Texts of Scripture seem to me fully to evidence it as first that great Promise That they shall look upon him whom they have pierced and mourn with such a penitent Contrition promised to them in mercy Zac. 12.10 compared with Rev. 1.7 with Even so Amen as a great mercy in its time to be accomplished And from St. Peter's Sermon to the Jews when he tells them That the times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord at the restitution of all things shall come when God will send Jesus whom the Heavens must contain till then Act. 3.19 20 21. which the Apostle Paul calls Christs apearing at his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.1 and in Dan. 7. after the little Horn the Pope spoken of before verse 9. the Ancient of Days did sit and in verse 21. the little Horn prevailed until the Ancient of Days came verse 22. which is further explained vers 26 27. And Matth. 24. after the coming of the Son of man was described by the Lightning from one part of the Heaven to the other and after the trouble then to be upon the Earth vers 29. it is said Immediately shall appear the sign of the Son of man which is probably conceived to be Christ himself as a sign then to the whole World and the time seems decyphered verse 24. that that Generation shall not pass namely in that the Nation of the Jews was to remain distinguished from all other People for they have been and will be preserved mostly unmixed with others until the appearing of Christ and as 2 Thess 2.8 Antichrist is to be destroyed at the appearance of his coming So likewise Matth. 23.39 Ye shall not see me till ye shall say Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord implying that then they shall see him And in that Parable up-upon the occasion of the time of the appearing of the Kingdom of God verse 11. having before Chap. 17. compared the days of the Son of man to the days of Noah and Lot which latter of Lot seems to resemble the next appearing of Christ and the former namely of Noah his last coming to Judgement those two days of the Son of man Now as Lot and his Family were sent out of Sodom first before Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed in that particular destruction so the Faithful shall first come out of Babylon and spiritual Sodom before it be destroyed in that partial destruction though like to be very great and terrible And as Noah and his in the general Deluge were carried by the Ark above the destruction of the old World by Water so in the general conflagration of the World at Christs last coming all the Faithful at their great general change shall be caught up to Christ their safe Ark in the Air above the destruction of the Wicked by fire at the Worlds last destruction and as the Rabbins speak from the Prophet Their strength shall then be renewed like the Eagles and be there with Christ in safety as neither lyable nor capable any more of any such misery I say then in the 11th Chapter he speaks of such a coming vers 13. when he will reckon with such as would nor have him reign over them and with the unprofitable Servant at his coming v. 23. and will have those his Enemies then brought and slain before him vers 27. when he shall receive his Kingdom and return as vers 12. and this Parable was particularly spoken by our Saviour to resolve the mistake of such as thought the Kingdom of the Messiah should then immediately appear vers 11. And many of the Prophers expressions import as much which I shall not now insist upon But for how long and in what manner he may be personally present so as Rev. 1.7 he is said to come with Clouds haply to unvail the brightness of his Glory which otherwise mortal Eyes could not endure I dare not say for as the Apostle Paul speaks he dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto otherwise As no man hath seen him so no man can see him 1 Tim. 6.16 and whether after some time of his appearing personally that expression of the Tabernacle of God its being with men as Rev. 21.3 imports some wonderful Glory and Grace upon the New Jerusalem as upon the Tabernacle of his Grace of old or the Glory of God shining upon it as Isa 60.1 whose Sun and Light setteth not day nor night vers 19 20. by some brightness of Glory and Grace shining upon her continually making glad the City of God when the Lamb shall be her Light as Rev. 21.23 or their beholding of him as Stephen did miraculously at his death sitting at Gods right Hand or in what manner the Ark of Gods Testament shall then be seen when the Temple of God is opened in Heaven Rev. 11.19 with many expressions to like purpose or how long that Resurrectio Justorum shall be in finishing which Mr. Mede in one of his Letters seems to conceive may be a great part of the thousand years and according to their order as the Apostles phrase is first of the Martyrs and most eminent Saints and so of the rest successively concerning which and the like as I am in the dark so I must be silent God in his own time will reveal what he knows best for his People in the mean time there is matter enough of Comfort and Rejoycing in respect of both Quick and Dead in the good and blessed Condition of his Church in the said thousand years upon Earth to all such as so wait upon Christ here as the true Followers of the LAMB Rev. 14. that they may be in a capacity of the Happiness reserved for either sort in those times for which the Holy Scriptures give plentiful Evidence if Men will not hide their Eyes from the Light thereof Thus Christian Friend I have as in a Mirrour briefly being led by the Hand of Divine Providence and assisted by his Grace and Spirit according to his Word endeavoured to set before thee these Materials of the New Jerusalem-Doctrine hoping that hence thou mayest with me have gladness put into thy Heart above what men have when their Corn and Wine and Oyl encreaseth Psal 4. I conclude with this Prayer for Thee and my Self That the Knowledge and Faith of these things may be sanctified dayly more and more unto us and may more and more engage our Hearts unto the LORD to whom all the service of our whole Spirits Souls and Bodies is ever due and in the faithful endeavour therein our labour will never be in vain Many other things I should here have added to like purposes but am now forced to defer them till God may afford some further engaging Opportunity In the mean time let us render unto Him the Glory of all we are or have or do or expect which ever of Right will belong unto His Divine Majesty To Glory's GOD all Glory 's due for aye To Him alone This Due let all His pay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The End 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ERRATA In the Title Page for Aurorum read Auroram pag. 26. l. 7. r. they p. 25. l 4. r. cast up p. 31. l 36 r said wings and l. 40. r. fifth Century p. 32. l. 21. add to be expired
to whom it will belong as being appointed to them by his Father in his own time namely at Christs appearing Here consider that Christ saith he came not to destroy the Law and Paul saith he established the Law and this is necessary to vindicate this Doctrine from scandal and to warn well-meaning persons that they think not upon seeming-fair pretences of good to attempt to do evil God having revealed that he will set up that Kingdom himself and that only in his own appointed time On the other side saith our Saviour He that breaketh the least Commandment and teacheth men so shall be the least that is none in the Kingdom of Heaven As he answered the mother of Zebedees children Mat. 20.23 It shall be given to them for whom it is appointed of my Father appointed as well for the time when as persons to whom These and the like errors being removed from it I think it may have an honourable and comfortable place in matter of true Christian Faith as containing the best times of the most holy Catholick Church upon Earth that we are to believe or hope for and the excellentest Communion of Saints that we are in this world to expect And likewise that we are now specially by our prayers to labour to promote as God of old directed his People when their time of deliverance from Babylon drewon Jer. 39. Then said he they shall call on me and I will answer c. And when Daniel by Books understood the mind of God therein he set himself by fasting and prayer to seek for and help forward if it might be the accomplishment of such revealed Grace So now also that new Babel is abundantly revealed to God's People to be shortly to be thrown down and the New-Jerusalem much more abundantly revealed in Scripture shortly thereupon to be set up The Faith and Prayer of God's People ought in their sphear to seeks to promote it and I observe the Dutch Notes though by men of different Judgments yet in the Preface of the nine last Chapters of Ezekiels Prophecy apply what is there said to some wonderful Glory of a Jerusalem to come of which the former restoring of the Jews from old Babylon was but a Type Besides I observe many Psalms and many passages in many other Psalms more than I reade in Mr. Archers Book to tend so this way that otherwise as such Prophetical-Scriptures besides seem not to have any probable fulfilling but according to Revelation Interpretation as I may call it which I must acknowledge I never did nor ever was like rightly and groundedly to have understood but according to the tenour of that blessed Book And as Israels coming out of Egypt tended to the actual giving of them after forty years space the possession of Canaan of old so God's Peoples coming out of the spiritual Egyptian Antichristian bondage now approaching tends to bring all God's true Israel into the New-Jerusalem that comes down from Heaven Rev. 20. and is it not a main drift of the most if not of all the petitions in the Lord's Prayer to this purpose for when hath Gods Name been so comparably hallowed in Earth as it is in Heaven as then it will be both by Men and Angels in all he is made known by to his People When wil his Kingdom come with such power to any sutableness in Earth as it is and will be in Heaven but when the Kingdoms of this World are the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ Rev. 11.15 And likewise when at the same time Rev. 19. God's People shall so rejoyce when the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth because as it followeth in the next verse his Bride hath made her self ready And consequently when will the Will of God be done in Earth as it is by the blessed Angels in Heaven but when his Subjects are of most obedient hearts and loyal spirits as they will be under such a prevalent reigning of Christ When may daily Bread this day any day be so comfortably and confidently prayed for and expected as when the particular promises of the greatest confluences of Temporal and Spiritual Blessings are to be fulfilled in their proper season to their best purposes c. When may we with such comfort and confidence pray for forgiveness of our Trespasses this day any day as when our hearts shall witness with us we least allow our sins When shall we be so assured of our own pardon as when our spirits are most free and clear in pardoning others in case they offend against us When can we so confidently pray to be delivered from the evil one and evil works with the consequents thereof this day any day as when Satan shall be known to be bound Rev. 20.3 and many great temptations removed and a very great measure of Grace attained and near Communion with Christ enjoyed in this World Yea and will not the following enforcements of Prayer set down by our Saviour be then most clearly applicable when the Kingdom is most manifestly Gods and the Power both to obtain it at his own time and pleasure and so likewise to retain it appears clearly his and consequently all Glory as his due shall be rendred unto him to all eternity Amen Amen And for the Martyrs and Saints to be raised at the entrance of Christ on this his Kingdom to have their part in the New Jerusalem I had the like thoughts before to what I find in other Authors That they should be in a state such as Christ was in after his own Resurrection while he was not ascended to his Father but when I consider the many Prophesies of all those great things in the Old Testament so confirmed in the New and specially applyed in the Revelation to the New Jerusalem not only by allusion but by application of the Spirit of God and Christ himself in a special manner Rev. 10.7 as he declared to his Servants the Prophets And at that time reward is to be given to his Servants the Prophets Rev. 11.18 and to his Saints and to them that fear his Name both great and small as it follows in the same Scripture And it is of main weight in this point that when the Chorus was set about the Throne Rev. 4.1 2 3. c. when Saint John was to receive the Visions of that Book there is a glorious appearance of God described and the Rainbow round about the Throne as doing all to his Church through the Covenant of Grace through the Blood of Christ his only begotten Son and the seven Lamps burning before the Throne deciphering the seven Spirits or the Holy Ghost with his Gifts and Graces as Rev. 1.4 more clearly in Rev. 5. there is a Book in the Hand of him that sat upon the Throne which none was found worthy to open but the Lamb that had been as it were slain having seven Horns and seven Eyes vers 6. which occasioned the four living Wights and twenty four Elders to sing a
ΠΡΟΔΡΟΜΟΣ THE FORE-RUNNER OF CHRIST's Peaceable KINGDOM upon EARTH Mal. 4.5 Behold I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord. Matth. 17.11 Jesus answered and said unto them Elias truly shall first come and restore all things but I say unto you Elias is come already and they knew him not c. The Evening and the Morning were the first Day so of the 2d 3d 4th 5th and 6th dayes Gen. 1.5 8 13 19 23 31. Likewise will the dark Evening precede the seventh Millenary of the World in reference whereunto note the words of St. Peter 2 Pet. 3.8 A thousand years as one day Post funestam Gogi Magogi cladem i.e. Papae Turcae Ezek. 38.39 Describitur Nova Hierusalem cui nomen Jenovah Shamma Dominus Ibid. c. 48. ad finem Baptistes Dominum Messiam praeit Elias Aurorum Vesper funebria tetra triumphum The Baptist did the Lord precede Elias Moshahh will The Night the Day Christ's triumph shall The Earth with slaughter fill Hoc Omega suis Munus Alpha tulit Christ this for his did bring so Munus for his friends London Printed in the Year 1665. To the Reader True Christian Friend whoever thou art or maist be AS in the sequel both of this little Parcel and of the therein-named Tract of Christ's Kingdom on Earth to come I have endeavoured with the Woman of Samaria to impart to thee and all that truly fear God as good news for thy whole spirit soul and body as I have received from Christ and am perswaded in my own heart that I have been taught chiefly and remarkably from his Word and Spirit Yet sith that there are I conceive by the same means setled apprehensions wrought upon my heart of terrible things to come upon the World before that time If such admonition thereof may be useful unto thee or such Warning made profitable to any persons that hereafter God may in mercy bring out of the Mystical Babylon or any other bondage of Satan before the great ensuing Destruction come and so by this or any such means thou mayest receive benefit to thy soul or promote it to others and that I may self may at least be clean from the blood of all men as the Apostle spake to those refractory Jews his Brethren according to the flesh Acts 18.6 I have under the Glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ shortly to appear as Tit. 2.13 attained my end herein And for what remains I shall not cease to pray in the behalf of thee and others that by the Blessing of God upon this poor endeavour or any other good means which he may in his good pleasure raise up to such blessed purposes that so from all of us to his most holy and glorious Majesty the due praise of all his glorious Grace may evermore be rendred through Jesus Christ and by the Lord the Spirit In whom I am and ever shall be thine in all he hath or may hereafter make me useful to serve thy soul as such MUNUS Septemb. 29. 1664. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 3. Or A Warning to the wicked World A Watch-word to wise Virgins Rev. 14.4 Dan. 12.10 None of the Wicked shall understand But the Wise shall understand Mal. 4.1 BEhold the Day cometh that shall burn as an Oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble and the Day that cometh shall burn them up saith the LORD of Hosts that it shall leave them neither root nor branch Mal. 3.1 2 3. Behold I will send my Messenger to wit to the Jews and he shall prepare the way before me and the LORD whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple even the Messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in Behold he shall come saith the LORD of Hosts Ver. 2. But who may abide the Day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like a Refiners fire and like Fullers soap Ver. 3. And he shall sit as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver and he shall purifie the sons of Levi and purge them as Gold and Silver that they may offer unto the LORD an Offering in Righteousness Luke 19.27 But those mine Enemies which would not that I should reign over them bring hither and slay them before me Even 2 Thess 2.8 The Wicked-one with his followers whom he shall destroy with the appearance of his coming Dan. 12.1 There shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation Numb 24.23 Alas who shall live when God shall do this Rev. 16.15 BEhold I come as a Thief Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame Haggi 2.6 7. Thus saith the LORD of Hosts Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and the dry Land Ver. 7. And I will shake all Nations and the Desire of all Nations shall come With Heb. 12.26 Mal. 4.2 3. But unto you that fear my Name shall the Sunne of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall Ver. 3. And ye shall tread down the wicked for they shall be ashes under the soals of your feet in the day that I shall do this saith the LORD of Hosts Mal. 3.17 18. And they shall be mine saith the LORD of Hosts in that day that I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Ver. 18. Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Rev. 14.4 5. These are they which were not defiled with Women avoiding the Idolatry of the times for they are Virgins †For being espoused as a chast Virgin unto Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 They reject Image and Idol-worship Worship of evil men departed and Saints of Crosses and Crucifixes Opinion of merit works of Supererogation Church-Treasury Saints Intercession Mens Pardons Indulgences and all such devices for freeing them from their sins as also all opinions of Self-sufficiency Free-will Light within them Natural-conscience Creature-sufficiency or any thing that intrencheth upon any of Christs Offices as their Prophet Priest or King who is all to them for Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 11.30 these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth these were redeemed from among men being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb. Ver. 5. And in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the Throne of God Certain suitable and seasonable portions of Prophetical-Scriptures left for the benefit of Wisdoms Children here tendered to be observed by them in order following THe first is Rev. 16.12 And the sixth Angel poured out his Vial upon the great River Euphrates and the water
Faithful and True and in righteousness he doth judge and make war Ver. 12. His Eyes were as a flame of fire and on his Head were many Crowns and he had a Name written that no man knew but he himself Ver. 13. And he was clothed in a Vesture dipt in blood and his Name is called The Word of God Ver. 14. And the Armies that were in heaven followed him upon white horses clothed in fine linnen white and clean Ver. 15. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp Sword that with it he should smite the Nations and he shall rule them with a rod of Iron and he treadeth the Wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God Ver. 16. And he hath on his Vesture and on his thigh a Name written KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS Ver. 17. And I saw an Angel standing in the Sun and he cried with a loud voice saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of Heaven Come and gather your selves together unto the supper of the great God Ver. 18. That ye may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of captains and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and them that sit on them and the flesh of all men both free and bond both small and great Ver. 19. And I saw the Beast and the Kings of the earth and their Armies gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse and against his Army Ver. 20. And the Beast was taken and with him the false Prophet happily Mahometan as well as Popish however all Antichristian Enemies that wrought miracles before him with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the Beast and them that worshipped his image These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone Ver. 21. And the remnant were slain with the Sword of him that sat upon the horse which Sword proceeded out of his mouth and all the fowls were filled with their flesh Thus largely is explained this conquest of Christ at the Armageddon-Battel when his Enemies shall eminently be made his Footstool as Psal 110.1 Thus having briefly touched on these three approaching Prophecies out of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or little Book given to St. John to eat up Chap. 10. we shall adde one contemporary with them out of the same Prophecie about the end of the Roman Empire and the entrance of Christ's Visible Dominion in the room and place thereof and of all other being a short abridgment of the Seventh Trumpet which there ends all time Rev. 11.13 And the same hour there was a great Earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell and in the Earthquake were slain of men Seven thousand viz. Men of eminent name or note though haply civilly and the remnant were afrighted and gave glory to the God of Heaven Ver. 14. The second Wo is past and behold the he third Wo cometh quickly Ver. 15. And the Seventh Angel sounded and there were great Voices in Heaven saying The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Ver. 16. And the twenty four Elders which sate before God on their seats fell upon their faces and worshipped God Ver. 17. Saying We give thee thanks O Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come because thou hast taken to thee thy Great Power and hast reigned Ver. 18. And the Nations were angry and thy Wrath is come and the time of the Dead that they should be judged and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy Servants the Prophets and to thy Saints and them that fear thy Name small and great and shouldest destroy them that destroy the Earth Ver. 19. And the Temple of God was opened in Heaven and there was seen in his Temple the Ark of his Testament and there were Lightnings and Voices and Thundrings and an Earthquake and great Hail Now as this last Prophecy with all the former speaks terror to the enemies of God in these latter dayes so much comfort to his faithful People to ensue thereupon as likewise did the fore-mentioned first part of the 19th Chapter And therefore upon both considerations let all such as would approve themselves in the number of wise Virgins seriously consider and diligently enquire into the series and order of these Prophetical Predictions the better to discern the seasonableness of the matter contained in them that so they may be enabled to make a due improvement thereof especially by earnest and faithful prayer which is God's Peoples usual prevailing means for obtaining both the removing of evils and the enjoyment of good as Daniel David Hezekiah and others have frequently by experience found In reference whereunto there are part of two Letters with other Papers hereunto subjoyned The one containing some affecting previous apprehensions concerning the New Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven from God Chap. 21.10 The other containing some subsequent serious considerations in reference to the order of Revelation-Prophecies and other things the better to set home such due consideration and improvement thereof which are now so much the more necessary by how much the times of any of their accomplishment may be near approaching the one of the said Letters preceding the other occasionally following a Tract intitled A peaceable Consideration of Christs peaceful Kingdom upon Earth in the thousand Years Rev. 20. under or after the seventh Trumpet Unto which are annexed certain Theses or Positions agreeing to holy Scripture and the Analogy of Faith tending to make way for the Doctrine of the said Kingdom of Christ All being apt to be premised before the said Tract I shall here set down these Theses or Positions agreeing to the Scriptures and Analogy of Faith which hold out the Symmetry and fit proportion suiting with the Doctrine of Christs Kingdom upon Earth from the most general and eminent manifestation of Christs three great Offices of Prophet Priest and King in the three great Periods of the World whence are drawn six Inferences to prove the Kingdom of Christ in the Tract called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THe first thing we named to be done was the laying down of those Theses or Positions agreeing to the holy Scripture and the Analogy of Faith that may make way for Doctrines of this nature Which are these that follow First That as the a Job 11.7 8 9. infinite excellencie of the Nature and Being of the Trin-Une-Deity b Deut 6.4 1 Cor. 8.4 6. 1 John 5.7 Mat. 3.16 17. 28.19 was everlastingly c Psal 145.3 incomprehensible in it self saving onely so far as the same Divine Essence hath been pleased to communicate any discovery of it self by d Exod. 3.13 14 15 16. Exod. 34.6 7. Word or e Psal 19.1 145.10 Rom. 1.20 Works or both unto any Creatures in Heaven or Earth so hath the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the
62.12 whereupon they shall come to her Isa 60.3 and that with earnest desire and high estimation of her Zech. 8.22 23. and be joyned to the Lord and become his People also with her Zech. 2.11 These Nations and Kings shall bring to her Sons and Daughters Isa 60.4 and 49.22 Enrich her mightily with abundance and precious things Isa 60.6 17. She shall eat the Riches of the Gentiles Isa 61.6 and suck the Milk of the Gentiles and the Brests of Kings Isa 60.16 who shall be her Nursing Fathers and Queens her Nursing Mothers Isa 49.23 bringing her Presents and Gifts Isa 60.6 and 45.14 they shall fall down and make supplication Isa 45.14 they shall worship with their Faces to the Earth and lick the dust of her Feet Isa 49.23 Zech. 14.16 Strangers shall be her Servants Isa 61.5 Yea such as will not serve her shall be destroyed Isa 60.12 Zech. 14.17 She shall be a Crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord and a Royal Diadem in the hand of her God Isa 62.3 And this her Excellency shall never be changed her days of mourning shall be ended Isa 60.19 20. Her Joy everlasting Isa 61.7 For ever shall her Land be inhabited Isa 60.21 Zech. 14.11 For to the Lord is she married Isa 62.4 who sweareth by his right Hand and the Arm of his Strength to give her no more over to her Enemies Isa 62.8 At that day the Lord shall be King over all the Earth and in that day shall there be one Lord and his Name one Zech. 14.9 Thus we see what glorious Promises are made to the New Jerusalem when the Promises of the New Heavens and the New Earth shall be accomplished with many other of the like nature whence it may appear how strongly pre-possession of prejudice against an Opinion or Doctrine may carry grave and otherwise judicious men away from the Way of Truth sometime upon one advantage or other as by Prescription by Multitudes of wise learned or even good men if they try not all things to hold that which is good which was mine own late Error in this particular or at least want of defecation of appendant Errors cunningly by Satan affixed on this Truth as we observed in ancient and modern seducements not distinguishing between the Depravation and Corruption of that Truth and Truth it self which in its Original was pure and untainted as in other cases many times when the corrupt super-additions of men have long prevailed to mingle themselves with anciently untainted Truths which when men can learn to view with unprejudiced minds and adhere to with uninterested Affections will soon appear to them in their native excellency But for the said New Jerusalem the more I observe many places of Scripture not onely in the New Testament and Revelations but in the Psalms the Prophets and even the Historical Parts the more I am minded thereof from time to time And besides Psal 2. 8. 96 98 99. which one mentions specially I have taken notice of sundry others since God hath opened my eyes as he did Hagars of old to see these refreshing Waters of Comfort as Psal 89. 50. and divers passages in others which seemed to tend that way as Psal 146.5 6 7 8 9 10. 148.11 12 13 14. 149. throughout and those nine last Chapters of Ezekiel which the Dutch Bible reckons like Daniels to be Revelations of the Old Testament which set forth things to be accomplished in the New though they seem not to own the Opinion yet sometimes again lay grounds of it The second and seventh of Daniel speak much of Christs Kingdom and many other places too largely here to rehearse The Spirit of God seems to me to have spoken so largely thereof and in many specialties likewise to these purposes and the things themselves seem so to approach as evidently may appear from the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ the best Expositor of the meaning of his own Prophetical Spirit that it much concerns all Gods People diligently to search and examine all such Truths as he hath set down there for our now seasonable Instruction and Consolation being sunk down near to the very dregs of the Worlds evil Times And as our Saviour on Earth directed to search the Scriptures for Salvation so now being in Heaven he directs his People to search them in this for consolation And as then he said In Moses the Prophets and the Psalms it is written of me for the former so for this he not onely points out Moses the Prophets and the Psalms in the old Testament but hath likewise taught the Apostles the Evangelists with many other persons divinely inspired in the New Testament to give witness to these things Vide the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or peaceable consideration of Christs Kingdom c. and lastly by his own wonderful gracious divine though mystical Revelation to the beloved St. John wherein very much is held out concerning his own Kingdom and the New Jerusalem and as it was when by the Ministry of Christ and his Apostles the Doctrine of the Resurrection had been more cleared then in former times yet afterward the Apostle Paul shews a further Mystery concerning the same 1 Cor. 15. We must saith he all be changed though not all dye so many things are still Mysteries to us concerning both the New Jerusalem and the Resurrection though concerning both our Saviour in his Revelation hath last super-added greater further Discoveries in both than any were before at least in evidence and clearness Yet how are the Eyes of very many with-held from discerning these things and in great part it is like to be so to all save to them to whom it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God which he uses to do as Christ himself informeth us to Babes and Sucklings when they are hid from the Wise and Prudent Mat. 11.25 and therefore to be humbly and faithfully sought And though the Apostle Paul concerning the Jews general Conversion had discoursed largely in the ninth tenth and eleventh Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans yet still he reckons that Doctrine mystical v. 25 c. Let all such therefore as are of truly Christian Spirits wait upon God as by other means so by faithful and earnest Prayer to the true Teacher of his own Mysteries as may appear requisite in a matter of so great importance concerning all Gods faithful People who seem to have their peculiar interest therein Rev. 3.21 and 20.4 5. and 10.18 which is incomparably greater and better for that thousand years then all the Crowns and Scepters and Kingdoms of the World not improved in Christs service in the mean time Part of a Letter dated May 20. 1664. tending to the opening of the seven Seals Trumpets and Vials with the Order of their Times useful for such as are unacquainted with Revelation-Mysteries with some Additions to the like purpose THe first six of the seven Seals
what Country man Antichrist should be and what Language he should use in his Laws and Worship wherein I conceive the wonderful Divine Wisdom of God is much to be acknowledged in setting down Mystery Babylons name so to exercise the several gifts he hath given to several men several ways to have their apprehensions agreeable to truth and considerable in reference to this manifold monstrous Beast wherein they are to be found in one respect or other and so the largest comprehensive sence is like to prove the true sence and many of them to be acknowledged real in such a strange compounded Creature of many as he is described Dan. 7. And in this Book chap. 14. is conceived by judicious men upon considerable grounds to be contemporary with the two Beasts Rev. 14. setting out the opposite state of the true Church in the same time not successive as this Author takes it though the Beasts ruine is therein more fully described yet he hath many considerable things against and concerning Antichrist in this Chapter and likewise he is very excellent upon the seventeenth and eighteenth being a like subject to prove the Pope to be Antichrist But for the particular Vision concerning the Vials chap. 15 16. Rev. 15 16. which appears to be a larger explication of what was spoken of Antichrists downfal and ruine in the latter part of chap. 14. As the seventeenth was an explication of divers things concerning the Antichristian Church of Rome and the eighteenth a special Vision of the terrible suddain irresistable and cursed destruction and desolation of Rome about the sixth Vial after which probably will succeed the conversion of the Jews and the Armageddon-Battel of which he hath many profitable notes upon chap. 19. But for the beginning of the seventh Trumpet at the beginning of the pouring out of the seven Vials and placing so many of the Vials after the time wherein the thousand years chap. 20. is begun and making the casting of Satan into the Lake after the Battel of Gog and Magog chap. 20. to be the seventh Vial I conceive to be much differing from the sence of the Scripture and for that the seven Vials are called the seven last Plagues which phrase is the same in sence with the end of the dayes Da. 12. both setting forth the period of wicked Monarchy when the Feet and Toes of the Image he saw before are wearing out toward the expiring of the Roman Monarchy and are both spoken of the Beasts ruine and poured out to accomplish it by degrees which the last Vial finisheth and reach no further and in this sence learned men understand the 〈◊〉 of the Angel of the Covenant chap. 10. That time should be no longer viz. to that wicked Dominion for thenceforth was to begin a new VVorld as after Noahs Flood wherein Christs Glorious Reign on Earth should take place in an eminent manner for then the Scene of the World will be visibly changed the old being ended and the new begun wherein a King shall Rule in Righteousness whose Officers shall be Peace and his Exactors Righteousness as the Prophet foretold c. then will come in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that world to come Heb. 2.5 but the Vials are the last Plagues because they at last dispatch and rid Antichrist and all his supporters out of the Earth neither are any such Plagues suitable to or seasonable in the state of things in the said thousand years while that happy World remains and the Kingdoms of the World become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ which this Author applies to the time of Luther which he judges to be the beginning of the Vials I conceive unwarrantably when he thinks the Witnesses were slain chap. 11. not distinguishing of the former and last flaying as we observed Grounds of the Doctrine of Christ's Kingdom on Earth throughout the whole Book of the Revelations ANd here I shall take occasion to hint what I have all along observed this Learned and Religious Author to have been defective in namely as one not owning the Doctrine of the Glorious Kingdom of Christ to come on Earth in the thousand years Rev. 20. That he passeth over many things in the Book of Revelation which evidently respect that time without observation as first in the Epistles to the seven Churches of Asia wherein those promises are set down again repeated c. 21 22. concerning the New Jerusalem many of which are evidently incompetible to any other state of affairs but of that time as to have power over the Nations chap. 2.26 to receive the Morning Star and to eat of that Tree whose Leaves shall be for the healing of the Nations to sit on a Throne of Christ distinct from his Fathers Throne chap. 3.21 and to have a Name written of the New Jerusalem which comes down from Heaven which are inconsistent with the state of the Church Triumphant in Heaven with divers others which the Primitive Christians were so well resolved of in the best times to belong to those that obtained a better Resurrection as the Spirit of God expresseth it Heb. 11.35 which Saint Paul seems to aim at the attaining to by the fellowship of Christs Sufferings Phil. 3.10 11. whence the Faithful are called the Children of the Resurrection Luke 20.36 Yea observe further they are called by our Saviour Such as are accounted worthy to attain that World and the Resurrection of the dead And to this purpose it is storied of the Primitive Christians such was their Faith in this particular that out of an holy-ambition as it were to have a share amongst the raised Martyrs they were forward to suffer upon that account for the Name of Christ But in the next place likewise he passeth over what evidently refers to that state chap. 5.10 though he spake of what the representative Church are said there to obtain from Christ to be Kings and Priests spiritually unto God but he altogether passeth over what the holy Ghost teacheth them there to praise God so for the time to come and which they greatly exult in and rejoyce in aforehand for the time to come as a duty belonging to all Saints in that happy priviledge upon Earth till then and say they We shall reign upon Earth which is joyned to the other as another part of their joy and matter of praise foreseen by the eye of Faith as if they had said For so we all Ministers and People shall then reign not only as we did spiritually in our former condition in the world but as will be suitable to that world to come in Christ's Kingdom on Earth We shall reign with him there a thousand years as chap. 20. is further explained and to make it clear it must not be taken for Celestial Eternal Glory the place is set down where that Reign shall be namely on Earth and for the time future noting that it was not their present spiritual Reign but they shall so
reign there viz. on Earth What can be spoken more clearly yet by him altogether over-look'd So usual it is for prejudice to blind the eyes even of otherwise judicious and good men though some Mysteries of God are discovered in their seasons only to whom and when and so far only as he is pleased to reveal them as Mr. Mede recordeth of a Tradition that the Apocalyps should be little understood in Antichrists time till about the twelfth Century and suitable in some things afterwards in such times as God sees good c. Again he takes notice of another innumerable company cloathed in white besides the 144000 sealed ones chap. 7. which innumerable company of all People Nations and Languages having Palms in their hands he seems to understand of the flourishing state of the Church when the Jews shall be called and he hath many considerable Testimonies to that purpose in sundry places of his Book but yet he doth not observe these of both companies are set forth to be clothed in white which is after as likewise before the clothing of the Inhabitants of the New-Jerusalem that comes down from God and makes this 144000 c. 7. the other 144000 c. 14. the same though they arise from several parts as we shewed besides many differences But that their clothing in white is the badge of the Jerusalem-Inhabitants consider how the fundamental Promises made to Christ as Mediator first to Adam and Eve then to Abraham and Sarah after to David tend all this way to advance such a Kingdom of the Mediator Christ Jesus upon Earth First after that God's everlasting Gospel preached by himself when man had forfeited his dominion before-promised chap. 1.26 and after could have no right in that or other benefits but through the Promised-Seed See how this is ascribed to Christ as his peculiar right belonging to him in Psal 8. And see how the Apostle Heb. 2. expounds it so and that with referring it unto that world to come ver 5 6 c. in which world those white ones shal have their share namely in their reigning with Christ upon Earth Having suffered with him they must reign with him there as their Captain and King of the New-Jerusalem See this further in the personal Promise to Abraham first and his Seed Not seeds as of many but unto Thy Seed As saith the Apostle of one viz. Christ concerning the Land of Canaan who yet personally possessed not a foot as the Scripture phrase is save what he purchased for a Burying-place with money to shew his part of that Inheritance and his faithful posterities part was to be had after the Resurrection and their bones as Josephs took and have kept possession thereof ever since and will do till they be raised to live upon it again And so after again the said Promise was renewed to Isaac the type of Christ the Seed of the Woman in a supernatural way though Abrahams likewise And to Jacob that was Israel for prevailing with God having seen the Vision of God before And therefore the Apostle saith of them both They were Heirs with Abraham of the same Promise to whom it was said Gen. 17.8 I will give unto thee and thy Seed after thee The first right is his own which is held only by Faith while he lived and therefore the actual possession yet remains to be enjoyed Vide Gen. 26.3 to Isaac Gen. 35.3 the like to Jacob to all three Abraham Isaac and Jacob together Ex. 6.4 8. Deut. 11.21 30.20 and so to Isaac and Jacob who possessed it no more than Abraham in their lives therefore Gal. 3.16 with Heb. 11.9 10. they so journed in that Land of Promise as strangers dwelling in tabernacles with those Heirs with him of the same Promise and ver 17. shews the drift of this Promise was to be fulfilled in Christ the Promised Seed to possess that Land and the rest by and with him Let these Scriptures and their contexts be well weighed with Heb. 11.9 10. for what these Promises did refer to is evident ver 10. namely the Jerusalem coming down from Heaven whose maker and builder is God and vers last he hath provided for them a City again ver 14. They sought a Country not Mesopotamia but a better Country ver 16. and for which God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City To this purpose he tells Moses Exod. 3.15 that that should be his Memorial throughout all Generations that he is the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and upon this Foundation are those many Promises in Moses and the following Prophets that God would reduce their posterity after all their dispersion to possess that Land as in Deut. 30. to ver 11. and many other places too many here to rehearse and in Vision revealed the same to Daniel chap. 7. both how and when all should be fulfilled when the Kingdom should be given to the Saints of the most High which is yet more clear and manifest by Christ himself Rev. 20. which is the same which this Author misapplyed c. 11.15 When the Kingdoms of the World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ that is in another manner than at the first revealing of Antichrist as he understands it but gloriously eminently visibly when he hath taken unto himself his Great Power and Reigned having begun wonderfully to subdue his enemies under his feet at the destruction of Antichrist And this is the drift of our Saviours argument against the Sadduces as Mr. Mede makes evident on Mat. 22. Mark 12. that God was the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob therefore they shall live again to inherit the Promise of the Covenant to possess the Land of Canaan I do but here briefly hint a few things out of multitudes to the like purpose Vide the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And here from the whole Book of Revelation I may offer this one thing observable namely That all sorts of faithful Christians in their several Ages and Conditions have their special Incouragement held out in something referring to the New Jerusalem on Earth though many overlook them or at least they have not been revealed to them for men in this case are like Hagar till God opened her Eyes in a special manner she saw not the Well of Water before her so no sort seem to discern these things till in some remarkable way they be made manifest to them First The seven Churches of Asia in the first Vision have each their Promises made in reference to the State of the New Jerusalem upon Earth Secondly The Representatives of the whole true Church viz. the four Beasts and four and twenty Elders Rev. 5.10 in particular praise for and rejoyce in their reign upon Earth to come which by faith they see aforehand and more especially that seems to be the encouragement to the Sufferers under the five first Seals and as was said seemed so
Appearance by his Spirit of Grace and Truth In setting down therefore what concerns this third and last Period I shall endeavour to express them either as matter of Faith or as things that are probable or lastly as things onely conjectural as the nature of the things may be and as the clearness or obscurity of the grounds of them may give occasion First I believe there is abundant evidence from Scripture that Christ our Saviour will after the coming of Elias Personally in a glorious manner appear with Clouds as Rev. 1.7 or in the Clouds at or about the great destruction of Antichrist which will be as Lightning shining from one end of the Heavens to the other and such appearing of his to the Jews seems to me probable to be the means of their more general Call and Conversion when that Nation will be born in a day as it were Isa 56.8 and thereupon will be their mournful contrition promised as a Mercy Zach. 12.10 And then will likewise be the Conversion of many Nations of the Gentiles not yet called to bring in their fulness as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 11. And then Satan being bound from seducing the Nations for the thousand years the Glorious Kingdom of Christ upon earth will be set up wherein the New Jerusalem coming down from God in the time of the new Heavens and new Earth wherein Righteousness shall dwell or a King shall Rule in Righteousness as the Prophet speaketh The State of that New Jerusalem whose Maker and Builder is God will be exceeding glorious a kind of Triumphant State for the raised Saints in their Order who probably shall have their chief Mansions there till all the deceased Just shall be raised and to the end of the world the Apostles or other eminent Saints probably shall be Rulers there by Christ's appointment and all other Governours that are converted to the Truth and live their Natural Life shall have their directions in Government from them in the New Jerusalem and all the Teachers in the Church shall probably have much instructions from them as they from Christ in whose Light they shall see Light the Lamb being the Light of the City Rev. 21. and that both Spiritual and Visible whose Tabernacle is then said to be with men when I conceive he will be in some glorious manner manifest unto the raised Saints there whose glory they shall then behold visibly being then made capable to behold it that none else then living can do except so as it was made discernable to them by Clouds at his first appearing Yet they likewise shall all be abundantly filled with his Grace and Wisdom and exceedingly rejoyce in all manner of his goodness then manifest to them according to their then present capacity yet in different degrees and measures and this state will be as intailed to the posterity of the Faithful that they and their Seed shall be blessed they shall live long lives but how long I dare not say but as the dayes of a Tree shall their lives be nor what way of removal or manner of death or translation or change I know not but I believe much Mercy and Grace will be bestowed upon them and their off-spring suitable to such an happy Reign of Christ wherein he shall be acknowledged Sovereign by all the Faithful and all authority mannaged under him and for him Isa 49. When Kings shall eminently be Nursing-Fathers and Queens Nursing-Mothers to his Church and People and the Government upheld in good hands to promote good and restrain evil as it was for the most part contrary before but when Satan being loosed out his Prison for a little space shall seduce the wicked Hypocrites of those times and draw them from all quarters of the Earth against the Camp of the Saints and the Beloved City upon which attempt God will destroy them casting the Devil into the Lake of Fire where the Beast and false Prophet had been long before and put an utter end to the World by the dissolution thereof at the consummation of all things with the last general Resurrection of the wicked and general momentany change of the Saints at the sound of the last Trump and Voice of an Arch-Angel 1 Thess 4.16 both such as were alive on Earth and such as were asleep to meet Christ in the Air from thenceforth ever to be with the Lord whereupon follows the general Judgement Many particulars of these natures it is probable will in God's time be apparent from Scripture which we can now but guess at which God to his Faithful Servants may discover concerning which we shall only say with the Antients Elias cum venerit nodos solvet Now for the main substance of all this Doctrine what is it but the explaining of such Articles of Christian Faith as we all profess to believe concerning these things in the true Scripture sence wherein Christ hath taken special order to have his Faithful People rightly instructed as in many particulars forenamed First When we Profess We believe that Christ shall come from the Right Hand of the Father to Judge quick and dead He will so come at his glorious appearing to destroy Antichrist to begin his Judgement and make his Foes his Footstool Ps 110. until which he was to sit at his Fathers Right Hand in Heaven then the Scripture saith He judges quick and dead as Rev. 11.18 and elsewhere though afterwards likewise in this sence Rev. 10. the Angel Christ Swears Time should be no more which seems to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 28.20 so the end of the dayes Dan. 12. for the same Period vide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that it is the day of Judgement at least begun Mr. Mede largely and excellently shews in his fourth Letter to Mr. Hain and to Dr. Twisse c. both from Scripture and Antiquity and that he will wonderfully Reign with his raised Saints a thousand years Why should it be doubted when his Word speaks so much and evidently for it though the Truth hath by Satans slights been clouded for a time wherein there seems to be as it were an appointing of the great last Assizes and calling together the Assessors thereof the Saints doth not the great Law-giver and Judge inform his Church of these things and he must needs be the best Expositor of his own Will c. Sept. 27. 1664. A Paper sent upon occasion of some discourse concerning the great and glorious Appearance of Christ about the time of finishing his Kingdom of Patience and of setting up his Kingdom of Visible Power on Earth the first being the Kingdom of the Stone cut out of the Mountain Dan. 2. Then the Kingdom of this Stone becomes a Mountain as Mr. Mede fitly distinguisheth their times by Regnum Lapidis Regnum Montis AS for the personal appearance of Christ at the destruction of Antichrist and the general calling of the Jews when that Nation shall be born in a day as Isa 66.8 many