foretels these two things amongst others viz. 1. The Computing by the Year of our Lord that should be for in the dayes of John and in the Ages immediately following they did not account by the Year of the Lord but many other wayes of Account anciently were used Dionysius the less about the Year 532 after Christ did begin to compute by the Year of our Lord and that way of Computation came not into use vulgarly till many years after So that if this should be the meaning of the Number of the Beast then the Spirit doth foretel this way of accounting by the Years of our Lord which was not at that time in use 2. If this were the meaning of the Number of the Beast then the Spirit also doth predict what shall be the year of Romes Ruine to wit the year that shall be or shall be called 666. respecting the common and vulgar account of all Nations at that time But if the beginning of the fourty and two months be rightly fixed upon or about the year 410 as is before hinted And if also there be a loss of four years in our Chronological Accompts according to the Computation of Helvicus and Bishop Vsher and these Cantabrigiâ—ns who affirm it then Romes Ruine indeed is likely and very probabâ—y to fall out and be in the Year 1666. or not very long after that time But if instead of helping us into the way they have led us out of it and told us that we mistake when they themselves are deceived then Rome's destruction is most likely to fall out anno 1670. or thereabouts But this is all I shall trouble the Reader with in reference to the second period or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or last times which was the period of the Beast The Millennium Great Judgment or Reign of Christ. I Come now in the second place to that which I chiefly intend to speak to viz. to treat of the Millennium or the Great Judgment in the Compass whereof Christ and his Saints reign together a thousand years I must confess in the words of Pareus Pareus Com. on Apoc. cap. 20. Haec explicare satcor me trepidè aggredi That I was somwhat afraid to adventure upon the handling of these things Because what I conceive to be the genuine sense and meaning of those Scriptures which treat of this subject and the minde of God herein is laden with many and inveterate prejudices partly by the long disuse and crying down of what was formerly received by Orthodox Antiquity and partly because of the many fopperies if not worse which have bin tacked to the truth So that I shall herein dissent from many who yet profess the same things in the general It being I hope my design to free the truth from errours and falsities which have a long time hung upon it But these I am willing to dissent from I fear far more lest I should not agree in opinion with many worthy pious and grave Divines from whom I am very unwilling in the least to depart But if I may not have the assent of all such as yet having notwithstanding many famous lights as Justin Martyr Irenaeus Tertullian Piscator Alstedius Mede Dr. Twisse Archer Holmes Tilling-hast cum multis aliis to walk in the same path and lead me the way I shall follow their steps so far as I may beseeching the Reader to pardon me if now and then he see me step aside I will promise to be as careful and circumspect as God shall help me let me have the Readers charity The Mother-text of Scripture whence the Church of the Jewes did ground the name and expectation of the Great Day of Judgment with the circumstances thereto belonging and wherunto almost all the descriptions and expressions thereof in the New Testament have reference is that Vision of the seventh of Daniel of a Session of Judgment when the fourth Beast came to be destroyed where this great Assizes is represented after the manner of the great Synedrion or Consistory of Israel wherein the Pater Judicâ—i had his Assessores sitting upon Seats semi-circle-wise before him from his right hand to his left I beheld saith Daniel ver 9. till the Thrones or Seats were pitch a down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vutg Lat. Donec throni positi sunt not thrown down as our late English hath it but pitched down namely for the Senators to sit upon and the Ancient of dayes that is the Pater Consistâ—rii did sit c. And subaud I beheld till the Judgment was per that is the whole Sanhiâ—rim and the Books were opened c. Here we see both the form of Judgment delivered and the name of Judgement expressed which is afterward yet twice more repeated first in the amplification of the tyrannie of the wicked horn ver 21 22. which is said to be continued till the Ancient of dayes came and Judgment was given to the Saints of the most High that is Potestas judicandi ipsis sacte The power of judging was made over to them And the second time in the Angels-Interpretation v 26. But the Judgment shall sit and they shall take away the domâ—â—ion to consume and destroy to the end From this description it came that the Jews gave to the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dies judicii dies judicii magni the Day of Judgment and the great Day of Judgment whence in the Epistle of St. Jude ver 6. It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Judgment of the Great Day A far greater then any horary even a Millenary Day as shall more plainly afterwards Deo adjuvante be evinced and proved From the same description they learned that the destruction then to be should be by fire because it is said v. 9. His Throne was a fiery Flame and his wheels burning A fitrie stream issued and came forth before him And v. 11. the Beast was slain and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame From the same Fountain are derived those expressions in the Gospel where this day is intimated or described As the Son of man shall come in the Clouds of Heaven The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his holy Angels Forasmuch as it is said here Thousand thousands ministred unto him c. And that Daniel saw one like the Son of man coming with the Clouds And he came to the Ancient of dayes and they brought or place him near him c. Hence Paul learned that the Saints should judge the world because it is said That many Thrones were set and ver 22. by way of Exposition That the Judgment was given to the Saints of the most High c. Hence the same Apostle learned also to confute the false fear of the Thessalonians That the day of Christs second coming was then at hand because that day could not be till the man of sin were first
visibly represented to him Object To do a thing with Christ doth not imply his personal presence with us but in Scripture phrase we may be said to do a thing with Christ which we either do for Christ or by his assistance or do a thing that Christ did before us though himself be not personally present with us As Rom. 8.18 If we suffer doth not imply that no man can suffer but be must have Christ personally present with him on the Earth to suffer with him No! that cannot be the meaning but we suffer with Christ though we be on the Earth and he in Heaven because we suffer for him and by his assistance and suffer the same things he suffered before us So this phrase of reigning with Christ doth not imply Christs personal abode with us but only the doing of a thing or enjoyment of a thing for Christs sake or the doing of that which he now doth though in another place or the doing of that which he did before us Answ For a man to do a thing with Christ before death doth not imply Christs personal presence with him in the doing of it but for a man to do a thing with Christ after death doth imply Christ is personally present with him at the doing of it As that very text quoted in the objection doth sufficiently declare viz. Ro. 8.17 If we suffer with him we shall be glorified with him the former clause if we suffer with him is spoken of a man before death and doth not imply that a man is personally present with him when he suffers But the latter clause we shall be glorified with him is meant of a man after death and doth imply that a man is personally present with him when he is glorified together with him So likewise for a man to live with Christ before death doth not imply the personal presence of Christ the reason is because before death we are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5.6 But for the Saints to live and reign with Christ after death yea after the resurrection of their bodies this doth imply Christ is personal present with them where they so reign and the reason is because after death they are ever with the Lord and never absent from him As the Scripture testifier John 14.3 That where I am there ye may be also John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou bast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me Phil. 1.23 I desire to depart and to be with Christ 1 Thes 4.17 And so shall we ever be with the Lord. 2 Tim. 2.12 We shall also reign with him Therefore seeing the Saints are said to live and reign with Christ and are not Saints Militant or the Saints before death but Saints triumphant or Saints after death as hath appeared before it follows that Christ is personally present with them so living and reigning Object 8 This opinion dispeoples Heaven of all the antient glorious inhabitants thereof and that for no less then a thousand years togegether Ans 1 Are not the Angels the inhabitants of Heaven in the time of the thousand years and yet they shall be on the Earth somtime too John 1.52 Verily I say unto you hereafter you shall see Heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and DESCENDING upon the Son of man which words have a special reference unto the time of the thousand years when Christ shall be on the Earth 2. How many souls were in Heaven before Abel came thither So many shall there be when the thousand years begin and while they are 〈…〉 many shall be left in Heaven when 〈…〉 â—â—â—ement shall begin and be so 〈…〉 when the thousand years shall 〈…〉 and no more for they are one and 〈…〉 Object 9 This opinion implys a threefold coming of Christ the first when he came to take flesh the second when he comes to take receive and enter upon his kingdom the third when he shall come to judge to conclude and end the world Answ This opinion owns but two comings of Christ and as the Scripture so this opinion knows no more The first at his Incarnation The second at this Great day of Judgment the third I know nor for the thousand years are durante currente die judicii the day of Judgement continuing and running on His first coming 〈◊〉 but one and takes into it all neither the meaning of those texts nor can the world bring any such thing to pass 3. Both those forecited texts are to be understood with intermination Now God will have the thousand years to be a time of perfect and compleat intermination to the New Jerusalem or camp of the Saints For the Tabernacle of God shall be with them and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be among them no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain Rev. 2â—â—◠〈…〉 also be a time of far more perâ—â—◠〈…〉 intermination to the other 〈…〉 in a state of mortality and are 〈…〉 21.24 the. Nations that are saved and walk in the light of it then ever the sun saw or the people of God enjoyed before Now that those texts are to be as I said understood with intermination is manifest by that rest which sometime the Church had As Acts 9.31 Then had the Churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Saâ—aâ—ia c. So also in Solomons time 1 Kings 4 25. whose peaceful time was a type of the peace rest and quiet we are speaking of we see what an abundance of quiet they injoyed for the text saith Judah anâ— Israel dwelt safely every man under his vine and under his figtree from Dan even to Beersheba all the days of Solomon It such were the peace of Solomon who was but a type what is like to be the peace of the Church under the antitype who is a King as of Righteousness so of peace as it is said of Melchizedeck another type 4. Tribulation is not essential to the Earth but accidental only and if Christ be pleased to make that a place of happiness to the saints which is now a place of misery let no mans eye be evil because Christs is good 5. What is meant by the Earth in this question Not the Earth unreformed and unrenewed but reformed and renewed as it shall be at the day of Judgement The former is a place of misery procured by the 〈◊〉 Adam the second is a place of happiness for that time procured by the second Adam Jesus Christ Object 12 The reign of this Saints everlasting in Heaven therefore it is not temporary upon the Earth as this opinion implys Math. 5.10 2 Tim. 4.18 Answ The reign of the Saints is in both places though not at one and the same time but at distinct and diverse times succeeding one another 1 If we speak of the time before the day of Judgment the souls of the
Saints departed are in Heaven and they live with Christ in blisse though as I have before proved not in perfect blisse and they shall there continue till the day of Judgement at the beginning whereof the thousand years begin and not before 2. If we speak of the time during the day of Judgement we say that the souls of the Saints shall remove from Heaven as Christ himself shall and be united to their bodies and shall remain with Christ on Earth till the preat day of Judgement be ended which ends not till the thousand years be also ended 3. If we speak of the time after the day of Judgâ—ment â—â—ended we say that the Saints shall remove from Earth to Heaven where they shall remain for ever with Christ Thus we see the reign of the Saints is at several times in both places Object 13 We read Exod. 34.30 That when Asron and all the children of Israel saw Moses behold the skin of his face shone end they were afraid to come nigh him Even so if the Saints should live again on the Earth with and in their glorified bodies we should do and be the like viz. affraid to come near them And so there could be no communion between their glorified bodies and ours Answ 1 Were not the bodies that the Angels had glorious bodies yet Abraham and Lot were not affraid to come nigh them Gen. 18.2 He ran to meet them So Gen. 19.2 2. Were not the bodies of Moses and Elias glorified bodies when they appeared to Christ on the Mount and yet the Disciples could endure their presence Matth. 17.4 3. Was not Christs body glorified after his Resurrection yet his Disciples could converse with him and he with them as the Evangelists declare Matth. 28. Marke 16. Luke 24. Iohn 20.21 All testifying the frequent appearing of Christ to his Discipler 4. As Moses put a veil over his face while he was talking with them so that his face did not offend them So the Saints can hide their glory is Christ did (a) Marke 16 12. Luk. 24.16 his resurrection so as that it shall not be offensive to the godly mortal saints And they can again manifest their glory at their pleasure so as it shall be a terror to the wicked Can we think that such a little filly creature as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nitedula or glow-worms shall at her pleasure withdraw or cause her pretty spark in the dark to glister and shall not those raised glorious Saints much more at their pleasure withdraw or cause their glory to appear as an occasion for either shall require Object 14 This opinion doth imply that in this visible Monarchy Christ shall change all worldly customs and pull down all kingly power and greatness how just soever and set up a new way of Government so as that there shall be no other Lords but as it is written Isai 2.11 and ver 17. And the loftinesse of man shall be bowed down and the haughtiness of men shall be made low and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day Ans 1 I hope this is not the cause why great ones are so loth to hear of this opinion for the counsel of God shall stand and every jod and tittle of his word be fulfilled whether we believe is and they receive it yea or no. 2. We read 1 John 5.19 that the whole world lyeth in wickedness and if Christ should change the custome of this wicked world and set up better in their room and place why should any godly man be against that It is enough for the wicked of the World Luke 19.14 to say we will not have this man to reign over us 3. And if Christ shall take the Kingdoms of the world into his own hands he doth no man wrong herein for God hath made him heire of all things Heb. 1.2 and he is King of Kings Rev. 19.10 Therefore all Kings and Princes of the world must be content to resign their Crowns and Scepters into his hand and lay them down at hie feet when he calls for them as the four and twenty Elders did Rev. 4.10 4. Whereas it is said Christ shall put down all kingly power and greatness it is false if they mean to exclude the Saints thereby for the Saints shall live and reign with him And they shall be Priests of God and of Christ and shall reign a thousand years not in coordination with him but in subordination to him as the text implies Object 15 This opinion doth not only imply the Conversion which sozâ—e Divines have granted and beleived but which others have doubted the total reduction of the twelve tribes of Israel and Judah into their own Land again Answ Upon what grounds this can rationally be doubted I confess I see not For the Scripture seems to me very plain not only for their return or reduction in the general that it shall be so but also tells us many particulars about it 1. I say the Scripture tells us plainly in the general that it shall be so that they shall be brought into their own Land again For this see these Scriptures Isai 33.20 Look upon Zion the City of our solemnities thine eyes SHALL see Jerusalem a quiet habitation a tabernacle that shall not be taken down not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed neither shall any of the cores thereof be broken ver 17. thine eyes shall see the King viz. Christ in his beauty they shall behold the Land that is very far off v. ult And the inhabitant shall not say I am sick the people that â—wâ—l therein shall be forgiven their iniquity Jer. 31.27 28. Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of beast And it shall come to pass that like as I have watched over their to pluck up and to break down and to throw down and to destroy and to afflict so wil I watch over them to build and to plant saith the Lord. And I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah c. Read I pray you the rest and consider these expressions well I will thank any man to tell me and prove it when every jod and tittle of these and such like texts were since those Prophecies fulfilled If they have noâ— I am sure they shall for Christ the truth hath told me so Matt. 5.18 Verily I say unto you till Heaven and Earth passe one jot or one tittle shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled But to go on see Ezek. 37.11 12. Then he said unto me son of man these bones are the whole house of Israel Behold they say our bones are dried and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts Therefore Prophecy and say unto them this saith the Lord God behold O my people I will open your graves
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aspicient ad me Significat partem anteriorem a capite usque ad ventrem inclinare ad intuendum aliquid whom they have pierced and mourn c. This seems to be a rea ocular looking upon and beholding Christ for so much is contained in the Verb here used and not barely a spiritual looking upon him by the eye of saith such as the Holy Ghost John 6.40 calls a seeing of the Son of man and believing c. but a bodily vision and a seeing him with bodily eyes So Dan 7.13 And I saw in the night visions and behold one like the Son of man came with the Clouds of Heaven and came to the Ancient of dayes and they brought him near before him And he came as we may see in the following words to receive and enter upon his Kingdom But what Kingdom sure his Davidical Kingdom now to sit upon the Throne of his father David When Christ receives and enters upon this Kingdom it is not like to his entrance upon his spiritual and providential Kingdom that was done in a more spiritual manner by his Session at Gods right hand Psal 110.1 But upon the administration of this Kingdom he enters in a more humane manner or as a man actually when the four great and strange Beasts Dan. 7. princip or Beastly Monarchs are destroyed Then he comes in the Clouds of Heaven v. 13. And they bring him to the Ancient of dayes It is true God coming in the Clouds and his riding upon the Clouds notes out the eminent visible and glorious appearing of his Majesty But this is the appearing of the Son of man in the clouds and the coming of the Son of man with the clouds which I conceive is not to be found in Scripture but when it denotes the coming of the Lord Jesus at the last day to Judgment whose appearance is visible and then doth he receive dominion and glory and a Kingdom that all people nations and languages should serve him And then I conceive I speak it with submission to better Judgments will be that great conversion of Israel and Judah so much spoken of in Scripture then shall be fulfilled what is here spoken ' they ' shall look upon him whom they have pierced c. Mr. Mede favours this whose words are these The Jews saith he are not to be converted unto Christ by such means as were the rest of the Nations by the Ministry of Preachers sent unto them but by the Revelation of the Lord Jesus in his glory from Heaven When they shall say not as when they saw him in his humilitie crucifie him but blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord Whose coming then shall be as the lightning out of the East shining into the West and the Sign of the Son of man shall appear in the clouds of Heaven and every eye shall see him even of those which pierced him and shall lament with the spirit of grace and supplication for their so long and so shameful unbelief of their so merciful Redeemer So far Mr. Mede Matâ— 24.30 31. Then shall appear the Sign of the Son of man in Heaven and then shall ye see the Son of man coming in the clouds happily this may be at and for the great conversion of the Jewes Paul was converted by an appearance of Christ to him it is possible the ewes may be converted by the same way 5. The Scripture holds forth also that the manner of their Conversion and reduction into their ownâ—â— and again shall be exceeding eminent and glorious to the admiration of all Nations that it may be seen how the Lord hath honoured them Isa 60.1 Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee Hosea 1.11 Great shall be the day of Jezâ—eel It shall be a glorious day to thein that shall make them honourable in the eyes of all the Nations upon earth Zach 8 23. Ten men shall take hold in that day out of all Languages of the Nations of the skirt of him that is a Jew saying we will go with you for we have heard that God is with you Psal 102.16 When the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appear in his glory They have had and shall have glorious appearances of him such as no people ever had And this shall make them to be the desire of all people As they have been an abject miserable people for along time so when God shall turn their captivity as streams in the South their glory shall excel 6. The Scripture also tells us the time of their calling viz. when the fulness of the Gentiles is come in blindnesse so long hapned unto them and shall no longer For so St. Paul witnesseth Rom. 11.25 26. For I would not Brethren that ye should be ignorant of this mystery that blindnesse in part is hapned to Israel until the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved So likewise Christ Luke 21.24 And Jerusalem shall be troâ—dâ—n down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled But what is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulnesse of the Gentiles And these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 times of the Gentiles I answer the times of the Gentiles the fulnesse whereof must be accomplished before the full conversion and reduction of the Jews into their own land 〈◊〉 seems to be no other then the times wherein the Gentiles should have dominion with the misery and subjection of the Iewish Nation set forth in the vision of a fourfold image Dan. 2. and four Beasts Dan. 7 which are the four Monarchies the Babylonian Persian Greek and Roman The first began with the first captivity of the Jewish Nation and through the times of all the rest they should be in subjection or in a worse state under them But when their times shall be ended accomplished and fulfilled then saith Daniel the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever and ever that is there shall be no more Kingdoms after it but it shall continue as long as the world shall endure Three of these Monarchies were past when our Saviour and Paul spoke and the fourth was well entred If then by Saints there be meant the Jews as well as other Christians as questionless they are not excluded but included then it is plain enough that is the time of their full and compleat reduction and conversion I have said full and compleat because I apprehend it possible yea very probable that some before that time shall be converted and many more gathered together yea and for ought I know they may have some battels with the Grand Seignieur in order to the recovery of their Land before the other be Many other things the Scripture tells us in reference to the calling of the Jews as Ezâ—k 32.27 Ezâ—k 48. nit That there shall be among them a glorious Church in
came and should have reigned his time appointed Forasmuch as Daniel had foretold it should be so and that his destruction should be at the Son of mans appearing in the Clouds whose appearing therefore was not to be till then This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in St. Paul whom the Lord saith he shall destroy at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his coming Daniels wicked horn or Beast acting in the wicked horn is St. Pauls man of sin as the Church from her Infancy hath understood and always interpreted it But to go on while this Judgment cites and when it had destroyed the fourth Beast the Son of man which comes in the Clouds receives Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve and obey him ver 4. which Kingdom is thrice explained afterwards to be the Kingdom of the Saints of the most High ver 18. These four Beasts saith the Angel are four Kings which shall arise But viz when they have finished their course the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom c. And again ver 21. the wicked Horn prevailed until the time come that the Saints possessed the Kingdom Again ver 27. when the fourth Beast reigning in the wicked Horn was destroyed the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High Now these Grounds being thus laid I argue as followeth The Kingdom of the Son of man and of the Saints of the most High in Daniel begins when the Great Judgment sits The Kingdom in the Apocalypse chap. 20.4 wherein the Saints reign with Christ a thousand years is the same with the Kingdom of the Son of man and the Saints of the most High in the Prophet Daniel Ergo it also begins at the Great Judgement That the Kingdom in Daniel and that of a thousand years in the Apocalypse are one and the same Kingdom plainly and evidently appears thus First because they began ab eodim termino from the same Epocha or beginning namely at the destruction of the fourth Beast That in Daniel when the Beast then ruling in the wicked horn was slain and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame Dan. 7.11 22 27. That in the Apocalypse when the Beast and false prophet the wicked horn in Daniel were taken and both cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone Rev. 19.20 Secondly because St. John begins the Regnum or Kingdom of a thousand years from the same Session of Judgment described in Daniel as appears by his parallel expression borrowed from thence St. John saith ch 20. Ver. 4. I saw thrones and they sate upon them And Judgment was given unto them Daniel saith ch 7. Ver. 4. I beheld till the thrones were pitched down and the Judgment i. e. Judices set 22. And Judgment was given to the Saints of the most High And the Saints lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years And the Saints possessed the Kingdom viz. with the Son of man who came in the clouds Now if it be sufficiently proved that the one thousand years begin with the Day of Judgment it will appear further out of the Apocalypse that the Judgment is not consummate till they be ended for Gog and Magogs destruction and the universal resurrection is not till then Therefore the whole one thousand years is included in that great Day of Judgment But thus much may suffice to have spoken by way of Explication to that Mother Text in the Old Testament the which I have so called because hence it will follow quasi consectarium quoddam de interpretatione aliorum Scripturae locorum huc pertinentium that whatsoever Scripture speaks of a Kingdom of Christ to be at his second appearing or at the destruction of Antichrist must needs be the same which Daniel saw should be at that time and so consequently be the Kingdom of a thousand years which the Apocalypse includes between the beginning and consummation of the Great Judgment All of them also have a likenesse and are referred to this Yea our Saviour calls himself so frequently the Son of man because Daniel so called him in this Vision of the Great Judgment and to teach us that we are to look for the accomplishment of what is there prophesied of in himself I had now done with this Text but that I have perceived by some Conferences I have had with some Reverend Divines that it is needful to answer an Objection which hath bin started in opposition to all that hath been said Object Daniel say some who with Dr. Willes and others take this wicked horn to be meant of Antiochus Epiphanes shews not the Roman Monarchies persecution of the Church and the fall of the same Monarchy For If the Roman Empires persecuting the Saints and the fall of the Empire were not revealed till Christ revealed them to John in the Apocalypse then Daniel revealed them not But the Roman Empires persecution and fall were not revealed till Christ revealed them to St. John in the Apocalypse Ergo Daniel revealed them not The Major Proposition say they is clear The Minor is thus proved The Romans persecuting the Saints and their fall is revealed in the little Book Apoc. 5 c. by opening seven Seals and blowing seven Trumpets all concerning and respecting seven-headed Rome And none were able to open the Seals of this Book till Christ opened them to St. John Therefore the Roman Empires persecution and their fall were revealed to none before Christ revealed them to St. John The former part of the Antecedent is granted by all Interpreters of the Apocalypse The latter part is clear in the Text Apoc. 5.3 None was able to open the Book None in Heaven or Earth or under the Earth to make the speech more empharical Paul who delivered to his Hearers all the Counsel of God could have preached the persecutions of the Roman Empire to his Hearers from Daniel if Daniel had in his Visions opened them This contains the strength of what I have been opposed withal in reference to the Exposition of this Text the which I came now to make this Answer to it Ans 1 The Roman Empire to be the fourth Kingdom of Daniel was believed by the Church of Israel both before and in our Saviours time received by the Disciples of the Apostles Vide Jonathen Ben Vziel Chald. Paraph l. 4. of Esdras Just Mart. Ireneus and the whole Christian Church for the first 400 years without any known contradiction And I confess having so good ground in Scripture it is with me tantùm non articulus fidei almost an Article â—f faith For the four Monarchies of the World in Daniel are twice revealed first to Nebuchadnezzar in a glorious Image of four sundry Metals Dan. 2. Secondly to Daniel himself in a Vision of four diverse Beasts arising out of the Sea Dan 7. The intent of
14.12 That man lieth down and riseth not till the Heavens be no more they shall not awake nor be raised out of their sleep If this be so how can this Doctrine of the Millennium hold good Answ 1 This Text is to be understood of the ordinary course of Gods Providence man lieth down and riseth not in the ordinary course of Gods Providence till the Heavens be no more but if God will have Lazarus the Widows son and others raised before by a power extraordinary this text of Scripture doth not contradict or say against it but this comes not close to our purpose 2. This Text of Scripture is to be understood of a Resurrection to this present life As we may see it more plainly expressed Job 7.9.10 He that goeth down to the Grave shall come up no more i.e. to the enjoyment of this present life and possessions for he adds he shall return no more to his house neither shall his place know him any more He shall not return as Lazarus did to live again a natural life after his resurrection and die again But the resurrection we speak of in this place is to another life and they that have a part in it do not die again as Lazarus did nor do they live a natural or mortal life as he did but are as the Angels of God in Heaven as Christ tells us Mat. 22 30 3. Till the Heavens be no more is as much in other language as till the day of Judgment in which sense it is true man lies down and riseth not till the day of Judgment Now the first resurrection is not till the day of judgment but at the beginning of it or in the morning thereof And the second resurrection at the latter end of it or in the evening of it when the thousand years are finished Again till the Heavens be no more i.e. till these Heavens be no more for we look for new Heavens and a new Earth 2 Pet. 3.13 Object 3 It will be disadvantageous to the Saints in Heaven to be fetched out of Heaven out of blisse to be brought down to the Earth into the world again Answ 1 If the souls in Heaven were in perfect blâ—sse this were somwhat to the purpose But though they be in Heaven yet they are not in perfect blisse as they shall be when the day of Judgment shall be ended And to omit other things there is a twofold imperfection of the blessed souls now in Heaven 1. There is an imperfection in respect of number there wants the full and compleat number of Gods Elect Heb. 11 ult that they without us should not be made perfect 2. There is imperfection ratione totius compositl i.e. in respect of the whole composition the body which is a part of the whole man is yet in corruption ergo that while there is imperfection viz. a part wanting Answ 2 If therefore the bodies of the Saints were in Heaven as well as their souls this were somthing but though their souls be in Heaven yet their bodies as I said before are in a state of corruption in the grave till the resurrection and can it be any disadvantage for them to come and take their bodies or stay on earth till the great Judgment be finished 3. If the souls of the Saints were to live again in their mortal bodies subject to calamities as the body of Lazarus was then this objection were somthing but their bodies shall be sinlesse sorrowlesse tearlesse and immortal These I think cannot be any way disadvantageous to them 4. If they were to be on earth without Christ this were somthing But the text saith they live and reign Wâ—TH Christ and they shall not be absent from him one moment Rev 20.4.6 Yea we shall saith the Apostle 1 Thes 4.17 be ever with the Lord. And what disadvantage can it be to be with Iesus Christ 5. If Happinesse were affixed to Heaven that it could be no where else there were some strength in this objection But Christs transfiguration tells us that Happiness may be had with Christ on earth Mat. 17.14 So we read 1. Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor eare heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Which is not meant of Heaven only but of this heavenly time on earth also to be within the thousand years 6. Lastly if Heaven it self as it is a place would make men happy and earth as a place would make men miserable then this were somwhat But alas Heaven as a place makes not any soul happy but as God is there and manifests his glory there with comfort to the soul The earth makes not any man miserable meerly as a place but because Satan is there and sin is there and wicked men are there as tares among wheat and Christ is not there But if Satan were bound and cast into the bottomless pit and if wicked men be removed from among the Church and Christ remove his Court from Heaven to earth as in the thousand years he will then the case will be altered and earth will becom a Paradise and as happy a place to the Saints as Heaven is now These things being considered conjunctim or together what disadvantage will it be to the souls of the Saints to live in their sinlesse sorrowlesse joyful immortal bodies with the Lord ' Jesus Christ Object 4 The Scripture seems to tell us plainly that all the dead both good and bad shall be raised in one houre in the last day in the same moment in the twinâ—kling of an eye there cannot then be a thousand years distance between the one and the other for all the dead are said to rise in one houre Iohn 5.28 29. The houre is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and come forth they that have done good unto theresurrection of life And they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation Iohn 11.24 I know that he shall rise again in theresurrection at the last day And Iohn 6.40 I will raise him up at the last day So 1 Cor. 15.52 In a moment in the twinkling of aneye at the last trump for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised c. Answ 1 We are to put a difference between an hour in general and an houre in special Now what is an houre in general but time in general and what is an houre in special but the twenty fourth part of a natural day and when our Saviour saith the houre is coming he doth not mean the last of these but the first the time is coming in the compasse whereof all that are in the Graves shall come forth c. they that have done good to the resurrection of life in the morning of the day of Judgment or the beginning of the thousand years and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation in the evening of the