healthful and vivacious brisk and sprightly This will be the more credible if we consider that the Curse brought upon the Earth by Adam's Fall and afterwards continued shall be revers'd The Soil every where shall become fertile and give its increase freely and plentifully and all the Fruits and Products of the Earth shall be not only numerous but wholesome God made all the Creatures Good at first as we expresly find in the repeated Approbation of this their Goodness Gen. 1. And they shall be Good at last for the World shall be restored to its Premitive State and the Earth it self shall be renewed And as for those Living Creatures which are Food for Mankind they shall arrive to greater degrees of Perfection than formerly and consequently shall yield more laudable and generous Nourishment than heretofore Besides that the continued Health of those Times will depend much upon the excellent Temper of the Air which shall then be agreeable to humane Bodies and have no ill Ferments from the continual Vicissitudes and Successions of too much Heat or too much Cold. To which may be added that the Heavenly influences as well as the Temper of the Earth shall be meliorated And so even in a literal sence there shall be New Heavens and a New Earth As the consequence of all this the People of those days shall be long-liv'd Which I gather from Isai. 65. 20. There shall be no
God and have an insight into the most sublime and heavenly Truths and by this means also partake of the Divine Nature and Likeness That this Knowledg and Wisdom are part of the Divine Image is clear from the Apostle's words in Col. 3. 10. where he acquaints us that the new Man is renewed in Knowledg after the Image of him that created him Whence it is rationally to be inferr'd that God's Image partly consisted in Knowledg and Vnderstanding Socinus and Smalcius had a very low opinion of the first Man when they asserted that at his being first made he had no more understanding than a stupid Infant yea that Adam was next to a Fool. But may not these Writers be thought to be next to something of that Nature when they assert a thing so unreasonable and absurd so wild and extravagant I do not say that Adam was subtil and scholastical in his Notions that he had any skill in the quirks of Wit and Logick I believe Scotus would have baffled him a knotty Schoolman would have put him to a nonplus and it would quite have puzzl'd and amus'd his Brain to have reduc'd a Syllogism in Bocardo For these Subtilties were not the accomplishments of Innocence and the early attendents of the Spade and Plough No these are the Consequents of Apostacy the Crutches of lame Reason and Supporters of lapsed Understanding the Salvo's of Ignorance and sometimes the greatest increasers of it Therefore I do not think that Adam's intellectual Happiness consisted in these but in that which was solid and useful What Man of sense and sober thoughts can deny that God indued Adam with a quick Understanding upon considering this one thing viz. that he gave Names to every living creature Gen. 2. 19. and it may be tho it is not recorded to the Plants and all Vegetables on Earth yea even to the Stars in Heaven tho the Names of them are now lost yea to all things above and below which were useful and common in the Life of Man And those Names then did express and signify the very Nature and Properties of the things whereas now they are generally ex instituto merely from custom and the arbitrary will of Men. He that was able thus to give Names to all Creatures according to their Natures was no Fool or Sot certainly This was the great Plato's judgment who tells us it was no ordinary and mean thing it was not the work of a vulgar Person to impose Names on things yea he that did it at first was master of more than human wisdom and skill It is reasonable to believe that Adam was a great natural Philosopher had knowledg of all those Creatures which he named else he could not have fitted Names to them And that he did so is evident from comparing the 19th Verse of the forementioned Chapter with the 22 d and 23 d Verses In the former 't is said that the Lord God formed every living Creature out of the ground and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them and whatsoever he call'd them that was the Name thereof In the latter 't is said The Rib which the Lord God had taken from Man made he a Woman and brought her unto the Man And Adam said She shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man You see the parallel the brute Creatures were brough by God to Adam on purpose that he should bestow Names on them So was Eve brought to him that she should have a Name given her by him Adam gave proper and significant Names to the other Creatures and so he did to the Woman We gather the former from the latter We find that when God brought the Woman to the Man he fastned a Name on her sutable to her Nature and Original therefore 't is reasonably to be concluded that when the other Creatures of an inferior rank were brought by God to Adam he conâ—er'd such Names on them as were most expressive of their different Properties and Qualities As God had given Adam his Name which was significant so Adam gave other Creatures Names which carried significancy with them This argues his Intellectuals to have been very acute and profound otherwise he could not have perceived the several Signatures and Properties of those Animals which were brought before him It is not to be question'd then that he had an insight into the true Nature of all Beings and was one of unspeakable Sagacity In fine whatever some Rabbies extravagantly assert on the one hand concerning the prodigious transcendency of Adam's knowledg and how meanly soever some of Pelagius and Socinus's Followers on the other hand speak of his Endowments it is a sober Truth that our First Parents were very knowing Persons It is not to be doubted that they had especially a perfect knowledg of Divine Truth from whence all Virtue and Holiness spring Which reminds me of another Quality of Man's Soul in the first Creation viz. its Righteousness or Holiness For God endued it not only with Understanding but with a Will which he adorned with Divine Graces and in these also consisteth the Image of God as we are ascertain'd by an inspired and infallible Writer who tells us that the new Man is created after God i. e. after the Image and Likeness of God in Righteousness and true Holiness Ephes. 4. 24. These give us the perfect resemblance of our Maker and imprint upon us the Divine and heavenly Image For these are principally placed in the Will in the elective Faculty of Man that noblest part of his Soul that Sovereign and Ruling Faculty of the mind Thus I have shew'd how the Soul of Man is justly said to be God's Image and Likeness namely as it is a Spiritual Immortal and Intelligent Being but chiefly as 't is capable of Religion and is indu'd with Divine Virtues and Graces By these it is that Man most of all resembles God and is truly bless'd and happy and is as 't were another God Princes stamp their Image on their Coin That which is choicest and most precious beareth their Effigies And so here the exactest Lineaments of the Divine Image are to be seen impress'd on this choice Part of Man which is the Seat of true Grace and Goodness God who is the chief Pulchritude would draw his own beautiful Image on the Soul that That on Earth might be a kind of Representative of Himself and a Pourtray of his own Divine Perfections 2. Tho the Image of God in which Man was made be seated chiefly in the rational Soul of Man yet it is imprinted also on his Body as Ireneus and some other Fathers have rightly asserted Not that the Body can resemble God as if God were of human Shape This we exploded before as absurd and ridiculous But the Image of God was on the Body of the first Man first as it was extraordinarily fair comely and beautiful It is true Adam's Body was made
of Earth but this Earth was marvelously refined and purified And this is implied if not express'd in Adam's Name and in the word which is used in the Original for the EARTH out of which he was taken For the import of the Hebrew Verb Adam whence is the Noun Adamah is not only rubuit he was red or ruddy and so Adam is as much as Edom rufus which was Esau's Name because he was ruddy when he was born Gen. 25. 25. but it is of a larger signification and is as much as splenduit That it bears this sense may be gathered from the word Adamdameth Levit. 13. 19. where it must be rendred shining or glistering or else the same thing there spoken of must be very white and very red as Bochart hath noted Hieroz P. 2. l. 5. c. 6. Sometimes Adam is as much as formosus fuit Thus of the temperate and healthful Nazarites it is said Lam. 4. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were ruddy i. e. they were fair whence Arias Montanus renders it nitidi fuere And so the word Admoni which comes from the Verb Adam is taken in this sense as in 1 Sam. 16. 12. where 't is said of David that he was ruddy i. e. beautiful as is explain'd in the following words Thus Edom of the very same extraction is understood in Cant. 5. 10. where the Spouse saith of her Beloved that he is ruddy i. e. he is comely he is one of a beautiful Aspect And I could here add that the Verb Adam in other Languages bears this meaning thus Bochart acquaints us that in Arabick it is as much as splendere And by Ludolphus we are ascertain'd that in Ethiopick it signifies formosum pulchrum esse In the Latin I could observe something like this for rutilare in its more general signification is splendidum esse So purpureus is the same with splendidus pulcher whence purpureus capillus and purpurei olores I know no Oriental word that comes so near to this as Chur which is both albus fuit and erubuit And the reason I conceive is this both these colours white and red have a great deal of light mixed with them therefore the signification of them is alike and they both of them denote that which is fair and bright And as it is thus with the Hebrew Verb Adam so proportionably the Substantive Adamah doth not only signify red Earth as if it were so called from its red Colour because it is said that that was the native hew of the Earth in the East Country And Iosephus the learned Iew speaking of Adam's Make relates that the natural Mould call'd Virgin-Earth is of a red or yellow Complexion So we have a small County in England that carries Red Earth in its Name because the Soil is generally reddish but the word is of a larger extent and signifies that Earth which is bright and shining and is of the best and purest sort So that when it is said that Adam was form'd out of Adamah there is meant by this word that Earth which was of the purest and finest Composition And to this purpose it may be further observ'd that whereas other Animals are said to be made out of aretz common Earth Gen. 1. 24 25. it is particularly recorded that the first Man was made out of Adamah a peculiar and choice sort of Ground ex meliâ—re luto as the Poet speaking of this very thing fitly expresses it yea out of the dust of this ground Gen. 2. 7. i. e. the finest and most agile part of it All which is an eviction of what I at first asserted concerning the Materials of Adam's Body This was the true Terra Sigillata this was the Earth which God set his Mark and Image on that it might be known whose it was Adam in his Body as well as in his Soul outvied all his Race I attend not to the prodigious Stories which some fanciful Rabbies and Talmudick Doctors tell us of the strange Beauty and Elegancy and of the vast Proportions of Adam's Body Rabbi Solomon Iarchi avers that Adam was so tall that standing on the Earth he could touch the Heavens with his hand And several other such romantick Passages in the Writings of these fond Men I disregard nay those that are sober among themselves give no credit to it but understand it in a mystical manner for some of them tell us that when it is said Adam's Stature reached from one end of the Earth to the other it is to be understood of the Perfection of his Mind that he knew and comprehended the Nature of all things contained in the World but it is certain that as Adam's Soul was made a Transcript of God himself so his Body was framed in a most exquisite manner and the Divine Art and Skill were wonderfully discovered in the shaping of it For as Philo saith We are begot of Men but God himself made Adam The Author being better the Work must be more excellent Yea this must be said that all of us having been in Adam's Loins are part of that excellent Workmanship and have the same Image stamped upon us that Adam had We are all marked and sealed by the Divine Hand his own Impression and Signature are upon us even upon our corporeal part tho 't is true it was much defac'd by the Primitive Aopstacy Secondly The Body of Adam was God's Image as it was made Immortal He was created in full Strength and as a Person of a just Age healthful sound and flourishing For his Body was not like those of Beasts weak and corruptible but was made to be of perpetual Duration obnoxious to no Decays Diseases or Changes If Man had stood entire and kept his Innocence this had been his condition But this Image was restored to him and us who are his Posterity and not only our Souls but Bodies shall everlastingly subsist Thus by their Immortality and eternal Continuance they partake in some measure of the Divine Nature and Likeness Thirdly In the Body of Man as well as in his Soul the Image of God consisteth because the Soul worketh on the Body and by it Hence the Members of the Body are said to be Instruments of Righteousness Rom. 6. 13. As they are instrumental to so excellent a purpose as they are subservient to Grace and Holiness and as the Virtues of the Holy Spirit are exerted by them they are part of the Image of God For it is not to be questioned that the whole Man is God's Image Therefore tho the Divine Likeness doth not equally shine in all Parts yet this corporeal Part of Man in some degree shareth in that Image For which reason the Bodies of good Men are stiled the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. Fourthly God's Image is on the Body of Man as it is of that particular erect Figure which no living Creature else partaketh of Aristotle was so much
Garden and a fruitful Orchard washed with convenient Rivers as you shall hear afterwards but a spacious Park or Forest where all the Beasts met together as you have heard already Concerning this place there have been different Opinions yet it hath been questioned whether it was a Place or no and when it had its beginning Paradise was made before the Heavens and the Earth say some of the Iewish Doctors And St. Ierom who was a great admirer of Theodotion and Symmachus Heretical Iews and averse to the Translation of the Septuagint follows them in that Opinion Some held that Paradise was not Local but that it was a State rather than a Place and that this State was not on Earth This was the high-flown Notion of Philo and Origen of Basil Ambrose and Damascen and sometimes of Ierom who understood Paradise in a spiritual and mystical Sense and conceived it to be meant only of some blessed and happy Condition Some of them seem to refer it to Heaven others to the Virtues of the Soul or the Soul 's chief and principal Faculties Tho St. Ierom on Daniel laughs at those who think Rivers and Trees and Paradise it self to be Allegories which is a sign he chang'd his Opinion And this is not to be marvelled at for he is not wont to approve of that mystical Strain and to allegorize after that high rate which is the way to make void all Scripture-History and by that to null the whole Bible Therefore we find that the Manichees were condemned of old for allegorizing of Paradise And we read that it was part of the Hâ—resy of the Seleuciani and Hermiani that they denied a visible Paradise This Opinion hath been revived by some Moderns and very lately by one who makes the History of Moses concerning the Terrestrial Paradise as well as he doth other parts of it a mere Fable at least a Parable That is the result of his disquisition about it St. Augustin goes in a middle way and holds Paradise to be partly Local and Corporeal and partly Spiritual Ephraim Syrus grants Paradise to be Local but placeth it an other World beyond this It is a place above the whole Creation saith an Other It is seated in the Third Heaven by St. Ambrose Some make it to be the Coelum Empyreum Others say the Moon was the Paradise wherin our first Parents were created and from whence they were thrust down to this Earth Bede and Rabanus Maurus will have it be near the Orb of the Moon One of the â—ewish Doctors comes pretty near this and tells us that Paradise is about the second Region of the Air and hangs between Heaven and Earth It was the wholâ— Earth say Becaâ—us and Noviamagus Some of old held that it was the whole World as relates And Luther of late held the same asserting that the whole World was call'd Paradise because it was at first so delightful and pleasant Others and with good reason assert it to be a parâ— only of this lower World or the Earth but they agree not about the particular Place For some tell us it is seated in an unknown Country remote from the company of the Wicked where Enâ—ch and Elias inhabit So Bellarmine thinks Dâ— Grat. primi hominis cap. 14. And some of that Church follow him and they derive it from some of the Antients who had it from Papias Others assign a known part of the Earth but among these there is also a difference some groundlesly placing it in Africa and in the warmest part there Thus Maimonides Aben Ezra and other Iewish Doctors hold it was seated under the Equinoctial And Durandus and Bonaventure among the Schoolmen are of that Judgment Others fancy it to be in America and in the warmest Country there for these Men think the Torrid Zone to be the most comfortable part of the World But those most certainly are in the right who place it in Asia There is one Man who is singular in imagining Paradise to have been in that part of Asia which is called Palestine near Iordan in the Land of Sodom which he gathers from Gen. 13. 10. But any one may see that no such thing can be inferr'd from those words which only intimate that the Plain of Iordan where Sodom stood was a very pleasant and delightful place and might in some respect be compared with Paradise But after all the rambling Conjectures and wild Fancies concerning Paradise and the particular place where it was this is to be imbraced as the most probable and accountable Truth that it was situated on those most pleasant and fruitful Fields of Asia which of old were called Babylon and afterwards Mesopotamia In the lower part of this Mesopotamia taking in also a part of Shinar and Armenia was this Garden of Eden planted as a learned Knight hath excellently shew'd In the Map you may observe it stands 35 degrees from the Equinoctial and 55 from the Northern Pole Because Paradise being of a very great extent reach'd towards Armenia Galtruchius placeth it in the Mountains of Armenia the Greater especially the Mountain Paiarde saith he was Paradise But herein this learned Man was mistaken for it is evident that Paradise was in Babylon because Eden was there as that worthy Knight hath proved from If a. 37. 12. and Ezek. 27. 23. by shewing where those other Countries are found which are joined with Eden By many Arguments he makes it clear that Eden was part of Babylonia and Babylonia a part of Mesopotamia Or rather I am inclined to determin thus which doth not alter the main thing but only gives you a more distinct account of it Eden and Babylon and Mesopotamia were three Names of the same Country Eden was the first and antientest Babylon was the Name it was call'd by afterwards and Mesopotamia is a Greek Name given to it and signifieth that it stood in the midst of Rivers especially it referreth to its being situated between those two Rivers Tigris and Euphrates tho I know there is a stricter acceptation and that not uncommon of Mesopotamia And so you find this place described in Genesis as famous for its Rivers Gen. 2. 10. A River went out of Eden to water the Garden and from thence it was parted and became into four heads i. e. the principal River of Paradise had four great Channels The name of the first is Pison that is it which compasseth the whole Land of Havilah vers 11. This Pison is call'd by some Phasis or Phasitigris it runs they say by that Havilah whither the Amalekites fled 1 Sam. 15. 7. and divides it from the Country of Susiana and at last falls into the Persian Gulf. So Galtruchius is positive that Armenia the Greater and the Coutries thereabout are meant by Havilah and that the River Phasis in that Armenia is the same with Moses ' s Pison Strâ—bo places Havilah in the Borders of Arabia and
is the Levites were the Priests Ministers and Servants and not Priests which was a higher Office And that they were inferior to the Priests appeared in their paying the Tithe of their Tithes to the Priests as if in respect of the Priests they were a kind of Laymen But tho the Levites never mingled the Priestly Office with theirs yet it is to be taken notice of that in David's time they were somewhat altered and advanced for that pious King having settled the Tabernacle Ark and Priesthood appointed the Levites also their Charges and Administrations and as to some things added to their Office and Imployment He chose some of them Singers and Musicians and Officers about the Tabernacle At last in Solomon's time when there was no Tabernacle or Ark to carry about but a Temple was erected and all things fixed it must needs follow that that part of the Levite's Work ceased Now their standing Task was to assist at the Altar in the time of Sacrificing to help in the Service of the Temple and openly to teach and instruct the People and to be Assessors sometimes with the Priests in Courts of Judicature Thus you see there was some difference and variety in the Function of the Levites according to the different Times of this Oâ—conomy So much concerning the three Holy Orders of Ministers in the Iewish Church which seem to have been fitted to the three Divisions and Apartments of the Tabernacle The Tabernacle consisted of the Court the Holy and the most Holy Place Accordingly the Lâ—vitâ—s ministâ—red in the Court waiting there on the Priests and helping them about their Offerings and Sacrifices The Priests did Service in the holy Place for they only were admitted hither to offer Incense daily And the High Priests alone officiated in the most holy Place Of these distinct Apartments whether you respect the Tabernacle or Temple I am to give you an Account next Thirdly The Place of the Ceremonial Worship among the Jews is to be consider'd For now under the Mosaical Oâ—conomy a certain place of Worship was fixed and not before as you may gather from Levit. 17. 3 4. Dâ—ut 12. 5 13. They erected Altars and offered Sacrifice in the Fields or where they thought good but a Tabernacle and Temple are proper to the Iewish Dispensation In these set and appointed Places they were commanded to sacrifice and not in any other Levit. 17. 5. yet they did not punctually observe this there are several Examples in Scripture of Persons who offered Sacrifice in other places besides the Tabernacle and Temple This then is to be said that tho the place of ordinary Sacrificing was determined yet upon extraordinary Occasions it was lawful to sacrifice in any place as Samuel intimates he might sacrifice in Iesse's House 1 Sam. 16. 2. And we read that Elijah sacrificed on Mount Carmel 1 Kings 18. 19 22. Neither were the High Places forbidden them altogether as appeareth from 1. Sam. 9. 11 12. The High Places were used for Sacrifice among the Iews who were no Idolaters from the time that the Ark and the Tabernacle were removed from Shiloâ— Lâ—â— places were not thought so worthy of God's Worship Altars were named from their height the Temple at Ierusalem was built on a Hill Yea the Tabernacle before that was placed on Hills in David's time whence are those Expressions in Psal. 87. 1. 121. 1. 133. 3. unless you will say these Psalms were not penn'd by David but after the building of the Temple which will be very hard to prove The high Places then are condemned in Scripture and commanded to be destroyed because they were used to superstitious and idolatrous Worship and the Gentiles chose these places because they were nearer Heaven than others they thought the Gods could hear their Prayers sooner thence than from the low Valleys Otherwise the Iews were not forbid to worship God on Hills and High places nor indeed in any places if there were Vrgent Occasion for it This liberty you will find granted in Exod. 20. 24. But for the Vsual Ordinary and Fixed Worship of God the Tabernacle first was erected to which afterwards succeeded the Temple which is sometimes call'd the Tabernacle Jer. 10. 20. Lam. 4. 2 6. and the Tabernacle is sometimes call'd the Temple 1 Sam. 1. 9. Chap. 3. Ver. 3. The Reason of which interchanging of names was because the Tabernacle was a moveable Temple and the Temple was a fix'd and immoveable Tabernacle The Iewish Tabernacle which was first erected when they came out of Egypt into the Wilderness and was the first fixed place for Oblations Sacrifices Hearing the Law Publick Praying c. stood East and West as appears from Num. 3. 38. The Entrance into it was at the East end and there we will begin for I will speak 1. Of the Court of the Tabernacle 2. Of the Body of it or the Holy Place 3. Of the Holy of Holies And this I will do not only to give a brief Account of this most Remarkable Piece of Iewish Antiquity but to clear some passages of Scripture which relate to it and to rectify some mistakes and those of no mean Writers concerning it 1. There was the Court of the Tabernacle which was very large and spacious for it was an hundred Cubits in length Exod. 27. 9. and fifty Cubits in breadth ver 12. This Atrium or Pâ—rch or Outward Court of the Tabernacle for it hath these several Names was that open Place or Yard before it which was without any covering or roof but it was enclosed or bounded on the sides with Hangings and Pillars Exod. 27. 9 c. This Court was divided into several lesser Apartments or Divisions and thence we read of Courts in the plural Psal. 65. 5. 84. 3. one place was for the Priests another for the People that were Men a third perhaps for the Women but there is nothing express concerning this and therefore I can't be positive here In general we are certain that in this Court the People met for Divine Worship hither they brought all their Offerings and here the Priests took them of them and here they Prayed and Heard and stood all the while the Priests sacrificed The West part of this Atrium and which was next the Body of the Temple was the place where the Priests sacrificed Here was the Great Altar on which the Beasts were daily slain and utterly consumed by fire This Altar of Holâ—causts or Burnt-Offerings was four-square being five cubits long and five cubits broad but it was but three cubits high We may take notice here by the by that Altars were of two sorts 1. Extemporaneous Occasional and Extraâ—rdinary and these were made either of Earth i. e. Green Turf Exâ—d 20. 24. Such as these were used upon occasion by Moses Toshua Samuel Elias and others or if they could not have convenient Turf they might make them of Stone as they did in the Wilderness Exâ—d 20. 25. But
down the Thighs and Legs of Oxen or Calves This is the Opinion of Some 4 It is thought by Others that the Shape of the Cherubim is not known Thus the Iewish Antiquary tells us that they were winged Animals of such a shape as never was seen by Men. And in another place he saith no man can say or conceive what Figure the Cherubims were of This might be the best Account if it be any account at all supposing that were true which some say viz. that the Cherubims were never seen by any but the High Priest who only could go into the Holy of Holies and so they were not known to Others But this altho very Learned Writers have asserted it is a mistake for the Cherubims were pictured not only in the Holy of Holies but on the Veil between that and the Holy Place and on the Walls and Doors and Vessels of the Temple 1 Kings 6. 29 32. 2 Chron. 3. 7. 1 Kings 7. 29. Besides those Images or Pictures were for Ornament and therefore were to be exposed to Sight and consequently the Shape of them was well known That they were not any of those Shapes before described is probable if you consider these things 1. It is likely that those Cherubims described by Ezâ—kiâ—l had no affinity with the Cherubims over the Ark for the Prophet saw them in a Vision only they were no real things 2. The Talmudists and Hebrâ—â— Rabbies were very fanciful people and so their Opinion is of little value 3. It appears that some of them had too great a liking to young Boys faces and thence perhaps this Notion came into their minds 4. That God should be so incensed as we read he was at the making a golden Calf and yet presently alter set up Calves over the Ark is not to be believed 5. Calves or Oxen are expresly distinguish'd from Cherubims 1 Kings 7. 29. But if you will fix on any thing the most probable is this that they were the Images and Representations of Angels the Heavenly Messengers For what other is the signification of Cherubim in Gen. 3. 24. and so in the 10 th and 11 th Chapters of Ezâ—kiel And what is more usual in Sacted Scâ—ipture than to give the name of the thing signified or represented to that which represents the thing So here Cherubim are the Angels of Heaven and the Images of them over the Propiâ—iâ—ory are call'd Cherubim for this reason because they represent them And very â—itly are Angels those Ministring Spiriâ—s placed in the Tabernacle or Temple because this was God's Palace the Holy of Holies represented Heaven therefore the 〈◊〉 are placed here as the Servants and Attendants of the Heavenly King they are always near him and stand round about him I have this further to add to the present Account that the Holy of Holies had no Window to let in Light nor had the Holy Place any But they had 〈◊〉 come in by drawing aside the Veil that was between the Sanctuary and the Outward Court And they burnt Lamps even in the day time in the Sanctuary which they did not do in the Holy of Holies and consequently this latteâ— was quite 〈◊〉 Not indeed was there any use or occasion for Light there because the High Priest visited it but once in a Year and then upon drawing aside the Vpper Veil which was next the Holy of Holies the Light of the burning Lamps might be transmitted into this place But the Priests officiating every day in the Sanctuary there was need of Light in that place 〈◊〉 and accordingly in the very day time as well as in the night the Lamps were burning for this was according to the Prescription Exod. 27. 20. But how could this be if the Lamps were put out in the morning as we read in 1. Saâ— 3. 3. This is thus reconcil'd by the Iewish Antiquary who was himself a Priest of the Law and therefore was no stranger to the Usages of it Three of the Lamps of the Golden Candlestick â—aith he bâ—â—nt all day in the Tabernacle and the others were lighted in the Evening It appears hence thâ—t though the seven Lamps burnt all might long yet the Custom 〈◊〉 to put some of them out in the morning Again I â—ight mention the Veil of the Tabernacâ— of which we reâ—d in Exod. 26. 31. Mâ—â— 27. 57. Heb. 9. 3. which was a thick Curtain drawn between the Holy of Holies and the Body of the Tabernacle and parted the one from the other But there was another Veil call'd Mâ—â—â—â— to distinguish it from the 〈◊〉 one call'd 〈◊〉 which is not taken notice of by Writers but is certainly meant by the dâ—â—â— of tâ—◠〈…〉 26. 36. and the gate of the Court Exod. 27. 16. For tho the Tabernaole when it was brought to Shtlob and afterwards had a Building 〈◊〉 about it which had Doors to it and had Lodgings within for the Prieste and Levites I Chron. 9. 19. yet whilst the Tabemack was in the Wildernese it had no Doors properly so call'd but by the Door and Gate in the foremention'd places is meant that Veil or 〈◊〉 which divided the Come of the People from the Apartment of the Priests of rather it was the Cartain that hung at the entrance of the Sanctuary therefore call'd the hanging of the Door of the Tabornacle Exod. 26. 36. and it was of the fome embroider'd Work with the iâ— ward Curtains of the Tabernacle Which gives me occesion to speak of these and the other Covetings belonging to in and then I have finished my Desorlption of it It was on the sides and ends hung with ten pieces of Tapestry very artificially wrought and with divers colours Exod. 26. 1. and besides these fine inward Hangings which are call'd Curtains because they hung in such a fashion there were others of Goats hair of Rams skins c. which were course in comparison of the former and were thrown over them to preserve them from the injury of the weather Exod. 26. 7 c. And not only the sides and ends but the Roof of the Tabernacle was cover'd with rich Tapestry within but on the outside with stronger Coverings the same with those beforemention'd and there were no less than four of these Coverings or Safeguards all particularly specified in the foresaid Chapter Besides the Curtains or Hangings there were Boards or Planks on the sides of the Tabernacle to render the Structure more strong firm and steady and these were so artificially fastned together that they seemed to be all of a piece and yet they could easily be taken asunder Exod. 26. 15 to 30. Now I am oblig'd in the next place to discover briefly the Mystical meaning of all these strange things before mention'd which appertain to the Furniture of the Tabernacle for it is reasonable to think that these being so solemnly appointed by God were not insignificant but had some Great and Worthy Mysteries couch'd in them Nay which is more we are
it is call'd that within the Veil Heb. 6. 19. And Christian Hope is said to enter into it because this Grace looks beyond the Afflictions and Calamities of this Life into that place of endless Glory Ioseph the Learned Iew gives his Suffrage here and declares that this part of the Tabernacle was a Type of the Celestial Mansions above Other Learned Jews acknowledg'd this place to be a Typical Representation of Heaven Yea the whole Tabernacle was if we may so speak God's Heaven here below for it was the place of his special Presence and Habitation To which purpose I could observe that Blue or Sky-colour which denotes Heaven God's Seat was very much made use of in the Tabernacle and all the Sacred Ornaments belonging to it To conclude The Presence of God with his People the Glorious Undertakings of the Son of God the Gracious Influence of the Holy Spirit the State of Christ's Church both here and hereafter were shadow'd forth by the several things which were contain'd in the distinct Partitions of the Mosaick Tabernacle I do not pretend to affirm that there are no other Mystical and Spiritual meanings of these things but what I have mention'd But as I am sure in the general that a mystical Sense was intended by the Holy Ghost as is evident from the greatest part of the Epistle to the Hebrews so the particular meaning which I have offer'd may be gather'd by Analogy as many things in our Holy Religion are yea the main part of what I have said is grounded on express Texts in the New Testament where these Sacred Mysteries are thus unfolded explain'd and illustrated Lastly Before I take my leave of this old Venerable Iewish Monument the Tabernacle I will set down the Travels and Removes of it and the Ark. First They were in the Wilderness forty Years thence they removed to Gilgal and staid there about fourteen Years Afterwards their Mansion-place was Shilâ—h a Country of Samaria a City in the Tribe of Benjamin hither they were brought in the seventh Year of Ioshua's Government and continued here till Samuel's time which was in all about 240 Years as from the Years of the Iudges may be computed Hitherto the Tabernacle and Ark were together now they are parted for the Ark was taken by the Philistines and carried to Bethshâ—mesh and thence to Kirjathjearim where it remain'd many Years then it came to Mishphat then to Gilgal then to Nob then to Gibâ—â—â— and to the House of Obed Edom where it staid but three months and was fetch'd with great joy and triumph to Mount Sion the City of David 2 Sam. 6. 17. 1 Chron. 16. 1. where this Pious Prince erected a Tabernacle for it which whether it was a new one or the old one preserv'd at Shiloh and fetch'd thence I will not dispute And at last the Ark after all its Travels was fix'd in the Holy of Holies in Solomon's Temple And the Tabernacle it self which was fitted for the foregoing State their continual removing from place to place was laid up as some think as a Sacred Monument in some part of the Temple of which I am to speak next And this I do as when before I gave an account of the Tabâ—rnacle to correct some Mistakes about this matter The Temple was built answerable to the Tabernacle for the Front of it was toward the East and the Holy of Holies was situate toward the West Thence the East Door of the Temple is call'd Shagnar haithon Ezek. 40. 15. the Gate of Access or Ingress because it was the chief Gate whereby they enter'd into the Temple or that directly led up to the main part of it And perhaps from this situation of it and their coming up to it with their Faces and Foreparts towards this East-end and Gate of it the East is call'd Kedem and Kadim the fore-part Ezek. 43. 17. The Temple being thus placed they accordingly worship'd and bowed toward the West tho afterwards some in imitation of the Idolatrous Gentiles bowed toward the East and turn'd their backs on the Holy of Holies Ezek. 8. 16. The Temple as well as the Tabernacle consisted of three divisions viz. the Court the holy Place and the Holiest of all I will briefly shew you what these several Parts contained in them for tho as to the main the Temple was built proportionable to the Tabernacle yet it differ'd from it in several things And for variety sake I will present the Temple to you differently from the Tabernacle that is I will begin first with the Holy of Holies and so pass downward whereas I went upward before In this first part of the Temple was the Ark of the Covenant wherein were deposited the Two Tables of Stone on which the Law was written Some think the Temple fell short of the Tabernacle in this that in the Ark of the Tabernacle were the Two Tables and the Pâ—t of Manna and Aaron ' s Rod But in the Ark of the Temple there was nothing save the two Tables of Stone which Moses put there at Horeb 1 King 8. 9. Deut. 10. 5. It is implied in these words say they that there had been something else in the Ark heretoâ—ore and that now it was missing else it would have been barely said that in the Ark were the two Tables of Stone without this addition there was nothing else which intimaâ—es that other things were there before but now are lost viz. by the Ark's being carried from place to place so often But all this is false arguing and groundless surmise and the true account is this which I partly assign'd before when I spoke of the Tabernacle and on which I have enlarged in a former Discourse that the Ark in that place of the Kings is taken strictly for the chief Apartment or Division of the Ark and so it is rightly said it had nothing in it but the two Tables But in a larger Sense i. e. as the Ark signifies the whole Body and Compass of the Ark it contain'd those other things in it In this part of the Temple were the Cherubims which were placed at each end of the Ark with Wings spread abroad But this is to be observed that whereas in the Tabernacle there were but two Cherubims in the Temple there were four Between their Wings were the Propitiatory and the Oracle whence God gave Answers in difficult Cases but this latter was much larger than that in the Tabernacle The second Part of the Temple was the Body of it or the holy Place or Sanctuary or the outward House of the Lord. Here was the Veil adorned with Cherubims which separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place but was much wider and longer than that of the Tabernacle Here were the Shew-bread and Golden Candlesticks the former of these in the Tabernacle was set on one Table only but in the Temple it was set on tâ—n Tables five being on one side and five on the other
Christ's coming were acquainted with but these Precepts and Duties are chiefly the result of the Evâ—ngelical Spirit and they are mosâ— improved by Christianity and they are ofâ—ner inculcated and press'd upon us in the Evangelical Writings than in those of the Old Testament 7. The Grounds and Motives of Evangelical Obedience differ from those of the Legal one as will appear from these three Particulars First There are more deterring Punishments under the Gospel than under the Law It is true the Penalty of Sin unrepented of under the legal Oeconomy was the Eternal Wrath of God call'd by Daniel everlasting shaâ—â— and contempt and by Isaiah everlasting burnings but there was not so full a discovery and so great a certainty of these at that time as there hath been since which should be a mighty disswasive to us from sinning against the Light of the Gospel especially when we consider that our Guilt is unspeakably aggravated by sinning in defiance of the extraordinary means vouchsafed to us by the coming of Christ. If the Word spoken by Angels i. e. if the Law which was given by the ministry of Angels was stedfast and every Transgression and Disobedience receiv'd a just recompence of Reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which was at first spoken by the Lord and was confirmed afterwards to us by them that heard him Heb. 2. 2 3. And to the same purpose in Heb. 10. 28 29. He that despised Moses 's Law died without Mercy Of how much sâ—rer Punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under-foot the Son of God The Penalty of disobedience to the Gospel is more grievous than that which was inflicted upon Offenders against the Law Secondly There are more prevailing Rewards The Law dealt in Temporal Blessings and Earthly Promises chiefly the very mold and make of their Religion being earthly and grovelling but their terrene and temporal Promises figured a Celestial Felicity and were Umbrages of a Future Inheritance Spiritual and Heavenly things were exhibited to the Church of old under Sensual and Earthly Representations and Eternal Life was included in the Promise of the Land of Canaan Yea it cannot be denied that Immortal Life and Endless Happiness were expresly made known and promis'd by God to the Faithful among the Iews This is very fiercely contradicted by Sâ—cinus and the generality of his Party The Racâ—vian Catechism is positive that none of the Pious Men and Holy Patriarchs before the coming of Christ knew any thing of Heaven and Everlasting Life These were not known say they because they were not promis'd to those under the Old Covenant The same thing is asserted in one of Smalcius's Disputations against Frantzius Indeed Volkâ—lius grants that the Iews might have some desire and expectation of Eternal Life tho there was no promise of it but he confutes himself in saying before that such a Discovery was not proper and convenient for that Dispensation He maintains that it is peculiar to the New Covenant under which Christians are and that this is one main thing wherein it excels the Old Covenant To say otherwise saith he were to mix and confound the Covenants and Dispensations And therefore he peremptorily determines that there were no Promises of Eternal Life under the Old Testament they knew nothing of an Immortal State they were tied down to the Earth Canaan was their Heaven He spends a whole Chapter and that one of his longest upon this very thing The Remonstrants are partly of this Opinion as you may see in their Apology and in Grâ—tius and Episcopius who hold that Eternal Life was not promis'd by God to Adam and the Old Patriarchs neither did they know any thing of it Tho Sâ—crates and Platâ— who were Heathens make some mention of a â—uture and endless State yet the People of God the Chosen Generation to whom were committed the Oracles of God had no apprehension of any such thing Abraham Moses David and all the Inspired Soulâ— whom the Writings of the Old Testament speak of had scarce any notice of it All the Antient Worshippers of God all the Religious Patriarchs were ignorant of Future Happiness poor grovelling Creatures they look'd no higher no further than this present Life This is the Doctrine of Sâ—cinus's Followers and Friends but certainly he that hath carefully perused the Old and New Testament cannot but pronounce it false For God tells the Iews that if they will do his Commandments they shall live in them Levit. 18. 5. Which Promise you will find to comprehend in it Eternal Life if you compare that place with Rom. 10. 5. and Gal. 3. 12. And that Life Everlasting was known to those of the Old Testament is manifest from Dan. 12. 2. where it is said Many of them that sleep in the Dust shall awâ—â—â— to Everlasting Life This one place is a sufficient conâ—utation of the Secinian Writers who deny that there was any such thing revealed and known under the Law I might take notice how Iob expresses his sense and belief of this Future State Chap. 19. 25. which without doubt he learnt from the neighbouring Iews But I will pass to the New Testament where it is farther evident that this endless Blessedness was not unknown to the Iews It was one of that Nation that came to our Saviour and ask'd him What â—e should dâ— that he might have Eternal Life Matth. 19. 16. Which shews that Eternal Life was made known to that People and that the Mâ—sâ—ick Law promis'd no less to the Keepers of it Again this is clear from our Saviour's words in Iohn 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life He speaks here to the Iews Ye think and believe and that most truly saith he that there is an Eternal State hereafter it being revealed in the Sacred Writings which are committed to you We read that the Pharisees a considerable part of the Iewish People believed a Resurrection to a Future Life Acts 24. 15. Nay this was the ground of the hope of the Promise made of God unto the Fathers Chap. 26. 6. viz. the Promise of Eternal Life founded on the Resurrection from the Dead And that the Fathers of old rested not in Temporal and Earthly Promises is evident from that very plain Text Heb. 11. 14 16. The Patriarchs those Holy Pilgrims sought and desired a better Country that is an Heavenly viz. a State of Immortal Glory and Happiness in the highest â—eavens From all these places of Holy Writ we may 〈◊〉 in the words of our Church That the Old Testament is not centrary to the New for in both of them Everlasting Life is offered to Mankind by Christ. Wherefore they are not to be heard who â—eign that the Old Fathers did look only for transitory Promises This Fiction as the Learned Dr. Hammond rightly faith is caused by not distinguishing between leâ—s clear Revelation and none
Scribes and Doctors of the Law whom the Phariâ—ees at that day followed These wilfully mistook and depraved the Moral Law and our Saviour sets himself against these and their Doctrine He doth not oppose one Law to another but all that he doth is this he corrects and amends the Law as it was corrupted by the Scribes and Pharisees or rather he doth not correct and amend Moses's Law but the Phariâ—ees Expositions In this Chapter Christ is not a Legiflator but an Interpreter He expounds the Law aâ—ight and takes off their false Expositions and gives the true and genuine sense of the Law He acquaints them that there is a farther meaning of it than they imagined more is commanded in the Prâ—cepts of the Law and more is forbidden than they think And to convince them throughly of this he proceeds to particulars instancing in some Duties which seem to be New and Proper only to Christianity but he acquaints them that they are not New but Old Commandments and so likewise he instances in some Actions which are unlawful under the Gospel and seem to have been made so first of all by the Christian Laws but the design of this Discourse is to let them know that they were forbidden by Moses and were sins long before the Coming of Christ alâ—ho by them of Old the Antient Depravers of the Law they were not thought to be so 1. Anger is Murder by the Christian Law and so it was by the Law of the Ten Commandments Ye have heard that it was said by the Antients Thou shalt not kill restraining this to the External Act only and whosoever shall kill shall be in dâ—nger of the judgment But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his Brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment he is interpretatively a Man-â—layer Ver. 21 22. You are to know that tho Immâ—derate Anger be not in express terms forbidden in the Law yet it is inclusively and by just Consequence forbidden Of Cain it is recorded that he was very wroth Gen. 4. 5. and wer read the Result of it ver 8. Cain rose up against Abel his Brother and slew him Wrath is the Parent of Murder He that is excessively incens'd against another is disposed to kill him and iâ— this inordinate Passion be not check'd or some obstacle interpose it will proceed to that height Therefore if Bloodshed be a sin Anger is so too and ought to be suppress'd with the ordinary concomitant of it viz. using of reviling Language as Raca Fool and the like 2. An Vnchast Heart and a Lustful Eye are Adultery and Fornication by the Law of Christ and they were no less by the Mosaick Law And therefore when Christ faith ver 28. Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery already with her in his heart he doth not declare this as a thing contrary to what the Precepts of Morality require of us but to what had been dictated by the corrupt Glosses of the Jewish Doctors of old and of the Pharisees at that time viz. that there is no such thing as the Adultery of the Eye or of the Heart and that these are not forbidden in the Seventh Commandment But our Saviour lets them know that this is a great mistake and that he had not introduced a New Law but only revived an old One. To look on a woman to lust after her was always sinful and unlawful I made a Covenant with mine Eyes saith Job why then should I think upon a maid Chap. 31. ver 1. which argues that it was a sin in those times even before there was any written Law to indulge either lustful Thoughts or Looks And this I take to be the Reason of the Law of Fringes given to the Jews Num. 15. 38 39. viz. that these being constantly in their view might be a means to divert their thoughts as well as sight for so 't is expresly said that they were to entertain their Eyes with looking on them that they might not seek after their own Heart and their own Eyes after wâ—ich they used to go a whoring We read afterwards that it was the Pious King's Prayer Turn away mine eyes from beholding vaâ—ity Psal. 119. 37. And that there is a Restraint to be laid upon this outward Sense and upon the inward Imagination which is wrought upon by it is the acknowledgment of the Wisest Heâ—rew Doctors among whom it is proverbially said the Eye is the Inlet to sin and R. Ben. Maiâ—on saith expresly that evil Thoughts were forbid by the Lâ—w. 3. Swearing rashly is forbidden here by Christ and so it was by the Third Commandment But this as well as the other was misinterpreted by the Scribes and Doctors and not understood in its full Extent Whereupon our Saviour corrects their mistakes saying Swear not at all neither by Heaven c. ver 34. As much as if he had said you make nothing of Swearing by Heaven and by the Earth and by Ierusalem and by your Heads and this is a very common and frequent thing with you and you are perswaded that you act not amiss in doing thus for you think that the Commandment forbids only False Swearing and Perjury you have been told that these are the only breach of that part of the Law But I tell you another thing that Law forbids not only False but Rash Swearing you violate that Commandment as often as you use any vain and unnecessary Oaths as often as you prophanely swear by God's Name as often as you make use of other Names besides God's to swear by as often as you swear by Heaven or by the Earth c. This is the true meaning of our Saviour here Some have thought that all Swearing is forbid in this place by Christ as unlawful under the Gospel altho it was lawful to Swear under the Law but if you consider that it is a Religious Act and is innocent and harmless in its own nature and sometimes becomes necessary as in matters of Controversie which can't otherwise be decided and is an Act of Charity and Righteousness when it is for the real advantage of the Community or any of our particular Brethren and sometimes it is and is approved of by the Example of St. Paul in the New Testament you will be induced to believe that Religious Swearing is lawful even under the Gospel and that there is no New Law given by Christ to forbid it now That which he forbids is Unnecessary and Prophane Swearing yea moreover he commands you to avoid all Swearing in common intercourse and converse one with another and as much as lies in them to abstain wholly from an Oath He would have them to be Persons of so holy and strict lives of such integtity and faithfulness that no one should have occasion to require an Oath of them but that they might be credited upon their bare Words and Promises He would have them shew such Truth
they the Negative Paracelsus philosophically attributes this Resuscitation to the mixture of a certain heat in the corrupted dead Matter as Frogs saith he are generated of Slime by the heat of the Sun This is his Blasphemous Nonsense which all Men of sober Reason deride and unanimously acknowledg that the restoring of the dead to Life is an Act of Supernatural and Divine Power and that the Key of the Grave as the Jews say belongs to God only And now to approach towards our Saviours Death a little before which he repeated that Act which he had once before done i. â— the driving the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple which may be justly reckoned amongst his Miracles for he could not have expell'd so many Men out of that place which they had made the place of their Merchandize and Gain without an extraordinary and omnipotent Arm. And by the same Almighty Power he struck to the Ground those that came to apprehend him Afterwards when he was on the Cross he converted one of the Thieves even just before his leaving the World which was a Miracle and a great one At the same time he caused a miraculous Eclipsâ— for it must be reckon'd as such because it happen'd not after the natural and usual way which is by the Moons interposing between the Sun and the Earth which falls out only in the New Mâ—on whereas when Christ suffered it was Fâ—ll Moon viz. the 15 th Day of the Month Nisan the Passover-day And at his Death the Earth quaked the Veil of the Temple was rent asunder the Graves â—ere open'd and the dead arose which was the forerunner of our Saviour's Resurrection which followed soon after He that raised others raised himself from the dead the third Day which was a Confirmation of all his former Miracles And after he had visibly convers'd with his Disciples for a time he ascended up to Heaven and convey'd himself through all the Regions of the upper World even to the Mansions of Glory These were some of the Miracles of our Saviour But there were innumerable more which are not recorded which occasioned that great Hyperbole used in Iohn 21. ult Indeed Christ did so many and so great Miracles that the Unbelief and Obstinacy of the Iews notwithstanding all of them may seem to be as great a Wonder and Prodigy as any thing that happen'd Secondly the Apostles as well as our Saviour himself exerted many Miracles the holy Spirit being sent to them according to Christ's Promise to inable them to do them â—hey cured all manner of diseased Persons that were brought before them yea they could cure at a distance and by proxy By St. Peter's Shadow and St. Paul's Handkerchief a sanative Virtue was conveyed to the Sick and their Diseases departed from them Acts 15. 15. Acts 19. 12. This was a Gift which was equally wonderful and useful by virtue whereof Maladies were cured without any cost and the poor Patient needed not to fear a Relapse soon after from the sight of an Apothecary's Bill If it be objected that St. Paul left Trophimus at Miletum sick 2 Tim. 4. 20. and he cured not Timothy of his weak Stomach without drinking Wine 1 Tim. 5. 23. Therefore the Apostles had no absolute Gift of healing I answer 1. The Gift of healing was for the Confirmation of the Truth and for the Conversion of Heathens rather than for the recovering of Christians and therefore it is no wonder that they could not work this Miracle always and that some were heal'd not all 2. Miracles were not designed to make Men immortal on Earth Sicknesses and Diseases were not always to be cured for then none should die But it was sufficient that sometimes the Power of Healing was exerted that thereby it might be seen that the Apostles were inabled from Heaven and that a divine Power went along with them But it pleased God that at ordinary times Diseases should be cured by the use of Means and that an extraordinary Power should not be made use of 3. Those very Instances or any the like are a great Proof that God bore witness to the Apostles for hence it appeared that this Power was at Gods pleasure and disposal and not at their own they could not do what they pleased there was a certain Limitation which shews it was absolutely a divine and supernatural Power by which they healed Diseases Again another miraculâ—uâ— and extraordinary Gift confer'd on the Primitive Church to corroborate the Truth of Christianity and to convince the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles was speaking with diverse Tongues which was more especially serviceable to this end because hereby they could be understood by Persons of diverse Countries and Languages and so by this Means the Propagation of the Gospel was further'd Thus by the same way by which the building of the Tower of Bâ—bâ—l was hindred did the Apostles afterwards pull down the strong Holds of Satan and build up the Christian Church Of this extraordinary Gratuity the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 12. 10. To another saith he 〈◊〉 given diverse kinds of Tongues to another the interpretation of Tongues i. e. one had the Ability to speak strange Languages and another was enabled to interpret them and make them intelligible So that it seems these two Gifts did not always concur in the same Person at least at this time in the Câ—rintâ—ian Church But however they were both of them the effects of a supernatural Power And by this Miraculous way the Apostles frequently dispossessed Devils who in those days tormented the Bodies as well as Souls of Men. They had power also to raise the dead which was seen in St. Peter's raising of Dorcas Nay the Miracles which the Apostles did were greater than Christ's and so he himself had promised Iohn 14. 12. He that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also and greater Works then these shall he do The Apostles were able to speak strange Languages which they never learn'd a Miracuâ—ous Gift which our Saviour never exerted thâ— he could But this is the main Reason why the Wonders which the Apostles wrought are said to be greater than those of our Saviour because they were more large and extensive they were done in all parts of the World where the Apostles preach'd Besides the Fruit and Eâ—â—ect of them were greater their Converts were more numerous they won by them far greater Multitudes of Souls to the Christian Faith Thus you have a shoâ—t account of the various Miracles both of Christ and his Apostles 2. â— am to shew that these Miracles of our Saviour and his Apostles were really true and not counterfeit Miracles Here I have two things to do 1. To shew you what are true Miracles and how they differ from ralse ones 2. To prove that the Miracles of our Saviour and his Followers were such First Let us enquire into the true Nature of a Miracle These are the five grand Properties of it 1. It is
of this Age or Dispensation we are now under for this is the proper Signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And accordingly in this Chapter is foretold by our Saviour what shall happen in the End or Conclusion of this Dispensation and what are the Signs and Forerunners of the following Scene of Things in this World as well as of the Day of Judgment in the close of it Some think this is meant by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 19. 28. for they join this Word with those that immediately follow When the Son of Man shall sit on the Throne of his Glory and read the whole thus Those who have followed me i. e. all Persons who are true Christians and Followers of me shall in the Regeneration when the Son of Man shall fit on the Throne of his Glory fit also upon Twelve Thrones This shall happen in that last and blessed Dispensation of Christianity which is fitly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it was used by the Ancient Philosophers both Platonists and Stoicks to signify the Renovation of all Things their happy Restitution to their former State In this Time of the Regeneration or Restauration of the World Christ properly Reigns here on Earth shewing vengeance on his Enemies and rewarding his sincere Followers as you read in the next Verse Every one that hath forsaken Houses or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my Name 's sake shall receive a hundred-fold viz. in this present Time as 't is expounded in Luke 18. 30. the parallel Place to it Which implies that the former Passage relates to Christ's Reigning upon Earth or sitting on the Throne of his Glory in this World But I confess there are some Things that occur in the Context and in another parallel Text Mark 10. 30. which may induce us to think that these Words are not absolutely meant of the matter now before us and therefore I will not urge them But the Times of the Restitution of all Things Acts 3. 21. seem to look this way for we may observe that the Times in the plural denote several Ages and Successions of Time and so may be well applied to the Millennium And moreover it is remarkable that in those Days there shall be a Restitution of all Things not only of all Persons but of all Things there shall be an universal Restauration of the World a blessed Change in the whole Creation which must needs point to that Time which I am speaking of and not to the Day of Judgment as some would have it But it will be Objected that 't is said here the Heaven must Receive Christ until those Times therefore it must be meant of the Last Day The Answer in brief is That the meaning of the Place is that Christ shall not return until those Times of Restitution be come and perfected till there be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an universal total and compleat Restoring of the World and then soon after this follows the Final Judgment This is included in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Revelation or Manifestation as our English Translators render it of the Sons of God which the Creature earnestly expects longing and groaning to be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption into the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God Rom. 8. 19 20. If you take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Creature for the Gentile World as Dr. Hammond and some others do it may be fitly applied to the present purpose For according to what God hath determined and in the Scriptures foretold concerning their future Conversion of which I shall speak anon they may be said to expect and have been long expecting this joyful Revelation they earnestly look for the Manifestation of the Sons of God viz. when they and all other Infidels shall be converted to the Faith and thereby become the Sons of God or when the Iews particularly who were originally the Children of God shall embrace the Gospel But we may take the Word in a larger Sense for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Creature sometimes signifies Man or Mankind in the Sacred Style and so I apprehend it is to be understood in Mark 16. 15. Preach the Gospel to every Creature i. e. to every Rational Creature viz. Men. And so in the Talmud and other Rabbinical Writings the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Creature is as much as Man But there is yet a more comprehensive Sense of the Word for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here may be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole Creation ver 22. of this Chapter the whole created System of the World and every Thing in it and so by the eâ—rnest Expectation of the Creature or the Creation we may understand the fervent Longing not only of all Mankind but of the whole Stock of created Beings They all in their Way and according to their Capacity long and groan for the last Welcome Dispensation which is fitly call'd by the Apostle a Deliverance from the â—ondage of Corruption i. e. from the Slavery of Sin by reason of which every Creature is in some sort enslaved The whole Frame of the Creation groans and travaileth in Pain they are as it were in Pangs of Child-birth which is a frequent Similitude in the Holy Scriptures ready to bring forth impatient of being delivered This is appositely call'd here the Adoption v. 23. because it is accompanied with Freedom And it is styled the Redemption of our Body i. e. it is as it were a Releasing us from Captivity a perfect Deliverance from all Servitude and Misery There could not be a more congruous Expression to set forth that Dispensation which I am now treating of as will appear from the particular Account which I shall speedily give you of it It is no improbable thought that this is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the World to come Heb. 2. 5. whereof saith the Apostle we speak viz. in that Chapter where he speaks of Christ's Kingdom and in Chap. 6. ver 5. where it is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Age to come that particular Age of the World when Christ and his Apostles appear'd or more generally that Time wheâ— the Gospel was preached And I have observed before that this manner of speaking is borrowed from the Style of the Iews who were wont to call the Time of the Messias Gnolam habba the World or Age to come But as these are general Terms to signify the Time of the Messias so they are taken in a more restrained Sense for the last and concluding Part of this Time viz. when Christianity shall be at its Heighth That properly and peculiarly is this World to come that particular State of the Gospel when all Persons Jews Gentiles and Infidels shall imbrace the Christian Religion when all the Nations and Kingdoms of the World shall become the Kingdoms of Christ. This New Evangelical World this New Kingdom of the Gospel is likewise
Signification they cannot but be interpreted of these last For if those Prophetick Passages before-mentioned and several others in the Writings of the Prophets be expounded only of the past or present Times of the Gospel it is certain that the Interpretation will not answer the Greatness and Heighth of the Words much less the Weight and Dignity of the matter spoken of If we attend to this we shall discern the full Design and Meaning of those notable Prophecies of the Old Testament we shall apprehend those many Glorious Things both with relation to Spiritual and Temporal Blessings which they foretel shall be in those last Days But I shall have occasion to alledge and particularly to consider those Prophetical Passages when I come to shew distinctly wherein this Dispensation consists and how it differs from all others The Places in the New Testament where this Kingdom of Christ is spoken of are not a Few But that we may not mistake it will be requisite to observe the different Significations of the Word Kingdom as it refers to the Times of the Gospel for we consider not the Word now as it is applied to the future State of Glory in the highest Heavens First By it is sometimes meant the Gospel-Dispensation in general the whole Time of Christ's Administration in his Church from first to last Thus the Angel's Words to the Virgin Mary are to be understood Luke 1. 33. He shall Reign over the House of Iacob i. e. his Church the true Israel of God for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end Christianity shall more or less flourish till the World hath its final Period and Consummation In this large and general Sense those Places are to be taken Mat. 4 2â— the Gospel of the Kingdom Luke 8. 1. the Glad-tidings of the Kingdom of God and many others especially the Parables where the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to several Things Secondly We are to understand by it that particular time of the Gospel-Dispensation which immediately succeeded our Saviours Resurrection as is evident from St. Iohn Baptist's Words The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Mat. 3. 2. and from the same Words used by our Saviour himself Mat. 4. 17. and afterwards by his Apostles Mat. 10. 7. For none of these Texts could be meant of the time of the Gospel when Christ was on Earth or before his Passion but of some other succeeding time otherwise it could not be said the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand but rather the Kingdom of Heaven is present or is already come Whence I infer that Christ may be said not to be in his Kingdom as it respects the Gospel he may be said not to Reign all the time betwixt his Nativity and his Resurrection that being the time of his Humiliation But as soon as he rose from the Dead having conquer'd Death and Satan then he set up his Spiritual Kingdom This is clear from Psal. 132. 11. compared with Acts 2. 30. Then he sat upon his Throne as the Apostle here applies it Wherefore he said to his Apostles when he was risen All Power us given unto me in Heaven and in Earth Mat. 28. 18. And those Words concerning Christ Sit thou on my Right-â—and till I make thy Enemies thy Footstool Psal. 101. 1. which are mention'd four or five times in the New Testament are spoken of his Resurrection and Ascension whereby he declared himself to be Head and Lord of his Church Some thus interpret what he saith in Luke 7. 28. He that is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he i. e. after I am Risen and Ascended the least Apostle or Preacher of the Gospel shall excell Iohn the Baptist for then a clearer Light will shine the Spirit will lead into all Truth Thus we may understand our Saviour when he saith I will not drink henceforth of the Fruit of this Vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom 〈…〉 which cannot be meant of the 〈◊〉 〈…〉 in Heaven because Christ will not 〈◊〉 drink Wine with them or at least in a proper 〈◊〉 it is not true But it seems more reasonable to take the Words as spoken concerning the time after Christ's Resurrection when he did Eat and Drink with his Disciples as is expresly Recorded This time is Signally and Eminently called the Kingdom of God or Christ because this Commenced immediately after he rose from the Dead and it is stiled the Kingdom of his Father because soon after his Resurrection follow'd his Ascension and Sitting at the Right-hand of the Father which were his solemn Inauguration and Enstallment This was the first Year of his Reign now he enter'd upon his Royal Offâ—ce having sent his Holy Spirit to rule in an extraordinary manner in the Church which he had not done before Thus you see the Date of Christ's Kingdom as it is more specially and particularly understood And moreover from all that hath been said under this Head the truth of what I before asserted is made apparent viz. That there are certain Steps and Degrees in the Evangelical Dispensation Thirdly The Vengeance of Heaven on the Iewish Nation in the Destruction and Devastation of their City is call'd Christ's Kingdom Mat. 16. 28. His Triumphing over those obstinate People whose Forefathers had been his Murderers was a considerable Instance of his Glorious Reign Thence it is that his destroying those his implacable Enemies is said to be his Coming in his Kingdom and it is call'd the Kingdom of God coming with Power Mark 9. 1. Fourthly Christ's Second Coming viz. at the Day of Judgment when he shall visibly and manifestly in the Face of all the World exercise his Regal Power is call'd his Kingdom thus it is said Christ shall Iudge the Quick and the Dead at his appearing and his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 1. Lastly By Christ's Kingdom is meant that peculiar and special time of his Reigning which is the present Subject of our Discourse when Christianity shall arrive at its height when the Church shall be in its Meridian That Petition in the Lord's Prayer Thy Kingdom come seems to be meant of this though not solely of it Then the Grace of God in the Gospel will shine forth in its greatest splendor and God's will shall be done then on Earth as it is in Heaven which may perhaps be one reason why these Petitions are joyn'd together It may be this is that Kingdom of God of which and the things appertaining to it our Saviour Discours'd to his Apostles before he left the World Acts 1. 3. But in the Book of the Revelation of St. Iohn there are many clear Passages which relate to this Perfect State of the Christian Church hereafter and 't is express'd by a Kingdom and by Christ's Reigning on the Earth This New Scene is mention'd after this manner in Rev. 5. 10. and again chap. 7. v. 15. and 17. and more plainly in chap. 12. v. 10. Now is
come the Kingdom of our God which is explained by the next Words The Power of his Christ his effectual Reigning whereby he shews his Power in the Church more than ever We have not yet seen the Consequences of the Seventh Angel's Sounding when it was proclaim'd with a loud Voice from Heaven The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall Reign for ever and ever Rev. 11. 15. which in v. 17. is call'd his taking to him his great Power and his Reigning Which gives us to understand that he doth not at first exert his great Power in the Evangelical Dispensation he doth not fully Reign but that he will afterwards and upon Earth This is taking to him his c. There is one Text more which I will add and I request the Reader to consider of it He i. e. Christ must Reign till he hath put all Enemies under his Feet 1 Cor. 15. 25. The Apostle had mention'd the Resurrection of the Saints at Christ's last coming v. 23. and thereupon adds in the next Verse then cometh or then is the end viz. of this World and Present State of things when he that is Christ shall have deliver'd up the Kingdom the Saints who are the chiefest part of his Kingdom to God even the Father when i. e. after he shall have put down all Rule and all Authority and Power which oppose him and his Kingdom For he must Reign i. e. in his Church till he hath put all Enemies under his Feet Now it is plain and undeniable that this time is not yet come therefore it shall be hereafter There must be a time here on Earth when Christ shall have put all his Enemies under his Feet when he shall Reign without opposition And this is the time I am speaking of viz. the Third Exertment of the Evangelical Dispensation But the most Signal Eminent and Renowned Place on which may be Founded and Built the Future Glorious State of the Christian Church on Earth is the 20th Chapter of the Revelation where is expresly foretold the Binding of Satan a Thousand Years and the Saints Living and Reigning with Christ a Thousand Years I know full well this Chapter hath been miserably perverted not only of late but at the first setting out of Christianity Some from this place asserted a Terrene Millennary Kingdom of Christ consisting chiefly in Corporal Pleasures and Carnal Delights as if they design'd to revive the Epicurean Happiness or to antedate the Mahometan Heaven Cerinthus is said to be the Author of this Opinion for being a Man addicted to Sensuality and Pleasure he founded an Happiness here on Earth of such a Nature viz. abounding with all Delights relating to Meats and Drinks Concupiscence and Effeminacy So saith an Antient Ecclesiastical Writer Dionysius of Alexandria 1. 2. de Promis And Eusebius saith the same Eccl. Hist. 1. 7. c. 19. But this savours too much of the Flesh besides that it contradicts our Saviour who said His Kingdom was not of this World John 18. 36. and consequently the Reigning of the Saints is not Worldly and Sensual but Spiritual and Heavenly And besides these Men held that this Reign of Christ here on Earth was to be after the Resurrection yea and after the last Iudgment which renders this Opinion yet more Improbable if not Absurd as if the Saints who had enjoy'd the Pleasures of Heaven would count it a Happiness to be entertain'd with those that are Sensual and Carnal There were Others of Old who had a more Tolerable Notion of the Millennary Reign for they placed it not in Sensual and Earthly Pleasures and mere outward Peace and Prosperity though they held it was not without these There Opinion in short was this that after Six Thousand Years in this World were compleated the Saints should all rise their Bodies should ascend out of their Graves or where ever else they were and their Souls should come down from Heaven and Christ also should descend from thence and keep a Jubile with them and Reign with great joy a Thousand Years here upon Earth and that all Kingdoms should be made subject to him and that the Righteous should be Bless'd with an abundance of the Good Things of this World but without any Intemperance Excess or Immoderation whatsoever This they call'd the First Resurrection from which all the Ungodly are excluded After this Seventh Millennary of Years is compleated all Men shall rise from the Dead which is the Second Resurrection This was the Sentiment of most of the Ancient Fathers yea of all Christians who were accounted Orthodox as Iustin Martyr acquaints us He and Irenaeus and Ierom and others tell us that this Doctrine came first from Papias Bishop of Hierapolis who pretended he had it from St. Iohn whose Scholar he was and from the Disciples of the Apostles with whom he was acquainted So that the Pedegree of the Millennary Opinion is this It was first broach'd by Cerinthus then reâ—ined by Papias and others and afterwards transmitted to the Latin and Greek Fathers Or if we will be more exact in the Lineage and Descent of it we must begin it higher and say that the Apostles set it on foot first for they dreamt of an Earthly Kingdom of Christ in this World as I have shewed before Or rather we may trace it up to the Iews before Christ the Millennium was borrowed from an Antient Tradition and Perswasion among that People that the Messias should Reign a Thousand Years on Earth in all Pomp and Grandure The Babylon Talmud in Sanhedrim in the Chapter Helek doth shew this to be the Opinion of the Hebrew Doctors about the Days of the Messias And Aruch mentions it as a thing of undeniable certainty and so speaks R. Eliâ—zer in Midrash Tillim The Days of the Messias are a Thousand Years So our Learned Lightfoot The Opinion of his Personal Reign in the affluence of all Sensual and Worldly Delights was an old Iewish Error saith St. Ierom once and again And several other Writers testifie that it was a received Notion among them That the Messias after Six Thousand Years of the World were expired should Reign in Person all the time of the next Millennary with his Elect on Earth in perfect Peace and Prosperity and hence the Christians converted from Iudaism borrow'd and retain'd this Notion And truly it was kept up a long time in the Church it was almost universally believ'd no less than the first Three Hundred Years after the Apostles At last the credit of Papias who was thought to be the first Broacher of this Doctrine was call'd in question Though he was a Man oâ— great Simplicity Honesty and Integrity yet he was one of small Judgment and mean Learning saith Eusebius And he adds in another place that this Papias spoke Strange and Fabulous things and did not understand the Apostles Arguings St. Ierom and St. Augustin
3. 1. to explain this Place in the Revelation for as Christ is said to be crucified among the Galatians i. e. they had been so clearly and fully taught and instructed in the Nature of Christ's Sufferings as if Christ himself had been crucified in their Sight So in a resembling sort the SAINTS are said to live again i. e. their holy Lives and Actions whence they are denominated Saints are as evidently and completely copied out in the Persons then upon a kind of a Resurrection On such the second Death bath no Power i. e. those who have the Honour to be reserved to that excellent State of the Church which is called Reigning with Christ being Holy and Righteous Persons they shall be rescued from the second Death which is no other than Everlasting Destruction For as there is a Twofold Resurrection as hath been said so in the same way of Allusion there is a Twofold Death a Death of Temporal and a Death of Eternal Destruction This latter is called the second Death because it comes after the other and is a great deal more terrible than it Therefore to be free'd from this is the greatest Mercy imaginable And this is that which all those who live under the Heighth of the Evangelical Dispensation shall be rescued from At the end of those Thousand Years when the Books shall be opened and the Dead shall be judged out of them they shall escape everlasting Death and Damnation and they shall pass from Earth to Heaven from the happy State of the Church here to endless Blessedness in the Mansions above The short then of all is this That the Living and Reigning of the Saints with Christ which is foretold in this Chapter is to be understood of the most Prosperous and Flourishing State of the Church of Christ here on Earth which is the Thing that I have undertaken to prove and illustrate Indeed it is not expresly said that this Reign shall be on Earth but we may most rationally infer as much from this Chapter The Angel who was to bind Satan came down from Heaven ver 1. therefore the Scene of these Things spoken of in this Chapter was to be here below Afterwards ver 3. it is said that Satan was shut up that he might deceive the Nations no more Now none can deny but that these Nations were on Earth And in ver 9. it is said of Gog and Magog That they went up on the Breadth of the Earth and compassed the Camp of the Saints about The Saints then are upon the Earth as well as Gog and Magog And this appears yet further from what follows in the same Verse Fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured them Therefore neither they nor the Saints were then in Heaven but on Earth else the Fire could not be said to come down from Heaven upon the latter It is out of question then that this Reigning of the Saints with Christ is meant of that happy Administration of the Church here on Earth Though the common Doctrine of the Millennaries viz. of the Saints and Martyrs leaving Heaven and coming down to Reign on Earth and so likewise of the Personal Reign of Christ with them be a groundless Fancy and built neither on Reason nor Scripture yet I have in some good measure shew'd that Tâ—is which I am now speaking of is founded on Both. The former dictates to us that there shall be a more perfect State of Christianity than ever yet hath been and the latter in several Places speaks of this higher Degree of Christianity Though Christ will not come in Person yet he will come in the Spirit to renew his Church and to exalt it to a greater Measure of Holiness and Purity And there shall then be such a joyful blessed Season as never was before and never will be again upon Earth It remains now that I speak particularly and distinctly of the Duration of this Spiritual Reign It shall last a Thousand Years which some have thought is to be understood iâ—definitely As in Iob 9. 3. 33. 23. One of a Thousand is One of a great Many And in Psal. 50. 10. A Thousand Hills and Psal. 105. 8. A Thousand Generations is as much as very Many Hills and Generations so they think here a Finite Number is put for an Indefinite and accordingly the Reigning of the Saints a Thousand Years signifies no more than the long Time of the Churches Prosperity St. Augustin who takes the Thousand Years in this Indefinite manner holds that they began either at Christ's Birth or his Passion and last to the Worlds end or till a little before it when Antichrist is to come and appear in the World Others say they commence at Christ's Death and that as the Saints are said to Reign so the Devil is bound a Thousand Years i. e. all the Time from Christ's Passion to the Consummation of all Things excepting only that little Time when he is Loosed But these are very extravagant Assertions and no considerate Men have undertaken to make them good Why therefore should I undertake to confute them I will only say this to baffle their Notion who take these Thousand Years Indefinitely that first it is expresâ—y asserted in this Chapter that the Godly shall Reign a Thousand Years and that Satan shall be bound just so many Years which indeed are but the same Time Again The Thousand Years are repeated no less than Six-times by St. Iohn here which clearly makes against and Indefinite and Uncertain Number Unless a Certain Determinate Portion of Years were here meant this Definite and Precise Number would not have been reiterated so often For this reason both the Ancient and Modern Expositors of this Chapter universally agree that the Thousand Years here are to be taken in the most obvious and Proper Sence viz. for that Particular Determinate Number But then there is a great Disagreement about the Beginning and Ending of these Thousand Years thus precisely taken Some say they began at Christ's Nativity and lasted till Pope Silvester the Second which was about a Thousand Years after for Idolatry and all Superstitious Rights in the Church broke out and manifestly appeared under him first of all So our Wickliff and Bilney and Aretius a Foreigner thought But others as Bede Primasius Pererius fix the Date at Christ's Passion Others hold the Thousand Years began at the Preaching of the Gospel or about the Destruction of Ierusalem and ended when Popery first began Eminently to prevail which was they say about the Year of Christ 1073. when Hildebrand i. e. Gregory the Seventh invaded the Chair then Satan also was loosed This is Dr. Lightfoot's Opinion as it was also of our Broughton and Vsher and of Pareus and Iunius abroad But surely it is harsh to say that the Devil was bound all the time of the Ten Persecutions when he had Power given him to stir up those Bloody Emperours and Tyrants to commit such Outrages against the
Incongruities he runs himself into to maintain his Assertion Whenas the very Character here given of the Man of Sin viz. that he sits in the Temple of God and exalts himself above all that is called God c. plainly shews to whom it belongs And that the Brightness of Christ's coming whereby this Son of Perdition shall be consumed is not meant of Christ's last Coming to Judgment but of his Coming to Reign upon Earth will appear from what I shall presently add St. Iohn who was honoured with abundant Discoveries from Heaven concerning the Things which were to come to pass afterwards in the Christian Church in a most graphical and lively Manner represents to us in Two whole Chapters the Eighteenth and Nineteenth of the Book of the Revelation the Fall of this Spiritual Baby lon and the Saints Rejoicing and Triumphing because of the Vengeance of God upon her And then immediately in the next Chapter he proceeds to speak of the Binding of Satan and the Reign of the Saints a Thousand Years In which Chapters though it is true the exact Order of the Time is not observed as in the Book of the Revelation is â—â—sual and therefore we must not always insist upon Prius Postâ—â—ius here yet this is plainly signified to us that there is a Connexion between these Two the Reign of Christ and the Fall of Babylon and that the one most certainly goes along with the other But exactly speaking the Overthrow of Babylon is part of Christ's Reigning or you may call it an Effect of it For when he Reigneth he will subdue and destroy this Greatest Enemy of his Kingdom If we enquire How he shall be destroy'd both St. Paul and St. Iohn will satisfy us The former tells us That he shall be consumed by the Spirit of God's Mouth 2 Thes. 2. 8. Which may signify some immediate way of God's blasting him God Himself shall fight against him with the Sword of his Mouth The Pope shall be destroyed saith Luther without Hands As he began so he shall end He set up at first not by Power and in the like manner he shall be cast down That Prophecy in 8. Dan. 25. concerning Antiochus He shall be broken without Hand shall be fulfilled of the Pope And again he saith When God speaketh but a Word and saith Rome be destroy'd Sir Pope come down from your Throne it shall be accomplished immediately The Phrase here used may denote the Easiness and Suddenness of the Fall of the Papal Antichrist It shall be as it were with a Word of God's Mouth Or the Spirit of God's Mouth may signify the Preaching of the Gospel This shall be made the great Instrument of Rome's Fall As the Prophet of old was said to sâ—ay the Wicked with the Words of his Mouth Hos. 6. 5. So shall the Evangelical Prophets the Ministers of Christ when they shall be effectually stir'd up for that purpose slay that wicked One and all his Adherents in the same manner they shall be so powerfully enabled to enlighten and instruct the World that it shall soon be convinced of the Damnable Errours and Impieties of the Roman Church it shall plainly see and discern the execrable Impostures of that Society of Men it shall be made evident from the Word of God That they are no other than the Synagogue of Satan Thus the Man of Sin shall be destroy'd by the Brightness of Christâ—s coming as the Apostle expresseth it in the same place by the Plain and Convictive Preaching of the Word which shall accompany that blessed State of the Church which is to come But Rome shall not Fall by God's Word only The ensuing Texts of Scripture will bring you to this Perswasion that her Downfal shall likewise be by humane Force and Power He that killeth with the Sword must be killed with the Sword Rev. 13. 10. Give her Blood to drink Ch. 16. v. 6. They shall make the Whore desolate and naked and they shall Eat her Flesh and burn her with Fire Ch. 17. v. 16. All which signify the use of Violent Means And more fully yet in Ch. 18. v. 6 7 8. Reward her even â—s she rewarded you and double unto her double according to her Works in the Cup which she hath filled which was a Cup of Blood fill to her Double How much she hath glorified herself and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her for she saith in her Heart I sit a Queen and am no Widow and shall see no sorrow Therefore shall her Plagues come in one Day Death and Mourning and Famine and she shall be utterly burnt with Fire Perhaps this last Expression may intimate that the Papists shall fall out among themselves that they shall dissent from one another that they shall contribute towards their Ruin by their own intestine Quarrels and Combustions for these are signified by Fire not only in Luke 12. 49. but in several other Places But there must be some Fighting on both Sides Rome and its Opponents as I conceive This seems to me very plain out of Rev. 19. 19 20 21. where there are Two Armies and a formal pitch'd Battle and a Victory ensuing upon it To take it wholly in a Spiritual Sense is very harsh and disagreeable to what we meet with in this and other Chapters of this Book where there are several Passages which seem to inform us That this Bloody Antichrist shall Fall by the Hand and Force of Man as well as by the immediate Curse of God and the Preaching of the Gospel of which I spoke before We are told that Hannibal brake through the Alpes with Fire and Vinegar when he was on his march towards Rome It is probable that those Warriors and Champions whom God will stir up to make their way thither will use a resembling Method that they will ingage in very Hot and Sharp Service and with the utmost Force and Violence incounter all Impediments which stand in their way And as the Old Romans in great Streights of the Commonwealth created a Dictator an extempore Monarch and Governour so it may be the Person to do this great Thing shall be of that sort he shall be extraordinarily chosen out and set up by Providence on purpose for this emergent Business And who knows but that he may be a Dictator as it were from the Plough i. e. a Person taken from more Private and Low Employments to move and act in this High and Publick Sphere But I need not be Inquisitive and Solicitous about the Manner of Rome's Downfal since we have so good Assurance of the Thing itself and may acquiescâ— in that II. The Conversion or Fulness of the Gentiles is another Attendant of the Reign of Christ upon Earth This was intimated in that Promise of God to Abraham That he should be a Father of the Multitude of Nations 17. Gen. 4. for so it is in the Original Those Nations which proceeded from Abraham by Hagar and
is likely Christ may appear in the Skies with an amazing Splendor and Glory to these gazing Spectators I conceive he may Personally Appear above though he will not Reign Personally on Earth After he hath shew'd himself he soon retreats and remains in Heaven till the Last and Final Day Mr. Mede who once thought that our Saviour would make a visible Appearance in the Clouds in order to the Jews Conversion afterwards retracted this Opinion as may be seen in one of his Letters because there is no good Foundation for it viz. in Mat 24. 30. which he had formerly quoted for that purpose But whether there is any Foundation for such an Apprehension in that Place of Daniel I leave to the Reader to judge I only offer'd it as probable but am perswaded that no Man can Absolutely determine any Thing in this Case and therefore he is very presumptuous that attempts it Chap. XXI Universal Righteousness is another Attendant of this Last Dispensation An Objection doubly answered It is not a Sinless State Greater Knowledge than ever shall be at that Time Religion shall then appear in its Native Purity The Influence of the Holy Spirit on Mens Lives shall be more effectual than formerly Jesus shall in a more eminent Manner be exalted Other Fruits of this happy Reign How these great Things shall be wrought Civil Magistrates shall be made use of Christ's Reign is not inconsistent with that of Kings and Princes Ecclesiastical and Spiritual Rulers shall be Instruments in this great Work All Persons are some Ways capable of promoting it Universal Peace is another Blessing that attends this Kingdom of Christ. On what account it must needs be so Scripture attests it An Objection obviated A Concurrence of all manner of Temporal Blessings in this happy State More especially Bodily Health and Long Life Also a vast Increase of the Poeple of that Time The Savage Brates shall become Tame and Gentle These Earthly Blessings are but Appendages of this Dispensation They are Inconsiderable in respect of the Divine Blessings which constitute this State The Author's Doubtings and Reluctancies He is not positive as to Particular Circumstances He cannot determine concerning the Fore-runners of this Revolution The Freedom which he uses in a Point that is highly Probable He follows not some late Writers in assigning the particular Time when the Millennary Reign shall commence The punctual Date is not to be known The Thing discoursed of is certain though the Time as to us is not so The Degeneracy of the present Times is no obstacle to this The Author leaves a Testimony of his Wishes and Desires HAving spoken of Three of the Grand Concomitants of the Reign of Christ I proceed now to the Fourth which is Vniversal Righteousness and Holiness You might have observed that in some of those Places of Scripture which I alledged to evince the Future calling of the Jews and Gentiles and you may observe in several others besides which speak of this happy Revolution and the consummation of the Messias's Kingdom that there is some mention all along made of the Holiness which shall abound in that Time This is reckon'd among the Blessings of Christ's Kingdom in several Places of the Prophetick Writings Thy People shall be all Righteous Isa. 60. 21. I will sprinkle clean Water upon you and ye shall be clean Ezek. 36. 25. I will save you from your Uncleanness ver 29. which is the same with cleansing them from their Iniquities ver 33. They shall not defile themselves any more with their detestable Things or any of their Transgressions Ezek. 37. 23. In those Days HOLINESS TO THE LORD must be engraved on the Bells of the Horses Zech. 14. 20. There shall be such a Catholick Reformation that every Thing even the meanest and commonest shall share in it We find it to be the Office of the Messias to bring in everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9. 24. not only that of his Own whereby we are to be justified but an Inherent one in our selves though produced by the Holy Spirit whereby we are sanctified If it be said that this and some of the other Texts refer to those Times which are past viz. when Christ came in the Flesh or when the Apostles made so many Converts to our Holy Religion or even to the present Times of the Gospel and therefore they have no respect to what is to come I answer That the Consequence is not valid for though these Prophecies were partly and initially fulfilled before yet it doth not follow thence that they shall not be Completely fulfilled hereafter I grant that they are in part come to pass for there never was more Holiness than since the Rise of the Gospel but I assert withal that the Full Accomplishment is yet behind for there shall be a larger Effusion of Holiness in the ensuing Dispensation Or the former Answer which I gave in the like Case may be Satisfactory here viz. that this kind of Prophetick Passages have a Double Meaning and therefore must have a Double Accomplishment Many of these Predictions which foretold what should be at Christ's first setting up the Kingdom of the Gospel do also foretel what shall happen at his Coming in the Millennium This is a safe way of interpreting those Place and giving an Account of those Prophecies yea this solves the Difficulties which occur in this Controversy This is no groundless Notion but built upon the Interpretation of Scripture dictated by the Holy Ghost himself as I have proved in another Discourse where I have shew'd that this is the peculiar Excellency of the Sacred Writings to have a First and a Second or if you will a Direct and a Collateral Meaning which we find in no other Books whatsoever that are Historical This is applicable here those Passages in the Prophets concerning an extraordinary Measure of Sanctity and Righteousness are to be understood not only of the Primitive Times of Christianity but more especially of those that shall be towards the latter end of the World viz. in the Blessed Reign of Christ. It is not to be doubted but that the Prophetick Words reach to these Two times so that they are fulfilled twice In the Sacred Writings not only different Persons and Things but different Times and Seasons are contain'd in the same Words And as this Holiness of the future State on Earth is foretold in the Holy Scriptures so it naturally follows from what hath been said before For when Babylon shall fall and the Mystery of Iniquity with it when those whose grand Design and Business it was to extirpate the Purity of Religion shall themselves be rooted out when both Iews and Gentiles shall universally abandon their evil Opinions and wicked Practices and jointly set themselves to the Study of God's Will and the observance of their Duty you cannot but think there will follow upon this an Universal Sanctity in the World I do not mean a Sinless State for this is so like
Heaven that I can't be induced to think that we shall have it here on Earth Those High-fliers who represent the Millennary State as such lash out too far and remember not that our Heaven is not to be here The binding of Satan which is spoken of is not such a Binding as if the Devils were all shut up and none of them had the least Liberty to solicite and entice us to Sin I observe that it was the Chief of these Infernal Spirits that was bound by the Angel Rev. 20. 1. which I gather from the several Names that are here given him viz. the Dragon that old Serpent who is the Devil and Satan which are heap'd up on purpose to distinguish this Arch-Daemon from the rest This is that very Apostate Ghost it is probable who wrought the First Mischief in the World the Fall of the First Man and Woman by assuming the Shape of a Serpent or rather by entring into and acting a Real Serpent whence he is called here the old Serpent He being the Subtilest and most Malicious of all the Diabolical Crew is bound and cast into the bottomless Pit and shut up and a Seal is set upon him that he should deceive the Nations no more He who was the Head and Ring-leader of the rest and by whose order they generally acted is secured and thereupon their Power is extremely abated though they are not chain'd up in the same manner that He is It is not likely that they forget their old Employment but they do what they can in it though it be but little They shall not be totally absolutely and fully bound till the Last Day and therefore they will not cease to tempt and deceive Men till that time but they shall be Restrained in a very great Measure and Degree However if we suppose the whole Body of Evil Angels so confin'd that they are utterly uncapable of Tempting yet as long as Men are on this side of Heaven Corruptions will adhere to them The Best will Sin to the Worlds end because they are a Compound of Flesh and Spirit Their Make and Frame being such there can be no intire Freedom from Sin in this Life But this high Degree of the Evangelical State shall set them at as great a Distance from it as they can be capable of in this lower Region of the World For First in that happy Restauration Men shall be Blessed with a greater Knowledge than ever which is the Ground-work of true Holiness The Inspired Prophets who speak of those Days assure us That the Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea Isa. 11. 9. And perhaps this is intended in Isa. 65. 20. The Child shall die an Hundred Years Old i. e. all Persons shall grow up to maturity of Understanding even before they have attain'd to any considerable Number of Years The Children shall have such Knowledge that if they die in their Childhood they shall be as Knowing as some of those heretofore that were very Old that lived an Hundred Years This is the Privilege of those that are reserved for the New Heavens and the New Earth or the New-created Ierusalem which the Prophet speaks of there as we learn from ver 17 18. There will be more Knowledge because there will be a more General Commerce according to that of Daniel who prophesied concerning these Times Many shall run to and fro and Knowledge shall be increased Dan. 12. 4. viz. by that free and peaceable Travelling by Sea and Land from one Part of the World to the other which will be the uninterrupted Privilege of those Days For I am not inclined to submit to that New Hypothesis That the Earth in the Millennium will be without a Sea Which is founded on a wrong Bottom for the supposes the 〈◊〉 will be after the Conâ—â—agration which â—e imagines will burn up the Sea or his Comet which he fansies will drink it up For according to this Gentleman 's New Philosophy as a Comet procured the Universal Flood so it will bring on the Final Conflagration and so he makes the Drowning of the World and the Burning of it up to be from the same Cause But leaving this Theorist to his own Inventions I think we may rationally assert that the Eâ—rth shall not be destitute of Sea in the foresaid Thousand Years because I shall prove afterwards that the Firing of the Earth will not happen till after those Years be expired And consequently we may be perswaded of the Truth of what I before suggested that a Commerce by Sea as well as by Land shall be mightily increased and improved in that Millennary State In order to this it is probable that there will be a Common Language for all the World a kind of a Lingua Franca but much larger that may be used by all whereby all Nations will be enabled to hold correspondence with one another at the greatest Distance Travelling is uneasy now because we must have a Druggerman to interpret between us and the Foreigners we converse with but then they will be incourag'd to visit one another when the Conversation between them is become so easy By this means the great Principles of Christianity will be soon propagated and known in the World especially when I add that now Mens Minds shall be better disposed than ever to understand the Truth and to entertain the Doctrine of Iesus The true Notions of Things shall bear sway and Men shall not take Pains to Cheat and Delude themselves as well as others as hath been their constant Course through all Ages Secondly in this remarkable Renovation of the World which we expect Religion shall appear in its Native Purity and Simplicity and Men shall see and understand the Real Worth of it Indeed Religion like the Sun at its first Rising made long Shadows it abounded with Obscurities and Dusky Representations and Men were imployed chiefly in external Formalities and Ceremonies But when it shall be in its Meridian at its greatest Height there will be none of these Things but it shall be chosen for its own Sake and loved for its intrinsick Value Even at the first founding of Christianity itself many imbraced it because it was attested by such Extraordinary and Miraculous Occurrences as then every Day shew'd themselves so that they were in a manner thrust upon Christianity and they were compell'd as it were to receive it But it shall not be so afterwards it shall commend itself to the World by its own Natural Excellency by the Worthiness of its Noble Principles which it is furnished with and thence Men shall serve God Freely and out of Choice and the Christian Religion shall then appear more eminently to be a Reasonable Service This must needs promote a more than usual Holiness in the Hearts and Lives of Men for when Religion is esteem'd for its Self and its inward Excellency it will cease to be measured by mere Words and outward Shews
more an Infant of days â—or an old Man that hath not fill'd his days For though this Dispensation be no exemption from Mortality though Christ's Reign doth not unthrone and depose the King of Terrors yet it wards off his fatal Blows for a long Season And perhaps some may reach the long Ages of those that lived before the Flood And this shall happen not only from the Nature of the thing it self but by the singular Favour of God For as before in a judicial way he sometimes short'ned Men's Lives so now in the way of a Blessing he is pleased to extend them to a great length Which perhaps is the meaning of what follows in the foresaid Chapter v. 22. As the days of a Tree a long-liv'd Tree are the days of my People But supposing that this is not the strict import of the Text which I submit to the Thoughts of the Judicious yet it is certain from the reason of the thing it self that those Happy Ages shall abound with all things that conduce to the Welfare and Happiness of the Body as well as of the Soul and consequently Longaevity shall be one of the Felicities of those times And I doubt not but it will be procured by a perfect Knowledge of the true Causes and Springs of Long Life and of the more immediate Sourses of Diseases For Natural Philosophy as well as all other Parts of True Philiosophy shall be then improved to the utmost and a Vertuoso shall be no Rarity Especially the Nature of all Vegetables and Minerals wherein are laid up the great Restoratives of Life shall by exquisite Experiments be laid open to the World And the use of all the Vessels in the body which now we have but an imperfect insight into and some of which we know nothing of shall be exactly discovered And whatever else relating either to Nature or Art or Morality shall be conducible to this great End before-mentioned shall not be wanting no not that which is the choicest and most sovereign Conserver of Life viz. a well-temper'd Joy and Chearfulness a ferene and placid Spirit than which nothing can be more serviceable to uphold and maintain the vital Congruity to nourish the Lamp of Life and to give a lasting Vivacity to Nature And from the several Particulars we may gather this also that there will be a greater Number of Persons upon the Earth in that Sabbatick Reign than there is now This follows from what hath been said concerning that Universal Peace that Extraordinary Measure of Bodily Health and Strength that Duration of Men's Lives which shall be the Blessing of those Days Upon the more Cessation of Wars and Slaughters of Pestilence and Famine c. which are wont so visibly to diminish the number of Mankind there must needs be a great length'ning out of Men's Lives there must be a vast Increase of the People of the World The whole Earth will be replenish'd and even crowded with Inhabitants This will make amends as I suggested before for the great multitudes of Men that have in several Ages perished and gone to the Infernal Regions For within the compass of this Happy Time wherein we suppose Mankind to be thus extremely multiplied and all of them excepting some very few to be holy and Religious Persons there will be a larger Stock of Inhabitants for Heaven than there was of those who in all the preceding Times of the World were thrust down to the contrary Place And thus which way soever we look this Blessed Dispensation shall be eminent for the Natural as well as the Moral and Religious Emendation of all Things for Temporal and Earthly Blessings as well as those that are Spiritual and Heavenly for the present bettering of the World and for the Provision it makes for the future Mankind being free'd from all Dangers Mischiefs and Troubles shall enjoy an undisturbed Peace Quiet and Repose with a Freedom from all Pain and Sickness And their Bodies shall be more vigorous and their Beauty more lasting than ever before Which shall be attended with all outward Conveniencies Comforts and Refreshments of what nature soever together with inward Peace Pleasure and Satisfaction There is one thing more I will venture to add as belonging I verily believe to this Happy State I have been describing There shall be a Peace not only between Rational Creatures and their Brethren but between these and the most Salvage Brutes i. e. those Brutes which heretofore were so For now the hurtful Disposition and cruel Nature of all such Animals shall be taken from them and they shall become mild and gentle tame and tractable This I take to be the meaning of that Prophecy Isai. 11. 6 7. The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and the Fatling together and a little Child shall lead them And the Cow and the Bear shall feed their young ones shall lie down together And the Lion shall eat Straw like the Ox and the sucking Child shall play on the hole of the Asp and the weaned Child shall put his hand on the Cockatrice-den They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my Holy Mountain Which Words seem to me to be a clear Prediction concerning the peaceable Temper which even the fiercest of the Irrational Herd shall be endued with in the last Times of the World Their former Antipathies their pristine Enmities shall cease and they shall be restored to that harmlessness and Innocence which were at the first Creation I know these Words are generally by Commentators understood of that Inward Change which shall be made in Mens minds and hearts by the powerful Influence of the Gospel But I see little or no Foundation for this Interpretation for I go upon this ground which all sober Interpreters of Scripture acknowledge and own that there is no reason to fly to a Metaphorical and Mystical Sense of a Text when it appears that there is a Literal one So it is here there is no need of supposing any such thing as Metaphors and Allegories for the Words in themselves as interpreted according to the Letter are very plain and intelligible The Prophet here gives an Account of the Peaceable Kingdom of Christ and tells us that this among other things appertaining to it is part of it that there shall be a change in the Nature and Qualities of Brute Animals the Wolf Leopard Lion Bear â—erpent Adder shall be as tâ—me as Lambs Kids Calves they shall lie down and dwell and feed together they shall neither prey upon one another nor shall they be hurtful to Men. Nothing could be more plainly said to express the great Blessing and Privilege of those last Days when the Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea which are the very next Words to those which I have set down and shew to what Period of Time they relate And that we
should content us that the thing it self is undeniable viz. that the Evangelical Oeconomy is not yet perfect that great things are yet to be done that though our Blessed Saviour shall not descend from Heaven till the Day of Judgment for I am none of those that dream of his Personal Reign upon Earth yet by his Spirit he shall come and Reign here a Thousand Years and advance Christianity to its utmost heighth At which time all â—ntichristian Doctrines and Powers shall be exploded and destroyed the Fulness of the Gentiles shall come in the Dispersed Iews shall be gather'd and imbrace the Faith of Christ Universal Righteousness and Holiness shall prevail and the Peaceable and Philadelpâ—ian Spirit shall be infused into all Churches so that they shall be of one Heart and of one Mind This â—uture Kingdom of Christ this Happy part of the Evangelical Dispensation is not unworthy of our Assent and Belief However I have entertained my self and the Reader with an Idâ—a of the Delightful and Happy State of Christianity here on Earth If it be not adjusted to Truth though no Man alive I am sure can prove it is not yet it shall remain as a Testimony of my Hearty Desires and Wishes that the Gospel may flourish in a Higher Degree than ever it yet did that Christianity may be the Religion of the whole World and that all Mankind every where may know the True God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent and that knowing him they may Universally practise his Law and do his Will and that they may all be United and Cemented together in the Bond of Peace and Love CHAP. XXII The Last part of the Evangelical Dispensation under the loosing of Satan out of his Prison Who are Gog and Magog Not only the Mahometan but the Roman Power shall be revived The Last Days before the End of the World shall be extremely Wicked They shall be exceeding Perillous and Calamitous Christ comes to Judgment The Conflagration of the World succeeds this whatever some have suggested to the contrary A Particular Answer to a late Writers Arguments on this Subject It is observed how he resembles Origen A plain Exposition of those Words Nevertheless we look for New Heavens and a New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness A farther Proof from the same Chapter The Nature and Design of the Final Conflagration The Summ of the whole preceeding Discourse I Am unwilling to go off from this Pleasant Scene especially to one that is so Black and Melancholick as that which follows But the uncontrollable Wisdom and Providence of Heaven leads us to it and therefore we must be obsequious to their Conduct I proceed then to the Fourth and Last Part of the Evangelical Dispensation namely that which immediately preceedeth the Coming of Christ to Judgment For I have shew'd before that it hath had its Infancy and Childhood its Youth its Manhood or Full Growth and now come its last and feeble Years Wherefore I call this the Old Age of Christianity for now it miserably Declineth and grows Weak and Decrepid Now the World degenerates again and in a short time it becomes very Wicked and Impious For we are expresly told that when the Thousand Years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his Prison Rev. 20. 7. The Wicked shall again assaâ—lt the Church for we must know that the World shall not through all the time of the Thousand Years be free of the Ungodly Race of Men. The Tares i. e. the Children of the Wicked One are to grow up till the Harvest Mat. 13. 30. and that will not be till the End of the World as the same Infallible Teacher hath told us Every Individual Person shall not be Vertuous and Good Heaven only being the place where there are no Sinners but there sâ—all remain and spring up at last upon Earth some very Bad Men out of which Brood afterwards as soon as Satan shall be set at liberty and come to hatch them there shall arise a Deadly Generation of Vipers a Cursed increase of the most profligate Sinners who will be set upon Mischief and will invade and wast the Church and make it their work to Deceive and Seduce the Nations or rather Satan who sets them on work is said here to do it v. 8 9. He shall go out to deceive Nations which are in the Four Quarters of the Earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to Bâ—ttel the number of whom is as the Sand of the Sea And they went up on the breadth of the Earth and compassed the Camp of the Saints about and the beloved City The plain General meaning of which Words is this that as of Old God's People the Iews were beset on the North and South with Gog and Magog their implacable Enemies who are meant but not exclusively of others in the 38. and 39. Chaâ—tâ—rs of Ezekiel so the Saints at that time shall be environ'd with their's who will prove no less Restless and Implacable And the more â—articular and Abstruse meaning is this that the Race of the Turks shall be those that shall cause this Disturbance for these are meant by Gog and Magog for the old Gog and Magog were Scythians as is Universally agreed by the Learnedest Commentators on Gen. 10. 2. where we find that Magog was one of the Sons of Iaphet who was the Father of the Getae Massagetae Scythians Sarmaritans and their Neighbours the Tartars from whom it is generally asserted that the Turks first Sprung Iosephus is positive that Magog was the Father of the Scythians and tells us that Magogae was the Name that the Scythians were anciently known buy among the Greeks We learn from Pliny who often gives a better account of Places than of Manners and is very exact in some parts of his Geography that Magog and Scythopolis were Coincident Names of the same Place Therefore there is reason to think that Gog and Magog in this place of the Apocalypse are the Turks and Mahometans who are as â—â—is generally acknowledg'd descended of the Scythians And these are that Stock of People who 〈◊〉 so Molest and Persecute the Saints of the Most High after the expiring of the Thousand Years And it is not unlikely that the Papal Beast will begin to lift up his Horn again I do not mean that any of those individual Persons who acted before shall now appear for they are secured The Beast as well as the False Prophet is in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone v. 10. But there shall be those that shall revive the old Roman Tyranny and Superstitions and shall join their Forces with those of the Mahometan Faction Both these Parties shall arise and shew themselves soon after the thousand years are ended And the Prince of the Infernal Daemons who had been imprison'd and chain'd up all that space shall be Head and Commander of them and gather them to Battle Their Numbers shall be exceeding great even like the Sand of
assured from the Inspired Writings of the New Testament that it was so for the Tabernacle is said to have been a Figure for the time then present Heb. 9. 9. i. e. all the time of that way of Service and Worship some great Mystery was represented by it And the Mosaick Priests are said to serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things Heb. 8. 5. Let us briefly see what these Celestial and Spiritual things were or at least let us guess and modestly conceive what they were First in the Court of the Tabernacle the Altar of Burnt-Offering fitly signified the great Expiatory Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross Heb. 13. 10. And the Laver was a very congruous Symbol of Spiritual Washing and Purifying Eph. 5. 26. Tit. 3. 5. Then in the Sanctuary the Altar of Incense and the Golden Censer plainly denoted the Intercession of the Messias thereby was signified that he should pray for us and offer our Prayers and make them acceptable to God through his Merits for the Incense figures the continual sweet Savour and Acceptableness of the Offering The Table of Shew bread did not only represent God's Providing a Table and Maintenance for the Israelites whilst they were in the Wilderness but it teacheth us that God's Church hath his constant Eye and Care and that he Provideth for it daily he gives them their Daily Bread or it signified Christ who calls himself the Bread of Life with which the Faithful are nourish'd to eternal life Or as things of this nature frequently have divers significations the Brazen Laver before and the Shew-Bread here represented the Two Sacraments Baptism and the Lord's Supper The Candlestick and Lamps very appositely signify Christ and his Apostles He is the True Light and in a secondary sense his Ministers may be call'd so too The Sacred Oyl belonging to them may set forth the Anointing of the Spirit the Vnction from the Holy One whereby the faithful are enlightened and know all things 1 Joh. 2. 20. Or the Golden Candlestick with Seven Branches may denote the manifold Gifts and Graces of the Holy Ghost with that Abundant Light which is the Blessing of the Gospel Rev. 1. 4. 4. 5. Lastly The inmost part of the Tabernacle into which the High Priest enter'd and none else is yet a more lively Representation of the Great Mysteries of the Gospel The Atonement which the High Priest made by Blood and his offering it in this most Holy Place and that but once a Year are all expresly applied to Christ our Great High Priest by the Apostle Heb. 9. 7. 12. 24. 9. 22 24. But more particularly it is worth our observing on this occasion that tho the High Priest enter'd this place but once a Year and that on a set day in the Year yet he enter'd thrice in that one day For first he went in with the Censer of Coals and the Cup of Incense and put the Incense upon the Fire before the Lord Levit. 16. 13. Then he came out and took the Blood of the Bullock slain at the Altar of Burnt-offering and went with it into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled it upon the Mercy-Seat Levit. 16. 14. Then he came â—orth and carried the Blood of a Goat which was also slain at the foresaid Altar and sprinkled it upon or towards the Mercy-Seat ver 15. This was the third time of going into the Holy of Holies And who sees not that the High Priest's offering of Incense appositely represents the solemn Prayers which our High Priest Jesus offer'd before he became a Sacrifice which is particularly mention'd Iohn 17. 1 2 c And is it not as plain that the sprinkling of the Blood of the slain Bullock and Goat signified the Blood of Christ crucified apply'd to Believers to atone for their Sins For those words of the Apostle Heb. 13. 10 11 12 c. refer to the Blood of the Beasts brought into the Holy Place to make Atonement Levit. 16. 27. In this place was the Ark the special Symbol of God's Presence for that carnal People could not believe God was present with them unless they had some apparent and visible Token of it Wherefore God was pleas'd so far to indulge their weakness as to give them this corporeal and sensible Sign of his Presence with them tho he thought good to remove it sometimes from their sight to wean them by degrees from that grosser Dispensation But it is certain that the Ark was a Symbol of mighty import and represented not only the Divine Presence but was a Type of Christ Iesus the incarnate and visible God in whom the Fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily The Oracle from whence God gave answer was the Figure of the Incarnate Word who reveal'd the Will of God to us By the Pot of Manna was signified the hidden Manna vouchsafed to all Believers Aarons Rod that blossomed figured that efficacious Blessing which is given to the Labours of Christ's Ministers The Testimony in the Ark the Witness or Evidence of God's Presence there represents to us the Word of God the Holy Scriptures The Mercy-Seat or the Covering of the Ark was a more particular and signal Representation of Christ by whom alone the Divine Mercy is conferr'd on Mankind by whose Merits the Church is cover'd and deâ—ended from God's Wrath. Whom God hath set forâ—h to be a Propitiation Rom. 3. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very word which the same Apostle uses for the Mercy-Seat Heb. 9. 5. As the Law in the Ark was cover'd and hid by this so the Messias covers hides shields us from the condemnation which is by the Law and consequently from the Divine Displeasure Or which is the same thing Sin is covered as the Psalmist speaks Psal. 32. 1. by Christ our Propitiatory And 't is observable that the Apostle saith God hath set him forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which refers to the Prefigurations of the Law he was before set forth as the word signifies he was of old propounded in the Legal Types and more signally in this of the Propitiatory The Cherubims hovering over the Ark denote the Angels protecting the Church and withal it speaks their future prying into the Mysteries of the Gospel which they desire to look into as St. Peter saith 1 Epist. Chap. 1. v. 12. which very words reâ—er to the Cherubims stooping and looking down with bowed Heads toward the Mercy-Seat And this by the way lets us know that those Cherubims over the Ark were Angels The Veil in the Tabernacle and so that of the Templâ— afterwards sets forth the Humane Nature of Christ if we will give credit to the Apostle Heb. 10. 10. The Vâ—il that is to say his Flesh. This was rent at Christ's Passion to signify that he by his Death open'd the way into the Kingdom of Heaven for we learn from St. Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews that Heaven was meant by the Holy of Holies Heb. 9. 24. Whence