and his People shall go forth and grow up as Calves of the Stall and when the Hearts of the Children should be turned to their Fathers what else is here meant but the Conversion of the Jewish Nation that they should be turned to serve the God whom their Fathers served which will be long before the End of the World. I might weary the Reader with Quotations but have only singled out some among many whereby it doth evidently appear that the TIME of THE RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS spoken of Act. 3.21 cannot be meant of the last Judgment for that is not the Time of the Restitution of all Things spoken off by all the holy Prophets but the Annihilation of many Things Neither have all the Prophets spoken of the last Judgment nor any one of them who have been mentioned that I know of neither ever is the last Judgment represented to us by Times as I remember but always by a Day the Day of Judgment the Day of the Lord. See Rom. 2.16 Act. 17.31 Mat. 11.22 and 12.36 2 Pet. 3.10 and elsewhere and therefore something else is meant by RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS which we shall next enquire into Restitution in the original signifieth the setting of a Thing in his right and ancient State as is well known to some and the same Word with that Act. 1.6 To Restore by Restitution of all Things may in general mean a new State of Things in this World and more especially the Conversion or Restoration of the Jewish Nation to the Love and Favour of God to be again the Church and People of God to restore them to their own Land to restore the Kingdom to Israel to restore their Judges as at the first and their Counsellors as at the beginning Isai 1 to restore Comfort to them and their Mourners to restore Joy and Sorrow and Sighing flee away Chap. 35 to restore Peace like a River see for this Isai 66.12 13 and 57.18 19. These Things have been spoken of by all the holy Prophets as hath been largely shewed before and are no other then the Time of the Restitution of all Things and the Thousand Years Then the Enmity of the Creature shall cease Hosea 2.18 they shall not destroy nor hurt in all God's holy Mountain Isai 11.9 then shall Enemies be destroyed so as not to persecute any more so that it may well be called a Time of the Restitution of all Things and Times of refreshing from the Presence of the Lord for then their Sins shall be blotted out so that tho' they should be sought for they shall not be found And this will be a Time of Refreshing not only to the Jewish Nation but to the Gentiles also for the renewing of then will be as Life from the Dead to the Gentiles Now all this and much more which might be mentioned hath never yet been accomplished nor shall be till the grand Enemies of Christ be destroyed and the third-Wo Trumpet sound And that the Time of the Restitution of all Things should be after the general Judgment is began is to me incredible and therefore it will necessarily follow that these Times of the Restitution of all Things is a Term of Time between the third-Wo Trumpet and the general Judgment And what Time may we think it to be but the Thousand Years of Christ's Kingdom in this World which will commence immediately after the Destruction of his Enemies and the Calling of the Jews and continue till the General Judgment and at this Time of Restitution it is that Christ will come Act. 3.21 and destroy the Man of Sin with the Brightness of his Coming except we should say that the should not be destroyed till the End of the Thousand Years or general Judgment which I think no Man of Understanding will affirm But it may be thought that these Thousand Years are past long ago That is then the II. Thing to be enquired into And here we must know 1 that these Thousand Years cannot be in any Part of the Reign of the Beast and 2dly that in the Space of these Thousand Years Satan must be bound and shut up in the bottomless Pit Both these must be granted Those then that affirm that these Years are Past let them begin them when they will will have a Part of the Reign of the Beast included in them Again we find that in the beginning of the Thousand Years those that suffered under the Beast were to be raised and reign with Christ Rev. 20 and 't is absurd to say that any of the raised Saints that were to reign with Christ should suffer after their Resurrection and in the Time of their Reign Their Sufferings must go before their Reigning according to that of the Apostle 2 Tim. 2.12 Rom. 8.17 which is not a reigning in Heaven as possibly may be hereafter shown Nor hath Satan hitherto been bound and this Thousand Years are not to begin 'till Satan be bound from deceiving the Nations Now Satan hath hitherto deceived the Nations in all Ages and Generations in Doctrine by Paganism Arianism and to this Day doth by many other damnable Heresies And can we suppose that he hath been or now is bound What may we think he will do then when he is loose And therefore this Thousand Years and Kingdom of Christ is not yet begun because no Generation have ever yet been so happy as to be free from his Deceptions in one Way or other By this then which hath been spoken it may appear to any who will not wilfully shut their Eyes that the Thousand Years of Satans binding and the Saints reigning are yet future and therefore we shall insist no further upon it but come to the IIId Thing to be spoken to as was proposed that is from what Period of Time it doth begin To answer in general This Thousand Years begins when Christ comes to set up his Kingdom in this world And here we must know That of that Day and Hour no nor Year when Christ will come to set up his Kingdom Christ hath told us no Man knoweth no not the Angels Matth. 24 And when the Disciples Acts 1. would needs know whether at that Time Christ would set up his Kingdom or restore the Kingdom to Israel Christ doth not deny the Thing which doubtless he would have done if there had been no such Thing and have rectifyed their Judgments and informed them better but otherwise he only checks their Curiosity and tells them 't was not for them to know the Times and Seasons which the Father hath put in his own Power And Luk. 17.20 when the Pharisees demanded and would know of Christ when the Kingdom of Christ should come he tells them if came not with Observation neither should Men say Lo here or lo there but he would come as Lightning suddenly terribly so shall also the Son of Man be in his Day and goes on to give them some general Signs as Security and Sensuality as it
was in the Days of Noah and as it was in the Days of Lott Eating and Drinking Marrying Building and planting and knew nothing 'till the Flood came even thus shall it be when the Son of Man shull be revealed ver 26 27 30. And Luk. 19.11 There were some that thought that the Kingdom of God should immediately appear but Christ gives them to understand otherwise and represents himself as a certain noble Man that went into a far Country to receive for himself a Kingdom and to return And ver 15 when he was returned having received the Kingdom then he calls his Servants to account and passes Sentence on them Hence he is said to judge quick and dead at his Appearance and his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.1 And therefore when he come to set up his Kingdom at the Sounding of the Seventh Trumpet at the Time he is said to Judge and to give Rewards to his Servants Rev. 11 15 18. So that at his Return will be the Time when this Kingdom of Christ shall appear and the Thousand Years begin But to enquire a little further concerning THE TIME and see what the Scripture speaks to it and we shall find Rev. 10.5 6 7 that under the sixth Trumpet which is the second Woe Trumpet Chap. 9.12 the Angel which is CHRIST who sets his right Foot on the Sea his left Foot on the Earth and lifteth up his Hand to Heaven and sweareth by him that liveth for ever and ever that there should be Time no longer but in the Days of the Voice of the seventh Angel when he shall begin to sound the Mystery of God should be finished as he hath declared to his Servants the Prophets What Should the World be now at an End that Time should be no longer when the seventh Angel sounded No not so but then Time should be no longer to the Beast and other Enemies of Christ and then the Mystery of God should be finished But what may this Mystery which must be finished after the Sound of the seventh Trumpet be which is the last Trumpet after which none shall Sound but the Trump of God at the last Judgment 1 Cor. 15.52 at the Resurrection of the Dead And this the Apostle calls a Mystery but this is not the Mystery of God here meant for God had not declared this to his Servants the Prophets Much less is it the Mystery of Iniquity 2 Thes 2.7 for that is not the Mystery of God but of the Devil There is yet another Mystery of which the Apostle speaks Rev. 11.25 and that is the Calling of the Jews And this Mystery hath been declared to all the Prophets as hath been shewed before And this Mystery of God is to be finished under the seventh Trumpet and at the pouring out of the last Vial For then 't is said It is done What is that which is done Then the Mystery of Gods is fulfilled Chap. 10.7 And at the pouring out of this Vial which is contemporary with the seventh Trumpet there will be Voices and Thunderings and Lightnings to strike Terror into the Minds of Men and there will be a great Earthquake such as was not since Men were upon the Earth so mighty and Earthquake and so great It will shake all the Kingdoms of this World shake the Heavens and shake the Earth the Lord will shake all the World by it and Things so shaken must be removed that what cannot be shaken may remain but of his something hath been spoken before But what may this Earthquake be which shall thus shake the whole World and such as never was since Men lived upon Earth I do not understand it of an Earthquake properly so called but so as it represents to us great Changes in the World and Distrese of Nations with Perplexity Mens Hearts failing them for Fear and for looking after those Things which are coming on the Earth For the Powers of Heaven shall be shaken Luk. 21.25 26. We read of a great Earthquake Rev. 6 at the Opening of the sixth Seal And it was so great that it shook the Pagan Roman Empire for so Interpretors understand that Place the whole Pagan Emperial World Sun Moon and Stars thereof and this introduced a blessed Change for the present So that we see such Earthquakes signify great Changes and affrighting Judgments by Wars and otherwise and such will be at the Sounding of the seventh Trumpet and the pouring out of the last Vial. Rev. 16.14 we read of the Kings of the Earth and of the whole World gathered together to the BATTLE of the GREAT DAY of GOD ALMIGHTY And it is the same Battle spoken of by the Prophet Ezekiel Chap. 38. 39 for that was to be in the latter Day ver 16 And it must be at or after the return of the Jews to their own Land which is yet future And the Prophet Joel also speaks of the same Battle Chap. 3.2 For behold in those Days and in that Time when I shall bring again the Captivity of Judah and Jerusalem I will gather all Nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat and plead with them there A more general War-like Assembly was never known in the World and by Means whereof there will be such an Earthquake as was never heard of since the World began And this will be all at the same Time ' the Calling of the Jews at the same Place Judea Ezek. 39.4 upon the Mountains of Israel Joel 3.2 in the Valley of Jehoshaphat Rev. 16.16 at Armageddon To this Time the Prophet Isaiah refers Chap. 63.1 2 3 c. where Christ is represented as treading the Wine-press treading his Enemies in Anger trampling on them in Fury Garments stained with their Blood Just the same with Rev. 14.15 20. Thrust in thy Sickle into the Earth and gather the Vine of the Earth and the Angel thrust in his Sickle and gathered the Vine of the Earth and cast in into the great Wine-press of the Wrath of God. But more of this when we come to speak of the great Battle of GOD and MAGOG Joel also speaks to the same Purpose and the same Time then will Men go into the Clefts of the Rocks and into the Tops of the ragged Rocks for Fear of the Lord and for the Glory of his Majesty when he ariseth terribly to shake the Earth By this little above-written we may partly judge what this Earthquake is like to be and to do which is so great as was not since Men lived upon Earth For now the old World will be at an End and the new World will begin which the Apostle calls the World to come Heb. 2.5 Thus much may suffice for Answer to the third Question proposed to be spoken to i.e. when the Thousand Years will begin and all the Kingdoms of this World become the Kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ and he to reign for ever and ever And this is one of the most remarkable Periods which hath been
4 that is remaining to the Saints and People of God. When Persecution ceased the Churches had Rest Act. 9.31 Much more might be written to show that the next or second Coming of Christ will be long before the general Judgment but let this suffice And now let us consider further what Christ will do at this his next Coming He will appear personally and visibly as hath been shewed And as he went Act. 1 he will come with the same Glory as when he comes to the general Judgment sitting on a Throne as a King And he comes with Ten Thousand of his Saints Jud. 14 comes and all his Saints with him Zec. 12. And the first Thing that Christ will do when he comes he will raise up the dead Saints or some of them and this is called the first Resurrection Rev. 20.4 And here we must know that there is a first Resurrection and there is a last Resurrection and that there is a first or inchoate Judgment and there is a last or ultimate Judgment which the Scripture speaks of and it will fall in naturally to speak of them both together And the Apostle 1 Cor. 15 speaking largely of the Resurrection doth imply a priority and a posteriority of the Resurrection ver 23 where 't is said Christ the first Fruit afterwards they that are Christ's at his Coming But what Coming to the general Judgment No but long before that Time For at the general Judgment not only them that are Christ's shall be raised but all that are in Graves small and great all that are in the Sea or in Hell all must appear before his judgment-Seat 2 Cor. 5 the Bad as well as Good and therefore there is a Resurrection of some before that Time. Besides the Apostle says every one should be made alive in his own Order Christ was the first Fruit above 1600 Years ago afterwards will be the Saints or some of them at his Coming AFTERWARDS for so is the Word in the Original as I have been informed cometh the End. What End Not only the End of the Thousand Years but the End of the World as to the present State of it and then as I conceive will be the last Resurrection and the general Judgment After the End of which the Kingdom shall be delivered to God even the Father and God shall be all in all The Sum is that as there is a long intervall of Time between the Resurrection of Christ and the Resurrection of those that are Christ's at his Coming so more than a few Hours or Years will be between the Resurrection of these and the last Resurrection and so much doth the Word Order import and imply a Distance of Time there being no mention made that I know of of any Rising of any at Christ's second Coming but of those that are his And if this be not the Meaning of this Scripture I know not what is The next Scripture we shall mention to this Purpose is that so much controverted Place Rev. 20.4 John in a Vision saw the Souls of them that were beheeded for the Witness of Jesus and for the Word of God and which had not worshipped the Beast nor his Image nor received his Mark in 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 till the Thousand Years were finished So that t is plain by this Text that some shall rise a Thousand Years before others and that is here called the first Resurrection But because most Men think that this is not to be understood of a bodily Resurrection but of a spiritual Resurrection in Regeneration let us enquire what the Scripture saith to this Point and what may be said in Answer to those that are of that Opinion And here t is readily granted that Regeneration in Scripture is called Resurrection but this seems not to be the Resurrection here meant but this Resurrection is rather to be understood of a bodily Resurrection and that it cannot be meant of Regeneration for these Reasons First Regeneration or this spiritual Resurrection did begin shortly after Man's Fall and hath continued ever since and shall to the End of the World but the first Resurrection here spoken of did not begin so early as Adam's Fall but is to begin with the Thousand Years of Christ's Reign therefore Regeneration is not the Resurrection spoken of Again Secondly They were the Souls of Men already beheaded which John saw and their Resurrection did follow their Death and not go before it and t was never known that ever any Man was regenerate after Death and therefore by Resurrection here cannot be meant Regeneration Again Thirdly If by Resurrection here be meant Regeneration it would follow that many of the Saints should rise many Hundred Years before their Reign there being no less Time between their Calling or Regeneration and the beginning of Christ's Kingdom or the Thousand Years of the Saints Reign Again Fourthly If by Resurrection be meant Regeneration how can it be that they should reign immediately after their Resurrection or Regeneration or begin their Reign all at once or continue it but a Thousand Years Or if any should say this Reign is the Saints reigning with CHRIST in Heaven such must know that t is on Earth Rev. 5.10 And if it were in Heaven it would be more than a Thousand Years And besides after the Thousand Years there will be an Attempt of War Rev. 20. but no Enemy was ever so bold as to engage in a War in Heaven And thus we may see what lamentable Consequences if not Absurdities will follow upon such Metaphorical or Allegorical Exposition of Scripture where a literal Interpretation is not contrary to the Analogy of Faith. The next Scripture we shall take Notice of is John 5.25.28 The Hour cometh and now is when the Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and live ver 25. We are not ignorant that this Scripture as well as that of Rev. 20 is by many if not most understood of such who are dead in Sin who shall hear the Voice of Christ in the Ministry of the Gospel and shall live spiritually or be regenerate But whether this be the Meaning or at least the proper Meaning of the Apostle in this Text we shall Enquire And here if we view the Context we shall find that Christ speaks of raising the Dead in a proper Sense ver 21 and of Judgment to come in a proper Sense ver 22. 27. And the Occasion of this Discourse was the Cure of the impotent Man at which the Jews were offended and did therefore persecute Jesus and sought to slay him ver 16. Christ tells them they should see greater Works than these that they might marvell ver 20. he tells them that the Hour was coming and now is when the Dead should hear his Voice and live as if Christ should say do ye marvel that I have healed
the Sound of the 7th Trumpet t is said then that the Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ By this Time you will understand what Christ meant John 18 when he said his Kingdom was not of this World and indeed he himself tells us in the following Words but NOW is my Kingdom not from hence as if Christ should say I am a King and shall have a Kingdom but not now not in this World but in the World to come For we must know that there are more Worlds then one there was the old World which was drowned and there is this present evil World and as the old World was drowned and the Wicked in it were generally tho' not universally destroyed by Water so will this present World and the Wicked that are therein tho' not all be destroyed by Fire 2 Pet. 3.7 as hereafter we shall endeavour to shew After which there will be a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness a new Face of Things a new World and this is called by the Apostle Heb. 2.5 the World to come when all Things must be put in Subjection to Christ ver 8. And this is the World in which will be or which is Christ's Kingdom And now to speak a little to this Point about THE END OF THIS WORLD and the BEGINNING OF THE WORLD TO COME and see what the Scripture speaks to it In 2 Pet. 3.7 the Apostle tells us that the Heavens the Earth which are NOW are reserved unto Fire against the Day of Judgment or as some render it a Day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly Men. And this cannot be meant of the ultimate Judgment because after this there will not only be a new Heaven but a new Earth also wherein dwelleth Righteousness that is righteous Men and that they shall build Houses and plant Vineyards and eat the Fruit of them Isai 65.21 yea and worship God with external Worship from one Sabbath to another and that not for a little While but these new Heavens and new Earth are to remain Chap. 66.22 But what then may we think will become of the old Heaven and the old Earth Will they not still have a Being For answer hereunto we must understand that the Apostle in the forementioned Chap doth make a Parallel between the Destruction of the old world and the World that now is that as the old World was destroyed by Water so will this World be by Fire properly so called as to that which is to be destroyed For as in the old World there was not an Annihilation of any Thing nor were all Men nor all the Brute-Creatures Destroyed nor were the empyrean or starry Heavens then touched and therefore t is only the aerial Heavens with what is contained in them which are the Furniture of them or what moves in the Air that will be the Subject of this Burning and it may be that which the Apostle means by Elements melting with fervent Heat which distinguisheth from the Heavens for it cannot be that the Elements properly so called should melt with fervent Heat the Water not being capable of burning or melting the Fire is that which burns all Things and therefore not to be burned and for the Earth as it was not destroyed by the Flood tho' much defaced so neither will it be destroyed by Fire so as not to be but this Fire shall rather be for the Restoration of it than the Destruction of it as a Vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed Psal 102.6 But that the Earth shall have a habitable Being after the End of the Thousand Years is clear from Rev. 20.8 the Devil shall go forth to deceive the Nations that are in the four Quarters of the Earth and ver 9 they went accordingly upon the Breadth of the Earth but it may be some may think that this Burning of the World will be at or after the general Judgment but for ought I know it may be otherwise for then the Heaven and the Earth is said to fly away from the Face of him that sat on the Throne to judge the World and it hath been before shewed that after this Burning there will be a new Earth as well as a new Heaven And who can tell but that this may be the Time when that shall be fulfilled Act. 2.19 20 when there shall be Blood and Fire and Vapours of Smoak so as the Sun shall be darkened with it and the Moon appear as Blood as we have lately seen in this Country Vapours of Smoak have caused them so to appear for that was to be in the last Days and we do not know that ever this hath been accomplished and that this is not at the general Judgment but before is clear out of Joel 2.32 For at this very Time when this shall come to pass and the World shall be burned some shall be delivered for in Mount Sion and in Jerusalem shall be Deliverance and the Lord hath said it ver 32. The Sum is that at the beginning of the Thousand Years there will be a great Destruction of the Wicked of the World as hath been before shewed and this will be by Fire as the Wicked of the old World were destroyed by Water and the Apostle Peter saith expresly this Fire is for the Perdition of ungodly Men. Paul also tells us that Christ will be revealed from Heaven in flaming Fire to take Vengeance on wicked Men 2 Thes 1.8 But more clear Isai 66.15 For behold the Lord will come with Fire and render his Anger with Fury and his Rebukes with Flames of Fire for by Fire and by Sword will the Lord plead with all Flesh and the Slain of the Lord shall be many But what then may we think will become of good Men and the irrational Creatures at this Time when the world shall be in a Flame how shall they be saved Indeed this is a Question too hard for me or any Man else to determine neither do I know that it is revealed in the Scripture yet for Resolution of this I propound to Consideration First That when the World was destroyed by Water t is possible some good Men might perish in that Destruction who seeing that Deluge coming on the World might repent and so have their Souls saved and if so why may not some good Men be taken away in this general Destruction by Fire as to their Bodies and be raised to Heaven as Elias was in fiery Chariots and their Souls be saved But Secondly tho' we do not know how they shall be saved yet the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of Temptation when the Unjust shall be reserved to the Day of Judgment to be punished 2 Pet. 2.9 and we know that Faith hath quenched the Violence of Fire Heb. 11.34 and that the Fire that burnt up the most mighty Men that were in Nebuchadnezzar's Army Dan. 3.20 had no Power over
THE AUTHOR's PREFACE To the READER READER if thou begin to read read through and pass no Censure on any Thing 'till thou hast read every Thing 'T is not Wisdom to judge of a Matter before we hear it and if it be not Wisdom 't is Shame and Folly Prov. 18. It may be thou wilt say as those did Acts 17 What will this Babbler say Thou bringest strange Things to our Ears to tell us of Christ's Coming before the general Judgement and of a first Resurrection before all be raised and of Saints reigning a Thousand Years upon Earth and of a new Heaven and a new Earth and of the burning of the Old and of a great many other new Things which we never heard of before we would fain know what they mean. I trust it will appear they are not new but old they may be new to some Men but I cannot say 't is their Honour and though these Things be not accounted as Truths with some Men now yet not with all 't is more than possible they will appear to be so when I shall be here no more But 't is not a new Thing to mock at the Resurrection of the Dead as they did Acts 17.32 nor to scoff at the Coming of Christ as those 2 Pet. 3 4. But Be not Mockers lest your Bands be made strong Why should it be tho 't incredible that God will raise some from the dead before others or that Christ will come before some Men look for him The Resurrection of Christ seemed to the Apostles themselves but as idle Tales when they first heard of it Luke 24.11 And though Christ himself had hold them of it before ver 7. All Things will seem new to such as never saw or heard of them before And there will be a Time when all Things shall be made new Rev. 21.5 And there is a Treasury which some Men have in which are Things new as well as old And now it may possibly be that some are of a quite contrary Mind and will say that here is nothing new but what hath been said over and over by others and that long ago But what hath been said by others every one doth not know and it may be here may be some Things said which have not been said by others that I know of But let it be granted that others have written of these Opinions And if so methinks it should gain the more Reputation and be the better credited in the World by them that are wise Yea but some of those who held these Opinions have been foully mistaken in some other Things and therefore little Heed is to be given to them 'T is possible it may be so humanum est errare who durst to east the first Stone at them Neither are some Failings in Men Rules to judge of Truth and Error To the Law and to the Testimony was the good old Way Detraction from some Men will add nothing to the Detractors Some others refuse to study Prophesy as being too high and too hard for them to understand and many that have expounded Prophesy have been mistaken There is a Lion in the Sluggard's Way 'T is true there are some Things in the Prophets hard to be understood and so there are in Paul's Epistles as Peter tells us and yet being given by inspiration are profitable And as to PROPHESY We should do well to give Heed to it as to a Light shining in a dark Place 2 Pet. 1.19 And they are pronounced blessed that read and hear Prophesy Rev. 1.3 These will lose the Marrow rather than take Pains to break the Bones I know 't is beyond what any Man is able clearly to determine all Matters and Thing relating to what is here written and to answer all Questions concerning the same yet by runing to and fro Knowledge shall be increased Dan. 12.4 And what if I a poor lame Man run also But the Wise shall understand ver 10. Yea but other Matters and Things are of higher Concernment than these To such I say tho' some Things may be of higher Concernment than others yet no Part of Truth but is of Concernment And he respects not any Part of Truth as he ought that hath not respect to every Part of it And he that thinks the subject Matters of this Discourse are of little Concernment will be found to be mistaken 'T is more than possible that his Script may fall into the Handds of some that are eminent in their own Understandings and are very sensible of their own Sufficiency and Abilities in these Matters who have read these and those learned Men that are of other Opinions call this and that Man Master a Vanity reproved by the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.13 yea by Christ himself and so conceive they are able ex tempore to give a full and clear answer to all these Things and are resolved to enquire no further nor to search the Scriptures whether it be so or no. There is more Hope of some others than of these Let such know what the Authors quoted in Favour of what is here written are infallible and cannot err A Catalogue of whom are to be seen at the End of this Manuscript But some others will say that this is an immethodical Thing and done by an inconsiderable Person I readily comply with those that so think and that it may want that which is called Method if any do not like it I cannot help it I had no Scheme of Things in my Head when I first began You have it as I had it Besides I do not pretend any Thing to human Learning being much a Stranger to it What Time I have spent about these Things have been short Interims pincht out of my other Occasions And if may be if it were to be done again it might be otherwise I might mention some others not a few who are of Gallio's Mind that care for none of these Things having other Things to care for looking on them as cunningly devised Fables I have nothing to say to such careless ones but this that Christ will care as little for them another Day It may be I have said too much already to the Reader and more than a wise Man would have said and more than I should have said had not there been some Necessity of it But I have done when I have told you that I am a very old Man and very near another World having lived far beyond the stated Age of Man and do not know whether I shall be able to speak when I come to die and therefore shall leave this behind me which will speak when I shall speak here no more penned partly for my own Satisfaction and partly with Respect to some of mine whose Salvation I am caring for and am willing they should be acquainted with such Truths as these are 'T is possible and more than possible that I may be mistaken in some Things here written my Way being little if not too
pieces as this doth and such a Kingdom is not now to be set up But it may be said what 's this to the Point in Hand viz. to the Coming of Christ or the Thousand Years Let us therefore further enquire and we shall see that Daniel speaks up to the Case Chap. 7.13 14 I saw saith he in the Night Visions and one like the Son of Man came with the Clouds of Heaven and came to the antient of Days and they brought him near before him and there was given to him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion that shall not pass away and his Kingdom that shall not be destroyed But when shall this Coming of the Son of Man be It shall be when the little Horn viz. the Beast is slain and his Body destroyed and given to the burning Flames agreeing directly with Rev. 19.20 where t is said the Beast was taken and with him the false Prophet and cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone And answerable to this is that clear Text 2 Thes 2.8 whom he shall consume with the Spirit of his Mouth and destroy with the Brightness of his Coming which is generally understood especially by the learned to be a personal Coming for so much doth the Word in the original import and is no other than his Coming with Clouds above-mentioned and that of Mat. 24 and elsewhere And this must of Necessity be granted except we shall say t is at the End of the Thousand Years which is not yet begun as may be shewed hereafter when Christ comes to the general Judgment which no Man in his right Understanding will affirm and so it will enforce a Coming of Christ personally before the End of the World. And this is further hinted to us Dan. 12.1 at that Time viz. when the Turk shall be destroyed and come to his End Chap. 11.45 shall Michael stand up the great Prince which standeth for the Children of thy People and at that Time shall they be delivered and not long after is that happy Time which he is blessed that waiteth for it and cometh to it ver 12 which is no other then the Thousand Years HOSEA also speaks of the same Thing and of the same Time above-mentioned Chap. 1. ult when the Children of Judah and the Children of Israel should be gathered together and appoint themselves one Head in that great Day of Jezreel and Chap. 14. throughout JOEL also tells us of a Time when Jerusalem should be holy and no Stranger pass through her any more Chap. 3.17 AMOS also speaks of a Day when God will raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the Breaches thereof and raise up his Ruins and build it as in the Days of old Chap. 9. from ver 11. to the End. OBADIAH also to the same Purpose that upon Mount Sion shall be Deliverance and there shall be Holiness ver 17 and Saviours shall come upon Mount Sion and the Kingdom shall be the Lord's JONAH is a History no Prophesy MICAH 4.1 2 3 but in the last Days it shall come to pass the same with Isai 2. NAHUM speaks of a Time when the Wicked should be among the People of God no more but be utterly cut off Chap. 1.15 HABAKKUK Chap. 2.14 the Earth shall be filled with the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea. ZEPHANIAH Chap. 3 9-20 I will turn to the People a pure Language that they may call on the Name of the Lord and serve him with one consent in that Day it shall be said to Jerusalem fear not and to Sion let not thy Hands be slack the Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty c. HAGGAI 2.7 The Prophet speaks of a Time when God would shake the Heaven and the Earth and shake all Nations and ver 22 that he would overthrow the Thrones of Kingdoms and the Desire of all Nations should come T is true this hath been in Part fulfilled at the first Coming of Christ when the legal Dispensation was taken away and so much the Apostle implies Heb. 12 but that Shaking did not overthrow the Thrones of Kingdoms as this Shaking shall The Apostle who wrote after the legal Dispensation was shaken to Pieces tells us of another Shaking which God had promised which was future And when may this be It may be 't is when the Desire of all Nations shall come the second Time to sit up his own Kingdom then when the Beast shall be slain and his Body destroyed and given to the burning Flames when the Ancient of Days shall sit then and not 'till then will these Thrones be cast down Dan. 7.9 And that Time will be a shaking Time indeed when not only the Earth but the Power of Heaven shall be shaken also Mat. 24. Luk. 21. And these Heavens and Earth so shaken must be removed and a new Heaven and Earth created that shall remain before the Lord Isai 66.22 And so the Apostle tells us Heb. 12 of a Kingdom that cannot be shaken by which we must understand the whole Kingdom of Christ and not only his spiritual Kingdom but his external also which he is gone to receive which is an ever lasting Kingdom and shall never pass away to another People which must remain when those Things that are shaken must be removed See also what the Prophet ZECHARIAH speaks Chap. 8.3 The Lord saith I am returned to Sion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and Jerusalem shall be called a City of Truth the Mountain of the Lord of Hosts the holy Mountain See ver 4 5 6 7 8 Chap. 12 13 14. The Prophet speaks of little else but the Glory and Holiness of the Jewish Church after their Conversion to Christ There is yet one Prophet more who is yet to speak and that is MALACHI and he speaks of the Day of the Lord that shall burn as an Oven and all that do Wickedly shall be stubble and the Day that cometh shall burn them up and ye shall tread them down for they shall be Ashes under the Soles of your Feet But it may be thought that this Burning shall be at the last Judgment T is true there will then be the greatest Destruction by Fire that ever was or shall be for then they will be destroyed all Rev. 20.9 but t is likely it will be otherwise now consisting only of such as are actually in Arms against Christ But that there will be a great Destruction by Fire at this Time the Scripture is clear Isai 66.15.16 For behold the Lord will come with Fire and render his Rebukes with Flames of Fire for by Fire and Sword will be Lord plead with all Flesh and the Slain of the Lord shall be many See Ezekiel 38.22 Words to the same Purpose And when this Burning shall be the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in his Wings
this Man that hath been a Cripple this 38 Years he tells them that the Hour was Coming when the Dead should hear his Voice and live and not many Hours after Christ did raise up dead Lazarus and the Jews did see it Nay not long after that many dead Bodies of Saints arose by the Power of Christ and appeared to many and for ought I know to some of these Jews Mat. 27.52 53 So that this was fulfilled according to the Letter Further we must know that the Word Hour in Scripture is seldom taken for an Hour properly so called but mostly for a longer Time and sometimes for Periods of Time as in Mat. 20. mention is made of the third sixth ninth and eleventh Hour and sometimes t is taken for a very long Time even to Years and Ages The Hour of Temptation which shall come upon all the World Rev. 3.10 is a long Hour And I have heard that the same Word which is translated Hour in this Text is in the 1 Joh. 2.18 translated Time viz. the last Time and if there be nothing in this fifth of John repugnant to such a Translation why should we not as well read it viz. the Time is coming as well as the Hour is coming But upon a Supposition that this former Exposition be not the Meaning of this 25th Verse why then may we not understand the Meaning of it to be the Time cometh when the Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live viz. shall rise and live and so be the Saints of the first Resurrection called the Resurrection of the Just Luk. 14.14 when God will give Rewards which is at the Sounding of the seventh Trumpet Rev. 11.15.18 For then there is a Resurrection when the Kingdoms of this World shall be the Kingdoms of our Lord and when he shall take to himself his great Power and reign And why may not these be the Saints of the first Resurrection Or if neither of these should be the Saints of the first Resurrection let us see if we can find it in ver 28. Christ in this ver tells the Jews they should not marvel at what he had spoken before about raising the Dead and the Execution of Judgment but tells them the Hour or Time was Coming in which ALL that are in Graves should hear his Voice and come forth c. I think all Men that believe any Thing about a Resurrection do understand that Christ in this Verse speaks of a Bodily Resurrection But most take it for a single Resurrection viz. of all Men Good and Bad at one Time at the last Judgment and do utterly deny any first or other Resurrection at all And I confess I should be ready to think so too had not the same Apostle Rev. 20. told us in so many Words that there is a first Resurrection ver 5 when some lived and some did not live and if there be a first Resurrection I am sure there must be a last and therefore in ver 13 a Thousand Years after the first Resurrection we read of another Resurrection to the general Judgment when the Sea gave up the Dead that was in it and Death and Hell gave up the Dead that were in them and they were judged according to their Works at the last Judgment Some there be that think that there is a first and last Resurrection comprehended in this Verse and expound the Words thus the Time is Coming in which i. e. within the Compass whereof ALL that are in Graves shall hear his Voice and come forth they that have done Good to the Resurrection of Life at the beginning of the Thousand Years and they that have done Evil to the Resurrection of Damnation when those Years are ended at the general Judgment But whether so or no I shall not determine But I cannot see any Reason to persuade me to believe that Christ in the 25th ver of this Chap. did intend Regeneration or a spiritual Resurrection when the Sum of his Discourse was about the Resurrection of the Body and of Judgment to come and to speak of Generation as a Thing future which hath been ever since the World began I do not understand and where they may seem to be a double Meaning or doubtful Sense of any Scripture It is to be understood according to the subject Matter spoken of and the Scope of the Context Now I am sure that Christ speaks here of a bodily Resurrection but I am not sure that he speaks of Regeneration For further Proof of this Point we shall propound one Scripture more to Consideration and that is Rev. 11.15 At the Sounding of the seventh Trumpet when the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdoms of our Lord Jesus Christ there is mention made of a Judgment ver 18 and of giving Rewards to his Prophets and Saints and this is called there the Time of the Dead that they should be judged small and great And this doth necessarily imply a Resurrection at least of some For they are not judged and rewarded before they are raised from the dead But it may be some may say this is to be understood of the Resurrection at the last Day and that the seventh Trumpet here is meant the last Trumpet to summon the whole World together to the general Judgment But I say no That Trumpet is called the Trump of God 1 Thes 4.16 so is not this Again that is called the last Trump 1 Cor. 15 so as after it none was to sound so is not this Again at the Sounding of the seventh Trumpet the Thousand Years of Christ's Kingdom in this World is to begin as hath been proved before but at the Sounding of the last Trumpet or Trump of God it ends for then the World ends So that except we will deny the Doctrine of the Thousand Years it must be granted that the seventh Trumpet is not the last Trump and so that this Resurrection is not the last Resurrection but the first For after this many Things were to be done and 't is said the Nations were angry And therefore not to be understood of the last Judgment For then 't will be a vain Thing to be angry Hitherto or to this Time may be referred that in Psa 2 When Christ should be set as King in Sion there would be much Anger when he shall have the utmost Parts of the Earth for his Possession and such of his Enemies as would not that he should reign over them be bro't forth and slain before him and broken in Pieces with a Rod of Iron like a Potter's Vessel and destroy them that destroy the Earth and give Rewards to his Servants small and great This is called the Resurrection of the Just Luk. 14.14 So that we may gather from hence that there is a partial or first Resurrection and that of Saints only because they that have Part in the first Resurrection on them the second Death hath no Power
but the rest of the Dead that is wicked Men and it may be some of the Saints also shall lie still in their Graves 'till the general Judgment when all shall appear Good and Bad before the Judgment Sent of Christ And 't is very like this is the Meaning of that Place 2 Tim. 4.1 where 't is said that Christ shall judge both quick and dead at his appearing and his Kingdom That is to say by judging the Quick that is the Wicked or some of them to a temporal Destruction and the raised Saints to be rewarded with all the Glory that is promised to all Overcomers in the New Jerusalem Rev. 2.7 11 17 27 Chap. 3.12 21 And as an Addition to all the Rest they shall sit with Christ in his Throne even as he overcame and is set down with his Father in his Throne And these are some of the Rewards that are mentioned Rev. 11.18 to be distributed to the Saints of the first Resurrection so that we may say with the Psalmist Verily there is a Reward for the Righteous verily he is a God that judgeth in the Earth Psal 58. ult By This time I hope it is clear that there is a first Resurrection of some before all and that of Saints and Saints only And having shewed before what this first Resurrection is not namely that 't is not Regeneration let us now enquire what it is and whether it be not a Resurrection of the Body and that properly so called And to this End let us consider that 20th Chap. of Rev. a little more John is said there to see the the Souls of them that were beheaded for the Witness of Jesus c. What may we think is meant by Souls Souls in this Place are put for the Dead the Souls of them that were beheaded is the same with the Dead that were beheaded And that is manifest from the opposite Clause or Sentence i.e. the rest of the Dead lived not again ver 5 and therefore the first are considered as dead Again 't is faid they lived and reigned c. What may be meant by this Living and Reigning By the Lives of the Souls of them that were beheaded it seems to me to be no other than the Life of the Body which they did lay down in the Death of the Body and which now in the Resurrection they receive again to die no more To evince the Truth of this let it be considered First That John speaks of the Souls of them that were beheaded that is of those that were slain or dead in Body and he saith that they lived that is they lived again but the dead in Body live not again but by a Resurrection from the Death of the Body The Argument may be thus framed The Resurrection of the Dead in Body is the Resurrec-of the Body 1 Cor. 15.12 13. but the first Resurrection is the Resurrection of the Dead in Body for 't is the Resurrection of those that were beheaded therefore 't is of the Body Secondly The Text speaks of such a Resurrection wherein Men lived a Thousand Years after they be raised which cannot agree to any other Life or Resurrection but the Life and Resurrection of the Body therefore this Resurrection is a bodily Resurrection Thirdly Such a Resurrection is here meant as will be to the rest of the dead after the Thousand Years are ended who lived not again 'till that be finished ver 5 which shall be of the Body ver 12.13 therefore this Resurrection is of the Body also Fourthly The Men that were beheaded must so live during the Thousand Years as the rest of the Dead lived not all that while their Souls were still separated from their Bodies therefore these must live in Souls joined to their Bodies And Lastly These must so live at the first Resurrection as the rest shall live at the second Resurrection and that will be in Bodies and Souls united which cannot be except they be raised from their Graves And thus having written before of the second or next Coming of Christ and of the Thousand Years and of the first Resurrection and the Judgment of the Quick and Dead and other Things coincident we shall write hereafter a little more fully to what hath been only hinted already in this Discourse And First Touching THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST IN THIS WORLD That of John 18.36 being objected against it where Christ saith his Kingdom is not of this World for the better Understanding of this we may take Notice That when Pilate asked Christ if he were a King his Answer was thou sayst that I am a King grants the Thing told him that for that End he was born i. e. to be a King. And Luk. 19 we read that he was proclaimed King by the Multitude and a great Multitude with great Solemnity to the Astonishment of the Spectators All Jerusalem was moved at it Matt. 21.10 and he justified them that did it But it may be said every one will grant this that Christ is a King and that he is King over his Church in which Respect he is called King of Saints Rev. 15.3 King of Sion Joh. 12.15 Psal 2.6 King Jesus Act. 17.7 But CHRIST is not only King of Saints but King of Nations Jer. 10.7 and that not only as GOD equal with the FATHER but as MEDIATOR also And in that Respect he is called God's King Psal 2.6 And all Power in Heaven and Earth is given to him Civil as well as Ecclesiastical And therefore in Luk. 1.32.33 there 't is said that God shall give to him the Throne of his Father David and that he should reign over the House of Jacob and therefore in Mar. 11 the People are said to Cry Hosanna Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord blessed be the Kingdom of our Father David But the Throne and Kingdom of David was Civil Government Again CHRIST is not only a King but a great King Mat. 5,35 in Reference to Jerusalem which is often put for civil State and not only a great King but King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 By all which we may see that Christ is de jure and will be de facto a King and that not only over his Church but over all the Earth and that is next to be considered i. e. THE EXTENT OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM For this see Psal 2. He is to have the utmost Parts of the Earth for his Possession Psal 22.28 he is said there to be Governor among the Nations and Psal 72.8 his Dominion is to the Ends of the Earth ver 13. all Nations shall serve him Daniel also speaking of this Kingdom of Christ says it became a great Mountain and filled the whole Earth Chap. 2.35 But more fully Chap. 7.14 and there was given to him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve him I shall add one Scripture more to all these and that is Rev. 11.15 at
the Bodies of his Saints and there are some who shall dwell with devouring Fire and everlasting Burnings when some shall not but shall be as the burning of Lime and as Thornes cut up shall they be burnt in the Fire Isai 33.12 14 15 And there is a Promise Isai 43.2 that God made to his People that when they walk through the Fire they should not be burnt neither should the Flames kindle upon them Again when God destroyed the old World by Water God found out a Way to preserve Noah and his Family and Creatures of every Kind when as neither Noah nor all the World besides could tell how it would be till God revealed it Nor can any Thing that I know be certainly concluded how he will preserve his Church at this Time but that he will have a glorious Church on Earth when there shall be a new Heaven and a new Earth is a Thing which we must and ought to believe which will be after all this And as for the irrational Creatures as Birds and Beasts of all Kinds we may upon good Grounds suppose that some of every Kind will be preserved as they were when the World was drowned though the greatest Part may be destroyed as they were then That these Creatures shall have a Being after this Time we may gather from Scripture because it is said Rom. 8 they wait groan and travel in Pain But what do they wait and groan for is it to be annihilated and have no Being we may not think so for every Creature by natural instinct labours to propagate their own Kind and to preserve their own Beings and therefore t is said ver 19 that they with earnest Expectation wait for the Manifestation of the Sons of God which whether it be at or during the Time of the general Judgment as some would have it or any Time before as others understand it proves clearly they shall have a Being after this Destruction made by Fire Again they wait for Deliverance from the Bondage of Corruption into the glorious Liberty of the Children of God ver 21. And here we must understand that God in the Beginning made all Things in their first Beings very good free from that Vanity they are now subject to and it was subjected to Vanity after the Fall not willingly yet in hope of Deliverance This Vanity and Bondage of Corruption is the Curse upon the Creature for Man's Sin and this is that it waits to be delivered from and to be serviceable to those Ends for which they were first made i. e. next to the Glory of God for the Use and Service of Man. And here it may not be amiss to enquire whether wicked Men may not make Use of the Creature without abusing them to Sin There is no doubt to me but wicked Men and that by God's Appointment have a right to the Creature and may for any Thing I know make use of them without Offence It was God that divided to the Nations their Inheritance Deut. 32.8 he gave Mount Seir to Esau for a Possession and to the Moabites and Amonites their Possessions and Israel was not to meddle with them Deut. 2.5.9 But more fully Gen. 9.1 2 3 God delivered into the Hands of Noah and his Posterity some of whom were none of the best the Beasts of the Earth Fowls of the Air Fishes of the Sea and every moving Thing that lives and the green Herb to be meat for them and as long as they made use of them for no other End who can say the Creature was abused We may rather think they offend if they use them not for those Ends for which they were appointed even by God himself And therefore do not yet see any Reason to believe that this is any Part of that Vanity and Bondage the Creature waits and groans to be delivered from I am not ignorant that some are of another Opinion who think that the Creatures shall never be delivered from this Vanity and Bondage but still be subject to it so long as any Wicked Men are in the World and make use of them and therefore conceive that the Time when the Creature shall be delivered from the Curse of Vanity Bondage it now groans under is not before the general Judgment but in and during the continuance of it But for further clearing of this let us consider First What 's meant by Adoption and what by Redemption of our Body which the Creature as well as Believers wait for and groan for Adoption I take in Scripture Sense to be the making one a Son who was not so before and this is done to every Believer at his first Conversion so that Believers cannot be said to wait for this which they have already received and therefore Adoption cannot be taken in this Sense here for they that are said to wait for the Adoption had the Spirit of Adoption before whereby they cried Abba ver 15 and therefore by Adoption in ver 23 I understand nothing but the Manifestation of that Adoption they were before Partakers of and this is that the Creature waiteth for ver 19 the Manifestation of the Sons of God. And this agrees directly with 1 John 3.1.2 beloved NOW we are the Sons of God but it doth not yet appear viz. to the World but it shall appear But when shall it appear It shall appear when Christ shall appear which we have proved before will be long before the general Judgment This Adoption is called the Redemption of our Body and the Apostle seems to make it all one with Adoption but whether it be so or no I shall not determine but leave it to the Judgment of the Learned and proceed to examine what may be meant by Redemption in this Place And here we must understand that there are several Acceptations of the Word Redemption in Scripture and it may various Ways be understood but I shall mention only two First a Redemption of our Souls by the Blood of Christ from Curse and Wrath and all our spiritual Enemies and this is done at our first Conversion Eph. 1.7 Rom. 3.24 25. Again there is a corporeal Redemption or a Redemption of our Bodies from outward Enemies when God will redeem his Church out of all their Troubles Psal 25.22 and this is that which hath been spoken of by all the holy Prophets since the World began that we should be saved from our Enemies and from the Hands of all that hate us that we might serve him without Fear in Holiness and Righteousness all the Days of our Lives Luk. 1.70 and this in Rom. 8.23 is called the Redemption of our BODY not Bodies but the Body mystical the Body of which Christ is the Head which is his Church To this Purpose is that in Luk. 21.27.28 when the Son of Man cometh in the Clouds of Heaven with Power and great Glory then look up and lift up your Heads for your REDEMPTION draweth nigh And this was the Burden of
that new Song sung Rev. 5 9. that Christ had redeemed them by his Blood and that they should reign on Earth And in this Sense I understand that in Rev. 14.3 4 where the Hundred and forty four Thousand standing on Mount Sion with the Lamb are said to be redeemed from the Earth and redeemed from amongst Men singing a new Song which none else could learn. See also how the Creatures are brought in rejoicing at this Time when the Lord reigneth as if it were the only Thing they waited and groaned for Psal 96 The Heavens rejoicing the Earth glad Fields joyful and all that is therein which comprehend all Land-Creatures all the Trees of the Wood Sion heard and was glad and the Daughters of Judah rejoiced But what is the Ground of all this Joy and Rejoicing Why 't is because of God's Judgments on a wicked World in burning up his and our Enemies Psal 97.3 delivering his Church ver 10. Methinks this looks very well like the Time that the whole Creation groaneth and travaileth in Pain for the Fruition and Enjoyment of But it may be thought that all this Joy and Rejoicing will be during the Time of the general Judgment And it may as well be thought otherwise and that it will be long before that Time For at this Time the Earth shall be established that it shall not be moved and when they should bring Offerings to God and come into his Courts and worship him in the Beauty of Holiness with external Worship which will not be at the ultimate Judgment To all that which hath been already written touching this Matter may be added that there shall be a Time when the Enmity of the Creature shall cease both their Enmity against Man and one against another For there was no such Enmity in them before the Fall and 't is no small Part of the Curse brought on the Creature and that Vanity they were made subject to and they groan travail in Pain to be delivered from being subjected to it in Hope of Deliverance and it shall be delivered from this Bondage of Corruption ver 22. See some Scriptures to this Purpose Hosea 2.16 17 18 in the Day when the Church should call Christ Ishi and the Name of Baalim should be taken out of her Mouth in that Day God would make a Covenant for them with the Beasts of the Field and with the Fowls of the Heaven and with the creeping Things of the Ground and break the Bow the Sword and the Battle out of the Earth and they should lie down safely Moreover God promiseth that in that Day he would hear the Heavens and the Heavens should hear the Earth and the Earth hear the Corn and Wine and Oyl and they should hear Jezreel See here is Safety Peace and Plenty and this will be before the End of the World. But more full is that Isa 11.6 7 8 9 the Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard lie down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and a little Child should lead them and the Cow and the Bear should feed their young ones and lie down together Here we see the Enmity of the Creatures one against another shall cease and not only so but their Enmity against Man also So that the sucking Child shall play on the Hole of the Asp and the weaned Child put his Hand on the Cockatrice Den they shall not hurt nor destroy in all God's holy Mountain for the Earth shall be filled with the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea. The whole Chapter is nothing else but a Description of the Kingdom of Christ in this World as is intimated to us in the Contents of the Chapter and will be fulfilled at or about the Calling of the Jews for it will be in that Day as is clear ver 11 and it cannot without Wrong to the Scriptures be referred to the general Judgment You have the same and much more Isai 65. from ver 17 to the End and this will be when there shall be a new Heaven and a new Earth and none in their right Understanding can refer it to any other Time. And here we are told that by Wolfe and Lyon and Leopard are meant Men of a ravenous Disposition before Conversion which afterward become Lambs but if so then they are no longer Lyons and Leopards but Lambs and t is no Wonder if they feed and lie down together Or if any should think that by these ravenous Creatures are meant wicked Men under the Power of restraining Grace although t is true there will be wicked Men at this Time in the World and possibly may be much under Restraint yet t is to be doubted whether they shall have such Intimacy of Communion with the Saints as to Eat and Drink and lie down together in God's holy Mountain or that they will be so tame that a little Child should lead them For we know there will still be Enmity between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent when the Enmity of the Creature shall cease But what need is there of forsaking the literal Interpretation of these Scriptures unless Truth were endangered thereby or to make Allegories or Metaphors where God makes none Those that know any Thing in these Matters know or may know that this Enmity of the Creatures amongst themselves and against Man which is a great Part of the Curse shall be taken away and cease and they wait in Hope for it as hath been before shewed and if so why not now Why must it be deferred till the general Judgment is begun or during that Time T is doubtful whether these irrational Creatures will have a Being at the General Judgment or if they should have a Being to be sure they could not be of any Use unto Men which was one great End of their Beings I know no Reason for such an Opinion but this that wicked Men will abuse them Such have been told before that Use either for Meat or any other Use or Employment is not in itself sinful but lawful and good and we may not think that wicked Men will be so apt to abuse them if at all when the Devil is in Chains and they themselves under the strict Government of the Saints And as a further Answer to such if these irrational Creatures should have a Being during the Time of the general Judgment which is yet to be proved what Children will there be then at Leisure to lead them or have nothing else to do but to play about their Holes when small as well as great and Children as well as others must stand before Jesus Christ to be judged Rev. 20.12 and the Earth the Heavens will then fly away from the Face of him that sits on the Throne and no Place found for them ver 11 and if so then no Place for these Creatures to be or not to be sustained in any ordinary Way Methinks Men
the Mountains be exalted above the Hills And lest any should think this hath been already fulfilled the 4th Verse will tell us no for it will be when Swords must be beaten into Plow-shares and Spears into Pruning-Hooks and when they should learn War no more And Paul tells us that in the last Days shall come perilous Times that is the latter Part of the last Days 2 Tim. 3.1 This is called also the latter Times 1 Tim. 4.1 when some shall depart from the Faith. Job tells us that CHRIST shall stand at the latter Day upon the Earth Chap. 19.25 Baalim also prophesied what great Things God would do for Israel in the latter Days I will advertise thee what this People shall do to thy People in the latter Days Numb 24.14 Hosea also speaking of the Calling of the Jews saith it will be in the latter Days Chap. 3.5 they shall fear the Lord and his Goodness in the latter Days So that we see there is the last Days and the latter Part of the last Days and yet all this long before the ultimate Day There is yet another remarkable Period of Time which is yet future and that will be at the second or next Coming of CHRIST His first Coming was to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself his second Coming will be without Sin to our Salvation of which we have written before his first Coming was mean in outward Appearance his second Coming will be unspeakably glorious with Power and great Glory Matt. 24. When he comes to build up Sion he will appear in his Glory Psa 102.16 Then he will come with Ten Thousand of his Saints and take unto himself his great Power and reign and all the Kingdoms of this World become his Rev. 11.15 deal wonderfully with and for his People Joel 2.26 I do not know any one Thing in Scripture more insisted on than the Glory of the latter Part of the last Days including the Thousand Years of the Kingdom of Christ until the last Judgment A short Account of several Things which will then be done have already been given in this Discourse but 't is beyond my Understanding to declare what great Things are yet to be done in the World and how much of Prophecy is yet unfulfilled And among other Things there will be a more full Accomplishment of the pouring out of the Spirit in converting Grace and the saving Gifts and Graces of the SPIRIT both upon Jews and Gentiles when the Spirit shall be poured out from on High Isa 32.15 and the Wilderness that is as I understand the Jews be called becomes a fruitful Field and the fruitful Field becomes a Forest that is the Fuluess of the Gentiles be brought in There is a double Fulness of the Gentiles one is from the Time of the Jews Rejection until their Conversion This is called the Riches of the World and the Riches of the Gentiles Rev. 11.12 And this is also called the Fulness of the Gentiles ver 25. There is also another Fulness of the Gentiles and that is to commence soon after or in Conjunction with the Calling of the Jews and this is clear from Rom. 11.12 compared with ver 15. From the Fulness of the Jews there will be a greater Fulness to the Gentiles than ever they had before It will be Life from the Dead ver 15 for the Gentiles at this Time in all Likelihood will be in a low Condition till the Glory of the Lord be risen upon the Jews Darkness will cover the Earth and gross Darkness the People Isai 60.2 and that not only to the Body of Gentile Nations but wise as well as foolish Virgins will be slumbering and sleeping little Faith on Earth when the Son of Man cometh little Hope of reviving the Work of Conversion till this Time be over We have a sad Description of the latter Part of the last Times immediately preceeding this remarkable Time before spoken of 2 Tim. 3. And t is very likely that those Gentile Nations that do not now come in will never come in nor be converted Upon them shall be no Rain that come not to Jerusalem to worship the King the Lord of Hosts and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles Zech. 14.17 19 And this will be a remarkable Time and a great Day when the Children of Judah and the Children of Israel shall be gathered together and appoint them one Head it will then be the great ' Day of Jezreel Hos 3.5 Yet I do not understand this Day to be the great and terrible ' Day of the Lord of which Joel speaks for that is to be AFTERWARD that is after the Jews are called and the Fulness of the Gentiles are come in to the Obedience of the Gospel Neither do I conceive that yet either Jew or Gentile had received any other Gifts of the Spirit than those that were ordinary neither were extraordinary Gifts ever given to any that I know of but to those who were already converted nor given together with saving Grace and the ordinary Gifts of the Spirit Neither do I think that the Prophet doth intend at all any other Gifts but such as are extraordinary in this Prophesy for if when the Gospel was first to be preached to all Nations God saw that extraordinary Gifts were necessary and therefore tho' the Apostles had commission to go teach all Nations Mat. 28.19 yet they must tarry at Jerusalem till they were furnished with extraordinary Gifts and why are not extraordinary Gifts necessary as well now as they were then the Case being the same T is true by Virtue of their former Commission they did preach to the Jews but were forbidden to go into the Way of the Gentiles till now And as Christ gave extraordinary Grifts for the Publication of the Gospel to all Nations so he appointed extraordinary Officers for that Work some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists Eph. 4.11 and gave them suitable Power for the Execution of their respective Commissions And we have good Reason to believe that when the Gospel was preached to all Nations the End being attained that these extraordinary Gifts of Tongues Prophesy and Miracles ceased as the Apostle foretold they should 1 Cor. 13.8 and consequently therewith all extraordinary Officers and what Power they had been vested withal And for ought I know this may be a good Answer to those that are of Opinion that there is Church Power resident in some other Ecclesiastical Persons besides ordinary stated Church Officers but if there be such an Order of Men in the Worl pray what may we call their Names have they Scripture Names are they Apostles or Prophets or Evangelists or can they work Miracles or have they the Gifts of Healing CHRIST always gives Names to all his Officers and states the Duties of their Places and if they are extraordinary Officers they must have an extraordinary Call but haec obiter i.e. ly the Way And now having written briefly what may
Blameless at his Appearing and be like good Servants having our Loins girt and our Lights burning waiting for the Coming of their Lord and looking for that blessed Hope and the glorious Appearnce of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ and blessed is that Servant whom when his Lord cometh he shall find so doing I likewise propose to Consideration that it is a great Duty incumbent on all Christians at all Times not only to wait but to watch Hardly any Duty more prest in Scripture than this Christ foreseeing that wise Virgins as well as foolish would be apt to slumber and sleep when he should come This watching is that which is in direct Opposition to carnal Security we shall give a few Instances The Apostle 1 Thes 5.6 speaking of the Day of the Lord Coming as a Thief he warns them to watch and be sober Luk. 21.36 Christ upon the same Consideration gives the like Council watch pray that ye may be counted worthy to stand before the Son of Man And Mark 13.33 Christ gives Caution to take Heed watch and pray for ye know not when the Time is and ver 35 watch ye therefore for ye know not when the Master of the House cometh Again Mat. 24.42 watch therefore for ye know not what Hour your Lord doth come all which implieth that Christ would come in such a Time when the World would be asleep at Midnight was the Cry made behold the Bridegroom cometh in a Time wherein he is not looked for and in a Time of general Security when Men shall say Peace and Safety and as a Snare that Day will come on all them that dwell on the Earth God hath made every Man a Watchman Mark 13.37 That which I say unto you I say unto all WATCH but some are so in a special Manner by Office and t is very dangerous for those to sleep and cause others so to do by their Example the evil Servant did not say in his Heat that his Lord would never come but he thought as many good Servants now do that it would be a great While first not till the general Judgment and then he knew he would come Oh let none of Christ's good Servants say as he did my Lord delays his Coming and smite your fellow Servants who are in Expectation of him You should be always ready or your Lord will come in an Hour ye think not of And this Coming is not meant only by Death or in any other Way of common Providence for so he is always Coming and ever hath been tho' this may be also intended but there is a Coming of his in an extraordinary Way I mean a personal Coming when he will not come alone but bring all his Saints with him and he hath told us so Zec. 4.5 and told us also why he will come and what he will do at his Coming that t is for the Perdition of ungodly Men 2 Pet. 3.7 and to execute Judgment on them all Jude 15 and to set up his Kingdom which he is gone to receive and to return These are some of the great Businesses about which he comes and this being over I do not know but that he may withdraw his bodily Presence and leave the Government of his Kingdom to his Saints for I see no Scripture Grounds for his personal Presence any longer Sure I am that when he comes to the general Judgment he will come from Heaven and this is that Kingdom the Jews are in Expectation of and which is so little too little taken Notice of by Christians But some may say what doth this concern us we are never like to live to see this Coming of Christ To them I say as Christ did long ago of that Day and Hour knoweth no Man. And now what Matter of Joy and Rejoicing is this to all those that love the Lord Jesus Christ in Sincerity Tho' they have never seen him with their bodily Eyes yet believing rejoice with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory who now see him but darkly in the Glass of the Gospel what Joy and Rejoicing may we think there will be when we shall see him Face to Face when he shall appear we shall be like him and see him as he is 1 John 3.2 see him in all his glorious Excellencies and Perfections see him Coming in the Clouds of Heaven with Power and great Glory the second Time without Sin to our Salvation see him that hath loved us and shed his Blood for us borne the Curse and Wrath of God for us and is now appearing as an Advocate with the Father for us Oh what a Heart-ravishing Sight will this be to every sincere Soul Abraham saw but a little in Comparison of this and that afar of and he rejoiced and was glad Joh. 8.56 And how did Job comfort himself in this in the midst of all his Misery that he knew his REDEEMER lived and that he should stand in the latter Day upon the Earth and that in his Flesh he should see GOD and that his Eyes should behold him and not another Job 19.25.26 How were the Disciples ravished with but a Glimpse of his Glory which they were Eye Witnesses of when they were with him in the Holy Mount 2 Pet. 1 Mat. 17.4 And good old Simeon was so transported with the Sight of him in the Days of his Flesh and when a Child that he desired to live no longer And t is but a little While before he that shall come will come and will not tarry Oh then all ye his Saints lift up your Heads for your Redemption draweth nigh and comfort yourselves with these Words And now to conclude what remains but that we pray with greatest Instancy and Importunity and that continually for the Accomplishment of all these Things pray that CHRIST'S Kingdom may come that his Will may be done in Earth as it is in Heaven pray for the Peace of Jerusalem keep not Silence Day nor Night give the Lord no Rest till he make Jerusalem a Praise in the Earth pray for the Coming of the new Jerusalem down from Heaven pray for the Destruction of the Kingdom of Darkness pray for the bringing in both of Jews and Gentiles to the Obedience of the Gospel that there may be one Sheep-fold under one Shepherd JESUS CHRIST to this End pray that the Spirit may be poured out from on High pray that the Times of refreshing may come from the Presence of the Lord when God will send JESUS pray for the Times of the Restitution of all Things Act. 3.21 pray for the Accomplishment of all Promises and for fulfilling of all Prophesies pray for the Coming of CHRIST let the Spirit and Bride say come Let him that heareth say come I add Let him that readeth this say come Rev. 22.17 and the Answer will be Behold I come quickly ver 7 and behold I come quickly ver 12 and my Reward is with me surely I come quickly ver 20 quickly quickly quickly AMEN veni Domine JESU veni Cito So Prays thy poor unworthy Creature The Author of this Discourse Written with his own Hand In the Seventy Ninth Year of his Age And in the Year of our LORD 1687. FINIS